Please Do This With Us

I just received an email from our adoption agency asking if we would fast and pray on specific days. As many of you, who read "Zoe's Adoption" blog, know, Tim and I are caught in the middle of a very long and constantly increasing wait time for a picture (referral) of our baby girl, Zoe. This issue is ever increasingly weighing on our hearts and minds and I have personally felt the desire to fast and pray about this as of recently. I was delighted to get home today and find an email from our agency requesting that we do this together and get the church involved. Tim isn't aware of this information at the moment but I plan to tell him about it in hopes that he will join me for at least one of the days selected by AWAA to fast and pray. Will you join us? All we have to do is ask and I believe He will answer. Please help!


Zoe's Mom, Jennifer


Here is the email contents from our agency:

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Dear America World Families,

In recent years, our agency has asked our community to fast and pray on certain occasions - in hope and expectation that God would change the hearts of adoption officials for the best interest of orphans. We are writing to ask you to join us again as we fast and pray from April 23 - 25, 2007; if you cannot join us on these dates, please see if another time works with your schedule.

In the past we have seen God work mightily as we have fasted, prayed, and sought His direction and guidance. We greatly appreciate your prayers for our staff, prospective adoptive parents, adoption officials in the U.S. and abroad, and, most importantly, for the many waiting children in need of a family.

Just as Esther and the Jewish people prayed and fasted and had a ruling overturned, our prayer is that the policies preventing orphans from entering families will be changed (Esther 8:5-8).

Another passage that has been an encouragement to our agency is from the prophet Isaiah—showing us the hope that God can do new things—and providing a way through terrain that seems impossible:

"This is what the LORD says—He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters… See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." -Isaiah 43:16 & 19

Specific Issues in Need of Prayer:

To decrease the wait time for referrals from China and El Salvador;
To allow more orphans in China to be listed and available for adoption;
For paper chasing China adoptive parents who need to reach their May 1st deadline;
For adoption agencies to be accredited in Russia;
For the hearts of leaders in the field of adoption to make decisions in the best interest of children - and not to be motivated by personal greed, ambition, or national pride.

We are praying boldly and in faith—as Jesus taught us in Mark Chapter 11:

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." -Mark 11:22-24

This would also be a great time to ask your church community, fellowship groups and bible studies to pray together for orphans waiting to be adopted. For those who can join us in prayer and fasting from April 23 - 25, we appreciate your support, prayers and faithfulness.

Sincerely,

America World Staff



6723 Whittier Avenue, Suite 202
McLean, VA 22101
Toll Free: 888-ONE-CHILD
Fax: (703) 356-8973
http://www.spirit-of-adoption.org

(KJV) Romans 8:15 For ye have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father.