Coming Home

18 months of paperwork, praying, crying, fund raising, praying some more....and THE BOYS ARE COMING HOME! We have cleared embassy and will travel the third week of October. Cherinet has been waiting for three years and Shasho two. The waiting is almost over. So hard to believe!! God is good. We have one final push to raise the funds for our final trip. Caleb will be traveling with me as Kurt can't be gone again and I'm not comfortable traveling alone. Round trip tickets on Qutar Airline are $1450 each for Caleb and I and one way tickets for Shasho and Cherinet are $1090 each. Hotel for a week is about $500 as well as paying for a driver and guide ($500). We have had some recent donations that will cover food and extra expenses. That is $6080. A great friend had a great idea. If 99 people would give $60, that would raise $5940. We are selling some things on ebay and can probably provide the rest ourselves. If you would like to help this last time to get the boys home, we know God will bless you in return! You've all been so faithful already, but if God impresses on you to give, you can donate to our PayPal button or send it by mail to 728 Chatta St. Haysville, KS 67060. Your investment will change two entire generations!!! We will be going back for Cherinet's sister, but will, more than likely, get grants for her. Her process should be much easier. The boys are coming home!! I can hardly believe that statement is finally coming from my mouth! What a long journey...but what a faithful God! Thank you to the hundreds who have prayed and supported and given. The harvest will soon be evident as you see Cherinet and Shasho in a FAMILY...with a church, a community, a school, and a future. It's the most powerful gift you can ever give. COMING HOME!!!

SIxteen

The number 16 has been a number we have almost obsessed over these last three years.  We knew our son would lose his opportunity to join our family at sixteen.  As the court closings approached, we knew he would age out if we didn't get our date.  Even when we first became his parents in 2009, 16 was an age we thought he would be home by.

Cherinet turns 16 on Sunday.  September 22, 2013, he will enter his 16th year and he is still sitting at Kolfe waiting for his family.  I am heart broken and grateful all at once.  I so wanted him to be home by his birthday.  It was a date I prayed over for months.  However, I am so grateful that on this birthday, his hopes are not dashed, his window of opportunity didn't close.  Cherinet is spending his 16th birthday in an orphanage, but he is spending it as Cherinet Samuel Stephen Coleman.  For that, we are overjoyed.  God came through with a last minute court date in the nick of time.

I have been so weary of fund raising.  It is such a monumental task, such a huge mountain to climb, and so many have given sacrificially to help get us to this point.  I am weary of asking and I'm sure most are
weary of hearing me ask.  However, if your 16 year old was spending his birthday in the conditions our son is, I know you would also shout it from the rooftops, "Who can help us? Please help us get our sons home!"

So, we humbly inquire of the Lord and of you for one last time with this adoption.  Is there someone you could share our story with?  Perhaps you've followed our story but not yet given. Could this be the time you help us get them home?

In honor of Cherinet's important 16th birthday, could you help with a $16 gift?  We are praying over a goal of about $7000.  Our goal was $8500 and $1700 came in!  God is good!  So around $7000 should complete this journey, mainly paying for round trip airline tickets for Caleb and I and one way tickets HOME for Cherinet and Shasho!

$16 for Cherinet's 16th birthday!  Let's get this thing done!
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Thank you for your prayers and support!  They are changing generations for eternity.

The Coming of Age-Fighting For His King

There are so many difficult aspects of being a pastor's kid. Expectations that are unrealistic, constant watchful eyes, and the sometimes painful things pastor's kids see their parents endure at the hands of "church people"... it can wound a child and chase them away from God.  My children have been through their share of grief and pain in their roles as children of a pastor.  Our oldest three at home especially have had to fight to keep their eyes on Jesus as they are not just pastor's kids, but leaders in the church as worship team members. With all the struggles that come with the territory, there are moments when God makes up for it all.  My children are beyond blessed.  We saw a glimpse of that blessing this weekend.

