Exactly what Suzanne says...

This post is copied and pasted directly from my friend and C4C roomie's blog. She often speaks my heart, and is much more articulate than I. She is my very own personal Jen Hatmaker. 

Blog post from Journeyto838.blogspot.com :

So if you are wanting my opinion-----(on adoption and some of the controversy that is going around)

*I believe whole heartedly in the unification of families
     -If there is any possibility for a family to stay in tact, then I want to find a way to make that happen.  I believe that the best place for a child to be is with their core family.  Whether that is through fostering while a Momma gets on her feet, through sponsorship that helps them make ends meet or provide for things that they can't otherwise, or in actually bringing that family into your home in order to give them a space to ground themselves and get on their feet again.

*I believe that adoption is not the first choice     -I understand that this seems redundant to my first, but it is something that is spoken about quite often.  I do not believe that one day I will look at my child and say, "you were always chosen for me from the beginning of time!!"  
     -I also believe in a God who is all knowing and in full control.  So even though I know that I am not the Mom for this child in aperfect world, I am the Mom for this child in our broken world--only because of God's great GRACE!

*I believe that International Adoption (IA) is necessary
     -While some people have called IA "big business", I do not agree.  
     -While some people seem to find the right to call those who adopt babies as being catalysts for this "big business"---way wrong---way way wrong.  I know Moms who have adopted babies.  And let me tell you....."big business" was not their intent.  
     -Our parameters are for a boy or girl, 0-3 years of age with minor/correctable special needs. I am not interested in creating an orphan---I want to adopt an orphan.

*I am not adopting a child so that they might become a Christian
     -I am not quite sure how to respond to the Mother Jones article that accuses Christians of only adopting in order to "further the kingdom".   The truth of the matter is, I don't even know if my biological daughters will walk in relationship with Jesus one day.  So needless to say----this one stumps me---but there is my response! Ha!

*I believe that there is much corruption
     -I am not naive to the fact that there is corruption.  We live in a fallen world.  I look at my kids and I see corruption.  I look at myself....much corruption.  

     -I know that there are many hands that exchange many amounts of information throughout this process.  It is the obligation of those hands to do honorable work.  When I was compiling all of my information to complete the paperwork for our adoption,it was my job to be honorable in every word.  Every answer.  Every medical form.  Financial form.  Local police check.  Federal background check.  That was my job.  My responsibility.  

     -I have not encountered a family that is hoping to get a child through corruption.  We are all in this because there are orphans in this world and they need homes.  They need families.  Period.  We are not the bad guys.  The adoption community is not the ones who are being unethical.  People who are adopting a child 0-18months are not being unethical.

     -I am contracted with an agency that is fighting for the orphans and the widows in a real way.  They are not willing to give in to even the tiniest detail of corruption.  When an orphanage director is asking for money in order to start placing children with them, they are not paying.  They are not willing to have it look as though they are purchasing a child.  Even if that money might be for the betterment of the orphanage and the other children left behind.....non-negotiable.  They are not willing to fudge on paperwork that is required.  They are wanting to see all of the paperwork prior to moving a child.  Some call this high maintenance.  I call this, ethical.  Does this make sense?  no.  Is this hard to swallow?  yes.  Don't you want to yell, "come on!  They need families!  They need homes!"  Yes....but not this way.  And our agency is not the only one making quiet stands for justice in corruption.  Many agencies are doing the same.  And my prayer is that they will be rewarded greatly for their stand.  God will protect them and grow them.  

-My prayer is also that other agencies who are making placements left and right, exchanging money, fudging paperwork--would stop.  Would see that the end does not justify the means.  It can't be that way.  We can't live our lives this way.  We must always seek justice.  And we all know that sometimes in the seeking for justice....great cost comes.    

*I believe that we are called to a wait
     -This sort of seems like a no brainer :)  When we turned our dossier (fancy word for all of the required paperwork) in, the wait time was 6-9 months.  Then it grew to 9-12, 12-18, 18-24, and now....4 years.  July will mark 2 years of waiting.  Two years.  And by crunching numbers alone, we have probably two more until fully completed.  Breathe.  This is hard to swallow.  It is hard to live.  But here we are. 
     -Dave and I have had long conversations about moving forward while staying put.  How we allow our lives to forge forward.  Not missing one thing that the Lord has for us in the moments right in front of us.....all while keeping our hearts WIDE open for the moment He calls us to our child.  

I am claiming this verse right now: 

"I will go before you
 and will level the mountains; 
I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.  I will give you hidden treasures,
 riches stored in secret places,
 so that you may know that I am the Lord,
 the God of Israel, who summons you by name."       Isaiah 45:2-3  

I have an adoption community.  They are a lifeline to me.  Truly.  A deep life line.  Sometimes it takes a friend who is treading the same storm in order to feel upright again when you are at your lowest.  These dear women are just that to me--dear.  Please meet my crazy fun roomies from Created for Care conference; Amber, Catherine, and Rory.

And these three are just the beginning!  Countless women who are stepping out in faith, waiting with hope, and loving BIG!  I wish that you could all meet them.  You would love them!  

So here are a few things I am doing to wait well for the next year or so ahead of us.  

*I want you to meet these women.  I am going to be featuring some for you.  I want you to know these crazy women who are following a call that is way bigger than themselves.  I want you to be a part of their stories by prayer!  Get excited to watch some pretty cool stories unfold!

*Pray with us!  The title of my blog is "Journey to 838".  The numbers 838 are the longitude and latitude for Ethiopia.  So set your phone alarms with us!  Every morning and night at 8:38 we are praying.  Praying for Ethiopia.  For the orphans.  The widows.  The orphanage directors.  The agencies.  The transition home directors.  The waiting families, MOWA (the division of the Ethiopian Gov. that handles adoptions), the US Embassy, every single hand that touches any piece of paperwork.  Any and all of it!  Covering it all!  I would love to know if you are praying!  My sweet friend Brenda will call me some days and say, "It's 8:38 and I want to pray over you!"  I cannot tell you what a blessing that is to me!

You can follow Suzanne's journey and the women featured on her blog at journeyto838.blogspot.com