Desperately seeking prayer and God's intervention with Isaiah. He was sick throwing up the first night here, all night. Yesterday also periodically. No appetite. Slept last night but woke very lethargic, won't eat, got him to drink a bit of juice and soy milk, which he then brought back up right away. Just laying around listless- those of you who know my Isaiah know he is NEVER still. We are starting to worry, please pray

Cali

We had a relaxing day today settling in and resting a bit from the trip. We met this evening with our translator and lawyer in preparation for our first meeting with Anyi and Jose. Very good meeting and we recieved favorable reports of their thoughts about the adoption and a brief insight into their personalities. Anyi is shy and Jose has a lot of personality!

Posting some picture of our apartment building and the local area. The photo of the front of the apartment building shows our apartment which is on the second floor with open curtains. Today we also had a flashback from living in Hawaii- Josh caught a Gecko in our apartment. Geckos are tolirated in tropical climates- even in your house because with resident geckos there are not resident bugs!

Arrived Cali

We arrived safe. Not without challenges, but safe and settling in. Can't believe we are finally here.
Jim and Betty.

Have You Ever Loved a Child?

Have you ever loved a child who grows inside the womb of the wife of your youth? I have known this love.

Have you ever loved a child who is just bursting forth into the world screaming, but oh so soft and warm and full of promise? I have know this love.

Have you ever loved a child who grows inside the womb of the wife of your youth, who the LORD chooses not to bring to term, a child whom your will only meet in Glory? I have know this love.

Have you ever loved a child only to discover one day the child has become an adult and you must let them go ? I have know this love.

Have you ever loved a child who does not look like you, and in whose veins flow the blood of others? I have known this love.

Have you ever loved a child who can look into your eyes and pierce you into your very soul? I have known this love.

Have you ever loved a child who is hurting from neglect or abuse? I have know this love.

Have you ever loved a child God has given you and felt the breath of life slip out of him? I have know this love.

Have you ever loved a child that God allows their lungs to begin to pump again, or return from serious illness? I have know this love.

Have you ever loved a child who was not created perfectly by the world's standards, but perfectly by God's? I have known this love.

Have you ever loved a child who has lived through great tragedy in life? I have known this love.

Have you ever been a child in need of a great love? I have been that child and the Father of Life has given me that love.

God has given me so many amazing moments and memories as a dad. Two days till we leave for Colombia and I am praising God for His love for me and for all these 33 years he has allowed me to experience the love of so many children.

All things work together for good.....

Only having two weeks to finalize everything presents...... well lots of challenges. As I write this tonight I am thinking about the fact that I have been so wrong. I have been thinking in terms of OUR adoption journey. Not so. A journey it surely is, along the way are many hills and valley to be sure. They course is never easy- which goes a long way towards explaining why so few are willing to travel down this road. At the end of this path are 148 million children who need a home and a family. Think of that, 148 million. The enemy of ur LORD is intimately aware of that number - 148 million. While in my reflection about this number I cry bitter tears for all the children who wait and hope that somewhere there is a family for even them, someone who will fill that deep hollow empty place in their hearts that longs for the love of a family. But the enemy of our LORD, he laughs, he taunts and he scoughs at these little one - lying to them, he tell them there is no one who loves you, no one who wants you. And like me these 148 million little ones weep bitter tears in their despair.

The enemy knows what he is about. He lays up snares and traps along the way for any who would dare to start down the road towards adoption of one of these - whom our LORD called "the least of these" in Matthew's gospel. Betty and I have now been on this path for more than 4 years and have been subjected to many of the traps and attacks of the enemy of our LORD. The enemy knows that in that day that even one of the 148 million children finds a home where they can learn the good news of the gosple of Jesus - he looses the battle for their eternal soul. If you are reading this and are considering adoption- do not be afraid because greater is our LORD than he who is in the world. We serve a LORD of victory not a lord of defeate. 

4 years on this path and we are not yet at the end of our journey. Yes, we have reached milestones along the way, but have further yet to go. Tonight I want you to know that you like Christian from The Pilgrim's Progress can reach the end of your journey if you stay the course. Along the way are many obstacles waiting to convince you to take an easier way. You will surely (as we have ) come face to face with doubt. These doubts cry out to you things like:

The process is to difficult
The monitary cost is too high
You are too old or maybe too young
You already have too many children
The little ones you adopt might have flaws and imperfections ( I have these - do you?)
There are so many other lies the enemy tells just like these

If you are steadfast and do  not give in to the doubts, then you face the stark reality of the mountains of papers you must compile to send your dossier to some remote corner of the world- or maybe you will send all of your paperwork across your own town to your local social services organization. You can accomplish it- the task is defeated by filling in one blank at a time - one page at a time - one notary at a time, one apostille at a time. Paper an ink are no match to the Creater of the Universe. He WILL empower you to get it done.

