As of 2 weeks ago, I am officially a licensed K-6 teacher and looking for a teaching job. In the mean time, I will be taking full advantage of my free days by completing all of our paperwork to send to Ethiopia ASAP! Since my last posting, we have continued to receive tremendous support, sell more t-shirts, and fill out more papers. We also met with our social worker for the first time to begin our home study. We will meet with her 3 more times and continue collecting documents to add to our dossier (what we actually send to Ethiopia) throughout the next couple of months. Our goal is to have all of the paperwork finished and sent off by April. It's crazy to think that our children may already be alive and waiting for us to bring them home. The thought drives me to keep on when the paperwork becomes overwhelming. Our friend Evan also created a video to capture God's calling in our hearts to adopt from Ethiopia. He did a great job! We are so excited to share it with you. Thank you friends and family for your TREMENDOUS support.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
He always provides.
God provided $10,000 for our adoption!!! An extremely generous couple followed the Lord's call to help us by donating this crazy amount of money. Needless to say, Paul and I have no words for this act of kindness. All we can do is praise Jesus that He is constantly showing us mercy and moving in our lives. WHAT A BLESSING!!! We have also set up our first home study visit for Dec. 7th and are beginning to gather documents for our Dossier. I'm very happy that school will be over in 2 weeks and I will be able to focus my attention on getting some of this paperwork going. More to come when school ends! =)
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Step One.. Success..Thank you Jesus.
Last week Paul and I got possibly the most exciting phone call we've EVER received...America World accepted us into their Ethiopia program. We are OFFICIALLY in this process. The best part was that when they received our application, they e-mailed us to let us know that everything looked great and they had NO follow up questions. This might not sound like a big deal, but let me explain. I'm sure our application was far from ideal. After all, we really have no clue how we will pay for this and can't prove that we WILL be able to pay for it. Therefore, I was a little nervous that a follow-up question might be "Really....How do you plan on paying for this?" No follow-up questions? That was from God. All I can tell you is God brought us here and He will provide for us. It makes no logical sense, but we trust Him. So the next step is to fill out some more papers for the agency and wait for a family coordinator to call us and explain the dossier process (which is a 4-6 month process usually). We are currently waiting on that call. YIPEEE! Also, I have posted information about where we are in our fundraising. I am listing all of the expenses we will have and how much money we have raised for each expense. Thank you again for your prayers and generosity. We are so thankful!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The First Step!!!
We turned in our application to America World this week!!! Even though this is the very first step in a LONG process, we were so excited to even get to start this journey that God has called us to. Paul's birthday was Thursday, so we sent our application on Wednesday since by the time they got it he would be 25, and we would be allowed to start the process of bringing our child or children home!! YAYYY!! God has been preparing my heart for a long road with many ups and downs. I know that this is often one of the most trying times in couples' lives who adopt, but at the end when we meet our children for the first time, it will all make sense. For those of who who don't know, Ethiopian adoption is a little shaky right now. There has been a big slow-down of children being referred to families', rumors of families who have accepted referrals of children being taken away from them, etc. With all of this in the news, of course I am terrified. However, God has assured Paul and me that He will carry us through this process, and this is exactly where we are supposed to be right now. Am I positive that Ethiopia won't close down adoption completely? Unfortunately, no. I DO know that whatever happens, God is in control of, and He will continue to lead us where He will get the most glory. Friends, that might sound like I have it all together, but believe me I don't, and I will need your encouragement and reminders that He will work this all out for our good and for His glory. That would be much appreciated..especially when we get further along in this process. =) So, we should hear back from the agency in the next week or so to see if we have been accepted into the Ethiopia program. Please be praying for our acceptance! On another note, God has completely blessed our t-shirt fundraiser! We have sold/set aside almost all of the first shipment (all XL's left over for some reason). We are waiting on our second order of t-shirts to come. Hopefully they will be here this week! If you would like a t-shirt, let me know! Paul and I continue to thank God for working in His children's hearts. We have had many people just send checks in the mail to go towards our adoption. This blows me away. I love watching people who have abandoned their heart to the Lord and His will and let Him lead them to places that our world can't understand. It doesn't make sense to send a $500 check when you make close to no money...it doesn't make sense to give money to a couple you hardly know..and it doesn't make sense to send money to someone else when you have your own family to worry about. In God's kingdom however, it makes perfect sense. God is generous. He showed us His generosity by sending His son to take our place and become a sacrifice so that we can have a relationship with the Father. Thank you generous friends for following His lead. We appreciate you so much!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Adoption Fundraiser T-Shirts
So, I know it's been way too long since my last blog. The latest update is that in less than 1 month we will be turning in our application to America World because Paul turns 25 on October 13!! YAY!!!! It's FINALLY HERE. One step closer to bringing home our kid(s) from Ethiopia. We have our paperwork sitting on the kitchen table ready to send in. Please be praying that everything goes through and we are accepted into the Ethiopia program. On the application, we put that we would like siblings if they are available. On our trip to Ethiopia this past summer, Paul and I were touched deeply by the sibling groups we met at the orphanage. Many times, siblings stay in orphanages and are not adopted because many people only adopt one child, and they do not break siblings apart when they are adopted. We are unsure of what child or children the Lord has for us, but we are leaving the door open for Him to place siblings in our home if that is His will. So, we will see! We could use your prayers. =)
On another note, our adoption fundraiser t-shirts are in! We are selling them for $20 each and all the money we make will go towards bringing our kid(s) home. Here is what they look like..
