This week we received an email from our adoption agency confirming that the MOWCYA (Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs) in Ethiopia is only processing 5 recommendation letters per day (as opposed to around 20-40). You must have this recommendation letter in order to pass court for the adoption of an Ethiopian child, so this is where the much talked about slow down is happening.
Over the week I have seen families already many months into their wait dropping out of the program or switching to other programs. It has been scary to watch. From day 1 this adoption has been us following God's call for our family, but the last few weeks I felt like we had been led into a pack of wolves. Was this journey going to chew us (our time, money, emotions and energy) up and spit us out before we even submitted our dossier? The answer to this question was affirmed today by John 10 slapping me up side the head. We have a Good Shepard who knows us by name and would never lead us into a trap or pack of wolves. The fear and doubt that creep into my mind is the "thief" that comes only to rob, kill and destroy God's plan for our family. No one ever said adoption was easy, in fact they even assured us that it would be hard. God knows the exact timeline and pasture he is leading us to, we just have to follow.
John 10 (Contemporary English Version)
1Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
4When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. 5The sheep will not follow strangers. They don't recognize a stranger's voice, and they run away.
6Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.
Jesus Is the Good Shepherd 7Jesus said: I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. 9I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.
10A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. 13Hired workers run away because they don't care about the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.
17The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so that I may receive it back again. 18No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.
Over the week I have seen families already many months into their wait dropping out of the program or switching to other programs. It has been scary to watch. From day 1 this adoption has been us following God's call for our family, but the last few weeks I felt like we had been led into a pack of wolves. Was this journey going to chew us (our time, money, emotions and energy) up and spit us out before we even submitted our dossier? The answer to this question was affirmed today by John 10 slapping me up side the head. We have a Good Shepard who knows us by name and would never lead us into a trap or pack of wolves. The fear and doubt that creep into my mind is the "thief" that comes only to rob, kill and destroy God's plan for our family. No one ever said adoption was easy, in fact they even assured us that it would be hard. God knows the exact timeline and pasture he is leading us to, we just have to follow.
John 10 (Contemporary English Version)
1Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
4When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. 5The sheep will not follow strangers. They don't recognize a stranger's voice, and they run away.
6Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.
Jesus Is the Good Shepherd 7Jesus said: I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. 9I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.
10A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. 13Hired workers run away because they don't care about the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.
17The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so that I may receive it back again. 18No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.