Then the wating begins, and the enemy will whisper in your ear- you will never get a referal. This lie is spoken in a barely audible whisper- over and over and over. Recognize it IS a lie, the referral will come. When you are faithful to God's call to be a father to the fatherless, He will honor this and bless you with the referral according to His perfect timing. Do not grow weary of the wait. He has only the best in mid for you. It will come, and in that moment your heart will sing out with a great joy. Keep waiting.

Just when you thought the worst was behind you - completing your dossier. You are faced with all the paperwork and actions that come between your referral and your travel date. It will seem overwhelming- it always does. It did to us and it will to you. Persevere, you are almost there. The enemy will not give up at this point, he will attack and attack. The plane reservations may be difficult to secure, your travel visas may elude you, unexpected cost will asail you. Persever, these attacks are not a surprise to our LORD, and He gives you all that you need and more to overcome them and to finish the course.

One day your "Gotcha day" WILL arrive, let me say that again the day WILL arrive. In that moment there will be an emotional tidal wave that will overwhelm you, enjoy that moment. Only those who have experience it will completely understand. After the Gotcha day comes the first year. Be ready- it will not be easy. There will be days filled with joys unspeakable, abd there will be days filled with unxepected challenges. You will get through it and I dare to even say you will ultimately charish these days- even with the challenges.

In only a week we will hold in our arms Anyi and Jose. Our LORD is allowing us to steward them on His behalf  for a little while. As I said in the begining of this post, tonight I am thinking I have been so wrong about the journey. As I prepare to leave for Cali Colombia, my LORD impresses on my heart this has not been my journey after all. Every minute and every step this has actually been His journey, as unworthy as I am, He has blessed me with the priviledge of riding along with Him.

Time to Go!

Quite unexpectedley, we recieved our travel date yesterday! Rejoice with us as we prepare to leave for Cali Colombia on the 24th of September! We were expecting to have 3 to 5 weeks of advance notice - not 2 weeks- yikkes!! We know that God's plans and His ways are perfect and so we have begun the scramble to get everything done so we can leave on the 24th.

As you can guess, we are feeling every emotion you can think of from excitement to stress and everything in between. Most though we feel joy and anticipation for the opportunity that God has given us to love and nurture these little ones for Him.

We covet your prayers in so many ways. Just to mention a few:

Travel arrangements/ safe travel

That God will prepare Anyi and Jose's hearts for our first meeting

For our accomodations in Cali

Speedy processing in country and a quick return

Safety for Betty when I return before her

The children will integrate well and quickly

They will come to know Christ as Savior

I will remain calm and patient travelling with 9 children including two 2 year olds!

Jose and Anyi will see our love for them

WISDOM

Jim

One step closer

The pace of our third adoption is beginning to pick up speed. First we received our referral for J and A when we had been told no referrals were coming out of Colombia. Now today the notoriously slow CIS has acted QUICKLY!!!!!

Today we received our I 800 from CIS. This is the second and final document  we need from immigration.  We now have the final approval to bring A and J into the US as our son and daughter.
Praise God!  We still don't know our travel date, but it is now closer than we had been expecting.

As I sit here tonight writing this post ....  I wonder if they know about us. I wonder if they are excited for the new adventure life has in store for them.  I wonder if they are scared at the prospects of a new family, a new home, a new language, a new country.... A new life. I wonder about these things because if I was to face this I would surely feel all these things and more. My prayers go out to them tonight that God will give them His peace in their hearts. I pray that the tears I will shed when we meet will help them to see the depth of the love I already feel for them.

I wonder what they feel tonight in the depth of their hearts- especially the unspoken emotions that have been held back these years since thier parents were murdered. God give these children of yours healing for their broken hearts and compassion for my heart to love them unconditionally as you love me. I pray simply for the wisdom to know how to raise them in the way they should go. Hasten the time LORD when I may hold them in my arms and whisper in their ears "Mi hijo,  Mi hija" "Amo a mis hijos".

The kids on Easter

 Our grandchildren

For the twins birthday, we had a Mickey Mouse themed party.

Having fun at Lake Michigan

I Hope Something Good Happens Today

After a particularly rough day yesterday, my wife Betty said to Brianne and Kaitlyn this morning, “I hope something good happens today.” Today started out as a very busy and chaotic day and then……

While Betty and Katie were getting their hair cut and Betty received a call from Children’s Hope International. Have you ever had a day where events just send your adrenaline levels through the roof. Betty’s adrenaline rush shot her off like a rocket and she still not come back to earth!