In the 13th year of each of our children's lives, we take them on an overnight trip with Dad and Mom. It isn't a long trip and it isn't to a far place, but what is accomplished in that 24 hours is amazing.  Two of our older girls have gone and this weekend it was Caleb's turn. In the weeks and months before the time away, we ask for letters from people that have impacted our children's lives throughout their first 13 years.  Once in the hotel room, we present them with a purity ring to be worn until their wedding along with these letters. We each take turns reading one after another. The surprise and emotion of seeing the people who sent letters is priceless to see.

As our son, sat quietly listening to the letters, I began to see something transpire.  Our son is unique to say the least.  He is a skilled drummer and called into ministry, but spends most of his time being a miniature Jim Carey!  We love that about him!  He will make a great speaker with that humor. This child who spends his life making people laugh, always a weird face, always a funny monologue to offer, began to transform in this moment, into a young man.  People have always been Caleb's favorite part of life.  In every church we've ministered in, there have always been men Caleb loved. In our first pastorate, Ardell Talkington, a quiet, mild mannered trombone player, was all that Caleb talked about.  He helped Ardell put his trombone away after church every Sunday. Ardell would take him on rides in his truck.  Ardell would talk to Caleb about Jesus.  When I opened the letter from Ardell and read it, an emotion hit Caleb like I've not seen before.  It was a strengthening of his heart, a validating medal of honor placed deep within his soul.  Letter after letter was read, one from an amazing missionary we love who told stories of his African adventures as our children literally sat at his feet. A strong, anointed letter from our district superintendent who is more like our own pastor than some far off official.  Pastors, godly family members, strong men of God from our various times of life...and all of them said the same thing.  "You are a strong leader, compassionate, a worshiper, a defender of the weak, wholehearted, devoted, kind, and aware of those around you."  With each letter more strength came.

If you would know what our son has had to overcome, you would understand how powerful this moment was.  Caleb is dyslexic and dysgraphic.  His intellect is brilliant, but it's hindered by the words he reads being jumbled on the page.  He was bullied for several years in elementary school, a boy actually breaking his hand by pulling back his fingers back until his hand broke in the recess line at school. He was cast aside often, dismissed as less than, treated with contempt even when he reached out in kindness. But, those messages no longer defined him because a group of men and his father spoke life defining words through those letters. Over and again young men he looked up to who are now adults urged him on.  "Don't let the past define you."  "Don't be afraid to lead your generation"  " I see greatness in you"...With each word read on that hotel bed, I could see Caleb's spirit change.  Strength was coming in the supernatural, an impartation of the Spirit was deposited. He was a man.

With the emotion lingering from the letters, my husband grabbed the gift he was giving to his son. Kurt preaches a sermon that everyone talks about.  He has preached it in every church, at men's events, and often on Father's Day.  The sermon is called "Fight For the Heart of Your King".  It is a clarion call to men.  It is a message that brings freedom to men...to be men, to allow their God given traits of toughness, a conquering spirit, and valiance to come out of hiding.  Caleb knows this message well.  He has heard it over and over again.  In the message, Kurt tells the story of King Richard, the Lion Heart and his loyal knight, Robert the Bruce.  It's a powerful, riveting story that brings the men to their feet at the end of the message shouting, "I will fight for the heart of my king!"  In his sermon, he carries a replica of the sword of Richard, the Lion Heart. When Caleb was eight years old, he stood on the platform at a men's retreat and held the large sword while his Dad preached.

Kurt pulled out that sword and began to talk to Caleb.  He named Caleb courageous and true, strong and victorious. He urged him to fight for his king, for his family, for himself...to live a life of honor and excellence.  As Kurt talked, Caleb's eyes welled up in emotion with the slightest smile of anticipation.  Kurt gave Caleb the sword as a symbol of him becoming a man.  Caleb held it on his knees in admiration.  I was moved beyond words.

What an privilege my children have in being children of ministry.  The level of godly men that wrote him letters and spoke words of valor over his life was staggering.  My girls had the same experience....letters from powerful women, worship leaders, family and friends.  My son is a man now and it didn't take a village to get him there, but it certainly took this group of men and his father. What amazing forerunners Caleb has to look to, to model after, to find strength and courage in.  We are blessed....to overflowing, we are blessed.

