Picking an Agency

I have been doing some research in my email account trying to nail down dates and the timeline of events. I did a search for AAI (Adoption Advocates International) which is the adoption agency in the state of Washington that we ended up going with, and I found a startling fact. Here's the first email with "AAI" in the subject or body of the email that's in my inbox:

http://www.adoptionadvocates.org/Africa/index.php

this is the agency that Janel recommended.. I've sent an email to Janel and to the agency requesting an info packet. I'll let you know what I find out...

LOVE you. (secretly a little excited too)
Jenn



What struck me so significantly was the fact that Jenn sent me this message on

Mon, Jun 13, 2011 07:42 PM 

I couldn't believe it! I do not remember Jenn sending me this message nor do I remember that she had been excited about adopting from Africa before we even went to Ghana. I knew that it had been on her heart for quite sometime, but didn't realize that it went back over a year ago.

After we both believed the Lord was leading us to adopt, we contacted AAI again and they sent us some information and we formally signed an agreement with them to adopt a little boy age 2-5 from Ghana. I received my first correspondence with the director of the program on Feb 20, 2012. Anita Gillispie is awesome. She has adopted from Ghana a couple of times herself and has been there numerous times. She has a heart for the country and for the people. She's been a great resource. We feel like God has confirmed several things for us and that we are moving in a positive direction.

I CAN'T WAIT to meet my little guy! Sam and him will be buddies, I'm sure. 4 kids...one for each hand for Jenn and I, and we can all hold them at the same time. But that's it for me, 4 and no more! (Famous last words, I'm sure).
We announced to the kids that we were adopting a little boy from Africa when we were walking out of church. I asked Mady what should we call him so that we can pray for him by name? (as opposed to just praying for "the little orphan boy in Africa that we are adopting" each time) She looked at me and said that we should pray for him as "Little Orphan Steve." Apparently, she has this thing for the youth pastor at our church, Pastor Steve. So, from then on, we've prayed for him and referred to him as "Little Orphan Steve." When we adopt, we are actually going to change or add to his middle name "Stephen."

We really believe that we will make an eternal impact on a soul. What is that worth?

Priceless.

Hearing the Call to Adopt

We were absolutely enamored by everything in Africa. We knew the Lord was doing something in our hearts. We started praying for missionaries in Africa, and we started supporting (3) different missionary families in Africa. We had several friends and family that started asking us if we were going back to Africa soon or if we had even considered moving there. We pretty much decided that we didn't want to move there, mostly because we didn't believe my health would allow it.

And then a strong burden began to formulate and cultivate in our lives. By the end of 2011, Jenn was convinced that the Lord would have adoption in our future. She asked me several times if we could adopt throughout 2011, but the thought of paying nearly $30,000 for an adoption scared me. However by the beginning of 2012, I began to sense something stirring in my life. In January, Jenn straight up asked me if we could adopt. She had read several books and she said that everything within her desired adoption. She obviously was wanting to adopt from Ghana.

Right before Chinese New Year (January 23rd, 2012), I was invited out to eat for the Chinese New Year by some friends of ours. I'm still not sure how it all worked out, but I ended up going out to eat with several of our friends and Jenn ended up going to an adoption conference at a local church. While I was at the dinner, Pastor Ron and I ended up chatting about adoption. He asked me what I thought about it. I told him that I knew it was biblical. We all memorize James 1:27 when we are in grade school. Pastor Ron responded that "the truest form of discipleship was adoption." All of a sudden, something triggered inside of me and I knew right then and there that God was calling me to adopt as well. The very next morning, the Lord spoke to me in my quiet time from Psalms 41 regarding taking care of the weak and oppressed.

After the church service, I walked up to Jenn as she was talking with some friends, and I said "I'm in" and walked away. She yelled back, "wait, you're in for what? The adoption?" I said, "Yes." I'm in." Her smile told me that she was overjoyed.

From that moment on, we started preparing, saving and investigating adoption. We ended up choosing Adoption Advocates International in the state of Washington as our adoption agency. They are a great organization and we were thrilled with the Ghanaian director, Anita Gillispie. I also found out that the Adoption Tax Credit would most likely be approved by Congress in late 2012 and that gives international adopting families a $14,000 tax credit. And so along with our other investments, the adoption would be paid for. The Lord was testing my faith, and when I said yes, he opened up our finances in a huge way.

