Celebrations in Bangladesh

Since we didn't plan to stay in Bangladesh this long, we are running low on supplies for Kalina. My mom shipped us more formula, diapers, and such. She paid hundreds of dollars to get the package here quickly. The supplies in Bangladesh are not good quality, so we needed more from America. In addition to this, we had to pay $80 in taxes to customs here in order to receive the package. We had no idea this would cost so much. I prayed for God to bring the package on time before we ran out of supplies. I reminded Him of the fish and the loaves and told Him that He could easily handle Kalina's needs. Well, the package didn't come in time due to a holiday here. That meant that we had to feed Kalina the formula she received in the orphanage which was really upsetting to me. It looks very watery and she wouldn't drink much. It was one of those moments when I doubted God. It was so easy for Him to get her supplies here on time. Already she is stuck here when she could receive proper nutrition, medical care, and a comfortable home in the US. If God didn't even get her supplies here, how can we trust Him to deliver us and send us home? I don't know why God didn't send the supplies or why we're stuck here or why we had to pay so much money when already we're having financial strains from the adoption. That money could have been put to much better use.
I have a choice. I can either question God and doubt Him or I can trust Him even when I don't understand. I think of Mary and Martha grieving when their brother Lazarus died when they had asked Jesus to come heal him. They totally trusted that Jesus would heal him, but Jesus purposefully didn't go to help because there was a bigger picture. Jesus did something more incredible than healing him; he raised him from the dead so that all would believe.
Probably the hardest part of being here is walking in total faith with no idea of how or when God will deliver us. Nadeem said last night that if we knew the time frame we could plan better and deal with it. Every day we wake up and wonder if we'll be delivered and how many more days will pass before we can come home. Now again we're facing total silence from the attorney's office, Senator's office, and the USCIS. We call and email, and nobody responds.
While we are in turmoil, there is a lot of happiness around us. On Sunday Kalina turned 3 months old. Hasan's family wanted to celebrate, so we all went out to eat. Hasan's mom gave Kalina a dress to wear when she's older. I believe that a cause to celebrate is that at the age of three months she's with loving parents receiving care instead of in an orphanage. Some have told us that we should have stayed in the US and waited a few weeks to have our fingerprints taken before coming here. We still believe that God called us to go and to trust Him. I look at Kalina and think that if we had stayed at home, she wouldn't be with us right now. In fact, another family wanted her. Maybe she would have never been with us.
Also, everyone here is celebrating because the holiday Eid is this week. It's a time to end the month of fasting, wear new clothes, visit family and friends, eat special foods, and give gifts. We had to get some new clothes, too, since it's part of the custom here. I'll post photos to show you all. For me, I had to go to the mall and select fabric to take to the tailor to have my clothes made. Men buy ready to wear clothes. Last night Hasan's younger sister, Someira, painted my left hand with henna dye. They also shopped in the Bangladesh market and purchased bangles for me that match my outfit. On festive occasions, you wear about 12 on each arm. They come in different sizes. You have to really push them over your hand. I have to use lotion to get mine on. Everyone is in a shopping frenzy here. The malls are open until 12:30 a.m., and you can sit in traffic for 2 hours just to try to get there. Everyone is very excited and happy about the upcoming holiday. Tonight people will shoot fireworks from their homes.
It's kind of hard to celebrate in a strange country when we just want to be at home. However, we know that God calls us to be a light wherever we are. We want to rejoice with these people. They are excited to share their culture and traditions with us.
Now is their time of rejoicing and celebrating. Soon it will be ours. Thanks again so much for your prayers, faith, and love. Please continue to post messages on our blog. We look forward to hearing from home each day. You may not realize just how much your words mean to us.
"Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep." -Romans 12:15
"For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry." -Habakkuk 2:3
The vision of our homecoming will surely come at just the right time!