Becoming Coleman

">The natural so often reflects the supernatural.  Jesus used parables so often to help His disciples get a revelation of the amazing Kingdom that He belonged to.

We have 'parented' Cherinet and Shasho for years.  From afar, they have called us Mom and Dad, they changed their names on Facebook to Coleman, we sent them things they needed, and money consistently to help meet their needs.  Even more so, after we began the adoption process, they began to feel more like ours.

However, something shifted the moment the beautiful, young, Ethiopian judge signed our paperwork, declaring Cherinet and Shasho legally ours...the became Colemans.  In Scripture, God often changed the names of those who followed Him.  The name change wasn't simply to give another name, but to bestow upon that person a new identity, a new destiny, a new position. Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah.  Jacob became Israel and Saul became Paul.  Their new names gave them a new inheritance...one of descendants and children, one of leadership and anointing and victory.

As human beings, we so often approach weakness and frailty by addressing it, labeling it, magnifying it.  Our child or our spouse struggle in an area and we talk about it, we argue about it, we label them with it. What we magnify, always grows.  Abram was a liar, Sarah a doubter, Jacob was a deceiver, and Saul, a murderer.  God didn't focus on those things, however.  Instead, He declared who these men truly were.  Abraham, a father of many nations; Sarah, a mother in old age; Israel, an overcomer; and Paul, a man who evangelized the world and wrote much of the New Testament. When the new name and new identity was declared, the weakness fell to the background and the strength of their new character became prominent.

The past and rough start our two sons have had will not define who they are anymore.  They have become Colemans.  They have a new identity.  They are a child of two parents, in a large family. They are now pastor's kids. They will be Americans.  They have a new mantle, a new inheritance, a new identity. Something shifted in the heavens when that name was declared.  It will take time and love and the Spirit of God to heal the wounds they carry, but we will continue to remind them, 'you belong to our family forever', 'nothing you will do can ever change that',' you have a new name, a new family, a new future'.

If only we could grab hold of that revelation as believers.  When we surrender our lives to Christ, we become new creatures, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and God gives us a new name.  We have a new inheritance in the Kingdom of God, we carry a new mantle, a new anointing, a new authority.  We spin our wheels when we focus on what we're not....not pretty enough, not talented enough, not strong enough, not popular enough.  Magnify who you are.  You have become a believer.  God has given you a new name...and that name is "Righteous".  Wear your new identity like a garment.  Walk in it.  Your weaknesses will then fall away into the background and your strengths will magnify.  Whats your new name?

We now can share our adoption video freely.  Here it is.  To God be all glory!

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=11c0dc57893db7b390c08f7&skin_id=1602&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Sick and alone

Remember those miserable moments of childhood when you were covered in chicken pox, your body racked with body aches that left you tossing and turning searching for relief, your thoughts confused and hazy with a high fever? Do you look back and see where comfort and relief came from?  Your mom or dad or grandparent sat with you, cold rag on your head, oatmeal baths, Tylenol and pain medication, the soothing voice of your covering reassuring you it would be ok. Do you remember taking your blanket and pillow onto the couch, distracting yourself from the pain and itchy skin by watching your favorite cartoon or movie, an endless supply of Popsicles or ice cream and  new art supplies to keep you busy as you laid in your warm house with your mom just a holler away?

I hated being sick as a child. It was overwhelming, scary, and miserable, but comfort was always there. In the past month, 17 boys at the orphanage my sons reside, have been sick with chicken pox or some other kind of sickness. Over 250 boys ages 6-20 live there.  When they are sick, they suffer not only from very little medical help, but have no one they can call out to to bring comfort. It's the rainy season, so their dorms are damp and cold at night, there's nowhere to find quiet as hundreds of boys run in and out of the dorms. They have no one to put a cold cloth on their head, no one to give them a Popsicle, no one to cover them up and make sure they are warm. No soothing voice of a mama, telling them they are going to be ok.

Lately, I have watched many of the boys who have been sick post on Facebook, "please pray for me! I am very sick!" They reach through technology to the group moms who love them from afar. Kolfe Moms are a breed all their own. Stubbornly loving and advocating for a group of boys labeled "the forgotten boys" of Ethiopia. We all shower them with comments of prayers and hope, but its not the same. Laying down on their bunkbed, body aching and fever raging, they need more. They need what only comes from Gods beautiful creation called "family". They need a mom and dad.

