Oh Happy Day!

We started our morning off with a wonderful breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The food is very good here. I came thinking I was going to loose a few pounds...ummm, not so sure that's going to happen. We met with Padam (PUMA CC) and just spent some time visiting with him. He was sweet and brought us a case of drinking water. He took us to the local supermarket to buy some snacks/candy for the children at the orphanage. Then it was off to Top Of The World a local business operated by an American who now lives in Kathmandu. He and his wife have a team that makes and sells frozen foods (pizza, potato nuggets, Nepali "Aalu Chop", Mountain Man Trekker's Fuel (Granola, Museli, Trail Mix, Granola Bars, Fruit Bars, Dehydrated Fruit, Rasilo Juice ( Pineapple...AMAZING, best I ever had, Jomson Apple, Nepali "Suntala" (orange), Coffee Accessories & Gift Items (Nepali Coffee and MANY, MANY more) . Check out the website. The place smelled amazing! And the pineapple was fabulous!

Then we were off to see a pet toy manufacturing business run by Padam. They make toys for cats and dogs from 100% lamb wool and they ship them to NJ to sell. It's a group of beautiful Nepali women who work there. Because Nepal is so poor and work is hard to find these ladies husbands are working in Saudi Arabia and so they work here to help with money. Some of them work in a building, it's exposed to the elements but does have a roof and there are others who sit on the grass under the hot sun hand stitching these toys together. I don't have the website right now, but once I get it I will share it with you and you can all buy your pets a Christmas present! Okay, I've been given the website! Click HERE to visit a Cheerful Pet.

Once we were finished there it was off to see the PUMA home. We saw where the boys and girls live and met with some of the other PUMA staff who we fell in love with right away! We plan to stay here at the hotel until Saturday morning and then head over to the PUMA house for church and plan to stay with them until it's time to head home. We are blessed to have met them! Sweet brothers and sisters in the Lord!

Okay after we visited with them we made our way back to the hotel through the C r A z Y traffic to switch rooms and get some things ready for our second visit with Trek. When we got to the orphanage today we were taken upstairs to the baby balcony and there were about 8 or 9 little babies in cribs and sitting on the ground. Trek was in a crib with 4 other little ones. They are all so precious! We brought snacks with us and broke off pieces for the babies and as soon as they saw the food all the little hands were reaching for a bite. It was fun seeing Trek with his little friends and I think it made it a little easier on him when I took him out of the crib. I got to change his diaper :) We were then taken to a room down stairs for our visit. He cried at first but I whispered a prayer in his ear and kissed him and he settled down. I got him to eat cheerios (gotta love those things). They make bonding with children much easier :) I washed his face and put oil on his skin (his cheeks are so chapped). You know it's hard sometimes to put in words how we are feeling, but it was a sweet hour and a half with him. When it was time to leave I put him down and he started to cry and reach for me!! That made my day! I can see that he is getting comfortable with us and it was also good for the facilitator to see. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at the store again and picked up a few more toys for our visit tomorrow. The plan is still to take full custody of him on Friday....I can't wait!!! Keep praying for him as he bonds with us. It will be hard for him to leave his didi's. They have cared for him since he was five days old. Also keep praying for his visa. We still haven't heard anything yet.

Now we are back at the hotel. Mike is snoozing on the bed while I try to update all of you :) Oh one other thing to add. The reason you have not seen Mike with Trek, is because he hasn't held him yet. We are going to try to get him to hold him tomorrow, but Trek does seem nervous with all this and he has been cared for by women. So we are doing what we feel we need to do while we are being observed. Once we get to the hotel things will be more normal. But we will try again tomorrow.

(we still can't post pictures, but come Friday we'll post lots)

So while we're sitting in our room looking at our messages we hear a knock at the door. Before we had a chance to open it, the house keeping lady opened it and asked if we were okay and happy with the room. LOL! Good thing we weren't getting dressed or using the bathroom or something.

Another devotional from today...

We expect Jesus to come in the form of peaceful hymns or Easter Sunday or quiet retreats. We expect to find Him in morning devotionals, church suppers, and meditation. We never expect to see Him in a bear market, pink slip, lawsuit, forecloser, or war. We never expect to see Him in a storm. But it is in storms that He does His finest work, for it is in storms that he has our keenest attention.

We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that's God following you. Look into the storm; that's Christ coming toward you.
Matthew 28:20 "I am with you always..."

Luke 8:50 "Don't be afraid. Just have faith..."

Isaiah 59:19 "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him."

Nehemiah 4:14 "Don't be afraid...Remember the Lord, who is great and powerful. Fight for ...your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes."

Namaste From Kathmandu!

We made it safely to Nepal last night. All the flights were comfortable and we're so excited to be here! We slept great last night, had a nice breakfast this morning and are now waiting for our facilitator to pick us up and take us to visit Trek!!!!

American Airlines/Gulf Air

We just found out that we can see Trek this morning!!!
Okay so the driving/traffic here is INSANE!! A person has to have nerves of steel! I normally do not, but God is giving me the strength I need to not freak out. His orphanage is about a twenty to thirty minute ride from the hotel.

Once we got there we were taken into the office of the director and met his wife (we think). She said hi and smiled and said we could talk later and go spend some time with the baby. We were taken into another building and we went to a room upstairs and spent about 30 minutes with him.

He was crying really hard before we even saw him, so when we came in a took him that didn't make things any easier on him. Poor little guy. We were told it was his nap time.

So he's perfect!!! He looked better than what we expected. His skin is very dry but other than that he seemed good. We brought several toys with us and he held the little turtle the longest.
He didn't have socks or shoes on and the little coat he was wearing seemed big, so I put some pj's on him and wrapped him up in a blanket. We just stopped talking to him and swayed back and forth while whispering prayers in his ear...along with lots of kisses. Finally he fell asleep and I had to give him back to the nanny. Mike held off on holding him today because Trek was so overwhelmed. He plans to hold him tomorrow. We were told we would get full custody of him on Friday....I can't wait!!!


Here's my baby sleeping in my arms!
Praying for the Lord to move this ginormous mountain! It seems so huge and unmovable to us, but we KNOW HE is able! We know He has a perfect plan for Trek. He Knows what he can handle and what he can't.

This is a devotional I read this morning...
For fear of doing the wrong thing for God, some do nothing for God.
For fear of making the wrong kingdom decision, some make no kingdom decision.
For fear of messing up, some will miss out.
But you don't have to. Your God is a good God.
He lavished you with strenghts in this life and a promise of the next. Go out on a limb; he won't let you fall. Take a big risk; he won't let you fail. He invites you to dream of the day you feel his hand on your shoulder and his eyes on your face. "Well done," he will say, "good and faithful servant."

Exodus 15:11
Are there any gods like you, Lord?
There are no gods like you.
You are wonderfully holy,
amazingly powerful,
a worker of miracles!

Keep praying that the Lord will move this mountain and that we'll be able to bring him home with us in December!
Blessing from Nepal!

Look Out Nepal, Here We Come!

Tomorrow is the big day we've been waiting for, we are leaving for Nepal! We are leaving in faith anticipating the God of the Universe to blow us and everyone else away with how He is going to bring Trek home! He has a plan and I can't wait to see what He's gonna do!

We heard from our adoption agency that our official adoption day looks like it's going to be Dec. 3 or maybe a couple days after. We will be able to see him everyday until we take full custody of him. We will do our best to post updates here or on facebook....not sure what one will work.

So, I'll leave you with a special email that was sent to me by one of my sweet friends (that I don't see nearly enough). She knows my anxiety around leaving my girls at home and flying. She is also an adoptive mom of five beautiful kids so she understands this whole process....from every angel.

Did a little research and wanted to share it with you.

“Your chances of being involved in an aircraft accident are about 1 in 11 million. On the other hand, your chances of being killed in an automobile accident are 1 in 5000. Statistically, you are at far greater risk driving to the airport than getting on an airplane. However, the perception is that you have more control over your fate when you are in your car than as a passenger traveling on an airplane. Experience shows otherwise, considering that over 50,000 people are killed on the highways every year.”

