A New Adventure in Trusting a Great Big God!

Hello Friends,

We are about to share something with you that is crazy.  Impossible.  No way could we make it happen.  And yet, God is bigger than all of that!

As we look down through the course of our lives, we can see all kinds of spiritual markers that have our Father's hand all over them.  Things and events that at the time may have seemed small, but opened the doors for Him to work in absolutely HUGE ways in the days and years to come.  We are continually amazed  at this, especially when we see that He is planning things beyond anything we've ever expected.

This is one of those.

Jim is finishing up an Executive MBA program at the University of Denver.  (This is something he never thought he'd do!)  One of the segments of this program is an overseas trip to study culture and business.  Jim's cohort voted to take the Asian trip, which was not his first choice, but clearly where God wanted him to be.  While they were in Vietnam, in June 2012, they visited an orphanage.  Jim reports that immediately upon entering the playground, the children ran up to the 40-or-so visitors for hugs, piggy-back rides, and play.  The first child to run to my husband was this little sweetheart.

As soon as I saw this photo, I cried.  I told Jim that I would bring her home in a heartbeat if it were possible.  I went back to this picture many times over the next days.  When Jim came home, we talked about this little one.  She has most likely lived at this orphanage since she was a baby.  She doesn't know what a family is.  She has little hope of learning about Jesus.  The more we talked about this and prayed for her, the more God began to talk to us.  And one night last week, while we were on our knees before Him, we knew for sure.

So. . . here it is.  We feel that God is calling us to adopt from Vietnam.  We are even going as far as to trust Him that this particular little girl will become part of our family.  And who knows what else He has in mind!  

The reality?  

• Vietnam has not been open to adoptions from the United States since 2008.  Vietnam is in the process of reform in their adoption laws, and apparently are not yet up to U.S. standards.  
• The orphanage where this little girl lives does not adopt their children out.
• Even if Vietnam adoption is re-opened to the U.S., this is just one little girl among many thousands.  It would be virtually impossible to adopt "this one."
• We will have to pass Vietnam's specifications for adopting parents.  In some countries, we are already too old.
• This is going to cost many thousands of dollars.

The REALITY!!

• The King we serve is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe!  If He has a plan that isn't easy, or even seems impossible, He isn't sitting around wringing His hands about it.  HE IS GOD.  He is the healer of nations.  He can work in the hearts and minds of the people making decisions in both Vietnam and the United States.  And He can do it quickly.  Many are thinking that an agreement may not happen for years.  We're not content to just believe that.  Just the other day we read an article about Ireland resuming their adoption relationship.  We're trusting a great big God for the same thing for our country.
• God is able to work in the hearts of those who are caretakers of these children.  We are praying that they would realize the great gift these children could be given by being allowed real families and homes.
• If God wants a particular child to live in a particular place with a particular family, is that too big a task for Him?  Of course not.  He knows this little girl by name.  He knows the number of hairs on her head.  He sees her right where she is.  And if He wants her to be in a different place with different people, He can certainly do that.
• Same as the point before this, if God wants us to be the caretakers of a particular child, He can certainly do that, regardless of seemingly endless hurdles that seem impossible.  
• God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  If He is able to do all of the above, worrying about money is the least of our concerns!

God has told us over and over the last few days that He is bigger than impossible!  We so want to see Him do something that only God could do!

 Look at the nations and watch—

   and be utterly amazed. 

For I am going to do something in your days

    that you would not believe,

    even if you were told.

~ Habakkuk 1:5 

Please believe with us, friends.  We covet your prayers and also your spiritual counsel.

~ Jim & Joy Altman and family

* * * * 

Below are a few pictures of the Que Huong Charity Center orphanage.  We feel that God has called us to help support them financially while waiting to see what else He does and what else He calls us to.  (James 1:27)

Bedroom area.

Cafeteria

Jim with the founder of the orphanage.  Although this was just a fun moment, we feel it was Providential that the photo was taken, so that she will remember him!

Play area.

Happy to see visitors.