Adoption Update: On Hold

So, the word we're getting from Uganda is that things are on hold right now. Basically, it has to do with wording. The Ugandan courts want the adoption orders to read one way, but the U.S. Embassy wants the orders to read another way.

Here is what we have been told: the Ugandan government does want the children to be adopted to the U.S. There are meetings going on between judiciaries, embassies, government ministers, and passport officials, to iron out the differences and come up with a policy concerning adoption rulings.

Here is what you can pray for: pray for the five families (adopting from the same home we are) who are currently waiting - they know their children, have met them, and are unable to bring them home until these things are worked out; pray that the talks among all involved parties will be resolved quickly and efficiently; pray for our son, whoever he may be; pray for patience for the families waiting for their rulings, the families waiting for their court dates, and the families waiting for their referrals (that would be us); pray for all the children who are waiting for homes and loving families, in Uganda and around the world.

Matt in Concert

Matt did his first solo concert on Sunday night at New Hope Community Church in New Washington, Indiana. This little country church is where New Hope International Ministries began, and they have faithfully supported Matt financially and prayerfully while he has worked for NHIM. It was a great time for us as both sets of our parents were able to be there as well. Matt's dad contributed some piano, and the night went really well. Matt was a little nervous (okay, more than a little), but his voice held up and we all made it through. It was especially good for us to be able to thank the congregation in person for all their support. Here's hoping that this is the first of many such opportunities.

Crazy Video

I didn't see anything like this when I was in Africa. This may be the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Stick with it to the end...it's a happy ending I promise.

Ahhh! A Month Between Posts!

Yeah...sooooo...it's been a while. That's primarily because nothing of interest has been happening in our lives other than jumping back into the daily grind of work. Asbury College is back in session, the students are on campus again, and Wilmore is bustling again.

We are excited that Amy's cousin D.J. is a freshman this year at Asbury. We've never had relatives in state other than Matt's parents and sister, so it's fun having other kinfolk around.

Matt is going to be doing his first solo concert next Sunday night at a church in southern Indiana - the church where New Hope International, the ministry he works for, got its start. The church has supported Matt's ministry financially for a couple of years, and we are excited to visit with them and show our appreciation for their support.

No news on the adoption front. We are still waiting to be matched with a child. Sometimes it's hard to remember that we're actually doing this, because there has been so much waiting with no visible result. But God knows better than we do, and we are content.

O Canada

A couple of men from the camp took Prof Lauter and me up to the Candian border today during our afternoon down time. There is a little park there between the border crossings called the "Peace Arch Park". There is a huge white arch there commemorating the friendship between the U.S. and Canada. The rest of the park is a garden of amazing flowers.

Camp is going pretty well. I lead the congregational singing and sing a solo in every evening service (and three services on Sunday), and the Bible study I am teaching is during the morning session at 10am. We are two lessons into the Bible study, and it seems to be going well. The people are interested, and we are having a good time looking at the compound forms of the name Yahweh in Scripture. Scroll down below to see some of the beautiful flowers we saw up at the border park:

On the Road Again

I (Matt) will be headed out early tomorrow morning to the Northwest Washington Holiness Association Camp Meeting in Ferndale, WA. It's 20 miles from the Canadian border. Prof Lauter is the evangelist for the camp, and I am the song evangelist and Bible teacher. Prof volunteered me for this, so if I throw up all over my shoes, I'm blaming it on him.

This will be the farthest west I've ever been, and I'm interested to see another part of the country. It's supposed to be 95 degrees all week in Kentucky, and I'm not sad about leaving that behind. Interestingly enough, with all my missions travels, I have only flown twice within the U.S. not attached to an international flight - both of them were to Washington, D.C. Now I make my third completely domestic flight, and it is to Washington state. Coincidence? Perhaps I am developing an obsessive compulsion.

Anyway, I would appreciate prayers, particularly for the Bible study that I'm leading. I've never done anything like it before (except Wed. night Bible study at church, but I won't be in High Bridge anymore, Toto), and I'm feeling a little apprehensive. There are five sessions, Monday-Friday of next week, and we'll be looking at the compound or hyphenated forms of the name Yahweh (Yahweh Yireh, Yahweh Shalom, Yahweh Rapha, etc.). I hope these folks know what they got themselves into inviting these two hillbillies from Eastern Kentucky out to minister to them. (I wonder if they'll let me bring my snakes on the plane? Wasn't that a movie....)

Adoption Update

We received an update recently from the adoption coordinator at the children's home in Uganda. We have been told that we still have a wait ahead of us, because we are down the waiting list. However, there is good news that more and more guardianship orders (in Uganda, we will be given guardianship over our son, then we bring him to the U.S. to be adopted) are being granted and at a faster rate. That means that once we are matched with a child, they expect our process should go through much faster than the original estimate of 8-9 months after match. We're not sure exactly what that means as far as time, but basically all things are on hold until we are matched with a child.