Coming HOME!

Just heard from the D Family...they are headed to the airport and should be home on United Airlines... Saturday night at 6 p.m....Hooray!

God is able to do more than we hope or imagine...

A note from the D Family!!!!

This morning has been a whirlwind, but a great whirlwind. We have it all! We awoke this morning hopeful, but uneasy. We went down for breakfast and I returned to the room at exactly 8:30 AM to begin to call the embassys. I tried calling the embassy in Nairobi, Kenya but could not get the call to go through. So, I called the embassy here and they told me they had the fingerprints back! YEAHHH! She was not sure then if everything could be done AND we found out that Monday is a holiday and they will be closed. So, we waited by the phone as she said she would call back in about 30 minutes.

An hour later, I was ready to call them back, but the phone rang. It was Rahal, from the agency, and she said she was on her way to pick us up to go to the embassy. We still weren't sure what that completely meant, but we were excited. We got there and went upstairs and after a short wait we were called to window #8. A man from the US asked us the questions about Daniel and what we knew of him. We signed some forms and he showed us the passport....we were still not sure if we would get it all today. After apologizing for not being more friendly because he was in a hurry, he said he was just trying to get it done. We said, "don't apologize, we were thankful." After several "official" stamps of governmental stamps, he said give him about 20 minutes and he would have everything for us.

After that time we were called back up and given everything. The passports, the visas, and the immigrations documents! WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO COME HOME! To God be all the glory! We went to bed last night prayerful with great expectations and God surpassed them all.

We zipped to the Hilton to get some money from the ATM and then I checked on our flights there. We are calling every hour trying to make the flight tonight, but it doesn't look good at this point. Nonetheless, we are confirmed for the Sunday night flight (no flights tomorrow) which gets us back to Louisville Monday night.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE PRAYERS. Please continue to pray for safe travel and that we will even make that flight tonight! We are ready to come home. I pray that I can come back to Ethiopia in the future, if not even many times, but for now, we want to come home.

Stay tuned and we will let you know if we make the flight tonight or not! FAITH AND CALEB....WE ARE COMING HOME! YEAH!

Thanks again to everyone and stay tuned!

Matt, Teresa, Joshuah, and Daniel

Prayer Request

We have great reason to praise and pray! The C & S families made it home safe and sound with their children along with Pat! The D family however has remained behind in order to process the visa of their second child. As you may recall their second son passed court only 2 days prior to departing so they are praying for real miracles ... what normally takes 6 weeks to happen in 2! They were also required to update their fingerprints in country and are awaiting their processing through Kenya! Please pray for peace, patience and faithful endurance as this family is away from their children and family at home. Pray also for break-through and favor as they have their embassy appointment next Wednesday~

All families are doing well and most are starting their long journey home tonight and tomorrow. Pat is with Sirgute and they are 'house hunting' tomorrow morning for a new orphanage site which will now be in Addis instead of Jimma. Pray for favor and opportunity. Please also pray for all families and children to have safe, healthy,...& stress free....travel!

Prayer Needed

Please pray for our families to successfully get through the embassy process. The D family was told they needed updated fingerprints done even though theirs were not expired. The process will take 5 days at least! Pray that they will be able to bring both boys home without delays!

Update & Prayer Request

All children have joined their families and Pat gave out 100lbs of donations in a blink of an eye! Pray for embassy appointments to go smoothly (happening as we sleep on tuesday night). Also, the D family had a great gift just before leaving...their second child passed court. We are hoping with a miracle they will be able to bring both boys home without too much delay...please keep praying!

Update

All of our families arrived safely in Addis over the weekend. One of them was awaken by a early morning phone call...this is her note:

Guess who talked to her son today……..ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had Rob call from the orphanage to let me just hear his voice.

Mikias said:

Hello mommy

How are you

I will see you Friday

I love you mommy

Bye

It was the best wake up call of my life

Celebrating with 6 of our families!!! 3 have passed court and 3 others are on their way to Ethiopia with Pat. Please keep all in your prayers and stay tuned for details!