Urgent Prayer Request

js3971 · Post by **js3971** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:50 pm

I posted this on the non Petra topic board, and thought I'd put it here already, but it didn't go.

I'd like all my fellow petheads to come into agreement with me in prayer. I'm asking everyone I know to do this.

As stated in a couple of posts I made yesterday, I stated that my wife, Kimberly, and I have adopted a baby boy from Nigeria. The adoption is complete in Nigeria, and we have received approval from US Immigration.

The US Embassy in Nigeria must then do an investiagation of all the paperwork and visit the orphanage and see the baby in the orphanage. We had the visa interview on Sept. 13. I was to have gone to Nigeria myself to do that, but Lagos (where the embassy is) was having riots at that time. Lagos isn't a very safe city to begin with, especially for foreigners, and especially for white foreigners, so we had Mary Ogunbor, the orphanage owner, to go on our behalf.

She stated that she had favor with them, but they wanted to see the baby in the orphanage and to do some more investigation. They told her this should take about 4 weeks and for us to contact them if we didn't hear from them. After 4 weeks elapsed, we had heard nothing. We've been emailing them and calling them. They said they dont' give information on the phone, and all they tell us in the emails is that it is still under investigation.

This morning we received a call from Mary in Benin City, Nigeria, stating that a lady from the embassy came this morning. Nigeria is currently seven hours ahead of Central Standard Time. She said that she had no problems with everything, but a man at the embassy was concerned about some things. I won't go into all of that right now. I'm just asking that everyone take a minute or two right now, and then when you think about it, to pray on our behalf in this situation. Just thank God that this baby is ours, that we have favor with God and with man, including all people at the embassy involved with the investigation, we are the righteousness of God, and God upholds the righteous. Pray as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Thank you to everyone who prays.

sue d. · Post by **sue d.** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:33 am

So much red tape.... wow. Such a shame, when kids are literally dying for new homes, and the governments hold things up for so long.

let us know how it all turns out, js. Prayer is on the way.

crossways · Post by **crossways** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:43 am

From someone who has adopted internationally, I feel as though I am right there with you. You are in my prayers!

js3971 · Post by **js3971** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 10:54 am

Thanks for praying everyone. That's awesome crossways. Where did you adopt from? How long did it take? etc, etc?

js3971 · Post by **js3971** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:05 am

thanks for praying everyone. I'll keep you updated.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:45 pm

You did post it in the "The Petra Zone" area. It BELONGS in off-topic... I moved it there. Unless there is something about Petra in the post and I just missed it.

Don't worry... I think most everybody reads off-topic too! Besides, I left a link to it in the Petra Zone area too.

Please don't repost this in the "The Petra Zone" area again... I can't leave it in that area, and there are two in Off-Topic again, so I'll just have to delete it if you repost.

js3971 · Post by **js3971** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 3:07 pm

I didn't mean to cause a problem with it. Since you're the head guy, I'll do what you ask. Any updates that do come, I will keep in the off topic lists.

crossways · Post by **crossways** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 6:43 pm

We adopted our son Eric from Russia. God really worked in big ways for him to be a part of our home -- it was really MEANT to be!

We wanted to go to the Republic of Georgia because of the speed of referals and the young age of the children. But they encountered a political coup just as we sent our info. So they shut down temporarily. We waited and waited.

Then after nearly a year (and what a year it was, but that's another story) our agency called and said that there was a boy in Russia that was turned down at the last minute by another family. Eric had several medical concerns - from Hep. C to a few potential developmental issues.
We accepted, butit meant REDOING ALL of our paperwork in the span of about 2 weeks. We did some serious running!

Then it was off to see our precious child.

Then the God factor kicked in BIG time. When we got home we started the process of having him seen by specialists. One by one they all said, "I don't see any problems." Even the Hep. C was negative!

Some said it was just poor medical testing by the Russian docs. I say that's MY God at work!

Eric has been with us for a little over a year now.

js3971 · Post by **js3971** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:57 pm

That's an awesome story crossways! Congratulations to you and Glory to God for your son. I'm with you, God is the Great Physician. His diagnosis is always correct, and according to Scripture, by his stripes we ARE healed. Just an awesome story.

crossways · Post by **crossways** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:41 pm

And now the rest of the story......

That same year, just as we were beginning the paperwork for adoption, my life began to dramatically change.

I landed what I thought was my dream job, the choral director at the biggest high school in our area...maybe the state. I had the ego to match

. In my heart I guess I knew God wanted me to use music for His honor and glory, but somehow I kept justifying moving up the career ladder as His plan. Really I was working my plan.

Things with th eposition started going bad almost immediately.

At the same time my dad was losing his battle with cancer. I had convinced myself that as long I as I ignored his disease that he would be fine.

