Last night we had a concert of prayer. Some friends of Crossroads are working to adopt two children from Uganda, and they are running into a lot of red tape. This couple was married at the Long House, where our church meets, about two years ago. A few months after their wedding, they went to Uganda as missionaries for six months. They served at the Amani Orphanage, helping the children who have lost their parents to AIDS.
While there, they fell in love with a 5-year-old little girl and her 3-year-old brother. They decided that God wanted them to adopt these children. After they returned to the U.S., they applied for the adoption, through the Ugandan government.
Last May they went to Uganda to finalize the process and bring the children home. But there was a judge who had to approve the adoption. He has issued delay after delay, setting dates for a decision, and then making no decision. The adopting parents came home without their children. The judge finally stopped setting dates, saying that he would contact them when he had decided something.
That’s why we gathered to pray last night. We asked God to move this judge’s heart, so that he would allow the children to come “home” to Winston-Salem, NC. It was a great time of music, praying, scripture, praying, testimony, and praying. God showed up. Even if nothing changes in Uganda, God blessed us by allowing us to focus on him as we sought his intervention.
During one prayer time, our group of pray-ers asked God to disturb the judge’s sleep with dreams about this judicial ruling. We asked God to work in his heart as he slept. We asked that his REM cycle bring him a heightened sense of urgency about releasing these children.
Today, the judge called in sick. Maybe he didn’t sleep well. Seems likely. Maybe tomorrow he will issue his ruling in favor of these children and their parents.
We are still praying and waiting.
