March 17th

Hi all –
We have had a full day today with an outing for coffee and shoes and a drive through the city up to Mount Entoto. Please pray for our health – none of us are feeling well. Lulu, is still quite congested and was much more fussy today – we think her stomach was bothering her this morning and on top of all the shock. She did really well when we went out though, and hung out in the moby wrap for a few hours charming people wherever we went. Asher, you may have competition. Rob and Emma are battling allergies and sinus yuck – it is extremely dry here right now, much more so that when we were here in November. I woke feeling achy and chilled and running a fever – the fact that my body couldn’t hold out for one more week is highly annoying, but it honestly helped to get out and move today. Prayers for health restored and rest would be so appreciated. We still have lots to accomplish and enjoy on our journey this week, and do not want anything to be stolen from this Victory.

A Victory tailor-made with details and dates to confirm. March 17th, 2011: a day the god of this world intended to put permanent destruction on by tearing a family apart with a tiny baby girl at the center. You see, for reasons we will probably never know this side of heaven, as of March 17th one year ago Lulu’s birth family could no longer care for her. I have let myself go there in my mind – attempting, failing I’m sure, to fully imagine their excruciating decision. A 20-day-old baby girl with no home – Fasika her name given. A word meaning Easter. Yes of course, as her life was one to be Redeemed.

Thursday evening, as our driver weaved in and out of the night streets of Addis from the airport our conversation turned to adoption and our girl, our Fasika Louise (“Lulu”). He asked if we knew what her name meant and we replied, ‘yes, it means Easter.’ He agreed and then added, it can also mean Passover. Again, of course. How had I not made the connection before? A life of a child of God passed over and spared in the darkest of nights, an orphan no more. March 17th, a day intended for evil in the life of a beautiful warrior child. March 17th, 2012: Fasika’s first full day with her forever-family. One year to the date – from ashes and brokenness to beauty and redemption.

Adoption can be heart-breaking, by no means a perfect solution to a worldly epidemic. But again, this world is not run by its intention now is it? And so our hearts stirred, we pick pick up pieces of broken families, open our palms to heaven and beg Our God who reigns over all to redeem them. To please make something lovely from torn and tattered. And in His Grace and overwhelming Love He doesn’t stop at the redeemed orphaned child, plucked from pain and isolation and placed into a family to love and raise them up. For by His Passover Lamb, His Son of Redemption, none of us have to live out our days an orphan.

Love and Miss you all,
-Sarah