Heading to Ghana

From October 17, 2010 until the end of July 2011, we focused on preparing ourselves for our trip to Ghana, West Africa from the end of July until the 1st week of August (July 23rd - Aug 6th). We had quite a few people that were initially very interested in going on the trip, but like always happens, several people dropped out. Unfortunately due to circumstances out of our control (or possibly unrealistic expectations), our trip continued to rise as more people dropped out. As it turned out, the more people that went, the more people were able to spread out the cost of the trip. So, by the time we left, the final cost of the trip was around $3700 per person. This was about $700 more than we initially thought. I'm so thankful for Meadowbrook Community Church that helped offset the cost of the trip for me. I'm also thankful for the nealy 50 people that personally supported Jennifer and I as we led a team of 12 other people on this trip.

One of the biggest things that I learned was that when a family or an individual supports you on a missions trip, they have a vested interest and pray for you and the team during the trip. I felt more "prayed over" during these 2 weeks than I've ever sensed in my life. It was a learning lesson, and one that I'll never forget. I was a little embarrassed at first raising $7000 for our trip, but after I got home, I was so thankful that so many people prayed for us. On the last Sunday before we left, MCC took up an offering and we were able to cover all the remaining outstanding costs for the trip and have enough left over to bless YFC in Ghana.

I'm so indebted to several people that helped prepare us for the trip. The missions board at MCC provided expert advice. I'm thankful for the cultural training that we received as a team from members of the church. I'm also indebted to my dear friend Jerry "Maj" Major that works with YFC in Scranton, PA for his leadership, guidance and training for our trip. His experience having gone to Accra, Ghana was invaluable and we couldn't have been so successful without his help.
The trip was life changing nonetheless. Even though I'm writing this over 2 years after our trip, I can still hear the sounds, register the sounds and picture a continent that I've grown to love. We stepped off of the airplane in Accra, Ghana and the huge sign said "AKWAABA." We felt like we were home. I love the red soil of Africa. By the time we left, it was not only on our hands but in our heart.

Some of the highlights of the trip were serving in an orphanage and playing with kids that have no families and for some of them...no hope.
Another highlight of the trip was giving a local private school a bunch of supplies that we brought we us (suitcases of school supplies). They surprised us by doing some school worship, which was as close to heaven as I've ever been.

Mama Jenn sharing with all of the children about the

Love of Jesus and how much we cared for them.

Worshipping with the saints on our first Sunday who are passionate about Christ was awesome. Not only do they worship their hearts but they worship with dance. They are not hindered by what others think. Their only focus was on worship to our Creator. A 4 1/2 hour worship serve flew by!

Pastor Kent and I spoke at 2 different Youth Leadership Training Conferences (YLTC). I spoke on "Understanding the Youth of our Culture.

We were able to do quite a bit of work on the YFC Centre that is used by groups all over Africa.

It was a joy to labor together for the work of the gospel. Although it was unbelieveably hot, hard work, it was all worth it.







Jennifer and I knew that this continent was for us. We loved getting to know the National YFC Director for all of Africa - Patrick Mahama. He was not only a gracious host but has become a close friend. We were able to bless him and the ministry financially. Knowing that we were able to help him was an incredible blessing to us. As the days of the trip neared the end, I felt different. I looked at life different. When we landed back in Chicago, I realized that there are millions of people that will never experience what I experienced. My vision has changed. My heart has changed. The materialistic motivation of this world quickly dissipated and slipped away. I knew I was going back soon, but the question wasn't if...it was when.