Sitting here in my recliner, my feet up, watching tv and blogging my thoughts, I feel a righteous anger building up within me. This should not be!  No child should be sick and alone, no child should long for comfort and find none. I recently talked to my sons about them being sick and told them how sorry I was that I could not be there for them. As usual, they politely responded, "Its ok, Mom. All is fine now. Don't worry." And in the very next breath, they say, "When are you coming to get us?"   My sons can verbalize their need for us to come for them, but many of them cannot. They don't see any hope in their future for a family. The majority of the boys of Kolfe will never realize the feeling of belonging to a family. They will live through many of life's hardships alone.

Adoption, especially internationally, is expensive,  It's costly in many ways, but there's nothing else I I'd rather spend my life doing them giving children the comfort and security and love of a family. They deserve that. God wants that for every single one of them. I am consumed for their plight.  Adoption isn't the only answer, but one of many, but for me, it's what God has called me to do. What has God called you to do for those children who suffer silently, longing for comfort and family and protection.  Everyone should do something. Help fund adoptions, sponsor a child, give to a missionary who is helping children on the streets (All-Out Ministries, Bring Love In), adopt a child and see your life changed forever!

My sons will soon be home, never to be alone again. We need prayer and support to get to that final place and we know God will provide. But there are hundreds we will walk away from at Kolfe who will lay their head down another night alone. This should not be the case. We have more than enough resources and room in our lives to help every single one of them. What can you do?

Letting God Be God

Helpless...a common, overwhelming rush in this journey of waiting for children to come home from a distant land.  As a mom, I am used to stepping in and making everything better.  When my children at home are sick, I offer them comfort, medicine, a trip to the doctor, and prayer. When stress or hurt feelings follow them home from school, I embrace them and speak value and encouragement into them. When one of my sons in Ethiopia is sick as "C" was this week, I feel helpless.  I pray with him and for him, but I must let God be God.  I cannot run to their aid, I cannot comfort them or even offer them medicine.  When bad things happen to them at school in Ethiopia, I am not there to embrace them and offer them encouragement. I have to let God be God.  Trusting God becomes a deeper revelation in the adoption process.  I cannot force paperwork or judges or court systems.  As much as I want to, I cannot fly over and be with my sons.  In this difficult, heartbreaking, exciting journey of bringing children home from afar, I must let God be God.

I sure pray this discipline becomes an ingrained part of who I am as a child of God.  As other circumstances come my way, I pray I learned the value of letting God be God.  He knows how to fill that role and I don't.  He can be trusted.  He never fails us and always fulfills every promise to His children.  He is molding the character our sons as they wait and long for a family.  He knows the perfect timing for us to bring them home. He is all-knowing, ever-present, perfect in love, always working things for our good. 

No matter what you are facing today.  Let God be God.  He is trustworthy.  You don't ever need to question His heart.  It's always for you.  His ways are higher than ours.  He is steady and sure.  Let God be God in your life.

We are waiting for a court date for our sons first and then one for us in Ethiopia.  Please be praying for paperwork to move swiftly through the red tape of Ethiopia.  Please pray for favor with schedules and court systems.  We need a court date before court closes in August.

If you would like to partner with us to get the boys home, you can buy a "Not Forgotten" Tshirt for $20/adult sizes and $15/children sizes or you can sponsor a piece of the puzzle of our sons for different prices.  This will help us with travel expenses for our trips for court and embassy.

Puzzle Fund Raiser

What a journey this has been! We signed initial paperwork the last week of April of 2012 to bring our beautiful sons home from the most neglected orphanage in Ethiopia. Now over a year later, so many people have given to bring them home. That has been no easy request.  Bringing two boys home with two required trips is expensive. We have seen unbelievable miracles and know Gods heart for these boys is evident. Thank you to all who have given.

We are in the final fund raising moments before travel. We will travel for court and then for embassy to bring them home. What a day that will be!!

