And Baby Makes 12! Part 2

A big lesson that that we learned that we we hope to pass others is to put your faith into action is family policy motors NC family Pres. John Weston family policy matters.

This week we're pleased to bring you part two of our conversation with Tony and Leslie door about their unique family and the blessings and challenges of adoption gives a little bit inside if you would about the shift that you have from hosting these children to really feeling what this is what we think were being called to do and what that looked like with him family at the time we were filled with with kind of fear and trepidation about all the things that we didn't know, and all the things that could go bad and we did a lot of studying in the lead up to hosting. We try to find big families adopt big adoptions and we try to track down the details and find out what happened in on the one hand it prepares you and you know what to expect. You know what to look for. But either, on the other hand, Satan really uses that create fear and uncertainty. And yes, I got really saying that you know what why why do this to your family. Why flight why take these risks. It was really a roller coaster ride heading into the hosting and even in the hosting itself.

You have talked about it, really some wonderful really special memories you have other times that were really very trying. There was a couple times, not 12 hours apart, were we knew we could not not adopt these kids and there were times, etc. than 12 hours of visitors no way we can affect there was one that was that I wonderfully need to get them out of the house now it was all fear. There was a lot of ups there were there were a lot of downs there were a lot of things that we didn't know. I think it was Leslie that first, but as a lot of things we do know you know we knew for certain that God is in the detail he was providing we knew for certain that God was leading us in this direction we knew for certain that if they went back there was nobody there. There was an orphanage. We knew for certain there is no church there and when we knew the statistics of kids aging out of of orphanage in Eastern Europe and other third or dismal, and worse, so that when we look at what we did knowingly.

We look at how God had provided started making a lot more sensitive. This is this the road we need to go down and there was a lot of people that maybe we can we can cut a piece of no will get together and so muscled up some some about everything we realizes this is all they've ever had was each other. You got really just kind step-by-step process, process of daring to trust him to adopt long. One thing that was a turning point for me is why you're hosting, you're not allowed to sit talk at all to the children about adoption. It's it's like a taboo word and I have often prayed prior to her staying in and after to thank God for adopting us into his family and one night the 12 lesser 13. If we had some in there sitting around the floor. We went to prayers together and sometimes I just go into automatic mode and I said thank you God for a.I.now and I just caught myself and I realized she's adopted us, and here we are trying to decide can adopt them.

It was it really kinda shifted my perspectives will clearly the Lord's hand was at work. From the very beginning and well before that before we and you all even knew that this was part of your plan. He knew that it was part of his plan and speaking about how have you approached with your expanded family bridging matters of faith, culture, tradition, things of that nature be in day-to-day living. How is that sort of work for you all our kids really were almost like a blank slate and a lot of regards. I guess you could say they were pretty evangelized and that they were aware of Christianity and the they had a summer camp that they want to ever summer. It was run by American missionaries in Latvia and they then knew about the Bible and the picked up pieces that they really didn't have you know these kids are in some regards certain I traumatize. It's not like to live in in the jungle trying to eat roots and insects, but their survival is much more basic things are dealing with you basic relationships feeling love I get beaten up our kids really didn't have any. They had a need and to the extent they talked about religion they wanted to know more. They were very, very hungry know they you can't teach somebody about the gospel incantation to pray. If you can't speak the language and would still try to refine the Latvian Bible on remember one of the first nights of praying with them and it was just just the simple stuff with with orphans that we take for granted. Getting the kids to sit down and listen and stay sitting down long enough to say a prayer was a challenge. Pretty difficult to get through some of your real basic traditions at the outset, and I fast-forward to talk about fears and talk about language when we picked those kids up from the orphanage that that prayer would've been in December 2013 we picked him up from the orphanage. August 1, 2014 and one of our our fears were that you the younger kids in particular can have long-term needs and disabilities and the littlest girl that she didn't speak in Latvia until the age of three. Speak Latvian and so we had heard about kids from foreign countries that never learned the new language or would be 1012 results token speak in social things were grappling with you hugs that I married up and in the gene pool and let his. I can think you're being a little bit worried here about you don't need to be about about her.

In particular, and your God is in the details. Is that a wonderful sense of humor typically at our expense would pick those kids up in early August at six months later and we go back to this house we rented a cabin in Latvia and will sit around, pray, and might, and the second night I'll never forget it.

We go around and it's her turn little girls turn she starts praying in English and I just just done.

