New Horizon's Training

29 days ago, I first heard about New Horizon's at our church's women's retreat.  In these short 29 days we have accomplished a lot. 

• We had decided on one child and that door was quickly closed when we found out that his country was not part of the hosting program anymore.
• We actually laid dormant after that, until we received a call from New Horizon's on November 1st.   So, I guess we've accomplished a lot in the past 20 days.
• I have contacted six adoption agencies regarding Sasha's "Adopt-ability Status" and regarding proceeding with adoption for him in the country and region in which he lives.
• We have filled out three applications with New Horizons.
• We have read a 41 page training manual.
• We have sent in numerous forms (I have lost count) that we had to acknowledge and sign.
• We have made flyers.
• We have created a blog.  This is a huge one for me because I am NOT a blogger!  I am not a writer.  I just am not.
• We have posted on Facebook.
• And we have attended an all day training (plus 6 hours of driving) to learn more about the hosting program.  Yeah, I thought there couldn't be much more after reading a 41 page training manual but there was!
• I am sure there is a lot more we have done but I just can't think of anything right now.  My brain is pretty much on the fritz after the long day we had today!

We definitely learned a lot today!  We heard from three (or four...geez I can't remember and the training just ended 5 hours ago.  Isn't that awful) other families that have hosted in the past.  They gave us a lot of suggestions regarding making them feel welcome, what to expect and how to handle all kinds of awkward, uncomfortable, strange and difficult situations.  We learned about how they go about picking the children to be hosted.  We learned about the adoption process.

What we walked away with was even more valuable than anything we learned today, though.  We walked away feeling even more confident that God wants Sasha in our home.  We feel very strong that that little boy is going to be our son.  I had a girlfriend tonight make a comment, "Hopefully they can shed some insight as to the best ways to go about this adoption out of Russia thing."  My response to her was, "God is bigger than Russia. While it is a challenge, I'm no going to let that get in our way."  As another friend of mine said, "God can move mountains and he can raise the dead.  Surely he can help an orphan, even if he is in Russia."  

For nothing is impossible with God.  Luke 1:37

That verse doesn't say hardly anything...is says nothing!  The Bible is the inerrant word of truth and I can't pick and choose what I am going to believe.  Either I believe all of it or none of it.  I choose to believe all of it.  So, I am going at this like nothing is impossible with God and he is going to move mountains in Russia over the next 6 months to a year!