the matts:

Tuesday we had our biggest and best adoption fundraiser to date. Thanks to donations from Montalbano’s Seafood & HPC’s Cooking for Christ, volunteers who worked their buns off, and lots of people selling orders to everyone they know, we made over $2000 with our jambalaya sale! It was a huge success… Truly, thank you SO much to everyone who played a part in making it happen. It couldn’t have been done without each and every one of you- and that includes all you prayer warriors from across the nation!!

On Sunday morning, we went to church and gave our Miracle Offering… Once a year, the people of HPC gather together and give an offering that God lays upon our hearts individually. It’s supposed to truly be a miracle… Something that could not be done without God. Something that will stretch your faith to its limits… Every year we have done it, but this year was different. This year we were scared. Really scared. We are about to bring another child into our family, and things are already tight. But, I am happy to say that through our jambalaya fundraiser & donations given at Moses’ shower, God has already multiplied our Miracle Offering 5 and a half times over! And that doesn’t even include donations we received last week… We are still not quite to our financial goal yet- but we have no reason to believe that God won’t provide it. HE IS FAITHFUL!

Speaking of provision and multiplication, the jambalaya sale did a lot more than just provide for our needs. God pulled a loaves and fish moment there- Louisiana style! We ordered 375 servings of jambalaya, and when it was all dished out, we had a LOT leftover (more than three large pans). Our little fundraiser turned into a Baton Rouge Dream Center homeless outreach when I called up some people from the church & they went out and fed the homeless and hungry of our community. What a truly humbling feeling to know that I got to be a part of something like that.

(One of the AMAZING people who serve our homeless is Carole Turner- a fellow adoptive mom. She wrote a blog post about the experience. Check it out here.)

With the holidays approaching and the air cooling (even here in south Louisiana), my heart constantly aches for those people without a home and/or a family.  They all have a story… Some are veterans, some just made one poor decision (how many of us have done that?!), some lost their jobs, some live in cars, some live under overpasses, many are little kids, but they are ALL children of the Most High God. And since we are His children, too, that makes them our brothers and sisters. We MUST take care of them!

Let’s get creative. Let’s be bold. Let’s sacrifice. Let’s spend time serving others. Let’s give up things we don’t really need. Let’s buy a few Christmas gifts that will better someone else instead of buying tons from wealthy corporations. Let’s pray for someone else’s needs more than our own. Let’s watch God move mountains in our own lives whenever we surrender to His plan for helping others. Let’s live an out-loud, radical Christian life that points people to the one and only living God who is SO GOOD to us!!

It has recently come to my attention that there are people who read this blog that do not think highly of me, or the path of life that God is leading me on. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and we do live in America where you can speak freely of said opinions. However, do not pass judgment on me based on things you read on here, and make no effort to know me personally. If you are around me-physically- you know me and my heart and my passions. If you aren’t, you probably don’t. Please quit talking about me behind my back and passing judgment. If you don’t like me, stop reading about my life.

Thank you.

Matthew 7:3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

I thought I’d give a little update on how adoption things are progressing… Our attorney is out of town until the 22nd of the month, but he has already filed the application for our court hearing. His secretary told me that they are waiting for a date and confirmation from the High Court. We are PRAYING that we get one the last week of November, and at the latest the first week of December. The process in-country normally takes a little more than 3 weeks, but a friend of mine just did it in 2 weeks. Obviously we are praying for a quick, smooth process. That entails a LOT of specifics, so I’ll give you those as we get closer Of course I want the family together for Christmas, so that makes things feel a little more rushed… Trying to lay it all down and trust in God’s timing… But it’s hard! Presley has been super-attached to me lately- even more than usual- and I am also nervous about leaving her for so long. Please keep all these things lifted up in prayer!!

We are doing a jambalaya sale this coming Tuesday, November 17. The plates will include a side, cost $5 each, and orders of 5+ will have the option of delivery!! Please forward on the info on to anyone you think might be interested… We’d love for offices to order a bundle for all their employees and bless them with lunch that day. Or you could put a sign-up sheet in a common area and let people sign up that way!

And please don’t forget about the BEAUTIFUL handmade necklaces and ornaments that we are selling. They are crafted by the ladies who have been caring for Moses since he was just 2 days old. The necklaces are $20 each (or two for $35) and the ornaments are $10 (or two for $15). They are perfect Christmas presents, and part of the proceeds go back to the wonderful Ugandan women at the orphanage. Great gifts that benefit two awesome causes!

