You Can Count on Change

This week has brought a lot of change to our home. Vicki went back to work on Monday and the kids returned to school on Wednesday (with Jonathan beginning high school). Wednesday also marked Vicki's birthday, as well as Dave & Vicki's 20th anniversary. Needless to say, Wednesday was a pretty big day! We enjoyed a family dinner out at an Ethiopian Restaurant here in Columbus. Overall, it was a great experience and we were thrilled at how much the kids enjoyed the food there (they are usually picky eaters).

As we had dinner together, we posed the question....how do you think your new brother or sister will feel being picked up by two strangers (Dave & Vicki) put on a plane, and then being offered new foods for each and every meal after that? Everything in their life will taste different, look different, even smell different...... This led to a good discussion about patience with our new family member because of the variety of ways they may react to their new experience - and some understanding as to why they may react with fear, anger or tears for days, weeks or months. We all have a lot of understanding to go yet, but we had a good opening chat about this. We've tried to raise our kids to be flexible - because in a Pastor's home, you never know what may change next. We hope that as we've tried to prepare them that change is always happening in life, they will end up being more equipped for this upcoming change in their lives.

So, would you pray about this? Pray that we are equipped with patience, understanding and flexibility. Pray that our new family member is one able to "roll with it" and will embrace this new adventure that they will be taking and will feel our love and accept it. Pray that we will all bond quickly and continue to be a family unit that expects change to happen and will trust that God takes care of all the details.

God is good - all the time!

Thanks to ....WHO?

Dear Friend,

Thank you. We found the envelope that you left with a gift in it for our child and their journey to their "forever home." We are most grateful. We are sad that you craftily used a cashier's check, so we have absolutely no way of finding out who you are - so we use this public forum, hoping that you read our blog, to express our deep gratitude for you and your gift. We feel overwhelmed with being blessed with so much!

This past weekend, we have been working with numbers, throwing around figures and reworking them all again, to figure out how we will pay for our next "installment" for this adoption process. Again and again, we didn't come to a final solution, because right now, there just isn't enough money there. And, again and again, we keep telling each other how faithful God is and that God has got it covered in ways we don't even know yet......and we truly believe that with all of our hearts, but this living by faith thing is a bit un-nerving sometimes.

So, dear friend, you must know, that your anonymous gift is so much more than the check that was left......it was a direct reminder to us that God has this covered in ways we don't even know yet and that walking forward in faith is the most exciting, invigorating way to live and today we choose to keep walking that way. Thank you not only for your financial gift, but for being a tool used to show God's faithfulness. We still have a long way to go for our next "installment", but your gift spurs us on with hope and determination. May God richly bless you for your thoughtfulness and generosity!!

Love,
Dave & Vicki

p.s. We just rec'd our first 2 bags from "Just Love Coffee" and can personally tell you - it is great, fresh roasted coffee! Thanks to those of you who have already ordered coffee - God is going to use your coffee habit to bless an orphan! :-)

Ethiopia - Birthplace of Coffee

Did you know that they say that Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee? They even have ceremonies there to bless the coffee (no wonder Vicki wants to travel there!) ;-)

We have been looking for a way to make coffee a part of our fundraising efforts and are excited that we have found a way. We have found the "Just Love Coffee" Company who have opened up the online "Jansen Expansion Coffee Store". For every bag of coffee that is purchased, they will send a portion of the money for our Adoption efforts and will continue to do so until our adoption is complete. We think that the coffee bags with the Ethiopian flags on them will be especially tasty....... Please check out the link to your right and start shopping!

We are thrilled to find this opportunity and excited to partner with this company, who deeply care about the orphans in the world. Please take some time to read the "Just Love Coffee" story on our Store page. Thank you for your help in caring for the orphans.

Please take 4 minutes and watch this

Please take a little over four minutes and watch this video at www.vimeo.com/13771428

I came across this video today on the blog of another family who is awaiting the adoption of their child from Ethiopia. I join them in feeling like what we are doing is not enough and yet, at the moment, my hands are tied to not do more. Or can I? What else can be done to help these people, these children, all of who are important! For now, I post this video and plead with you to watch it and open your heart to what God may want you to do. At least pray for their safety, protection and peace. For now, I can help spread the word of these orphans who need to be cared for.

Addis Ababa is where we will someday fly to bring home our child - this video makes me wonder if our child is out there rummaging through the trash? Please pray for our child - I can only trust that God is caring for him or her at this very moment. There are times when I must force myself not to think of our child, because I can not see the papers and procedures that need my attention through my tears. But, those tears are my reminders to keep pressing and plodding on, trusting in God's plan in it all.