Americans like guarantees. I like guarantees. If Trent fails to respond quickly and correctly to the question, "Does this new dress make my butt look fat?" I like knowing I can take said dress back to the store for a full refund.
With international adoption, there are no guarantees. I've known this, on a vague theoretical level, all along, but it really hit home when I wrote our first $6,000 non-refundable check to the adoption agency. Six thousand dollars. Non-refundable. No guarantees.
Two incongruent beliefs have taken up residency in my head: 1) My son is in Africa and I must do everything I can to bring him home; 2) My son is not my son and I have no legal or emotional right to him until after the adoption is finalized...irrespective of how many checks we write. In psychological circles harboring incongruent beliefs is called cognitive dissonance and creates emotional tension. Welcome to my world.
Our church preached on ownership several months back with the premise that everything belongs to God and we are merely caretakers. So in reality it's God's six thousand dollars. Trent and I just have to figure out how to invest it. Stock market? Adopt an orphan? Bathroom renovation? I think I know the answer. Caveat emptor.
"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." John 14:18.
Great post Kristi. I know God will reward your obedience to Him. Keep on keeping on!!
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