Email me at meghanmatt@gmail.com with all orders and questions. Thanks again to everyone for the love and support! We are blown away by the people who have come out of the woodwork to wish us well, to support us, and to send us prayers. Not everyone understands what we are doing or agrees with it, and that’s ok. Our dream is to show the world- and south Louisiana especially- that God designed us all the same! EVERY child deserves a home, no matter where he was born.

Our different colors and languages and geographic areas are displays of God’s workmanship… but He never meant for us to be segregated or separated. Chris and I dream of having a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural family. Isn’t that the perfect picture of Heaven? Where people of every race, tribe and nation will worship the Lord together? Ahhhh…. sounds perfect.

It’s ironic that my last “thoughtful” post was about a Mother Teresa quote… To refresh your memory: “It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”

Today I ran across a new quote that says the same thing in a different way. It’s from Crazy Love author, and pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA. It’s SO relevant to the state of the world today.

“We’re concerned with our standard of living and not concerned with other people simply living.“

I couldn’t have said it better myself. More than 3 million people die every year due to lack of clean water. Over 3 million people die every year of HIV (500,000+ of those children)- a disease that is now completely treatable in our country. About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five.

One person dies every other second from starvation, waterborne disease, or AIDS. 85% of those deaths are children.

Kinda makes you question that new sweater, right? Or that pumpkin spice latte? Or that big pretty new vehicle?

There’s that new movie coming out called “The Box.” The premise is that a couple is in financial trouble, and a man offers them a million dollars to press a button… But if they press the button, someone somewhere in the world will die.

Isn’t that what we all do everyday? We choose that thing we really don’t need. And that tiny-or huge- amount of money could have saved a life. I open the box and press the button WAY too often.

I am pretty convicted right now… Lord, make me SELFLESS! I am so selfish…

Will you give up something you want to GIVE LIFE to someone else? Check out these great charities:

Charity:Water, Amazima, Children’s Cup, Project Hopeful, The Water Project, H2O Africa, Mission of Mercy, A21 Campaign, St. Jude

There are tons more… Doesn’t matter where you give. Just give.

We will be doing a massive jambalaya fundraiser Tuesday, November 17 in an effort to raise the last bit of our remaining funds before I travel in just a few weeks! Each plate will include a generous serving of jambalaya as well as a side and will cost only $5! You can buy one for yourself and pick it up during lunch hours of 11-1:30, or if your office/household buys 5+ we will deliver (in the BR area)!

In purchasing these dinners, you are helping give an orphan a home… A little boy who has been in an orphanage since he was two days old. Who was abandoned in an outdoor trading market. Who has never known the love of a parent. Who has eaten porridge and mush for almost 4 years. Who has slept in a room with twenty other children his whole life. Who has had a parasite living in him for who knows how long. Who desperately wants for his mommy to come back for him and bring him home. Who- despite all that- has the joy of the Lord inside his heart and loves to sing worship songs and dance for his Father in Heaven.

Please consider providing lunch for yourself, your friends, your co-workers, your employees- and in doing so- helping bring our sweet Moses home to us! Please email all orders to meghanmatt@gmail.com.

Thank you for all the love, support and prayers. Keep them coming!!!

Love,
The Matts

John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Remember how Al Gore did that movie/”documentary” called An Inconvenient Truth about global warming and how the world’s going to evaporate or whatever? Funny how his mansion in Nashville used more energy in a MONTH that most American households use in a YEAR- until it was renovated just two years ago. That movie was released in 2006… Don’t get me wrong- I am kind of a tree hugger. I only use natural household products, much prefer organic food when I can afford it, recycle EVERYTHING and am very aware of my “carbon footprint.” I think that this planet is a gift from the Lord- one He created in such a beautiful, majestic, amazing way- and I don’t want to play ANY part in ruining it. However, the world isn’t going to end because of global warming. It’s going to end when Jesus comes back. Period.

Now what we do until that point is the REAL inconvenient truth. That Mother Teresa quote that I see everywhere has really been tearing me up lately- “It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” Have you ever REALLY thought about that? That newer house? That nicer car? That vacation? Those name brand clothes? Do you realize that people-children, infants, mothers- are dying EVERYDAY by the MILLIONS because of the lack of things we take for granted- clean water, vaccinations, FOOD, treatable diseases… the list goes on.

This is completely a challenge to myself as much as to anyone else. This is something the Lord has been tearing me up about lately. Selflessness. Generosity. Caring for others more than myself. Giving- not out of abundance, but out of sacrifice.

Do I want my kids to have everything they need? ABSOLUTELY! Do they need to have everything they want? HECK NO! I want them to grow up knowing about the plight of most of the rest of the world- including those in their own neighborhood. I want them to be unselfish and gracious. I want our home to be one that constantly centers around others before ourselves.

