Yesterday
I found out that “my” Steven had found his forever family. I was and am
still so overwhelmed with emotion over hearing about this.
When I first found out about Reece’s Rainbow,
I would browse through the listed children, reading each bio, crying
over them, praying for them….I would just sit there heartbroken, through
blurry eyes, looking at these sweet faces.
One in particular that caught my eye was Steven…..
Just look at that face.
I
would look at his bio daily, there was just something about him that
tugged at my heart in an awful, crazy kind of way. I told myself if Todd
ever said yes to adoption, this was the little boy I was going to bring
home. Pretty soon I wouldn’t even read his bio anymore because I had it
memorized. Words like HIV positive and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome took on
less and less meaning to me. However, his sweet little face became more
meaningful to me, and it’s now forever ingrained into my memory. This
little boy changed something in me I couldn’t even begin to understand,
let alone explain.
I
don’t know why God gave me these feelings for this little boy whom I’ve
never met? Of the hundreds of kids on this site, why this one? What was
it about it him? I have to be honest here and say that at times I don’t
understand how I could feel this way when I couldn’t be the one to
bring him home. However, deep down I know God’s plan for Steven’s life
was perfectly thought out, before He had even so beautifully created
him.
As I think of God’s plan for Steven’s life, I realize he has already begun to use this little boy for His glory.
In
my own life, He has used Steven and his unfolding story to show me what
it means to love. To serve. To trust. To give. To be humble. To be
selfless. To live and give sacrificially. Here I was asking God, “How
can I be the hands and feet for you, for these orphans?” “What can I do
for Steven if I’m not meant to adopt him?”
Meanwhile, He was using Steven all along to change my heart on so many levels and to prepare me for what’s to come…..
I can only begin to imagine how God is going to use him to touch the hearts and lives of other people.
I
am so grateful he has a family! And although I’ve never met his family
outside of the Internet, I LOVE them! They are going to give him a
beautiful, loving home, centered on Christ.
What could be more beautiful and perfect than that?!
Just
to give you an idea of what Steven is like, as well as his mommy, I’ve
included a portion of Nicole and Steven’s story, just little tidbits
about what’s happened, but there is so much more, which I hope to hear
all about one day!
—-
“None of us could hide that that kiddo (Steven) and us love each
other. He was tied at the hip all the time. Each night he would tell
the nannies, “This is my mama.” when I would visit in the morning and at
night. We told him and he came running to me and hugged me and said
“You are my mama”. He blows kisses to me every night. Tania
(The little girl the Dewberry’s are currently adopting from the same
orphanage as Steven) and Steven and Kolya and I spent the last couple
hours all together. The nannies and I took all his measurement to get
everything ready for him. My heart has been stolen by a 5 year old!
(:” —
— ”On
Tania’s gotcha day we told the nannies who we adore and have been
hinting how I am mama to him so they told him. He was holding my hand
when they told him right after he said “This is my mama” they said,
“She sure is and she is coming to adopt you.” His smile was so huge he
hugged my legs and said “Mama I love You”. Director and home lawyer
know. The whole ball of wax. So we got to leave with my boy knowing we
are coming for him. He blows great kisses too! Got his measurements so
we are good to go to get stuff ready for him and my return trip! (:” —
I
don’t know about you, but hearing little pieces of this little boy
getting a mommy just melt my heart like you wouldn’t believe!
I’ve
been talking with his mom and there are a couple things I want to
share. First is that someone has offered a $2,000 matching grant!!! That
means if we can get people to donate to this little boy, we can turn
that $2,000 into $4,000 in no time! That will bring the Dewberry’s
that much closer to bringing Steven home! On the right side of my blog
there is a chip-in for Steven. Let’s see if we can’t get his chip-in to
2K to get the matching grant put in!!!
Keep
in mind the Dewberry’s are currently in country bringing Tania home.
Because they met/decided to adopt Steven once at the orphanage, Nicole
will have to travel back. So between all the adoption fees/travel, there
is most definitely going to be a need for funds!
Also,
I am going to start my own little fundraising for him. Keep your eye
out for an upcoming post with that information. I also want to share
sweet, little Lance with you guys next time too!
——————————————————————————————————————–
Psalms
68:5-6 “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God,
whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.”
God is so good and faithful! I am just overjoyed right now, I feel like one of my own children is coming home!
Steven is not forsaken.
He is fearfully and wonderfully made.
He is loved.
God has been preparing the hearts of his parents all this time.
This life matters! I can’t wait to see what God does with it!
