While we wait . . . (Part 2)

Today I want to share with you another surprising event that happened to us last week. Remember I told you in my last blog that we love our church? Well one of the reasons we love our church so much is because of the people who are in it! : )

We belong to a small group (Our church calls them HOME groups - Homes Open for Ministry and Encouragement) that meets every Thursday evening. Last week our group had a Christmas gathering. Our HOME group leader and his wife put together an amazing video of our group members and tied it all together with great reminders from scripture. After the video was over our leader mentioned that the Lord is moving in our church and in our group. He talked about the various changes that will be going on in people's lives. We have some people making a move to a nearby town, others with job changes on the horizon, and our family with the adoption. 

Bruce and I were sitting on the floor holding a good friend's 2-year-old, so we were listening, but admittedly we were also a little distracted by her cuteness. : )  Our group leader started talking about our future son and how excited everyone in the group was to have him come and be a part of our group. All of a sudden we saw all of the kids in our group come out of the back bedroom (we hadn't even noticed they'd left the room...and there are a lot of kids in our group!) holding Christmas gifts. I didn't think anything of it. In fact, I thought that our group leaders are such kind-hearted people, they must have purchased a gift for each family in our HOME group. 

That wasn't the case. All the children came and stood in front of Bruce and me. They set down every one of those presents in front of us. One of the boys (who is around our future son's age) spoke up and told us that HE was the MOST excited about Christopher coming, and that he couldn't wait to have him be there. Then we were told that all those gifts were from the families in the group and they were for Christopher! 

You can imagine our surprise! I started to cry (those of you who know me well will NOT be surprised by that fact), but was thankful I could duck down behind the little one I was holding so I could gain my composure. Bruce and I were in awe and extremely humbled. 

Bruce and I each opened one present and then we let the kids open the rest of them for us. We had a great time laughing and commenting on each gift. In the end we came home with art supplies (markers, paints, paper, glue sticks, pens, etc.), flash cards (to help us teach Christopher signs and English), a set of sheets for his bed, a Nerf football, a Frisbee, 2 sets  of special Legos, and a very cool Hot Wheels set that can be used on the floor or in the bathtub! We also received a gift certificate to WalMart. We were blown away by the love and encouragement these people showed to us. 


The comment was made to us that now we won't have to buy quite as many things for him when we get him home. We were (and still are) so grateful for a group of believers who wanted to share with us, and with a little 7-year-old boy from Hungary. We're excited about the items we can take with us when we go. We know he'll have a great time drawing, painting, and playing with everything that was given.


So once again, God showed me that waiting is not a bad thing. He is using all this "waiting time" to fulfill His plan, and we're thankful!