Trip 1 - Day 4 Court

It will be 2 weeks ago tomorrow that we attended our first court date.  We got up that morning thinking that we would spend the morning at Hannah's Hope and then attend court in the afternoon, but also realizing after what happened with the families the day before, our court time might change.  We went downstairs to wait for our ride and soon found out that, yes, our court time was changed and we would be going straight there in the morning.  I was nervous only because I wasn't sure what to expect.  I didn't have any fear of "not passing".  The traffic in Ethiopia is something I've never experienced!  It seems like there are no "rules of the road" and it's just "survival of the fittest".  I'm so glad I wasn't driving.  It's incredible to me that there are not more accidents, but all went well and we arrived for our court appointment safely and on time. 

We walked up four flights of stairs to a waiting room, filled with people, sitting and standing along the four walls and spilling into the center as all the wall space was filled.  There we waited and waited some more as some people were called to another room and then would leave after 5 - 10 minutes.  Waiting....can you believe it?  That seems to have become the theme word for this whole process.  We were finally called...and not just B and me, but our whole group at one time...six families.  We entered a small room with the judge sitting at her desk at the opposite end of the room.  She went through a series of about five yes or no questions to which we all answered at the same time and that was it.  There was then some conversation between the judge and the person from AGCI with us, to which he was then looking through his calendar, and then it was over.  We were ushered back into the big room where we were all asking, "what just happened??"  It was then that we found out that we did not pass.  A piece of paper that MOWA was supposed to send to court, did not get sent..  So we were scheduled for another court date...February 4th.  Over 2 weeks away!!!Sadness and disappointment slowly crept into my heart...which I am still dealing with...some days more than others.  Fortunately, three of the families got rescheduled for today.  I'm sad we still have to wait until Friday, but praying that MOWA letter has made it to court and those three families pass today.  I don't want anybody feeling the way I do right now.

After court, we were able to go back to Hannah's Hope. R's birthmom attended court the same day and AGCI was able to arrange for us to meet her.  What a blessing.  Yes, I was nervous, not sure how I would handle it or what exactly I would say.  But as soon as I walked in the room, all I felt was a deep love and respect for this woman.  She had chosen to give R life and then had made a huge sacrifice of letting her go.  I won't go into any details, as this is R's story to share some day if she chooses.

We were then able to spend the afternoon with R...we are so blessed.  She is so full of life.  So full of personality...an entertainer.  She knows how to make everyone laugh...amazing for a little one so young.  It felt so good to smile and laugh after such an emotional morning.  We love her so much!

Although it's very hard to wait AGAIN, I will choose today to trust God and His timing.  He has all the details worked out.  I love a schedule...I love to have each minute planned out...but sometimes my "plan" is not His.  You'd think that I'd have learned that by now through this whole process...but I'm a slow learner...very slow.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.  Reinhold Niebuhr

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.  Prov. 3:5,6