Well, I wanted him. But would my husband or the US government? Would adoption agencies even consider a 55 year-old woman who already has 9 kids? And what about all the paper work and the cost and the unbelievable hassle?

I prayed for 2 days and realized that while all of these were good questions, the only question Jesus was asking, was if I would say yes to and for Michael.

Yes.

The missionaries who foster him cried tears of joyful disbelief when we spoke and prayed together. They have been begging God for 3 years to send someone from America who wanted him. While I was there, they met with Michael’s social worker and the Thai government and were told that they would expedite an adoption out of country for Michael to someone like me.

I can’t even begin to tell you what the hours of these days were like for me – trying not to let my heart run wild with the imaginings of a lifetime, yet continuing to calmly say yes to and for Michael. I left Thailand with the address of the Adoption Bureau in Bangkok and the commitment to contact adoption agencies in America to see if someone like me could, in fact, adopt a little black kid from Thailand. His foster parents and social worker were left with the job of finding his birth mother to get her signature.

There are many hurdles that stand in the way. You would think there were only a few orphans in the world, instead of 150 million, for how difficult it is to adopt. I could still, easily, run wild with lifelong imaginings that now have a little black face, but I am finding the grace to hope into the One who loved him long before I ever saw him. I know that Jesus isn’t asking me to get upset at the hurdles or to waste time and energy trying to make something happen.

I don’t know if I am saying yes to Michael because I am the mother Jesus has found for him or because I am one of the in-between people who is helping him get to the mother Jesus has found. I just know that I am the one Jesus has chosen to say yes for him. I want Michael. I want to bring him home to Bluesborough, but I will be happy if he goes to someone else’s borough. I just want him to be safe and finally, all the way wanted. I’m asking you to say yes with me, for him. I’m asking you to please pray for him and Kenny and me.

And finally, I want to help the women of Prang’s village market their beautiful hand-woven bags. We’ve sold some on a small scale, but I want to enlarge the scale, possibly through an on-line catalogue of handcrafts made by women for women. If you have any interest in helping with this project, please contact me at: Pattiblueis@yahoo.com.

Thank you so much for supporting Good News to the Poor and the Blues. I am grateful for all the blessings that occur because of you. I apologize for such a long letter, Kenny will be writing the next one.

Having fun meeting, loving, and taking the good news to the poor,

Patti
And peace and all good from Ken

Thailand 2007

Sawa ti’kaa! (That’s Thai for: Hello! And Good-bye.)

I went to Thailand! Yay! Kenny took care of business at home and the kids attempted to finish the schoolwork I left for them. They were wonderfully distracted, by family and friends for most of the 15 days I was gone. Kenny, Levi (15) and Alex (12) were also distracted, knowing that 3 days after I returned, they would board the first of several planes for a month in Australia and Fiji. Kenny will tell you about their adventures in a few weeks.

My trip was planned around the arrival of Sean’s (our adopted son’s) first baby. We hoped I’d get there before the birth, so I could assist with the birth, but little Abigail Blue Abbott came before I even got on the plane. She was all bundled up in the 102 degree, humid heat, waiting to meet me at the Chiang Mai airport. She is, of course, amazingly beautiful and Sean and Prang are proving to be natural parents.

I continued supporting the parenting efforts of the couple Sean and Prang work with. They foster 2 teenagers and have a 6-month old son. A week after I left, they took in 3 more children. They recently bought property on which both couples will build homes for their own children and all the orphans Jesus brings to them. I’ve wanted to work with orphans for a very long time and never imagined such a natural opportunity to do so. It’s a bit odd being the one encouraging and training those who will actually parent, since I’ve always imagined myself in that role, but I am grateful to God for this opportunity.

The second day I was with Sean and Prang, I was reacquainted with a little boy I met last year. His name is Michael and he is 7 years old. His father is from Uganda and his mother is Thai. He was born in prison, was hydrocephalic, and addicted drugs. He now has a shunt and plate in his head. He was given to the orphanage where Sean and Prang used to work when he was three. When I met Michael a year ago, I told Sean that I’d take him home in a minute if I could. There was just something about him. When I saw him this time, I reminded Sean of that and he proceeded to tell me the following story.

A couple months ago, Michael’s social worker and some of the missionaries who care about him, decided it would be best to remove him from the orphanage and to adopt him out of country if possible. There is much prejudice against dark skin in Thailand and Michael, being black, was beat up every day by the other kids in the orphanage. He was not treated well by some of the staff either and it is difficult for the missionary family who are now fostering him. The general consensus is that no one but a prostitute would have or want a black child.