It is hot!

Whew! It’s been nuts over the past few months! I’m exhausted just trying to collect my thoughts about the events.

Bauya is good and hot. I have refrained from any complaints on heat, dry, wet or sweat, because I moved to Africa. What did I expect? But March in SL has made a bit of a whiner of me! I am hot, it is dry, and my shirt and pants are soaked constantly because of sweat! There it’s out there. West Africa is hot. You are welcome for the education on the climate 8 degrees above the equator. Now you know!

The Ropiecki’s are well, in spite of the heat. Mike is seeing more and more progress at the site. It is so exciting to see all those blocks lined up waiting to become a house for kids. I know without a doubt God has amazing big things planned through this. I think in the next few generations we will see huge changes in this country thanks to the love and care that will be given to a group of orphans and the surrounding community through this little plot of land in the middle of nowhere. I love waiting for the exciting unknown almost as much as I like knowing everything!

I got a visit from my father! I have missed my family desperately, so seeing his face lifted my spirits and was just good old fashioned fun! His sweet fiancé was brave enough to trek across the big blue ocean and join the adventure. I was a bit worried. One, I didn’t know if the heat would be too much. Two, it can be a bit chaotic and crazy here and lastly, it is a far cry from how I lived in the states. But I haven’t seen him have more fun or be so at ease in such a long time. We had an incredible visit. He held village children’s hands, experienced the market, carried a few bricks, tickled his grandchildren, and even endured a two mile hike to Mowotto, the birthplace of his two newest grandkids. I was so happy to share my life here with them. I’m good now; I can go a bit longer!

 

Our house is a hotbed of action from dawn until dusk. People are in and out all day long with different things. Maybe they need help, maybe they need to talk about a problem or maybe they just want to greet me. I never know who will be outside my gate! One of the people who come to our compound often to work is a man named Joe. We love Uncle Joe. He is a funny man who loves practical jokes and playing with my kids. He is an incredibly talented carpenter who has built several wonderful and functional pieces of furniture for Casa de la Ropiecki. (When you have three rooms every piece of furniture becomes prime storage space and precious) Joe fought in the war as a civilian that assisted villages in escaping before the incoming rebels would take over an area. He is tough as nails but stops to play with Ella and Hawa every day and sends them around with frogs to spring on unsuspecting parents or guards. He is awesome!

Joe is a Muslim man that we have been praying for, for some time. We have desperately wanted him to start a walk with Christ, but sometimes that can be a bit tricky here. However, we have seen several Christian men pour time and love into his life and have slowly watched his curiosity grow. All of the time spent with Joe has paid off and came to a head when my dad came.  All it took was his go getting attitude and the next thing I know I am translating what a walk with Christ looks like to Joe and hearing him say, “I believe you when you say Jesus is the way to God.” It was incredible!! So, it is with great joy I make the announcement of a new brother and an awesome addition to a big family.

We are here to build an orphanage, an orphanage that is currently seeing children become part of their forever families. We are watching them light up, grow and change as they are joined to a family that loves them unconditionally and sees them as their children no matter their DNA. The parents are so happy because they now have the children that their hearts have been seeking and the children glow because they realize they are loved and not going through life on their own. God held them for this family.

I have 1 adopted daughter and 2 that I want desperately to make my legally adopted children. I have 5 children total and I struggle to remember which are biological and which are adopted. I often tell children who ask why some of my children are black and some are white that sometimes God puts babies in our bellies and sometimes he plants them in our hearts. It is true. None of our children have been planned by us, but God knew our holes and filled them with our hearts desire regardless if we were aware of them or not. What I have seen is my heart filled with more love, patience and contentment and my children become their radiant self that God created them to be. I believe completely that adoption is God’s heart. Just as Joe is now my brother in Christ thanks to adoption, I also know that I have brothers and sisters all over the world loving the same daddy I do. It breaks my heart to think of the adoring way I look at my girls and know that God is looking down on me with the same glimmer and love in his eyes. I am Jesus’s sister and adored the same. He can’t remember who his birth son is and who he has adopted! I am loved.

I am exhausted most days and can’t imagine adding more children to our gaggle at this point but I can see people everywhere I look who need their forever father whether they realize it or not. He is working with all his might to get papers in hand and bring them home to watch them grow and become a member of our kooky crazy family! I understand his want and urgency (maybe just a glimpse). My only hope is to be broken to bring them to him.

So, adoption is God’s heartbeat. It is what he loves. I mean that in both a spiritual way and a literal way. Crack your Bible and give James a scan if you think I’m crazy. If you don’t feel the need to run out and adopt a child, find an organization that will allow you to support the orphan (TRS is a good starting place) Find a couple that need to raise funds to bring home their precious ones. Do something!! It isn’t a calling for the select few, it is a command from God! (please read James so you don’t think I’m crazy)

On a different note, we finally have our Just Dance working. I AM SO HAPPY! I love dancing! It has been so fun. Some of our African friends have joined us in a few night time dance parties. Pretty much the most I have laughed in…..ever. Everyone gives it their best and it is great to see them start to learn the steps but in the meantime, it is hilarious. We had a girl tell us that she really wished she could dance like us because white people have all the best dance moves……..really?