Adoption

For many years, Chad and I have dreamed about the idea of international adoption. 

Coming to Rwanda, we wondered if it might become part of our story. Near the beginning of 2016, we actually started the process. Since Rwanda is closed to international adoption, we set our sights on Burundi, our neighboring country with a similar language and the same people groups. We found a Hague-approved agency in the States that could work with us overseas and had our home study done by a gentleman from Germany.

Our next big step was approval from the U.S. We set about the some-what mysterious process of getting our local police clearance. After many trips throughout our neighborhood and city, we finally received police clearance. We sent our clearance, U.S. background checks and fingerprints with our application back to the US. Near the beginning of 2017, we were approved by the United States government to become adoptive parents.

The next step? Approval from the Burundian government. For the past few months, we've been gathering our dossier, the set of documents that Burundi requires from us. After much requesting, ordering, waiting, mailing, signing, notarizing, and authenticating... our dossier is now complete and on its way to our agency in Arizona!

What a relief.

From there it will be translated to French and then sent back here to Burundi.  Once we are approved by the Burundian government, the referral process begins. Burundi will look for children that seem to match us and that legitimately need a family. We are asking for a sibling set, 5 years old or younger. Please pray that God will actually do the matching.

The adoption process is complicated anywhere, but maybe especially in Burundi, with instability in the government. Please pray with us that the process will move along and that we will receive a referral sometime this summer. It seems like a big hope, but not impossible.

Kigali Summer

Due to the cost of flying our family back to the States, we spent the summer in Kigali. Our boss is truly kind and found work for us to do at school, so that we could be employed for the summer months. Although we MISSED going back to the states, we LOVED having visitors. Here's a glimpse of what we did and who we were with...

Our dear friends Alison, David, Gideon & Jemma Ellis brought along Riley Egge, Emily Frier, and Izzy Kohler. 

We had a full house and full hearts!

The pictures above are of us all getting ready for a Rwandan wedding.

We went on safari...

Safari at Akagera

Zebras

Buddies

We went to Musanze...

Hanging out with Intore Dancers

Forever Friends

Hiking

We worked for a day in the village...

Preparing banana juice

Removing corn kernals

Hauling bananas

Carrying the baby

We enjoyed making music, sharing meals, playing games, and just being together...

About two days after our friends left, 
Carol and Ovid McNatt (Nana and O) made their first international trip. 
We took walks in our neighborhood, traveled to Uganda for safari,
and enjoyed being together at home. 

Tug-of-War over the equatorial line

Carol & Ovid at the Craters of Queen Elizabeth

Vervet monkey

We saw so many elephants!

Kasenyi Safari Camp

 

Granddaddy O and Wyatt

Nana and Presley

It was an incredible blessing to share our life here with

Chad's parents and the Ellis team.

We'd love to host more guests in the future.
Let us know if you'd like to come see us in Kigali!

Healing

Thanks so much for joining us in prayer for Chad's health. 

As it turns out... "the hard stuff may actually lead to the best part. Maybe just on the other side of what is so difficult, frustrating, and stressful is the beginning of God’s grace and healing. We need only be faithful and open to what he might do, continuing to lean forward." ~ Chad

We are so excited to share that after an incredibly difficult season, God has begun a healing work in Chad. At the end of the summer, he got to a near breaking point emotionally and physically. Our school staff went on retreat to Lake Kivu. There, some of our administration and leadership team anointed us and prayed over us intensely for complete healing in Chad's body and spirit.

The next day his leg pain was gone. The pain has not returned and it has been two weeks. 

His energy level has increased.

 "It’s like all of the underlying stress inside of me from the past two years finally surfaced and nearly exploded." 

 "I had to become broken enough to finally fully turn to the Lord, learn again about his love, and trust him for what I need. I am now beginning to exercise again, regain my strength, re-invest in my family, and lean into our present context and the opportunities around us. For all of you who have worried about me and prayed for me, thank you. I am not yet 100% but have begun the healing process inside and out. This transformation was not only physical, but involved some apologies to people I love and other deep work in myself regarding who I am. Maybe brokenness is just the beginning. Maybe just on the other side of the hard stuff is healing." 

We've been praying over these last two years that we won't miss whatever is is we need to learn in all this.  Certainly God has done a bigger work than just making Chad's body feel better. 

I don't know why sometimes God answers with No and sometimes it's YES,
but we are so thankful for this YES!

Capetown

Since we moved to Rwanda, Chad has experienced health trouble. Last summer, we found out he had amoeba, which explained his stomach issues. After a round of medication, that issue is okay. Now he is left with constant leg aches that will not let up. 

He's been seen by an American doctor in Kigali and we've done numerous blood tests that all came up negative. 

So, now what? 

Some generous friends made it possible for us to fly somewhere else to seek help.

 We chose Capetown, South Africa. We did everything we could to take advantage of medical experts there, but in between appointments, we did some cool things.

Cable Car ride up Table Mountain

a Dussy

Capetown

African Penguins - who knew?

University of Capetown

While in Capetown, we stayed with some wonderful people.

This is our host family.

We got connected through a friend of a friend - how amazing! They were incredible. Turns out, the couple are both doctors. They were able to give us inside advice and help look at blood test results. Plus, we enjoyed their company and graciousness for the week we were there. 

