(Mary's update from 11-11-10)
Nov. 11, 2010
For some reason we aren’t able to access Clint’s blog here in Ethiopia, but I will go ahead and give a report and we will post this update to facebook at least before we fly out tonight. Today is the much awaited court date!!
We arrived to our court appointment this morning along with five other families that are adopting through CHI. After walking up several sets of stairs, we arrived to a very crowded waiting room area feeling much anticipation and wondering how long this process would take. We’ve heard from other’s experiences it can take anywhere from 2 minutes to 5 hours, let’s just say that we were all really hoping for the best. Not too long after we had arrived, our group was notified that we were to leave and come back in the afternoon. Everyone felt a bit bummed, but at least we were able to go straight over to the Thomas Center to spend time with our kids until we were to return to court. We returned to the court at 2pm and were so happy to begin the wait for our names to be called. One family at a time was called in before the judge. Out of our 6 families, only 2 of families received the report: “it’s final”…. And PRAISE to the King of Kings we were so blessed to be one of those families!!!!!!!!!!! It’s FINAL!!!!!!!!! The Sprague family is legally a family of 8 now!!! Please be praying for the other families who were given a Nov. 19th date of waiting for a final approval letter from the MOWA.
All I can say is that it feels too good to be true…. I’m amazed! We are rejoicing and excited to board the plane tonight and start the journey back to Kansas. Our daughter is doing wonderful… we so enjoyed our time with her again today and got more video and pictures to mark this special day. Our son is still at the orphanage in Adama, but he will be transferred to the Thomas Center tomorrow along with another boy. Wish we could have stayed here just one more day to be there when he arrived, but know that very soon we will get to return to pick him up for good. Please be praying for him during this transition, that he would have favor with the nannies and other children at the Thomas Center. Pray for our safety in our flights home as well.
Once back in Kansas we will post some pics…. But for now, you’ll just have to wait a few more days to see the wonderful gifts the Father has just blessed our family with. We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord. May our lives always tell of the faithfulness of our God and bring HIM the honor and glory due His Name! His works are wonderful, we know that full well!!
Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness from generation to generation.”
...a place for Clint & Mary to celebrate life...
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Orphan Sunday
We were amazed at God’s timing once again… He opened the door for us to fly to Ethiopia the weekend of Orphan Sunday at church, I shared my message on video to be played for the weekend services. We recieved great feedback about weekend at Life Church and we are excited about what God is doing in our midst to challenge us as a church body. If you missed the message at Life Church you can click the link to cacth it and learn more about the Crisis, the Call, and the Cause and be encouraged and inspired by the heart of God for orphans.
www.lifechurch.org/media
www.lifechurch.org/media
Update from Ethiopia – Nov.10, 2010
We started at KCI @ 9:30am Sunday morning and arrived to Addis Ababa Monday night and were picked up from the airport around 10:30pm. Tuesday morning we were up early and so excited to go to YWAM’s Widow and Orphan Home in Adama to meet our kids…but first we had the privilege to travel with a group of missionaries and people from the states that were helping to begin a Maternity Home here in Ethiopia. It just happened to be the day for the dedication and ribbon cutting, so we shared in witnessing that celebration, had lunch together with everyone, and met the 6 young women that had already come to be a part of the program. We were also blessed to see the new construction of the new Widow and Orphan’s home going on. It will be a much better facility and they are on target to hopefully have it completed by January…If any artists want to be a part of painting some murals on the nursery walls, I’m sure Joy would love to have you come on a painting missions trip.
After arriving to the current home, they brought us our daughter first. She was a precious delight from the first moment they put her in our arms. We enjoyed spending time with her and can’t wait to show pics. After we lavished her with hugs and kisses, I changed her wet diaper, her clothes, fed her a bottle, and she was fast asleep in my arms. We were blessed to meet our son next and spend some time giving the toys we had brought for him. He was more reserved just like our son Levi was at that age with complete strangers, but I showed him the book we made him with his picture in it… as well as the rest of the family. Clint then got down on the ground with him and showed him how his toys worked…. And then spent time rolling a little soccer ball back and forth to him until it was time for us to start the long drive back. We look forward to the days ahead where he will someday know us as mommy and daddy.