Is that convenient? Is that the popular way? Is that easy? Is it normal? Will it ruffle some feathers? Will people understand? I don’t really care. I have seen the faces of children begging in the streets of Africa. I have seen the behavior of children in the inner city of Baton Rouge because their parents are absentee. I read about mothers literally giving up their children so they will will just survive. I have seen the hurt and the pain and the confusion. I can’t sit back and live the “normal” American life anymore.

I.just.can’t.

That’s MY inconvenient truth.

That’s what adoption advocate and leader of HPC’s adoption ministry, Aimee Poche, said the other night in our live online adoption Q&A. Someone asked how to deal with family and friends who were not supportive of their adoption. She said to be patient with them, and not to get mad, because it’s not THEIR calling, it’s YOURS! That was so strong and so encouraging as we deal with people in our lives who don’t totally “get” why we are doing this, or wonder if we have “thought about” what we are doing. I have got to get more grace for those people, because not only is it my calling to adopt Moses- it is also my calling to display His love and grace to those who don’t understand!

Praise be to God for that reminder. I needed it

Also, yesterday I ran across the blog of a family who is currently at Moses’ orphanage working on bringing their kiddos home. While I was there in September, I developed a special relationship with both of the kids they are adopting, so the fact that they are going home with such amazing people makes my heart sing. However, through Facebook I was able to connect with them and talk more, and turns out they have a very special connection with Moses, too! So, not only is my friend Lovelyn there watching over him, but he has another couple there with kids his age (so they spend more time with him) to take care of him, too! The mom told me that her hubby has been tucking Moses in at night… that meant so much to me. Their son’s bed is about 9 inches from Moses’, so they are good friends. It’s SO NICE to know that God keeps sending people while I am gone to care for my baby in a special way.

First Steph was there getting Moses’ best bud, Raymond. Then Lovelyn went back. And now the Schalks are there! They will probably be gone around mid-November, but then I know another family going around that same time! And hopefully I will be back right after them! I love how my God is SO big and takes care of every little detail.

All the glory and honor to the Lord who takes care of ALL of our needs!

My sweet baby,

You aren’t a baby anymore- you are SUCH a big girl. You grew up SO much this month. You are starting to count, you know animal sounds (the way you pucker your lips to say “moo” is amazing), you sort shapes, you know some colors, you are saying almost everything we say, and you are putting small sentences together. Last night you said “I want that!”… Your hair is really long and your face is so grown up now. Plus you’re super tall- everyone thinks you’re at least two years old! Even your feet grew two sizes this month. It’s crazy how fast time is flying!

You got really sick again last week and you had Mommy and Daddy nervous. But we all prayed really hard and you were all better within just a few days. You’re a fighter- you weren’t going to let some sickness keep you down!

This month you fell in LOVE with a TV show called “Yo Gabba Gabba.” Every time it comes on or you see one of the characters, you shout out “gdabba gdabba gdabba!!” Your favorite movie is Finding Nemo, which you call “Momo!!” When we cheer for the Tigers, you throw your hands up in the air and cheer with us! When you start coughing or choking, you raise one arm to make it go away. Anytime there is a baby around- whether they are sleeping or not- you get really quiet, put your finger to your mouth, and say “shhhh.” And anytime something exciting happens, you love to say “woooooah!”… It’s pretty hilarious!  Speaking of funny, when you do something you know you are not supposed to do, you get a very serious look on your face, shake your finger at us, and say “no!” It takes everything we have not to burst out laughing!

You also started telling us every time you “tee tee” and “poo poo” and you hate being dirty. You are such a big girl! You still LOVE to read- a book makes everything all better. You always give animals (including goats at the zoo) and other children hugs and kisses to “show love.” And of course, your favorite thing to do is still dance- especially if we dance with you. You are a trip!

We did lots of fun things this month- we went to a birthday party for your friend, to the zoo with Uncle Chris & cousin Brendyn, to a surprise party for your great grandma and grandpa, and played at playlands and parks. Last night we drove to Lake Charles to see Grammie and to eat birthday dinner with Mumsy, Pops, Uncle Cha Cha, Auntie LaLa, Mackey & Ryan. You still HATE the car for any longer than about 5-10 minutes. There is always screaming involved in road trips, but I am determined that one day you will get over it. I think you get bored- maybe when your big brother gets here you will be entertained and like it better

Just a few more weeks til Mommy heads back to Africa to go get your brother and bring him home! I am enjoying every single second I spend with you while it’s just the two of us. You’re my best little girl! I can’t wait for our family to be altogether, and for you and Moses to play together, and run around in the backyard, and talk, and fight, and do all the things siblings do! You are going to LOVE him, Pres. And he is going to ADORE you!