If you are interested, facebook me or send me an e-mail at cfortenb@gmail.com. THANK YOU soo much!
On another note, our adoption fundraiser t-shirts are in! We are selling them for $20 each and all the money we make will go towards bringing our kid(s) home. Here is what they look like..
If you are interested, facebook me or send me an e-mail at cfortenb@gmail.com. THANK YOU soo much!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
God is Faithful and Worthy of Our Praise
Today we had our first adoption fundraiser and it was AWESOME! We had so many sweet friends and family members sacrifice their weekend to help us. We had friends and family and people we don't even know donate really nice items for us to sell. It is exciting to watch how God works in His children's hearts and leads them to serve others for His glory. One family donated 4 truck loads of things that they were about to sell in their own yard sale and make quite a bit of money off of. When they heard that we were raising money for our adoption, the mother told me that she just knew that God wanted her to give it all to us. God is faithful. In the words of my sweet friend, Kristin, "God funds what He favors". This pretty much sums up today and our whole journey thus far. As I sat there waiting for our first customers this morning, doubts crept into my mind that maybe this wasn't such a great idea and we had wasted a weekend. God was quick to remind me that He is good and He provides. Did He ever!!! We had customers from 7:15 AM to 1:30 PM with no breaks, not to mention friends showing up to simply give us money. I can't even describe the joy in my heart. The Lord keeps bringing me back to a verse that He showed me this summer in Ethiopia as I struggled to leave the country that I knew my child was living in.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Our Trip to Ethiopia
Let's be honest, I don't even know where to begin writing about what God did on our trip to Ethiopia. As I sit here thinking about our trip, the friends we met, the children, the amazing country...I could go on... my eyes are filled with tears of sadness, awe, and joy. Here's my attempt.
On the 13 hour plane ride there, Paul and I sat next to a young woman who we didn't speak to for the first half of the ride out of fear that we spoke different languages. Finally, we broke the ice and began talking. God taught us invaluable lessons through this beautiful, Ethiopian woman. I have never met anyone so passionate about their country. She told us about the history of Ethiopia for a good two hours. She told us over and over again how happy she was that we were coming to see her country. She spoke about how most Americans do not want to leave America because they believe that America is the best, and there is no reason to leave. She told us to keep an open mind and remember that we were simply to observe and learn. Her words of advice stuck with us throughout our trip and will continue to throughout our lives. As much as I would have claimed that I believed God is God of the universe, I never really thought much about God's presence in other countries until I experienced Him in Ethiopia. All I knew of God was that he was God of America. How wrong I was.
Most of our trip was spent in the small city of Mekele, Ethiopia. We were there helping the new Lola's Children's Home with painting, digging a drainage ditch, setting up an area for a playground, and performing other miscellaneous tasks around the home. Lola's is a home for 13 orphans and is headed by our new dear friend, Abebe. When Paul and I found out that we would be spending most of our time at an orphanage, we prepared ourselves to be completely heart-broken. When we heard the word "orphanage" we automatically thought "depressing". I honestly didn't know if my heart would be able to handle what I assumed I would see and experience.
This is not at all what we experienced. Abebe is one of the most Godly men I have ever met. He was an orphan himself, along with some of the other staff at Lola's. God gave him the vision of having Lola's be a home that brings in orphans, provides them with food, clothing, water, shelter, loves them like their own, and raises them to be functional citizens of society when they grow up. The best part: Abebe's desire is that the children come to know Jesus as their Savior first and foremost. The children at Lola's Children's Home were some of the most joyful children I have ever been around.
