Merry Christmas Number TEN

This could very well be the most important blog I ever right. Yeah, the most important. Here's why. Most of what I write is regurgitated fact or fiction, my thoughts on things or other peoples thoughts on things. The following is real-life happening right here in this city and its people I know personally. Please read every word of this and then pray about how to respond. But don't pray and forget about it. Do something. My friend Jason Inman writes:

Dearest Family and Friends,

We hope this letter find you well and blessed during this holiday season. We bring greetings to you with much joy and anticipation of soon bringing our son Elyas home from Ethiopia! As you know, this has been an incredible journey of faith, patience, and hope of giving this beautiful little boy a new beginning. We are blessed and honored to call him our own, and truly cannot wait for this dream to become a reality. We want to thank you for your encouragement, prayers, and support. Not everyone understands the process, timing, or reason, of adopting and orphan, but you have received this letter because we believe you do. We thank you for not just understanding, but caring for this little boy's life. Sadly, Elyas is just one of millions of orphans without a family, and while our hearts break for the many that will never have a home, we rejoice that he will! It is our hope and prayer that he will thrive in the legacy of our privileged country and one day become an asset to our community and the world we live in.

As our papers were processed this month in Ethiopia, today we have just received exciting news that we are scheduled to travel to Ethiopia between December 27th and January 5th of 2009. We had been told it could be as late as March, but God moved in our favour and all of our paperwork has been accepted by the Ethiopian Government. We are absolutely amazed at this news! In just a few days, a precious child will be told that his hopes and prayers were heard; that this year he will receive a mommy and daddy for Christmas!

This is surprising news and as you can imagine, we will be scrambling to get everything in order. When this letter was drafted, we thought we had a couple of months to finalize home and financial preparations for this last leg of the journey. But now the timing is more of an urgent manner. We have been very blessed to receive financial support through fund raisers, grants, and the offerings of generous donors, but still have need as we tally our last payments and travel fiances of nearly $7,000. We trust God for His provision - He has been on time, every time! This adoption is His plan and we are in complete trust of Him coming through in these final days. So in receipt of this letter, we ask only that you would prayerfully consider if He would allow you to help financially. We understand the economic situation and holiday season bring limitations, but we also know He faithfully returns the offerings of His people in multiplied blessings. Anything you do or give on behalf of this little boy does not go unseen and we believe you will be blessed abundantly in your generosity. Your prayer covering over this trip and our little boy are so appreciated and however your heart is moved to support, we sincerly thank you. We ask that God would bless you and your family exceedingly and abundantly beyond measure this Christmas season. We cannot wait for Elyas to meet the many beautiful people who have helped give him a home, a new beginning, a healthy environment, a bright future, and most of all, a forever family.

With immeasurable gratitude and blessings, 

Jason and Lanessa Inman

If you want to give to this, email me | joshkennede@gmail.com

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." [John 14:18]