Against All Odds

"Well the odds are certainly against you."

The lady at Compassion International told me when I called them last Friday after learning of our court date and upcoming trip to Ethiopia. I want to try to see Mathews, the boy in Ethiopia we sponsor through Compassion International, while we are there. I know Compassion requires 8 weeks notice and we are giving them roughly 2 weeks notice and asking them to do the near impossible, to set up a visit with all the logistics that must be in place, communicating across time zones and languages.

But, I almost smile when I hear the statement, "the odd are against you." Because, that's nothing new to us. And really it doesn't scare me any more. Because honestly the odds don't matter. My God can do anything. He is not confined to operating within the odds.

I don't mean to say that God always works things out like we want, because that is certainly not true, or that I expect He will always give us what we ask for. But, it just means that I believe He can do big things and when He doesn't do what we'd like to see happen, I trust that there is a greater reason for that, a plan He knows and works for good according to His kingdom purposes.

So, I tell the representative on the phone I understand the odds and would like to request the visit anyway. She tells me of a form we have to fill out and a fee we'll have to pay that she'd just hate for us to do and then not get to see Mathews. I tell her we're going through an adoption, forms and fees no longer scare me.

And sure enough, the form and the fee are nothing compared to what we've been through.

And way more than worth doing for even the small chance at getting to see Mathews on this trip. To hug the boy we've written and prayed for, sent birthday gifts to, and gotten letters from for a few years. To see him eye to eye and tell him we love him and are so happy to play a part in his growing up.

And the good news of the phone call? The Compassion visit form and fee don't expire for 18 months, and the lady told me if we don't get to meet Mathews on this visit then there's a really good chance we will be able to on the 2nd trip.

But, we'd love for it to happen on this 1st trip because then our two older children will get to meet him, too. Praying we get odds defying news in the next week that a visit has been able to be arranged.

Find more Thankful Thursday here.