from Jennie Bixby (Tues.pm, 1/26) - “Thankful for the answers to prayer. My heart is heavy after talking to Bob this evening. Bob’s last 24 hours: he felt a large after-shock that knocked down more buildings, went to see an orphanage, a baby was born at the clinic, searched the village for a baby bottle, and another baby is fighting for her life at the clinic. He said that the team can’t believe it’s only Tuesday. He said, ‘Each day seems like a month.’“

Please continue to pray for Jeremy and Anouk Scott. Their referral for the adoption of Alex and Elvin (a.k.a., “Josiah”) had been a hope and expectation for the last 15 months, and for much of that time, according to Liberian court rulings, the boys were legally “Scott” sons. However, the moratorium on Liberian adoptions over the past year or so (for the government to be able to make reforms to the system) has put a significant strain on the waiting process. Jeremy and Anouk were loving and supporting the boys from afar, wanting them home, and praying for clear direction and provision from God about how/whether to continue pursuing them. As of yesterday, October 19th, God appears to have answered their prayers in an unmistakable way. This below is from the Scotts’ adoption journal entry today:

The wait is over….

October 20, 2009

Yesterday I received a phone call from our adoption agency. The birth mother of Alex and Elvin has come back asking to take her two boys out of the orphanage and to live with her. The wait has been long. The boys have been there for two years. Their mother gave them up because she felt she could not take care of them and wished for a better life for them. Now, she feels she is in a better place to care for them and she does not wish for them to stay in an orphanage until the country decides to reopen adoptions. Frankly, I don’t blame her.

As you can imagine, we are disappointed. We hurt. But one of the reasons we wanted to adopt was because it reminds us of God’s Sovereignty. God is sovereign in this as He is with every other situation. Anouk described how we feel right now like one of those days when it is raining, but the sun comes out at the same time. There is a mixture of grief at the loss and relief at the closure, especially since the closure involves them being back with their mother.

We are thankful for the journey. Many people have partnered with us through prayer, encouragement and financial giving. We thank you. Your support to us throughout the last two and a half years has been so appreciated.

We are not sure what the Lord has for us or even why He led us down this road. But right now, our adoptive Father and our adoptive brother, Jesus are comforting us.

Blessings to all. Please pray for us…it is a struggle for us right now.

With much love and appreciation,

Jeremy & Anouk