The SFCV Journal

On Thursday afternoon, our new Outreach Center erupted in applause and cheers as Jamison entered the room…This celebration was especially for him.  He had been working with several of our staff and volunteers for this special moment, a concert for his mom that turned into a mini talent show but with special emphasis on this special young man.

Jamison jumped and clapped on his way to the seat of honor before promptly taking center stage to sing “Take me home.”  After some of the other kids had a chance to entertain the crowd, including a group of 40 from Impact English Camp who were visiting that day, he took the stage again to play his version of “Jesus Loves Me” on the electric guitar.

Perhaps the most touching moment of the afternoon could have been easily missed.  During one of the stage changes, several of the older boys took turns hugging Jamison and telling him goodbye…Wow!

He will depart on Sunday morning, returning to his province so his adoption can be finalized…A week later he should be headed to his forever home.  How cool is that!

How exciting the last few weeks have been!  Our twins, two-year-olds Dillon & Brett, met their parents the first week of December.  Two-year-old Drew (pictured above) met his parents last weekend, and our two-year-old Holly has left to meet her family.  Every parent-meet is different, but in each we rejoice that God places these children into perfectly suited families.  Please remember to pray for our sweet ones as they become members of their Forever Families.

We are still waiting to hear on four more families hoping to travel this month.

The shorthand “IP” means a lot in our daily records, especially when referring to a child’s adoption status.  It is really a reminder of how little we know about the paperwork: it could be at any one of four different gov. agencies; it could be months–from two to twenty–before all the right signatures are present and accounted for; and it could, eventually, end up on one of four continents, in one of sixteen countries.

To be “in progress,” though, is to be on its way.  It implies activity and momentum. What we celebrate about the “IP” is that it means something is on the horizon, something transforming and new in the lives of these children and the families that will one day welcome them.  A hope fulfilled.  A future redeemed.

This morning, one of my assistants told me about a phone call she had with one of our partner directors.  We have nine of their kids at SFCV, and they have just announced they will start the adoption paperwork on six of them, pictured above.  And though we still have, and may not have for some time, any concrete information, we are thrilled that we get to change the adoption status of SIX kids to “IP”!  We don’t know what is coming, but there is new hope for their lives, and a sweet sense of anticipation for their futures.

We hope you will join us in covering them–preparing the hearts of their future families, some of whom may not yet even be considering adoption in this moment; the health and development of each of these kids, and the speed of processing the all the paperwork.

  Yesterday, Emma Grace met her family for the first time!  She didn’t cry at all upon meeting her parents & older sister and was fully distracted by the rice treat one of the staff had given her.  We hope you’ll join us in praying for them as they travel to her original province this weekend and finalize the paperwork that will make her an official citizen of Sweden.

It has been a long time coming for the Big Meet of our six-year-old Rachel (pictured with her dad and the Bakers) and her family!  Her dad, Andy, met her on Monday, and the two of them have been busy Skyping from our Inn to her mom, two older sisters, one older brother, and three younger sisters who are back home in the US.  We pray for God’s continued Traveling Mercies, as her dad and she leave us on Friday for Guangzhou, as well as Waiting Mercies for her mom, Kathy and siblings.  We so rejoice in God’s goodness to Rachel and her family!

Twenty-month-old Shia met her family of six last weekend.  The tears lasted a bit at first, but we’ve heard good things since!  Please join us in praying for them as they continue to travel in China and bond together.  God has blessed Shia with a beautiful family, and we are delighted to have played a small part in her story.