She'd never see how to smoke Latvian six months early her. She was praying for what she picked up her before in an English and is not sure what there was a guiding you got it going on. We don't know my fears were so off-base will then just got remind me his sense of humor.

The kids would go around the circle that persecutes keep praying and she jumps up on this on the bench next to me if you get that little tiny girl voice of his whisper in my ear and she was like a feather and it tickles and I can't really understand what she's saying and it comes around me.

I was pretty lass and I pray and I could feel her stiffen up next to me and she jumps down in the middle of us in the circle and she starts hobbling around like she's using a cane there's no cane there. She's pretending to use a cane and she starts chattering in Latvia and all the Latvian kids are between huge eyeballs look of shock and bursting out laughing. What is she saying they cannot hesitated settle – same poor dad's brain doesn't work. She doesn't know how to pray in Latvia. Try to print out a credit inlet with my place. You're listening to policy matters in a resource to listen to our radio show online and from what resources that will be a voice of persuasion in your community website electing Tony Leslie. Looking back at all of the logistics and the spiritual preparations and all the other things that you all had to do to prepare your home in your hearts, for this adoption would you say to couples who may feel that the Lord is leading them toward adoption who feel intimidated or maybe uncertain about the prospects of opening their home or their lives to additional children, especially if they already have children of their own. I think a big lesson that that we learned in that we hope to pass others is to put your faith into action.

So many of us will are automatic racist responses. I need to pray about that and these children are growing they're not stopping.

For example, we were just asked to host another child and she had past the deadline.

She had a failed adoption recently and then failed her staying so she's past the deadline to to list on the hosting page. You can't just say under pray about this. I mean, pray that yes but when it's something obvious that the Lord is calling you to do.

You step out and do it until it stopped and the Lord stops that I think it's especially great lesson for you children to witness is were not just cannot talk the talk but were going to to actually put our faith in action and and step out in that way. Yeah, absolutely. Big learning so many learning points for us and was and I've grown so much in this process of figure all her children but her biological children have as well and I know that the new kids of really grown literally in an certain spiritually and and academically, but just trust God.

Your natural disposition was mine and Leslie's is think of all the reasons why not to why why should I do that and looking back the right answers.

Why shouldn't I do that if I know this is something that pleases God. There should be a compelling reason for me to say no, but we don't go about that when our fallen nature as we look at what I need a big cat of this is a big commitment. I need a can of a compelling case to do it and that of course is actually backwards and we can selectively we went about it, absolutely backwards and looking back got absolutely provides is not necessarily easy, but if you look to him provides across-the-board and makes life just that much more worth living will, as we want our conversation. I know that you all have kept a blog and some other insights that I'm sure would be very helpful and of great interest to our listeners.

I know having heard your experiences and your willingness to share the insights on this program that many of our listeners may be willing to know how they can learn more and how they can pray for you all. Where can they go to learn more about your story and what would you suggest that individuals go if they are considering adoption of what resources were helpful to you. That may be helpful to them. So we have we have a Facebook group called adopt sex and if anybody looks that up and request to join Latvia requires Intel adoption spine is finalized. They are very particular about privacy issues and making the pictures of the children public, silly. We started this private Facebook group and Tony has a blog is the first guy that were you have to hit the adoption Heward find find the articles of a real blessing to us is given, it to aspire hosting agency referred to aspire hosting agency is a book by Karen Purvis. The connected child must read if you go down this road to really understand what's going on inside his kids and I would also add that hosting is a really really big blessing for the children and families, I was skeptical going into it that these children might go back being very disappointed but in a lot of cases and in the case of our children. They would not agree to be adopted had they not been hosted because they had never experienced a functional family. They didn't want to leave the orphanage that was their safe place so hosting really does work and their several hosting agencies. When we went through is called open hearts and homes. Another big one in a series new horizon and there's project 143 what we will offer those who are listening on the radio. We will have this program on our website into family.org again that's into family.org and we will provide links and other information about the resources that you all have provided as well as some additional helpful resources and without. Unfortunately, Tony Leslie Miller, we are out of time, but it is been just a wonderful opportunity to visit with you all. I know our listeners appreciate you so much we appreciate you and the example that you said your willingness to open your heart and your home to these incredible children and to make a difference in the lives of so many, both within the family and well beyond soap thank you so much we appreciate you and wish you all the best, Johnson and listen to our show online resources and information about issues important to families in north Carolina website family.org follow us on Twitter and Facebook