The Beatty Family
On the morning of May 22, we received the phone call from our adoption agency that we had been praying about for 10 months! The Ethiopian courts had officially recognized Alazar (Micah) as our son (Psalm 127:3). Now we had to wait for our U.S. Embassy appointment in Addis Ababa. We were told it would probably be in late July or early August, but God had different plans as we received our Embassy appointment for the 20th of June. This date left very little time to make arrangements.
A week before I was supposed to leave, God made it very clear that we were in his will and were supposed to go to Ethiopia. The airfare was $4000 dollars, and we received a check from Shaohannah’s Hope for $3000. Then, someone who had been in an accident with my wife a year ago and had paid damages, tracked us down and asked if $1600 is okay for pain and suffering. Airfare was then covered as well as expenses in Ethiopia! Thank goodness we don’t have a mediocre God but an awesome God (2 Corinthians 9:8).
I left Spokane on the morning of June 16th and arrived in Addis Ababa on the 18th very early in the morning. I thought God had been doing a work in my life for the past few years--well he really showed me a few things while I was in Ethiopia (James 1:27)!! I have never witnessed such poverty up-close & personal, and through my whole stay the people were amazing. The Ethiopian people are not only beautiful on the outside but their hearts are amazing. They invited me into their homes and treated me as if I was a relative. My first experience seeing Alazar was amazing (June 18th for one hour). We had been looking at this young man's picture for almost a year, so the first time I was able to hold him was really emotional. I am sure he thought I was nuts!
The next day was better as I pulled it together, we played and I had wonderful fellowship with my new son. On the morning of the 20th we were off to the U.S. Embassy, I awoke early and in my quiet time with the Lord asked God to bless this appointment; the paperwork from the U.S. Embassy was the key to bringing this young man home. Well, it was a divine appointment, as I was told this would possibly take a few hours and we were in and out of the Embassy in thirty minutes. The U.S Government now recognized Alazar as our son, and it was a joyous occasion.
Since, being home he has been a blessing to our family. Hunter has prayed every night for God to bring his new brother home from Ethiopia, and he saw just how God answers prayers. Micah Alazar sleeps like a rock, eats whatever is put in front of him, and has a very gentle spirit (except when his sister steals his Hot Wheels). The Lord has put on my heart to teach for a year in Ethiopia, so we will keep praying as to where God is leading our family and the plans he has for us as (he is in charge, Romans 12:1).
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