Discern
During a worship gathering in November 2008, Matt Moberly discerned that God was urging him to make a difference in the world. Curiously, in his mind, this urging was missing a second, equally important component: clear instructions to quit his job, pack up the family and move everyone to a more exotic and remote part of the world. Instead, “Stay in Avon and don’t quit your job,” seemed to be the clear instruction. Matt discerned that the best way he could accomplish these objectives was to adopt a child from a different part of the world. And if he was wrong about that, he felt confident that God or his wife would help him understand.
While Matt was processing this, his wife, Andrea, was spending ten days on a vision trip, including time at orphanages in Nepal and India. While there, she was surprised by how deeply she connected with the children there, despite the huge language and cultural differences.
“Before meeting the girls at the children’s home I had a hard time imagining that I could love a child from a culture so different from mine. When I left, I cried because I felt as if I was leaving a child behind. Now I am certain that God can give you a heart of love for any child, if you only allow yourself to be open to it,” shared Andrea. She began to wonder what it would be like if she and Matt adopted a child from Nepal.
When Andrea returned home, she and Matt danced around the topic, neither of them sure how or when to bring it up. Eventually, the topic surfaced and they were astonished to learn that the other had felt the same urging despite being thousands of miles apart. Although they had discussed the possibility of adoption previously, it had not been a serious consideration prior to Andrea's trip.
The emotion of their shared “calling” provided fuel for them to begin exploring options for international adoption. However, it seemed like doors were closed everywhere they looked. As they researched possible countries (India and Nepal were their first choices), either a bizarre adoption restriction or political complexity would prevent them from adopting there. They did not perceive this as God revealing that they had misunderstood His calling. Instead, they chose to treat these closed doors as clues in the process of discerning the right country to adopt from. In January 2009, they settled on South Korea.
But the decision of where to adopt from brought to the surface the real challenges they would face in this process. They realized they would now be an odd family, with two white and one Korean child – not a common family composition in Avon. They don’t know how friends, family and neighbors will respond. They didn’t know how the Korean-American community will respond. They will have to figure out how to provide opportunities for their new child to understand and engage in his or her Korean heritage. These are just a few of the difficulties they see ahead. Rather than viewing these challenges as a sign (or an excuse) to quit, they see them as part of the process of following God.
They expect to bring their baby home in the summer of 2010.
While Matt was processing this, his wife, Andrea, was spending ten days on a vision trip, including time at orphanages in Nepal and India. While there, she was surprised by how deeply she connected with the children there, despite the huge language and cultural differences.
“Before meeting the girls at the children’s home I had a hard time imagining that I could love a child from a culture so different from mine. When I left, I cried because I felt as if I was leaving a child behind. Now I am certain that God can give you a heart of love for any child, if you only allow yourself to be open to it,” shared Andrea. She began to wonder what it would be like if she and Matt adopted a child from Nepal.
When Andrea returned home, she and Matt danced around the topic, neither of them sure how or when to bring it up. Eventually, the topic surfaced and they were astonished to learn that the other had felt the same urging despite being thousands of miles apart. Although they had discussed the possibility of adoption previously, it had not been a serious consideration prior to Andrea's trip.
The emotion of their shared “calling” provided fuel for them to begin exploring options for international adoption. However, it seemed like doors were closed everywhere they looked. As they researched possible countries (India and Nepal were their first choices), either a bizarre adoption restriction or political complexity would prevent them from adopting there. They did not perceive this as God revealing that they had misunderstood His calling. Instead, they chose to treat these closed doors as clues in the process of discerning the right country to adopt from. In January 2009, they settled on South Korea.
But the decision of where to adopt from brought to the surface the real challenges they would face in this process. They realized they would now be an odd family, with two white and one Korean child – not a common family composition in Avon. They don’t know how friends, family and neighbors will respond. They didn’t know how the Korean-American community will respond. They will have to figure out how to provide opportunities for their new child to understand and engage in his or her Korean heritage. These are just a few of the difficulties they see ahead. Rather than viewing these challenges as a sign (or an excuse) to quit, they see them as part of the process of following God.
They expect to bring their baby home in the summer of 2010.
