Here Am I ... Send Me

I temporarily "retired" last spring to begin a very necessary time of healing from over 10 years of traumatic work with survivors of sexual and domestic violence, and then troubled and homeless youth and their families. But I haven't been just sitting around pondering life, faith, pain, and God's work in it all. My husband and I have also been foster parents off and on for the last 7 years, so I am home with our current 5 kids ages: 6, 6, 5, 3, 1. Yikes!!!! I spent last evening helping our 16 month-old get 11 stitches in his chin. It was the first time all 4 older kids were good at the same time at an appointment. (I'm thankful for small miracles around here!)

A year ago, I couldn't have told you what a blog was. But since I don't have much time to read these days, blogs became a way for me to ponder and feel connected to souls that struggle with the same questions I do. Questions of global poverty, disease, orphans, war & violence, refugees, attachment & adoption, revolutionary faith, global warming, and the responsibility of God's people in a hurting world. Through other people's thoughts, I find I am not alone in my restlessness.

I long for the day that we are ready to adopt internationally, and those of you who have shared your joy, struggle, and kids with humor and honesty have sustained me in my waiting... I wish I could thank you all! At best, hopefully I can encourage a few here with my journey.

MY NEWS:

I am going to Ethiopia! I am joining a team of 15 people through Hearts of Hope Adoption Ministry in Wisconsin - a great ministry that has already been working to help the kids of 2 of the orphanages we are going to: Layla House and AHOPE. We are traveling to Addis Ababa on March 29 to take orphanage supplies, work, and encourage the staff and kids of these amazing places!

This will be my first trip of this sort in 11 years! It has been too long for someone who intended to be a missionary way back when. This is an area that we hope to adopt from in the next couple of years. I am also considering a graduate counseling program specializing in international development, so who knows? (If you haven't heard, I decided to decline my acceptance to the UW Social Work program in the spirit of trying to keep our responsibilities manageable, and to make sure I am choosing the right program for where I'm at in life). Maybe this is the first door to what Chris and I once hoped to do...

So if you'd like to hear more about this trip, check back here!