Lydia Meets The Little Miracle Girl!

One day in November, around our family table, Lydia asked Chappy and me: "You know what I would most like for Christmas this year?" Since we don't make a big deal out of gifts during the season, we gave her a somewhat puzzled look. She responded: "I want to visit Darya". So in December, just before Christmas, our family made a stop in Florida to visit Miss Darya.

***

Most of you will recall, but for those who are new to my blog journey I will give a brief background. Each year for the holidays, our family raises money for orphans instead of spending alot of money buying gifts for each other. In November of 2009, Lydia found Reece's Rainbow online, an adoption agency that focuses on finding families who want to adopt international orphans with special needs....and better yet, they specialize in finding families for international orphans with Down Syndrome (obviously near and dear to our hearts).

To make a long story short, Chappy was away in Africa on a mission trip the day Lydia asked if we could make this cute little girl she had found on the internet with Down Syndrome, Darya, our "2009 Christmas Project"....then she added a kicker: "And mom, if I can raise the $20,000 needed to adopt her by Thanksgiving, will you agree that we will go save her and adopt her into our family?"

***

At the time, Lydia was eleven years old and Thanksgiving was seven days away, so what were the chances? Lesson learned: never underestimate child-like faith or God's mysterious ways. She did it!

***

When Chappy returned from Africa, he was quite surprised to learn he was going to adopt another little one with Down Syndrome, but pleasantly surprised. We immediately began gathering paperwork, getting fingerprinted, and working on our homestudy....then things were halted. Because of Chappy's age, I learned I would have to adopt Darya as a single mom. The social worker (and friend) who was preparing our homestudy said she didn't feel comfortable with making me appear to be a single mom when I am not; and quite frankly, Chappy and I didn't feel too comfortable about it either. Then, as a final blow, we learned about the aneurysm in Hopey's heart which would make travel with her an impossibility. As a result, reluctantly, we backed away. We sent the money Lydia had raised to Reece's Rainbow, with instructions for the funds to be used specifically for Darya, and then proceeded to close the door of our hearts to the adoption.

***

Lydia's heart was broken. More like shattered. In her mind, God had provided a miracle, so it had to be His will for us to adopt Darya. Lydia questioned our faith, she questioned God, and she grieved. We all grieved. Lydia felt our family had abandoned Darya.

***

But God works in wonderous ways, and He never disappoints. Just when we were at our lowest, we heard from a family, the Fick family, who had come forward to adopt Darya. I remember screaming for Lydia to come quick to read the message on my computer.....we hugged and cried and cried some more. Jehovah Jireh, Our Provider, had provided. In that moment, all the darkness we had been feeling vanished and we were again bathing in His Light! We knew in our hearts, in a way I cannot describe, that this was God's plan all along!

***

Lydia and I began following the Fick's blog and their progression toward their precious daughter-to-be. When they were in the Ukraine, Lydia and I checked the computer multiple times per day to get a glimpse of Darya and to hear a word of news. The tears we have shed over that precious baby girl cannot even be counted....tears of joy!

***

After reading this, can you begin to fathom what it was like on our ride to Darya's house last month? The excitement in our van grew the nearer we came to the Fick's home. Looking back now, I wouldn't even call it a "meeting", because to us it seemed more like a family reunion. Marianne and Joel, along with their boys, opened their arms to us and greeted us with huge hugs teemed with warm celebratory laughter. And as for Darya, I cannot say enough. God's radiance is all over that girl.

***

The Fick's prepared a mega-Mexican lunch for us (with Joel's famous homemade salsa rivaling any Mexican restaurant); we shared stories, talked about the greatness of the Lord, and watched every move Darya made. Together we were in awe of the Almighty who brought us together through the miracle of Love, culminating in the perfect salvation of a two year old orphan girl with Down Syndrome who had been born a world away in the Ukraine. Only God can write a story like that!!!

***

To the Fick Family: We love you!!!

***

Psalm 145:6 "They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds."