Hello Everyone. This summer has brought fast action, many changes, and good news. India opened up their registration, and we were very quickly registered. We then received information and word about a little girl who needed a family and that set into motion two months of very quick home study visits, document filing, apostilling, notarizing, and running ourselves ragged. We have to get everything in and signed before our A IC expires in September. (Our home study had already expired along with multiple documents).
When India closed their borders to update their policies, we were put on a 16 month hold that we weren't sure would ever end, so much of our initial work was deemed expired.
The Lord helped us get it done though, and hopefully Mary-Susan Nelson will be with us before 2012 comes to an end. We have two photos, one is of her at 9months, and one is at her second birthday in April. She is absolutely beautiful, and we are all exstatic with excitement.
In the interim Ben and I had started a ministry called "Barnabas Ministry's". We were fufilling the call to help and care for the least of these by caring for and offering assistance to young Christian men who needed help transitioning to adulthood with housing, educational, spiritual, financial, and emotional support. Tito, Billy, and Ryan became a part of our family and home for 3 1/2 very awesome months. We so enjoyed having them with us, and were blessed beyond measure. I have watched the Lord do some amazing work within the minds and hearts of these young men, and watched them grow leaps and bounds. Tito was able to travel to Houston with us for Garricks graduation, and naturally everyone there welcomed him with arms wide open. Ryan and Niki (he stayed with us for a short time in July as well) were able to attend the Foslom reunion, and we were so glad to get to take them to meet some of the extended family.
Sadly, our agency and the Indian athorities would not place Mary-Susan with us as long as the boys were there, so we were forced to rapidly transition them to other places. We are continuing to work with them as much as possible through non-residential support, but we ask all of you reading and following us to please please keep them and that ministry in your prayers. We have every intention of continuing to answer the call to work with at risk young men in our church and community, and would like for these boys and any future boys to be blessed in prayer. They all knew about our adoption, and understood fully why they had to transition out for the time being, but it didn't make it any easier. We miss them terribly and they are struggling a bit so please pray that God will bring some people and situations to help bridge the gap.
We love you all and will keep you updated on our progress and if and when we receive a travel date.
Thank you for helping us this far to bring her home!
Ben, Kasey, Shelby, Landy, Carter, and Mary-Susan Nelson.
