The Journey Is Not Always About The Destination

When we began the prayer for God to show us how to use our empty bedrooms to bring Him glory, God has been faithful in His answer.  He sent us so many opportunities to use our home.  He brought us people that needed help short term, some longer but overall it was easy to see His hand in it all.  But the real answer to the prayer came in the form of becoming foster parents.  We have been working for the past three plus months to make that happen.  In spite of the fears both in our hearts and in the words expressed to us by others.

• ·         Fostering?  Did you think that maybe downsizing your house would be a better idea?
•         Are you sure you want to do this?  Bringing other kids in your life can be messy.
• ·         You have already raised almost six kids.  You have done your part.
•       Why would you do this at your age?

These are just a few of the thoughts said to us by well-meaning and lovely people.  But with every doubt and every road block thrown our way—every time we came to our wits end, God moved the bricks, cleared the path and clearly declared the direction we must go.

The process to foster domestically has certainly rivaled the paperwork load and hoops we have had to jump to adopt from another country.  So much to do!  So many I’s to dot and t’s to cross. 

Along the way, all family members had to have physicals and pass TB tests.  Vika and Veronika were born in Russia and most children born in Russia have been immunized with something called BCG.  It is a vaccination to protect them from tuberculosis.  We knew that the immunization would make any TB test in the US say positive but they were cleared medically before we left Russia with chest x-rays that showed no active disease.  Fast forward 10 years (10 year Gotcha Day!  November 1^st, 2014!) and we believe we have two perfectly healthy girls.  I have been diligent with yearly check-ups and all has been fine.  Until now.

When the girls took the TB test, as expected, it came back positive.  No worries, simply do a chest x-ray and move toward our goal.  But the test was not just a little positive—it was REALLY positive—they both had huge rashes on their arms where the test was administered.  This prompted a more accurate blood test.   BCG alone could not have prompted these results.  We will never know for sure, but at some point before we adopted them, both girls were exposed to tuberculosis.  They have latent tuberculosis.  In its present state, it means they are not contagious BUT they have TB in their body, it is just not active—YET.  Latent TB is simply TB waiting for an open door.  Thankfully, at this stage it is FULLY treatable with very little side effects and they can and will go on to live happy, normal lives.  But if we had not found it—TB is an ugly disease.  We had no idea to even look for it.  

But we found it.  In time.  Because they had to have a clear TB test so we could become a foster family.  Some may say that it was a stroke of good luck, they may have never developed full blown TB, or it would have been found at some point. But  I believe this was all part of our obedience journey—following God’s call to do something that seems illogical to most and in the process, God revealed the latent TB.  Was this the ‘destination’?  Maybe—some would say.  For me, I will keep asking God.  Picking up my foot.  Planting it where He wants.  And if the journey was to save the 2 children I already have in my home from a horrible disease or if there are still bigger plans for other children, I am ready.  We are ready. 

 I am on board for the journey and the ultimate destination is in God’s hands.