Nicole told her WE HAVE A REFERRAL!!!!!!! She was just as excited as we are as this is the first Colombian referral Children’s Hope has received in the last 4 months. The Colombian program has slowed down as I mentioned in my last post because of an internal review of their procedures. We have really not been expecting a referral because of this internal review. This phone call took us completely by surprise and we are still trying to internalize all the news. We share an overwhelming sense that God’s hand is behind this referral, even though the details of the referral is not what we had asked Colombia for. We are so excited and grateful to God.

We will not be able to share photos for several weeks still, but here is what we can share:

We have been referred a sibling group of a 9 year old girl and a 6 year old boy from Cali, Colombia. They were orphaned in 2008. We are very limited in being able to share anything else until we are MUCH further along in the process. Keep us in your prayers and our new children as well. We will refer to them as A. and J. in future updates. Rejoice with us.

Jim

Dedication of our family tree

Last spring I planted a tree. My thought was that this would be our family tree.

Now I know it sounds a bit silly to dedicate a scraggly little tree (that came in a small box in the mail) as our family tree. If you can humor me for a moment and think of me as the trunk of the family tree, then maybe the connection makes more sense. When Betty and I started our life together I was definitely a scraggly wisp of a man. And I mean that physically, spiritually and emotionally. This spring there was one delicate and beautiful blossom on my cherry tree and that too reminded me of our beginnings- in my eye Betty was and still is the most beautiful flower my eyes have ever seen. This tree is such a reflection of our lives beginning together.

This tree is a fitting symbol of our family in so many ways. We began our life together as very young and very idyllic youth, just beginning to sprout and grow. Betty was 19 and I was but 20. Most people didn’t think we stood a chance getting married so young. And I confess there were many times if Betty had been in her right mind she would have traded me in on a flashier model! I praise God He never allowed her to be in her right mind. This tree is going to grow and as it does I hope it will be a reminder to all of us of how we have grown together over the years.

One of the ways this tree will remind us of our family, is that it is a cherry tree, but not just any cherry tree. This tree has a trunk onto which have been grafted three different varieties of cherries. As all of you know, God has blessed us in such a way - that by His hand and by His provisioning and by His power our family tree also has three varieties grafted onto it. He has blessed us with 8 children by birth, 3 (soon to be 5) children from Colombia, South America, and also the twins from Texas. The fruit this tree will bear will be three different colors. Our children like the fruit of this tree look different, ah but each one is a unique and special delight to Betty and I and to God for whom we steward them. Just as the fruit of this tree will one day be a delight to our palates. All of these children – God has grafted lovingly and deliberately onto the Porter family tree are a delight to Him. Together we are all shoots off the trunk, but one family as the branches on this tree together make up one tree.

And yet we are individuals, unique creations of God. The fruit of this tree will all be sweet but will have their own unique flavor. So too each of our children are given special gifts and talents that will allow them to produce different fruits to the glory of God. As they branch out and pursue God’s calling on their lives, each of their fruits will look and taste different (so to speak), but will all be a sweetness on God’s lips. It is commonly said that a fruit tree takes years to produce fruit from the day it is planted. The branches of our tree also must grow for a time before they can begin to bear fruit for God. Betty and I pray that we will be able to tenderly care for each branch so that in the appointed time each will produce much fruit.

As a dad, I find myself often joking and saying that I do not plan to tell any of my children that they are adopted. Of course this is something I would never need to tell them since they are so different from me in appearance that they absolutely will know that. We bought t-shirts for Makenzie and Isaiah that say, “Don’t tell parents, but they don’t look a bit like me”. They will know, and we would not want to hide this fact from them. On further reflection though, I think I will tell ALL of my children that they all are adopted. I will also want them to know that Betty and I are adopted. In a bigger sense, this little cherry tree represents the family of God. In Galatians 4:4-7 we read:

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

So as this tree grows, it will remind us of this great truth that we are all adopted into the family of God through our common faith in Jesus. I hope to one day be able to look each of my children in the eye and tell them they indeed are adopted. It is this middle aged man’s prayer that there will be many braches (grandchildren and great grandchildren) added to this family tree. I pray for many generations who will be adopted as sons of the most high God, many who will cry out to Him “Abba, Father”.

