Rwanda?

I forget sometimes that not everyone knows that we are adopting. It is a very personal thing, but not private. We love to talk about our adoption with anyone who asks and sometimes I have to contain myself from blurting out that we are adopting from Rwanda to total strangers. I feel so many emotions when it comes to adoption because God has laid this on our hearts and brought us through the process to surrender our lives to Him. In no way do I ever want to make anyone feel judged or guilty for not adopting, but I hope to encourage everyone to think joyfully about adoption and that they can take part in some small way. If I seem overly excited about this journey it's because it is a constant reality of God's grace, mercy and love for us.
So why Rwanda? Well, we prayed a lot and then we prayed some more and the programs that were least consuming for time and finances were Rwanda and Ethiopia. I first started looking at anything I could find on the internet about Rwanda, like where in the world was it. I came across an organization that helps in Rwanda called Rwanda Partners and they started a company for the local women to sell baskets in the US. I feel in love with the baskets and their stories. Jesse and I watched everything we could get our hands on concerning the country and cried-a lot. It's a tinny country with much beauty and deep sorrow. Rwanda has one of the highest %s of orphans per-capita than any where else in the world. 50% of the 10 million people living there are under the age 14. I wanted to do something there and be apart of that country as it was taking me in. So I signed up to be a consultant for the baskets because I wanted to do something for the women who are there now. Our adopted children will have something that we have integrated into our lives from their homeland. The Rwanda Basket Company is a beautiful thing that I love. I do have so much more to say, but don't want to talk you ears off so please get to know this country yourselves and see if you can stay away.