We have tshirts to purchase and are also doing this puzzle fund raiser. You can purchase a numbered puzzle piece for the numbered price.  There are 252 pieces to our puzzle. If you want to purchase piece #1, you pay $1. If you want to purchase piece #252, you give $252 toward bringing the boys home. We will write your name on the back of the puzzle piece and display the puzzle for the boys to see in a double pane frame. The boys will always see how loved they are.

We will keep track of what pieces are purchased here. You can give on our donate button on the top right of our blog! The investment so many of you have made is no empty investment. The return on it is two lives, two generations forever changed. Thank you seems so empty, but our sons lives' will forever shout thank you.

Be blessed!!  Can't wait for you all to meet our precious sons!

PUZZLE PIECES PURCHASED:

1- Steve Rademacher
2- April Burnett
3-Cindy Blevins
4-Barry Brecheisen
5-Sarita Brecheisen
6-Kylie Brecheisen
7-Kylee Hackett
8-Tina Wood
9-Mia Singer
10-Jordan Singer
11-Brianna Long
12-CaitlynLong
13-Susan Long
14-Mikayla Hackett
15-Kristin Sharp
16-Peter and Amy Ayo
17-Hadarah Ayo
18-The Bennett Family
19-Lynette Courtney
20-Susan Herron
21-Michelle Garza
22- Carol Mason
23-Dan Courtney
24-Tim Singer
25-Evan Singer
26-Kristi Singer
27-Maranda Courtney
28-Archie Mason
29-Cameron Courtney
30-Mason Singer
31-The Lewis Family
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40-Laura Miller
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44-Kolt Boese
45-Ruth Macomber
46-Justin Howard
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51-Sharry Holdren
52-Kelly Rae Howard
53- Preston Stewart
54- Bruce Howard
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247- The Parker Family
248- The McAninch Family
249-Anonymous
250-The Finney Family
251-Sue Delacruz
252-Nick and Erin Kellerstrass

Preparing for Battle

My husband preached a powerful message for Mother's Day.  So often, Mother's Day messages are full of fluff and shallow pats on the back.  The season of history we live in doesn't call for fluff or shallow, but for deep challenge, fresh words from heaven, and power.  We got that on Mother's Day.

Kurt preached on one of my favorite stories from scripture.  Rizpah was a mother who fought for her sons even after death.  She guarded their exposed remains from the beasts and birds for months.  She fought off every vulture and wild animal that would come to devour and rip at her children's bodies.  She braved the elements, faced loneliness and possible criticism to keep her son's honor and remains intact. She remained there until King David came and had mercy on her sons and gave them a proper burial.

The challenge to us as mothers is a clarion call.  There are unseen vultures and beasts who circle our children and their aim is to devour their spirits, their hope, and their futures.  The enemy does not think our children are cute and precious.  He does not care that they are young and have some innocence.  He sees them as powerful threats, present and future world changers, and easy targets.  His goal is to destroy and deceive them from the moment they are born.

As mothers, we have spiritual authority over our children.  This is not a concept or abstract truth.  This a revelation that must be experienced and explored.  It requires action on our part as mothers (and fathers).

How do we battle for our children?  The clear and obvious answer is to hit our knees in prayer.  Beckoning heaven on behalf of our children on a regular basis is the core of the battle. We must declare the Word over our children, speaking out loud the promises and the inheritance our children possess as co-heirs with Jesus.  We must walk as examples for them to follow.  If we are preaching them to go one way, but we are walking in another, they will automatically follow us.  I certainly don't want to participate in the devil's plan to destroy them.  Our words over them, our declarations over them must be based in truth, never in anger, never in irritation.  The labels we place on them will be used to the fullest by the enemy if they are negative. When we speak death over our children whether in a label, name calling, criticism, or anger, we open a gate that gives the devil permission to come in and speak all sorts of lies and deception into their minds.  Use your authority to close those gates and keep the enemy out of your home and out of the spirits of your children.

