Passport and American Friends

We had a really busy day yesterday, so I was unable to update the blog. Thanks to all of you who are following our story and praying for us! Today I want to start by sending thanks to the children who are praying for us. Our friend Anne who introduced Nadeem and me shared that her young son Luke tells her each day that God is able to do much more than all we can ask for or imagine (Eph. 3:20). I love this verse which hangs in our bedroom at home. Luke knows God's power because he has experienced God's healing hand upon him. My friend Kathy's second grade students pray for us each day at Hebron Christian Academy. My former students are praying. My friend Angela (who posts our photos-thanks!) sent me a verse a while back that God laid on her heart to share. "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.'" -Matthew 19:14I believe it's so critical to have faith like a child. I'm so grateful for the kids God has placed in our lives to pray in total faith. May we adults have the same measure of faith!
Yesterday I experienced God's care and love. We had to go to the passport office at 9:00 a.m. To get there, we had to drive through the traffic in the heat (again with no car seat). We had to move through crowds and guards and up stairs with me holding Kalina in my arms. Don't picture a nice air conditioned building like in the US. We had to take a crowded elevator up 6 floors, go to two "offices", and then travel outside and through a courtyard filled with crowds of people, construction trash, and large water filled potholes. Then I had to squeeze Kalina through a tiny opening in a metal fence to get into the final "VIP" open air area to get our passport for her. Keep in mind that we could understand nothing being said. When I learned of this trip, I had many concerns. Her sleeping schedule for night has been 1am-9am, including night time feedings. If we had to leave at 9 am I didn't know how we'd be ready and how I'd cope with even less sleep. I didn't know how she'd drink her bottle in the morning. God knew everything concerning me and took care of it all. This night Kalina changed her schedule. She slept during the night and woke at 7 a.m. We were all dressed, fed, and ready to go at 9 a.m. I brought her whole diaper bag. Can you believe that she slept through the whole visit? She never sleeps at this time of day! When we were in the VIP area, she began to cry. I panicked because her diaper bag had to be left on the 6th floor of the other building. Our sweet little angel becomes a she-devil, as Nadeem says, when she needs to eat. Already we were being scrutinized because we're foreigners. Amazingly she stopped crying. We went to the car, and Nadeem went to get her bottle/diaper bag. Guess when she woke up crying? Right when Nadeem arrived with the bottle! All you moms out there know that God was watching over her!
The passport should be ready today. This is not the end of the road as some of you had hoped. We're still waiting for our US approval to return. We still need permission to have fingerprints taken here. Our lawyer and Senator Chambliss' office are working with the government immigration department at home. Right now the department is upset that we left without our fingerprints. I was thinking about Pharaoh and Moses. Pharaoh never liked Moses or planned to let him go, but he wasn't in charge, God was.
After the passport trip, we spent a lovely afternoon with Carol Smith and her four children. Carol and her husband are missionaries here from America. In fact, they used to attend our former church, Greater Gwinnett/Sugarlaof Community Church. Our friend Ken Rucker helped us get in contact wth them. The visit was delightful! Finally some blonde haired, English speaking, friendly Americans! The four year old was even eating peanut butter! I almost grabbed the spoon out of his hand! They have been here for three years. One time they tried to distribute food to the needy, but it turned into a mob scene. They shared that it's hard to help because everyone swarms and you can't possibly help them all. I found it so neat to meet some of the people who our giving supports. Their primary funding is from the Lottie Moon offering in the Baptist churches. It's so neat to see what the money is doing.
The kids loved Kalina, although she napped most of the visit. While she slept they piled their toys all around her hoping she might wake up and play with them. Four year old Stephen even shared his Hershey candy that we had brought them with Kalina (for when she's older).
Kalina is doing well. She's eating constantly, to our delight! Right now she's napping. We can't wait to bring her home so you all can see her! I told her today how much everyone loves her already.
Thanks again for praying and standing strong in the faith with us!