Precious Corrie-- Part 2!

So...where did I leave you hanging?  Oh, yes.  I remember.

You get the picture.  I had loved Corrie for so long.  Even as I prayed for her to get a family and wanted her to have one with all of my heart, I also knew that if a family came forward, a piece of my heart would break that it wasn't us!  I prayed that God would take that selfishness away from me.

Now, fast forward to just a few months ago.  I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it was God's will that we were not Corrie's family.  So much time had passed, and I just assumed He would have let us know by now. 

One day I was browsing facebook, and the director of Morning Star announced that Corrie was going to have to return to her original orphanage in six to eight months!  My heart stopped.  Corrie needed a family, and she needed one now.  That sweet girl has lived at Morning Star her entire life, since before she was a year old.  She is loved and cherished there in a home environment and given all the help they can possibly give.  She is learning signs and even went to a special school.  I couldn't even imagine her having to return to an institution she obviously wouldn't even remember. Imagine being a little child, all of a sudden being taken from the only home and family you've ever known, to a place entirely foreign to you--not even being able to hear or communicate with the people there.  Even just thinking about it gives me chills.  I was devastated to hear this...and I wasn't the only one.  So many people love and care about Corrie.  Others began thinking about adopting her.  Even my brother and his wife decided they would try to start the process.  I did not ask my husband. I had vowed I never would.  I just took comfort in knowing that at least if my brother adopted her, she would be in the family.  And of course I prayed and prayed.  I prayed that if it were God's will that we adopt her, that He would make it clear!

Well, one night I was working in the kitchen.  My hubby came into the room and said, "So, what's going on with Corrie?"  He must have seen something on facebook, or heard Cassandra and me talking about the circumstances.  I explained what was happening and told him my brother and his wife were planning on trying to adopt her.  And then he told me this story...

He had been driving in the car, praying and thinking about Corrie.  He prayed that if it was God's will that we adopt her, that He would really show him.  And just then a song came on the radio called "Kings and Queens."  These are the lyrics:

Little hands, shoeless feet.

Lonely eyes looking back at me.

Will we leave behind the innocent to grieve?

On their own, on the run,

 When their lives have only begun.

These could be our daughters and our sons.

And just like a drum I can hear their hearts beating.

I know my God won't let them be defeated.

Every child has a dream to belong and be loved.

Boys become kings, girls will be queens--wrapped in Your majesty

When we love...when we love the least of these.

Then they will be brave and free. Shout Your name in victory

When we love...when we love the least of these.

My husband knew that God wanted us to pursue this adoption.  It had taken a long time, but God's timing is always right.  Now was the time!  And I stood there in my kitchen feeling like the world was tilting.  Was this really happening?? I had even suggested to God that maybe He could put something on the radio to speak to my hubby's heart! ; )   Even as I began to remind him that maybe we don't have enough money, or maybe it isn't practical that we do this, he reminded me that God would provide, and isn't it more important to give a child a family than to worry about this or that?  I started thinking maybe we were in the twilight zone or something, and someone had switched our brains!  It was so utterly clear that this was from God.  Only God could have orchestrated something like this!  

And so, I had to call my brother and tell him what had happened in my kitchen.  And he jokingly asked if we were going to fight over her... and graciously agreed to step aside. My brother and his wife are really, really awesome, by the way.

We started making phone calls.  We went step by step, praying that God's will would be done.  And now our homestudy is almost finished, we are pre-approved in China, and we are speeding ahead as fast as we can gathering the things we need for our dossier!  We had ZERO money for this adoption.  And God is already providing there, too.  He is showing Himself powerful in so many ways already.  We are looking forward to what He is going to do next! 

But one thing I know for sure...  We are coming soon to get our girl.  We love you, sweet Corrie!  We cannot wait for you to join your new family!!

   

Precious Corrie--Part One

Well...now that I have told you the big news, I would love to tell you more about this wonderful story that God is writing about this precious little girl named Corrie and the privilege we have in being a part of it!

It all started back in 2010.  Our big girl, Cassandra, was on her way to China to help out at Morning Star Family Home.  I had found out about this place randomly through the Bloggy grape vine.  I had just happened to have been reading the blog of the lady who runs the home, and she and her husband were looking for volunteers to come help out during Chinese New Year.  Well, at the time, Cassandra had been in Bible College.  She knew she wanted to work with orphans someday, but China had not been in her plans at all, and now was not the ideal time.  She was trying to raise money to go back to school.  Things were not going well with that.  It just seemed that no matter how hard she tried, nothing was going right with getting the funds to go for another year.  Well, I found out about the need there, and just thought I would mention it to Cassandra, even though I figured it was a very long shot that she would want to stop school and go.  Turns out, she surprised me, and said yes, she would do it.  Crazy!  In fact, she wanted to go for six months!  Remember that things had not been going well for her in getting enough money to stay in school.  She certainly didn't have the money for a six-month missions trip to China.  But God was about ready to start doing His thing!  Cassandra said yes, and He started providing.  She had enough money in no time.  Even complete strangers were giving her money out of the blue.  It was really something to see How God was totally doing this!

