OUR STORY

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Revelation 3:20 NIV

This journey started with a simple knock at the door… the Lord is knocking. 

It was an ordinary day in the laundry room. Hilary had no idea the Lord was about to meet her and invite our family on a journey that would change our lives. That day He whispered the name Ivory in her ear and planted a seed of deep love in her heart for a little girl that she knew was supposed to be a part of our family.

Over the last three years we have waited, watched, and wondered where she was. We have turned over every stone in hopes to get a yes.  We discovered the importance of safe haven boxes, we did days of paper work, and we even got to the final stage of a domestic adoption and yet the door was closed.  In fact every door we tried to walk through was closed and so we waited, some times impatiently, on the Lord. 

On January 26, 2024 one of Hilary’s dearest friends invited her on a trip to Africa where she would get to teach dance.  Many asked if she was going for the adoption.  The answer was a confident no.  Hilary’s heart was set to serve, love, and dance until she couldn’t dance anymore.  

The Father loves to use ordinary people who have a yes in their heart.  She had no idea that as she stepped foot on African soil she was walking into one of our families greatest and scariest adventures. The Lord was about to do exceedingly more than we could ever hope, dream or imagine.  

On this spontaneous trip to Africa, the Lord brought Hilary, our little girl.  You see the Ivory Coast is in Africa and  He was calling us to fall in love with a country, a community, and our daughter the whole time.

He used those years of waiting to prepare our hearts for a yes that had a high cost, in every way.  Uganda requires in country fostering for a year before adoption.  Hilary will be leaving in the early parts of 2025 to live in Jinja, Uganda and begin the second part of our adoption story.  The Lord leaves the 99 for the one and He puts the lonely in families.  There is an overwhelming sense of joy, wander, fear, and faith covering our family.

We had no idea on that ordinary day in the laundry room three years ago that He would now be asking us to sacrifice so much.  To be separated for so long and to have a level of faith we have never walked in.  Yet there is a peace that surpasses understanding and we know that He is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in our family.  

We invite you to join us on the Road to Ivory