More Waiting...

We were notified this morning that we did not pass court.

An Ethiopian agency supposedly did not provide expected reports for any of the families on the court’s docket there in Addis Ababa, so none of us passed.

A court date for Benjamin has been rescheduled for March 9. We will hurry up and wait.

Needless to say, we wanted to pass court so we might travel to Ethiopia soon. We want to go get Benjamin as soon as possible and bring him home. Now, we are feeling the weight of each long second. With the passing of every 24 hour period, Benjamin gets a day older and our family misses yet another day of being together.

Before the referral came for Benjamin a month ago today, our adoption process was merely that—a process. There was lots of paperwork to complete. We took a day and went to Louisville for fingerprints. We waited on certain documentation to come in the mail. We finally were able to mail off our dossier. It was a long process.

However, now we think not about a process. We think about a person—Benjamin Paul Brady. We’d love to post a photo of him for you to see, but we have been told to not publish his picture until an Ethiopian judge officially declares him to be ours.

Over a year ago, the needs of orphans gripped our hearts and we started the adoption process. Once Benjamin’s picture popped onto our screen, everything changed. The overwhelming reality of over 145 million orphans in the world became intensely personal as we realized that one of those orphans indeed belonged to us.

Amy often wears a necklace with a pendant of the continent of Africa around her neck. Never before has Africa been closer to our hearts.

Waiting increases hopeful anticipation. The Apostle Paul says, For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience (Romans 8:22-25).

Today’s news is an undesired comma in the long story which God has been writing. However, our focus is not on what God gives to us, but on God himself.

Benjamin, we want you to know that our hope is in God. We are waiting. And as Jesus said to his disciples, [we] will not leave you as orphans; [we] will come to you (John 14:18).

We promise.