I love it when the dream of rescuing a child becomes reality! In the latest edition
of Fields of the Fatherless, I devoted an entire chapter to the
adoption stories of two couples. One of those couples, Matt &
Melody Monberg, just finally passed court, and are on their way to
Ethiopia in just a few weeks.
Throughout the two year process that has brought them to this point, they have faced the ups and downs, twists and turns, joys and defeats that come with the adoption process. I encourage you to read their last couple posts on their blog to get a sense for how God worked miracles in the face of uncertain obstacles. It involves a missing government official, a 6-hour drive through the Ethiopian countryside, and a last minute court date with a picky adoption judge.
I had the privelege of taking Matt to his first orphanage in Russia. But it wasn't until the second orphanage that God grabbed his heart for orphans. I remember standing in the snow as the cold winter air was blowing in our faces outside of Neya orphanage. Matt, with tears in his eyes (and no socks on, only house shoes), was broken by the injustice and the abuse he saw in the faces of little Russian orphans--orphans who were not unlike his own children.
Matt's been on our staff for the past six years, and in that time has sponsored three different children in Russia. He, and those kids, are not the same.
When you allow God to use you as a sponsor--as a voice for an orphan--the journey often takes you to unexpected places. Matt & Melody are just one of the families who have taken up the call to care for orphans, and now are within weeks of bringing Desta home to her forever family.
In the last weeks, they are tidying up all the details and getting ready to travel. I know they would appreciate your prayers and your support. You can find out more about how you can support them on their blog.
You can give directly to their adoption fund here, or come to their open house fundraiser by RSVPing here.
Throughout the two year process that has brought them to this point, they have faced the ups and downs, twists and turns, joys and defeats that come with the adoption process. I encourage you to read their last couple posts on their blog to get a sense for how God worked miracles in the face of uncertain obstacles. It involves a missing government official, a 6-hour drive through the Ethiopian countryside, and a last minute court date with a picky adoption judge.
Matt & Melody also helped organize the Ethiopian Formula Drive we did back in May that raised over $12,000 to buy formula for the babies living in the transition home. One of those babies is Desta Grace, their daughter pictured here.
I had the privelege of taking Matt to his first orphanage in Russia. But it wasn't until the second orphanage that God grabbed his heart for orphans. I remember standing in the snow as the cold winter air was blowing in our faces outside of Neya orphanage. Matt, with tears in his eyes (and no socks on, only house shoes), was broken by the injustice and the abuse he saw in the faces of little Russian orphans--orphans who were not unlike his own children.
Matt's been on our staff for the past six years, and in that time has sponsored three different children in Russia. He, and those kids, are not the same.
When you allow God to use you as a sponsor--as a voice for an orphan--the journey often takes you to unexpected places. Matt & Melody are just one of the families who have taken up the call to care for orphans, and now are within weeks of bringing Desta home to her forever family.
In the last weeks, they are tidying up all the details and getting ready to travel. I know they would appreciate your prayers and your support. You can find out more about how you can support them on their blog.
You can give directly to their adoption fund here, or come to their open house fundraiser by RSVPing here.