Parick and Betty Mahama

YFC National Ghana Director

The Ghana Team with the YFC Ghana Board Chairman Abraham Mantey and his family at

their home

Feel free to download 

the Powerpoint slideshow (link below) 
that we prepared for our missions trip report 
at MCC when we returned:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B2FfcgZK9ck9QThjdmw5SVdNTTg

A Sobering Moment

October 17, 2010

This day caught us both off guard, but it was yet another day of the Lord confirming his will for our lives. The day started out as any other day, but we knew that one of our good friends from Ghana, Hilary Nicol-Lewis was speaking at our church, Meadowbrook Community Church. We were looking forward to Pastor Hilary speaking that morning, but before the offering was taken, our friend's dad, Dr Keith Hendrie, shared a testimony on how God had used him for over 25 years while working as a professor in Uganda, Kenya and other countries throughout central Africa. His testimony for so powerful, that once again, I knew that God was calling me to something bigger than myself. He was calling me to separate myself unto Him. He was calling me to leave the world and cleave to his Word. Both Dr Hendrie's testimony and Hilary's message left me wanting more. To give it all up and submit to the will of God. I was so overwhelmed with God's desire to use me, mold me and make me into the man of God that He can use for eternal significance.

After the morning message, we had the opportunity to pray with Dr Hendrie. He was sharing on his experiences and I knew that God was speaking through him, and all I could do was start to cry. He looked at me and said, "You'll do that a lot in Africa." Dr Hendrie prayed over us and commissioned us to do his work. I sensed the powerful hand of God on our lives in a very real and tangible way.

After Dr Hendrie returned home that week, I had the opportunity to give him a call and chat about formal seminary education. I've never been formally trained and the Lord spoke to me and said that His desire was for me to get some formal education. I've been involved in college campus ministry for 10 years, but I've never been formally educated. He shared with me that he believed that education was a very important foundation for ministry, after all, the disciples were trained for 3 years by Christ himself. It was around this time that I applied to and was accepted into the Ministerial Credentialing program through Global University.

With Hilary Nicol-Lewis

That week, we invited Pastor Hilary to come and share at Fusion our college ministry that we coordinate. As he was sharing, I sensed God wanting us to go to Africa on a mission's trip. At the end of the talk that night in the basement of our home, Hilary invited Fusion to come to Ghana to minister and serve through Youth for Christ International. There was an overwhelming response from all of the students and so we prayed about it and decided to go. For Jenn and I, we felt like this was the perfect opportunity to test the waters of ministry in Africa.

A Vision...A Calling...

August 28, 2010...a day in our lives that could forever change our family, our heritage, our vision, our ministry...

One single day. One single moment. One single event that will forever be sealed in my memory as the voice of God speaking, leading, directing and unveiling.

August 28, 2010.

I was at a men's retreat up at Utica, IL (Starved Rock State Park). Pastor Michel, a pastor from Togo shared a message on that Saturday night. After his message, he challenged all of us men to get down on our knees and cry out to God. To ask for strength, courage and direction for our lives. As I was on my hands and knees, kneeling on that metal folder chair, God whispered. He spoke to me and called my name. And he gave me a vision. Not just any vision, but a specific vision for a specific place. All he said was,

"Johannesburg. Johannesburg. Johannesburg."

It was if someone was sitting right next to me whispering in my ear. It was unmistakable. It was as clear as a bell and simply undeniable. It was so clear that I actually opened my eyes and looked around. No one else was in the vicinity.

Apparently he needed to tell me this three times. Only once  in all of Scripture is a word used thrice over, and that is when John describes the very nature and character of God in the book of Revelation: Holy, Holy, Holy. The 24 elders around the throne in Revelation along with myriads upon myriads of angels proclaim this attribute 3 times, thus signifying its importance. This is has nothing to do with me, other than the fact that I'm a knuckle-head and he had to tell me something 3 times so that I would recognize what I was supposed to do. Not sure why Johannesburg was communicated to me like this. He didn't tell me what to do, why to do it, or when to do it. All he did was speak to me.

I got home from the retreat, and told Jenn about my "vision" for Johannesburg (which we will call Jo'burg from now on). She didn't quite grasp the magnitude of the vision (neither did I in all honesty). It felt like we were all of a sudden transported back to the movie "Field of Dreams" and Kevin Costner's wife says "If you build WHAT, WHO will COME?" I again told her that all He had said was "Jo'burg." We didn't quite understand all that this meant, but we decided to keep it on the down low for a while and just simply sit back and pray.