With mixed emotions, Leigh and I will be heading back to the States after a wonderful month spent in Uganda mostly with our son and learning his birth culture. We are ready to be home, but not without our son. We have visited sites and attractions like the Kingdom of Buganda, Entebbe Zoo, Buganda Parliament, the Equator and African cultural dance shows while also getting to take our first professional “family” photo at a local photography studio, having our first “family” meal and spending two full days at court with him. After a lot of prayer, Leigh and I decided to return to wait on document processing while our son's guardianship and travel approvals are being finalized. We’re not sure how much time these things will take, so we feel that it will be best to return to work in the states, hopefully for a brief period of time, and then return to pick up our son after finalization!!
We leave tomorrow, Monday, July 25 2016 and will be back Tuesday after a short 26 hours of travel time. Although it will be very difficult to leave our son here, we cling to the promise that Jesus called us to be this child’s parents long before we ever considered adoption. Jesus led caretakers to find him when he was orphaned at around 1 year old, and Jesus has taken care of him for the past year at the babies home in Uganda. Our confidence now lies in that Jesus will care for him over the coming months, or hopefully weeks, as we wait for the appropriate process to be completed. If Jesus has brought him (and us) this far, how can we put our trust in anything other than what He’s already done? Our family, including our son :-), covets your prayers as we’re on this last “leg” of the process. We’re thankful for all of the generosity of our friends and family who have supported us. Your financial generosity has allowed us to take one month off of work to spend fighting for and bonding with our son. We could not have stayed here this long without you all.
Lastly, tomorrow is our day to hopefully receive our “verbal” court ruling. We’re praying for big things and that we can finally “show off” the fruit of your help and God’s faithfulness. We pray that we will be able to show the world our amazing son knowing that you’ll fall in love with him just as we already have!
Love,
Matt and Leigh
1 Thessalonians 5:23-25
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Brothers, pray for us.