Luana

Today we received referral information for the first time.  We are praying that God will reveal his will for our family and for the little girl whose file we're looking at.   

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Her name is Luana and we feel like God sent us her file to teach us some important lessons.  Lessons about following Him, and lessons about how to prepare to be adoptive parents.  Getting to know Luana and her experiences during the first six and a half years of her life has been a struggle and a blessing to us.  We've been blessed by what we've learned from her and we've struggled with not being able to make it all better for her.  We've also struggled with the idea of continuing to wait.  But we will continue to wait because we feel strongly that God has 2 children waiting in Brazil for us to be their parents.

Because LIMIAR and AWAA decided to send us Luana's file to review, we have talked through several issues and we feel that we will be more prepared to know our children when we see them on paper for the first time.

1. Siblings--Though at the time we decided to request siblings, we weren't sure why God was asking to do so, Luana has made us realize that our hearts' desire is to adopt two children.  God gave us that desire and reading Luana's story confirmed it for us.  Thank you Luana.
   
2. Age--At the time we learned about her, Luana was just over 6 and a half years old.  She sparked some fruitful conversation about what it will be like to parent children of different ages. Luana, you are valuable.
3. Biological Family--Luana's file contained small bits of information about her biological family through which our hearts have begun to understand what it will be like for our children to have some (but not all) information about their history.  You are priceless, Luana.
4. Previous placements--Will our children come to us from an orphanage or from a birth family or foster family?  Will they have been placed in an adoptive home prior to being placed in our arms?  We thank Luana for preparing us for various possibilities and the long-term effects they could have on a child's heart.
5. Behavioral issues--Several different takes on  Luana's behavior were expressed in her paperwork.  She is a dear child with a broken heart and has taught us some of what it will mean to raise a child within the corral of Love.
6. Learning issues--We talked through school and learning issues after looking at Luana's story.  We thank God for the resources he has given us.
7. Health issues--We always knew we would receive some medical information with a referral, but we didn't know what it would feel like.  Praise God for Luana.

Lord, you brought us Luana's face and have taught us so much through her.  We pray that you will unite her quickly with the family you have prepared for her.  Heal her broken heart with your love and the love of her new family.  Restore her to trust and feel joy all the days of her life.