Over the past 2 years God has been asking us some BIG questions. He has been leading us through a variety of situations where we have been learning to be more obedient to Him, specifically regarding our role in caring for the ‘least of these’ in the world around us. Many of you have been asking about what's been going on since our last blog post, so we figured it was about time for an update. A little over a year ago, there was a specific moment where God placed some orphaned children before us and asked one simple question….
At that moment we knew that He was asking us to say “Yes” to whatever He might ask of us, even before we knew exactly what that might be. As we stared into the eyes of the children He had placed before us, we knew that God was asking us to open our hearts to adoption. Here they were before us, waiting for someone to say “Yes” to them…and here we were, feeling like we were standing on the edge of a cliff, and God was asking us to jump.
“Do you trust Me?” He whispered...
A little over a year has passed since that day, and needless to say, we did jump. We did say “Yes” to them, and the journey has taken us to places we never could have imagined. Although we had started our journey in Ghana, it appears we will be ending it in Haiti. Several months into our adoption process we learned that the children we were pursuing, were no longer available for adoption. We were devastated and confused. Unsure of what this meant for us, we began to pray…to seek God for the direction He wanted us to go.
Aumony took her first trip to Haiti in April of 2010, just after the devastating earthquake that killed over 200,000 people. She came home knowing that we were meant to continue our adoption journey there. From the very beginning our hearts were burdened for older children and sibling groups, because they are the hardest group of kids to find adoptive families for. As we began to look into which sibling groups were available for adoption from the orphanage we were working with, God made it very clear what our next step would be…a sibling group of THREE. Tragedy had unexpectedly struck their family, leaving them alone and in need of a family to love and care for them. We knew that these were the children that God wanted us to say “Yes” to. So the journey continued…
Aumony returned to Haiti for the second time in October of 2010, and this time she got to spend ten days loving and bonding with the kids we are hoping to adopt (I'm dying to post pictures, but legally cannot do that quite yet!). It was amazing and wonderful, and more heart-wrenching than you can even imagine. She spent several nights holding them and rocking them to sleep, only to lay them down on the filthy, concrete floor to sleep for the night. A deep ache filled her heart as the reality of their daily life began to sink in—a reality not only for them, but for all the little ones who have never known any other way of life or love.
As the reality of what daily life is really like for these kids continues to set in, we have become more determined than ever to get them home as soon as possible. Home to their ‘forever family’, where they will be loved and cherished—where they will belong.
“He sets the lonely in families…” Psalm 68:6
While bringing these kids home quickly remains our strong desire, God is showing us—almost daily—that His desire is for us to TRUST HIM…to PRAISE HIM…and to GLORIFY HIM in ALL we do. We do not have the means to bring these kids home by shear will-power or determination. By OUR power, we can do nothing.
At this point, all of the required paperwork for our adoption process is nearly complete. The next step is simply to submit our paperwork with a $10,000 check and we will be on our way! While the next step in the process may be simple, coming up with the money that is needed to take that step is not. At each turn, as we feel overwhelmed and discouraged, God seems to whisper…
”Do you trust Me? Do you trust Me?”
So, that is where we are at this point. Waiting on God… KNOWING that His heart is for adoption, and TRUSTING that He will provide all that we need as we step out in faith and obedience to Him. So we lift our empty hands of faith, we humble ourselves, and we ask for your help to bring ‘our’ kids home. We simply cannot do it alone. We would greatly appreciate your ongoing prayer support, as well as any financial support you feel led to offer.
We thank you in advance for helping us to complete the journey God has started us on…and we continue to pray that we would ALL glorify HIS name together as He draws our hearts, minds, lives and resources to impact lives for His namesake.
In His Service,
Steve, Aumony, Kyleah, Kayden, Karson, Kenadi…
and the three little ones waiting in Haiti
If you are able to help us financially, please send your tax-deductible donation to Lifesong for Orphans with a note to indicate that it is for the ‘Dahl Adoption #1885’. Please mail to:
Lifesong for Orphans P.O. Box 40 Gridley, IL 61744
Thank You!
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“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4