Before our trip, all I knew of "orphan care" was adoption. I had no idea that there was anything else going on in the world to care for these children. Once a child reaches 5 years old or if they are HIV positive, they have a slim to no chance of being adopted. Abebe brings in such children to his family at Lola's and loves them like his own. Paul and I left with a bigger understanding of God's plan for orphan care. We want to support those making a difference in the lives of orphans in Ethiopia.
When it was time to leave, Paul and I decided we could stay forever. Our hearts had grown to love these children and the staff at Lola's. As we left, a little 5 year old boy cried big elephant tears. I know that my heart will forever be in Ethiopia. God continues to comfort me with this verse:
"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands." Psalm 138:8
Now that we are home, we continue to speak with Abebe and get updates on the happenings at Lola's. We are so excited to hear that after our trip, many donations have continued to come through that are helping Abebe reach his vision of bringing in more children and eventually buying their own property so they can create a self-sustaining home with chickens for eggs, goats for meat, etc.
Through our trip, God confirmed our calling to adopt from Ethiopia. He showed us that He is faithful and will provide whatever we need to fulfill His purposes for us. Once again, Paul and I are still nowhere close to being able to afford adoption at around $30,000. We believe in a God who is bigger and calls us to follow Him, even if it doesn't make logical sense. We plan on beginning the adoption process by filling out the paperwork for the agency in October once Paul turns 25 (a requirement to adopt from Ethiopia). We would appreciate your prayers!
Here is a video from our trip including pictures and some video coverage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
On the 13 hour plane ride there, Paul and I sat next to a young woman who we didn't speak to for the first half of the ride out of fear that we spoke different languages. Finally, we broke the ice and began talking. God taught us invaluable lessons through this beautiful, Ethiopian woman. I have never met anyone so passionate about their country. She told us about the history of Ethiopia for a good two hours. She told us over and over again how happy she was that we were coming to see her country. She spoke about how most Americans do not want to leave America because they believe that America is the best, and there is no reason to leave. She told us to keep an open mind and remember that we were simply to observe and learn. Her words of advice stuck with us throughout our trip and will continue to throughout our lives. As much as I would have claimed that I believed God is God of the universe, I never really thought much about God's presence in other countries until I experienced Him in Ethiopia. All I knew of God was that he was God of America. How wrong I was.
Most of our trip was spent in the small city of Mekele, Ethiopia. We were there helping the new Lola's Children's Home with painting, digging a drainage ditch, setting up an area for a playground, and performing other miscellaneous tasks around the home. Lola's is a home for 13 orphans and is headed by our new dear friend, Abebe. When Paul and I found out that we would be spending most of our time at an orphanage, we prepared ourselves to be completely heart-broken. When we heard the word "orphanage" we automatically thought "depressing". I honestly didn't know if my heart would be able to handle what I assumed I would see and experience.
This is not at all what we experienced. Abebe is one of the most Godly men I have ever met. He was an orphan himself, along with some of the other staff at Lola's. God gave him the vision of having Lola's be a home that brings in orphans, provides them with food, clothing, water, shelter, loves them like their own, and raises them to be functional citizens of society when they grow up. The best part: Abebe's desire is that the children come to know Jesus as their Savior first and foremost. The children at Lola's Children's Home were some of the most joyful children I have ever been around.
Before our trip, all I knew of "orphan care" was adoption. I had no idea that there was anything else going on in the world to care for these children. Once a child reaches 5 years old or if they are HIV positive, they have a slim to no chance of being adopted. Abebe brings in such children to his family at Lola's and loves them like his own. Paul and I left with a bigger understanding of God's plan for orphan care. We want to support those making a difference in the lives of orphans in Ethiopia.
When it was time to leave, Paul and I decided we could stay forever. Our hearts had grown to love these children and the staff at Lola's. As we left, a little 5 year old boy cried big elephant tears. I know that my heart will forever be in Ethiopia. God continues to comfort me with this verse:
"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands." Psalm 138:8
Now that we are home, we continue to speak with Abebe and get updates on the happenings at Lola's. We are so excited to hear that after our trip, many donations have continued to come through that are helping Abebe reach his vision of bringing in more children and eventually buying their own property so they can create a self-sustaining home with chickens for eggs, goats for meat, etc.