We opted to only transport our daughter that night to the Thomas Center in Addis, feeling it best for our new son to be transported by one of his nannies since it will be his 3rd move since May. Our new daughter is too young to know since she isn’t yet 8 months old. It was just Clint and I now in the van with the driver for the wonderful 2 and a half hour drive back. We enjoyed taking turns holding her, and were able to put her in her bed sound asleep.
Today we returned to the Thomas Center to spend time with our new daughter. The Thomas Center is the transitionary home where both the kids will stay until we can get an Embassy date and will be able to come bring them home to Kansas. Tomorrow (Thursday) they will pick us up in the morning for court. We will let you know how it all goes, but are praying for favor and all to go smoothly. It’s late and time for bed. Thanks for all your prayers!!
After arriving to the current home, they brought us our daughter first. She was a precious delight from the first moment they put her in our arms. We enjoyed spending time with her and can’t wait to show pics. After we lavished her with hugs and kisses, I changed her wet diaper, her clothes, fed her a bottle, and she was fast asleep in my arms. We were blessed to meet our son next and spend some time giving the toys we had brought for him. He was more reserved just like our son Levi was at that age with complete strangers, but I showed him the book we made him with his picture in it… as well as the rest of the family. Clint then got down on the ground with him and showed him how his toys worked…. And then spent time rolling a little soccer ball back and forth to him until it was time for us to start the long drive back. We look forward to the days ahead where he will someday know us as mommy and daddy.
We opted to only transport our daughter that night to the Thomas Center in Addis, feeling it best for our new son to be transported by one of his nannies since it will be his 3rd move since May. Our new daughter is too young to know since she isn’t yet 8 months old. It was just Clint and I now in the van with the driver for the wonderful 2 and a half hour drive back. We enjoyed taking turns holding her, and were able to put her in her bed sound asleep.
Today we returned to the Thomas Center to spend time with our new daughter. The Thomas Center is the transitionary home where both the kids will stay until we can get an Embassy date and will be able to come bring them home to Kansas. Tomorrow (Thursday) they will pick us up in the morning for court. We will let you know how it all goes, but are praying for favor and all to go smoothly. It’s late and time for bed. Thanks for all your prayers!!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Less than 2 days till we fly!!
Wow, this week has been a whirlwind… but so filled with joy and anticipation. We can’t wait to meet our kids on Nov. 9th for the first time… we continue to feel such a overwhelming sense of God’s destiny… just so blessed to share in Father’s great love story for these two precious children.
We are in mid-stream of the packing extravaganza. Buying a $23 luggage scale at Target was our best move yet in getting all this formula to fit in our bags without going over weight limits. It’s a good thing we get to check 2 pieces of luggage each. We are so thankful for Heritage House and so many friends from Life Church who donated so much formula for us to deliver to YWAM’s Widow and Orphan Homes in Ethiopia. You can check out their blog by going to ywamethiopia.com.
Just 15 days ago we launched our puzzle fundraiser to invite others to partner with us in bringing our kids home from Ethiopia. When completed, our 500 piece puzzle will hang framed in our home to remind us of this journey, and of all the people who believed God with us. There are only 89 pieces left!!! Scroll down to the blog from Oct. 21st to find out how to join with us and get your name on a piece of the puzzle.
A special thanks to the YWAM Wisconsin DTS who bought 21 puzzle pieces!! We’ve never met you, but we are so excited for the faith journey you are each on. We both did our DTS 22 years ago… with Papa Wick as one of our favorite teachers… and it set us on a course of reckless abandon in following Jesus…wouldn’t trade it for anything!
We are in mid-stream of the packing extravaganza. Buying a $23 luggage scale at Target was our best move yet in getting all this formula to fit in our bags without going over weight limits. It’s a good thing we get to check 2 pieces of luggage each. We are so thankful for Heritage House and so many friends from Life Church who donated so much formula for us to deliver to YWAM’s Widow and Orphan Homes in Ethiopia. You can check out their blog by going to ywamethiopia.com.
Just 15 days ago we launched our puzzle fundraiser to invite others to partner with us in bringing our kids home from Ethiopia. When completed, our 500 piece puzzle will hang framed in our home to remind us of this journey, and of all the people who believed God with us. There are only 89 pieces left!!! Scroll down to the blog from Oct. 21st to find out how to join with us and get your name on a piece of the puzzle.
