He gave us her heritage first. Azerbaijani. And we’ve spent six years chasing her down.
Later—years later—he gave us her gender through a dream. A girl. She never left my heart after that dream of the girl with dark hair and dark eyes.
We tried to find her in Azerbaijan. China. Ethiopia. But, as my daddy would say, those children were not reassigned to our family.
We wanted to give up. Move on. Have more biological children. But that was not His plan.
She was born in January 2017 as God was piecing us together again after some of our darkest days...but we didn’t know.
It wasn’t until the summer of 2017 that he told us what her name would be.
Eliana Faith
Eliana: a Hebrew name meaning “my God has answered.”
And on November 29th he told us where to find her. Not in the country of her heritage...but in a neighboring country where hers is the largest minority.
The Republic of Georgia.
We first learned of her existence that day. A ten month old with Azerbaijani heritage.
And three days before Christmas we saw her face. Our hearts stood still but time could not. Kyle and Matthew were headed to the movies. Was she the one? Was she the child? The brother/sister we’ve been searching for? Waiting for?
February brought more pictures and a stack of paperwork...remaking the dossier took about three months.
After three dossiers...
Five immigration approvals...
Six years...
At least a dozen background checks by various agencies...
After 2,190+ days...
Buckets of tears and learning to live here and now...
After learning to give up on our plans...learning to trust in the Lord’s timing...
We’ve received her referral. My God has answered!
The paperwork is stacking up again. But look ahead...do you see it? The light, there in the distance. There is a door swinging open and we didn’t have to pry it open!
"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord! Be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" Psalm 27:13-14
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