Through our trip, God confirmed our calling to adopt from Ethiopia. He showed us that He is faithful and will provide whatever we need to fulfill His purposes for us. Once again, Paul and I are still nowhere close to being able to afford adoption at around $30,000. We believe in a God who is bigger and calls us to follow Him, even if it doesn't make logical sense. We plan on beginning the adoption process by filling out the paperwork for the agency in October once Paul turns 25 (a requirement to adopt from Ethiopia). We would appreciate your prayers!
Here is a video from our trip including pictures and some video coverage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
The Beginning of Our Journey
On Missions Sunday at our church back in January, Paul and I both heard the Lord speaking to us that we were to go to Africa on a mission trip. However, when we learned more about the Africa mission trip our church was going on, we realized that we would not be able to go because of my class schedule this summer. I only had two weeks where I did not have class, and neither of the trips to Africa were during those weeks. I began to doubt our call. In addition, when it came down to it, Paul and I did not have the money to go to Africa. My first thought when I felt God's nudging was, "There is no way we will really go. That would be crazy for us right now." We are basically living off of one salary, paying for my school until December 2011, and paying back a lot of school debt. There have been very few times in my life where I have done things that didn't make sense logically. I am a thinker and do not usually just DO. However, God is slowly changing me to rely in His power and His leading..not what makes sense in my little mind.
After realizing God had shut the door for us to go on our church's mission trip, I remembered about an organization that we had been looking into as a possible agency when we started the adoption process. The name of the organization is All God's Children International. I remembered reading that ACGI also takes many mission trips. As I looked up the mission trip dates on our computer, I was overcome with God's sovereignty. All God's Children was going on a mission trip to Ethiopia during the EXACT two weeks that I didn't have summer class! Ethiopia is also the country Paul and I feel called to adopt from. God had it all worked out. We were going to Africa because God told us to and that's all we needed.
We still had no clue how we would pay for the trip but believed that if God wanted us there, He would provide it. God WAS faithful. Our friends and family gave generously. Paul and I were brought to tears many times by God's provision and goodness. Many of our sweet friends who are in the same financial situation that we are as young, poor married couples gave abundantly. They gave more than we could ever have imagined. I know they gave because they also believe in a God who provides and calls us to a life of generosity in response to God's generosity with us. We are blessed. And we were on our way to Africa ONLY by God's grace.
After realizing God had shut the door for us to go on our church's mission trip, I remembered about an organization that we had been looking into as a possible agency when we started the adoption process. The name of the organization is All God's Children International. I remembered reading that ACGI also takes many mission trips. As I looked up the mission trip dates on our computer, I was overcome with God's sovereignty. All God's Children was going on a mission trip to Ethiopia during the EXACT two weeks that I didn't have summer class! Ethiopia is also the country Paul and I feel called to adopt from. God had it all worked out. We were going to Africa because God told us to and that's all we needed.
We still had no clue how we would pay for the trip but believed that if God wanted us there, He would provide it. God WAS faithful. Our friends and family gave generously. Paul and I were brought to tears many times by God's provision and goodness. Many of our sweet friends who are in the same financial situation that we are as young, poor married couples gave abundantly. They gave more than we could ever have imagined. I know they gave because they also believe in a God who provides and calls us to a life of generosity in response to God's generosity with us. We are blessed. And we were on our way to Africa ONLY by God's grace.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Who We Are
Paul and I both started following Christ in college. We had both grown up in church and considered ourselves Christians pretty much our whole lives, but it wasn't until college that God opened our eyes to what it means to follow Him. My whole life, I thought that being a Christian meant you had done two things: 1) said a prayer 2) tried your hardest to be a good person.
God rocked my world my freshmen year in college. He placed people in my life that knew Him and challenged me to look at who He really is. God showed me that being a Christian is not about being a good person or earning His love. I am saved by GRACE through faith in Jesus and belief in His righteousness. Jesus lived a perfect life and offered himself as a sacrifice on the cross. He took on my sin and God's wrath for my sin so that I can stand before God the Father based on Jesus's work. This is the good news of the gospel by which we are saved. WHAT AWESOME NEWS!!
We have been adopted into God's family through Jesus. Now that the Lord has revealed this truth in our lives, he has shown us a way that He wants to use it in our lives for his glory. We believe the Lord has called us to adoption.
Since I was young, I have always imagined adopting my children. Right around the time Paul and I got married, we began talking about the possibility of adoption. It took me awhile to realize that this desire is not something that all people share. I know that this desire was placed on my husband's and my heart by our creator for His glory.
So, here's our blog. Our purpose in creating it is to keep our loved ones informed on what is happening in our lives, specifically with our adoption process.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-7
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