Monday, July 30, 2007

We have the greatest Family and Friends

We have been completely blown away by the support in the last couple of weeks as we found out about Elijah. I think he would have 12 outfits for three changes a day if we took everything that has been offered to us. The family on both sides has been so great in helping us out with getting ready for a baby. So many friends, and people we barely know are also offering to help. We have been offered the services of a laptop while we are in Ethiopia to update this site daily, Lord willing.

I just praise Jesus Christ for everything. He is the one that put this on our hearts in the first place, and He is the one that we will turn to in everything with parenting.

I'm amazed at how many similarities there are between adopting and child and the Lord adopting us into his family at salvation. I can't wait to give updates as we get closer and as we travel. Only four more days till we, Lord willing, are able to post his picture *smile*.

Philippians 4:4 says "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS (caps added), I say it again rejoice." This is not for any other reason than if you have been saved by the Lord. If you are not 100% sure of this, please email or call us anytime (literally). Biblically, salvation is not a blanket thing that everyone receives. There is nothing more important than where you will go when you die on this earth. And you can know as sure as you are breathing, that you will be with Jesus Christ in heaven for all eternity. I say this with love on my heart for everyone's eternal destination. Love you guys

Dave & Amanda

Monday, July 23, 2007

It keeps getting better and better, Praise God!!!

Well, we just found out that we have our court date on August 3, 2007. We do not have to be there for the court date, but this means we will be traveling in August to pick up our little Elijah Abraham. Praise the Lord, He has been so faithful as we have been praying for this. I am so FIRED UP that I'm going to be a Dad and Amanda is going to be a Mom. Please let me enjoy this and don't bring me down with the talk of teething and poopy diapers *laugh*. The Lord Jesus has been so faithful to us this whole adoption and I want to give all glory and praise to Him. He saved this little guy from a very tough life and possibly death. And now the Lord is giving Elijah to us to raise as our own.

Phillipian 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always, I say it again rejoice!!!

And we are...

Wow, what a great week, we have a launch date for the Church

Well, the Lord has given us a great week. We found out about who we were adopting on Monday, and yesterday we found out our church is launching (opening) Sunday September 23rd at 9:00 A.M. It will be at the Value Cinemas in Oak Creek. You would get there by getting off at Rawson Ave. going west to 27th street and going maybe a half mile north. It's located on the east side of the road. Service will be from 9:00 till 10:15-30. The church is called Harvest Bible Chapel Franklin. It will be a Bible-believing Christ centered church. The church will be proclaiming the Word of God without apology, lifting high the name of Jesus Christ in Worship, and a church of prayer and missions (evangelism). To have two things that we have been praying about for so long come to fruition in the same week has been incredible. We are just praying that this church is about giving glory to Jesus Christ in SE Wisconsin. Any questions drop us a line. Praise the LORD!!!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Praise the LORD!!!! The referral is here

Well, big surprise today (Monday July 16th, 2007), we received our referral this morning!!! Our rep from America World called us both around 10:00 A.M. and told us about the child that had become available. Amanda and I had requested a child between 1 and 3. She said that this referral was outside of the range of ages we had. I'm thinking, "Okay, we are cool with a 4 or 5 year old." Instead the child turns out to be a 6 month old baby boy!!! The Lord really threw us a curve ball on that one. We didn't even know what to say at first because we weren't expecting an infant at all. Our rep asked us if we were okay with that, I was like "Amanda?". We both really knew that this is what the Lord's plan was for us in adopting. We have been praying for a very long time on His hand to be all over this adoption. That the Lord would choose just the right child for us. Wow, what a big surprise, a great surprise!

So I know I told everyone that I would post the picture as soon as we had it. We found that we can't post the picture until we are legally his parents (hopefully less than two weeks). We were sent an email with his picture about 20 minutes after our phone conversation with America World. He weighed about 12 lbs at his Dr's appointment when he was 4 months old. So he is a very healthy little baby (maybe not so little) boy. He also has a ton of curly hair. I told Amanda we should clip it somewhat short (not bald or anything). I think I have her on board on this *smile*.

Real quick, here's the only backround we have on him. He was found abandoned when he was 3 days old. The church near where he was found named him Abreham (yes, I spelled it right, that was how they spelled it). After this he was brought to the orphanage where we are going to go to pick him up.

Amanda and I have had a name picked out for a little boy for close to 2 years. We both agreed that if the mother of the child had given them a biblical name we would leave the first name. Since it wasn't the mother, but the church or the government that named him we will use the name we chose. We are going to move Abrehem to the middle name and he will be Elijah Abrehem Duda. (get's me all overclempt even typing it). We might Americanize the Abrehem part to Abraham, we'll see.

Last thing, we were asked if we wanted to try to get a court date before the courts close on August 7, 2007. Of course, we both want to travel A.S.A.P. So, we have to officially accept the referral today (they are sending a fed ex package with everything they have on little Elijah). Then they are going to try to get that court date by the 7th of August. We don't have to be there for the court date, but will travel a week or a couple of weeks later. Pray that we can travel soon to pick up our little guy. If we aren't able to get a court date now, we will have one like the third week of October. So it's like 3 weeks or 3 months, a big difference in travel.

And also, please lift up in prayer the mother, or parents that had to give Elijah up. They weren't able to keep him at all. Many orphans are given up in Ethiopia because the parents just can't afford to keep the children. This was making me more emotional than anything yesterday. I just pray that his parents have come or will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Here is a Scripture about Christ that has fired me up today. He is all there is to this family. And we will raise little Elijah to know about Him as soon as he can understand.

Philippians 2:6-11
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Switching over to a fall adoption now

Well, we were both hoping that we would receive our referral by the end of this week. Because we didn't, we will now be traveling after the 13th of October. The courts close down in Ethiopia from August 7 to Oct. 13th. We both are trusting in the Lord even though it's hard to not be anxious.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

The one cool thing is we can still receive our referral in the meantime. So we are at the point where quite a few families have received their referrals. I think we are around 9 weeks of waiting. Pray that we can continue to trust in the author and perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ. He has the perfect little child for Amanda and I in Ethiopia. As soon as we have the referral we will post some pictures and info.