In Jan. '04 I quit my position and moved into an elementary job, with virtually no music performing. In my small world this was the lowest of lows.

In March my dad went to be with the Lord.

Now, in all of this I was frustrated and confused (remember we were waiting on word from the Republic of Georgia) NOTHING was going as planned.

But God was working in me daily.

The night my dad passed away, I begged God to let me leave the hospital and just get "the phonecall". But He had other plans. I told God that if he wanted me in that hospital room He would have to provide the strength, because I just couldn't bear it. (Dad was fairly young and strong, and he wasn't going peacefully) Boy did God ever show me who possess true strength and power. God came over me with a peace and a strength that was so strong it seemed tangible. I was able to spend the last minutes with my dad, and we seemed to connect in a very sweet and precious way.

Now God had really gotten my attention.

And He had me in a place in my life where I had NOTHING to do but spend quite moments with Him. My job was quite uneventful - no concerts, no special programs. My church (where I am min. of music) was going through a pastoral change, so there was really little activity there, as all focus was on seeking a pastor. I didn't even have my band...no rehearsals or shows, we were without a drummer and without direction.

So I let God speak..and He did!

Little by little he restored things to me.

In June I met a great friend and brother, who became instrumental in reestablishing my band. God reminded me that my whole desire to teach was to be with kids. He placed me at a great little rural middle school, where I have so much opportunity to work with kids who really need me and the Lord. I also have the time in this job to devote real energy to my band - Christian rock is what inspired me to study music in the first place.

Then in August we got the call about Eric.

I wish that I had been more sensitive to God's will from the start, and that year was terribly painful, but I wouldn't trade the outcome for anything.

My wife and I have grown so close to each other and to the Lord. Where once we harboured doubt, now we take steps of faith.

God is using me and the band in ways that I never thought possible. And He still gives me nuggets of past desires. Last night I was honored to direct a mass choir for a Thanksgiving service in our community. WOW - it was very special.

Brian (the great friend I spoke of) and I wrote a song that deals with the trust I learned to have from that year. You can hear it Here

Sorry to ramble a bit, but I never get tired of sharing what the Lord has done in my life.

js3971 · Post by **js3971** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:40 pm

still a great story. I'm sorry that you lost your dad in all of it though. I lost my mom just 15 days after I was married. I wish she could be here to see our son when he comes home. Sounds like you've got a living testimony of what God is doing in your life today. Many of us Christians when we give a testimony, it's something about what God did 10 or 15 years ago or soemthing like that. And those things are good. But the reason many of us same people feel dead inside and feel like God is distant, is because we've been distant from him and not truly giving thanks for what he has already done for us, and we don't do that on a daily basis. So our testimony grows cold. But God is so faithful even when we are not because he cannot forsake himself.

charl · Post by **charl** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 6:47 pm

That is a great story.

js, any news yet? (Yeah I have yet to learn patience.

)

js3971 · Post by **js3971** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:53 pm

unfortunately, there is no new news yet, we did email the embassy again today, hopefully we'll hear something soon

AlwaysJohnLawryFan · Post by **AlwaysJohnLawryFan** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:31 pm

Will be in prayers

epdc · Post by **epdc** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:34 pm

Ill be praying!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dont get discourage Js (whats your name by the way

?

Look, sometimes we think the answer wont come but the truth is that will airrive at the right moment. in this world we are so use to instant stuff and microwave food when God is not exactly like that.

You will get your baby and when you do you will praise God for it and will testify that through this your faith became stronger than before.

Never stop praying for your baby. Gods answer will arrive, dont get discourage.

Look, I know is not exactly the same but I have always share this testimony. When I was 13 years old I knew about Petra, I saw the wake up call video and I loved them, because I used to believe rock music was of the devil and when Iknew about Petra God showed me a new face of Him: a God that loves to have fun and party and likes rock music. One night I told God: wouldnt be cool if I could meet them? and God said: Why not? I mean, I can do it, I made the universe...

since that day I started to pray, 3 months later my dance leader (I was on a dance team at the worship team at church) she told me: God told me to tell you that what you are asking Him for His answer is YES.

My first thought was ( by logic hehehe) that I was going to meet Petra in a month or less ya know. well, I met John 4 years later, saw him again 2 years later and I just met Petra this year. Im 21 now.

It was humanly impossible, even christian people told me I was nuts. My point is that God answered my prayer, though it took a while and ya know what? everything happens for a reason believe me, God has an amazing plan for you guys and He is doing that plan right now, you will share an amazing testimony when this baby arrive. All that time waiting made my faith in God to grow ya know, amazingly.

HUGS, well keep you in prayers....

Crossways, AWWWWWWWWWW I MET IN TENNESSE LOLOL!!!! sorry, i saw your post and i got happy because I met you and your wife, didnt talk much with you guys but it was so cool, I just remembered that

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