Flight of faith

 

There are so many aspects of adoption that require faith. Just to name a few:

• Choosing an adoption agency
• Choosing a specific program (e.g., international vs. domestic)
• Raising the necessary funds
• Accepting a referral of a child

And for me, right now, there is another one: the pending reality of being half-way around the world from my family.

Here are our travel plans:

• Todd, Savanna and I will leave together on Sunday, May 5
• We will arrive in Guangzhou on Tuesday, May 7 (that seems so crazy to me!)  
• We meet our daughter on May 8.  
• We finalize her adoption on May 9 (Yipee!!)
• Todd and Savanna leave for home on Sunday, May 12
• Todd and Savanna arrive at home on Monday, May 13
• I celebrate our daughter's birthday with her on China on that same day
• We have our Consulate Appointment on Tuesday, May 21
• We board a flight home on Wednesday, May 22 (God willing!)
• We arrive home on Thursday, May 23.

That is (for me) a long time to be away from my home and my family.  Yes, I know others have done it.  Yes, I know others have had longer and harder separations.  Yes, I know God will be with me.  But I still struggle.

When we adopted Yuly, Riza, Todd and I traveled to Colombia.  After a week in Colombia, Todd traveled home.  5 days later my parents and my oldest daughters came for a long weekend to visit.  Then they returned home and I followed them 4 days later.  With a 4 year old and a 7 year old Spanish-speaking daughter I made it through flying to the capital city (Bogota), the embassy process (including the medical appointment), flying to Miami, through immigration and then flying home.  God was with me then (and I am grateful for all of the prayers offered during that time!)

So, I have been in a foreign country before by myself with children.  And in some ways, I think the China experience will be easier because there are so many adoptive families in Guangzhou.  When I was in Colombia, I was the only English-speaking adopting mom in the hotel.

But there was one big difference.  The flight from our home to our city in Colombia was 5 hours.  I think I had comfort know that if something happened, Todd could come back.  He could help me.  He wasn't that far away.

This time, I will be a 28 hour flight away.  I will be on the other side of the world.  And that's a little overwhelming to me.

God continues to use this adoption to teach me to trust in Him.  Yes, He has given me a wonderful, Godly, supportive husband, and I am grateful.  But ultimately, my hope needs to be in Christ alone.  And so, I choose to trust in God that He will be with me in China and with my family at home and that He will be all of the help that I need.

Psalm 121
 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.