When we saw Chelsea’s text naturally we called her immediately, knowing that her news would be adoption related. Chelsea told us a story about a 4 day old baby boy who needed a family. After Sarah called Chelsea asking if she knew any family’s that were ‘paper ready’ for a Ugandan adoption Chelsea immediately contacted us. Chelsea put us in touch with Sarah and we got the initial story that afternoon.
Dr. Patrick Mutano is Holden Uganda’s lead contact on the ground here in Eastern Uganda. Dr. Mutano had called Sarah after a medical outreach team he was leading was asked to adopt a newborn from a distant village. When we spoke with her on Saturday afternoon Sarah was excited about the possibility of us pursuing this baby boy.
One of Holden Uganda’s co-founders, J.D. Smith, was on the ground in Uganda working to establish several new water wells and check on the ones that had been drilled to date. Fortunately he was able to assist us and investigate details of the situation. Even though we had never met any of the Holden crew, they were critical to us over the next several days. JD kept in touch and kept us up to speed with the situation. We were beginning to get cautiously excited about what God had in store, but there were still so many unknowns.
To complicate matters, Isaac was leaving on Sunday afternoon to work in New York the following week. On Monday and Tuesday JD talked with both of us on the phone multiple times, as we were doing all of the investigating and process checking in the US (we were signed up with an agency – in that situation they would handle all of the details that we were now facing). For Isaac the 48 hours of Monday and Tuesday were a blur – and the possibility of booking emergency travel to Uganda was getting closer. On Wednesday in Uganda JD was preparing for what would be a hugely important trip out to the baby’s village with the Ugandan probation officer to confirm whether adoption was necessary.
After working all day, and then a business dinner, Isaac was browsing Facebook when he saw – much to his shock – a picture from a friend that was labeled as ‘near Mbale, Uganda’. Mbale is the place where JD was working, and the nearest city to the orphaned baby boy.
The picture was posted by our college friend Kassidy James. Kassidy was on a medical mission trip with a group based out of Midland, TX called Mercy Trips. Kassidy is a physicians assistant and lives in the Dallas area. After some brief investigation about her group, amazingly it seemed like Kassidy and JD might have crossed paths as they both worked in Eastern Uganda. After learning about the possibility Isaac texted JD asking about the connection. It was nearly midnight on Tuesday in New York, and early morning on Wednesday in Uganda.
After sending the text message to JD, Isaac called Kassidy’s husband (also a college friend) to find out if he knew anything about the baby boy. While talking to Jason, a call waiting beep from JD’s Ugandan cell phone number interrupted the conversation. And it was Kassidy! JD and Kassidy were staying at the same hotel in Mbale. Dr. Mutano is the Ugandan point person for both organizations.
We had been waiting on the results of JD’s trip to the village on Wednesday before we booked flights to Uganda. Tuesday morning Tara had sent a song by Sara Graves called “Hello Lord” that perfectly described how we both felt. We each listened to it multiple times throughout the day and it became our prayer (go listen to it on YouTube).
Speaking with Kassidy late on Tuesday night was a direct answer to those prayers. God had not only put in place people who were willing and able to be our eyes and ears in Uganda he had also sent a dear friend to confirm that we weren’t crazy for pursuing this baby even with all of the unknowns. Kassidy wrote about the experience on her way back to the states, her story follows:
Day 11 01Feb2012
When we came to Uganda we knew God would move in big ways, but could not have imagined just how big. On day 3 of the village outreach, a woman came to the clinic with a small baby. We soon found out the baby was just 2 days old and his mother had died due to complications in child birth. He was now with his grandmother and she came seeking formula to help feed the baby. Geoffrey, a Ugandan provider helping us with the outreach, was told by the grandmother they would like to give the baby up for adoption. That evening Christine pulled a few of us aside to let us know about this possibility. I immediately thought of a dear couple back in Dallas who I know from college who have been trying to adopt for many years. I mentioned them to our trip leader, who said she would have to see if this would work out. Later that evening, a fellow member of our team JD came to dinner reporting he had found a couple to adopt the baby. Although I was disappointed it would not be my friends, I was ecstatic this baby would have a loving family.
Throughout the week, JD worked with multiple other people to help this family possibly adopt the baby. The morning we were leaving, JD came to my door and handed me a phone and simply said "Do you know this person?" I immediately saw the name of my friends. The family they were trying to help to adopt the baby were in fact my friends! I was jumping out of my skin with excitement. I was able to talk with them that morning. After speaking with JD the nights previous they started to put it together that I was on the trip with him. They told me they had just prayed for confirmation from God about this process. Of course they do not know any of the people, even JD. I have met all of these people involved in the process and have held this sweet baby. The bible says "when 2 or more are gathered in my name, God will be also." Amen!!! We continue to pray for the details of this process as there is no guarantee but God has shown us how he cares about even the tiniest of details!
Here are just a few details God has orchestrated but we did not recognize until now.
It just so happens JD was not only here to help build wells, but to look into starting an orphanage. During that process he met an adoption lawyer. In fact many of us met him. I got his card for my friends because I knew they were trying to adopt from Uganda. I was going to give it to them when I got home just for a contact.
JD also was able to meet the new magistrate last night at Rotary. Really?!
The first day I posted a picture to Facebook, this friend messages me and wrote "we are trying to adopt a baby in Uganda, find us one!" Ask and you shall receive :)
The CPS social worker came to breakfast to meet with JD about the orphanage. As we speak he is in the village visiting the baby to help with the details of the adoption.
~Kassidy James and team
We could not write a better story. God has blown us away with the details of the past few weeks. There are several other cool points that are just too complicated to try and write about - we'll tell you over dinner sometime.
Isaac and Tara
P.S. Isaac did send that Facebook message though didn’t remember sending it until Kassidy mentioned it during their phone conversation while she was in Uganda.
The first picture we saw of Zane when he was only a few days old.
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