So, Miss Tonya… I want you to know that I will be ESPECIALLY praying for you on your DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT… but once you’re seated ON the plane, my mind will be at ease, knowing that you’re safe and sound!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, I wanted to share a mental picture with you that really helped me on my 1^st flight…I just kept envisioning the ENORMITY of the ALMIGHTY GOD compared to our teeny little plane and even our WORLD (which He holds in the palm of His hand)…. And I pictured Him gently gliding our plane along its path (which HE IS! Because He alone is in control of all weather, all gravitational forces, all EVERYTHING!!!!!) and it calmed me to just imagine His mighty hand lifting us along through the air towards our child. (kinda like this picture I’m attaching)

Anyway, hearing you talk about your worries yesterday really make my heart go out to you because I’ve struggled so much with anxiety over the years. I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!!!!! ((((((((((((hug)))))))))))) Leave it to God. HE’S GOT IT COVERED!

Love, Chantelle

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Trek,

Daddy and Momma are coming to get you!

Question

Okay friends as you might guess we have so much on our minds right now. Thank you all for all the encouraging words and prayers! It's comforting to know we have so many people lifting our son & our family to the Father in prayer.

We believe the Lord is going to bring Trek home and we are looking at flights and trying to figure this all out. We have the very real possibility that one or both of us might have to stay in Nepal longer than we... had planned which is going to raise the adoption costs. So far the Lord has provided every penny we've needed and we trust He'll continue to do so.

Our biggest hang up is airfare right at the moment. We've made contact with a Christian children home and they have offered to let us stay with them at no cost and even eat there with them...if we can tolerate it :). So this is a huge blessing and will save almost a thousand dollars. Right now we have 5555.00 for our travel expenses and our tickets alone are looking like 3100.00 to get Mike and I there and home and it looks like we need to plan for about another 1000.00 for Trek's one way ticket home. Trek's visa will be 400.00 and he'll have a medical exam and other fees that need to be paid while we're there. So you can see that even staying somewhere for free our expenses are adding up fast.

I guess what I'm asking/thinking (which I don't know anything about this stuff) is would anyone have sky miles they might want to donate to this big adventure? Like I said I don't know much about how that works. I just remember when we went to China we met someone who traveled with their friend and they paid next to nothing because she had sky miles. It's been a thought I've had kicking around for weeks and so I decided I'd mention it. I don't know if the Lord put that thought there for the purpose of asking or if it's just me. And we're assuming sky miles are transferable...again, not sure if this is correct.

If you have any thoughts you can post here or email me privately at tonya@mpdcad.com

Isn't this the cutest little head you've seen? :)

Keep praying scripture over this little guy! To read the scripture see the post below this one. God bless you guys!

Praying Scripture Over Trek & This Adoption

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I pray about the same thing over and over and over and over and over again....it gets hard. So today I decided I needed to pray scripture over our son and this situation. You can never go wrong praying the Word of God.

I thought I would post some verses I found. If you read this and the Lord brings a scripture to mind please share it with me!

I know yesterdays news was a total bummer, but I'm thanking God that it was not the final decision! I'm soooo thankful for all of our friends who care and are praying with us, for us, for Trek and who offered encouraging words to us. You are all a huge blessing to me!

When I go back and revisit all that has taken place in the last couple of years and how the Lord has done such amazing things I just can't believe He won't finish what He started. You know it was Him who lead us to Nepal, it was Him who provide 30,000.00 for this adoption, it was Him who made our dossier arrive and be delivered just three days before the cut off. It was Him who blessed us with a referral of a son just after seven months of waiting, it was Him who KNEW that 5 days after we were matched the US would suspend adoptions.

I can't believe He would do all these amazing things to pull the rug out from underneath us and say "fooled ya this isn't my plan". We don't serve a God like that. He is the one who created adoption, He loves the fatherless more than we ever could, this entire adoption is His story. I believe He'll complete it!

Please don't stop praying! We need to keep bringing this little one before the Lord daily, as often as we think of him. He's the most precious little boy I've laid eyes on.

Doesn't he have beautiful eyes!