Jim

Still Waiting

We continue to wait.  We have been hearing lately that all Colombian adoptions are on hold as the country goes through a review of its internal processess and proceedures. They are conducting the review to make sure they are doing everything in the best possible way to both place children needing homes and to make sure all their proceedures are in strict compliance with Colombian law. Hence our waiting time has been longer than we expected.

We did find out yesterday that out Dossier has been moved from the national office to the regional office in Cali. Yee Haw- any news is better than no news!

Jim and Betty

Life Has Value

Last summer, I listened to a radio talk show that recounted the story of a popular entertainer who was being criticized for daring to have a fourth child. That broadcast made me feel compelled to share my thoughts in response. In the short spot during that broadcast, this man was condemned by the "enlightened people" of the entertainment industry. They wanted to condemn the family because they dared to have a 4th child. If only they knew of my family. I am proud to be the father of 13 children, yes that's right 13. The “enlightened people” would be even more appalled to know that I will soon be the father of 15 maybe 16 children. I am immensely proud of each one of my children. Normally, when asked, I tell people I ONLY have 13 children. The ONLY generally causes people to not ask all the follow on questions you can imagine they think of. My children range in age from 32 years old to twins who are 2 years old. Eight of these children are biological children (yes all by my ONE wife of 34 years). When we could no longer conceive children of our own, we felt that God was still not finished with us as parents. We felt a calling to expand our family through adoption. Three years ago, we adopted a sibling group of 3 children from one of the slums surrounding Bogota, Colombia. Two summers ago we had the amazing opportunity to adopt infant twins from San Antonio, Texas. Our son Isaiah very nearly did not survive his 2 month premature birth weight of 2 pounds 13 ounces. My wife Betty and I had always wanted twins - just never expected to have them in our 50s. More shocking to the opponents of children (because fundamentally that's who they are) we in the process of adoption again. We have also had multiple children lost through miscarriage. Had we not adopted our three Colombian kids, they were destined for abject poverty and probably death on the streets of Bogota. I suspect those who criticized the gentleman expecting his fourth child would not have grieved for them or the millions like them. I also believe they would have screamed at the unwed mother who gave the twins to us through adoption that she should have aborted them. Ah if only you could see my son Isaiah and his four dimples when he smiles for me his daddy. We don't know where God will bring us our next children from, but I feel secure many would say that their lives are of no value and should have never been conceived. I say they are so sadly and totally wrong.


Life has value. Even when we don't value it, life has value. It is the gift of the Creator of the universe.

What ever happened to us in America? What happened to the days when children were valued as the gift of God. In my father's generation, the birth of a child was considered a cause for celebration. A son was the apple of a father's eye! The entire community rejoiced with the family. What ever happened in America that has brought us to the low place we now find ourselves where children are no longer a blessing, no longer valued for the future they represent? Whatever happened to America? What has cause so many in America and the other Western Countries to now view children as burden, a financial liability, and a drain on their pursuit of self indulgence and self gratification? What ever happened to America?

I suspect it has changed dramatically from the vision our founding fathers had. I suspect they never expected we would push the God they served and the values they held out of our public square. I suspect they never imagined how far morality would sink in the Home of the Brave. I suspect they never imagined a day when the phrase we do ordain for ourselves and our posterity would be replaced with the phrase we do ordain for ourselves and no longer desire posterity. I suspect they never imagined the day that a man would not view his role as a father as the greatest role he would ever play. I suspect they never imagined a day like today.

As we in the western world devalue children, Latin America, Islam and other places where children are valued continue to grow because they VALUE children. Opponents of children and larger families will eventually loose this battle, but they will not loose it to man like me, but rather to cultures and ideologies who open their arms to accept the blessing of children, and in that day I wonder if America will any longer bear any resemblance to its beginnings. I find myself wondering if we in America will go the way of Japan and western European countries. Will our birth rate become so low we will simply become extinct? Yes, I wonder, whatever happened to America.

Could it be that we are loosing favor in the sight of God who commanded us to be fruitful and multiply? Could it be that when we as a nation evicted God from our classrooms that He in turn might choose to with hold His blessing from our nation? Could it be that when we stripped the ten commandments from the walls of our courthouses and other public places that He might choose to abandon us as a nation to our own depravity to live in the absence of the moral law which was so apply stated in His ten commandments. Has He returned us to the time of the book of Judges where every man does as he desires in his own heart – without restraint? Could it be that as we as a nation have devised unimaginable forms of birth control and abortions, that He has allowed the darkness of our deeds to snuff out our ability to see the perfection of His light?

