a new direction

Well we have some exciting adoption news...We have officially began the process to adopt from Uganda!!

While Ethiopia DOES have a special place in our hearts and it saddened us to leave the ET program,  we feel like God has opened and closed doors for us to lead us to Uganda and we feel certain that that is where our boy is!

What lead us to this change??

A couple of months ago we learned about a baby boy in Uganda who needed a family and we were totally on board. We prayed for this situation to work out in the best interest of this baby boy, and of course it did! It turns out that there are families in Uganda who want to adopt him, and we know that staying in Uganda is absolutely the best option, so we rejoice that he will have a forever family IN Uganda!

During the weeks that we were praying about this situation, and not knowing how it would work out, we prayed that God would lead us to where He wanted us to be and open or close doors in order for us to get there. Even though God had different plans for this little boy we felt that He had lead us to this country for a reason...so here we are.  We have switched agencies and are in a Uganda program that is very new.  We know that this new process will have lots of ups and downs (as does all international adoption), but we are hanging on for a wild ride that will end in bringing our sweet boy home!

We have nothing but great things to say about the agency that we were using and would HIGHLY recommend them anyone adopting from ET.  AND I feel very encouraged about the news coming from ET lately and I truly believe that everyone is working together to have great program.  Our family continues to pray for ET and their children and we ask that you do as well.  We also ask for prayers for  the children of Uganda and this new direction that our adoption journey has taken...we know that international adoption is a journey and we have faith that every twist and turn will lead us to our little boy.

*********************************************************************************

Also,
Nathaniel and I are helping with a child advocacy non profit called Ordinary Hero and would like to invite you to an amazing silent auction and dinner where ALL proceeds benefit children in Nashville and across the world. Please check out the invitation HERE. To purchase tickets you can let me know or email events@ordinaryhero.org and please check out all that this organization is doing on their website, www.ordinaryhero.org!!
*********************************************************************************

Many Blessings,
Ashley


Many Blessings,
Ashley

Adoption is Not the Answer

I'm going to admit something. When we first decided to adopt I felt like we had decided to do this really great, really beautiful thing and that this adoption was going to be pretty much awesome because we were a piece (all be it a very, very small piece) of solving the orphan crisis. Wrong. We aren't solving the orphan crisis at all.

Now that I'm in it. Now that I'm experiencing it I have come to realize that no matter how many Christians adopt (and I know that if I do the numbers that if a certain number of Christians adopt then there will be no more orphans, but I'm sure you can google that if you want to) it won't SOLVE the orphan crisis. SURE, there would be no more orphans. At least for the day.  Until the next day when a mother in Ethiopia loses her life giving birth to her child without medical care. Or the next day when a mother in Uganda dies of AIDS and leaves three children behind. Or when a family living on the streets and off of garbage decides it's best to leave their child at an orphanage where they can have shelter, clothing and food. All of us Christians adopting the orphans wouldn't solve the problem. The problem would still be there. Poverty. AIDS. Malaria. War. Death.  It would all. still. be. there.

We CAN be part of the solution. We can help to bring medical clinics to impoverished areas, start or support clean water initiatives, birth control education, sponsor a child (providing a child with food, clothes, education, shelter), start programs that find a way for families to have a sustainable income through micro business grants, etc. And there are many, many organizations out there that are doing each of these things.  Find one. Support one. Or start your own.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not discouraging adoption. I ENCOURAGE it...it has been the most amazing God led journey and we CAN'T wait to bring home our son! I still think adoption is a beautiful thing. A God designed thing and a necessary thing because there ARE orphans and they DO need homes. But it's the result of something sad, something heartbreaking, and something that is, at times, preventable.

**********************
Ways that WE can help:

Community development: Project 61, The Raining Season
Child Sponsorship: There are over 100 children HERE who need sponsors through Lifesong for Orphans. Another amazing ministry and child sponsorship program is Amazima
Clean water initiatives: Give Water, Glimmer of Hope
The basis of sustained health and economic development comes from access to clean water. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases. A recent UN publication reports that water contributes to poverty alleviation. Orphan Epidemic clean water initiatives work to provide access to clean water to help fight extreme poverty and protect people from disease.
Sustainable Income: Ugandan Bead Necklaces 
GO: Visiting Orphans
Organizations in Nashville that support a number of these things: 147 Million Orphans, Ordinary Hero