So, Cassandra ended up at Morning Star, loving on the babies there.  And she truly loved them.  All of them.....and especially, especially, especially one of the baby girls named Corrie.  Corrie was two at the time.  She had developmental delays.  She couldn't hold her head up straight very well, and was not walking or talking.  She needed surgery, and spent time in the hospital while Cassandra was there. Cassandra even ended up being the one who would stay with her for days in the hospital.  Corrie was maybe not the most physically beautiful child in the group of babies at Morning Star, but to Cassandra she was by far the most beautiful one.  She would always tell us about how special she was, and how there was just something about her...she couldn't explain it.  When others would come,  they would agree that there was just something really special about Corrie.

Then came June of 2010.  Sarah was diagnosed with Cancer.  Cassandra came home as fast as she could, just shy of reaching her six month mark in China.  And as you know or can imagine, our life suddenly revolved around hospitals and clinic appointments and life in our new normal.  We didn't think much about Corrie or really anything at all besides our Sarah and getting her well.

And then, as we emerged out of that foggy, crazy time in our lives, I began to think about Corrie again.  At first, I was just kind of amazed at the love Cassandra had for her.  This little girl with all of her physical troubles and unknowns about her future health...Cassandra continued to say she would adopt her in a heartbeat if she could.  And I would stop and think about that.  Could I say the same thing? Could I be as brave as that?  What was it about this little girl that made Cassandra so sure she would do anything to be her mom if she could?

And slowly but surely, God was beginning to do something in my heart.  I was starting to love this little girl, too.  Not just as a picture on the screen, but as a living, breathing little person who was obviously very special to God.  He had brought her through perilous times as an infant when she was tiny and malnourished and beat the odds for even surviving.  He had brought her to Morning Star Family Home where she was loved and cared for like their very own daughter.  And He had brought her through life-saving surgeries, showing His power in her life time and time again.  And now she needed a mommy and daddy.  She needed a family desperately who could continue the love and care she was being given, and also provide necessary medical help and therapy.  I started to long to be that mommy.  As time went by, the intensity of my wish grew.  It got to the point where I couldn't even look at a picture of her without my heart aching.  More than ANYTHING I wanted to adopt her.  I thought for sure these longings were coming from God, and so I couldn't understand it when my dear hubby would not agree with me that we were supposed to adopt her.  I would pray and pray for God to change his heart, only to be disappointed.  He had very good, practical reasons, and he promised he was praying about it, but he just wasn't hearing anything from God.  I was heartbroken.

A couple of years went by.  I continued to pray for Corrie.  I continued to love her through my computer screen.  And I would pray for God's will.  I knew that if it were His will for Corrie to be our daughter, He would let us both know.  And so, I vowed to never talk about adopting Corrie again.  I wanted it to be completely from God if it was meant to be.  I prayed that He would provide a family for her, and yes, I still hoped it could be us! (But I wasn't holding my breath anymore.)  Finally, she was put on an adoption agency's list!  But no family came.  She was put on another agency's list!  And still no family.  I kept wondering...is it because we are her family??  Still nothing from my hubby. 

And I will continue this story next time....    The next part needs its own chapter.  : )

Once upon a time......

There was a little girl in far away China.

The poor little thing was sick and tiny.  She needed someone to take care of her and love her.  She needed a mommy and daddy.

A loving family took her in.  They loved her and cared for her and nursed her to health.  She grew stronger and healthier.  She grew and grew...

She was happy and loved in her little home.

But the family was not really her mother and father.  As much as they loved her, a true forever family needed to be found for this sweet princess who was so very special.

Years went by....

On the other side of the world a mother longed for another little girl.

She saw pictures of the little princess, and hoped and prayed for her.  More than anything in the world she wanted to bring this treasure home.


And then one day.....

her dream came true. 

I am that mother.  We are that family!

 

 

Precious Corrie at Morning Star Family Home will be coming home to her forever family soon!!

We can't wait to wrap you in hugs and kisses, sweet girl.  We already love you so very much!

 

Yes, we are so excited about our newest blessing who will be joining us hopefully by the end of this year.  Please follow along on our journey to Corrie!!