Call to Prayer

You may have seen from our last few posts on Facebook that our joy in adopting Asher has been devastated with difficult news and an uncertain future. Saturday evening we posted that Asher was officially ours, which, as far a we knew, was true. The only person who could circumvent our adoption was a birth father who didn't know his son existed... which is exactly what happened. We had been told that the birth father knew of his child, was not at all interested him, had moved to California, and changed his cell phone number.

However, it turns out the birth mother lied to everyone, including telling the father that she'd had a miscarriage back in October. Monday, after her rights had been terminated for almost 2 days, she was having second thoughts, so she contacted the father and told him he had a son.  He showed up in the NICU while Colleen was holding Asher, which was obviously unbelievably traumatic.   

Now our entire adoption hangs on what the probably overwhelmed 20 year old birth father wants to do.  The birth mother completely terminated her rights, and seemed so happy to give him up to us.  When she experienced some doubts, like most birth mothers do, she received counseling through the adoption agency from mothers who have given children up in the past.  We thought that things were okay, and were completely blindsided by this news.

The birth mother has no idea what she wants now, since she told the adoption agent that she doesn't want the father to have any rights over the child... that's probably why she lied to him in the first place.  But now that she's brought him into things, it is all his choice, and he can get sole custody, as long as he passes a paternity test and proves that he can provide for the child (apparently his mother would take care of Asher). 

Our adoption agent told us from the beginning, that in 20+ years of doing adoptions, she never had a birth father come back to claim his rights.  But honestly, based on text messages and what has been said so far, chances are very high that we will lose our son. 

So friends, this is a call to pray.  At 8:30am this morning, the birth parents are meeting with the adoption agency to discuss their options, and our son's future hangs in the balance.  It is hard to believe that there is so much turmoil in his little, 6 day old life, especially as we were stroking his soft hair last night.  We will be by his side again today, weeping, praying, and feeling helpless right along with him, as other people make decisions that will shape the rest of all of our lives. 

We believe in a God who can change hearts and minds, and who is sovereign over man.  We need Him to come to us in a big way.  Please pray for Godly wisdom for the adoption agents and social workers, for the emotionally unstable birth mother, for clarity of thought for a young birth father who just found out he has a son, and especially for a beautiful 6 day old boy... that all involved would have his best interest at heart and that the Lord's will would be done in his life. 

We are terrified, and feel like we are going through having our future and the child(ren) we love ripped away from us, just like a year and a half ago in Kenya with the triplets.  Please pray for us if the news isn't good... I don't think I can do this again... I can't watch another child taken away from my loving wife.  I believe that God can do miracles, but I also know that I've asked for them before in a very similar situation and had to return home without our children.

Thank you so much for your prayers.

Cason

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4

Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babes, you have established your strength. - Psalm 8:2