Rain was on its way and the power was off, so we decided to have a little popcorn picnic!! It is fun to have an occasion to take a picture of all four kids together....it kept getting darker and still no power so we all went outside for some play time....the following pictures were taken while we waited for the lights to come back on!  

 

 

Jonathan taking his turn on the slide 

Lael loving on Sparkle who is due to have puppies in about a week's time!! 

 

Another Day Waiting

Continue praying for the adoption process for Lael.  We’re still very early on, awaiting Ega’s birth certificate (Lael’s birth father).  This has been a 6-month process!  Unreal.  Each day of waiting (and hearing over and over, “tomorrow Ega will get it”) is a real test for our patience.  Not for our perseverance, though.  Nothing…Nothing would cause us to give up on this.  But honestly, my patience wears thin with bureaucratic protocol in a country that is acting like it demands formalities, exact documentation, and yet does so alongside corrupt judges, inefficient procedures, and even a willingness to fudge a little bit on the truths of documents just to satisfy the next level of bureaucracy.  Crazy!  Not all of this is going on with Ega’s birth certificate…today I had taken him to the Tribunal about an hour away and I sat in on the hearing where the judge looked over all the documents and signed off on the authorization to the local government office to issue the birth certificate.  Just before we sat through our own hearing, I observed a very impressive and intimidating gentleman call aside the judge who would later preside over Ega’s hearing.  After a firm handshake, it was obvious that the distinguished man handed the judge a large envelope that went quickly into the judge’s pocket.  I’m pretty sure I could guess the outcome of that man’s hearing!  Even after spending much of the day, after the government official HANDWRITING 3 copies of Ega’s birth certificate (plus 3 copies for each of his kids, too), the officials at the Tribunal made it known that the forms that were completed earlier today did not conform to the latest and greatest birth certificate forms.  I then asked what the simple question, “where might they get the new forms?”  The Tribunal official then went to his computer, printed off a page and said, “have them take this to one of their local printers and have the birth certificate registry made from this.”  They were demanding new forms, but had not yet bothered to issue the new forms!  Maddening!!  We’re not sure when it’ll happen, but we’re sure that by the end of next week, Ega will have his birth certificate.  Next week is a 3-day holiday (Benin’s Independence Day, Aug 1st), so that throws a kink into expectations that things will be done quickly!! AAUUGGGH!!  But today, I was in the car with a friend of Ega’s who is helping us doing a lot of the running around.  His name is Fabien.  He was a Catholic but has not been to church in years.  I was explaining Ega’s son’s name, Azarie (in English, it is “Azariah”).  This is the Hebrew name for Abed-Nego, one of the three valiant believers in the book of Daniel in the Bible.  That conversation opened the door for a longer discussion of faith and his life (he abandoned the church long ago because of “discouragement”).  If we measure a day’s worth by whether or not we obtain some important document, we ourselves fight discouragement.  But if the “delay” permitted me to have a conversation about Christ with Fabien, we all know that is God’s perfect timing!  Keep praying with us!!

Back in June, Tim Chapman paid us a visit that we all still talk about!  He writes his perspective on his blog…check it out here!

I just love the pictures Kelly posted below…great kids.  Wish Jonathan could have been in there as well.  It’s hard to get all 4 in there together.  I love having this blog to catch up on things that go on around here that I don’t even get to see when I’m gone during the day!  

-Randy

Tori introducing Lael to the slide 

Oh this is so much fun!!!! 

 

Timo provides an extra surprise push 

 

Under which shell is the rock? 

 

Superdog is very gentle with our kids....this afternoon they were all enjoying some quality time with Booker 

 

 

Goodnight Lael 

 

 

 

The Bailey's plane flew out Monday night at 11:30. Tori and I took them to the airport about an hour before. This was taken just before the Baileys left. Our hearts were heavy and sad to see them go, and full of gratefulness that they came! Their trip will be one that none of us will ever forget! The Lord worked out all the details and directed our days. What a joy to serve a God who directs our days with such love and kindness.  

Jessica is trying to help balance out Tori and Hope here at the playground at the Baptist Guesthouse
 

 

Shopping at the Artisan village in Cotonou 

Here are some pictures from our new favorite Steers restaurant in Cotonou! This is soft serve vanilla ice cream!!! A real treat for us!