Stepping Out in Faith

Stepping out in faith is something that all believers are called to do. How well we do it..that's something else for each of us. I think I do it well - safe & secure in my little world. . Then - something happens close to me, and I am humbled to see what stepping out in faith looks like in real life. On September 14th, the following email post was circulated very heavily in the adoption community:

Xie  Still Waits

We thought Xie  had a family yesterday but the family has decided they cannot adopt her at this time. We need each one of you to get the word out about her. She has only 7 weeks left to be adopted. Adoption to her means her life will be changed forever and not just changed a little but a night and day change for her. A change that will last a lifetime. I wish I had the words to describe to you what this will mean to her but there just are not enough words.

The time is so short for her that we really need a family that already has a dossier at the CCAA or is already adopting a child and would want to adopt a second child at the same time or is about ready to submit their dossier to the CCAA.

If this girl does not get adopted before she turns 14 she will not be able to adopted. Because of her orphan status, she would not be able to be educated, be employed, be married - live any of those dreams most 14 year old's have. Those familiar with the process know this is next to impossible. If you don't have your paperwork submitted to China, it takes about 8 months to complete it and get all the Chinese & US Government approvals you need. If your paperwork is already submitted to China, it still is about a 4 month process to get approval. 

Our friends stepped out in faith to adopt her. Against all odds - most of them man made paperwork odds - without any of the right completed paperwork in China - they stepped out in faith. They petition the Lord; He heard their prayers. We have seen miracles happen.

• Miracle #1 - The CCAA (Chinese Council of Adoption Affairs) agreed to a major concession with their paperwork - one that has never happened before. 
• Miracle #2 - The US government approved their petition to foreign born child prior to and pending receiving their Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from China. The day that our friends were called to step out in faith, the right people were in the right places in Washington and were ready to help.  
• Miracle #3 - they received their LOA within two weeks of submitting their Letter of Intent - and CCAA was closed for one of those weeks. The LOA was signed on Saturday -and arrived at their agency on MOnday - while they happened to be there finishing some internal paperwork. 

They are preparing to travel. They have to raise an enormous amount of money in a short time. They are stepping out in faith that the Lord will provide what they need. If you want to help be a part of this miracle in the making, go to CWA Foundation, click on general fund - adoption - and specify for the Perry Family. I am humbled and honored to call this family part of our adoption family. We traveled with them on our trip to get Katie - a trip when the Lord began to prepare them to add this beautiful girl to their family. I have been so blessed to watch the Lord move mountains - can you feel the mountains tremble? 

Our God is not too big for the two biggest government bureaucracies  in the world. 

Our God is not too big for a seemingly overwhelming expense.

Our God is not too big to move mountains to bring a young woman to a forever family that He has been preparing for her. 

Thanking God we serve a God this big. Thanking God for people who step out in faith.