Dave's Update 2
There are times when God seems silent and then there are times when God seems to be speaking and moving in evident ways. For us, this is one of those times when God is clearly on the move. Friday night we had the privilege of talking with Edward and Cecelia Kofi, the pastor and his wife who oversee all the ACFI ministries which include the orphanage where Sayfou and Matterline are currently living. In fact, he was the man responsible for creating and building these places that work so hard to take care of children.
We sat in Mama Ruth's living room talking to Pastor Kofi and Cece, learning more about Liberian culture, the history of the country, the violent conflicts that have traumatized so many there, and God's heart for adoption. How did this happen? Because many years ago, Pastor Kofi ministered in Liberia with Allen and Ruth Finley, the parents of Melissa Myers, who is one of our very best friends. In a world with billions of people, separated by continents and oceans, we happened to be sitting just a few miles from our house here in Charlotte talking to the man who founded the same orphanage where Sayfou and Matterline live on the other side of the world.
One other cool thing happened during that conversation. Before we had even heard of Sayfou and Matterline, I had wanted to go to Africa as a psychologist. I had come close to going on a church trip to Ethiopia earlier in the year, but the trip came up too quickly for me to be ready to go in time. I told my pastor and others that I eventually wanted to find a way to go to Africa as a psychologist, much in the same way that physicians or dentists go on short-term medical missions. I thought my specialties with trauma might be something I could use in Africa. I brought this up with Pastor Kofi and he was very receptive to the idea; in fact, he wants to talk to me before he returns to Liberia about what this might look like. (We actually have a lunch appointment on Tuesday, February 5th.) My thoughts are still forming, but I would love to develop an ongoing plan to assess African children for post-traumatic stress and then equip workers and counselors there to understand and even treat it. I'll keep you posted on this, but it could be really exciting stuff.
The evening reminded me again that with God, big things (like the world) can become small and small things (like a conversation) can become big.
so fun to keep up with what is going on with you all and the adoption process. Praying for you! God is very BIG!
I finished The Shack and I must say...you MUST read it! It is really good and will rock your understanding of God manifest in three Persons and what that means for us. Anyway, read it and let me know what you think.
Love,
Caroline
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