It has been a few months since my last post so I thought I’d give a little update…
Actually, I’m begging you to pray.
Our hearts are breaking right now for the country that we are adopting from…Burundi Africa. This country, which is one of the most impoverished countries in the world, is on the verge of civil war…again. The current President has announced that he will again be running, in June, for the presidency. He has already served 2 terms (which is the limit) but he feels that he should be able to run again since his first term was not an election term. The opposing party and the people of Burundi are upset and fearful regarding this decision and so protests and violence has begun. Burundi has only seen 12 years of peace since the last internal war which left an estimated 300,000 civilians murdered. 300,000…its unimaginable. As of today 50,000 Burundians have left the country to live as refugees in Rwanda , Tanzania & the DR Congo. 12 years is not long enough to forget the horror of past massacres. Here is a recent article on what is taking place in Burundi. Anger & Fear pour from these photos.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3078438/Policewoman-STONED-mob-shooting-protester-Burundi-riots-president-s-controversial-bid-term.html
I feel helpless. So I pray…and I cry….a lot.
My kids are there. They will not have seen the actual violence of the past war and I pray that they would be spared from seeing war at all.
Lord God…please spare them this trauma. As if being abandoned and hungry isn’t enough…do they really have to endure this evil? Please, no,
You guys, I’m so torn up over this. My heart & mind are battling daily. I want peace for them, justice, hope, rescue…I want my kids OUT of there.
What does this mean for our adoption? We aren’t exactly sure. The good news is that our Dossier has been translated and submitted to Central Authority which is HUGE because the adoption agency’s contact in Burundi has been unable to get to the court house since the protests started. Our paper work is where it needs to be…I’m extremely thankful for this! We also heard that the Central Authority committee that connects adopting families with Burundi kids meets every 2-3 months to create referrals. Since our paper work has been there for a month, MAYBE we will be reviewed by the committee the next time they meet? But there is no way of knowing. We don’t even know if they will be able to meet with all the issues surrounding the election.
So we wait. And we trust. Not gonna lie…this is HARD. SUPER HARD.
I read & re-read Isaiah 58 every single day…sometimes multiple times a day to help me remember God’s will. I love this chapter so much that Jay & the kids got me a leather cuff with Is. 58 pressed into it for Mothers Day. It is my all time favorite.
Will you pray with us?
Please pray with us.
Pray for Burundi. Pray for peace. Pray that the Presidents changes his mind. Pray for the safety of our children. Pray that they are sheltered from the violence. That we will be able to bring them home sooner than later. Pray for the Central Authority to show our paperwork favor. Pray that they will send us a referral soon. Pray for me. Pray that God would be glorified whatever the outcome.
If you choose to pray…would you consider writing out your prayers & sending them to me? I would love to have actual prayers from God’s people to put in our Burundi journal. Prayers to look back on and see how our Great God answered YOUR prayers. This would greatly encourage my heart…more than you could even know.
Thank you for your constant support. We are so thankful for you, your kind words & prayers. Our hearts are thankful. Our souls are blessed.
Much love,
Heather