Harvesting Hearts in Vietnam: We're getting there!

How our Adoption Journey Began

Our adoption journey started on Oct. 8, 2006, when our 10 year old daughter's prayer intersected with the will of God.
We have 4 wonderful children Clay 13, Erin 11, Suzanne 8, and Brett 6. After Brett was born, we finalized the number of biological children we would have. Before the operation Jeff asked me if I would consider adoption. I said, "yes", mostly because I wanted to ensure I wouldn't ever have to be pregnant again, knowing he would agree with the operation if I would consider adoption.
The years went by and Jeff brought up the adoption discussion many times and each time I ended it with the words, "lets pray about it some more." Jeff and our oldest two children began to talk about it more and more. One day my daughter Erin asked me point blank, "Mommy are you ever going to want to adopt?" I sat down with her on my bed and told her, " Erin I think adopting is a wonderful thing, but Mommy feels like I don't have enough time for the four of you as it is. I'm so busy and I don't feel like I would be a very good Mommy if I took on anymore. And if God wanted me to adopt, he would make my life less complicated. " (This part never happened) I told her to pray that God would change Mommy's heart if he wanted me to adopt.(I thought we'd be good for another year on this subject)But little Erin got right on the task.
The next day I meant a woman, who is now my good friend, Sunnie Frank.(her real name is Kelly, but people call her Sunnie for obvious reasons I'm sure) The meeting was quite odd from her recollection and mine and in less than 3 minutes I found out that she had 4 biological children(like me) and 2 newly adopted little girls from Vietnam. As I was talking to her, I felt the strangest feeling come over me. I was watching her lips, but I felt like I was hearing a verbal conversation between my heart and my mind. And it was loud!
My heart pounded all the way home. I told Jeff and Erin when I got home that I was seriously ready to consider adoption. At that point Erin ran to her room and came back with the prayer she had written to God and put under her pillow the night before. She had tears in her eyes as she handed the paper to me. In her prayer she specifically asked God to change Mommy's heart and help her realize how much we could offer a child with no family. She told God that we could help one child be saved that might never know Jesus otherwise. Wow! That really hit us all!
That night, our family's daily prayers that God would lead us in the direction he wishes us to follow, Erin's specific prayer for adoption, and God's will for our family meant.
Since that day God has answered numerous prayers from Jeff and I to calm our doubts, fears, and anxieties in equally amazing ways.
God Loves You All and So Do We!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

We're getting there!

Hello,

Thanks to everyone for there prayers the last few days. They have been challenging, but we are excited and almost ready to go. The toughest part is not knowing for sure how long we'll be gone. We want to thank Rebecca Hollenbaugh, good friend and cousin, for help me set up this blog. We want to thank Josh,Kevan,Kendall, Arlen, Pete and Taylor for covering for us while we are gone!
I'm sorry this blog is a little out of proportion right now. I don't know what I'm doing for sure. It's all an experiment.

Love you all,

Sherri

2 comments:

Karen said...: Sherri,
What a wonderful story as to how God has worked in your lives and about Erin and her prayer and how God answered it. What a great memory that is going to be for her. God is so awesome and it is going to be so exciting to watch Him take care of each detail as you go to gather these children up in your arms. I wish that we all could be there in Vietnam to watch the "meeting" of you all. I am just so excited for all of you and what a wonderful example this is going to be to your children, it takes special, wonderful love to adopt and it sounds like your family has more than enough to go around. I am praying God's special blessing on all of you.
Praying for a safe trip and a wonderful meeting. Hugs, Karen; January 16, 2008 6:41 AM
Rebecca said...: Sherri, Jeff, and kids, I LOVE your blog. Your story brought tears to my eyes. God does amazing things--just think, in one day he changed your heart about adoption!
I will continue to pray for you and the journey you have a head of you all. Love, Becca; January 16, 2008 6:12 PM