Your children are called by name.  They hold great value in the Kingdom of God. Regardless of their weakness or mistakes, they are to be raised up with words of life, led by mothers and fathers of integrity and holiness.  The vultures are circling.  They are looking for a crack in the foundation of our homes, a crack in the armor our children wear, the slightest opening of a gate to give them permission to enter.  We must be diligent to fight them off, to slam those gates shut, to lead by example, to pray for them faithfully, to speak life and value and belief over their lives.  This is the generation who may see the greatest revival in the history of the world.  We need healthy, strong, young people of conviction to carry the Spirit of God into this world of chaos.

I've never been so aware of the battle as I have entering the world of adoption.  The battle for the children of the world is fierce.  The devil doesn't give up easily, but our authority is settled if we take hold of it.  We  battle for our children and right now we are fully engaged in battle for our sons in Ethiopia.  They are vulnerable and exposed to the enemy as they are fatherless and without the covering of a family.   We have fought a long battle to get them home and are coming to the end of this journey of getting them home. We need your prayers.  We are raising the last bit of money for travel.  God has done amazing miracles so far.  We know He is not finished yet.

Prepare for battle mothers and fathers!  Our calling is sure.
                                                                 
                                                            The wall at Kolfe Orphanage

Preparing to Travel to Ethiopia-Adoption Shirts for Sale!

The time for us to travel to Ethiopia for court for our sons is fast approaching.  After two and a half years of parenting them from afar, a year of that in the adoption process, we are finally approaching travel.

God provided for our remaining adoption expenses through a precious couple who selflessly gave us what we needed to complete paperwork.  What a miracle that was!  It raced our process to where we are now, waiting for a court date from Ethiopia. Now, we are praying and preparing for the expenses that come with two trips to Ethiopia, the first to attend court and the second, about six weeks later, to attend embassy and bring our sons home. 

One of the ways we are preparing for that time is by selling these amazing shirts.  Our great friend, Charity Dozier, created the graphic for free, making them exactly as we envisioned. The Kolfe boys were once named "the forgotten boys of Ethiopia".  Our sons are not forgotten.  God has not forgotten them and we have not forgotten them.  Our oldest is named after Delilah's son with his first middle name being Samuel, meaning, "God Heard". God has heard the cries of these precious boys!  Our shirts share that message, "Not Forgotten"!  We would love to see these shirts and this message spread all around the country.  Each shirt raises money for us to travel for court and embassy.

We have men's and women's style shirts. Many women prefer the style of the men's tshirt, so feel free to order either style.  All the shirts are brown with this logo on them.  They won't look exactly like these pictured as these aren't the exact shirts, only an example, but the graphic and the shirt color are what you will receive. As you wear the shirt, share our story with others and direct them to our blog.  

If you don't live close to us, you can use our Paypal button on this blog that you can use to pay for your shirts or you may mail a check or money order to us at home.  Adult shirts are $20 and children sizes are $15.  Please message us at thunderpraise@hotmail.com with your sizes.  If the shirts need to be shipped, please add $4.00 to your payment.

Thank you for supporting our two trips to get our sons home and for wearing the story God has so beautifully created with our two sons in Ethiopia.  

Kurt and JoLynn Coleman

728 Chatta Street

Haysville, KS 67060

Longing...

I've looked into the faces of my kids at home as they long for something.  My son, Caleb, looks through pages and pages of Craigslist and Ebay ads, dreaming and longing to have a new drum set or a motorbike.  He talks about it with urgency, convincing me he not only wants those things, but he really, really needs them. He plans for the time he will have them. I join in conversation with him about it.  They are valid desires based on gifts and characteristics God placed in him.  Someday, I believe he will have those things.  I look into the faces of my daughters as they watch gifted musicians at concerts and on tv.  Music is deep in them and they long to use those gifts, to feel that soaring feeling of belting out beautiful notes.  They talk excitedly and quickly about musicians that amaze them.  They sing their songs, they mimic their sound, they dream about the possibilities for them.  I understand that longing.  I have the same ache within me for music.

