A thrill of Hope

In early February this year God dropped a miracle into our arms in the form of our first born child. Originally named ‘Precious’ she was and continues to be just that. It is our great honour and privilege to officially introduce you to her today.  We figured the easiest way to answer the questions you may have would be here on our blog.

What does her name mean?

Hope means "to want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true, a feeling of cherished expecation and desire for a certain thing to happen". This sums up how we feel about her! We've also named her after our Ugandan sponsor daughter.

Selah means "to pause and calmfly reflect on these things." This word is found in the Bible a lot. We feel it is important for us (and her) to reflect on the goodness of God in getting us this far.

Kyomuwendo is the Ugandan name she came to us with. It means something precious, valuable, of great worth.  

What’s her story?
Her story is just that. Hers. And until the day she’s old enough to decide if she wants to share it, that’s where it will stay. Suffice to say that she has a beautiful story with God’s fingerprint all over it.

Did you move to Uganda knowing about her?

No. We had nine minutes to prepare for something most people have 9 months for! Thankfully our friends here in Uganda have been a HUGE support and our family and friends in New Zealand are second to none. We would not be here without their prayers and encouragement. On the other hand, the concept of adoption was not a spur of the moment decision but rather one that we have been praying about for 10 years as a couple.

How old was she when you started taking care of her?

Hope was approximately six days old when we started taking care of her. Today she is 4.5 months old and she is a vivacious, spirited, delightful little girl who thrills our heart every day.

Why are you only introducing her to us now?

In Uganda there needs to be a full investigation into the background of any child up for adoption. We wanted to respect this process. In addition, the journey has been an exhausting one. Becoming parents at such short notice has been exciting, stressful, overwhelming and the best thing ever all at once. One of the more difficult things we’ve had to face so far is the uncertainty. We still walk that fine line and will do all the way to full adoption.

Are you still working for Tutapona full time?

Yes, we are both still working for Tutapona full time. Helen is the Communications Manager and Tim is the Programmes Coordinator. We are lucky to have a house helper for the day to day running of the house that then enables Helen to work and take care of Hope.

Will you be posting about your journey to adoption on this blog?

Not really. There are lots of blogs out there that deal with that sort of thing but that’s not for us right now. We will share cute snaps from time to time just like any Mama and Papa.

Why do you keep mentioning God?

We feel really strongly that without God helping us this absolutely wouldn’t have been possible and without his continued help it won’t be either.  The bureaucracy and corruption here is overwhelming and keeping our head above water is something we are committed to. We’ve seen God do the impossible and we owe it all to him!  "Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with youl were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare!" Psalm 40:5 

What's next?

Right now we’re at the beginning of a long and complicated process to adopt her and we plan on following all of the Ugandan laws to do so. If you think of us, we would so appreciate your prayers for our journey. 

Isaiah 55:13 “…This will be for the Lord’s renown…”

With love,
Us three xox