Hope is a Waking Dream!

It was 27 months ago today that I returned from my first trip to Haiti. I met Jesula the day before returning home. God clearly laid it on my heart that she was my daughter, so we began the adoption process immediately. Exactly two months to the day after meeting Jesula, I met Redjina on a return trip to Haiti. Once again God clearly laid it on my heart that she was my daughter, so we moved forward adopting both.

Looking back it is hard to believe it has been 27 months. This long journey has been filled with countless twists, turns, obstacles and delays. When we first started the adoption process in September 2010, we were told the girls could be home in 12-18 months. Of course we heard 12 months and clung to having the girls home in a year.  When "we hope to have them home by" has changed so many times I can't even remember them all.

We struggled not being with them for that first Thanksgiving 2010 and Christmas 2010. Not being with them for their spring 2011 birthdays was really hard. We hoped to have them home by fall 2011. A year came and went. We hoped to have them home by Thanksgiving 2011, and then we hoped to have then home by Christmas 2011. Eighteen months came and went. We hoped to have them home by their spring 2012 birthdays. When our file finally cleared the Haitian government and made its way to the U.S. Embassy in July 2012, we thought we would have them home by August 2012. Then we hoped to have them home by September 2012. Two years came and went. Then we hoped to have them home by October of 2012. We knew for sure we would have them home by Thanksgiving 2012.

Time and time again, what we hoped for came and went. Each time what we hoped for turned out to only be a dream. We woke up from each dream only to dream again.

Along this journey there have been so many days of joy, frustration, and even doubt that it would ever happen. But the tribulation of this 27 month process has nurtured our love for the girls. Close your eyes and try and imagine how much love you would have for your children if you were separated from them for over two years and were constantly anticipating them coming home. 

Thankfully I have been able to scatter in nine trips to Haiti over this time. The trips allowed me to have time with the girls once every few months. Those were nine wonderful trips, but they were all followed by nine heartbreaking departures.

Today I thank God that on my next trip to Haiti the girls will depart with me!

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true there is life and joy. Proverbs 13:12