God's Hand

On Saturday, I was blessed to be able to attend the 2010 Beyond Borders International Adoption Conference!  It was another way God showed me how He had planned ahead for me and provided what I needed before I knew I needed it.  I had signed up for the conference many months ago because it was advertised that it was being held in San Antonio.  In years past it has been in Minnesota, or Seattle etc…  However I had no idea when I signed up to attend that I would already be matched with a child at the time of the conference and thus the information would be exactly what I needed at such a perfect time.

I got to meet almost all of the Great Wall Staff and ask questions on the spot vs. write e-mails to 6 different staff members and wait for them to reply.  I got the opportunity to hear Dr. Jane Aronson who is passionate, experienced and honest, speak on the issues of internationally adopted children.  I got to attend a session on traveling to go get your baby which was extremely detailed.  I got to meet someone who lives in San Antonio and adopted a cleft palate baby from China.  He shared his e-mail with me so I can ask more questions.  I got to attend a session on attachment and bonding, much needed insight and education for me.  I got to hear from 2 lawyers.  One explained the laws and trends of international adoption in general and inspired me greatly.  Another explained the legal process I will go through in Texas when I get home with the baby (birth certificate, social security card acquisition etc…).  Lastly I got to see and hear speak (through an interpreter) the director himself of the China Center of Adoption Affairs.  A delegation of 24 Chinese officials came to this conference to show their goodwill and willingness to work with us as well as to see the progress of children who have already been adopted internationally and are living here in the US.  Many families came to this part of the conference and brought their Chinese daughters and the officials were like mad tourists, every one of them snapping multiple photos.  They were very obviously so happy.

As I said above, such amazing timing and provision.  What I thought was going to be merely interesting and convenient, turned out to be explosively helpful and exquisitely timed.  That’s so like God!  Glory!  

Like the "unplanned remodel" our house is undergoing (flooding from a roof leak), God set things in motion to help us prepare and to benefit our family and this baby when we had no idea we needed it.  Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps." says it perfectly!  Even in the very recent and tragic loss of our dog, Lady, God’s timing is evident. God freed me up from Lady, who I always said was my 4th child, to make way for the real thing it seems.  I miss her terribly, but I see God's hand in it!   

I am looking forward to seeing just how God will bring all this together!


wl