As shared in my previous blog I knew that if nothing went wrong
I would soon be walking out of the orphanage with my sweet daughter.
But first there was the court date.
It loomed in its seriousness and I wondered what would be involved.
All I knew was that I must appear alone before the judge.
The judge had the power to block the adoption.
It kept me on pins and needles whenever I thought about it.
Each day I would go to the orphanage and spend time with Jenny.
Sipping tea. Playing games. Talking. Beginning to build a bond.
She was very shy and kept an understandable distance.
But one day I was notified that this was the court date.
Gulp.
Not knowing what to expect particularly in a foreign country
caused me apprehension.
But I tried to calm myself and reasoned
if God had brought me this far
He would most certainly prepare the rest of the way.
He is faithful I reminded myself over and over.
I rode to the courthouse and waited awhile to be summoned.
When the summons finally came I pushed open the door,
walked down a few steps
and took a seat in a medium sized room.
A number of people were seated all around the room. Everything was spoken in Russian.
Suddenly I heard my name.
My eyes were fixed on the female judge up front.
I was told to stand so I rose to my feet.
All eyes focused on me.
Today, many years later, the details have all faded but one.
As I stood there nervously longing to just to get this over with
suddenly the judge looked at me and asked in clear, unbroken English,
“What will you do if you meet a man who wants to marry you
but he doesn’t want this child?”
Immediately I responded.
Everything in my heart cried out silently,
“She’s mine to love and to care for.”
But very calmly and clearly I answered.
“If any man were to come into my life
and wanted to marry me
but did not want my child
I would say no.
I would not marry him.”
That was it. A conscious decision made earlier and now verbalized.
My child- both of my children would take priority.
The judge looked at me and smiled a huge smile that stretched from ear to ear
and others nodded approval.
I knew I had been approved.
The adoption had made it through the court procedure.
That was the final big hoop to jump through.
Joy filled my heart as I walked – practically danced – out of the courtroom that day
and prepared to return to Moscow with my little girl.
Reflecting back at the moment so many years ago I am so glad that that question was asked.
Once more I saw that they cared not only for the children but also that that they
wanted them to be adopted into stable families that would love them forever.
The sweetness of that moment blesses me today many years later.
How wise to make conscious choices before a situation even arises.
Choices to stand firm,
To follow the Lord,
To put His Will first no matter what.
To keep the commitments we have made.
Well, I’ve been privileged to mother my two daughters for many years now.
I could not have done it without the Lord’s enabling.
The One Who led me
continues to provide for all of our needs one day at a time.
It has not always been easy.
No, but the Lord has blessed us with many, many sweet moments
where His love shines through
reminding us that His commitment, too, is for always.
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