Stones

This beautiful little lady and her rockin awesome family have blessed me in so many ways... in devotions this morning Mariah talked about 'collecting stones' like the Israelites did to remind them of the things God had done for them. They collected stones and made them into an altar to God, a memorial as Mariah put it. I just wanted to share a few of my stones - the ways God has worked in my life through this particular family :)

When I first started going over the the orphanage I hang out at every week I heard about a little one who had travelled to the US, to Southern Ohio, to have surgery & I got to see a picture of her... the little girl in that picture looked scared and distant and my heart broke for her. There was talk of me flying over with her at Christmas time, but nothing came of that. As I continued to visit the orphanage I began to develop relationships with several of the kids, 2 in particular because they were so excited that they were going to live in Ohio like me. I realized eventually that they were being adopted by the same family as the one who was caring for the girl I mentioned above.

Fast forward to the day before I was leaving for the summer... I had heard that Mrs. K was going to be at the orphanage that week to pick up those 2 kids I had gotten pretty close to & I was so excited to meet her. We got lucky (or God had a plan... ya I think that's what happened!) and were both at the orphanage at the same time that day. Phone numbers, emails and addresses were exchanged so that while home for the summer I could see about coming to visit and meet the rest of the family. Of course when I got home I had such good intentions about contacting Mrs. K soon in the summer... but I got busy and as the summer flew by I just didn't ever email or call. Eventually I smacked myself in the forehead and said "you have to email her Ashley!!!" and I did... God's timing is so awesome because just as I emailed they were trying to arrange for the girl from the picture to come back to Ghana for her final adoption process which has to take place with her here in person. It was arranged that I would come and visit the 2 children who had just been adopted, and meet the little girl from the picture as well as the rest of the family. I absolutely loved thier home and the loving atmosphere that was gushing from the walls... the 3 children that are adopted from here in Ghana are only 3 of 10 children... 3 biological and 7 adopted - amazing!! The girl I met that day in Ohio was not the same girl from the picture I had seen in Ghana - she was certianly not afraid or distant, but curious, energetic, healthy, and loved. Fast forward again... it was decided that she for sure would be flying back to Ghana with me & because of this (HERES A STONE!) I was able to check an extra bag of stuff for my classroom. You have no idea how much difference an extra 50 lbs. is when moving across the ocean!! The process of the flights and layovers was a long, somewhat tedious, and exhausting one... but she was a trooper!

Since we've been back in Ghana I have been able to help Mrs. K and her keep in contact through emails and squeeze hugs that get passed back and fourth. Mrs. K decided she was going to come to Ghana for about 10 days after all to get the adoption process moving along. We started planning and I was able to help find her a place to stay while she was here, and set up a mini-vacation for the 3 of us to go on for a weekend (STONE). Mrs. K offered to bring me items for my classroom, and my parents were actually able to buy me some things and drive them over to the K's house to bring to me (MORE STONES!!). While she was here, I got to play tour guide and learn so much about thier incredible family and even got to use the 4 extra hands in my classroom one day for an art project. Mrs. K had to return to the states and with tears and hugs we said goodbye. Since then, the process of the final adoption paperwork has been long and complicated, slow and confusing, but God is so good and it is finally all over. That girl in the picture at the top of this blog (and bless you if you've made it this far!!) is ready to go. She is ready to go HOME. Back to a family that loves her dearly and has blessed my socks off... Pray for them as they prepare to get her back - pray that the flights go smoothly and that Mrs. K doesn't get knocked out when she gets the biggest hug shes ever gotten in her life on Sunday at the airport :)

My heart (which broke for her the first time I saw her in a picture) is now overflowing with joy for her.

A few of my stones look like this beautiful girl and her family... what do your stones look like?