Peace that Passes Understanding

The peace I feel today, truly passes understanding.

This has been a challenging week. Last Thursday night, I had a dream that there was an international crisis threatening to stop international transportation. In the dream, my biggest concern was whether we would be able to bring our son home before it happened. Then I worried whether I would get back to my other children. In the dream, we decided to bring them so that at least if we got stuck in China, we would be stuck together. In the end, the crisis continued to get worse and I woke in a panic thinking we would never bring our son home. I was very relieved to realize it was only a silly and ridiculous dream. It wasn't until a day later that I first heard someone talk about the swine flu (my dream didn't involve a flu...)

As this week has unfolded, I found myself being rather distraught with reports of restrictions on air travel. Rumors have abounded in the adoption community about how China will respond. Families that were told last week that their travel approval is coming this week were told earlier this week that it would be issued next week because someone that needed to sign was out of the office. Today, the China Center for Adoption Affairs issued a statement asking adoption providers to counsel their clients to postpone travel. The statement refers to those that received their travel approval between March 1 and April 30 and grants them an extension in the time they can travel up to 5 months. No mention of travel approvals after April 30. We are expecting our TA sometime in May. The current rumor is that TAs will be suspended temporarily. The expectation is that a decision will be made and communicated next week. Tomorrow is a holiday in China.

In this world, there are many reasons for fear and doubt. Throughout this process, I have been reminded that it is really out of my control. At each step along the way, we have done everything in our power to move the process along, only to hit roadblocks, complications and slow downs. Last Friday morning, when our immigration officer called with our approval, we thought we were home free and on our way! However, this journey looks like it will be a battle to the very end. We are thankful to have many praying friends that have prayed for Joshua and for us for a very long time. We would appreciate your continued prayers not just for us, but for the many families that are currently waiting to bring their children home. A family I know is waiting for a little girl just older than Joshua. They are one of the families that had expected their TA last week. They just received a message through an interpreter that their daughter asked them "to come fetch her".

My burden is to pray all of these little ones home. It feels like an all out battle to get them here. Many of us currently waiting have endured one set back after another as a result of new immigration procedures only to have this new global obstacle now. Yesterday, I kept thinking of the passage in Daniel where the angel assures him his prayers were heard, but delayed due to the battle at hand. (Daniel 10:12-13). Let us not grow weary and faint, may God strengthen us for the battle, let us pray without ceasing until each of them is home.

On a lighter note -- here are some pictures of our little guy working away at camp last summer...