There is a longing that surpasses what I see in my children here at home.  In Ethiopia, there is a longing that is so deep and so out of reach, it's silent.  It's a silence that screamed into my soul the entire week I spent in Ethiopia this last November. The eyes of the children of Kolfe Orphanage peered at me with an ache I've never seen before.  They didn't articulate it, they didn't try to convince me how much they wanted it or needed it.  I am certain they didn't plan for it and perhaps maybe they've even stopped dreaming about it.  Regardless of their lack of active expression, their longing was starkly clear.  Boy after boy approached me, watching my every move, some reaching for a hug, some standing at a distance, but all of them boring a hole into my existence with their longing eyes. They longed to be fed, they longed to be clothed, neglect and lack made for clear longing.  The deepest, most painful longing of all twisted at my gut and sent tears flooding down my face.  Dark, almond shaped eyes so unique to Ethiopia and so famous in beauty looked to me, aching to belong. They just wanted to belong to someone.

There are over 250 boys living at Kolfe Orphanage and they just want to belong to someone.  They may have given up on hope, they may never speak of it, or even dream of it, but the longing remains deep within their gaze.  It's heart wrenching to witness.

Kolfe boys have been known as "lost boys" for many years.  Rarely do they find a family willing to adopt them and rarely is an agency willing to facilitate that adoption. Right now, there are a handful of them, all friends, in process of coming home. This includes our two, amazing, beautiful sons.  They too, have that silent longing in their stare, but unlike most of the other boys, they have a cautious glimmer of hope in those milky brown eyes.

When my son talks of a new drum set or motorcycle, I want to fill that longing within him.  I want to bless him with those things that make him Caleb.  When my girls chatter about musicians that move them and how much they long to improve their musicianship, I want to find every opportunity I can to help them blossom. But when my two gorgeous, amazing sons in Ethiopia look to me, longing to belong, longing for a family, a mommy, a daddy, grandparents and community...things they can't even imagine, yet were created to have...I am driven to make that happen. Those eyes keep me awake at night, tie my stomach in knots, move me with compassion.  That's the kind of compassion Jesus had...the kind He felt in His gut.  It drove Him to action.

Kurt and I cannot take hold of these children and meet their deepest longing alone.  We just can't.  There are the rare few that have the wealth that can fund an adoption fully, but most families I know who are called to adopt hurting, needy children are of modest means.  I think that's of no coincidence, because it enables the family of God to come together...those who are willing and those who are able...to partner to bring these miracle to pass.  It pleases God to see that kind of shoulder to shoulder commitment to affect the least of these.

I don't know about you...but I long to see our sons go from the hopeless longing for the basic needs every child deserves...food, clothing, and family...to excited chatter about their hopes and dreams for their future.  There is hope in those longings, there is life in those longings.  We can't do it without help.  

We are moving forward quickly with this adoption.  Our oldest will age out in this year and both of them are in desperate need to come home. We are believing, in faith, that they will be home by May.  We have roughly $14,000 to raise plus travel expenses. We've made a huge dent in the total cost because of so many of you and your generous hearts.  We cannot thank you enough.  $14,000 seems like an insurmountable  mountain to climb, but we just witnessed the miracle of one family as they raised $12,000 for an emergency special needs adoption in 48 hours.  God, along with His amazing children can do anything.  We are asking for your help, we are asking for your voice.  On this blog, you can donate to PayPal, you can mail us a check, or you can directly mail a check to our adoption agency in our name.  You can also share this need with those around you, posting on your Facebook or sharing with your church.  And you can certainly pray.  We need God to move paperwork and government officials quickly to get our children home to a family.

No child should have to long so deeply to belong to a family.  Every child deserves a family.  There are 250 boys at Kolfe Orphanage who need a voice.  I plan to continue to be that voice even after our sons come home.  I am driven to act on their behalf.  Not all of them will be adopted, but they need food and clothing and, most importantly, need to know that they belong to Jesus.

We know we are asking a great thing, but giving into the lives of orphans, the place where God's heart beats, is always a sure investment.  The return will be far beyond what you can ever imagine. Thank you for praying about how you can help.  

International Adoption Net Attn 

Kurt and JoLynn Coleman Adoption

7500 E. Arapahoe Road Ste #250

Centennial, CO 80112

800-982-3778 

All donations through IAN are tax deductible