"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship."

Galatians 4:4-5

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Let me recap a bit my past week and a half. The monday after Easter, I traveled to the airport to pick up a wonderful team of high school boys. They worked so hard to paint and get the new guest house ready to be moved into as well as built two soccer goals for the kids. This was much needed and so appreciated by the kids. I finished up the week {sick} but traveling to a feeding program and then spending the day at the beach {the best remedy out there}. Saturday, we dropped the boys and their fearless leaders at the airport and a few hours later returned to pick up our first of a handful of adoptive families coming to meet their children for the first time. The particular family that arrived last Saturday is adopting two boys from the crèche and I was humbly reminded of the adoption we've all experienced through God's love for us. Watching them play, laugh and love on their boys unconditionally {despite the fact they aren't even legally theirs yet}, is just a small window into how God loves us unconditionally and has adopted us into his family.
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⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Ephesians 1:4-6

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God's plan for us from the beginning was creation, fall, redemption, adoption so that the full range of God's glory and mercy and grace could be known by his adopted children. I've now been tasked with providing families with bi-monthly updates on their children. This is such an honor to be tasked with as I see such value for families and children to feel connected despite the distance between them. I will be having little ones draw pictures to send home; and older kids write letter to scan and email home. I am honored to be such a part of this process, though it has caused me to reflect; these children are separated from both biological and adoptive families, caught in the middle between the two in a time of transition {a LONG time for many}. Am I separated {both physically and emotionally} from my biological family and my adopted Father in Heaven? I've worked hard to stay connected {thanks to technology} to my family back home, but have I worked equally as hard to stay connected to my Father in Heaven? In some ways, I feel closer to God than I have before and I've had to rely on Him more to provide during my time here, but in other ways, it's been difficult and I've seen and experienced a lot of pain and hurting while in Haiti that has distanced me from God.

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Friday, another adoptive family arrives and then again on Tuesday. It is going to be a busy week and a busy few months with families coming to meet their children for the first time. It is emotionally draining but all worth it to see families meet and connect with the child or children they've been praying for and preparing to bring home for months and sometimes years.