From A to Zi

Everyone knows that Kip went on her 11 month- 11 country mission trip last year.  She made a bunch of friends.

I made a bunch of friends.  Well, I stalked a bunch of people, so, in turn, they sort of feel like friends.

Of course, most of them don't know me, but I believe I know them, because I stalked them, and followed them, and read their stories and shared their pictures.

Just like I was there.  And one of them.  And young.  And free.

I digress.

Anyhoo.... I was extremely jealous of the two teams that got to go to China to a special needs orphanage there.  They played babies all month with some special, beautiful children, and every picture and blog that I read from that place touched my heart intimately.

One of the girls, Jenn Corkneybonfoofoo (this is her facebook name, and I was bitterly disappointed to realize that it was NOT her real name, but in my head she will forever be, Ms. Corkneybonfoofoo), fell head over heels in love with one of the little boys there.  A 4 year old name Zi Ping.

She fell so head over heels in love with him, she called her sister at home, and I am making a long story short here, but basically said,  "Uhm, sister, can you get your husband on the phone, there is something I need you to do for me.", to which her sister (Katie), three way called her husband (Josh) in on the phone, and Jenn pretty much said,  "I have a 4 year (he might have been 3 at the time), little boy here, he has Down Syndrome, and I want you two to adopt him."  They paused about 8 seconds,  maybe 6, and Josh said, "So, how do we go about doing that?"   

No hesitation, no pausing, no WHAT THE CRAP?, just total surrender, and LET's DO THE DANG THANG.  

Well, you all know me pretty well.  That story just tugged me where my mama lives.  

A couple of months later, they had a fundraiser for bringing home the Zi.  A donor had said that anything raised in a 12 hour period would be matched dollar for dollar.  Josh and Katie prayed for $5000.  They needed $32000.

I prayed for $40,000.   Jenn prayed for $40,000.  I don't mess around now.  I KNOW how  big God is and what a deliverer he is.  

So, the dollars started.  And I sat on pins and needles all day, stalked Josh's facebook page, and Zi's blog.  

I have a blog somewhere on here about it.... but I'll short story it  (If I can, it's so good).  The day passed and I LOVED watching Josh get more excited and blown away.  By the end of the day, they had raised over $16,000.  and with the matching donor dollars, almost exactly what they needed to bring their little man home.  

I cried a lot that day.  Over a family I had never met, over the friends that help me support them, over the fact, that God brought a baby who had no future where he was, into the fold of a fantastically loving family.

Because, that's how God does it.  

So, I was thrilled to death to see this a few days ago.

The sweet little boy with his brand new mom and dad.  His life... is just about to get really, really good.

And what Josh and Katie don't realize, is how GREAT over the top, their lives are about to be.  They thought God's blessings were abundant and rich before, but all I can say, from someone that simply fosters a couple of kids.....Oh, hang on to your hats.  The blessings are about to begin.

I saw this video, and I want to end with it....I realize that adoption/fostering isn't for everyone, but living outside of yourself IS.  Even if it's helping someone that struggles, or baking cookies for a sick neighbor.  Your life needs to be more than just about your own stuff.

Because that's when it gets REALLY really good.