A special thanks to the YWAM Wisconsin DTS who bought 21 puzzle pieces!! We’ve never met you, but we are so excited for the faith journey you are each on. We both did our DTS 22 years ago… with Papa Wick as one of our favorite teachers… and it set us on a course of reckless abandon in following Jesus…wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
5 Days until we fly to Ethiopia!
We have to make two trips to Ethiopia in the next two months. The first one will be for our court date Nov. 11th and to meet our kids for our 1st time. The second trip will hopefully be before Christmas for our Embassy date and to bring our kids home!! (C.H.I. says it usually takes 6 weeks to get your embassy date once you’ve passed court.) We’ve had 356 pieces of the puzzle sponsored so far… so 144 pieces still available! The response has been amazing! Thanks to everyone who has already been a part of bringing our kids home!!!
Please feel free to share this with others on your face book or blog in hopes that others will join us in bringing our kids home.
Please feel free to share this with others on your face book or blog in hopes that others will join us in bringing our kids home.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Bringing Home 2 New Sprague's!
We are adopting two children from an orphanage in Ethiopia and there is only a few more weeks until our court date!!
In order to cover all of our travel expenses, we are doing a puzzle fundraiser to help with the last leg of our adoption journey. If you want to help us and be a vital piece of bringing our kids home, here’s how this fundraiser will work: Each puzzle piece will be a $25 donation to our adoption fund. 500 pieces @ $25 a piece= $12,500 raised (if fully completed)
Just by making a $25 donation to our adoption fund, you will have invested in one piece of our adoption puzzle, and more importantly in the future of our two children. We will write the name of each person who sponsors a piece (or pieces) on the back of the piece. When completed, we will frame the puzzle in a double glass frame. So on one side you will see the puzzle picture, and on the back you will see the names of those who helped us in this adoption journey. It will be a constant reminder hung in our home of those who came together to help bring the Sprague kids home!!
You have 2 options to join with us:
Option #1 –1. Click on the Lifesong for Orphans link and then click on the "Donate" button.
2. When you make your donation you must put our family name & code number (Sprague #1318) on the "purpose" line that is provided.
3. Be sure to let us know so we can write your name on your piece or pieces and keep everyone updated on how much progress we have made with completing our adoption puzzle.
Option #2 –If you would rather not give online you can just write a check payable to "Lifesong for Orphans", put Sprague #1318 in the memo and get the check to us.
We have a court date on November 11th, which means we could potentially be bringing them home by Christmas!!! Thank you for considering being a part of this journey.
www.lifesongfororphans.org
In order to cover all of our travel expenses, we are doing a puzzle fundraiser to help with the last leg of our adoption journey. If you want to help us and be a vital piece of bringing our kids home, here’s how this fundraiser will work: Each puzzle piece will be a $25 donation to our adoption fund. 500 pieces @ $25 a piece= $12,500 raised (if fully completed)
Just by making a $25 donation to our adoption fund, you will have invested in one piece of our adoption puzzle, and more importantly in the future of our two children. We will write the name of each person who sponsors a piece (or pieces) on the back of the piece. When completed, we will frame the puzzle in a double glass frame. So on one side you will see the puzzle picture, and on the back you will see the names of those who helped us in this adoption journey. It will be a constant reminder hung in our home of those who came together to help bring the Sprague kids home!!
You have 2 options to join with us:
Option #1 –1. Click on the Lifesong for Orphans link and then click on the "Donate" button.
2. When you make your donation you must put our family name & code number (Sprague #1318) on the "purpose" line that is provided.
3. Be sure to let us know so we can write your name on your piece or pieces and keep everyone updated on how much progress we have made with completing our adoption puzzle.
Option #2 –If you would rather not give online you can just write a check payable to "Lifesong for Orphans", put Sprague #1318 in the memo and get the check to us.
We have a court date on November 11th, which means we could potentially be bringing them home by Christmas!!! Thank you for considering being a part of this journey.
www.lifesongfororphans.org
Monday, October 11, 2010
Lee Strobel at Life Church!
It was such an honor to host Lee Strobel at Life Church! He shared his story and the details of his journey of finding truth, freedom, and new life in Jesus. He started out as an Atheist who sought to prove that our faith is a fantasy, but ended up finding faith in Jesus instaed! What an awesome story, and what a great guy! We will certainly have him back at Life Church in the future!For more information about Lee Strobel and his amazing journey go to www.leestrobel.com
You can see his message at Life Church online on the media page of http://www.lifechurch.org/.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)