Yes, I wonder, what hope remains for my beloved America that has banished God from so many places in our lives. If you know my Lord, then you know even in these times filled with discouragement, we have hope, and that hope has a name. Yes, a name that is above every other name. The name is Jesus, the Christ. While we yet wait for His return, we as His people have great hope though we live in what seams to be hopeless times. When He comes He will surely judge the nations, but we His people will rejoice and be glad in that day. And in that day, it will not matter what has happened to America.

I don't hold a lot of degrees or powerful positions in my community. I would say that I am relatively unknown except for a couple of articles I published about adoption that few have probably read. I have served this county's Army for 20 years, and my God for 40 years. I am nobody special and nobody of any significance except perhaps to those 13 who call me daddy, and that is all that matters. I will raise them to value life, and faith and family.
 
Jim

The Little Chap Who Follows Me

We were reminded recently of the poem entitle The Little Chap Who Follows Me. The poem is below to remind you, you have probably read it or heard it before:


The Little Chap Who Follows Me!
Author: Unknown

A careful man I want to be;
A little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray
For fear he'll go the self same way.

I cannot once escape his eyes,
Whate'er he sees me do, he tries.
Like me he says he's going to be;
The little chap who follows me.

He thinks that I'm so very fine,
Believes in every word of mine.
The base in me he must not see;
The little chap who follows me.

I must remember as I go
Through summer's sun and winter's snow,
I'm building for the years to be;
The little chap who follows me.

As a family, we are blessed to be able to gather around the table 3 times a day, most days. This time together is so important for families. It is our tradition for each child to have a turn offering a blessing over the meal in rotation. Recently, I happened to look up during one of these prayers to find my barely two year old son Isaiah as you see him in the photo below. We did not teach him this- he just learned from watching us!The poem is so true in so many ways. Dads- our children do watch and act on everything they see us do. I have seen this played out so many times in my 32 years of fathering. I pray I will always remember the little chaps (and their sisters!) who watch and follow me. I pray that what they see and emulate of me will be pleasing to my Heavenly Father as this picture of Isaiah must. I trust as He looked down upon Isaiah, He smiled as I did. Since I noticed that day, we can get him to repeat the moment anytime we tell him it is time to pray. I am so glad to know in at least one way I am as the poem says "building for the years to be". May all my children always be so eager to pray as Isaiah is today. I know God will hear them- and answer according to His perfect will.

Jim

Waiting anew

Received notice from Colombia late this afternoon. Our referal for Carolina and Neydali has been withdrawn by ICBF. God has closed this door, we trust He has another door
He wants us to walk through by having faith and trusting Him.

Thank you for your prayers.

Delayed Again

Job said it best. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.


This note is to let you know that we have had a development in our effort to follow God’s calling to adopt Carolina and Neydali. Let me explain. Yesterday we received a call from Children’s Hope. We had been expecting a call to be told our final document had been received from Immigration. We were at Joshua’s final basketball tournament of the year and did not hear the phone. We eagerly called back, only to face some very unexpected and shocking news. Although almost everything was complete in Colombia, the girls birth mother has somehow petitioned to stop the adoption and get her girls back. This was totally unexpected. The birth mother has not had any contact that we are aware of for 4 years and only a very few contacts in the 3 years before that. We do know that her parental rights were terminated and the girls have been legally place up for adoption by the Columbian government. We have read in great detail the birth family circumstances and the reasons they were taken from the mother- Nedali from the time she was 4 months old.

This comes as a complete shock to us. If their birth mother is now able to care for them and there has been dramatic change in her life circumstances, we do not want to stand in the way, even though we already love these two girls desperately. If the circumstances of extreme poverty and suffering have not changed we hope that Carolina and Neydali will be protected from that.

This sort of thing simply does not happen in international adoption. Nobody we are working through knows how to respond or what to expect. We don’t know if this means a delay of weeks or months or that God may be closing this door. We are in a state of disbelief and don’t know what to think or do. We were expecting to travel in in 3 or 4 weeks – now we wait.

While we don’t know what to do or think, we do know that God is still on His throne, and His hand is still on this endeavor. We do not pretend to understand the mind of God, nor de we desire to second guess His will in this adoption. Rather, we pray that His will be done. We know if we do not become Carolina and Neydali’s parents, we will grieve for them. Whatever the outcome we praise Him. He is our God and we love Him and submit to Him fully. We hope to get more information on what all this means over the next two weeks.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

We covet your prayers. Please pray:

1) That God will allow this to be resolved quickly
2) That He will comfort us in our grief if we loose Carolina and Neydali
3) That God will make clear what is do be done for these girls
4) That Carolina and Neydali will be happy and well cared for