Okay, so here are a few verses that I am praying.

These are verses about the love our Father has for orphans and his promises he makes to them.

Psalm 68:5 “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in dry land.”

Psalm 10:17-18 “LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of earth may oppress no more.”

Psalm 10:14 A Psalm of confidence in God’s triumph over evil. “But you have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, to repay it by your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.”

John 14:18 “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.”

Heb 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Prayer toward the government officials that are in control of this situation.

Exodus 22:22 “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.”

Psalm 50:15 Call on Me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.

Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you know not.

Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks received, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If you, being evil, know who to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father, who is in Heaven, give good things to those who ask Him?

Matthew 21:22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 15:7 If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done to you.

1 John 3:22 And whatever we ask, we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

A Decision in Our Case

Mr. and Mrs. Davis,

Unfortunately, your case has been determined to be not clearly approvable here at the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu. As a result, it has been forwarded to USCIS in New Delhi for further review. Please find the decision letter attached.

Adoption Unit

Consular Section

American Embassy

Kathmandu, Nepal

Tel: 977-1-4007200

Please note the current Adoption Alert for Nepal: http://adoption.state.gov/news/nepal.html

My thoughts....

now that I'm thinking straight and not letting my emotions get the best of me.

Psalm 44:6-8
I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

1 John 4:4
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Trek,
The Lord is with you!
HE LOVES YOU!
He has a plan for you and I don't believe it's to live in an orphanage for the rest of your life!
We will do everything we can to bring you home!
YOU are LOVED!
You are being prayed for!
We will be there as soon as we can buddy!
Once we get you, we won't let you go!
The Lord has a plan to rescue you!
I pray you rest in the arms of Jesus tonight and have sweet dreams.
Daddy and Mommy love you so much!!!!!

Updated Pictures of Our Son

We made contact with a mom a few days ago that happens to be in N*p*l right now and whose child lives in the same orphanage as our little boy. She was able to visit with him and take a few picture for us, which was such a huge blessing! Up till now we didn't really know what he looked like because we had only been given one small picture of him at about 2 months of age.

So if this mom is reading this post...Thank you so much for these pictures! We will treasure them!

As happy as we are to get these pictures it broke my heart to see my little boy in this condition. This mom told me all the kids are neglected and they look malnourished.

We want so badly to hold our little boy and to feed him, clothe him and begin to tell him about how much Jesus love him and has a plan for his life!

PLEASE don't stop praying for him. We heard that the investigation has been completed and they are now trying to make a decision. Please pray they give him clear approval and that we can leave SOON to bring him home!

His name... Trek Hallel P

Trek means to make a long difficult journey (this adoption has been long and difficult, but the Lord has provided!)

Hallel means to praise, to make a show or rave about, to glory in or boast upon, to be clamorously foolish about your adoration of God!

Psalm 44:8 In God we boast all day long, and praise your name forever. Selah

We believe this entire adoption has been orchestrated by the Lord and HE will get all the praise and glory for what only HE can do!

Believing for a miracle...again.

Keep praying friends!

Woke Up To This Email...

Ms. Davis,

We have begun your investigation and anticipate having a decision shortly. We will contact you with a decision soon.

PLEASE keep praying with us!!

You might be adoptiong from Nepal if...

...you were expecting for over 3 years before hearing, "It's a girl/boy".
...you know that I-600 & I-171 aren't highways.
...you've "paid for" 3 citizenships, but never brought anyone into the U.S.
...you know that "the pipeline" has nothing to do with oil.
...your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #2 or #3 or #4).
...you've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime.
...you own new clothing in 3 little sizes for all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big).
...you received an extension but your hair is still the same length.
...when you talk about the fear of being stranded, you're not talking about car trouble.
...you have your senators and representatives on speed dial.
...you know the difference between an RFE and a NOID.
...when you hear the words; Bird, April, Lincoln and Clay, you don't think about a flying creature, a month, a president or kindergarten art.
...you look forward to emails from complete strangers more than your own family
...AND you have the most beautiful child in the world.

Don't stop praying! We are believing to hear good news from a distant land this week!