Uganda Bound

Malachi's baby home (top left)

May 28, 2011

Do you see the little white building on the left in the picture above? This is where our sweet little boy Malachi has lived since last August. Isn't it beautiful... The country side in UG is just amazing.  This picture makes me so excited to get back to UG and our baby boy. We are so blessed that Malachi was placed in such a wonderful home, I would say he is in one of the best homes in UG. Most homes are not as nice as this one. He has "mammas" that love him as their own, a toy room full of toys, clothes to wear, a bed to sleep in, and food to fill his belly. Despite not having a birth family Malachi is one lucky boy. He is healthy and happy, we are so thankful for God's provision over his life thus far. We have been receiving updates over the last few months from American mommies visiting their babies and we are ecstatic to share with you that our little man is no longer a shy boy but a happy, outgoing boy! In the words of one couple "We see him being the class clown when he gets into school". (he will be just like his daddy then) God is good!!

As you read in the title we are Uganda bound, one week from tomorrow night we will be on a plane headed on another journey to Africa.  The flights are grueling I wont lie, the fastest flight with stops included is around 28-30 hours and you are in the air for 18 or so of those. But the payoff is always worth it! :) We will have a 12 hour layover in London, which we are actually really excited about. We plan on touring London for the day and enjoying our layover. This will not be my first time to London but it will be for Justin so i'm sure we will have lots of pictures and stories to tell. I have decided to use this blog due to our posts needing to remain private because it is much easier for all of you to put a password in to read our posts unlike our other blog. Okay... on to details about our trip and much needed prayer requests.

We will be in country for approximately two weeks, unless there is unexpected news or changes, and here is an amazing word... BUT we are believing and praying that God will not bring us home as a family of two but three. You see, our file is sitting on the desk of a judge who is not in office right now and guess what?... He will return to his post at the beginning of June. So we are praying and believing for big things!! We are asking God for a court date while we are there so we don't have to come home without our son.  This is the verse God showed me the other day during my time of devotion and is what we are praying and believing he will bring to pass.  Matthew 21: 21-22 "Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

God's timing is perfect. God's love is everlasting. God's strength is enough. God has truly turned our adoption into a journey and we have learned so much. November 2009, when God spoke to us and said now is the time to adopt we had no idea how much he had in store for us. Our time line and personal plan was so far from what God had planned. First it was the Democratic Republic of Congo, 6-8 months start to finish... He said no... Then it was Ghana and the possibility of a year wait... He said no. He said Uganda will be where your son is from and you will be asked to grow personally and spiritually in a way you never imagined you could. :) You see, our "timeline" was nothing like that which God had planned and we wouldn't change that fact for anything, but it has been hard! He has put our faith to the fire and refined us in  ways that leaves us with no other option but to trust in him fully, for ALL things. God has used a sweet little two year old boy half way around the world to grow us individually and as a couple. We thought we were changing his life (and we are) but he has changed ours so much more!! These past 18 months have been a roller coster of emotions, but God has been holding our hand the whole time. Adoption is truly a journey with the Lord, helping us to become closer to our heavenly father...

Courts close July 15th for the summer in UG, which means if we don't get a court date before then we will be waiting till the fall to bring Malachi home. Please pray with us for God to show his amazing power and bring him home before that. We will be in country June 7 and if no news comes, will head home sometime between the 16th-19th.

We have been waiting for a court date since the day our file was submitted in February. This is what we call "adoption labor" in the Simpson household. :)  Please Pray. Believe. Expect.... amazing things with us for the month of June!

With love,

Julie

First Family Picture

We are not allowed to show M's face for privacy reasons until we have full guardianship, but wanted to share our first family photo from our December trip to Uganda.  

A quick update and then Justin will write more tonight. We are still waiting on a MoG certificate (its already been quite a few weeks) and without this document we can not file for our court date... God is definitely teaching us patience and trusting in him for HIS perfect timing, but its getting hard! Please keep us in your prayers that the certificate will come through really soon, so we can bring our baby boy home. God says to pray specifically so I'd like him home by Easter. :) 

Enjoy the picture and I will tell you he has the most kissable cheeks and big beautiful eyes!

- Julie

Back from the Motherland.

Typical.

Six (6) weeks removed from one of the most powerful, inspiring, and life changing trips of our lifetime and I'm just now taking the time to update the blog. Forgive me.

Julie and I returned from Uganda on December 19, 2010. However, the date that will be etched on our hearts forever is December 9, 2010. We met baby boy for the first time -- face to face -- in the flesh. Mother and son. Father and son. One big happy family. It was everything we could have hoped for and more.

It's a busy time in the Simpson household and we are already preparing for our trip back to Africa in the very near future. I'll be spending more time on the blog in the next few days sharing more from our trip. In the meantime, see the video below. There is a sense of urgency deep inside our hearts to help the people of Uganda and I think this video captures the emotion better than I can explain it myself.

The journey continues.

Eric Ludy. Depraved Indifference.

Oh Sweet Child O' Mine.

So guess what. Julie and I are parents. Officially.

9:49AM on Monday, November 22 - Christmas came early. We received an email from our adoption coordinator entitled "Jimmy". Upon opening the email and reading the initial text we discovered that we are officially referred a child, his name...Jimmy. A healthy and absolutely beautiful and perfect baby boy. We are smitten to say the least. The saddest part of this post is that we aren't able to share his picture with you due to a desire to protect his privacy until the adoption process is complete. You'll have to take my word for it, he is truly special.

I'm not feeling very creative tonight but trust me when I say that words cannot express the excitement that Julie and I feel. We also take great pride in realizing that very soon his past will be just that, his past. Here is Jimmy's plight as provided to us.

"At the end of August 2010 a toddler boy was found near a public water pump in Uganda. It was determined by police that this was an abandoned child. Efforts to trace this child's family have been futile. He was in turn transferred into the care of an orphanage in Kampala, Uganda and was named Jimmy. Jimmy is estimated to be between 18 months and 2 years old. He appears to be a quiet and shy little boy. He plays contently with his toys. He walks on his own. He has a sweet smile which was able to be coached out of him with some tickling."

I can't help but picture days in the very near future where smiles won't need to be coached and his eyes will shine bright as there will be no more sadness. Never again will he know neglect and no longer will he have reason to shy away. God is so merciful and we are so thankful that this day has come. He has moved in so many miraculous ways already and the story just keeps getting better. Stay tuned for additional information later in the week. Thanksgiving has a whole new meaning in the Simpson household.

Before I retire for the night I want to share with you something a great friend shared with me today that I was unaware of. As you all know Jimmy will be Malachi when he arrives stateside. The name means "God's Messenger" but was blessed to learn today it means so much more!

"In the Bible, Malachi was the last voice of God (prophet) until John the Baptist came almost 400 years later. He speaks with a powerful voice, calling for authentic faith and genuine leadership - integrity for the people of God."

That's my boy! Praise God. 

The journey continues.