So, what did we learn medically?

Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with Chad. 

The conclusion we were given is Post Viral Syndrome. There hasn't been any actual virus or fever that we can point to, but it's the only thing they can come up with for now.

They sent us home with anti-depressants to lessen the pain and aid in sleep.

We left Capetown grateful, yet disappointed.

Chad has given the meds a try, but they made him feel groggy, 

without actually relieving the pain or helping him feel rested.

At this point, we are focusing on recognizing and managing stress that he may not have noticed before. We're looking into adrenal fatigue and trying to eat well.

Chad is a high-achiever who is productive and thinks of others. He's not a complainer, but he went from being athletic and active to being 

unable to exercise without being completely fatigued and in pain. 

In all of this, only the people closest to him really see how he is affected. 

Please pray with us as we continue this journey that...

          ~ We can find the root of the fatigue, pain, and poor sleep

          ~ Chad will be healed

          ~ If God has something for us to learn in all of this, we won't miss it

Thanks for your prayers!

Presley's 5th Birthday

Wyatt used to call her "my wittle fweetie" (my little sweetie), and she is that.

She dances for Jesus. She sings all the time. 

She loves her baby dolls and adores her siblings.

Now she's 5 and here's a peak at her celebration.

Wyatt, Presley and Neighborhood Buddies

Princess Leia

Ritah and Presley

Thank you, God, for this beautiful gift.

Jemima

Everyone loved Jemima. 

7 years old. Big smile. Cute glasses (which she often tried to lose).

She had Down's Syndrome. She dressed super fashionably. 

She gave anyone a hug. She was well-known by our entire school community.

She had a stubborn streak. She made people light up.

Her favorite color was red.

She was in Wyatt's Kindergarten class last year.

She had a family that doted on her.

She also had Leukemia, but most of us didn't know that until last Monday. 

She died early Tuesday morning and left us in grief.

In Rwanda, a death means the family hosts many visitors for days. The afternoon of that first day, the family let us know they were ready for visitors. Tents set up in the yard, and many people came and sat. It was quiet. We shared hugs and words with family members if we had them. Mostly, we sat. It reminded me of Job's friends who sat with him for 7 days without speaking.
Some friends stayed late into the night, being a presence to the family. 

Wednesday night - more sitting and quiet crying

Thursday night - worship service at the home with preaching and singing.

Friday - a long day of final goodbyes...
the Wake: reflective worship songs, preaching, and viewing of the body at the family' home. This is not a wailing culture. Rwandese feel emotions deeply, but they do not often display them. 

The oldest brother was holding the cross that would later mark her grave.

the Funeral: the procession began with kindergarten and 1st grade;
both grades were classmates with Jemima.

KICS Choir, stricken with sadness, sang Dirait-on in honor of our sweet rose, who was confident in her beauty.
It was a difficult task, but prayers of many strengthened them to bless the family.







The service was beautiful.

the Burial: 

The graves at the cemetery are mostly uniform.

After a short service, the casket was lowered into the ground. Family gathered around and dropped flowers into the grave. Then, friends were invited to drop flower petals as well. Once everyone had a chance to give their final farewell, the grave was covered and cement was poured in,
by the wheelbarrow-full.

It's so different than my culture, where the "dirty" work is done after the family and friends leave. 

The oldest brother held that cross throughout the morning. He carried it in the funeral procession. And he held it in place while it was cemented at the grave in the late afternoon. 

Today, it was his cross to bear.

I've never seen so many

people 

or flowers 

at a graveside service.

The rains held off as we said our final goodbyes to her earthly body.

After the burial, 

the tradition is to stop at a restaurant to wash hands and drink soda. 

I skipped this part, so I could go home to be with my own family.

Like all of us, my Wyatt has been through so many emotions this week. He had times of not wanting to attend anything, to deciding he was ready to be a part. 

"I don't want to bury Jemima in the ground."

"Oh, son, I don't want to either."

He asked me, "Will Jemima have Down's Syndrome in heaven?"

"I don't think so."

"Good, I don't want her to be sick anymore."

"There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away." 

 Revelation 21:4

We love you, Jemima.

"Enter into the joy..."  
Matthew 25:21

Remember

April 7, 2016

Twenty-two years since the last genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda.

100  days of killing.

Over one million people slaughtered.

We have read stories.

We now have friends who lived the stories.

They are strong and beautiful people.

Last month, we visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial with staff from our school. 

It is difficult for some to relive that tragedy, but many find comfort in being at the memorial site. 

"It is my home more than my home is. 

This is where my people are.

I cry, not because I am sad, but because I am touched so deeply."

As foreigners who love Rwanda but do not share its history, a day like today means we stay in our gates and respect the quietude. And, as it was rainy season 22 years ago, it is rainy season now. Throughout this day, the rains have reminded us of what happened so many years ago.

Tonight, our family had a candle-lit prayer. 

We spoke the names of all the Rwandans we could think of... praying for God's comfort upon them and thanking Him for the heroes who helped this nation rise again.

Today launches a week of memorials. People gather with their villages and help those who need it. 

They remember and they sing. 

They sing about their village.

They sing of loved ones.

They sing the names of those who were lost. 

And this year, this 22nd year, they sing of HOPE for the future.