Thank you for being the light of my life. You melt the heart of everyone you meet. You are the absolute sweetest little thing and I truly could not love you more. I don’t know what I did to deserve a perfect angel for a daughter (I certainly was FAR from an angel), but I am so grateful to the Lord that He blessed me with you.

I love you SO much,

Mommy

So… remember sweet Mercy? The four year old little girl in Uganda with Dyke Davidoff Mason Syndrome who needs to come to the US for surgery? My blog got the most hits ever the day I posted that message about her needing help, and I got 16 comments from people offering help! Thanks to the Medical Advocacy Team, there’s a chance that a doctor is going to do the surgery, and a host family has come forward in the area. They are now raising money to help with her travel expenses to get her here. They are giving away an iPod! Woohoo! With the holidays coming, this is an awesome time to donate a few dollars to a VERY deserving cause for a chance to win an awesome prize.

Here’s the link… Every little bit helps, so spread the word!!!

This is a SLAMMIN’ post by ABBA Fund director- and friend of mine- Jason Kovacs. Check it out here…

For real- you want to read it. I promise.

Here’s the latest on the adoption… Friday we were able to send off an affidavit to our attorney in Uganda (p.s. that’s a very pricey endeavor). It should be the last piece of info he needs from us to file the petition for our court date! However, Saturday we found out that we are too late for an October date. Normally that would be no big deal and we could just go in early November, but our attorney and the “good” judge will both be out most of November… so that pushes our timeline back at least 3-4 weeks… Which sucks. Best case scenario, we get a court date at the very end of November/early December, and we stay 3 weeks and I am home for Christmas. But there’s still a chance I could be gone for Christmas, which would be heartbreaking.

The good news is, on Friday we received our approval from the U.S. government immigration office that we are approved to bring Moses home! Woo hoo!!!

In sad news, baby boy #2 won’t be ours. We received word this morning that we do not have approval from the orphanage to make him a Matt. I am so so so sad about this, but have peace about it. We have been praying for many weeks that the Lord’s purposes would prevail in this situation- so we are accepting that is the case here.

Please continue in prayer for us as all these details get worked out in the next few weeks. I want my baby home for Christmas!! I miss him like crazy!!! Thanks again for all the love, support and prayers. Love y’all!!

Today, Chris and I celebrate three years of marital bliss! Over the weekend, we celebrated by traveling to the Together For Adoption conference in Franklin, TN. It was an AMAZING trip- and one of the best weekends together Chris and I have ever had. The scenery was GORGEOUS, the 9 hour drive was actually somewhat enjoyable without a screaming baby in the backseat, we met great friends, and God pretty much rocked our world. Here are some reflections from the trip:

*We are all adopted brothers and sisters, because God has adopted us as His children. He promised not to leave us here on Earth as orphans, so He sent His only son to die so that we could be reconciled with Him. Praise God!

*We have to be more patient with those people in our lives who “don’t get it.” We cannot have pride in our hearts because we are so obsessed with caring for orphans and they aren’t there yet. We aren’t there yet in so many other areas! We should do our best to explain our hearts and let others see the joy and blessing that caring for orphans is. Though it makes me so frustrated when people say I am trying to change the world or be like Madonna/Angelina Jolie (by the way-NO!!!!), and even though it REALLY makes me frustrated when the very people criticizing me are doing NOTHING themselves to help the poor and hurting… I have to swallow my pride and get a grip. I have a LOT of learning to do, too, and I acknowledge that fully.

*We can’t put a limit on the amount of children that God wants in our family… I know this will freak a lot of you out, so catch your breath here… When we stack up our concerns for caring for 4, 8, 10 kids against the fact that there are over 143 million orphans in the world, our weak little worries hold no ground! No, Presley won’t get as many name brand items. And no, maybe we can’t afford college for all of them without any help. And no, maybe we won’t be able to go out to eat with friends sometimes.  And no, maybe we won’t get to take nice vacations every year…

BUT let’s see what we will get in return: Children who have never been loved, never had a family to call their own, have been abused, neglected, hungry, dirty, rejected and alone will have a home with two loving parents. Kids just like Presley and my sweet nephew Brendyn… kids just like your own… they will have what every child deserves. We will believe in them and love on them and help them live the dreams that God has placed in their hearts. I know a woman whose husband was hesitant about taking in more children, and God gave him a dream that he is now haunted by- it’s of a little boy begging and pleading and saying, “I promise, I will be good, I won’t take up too much room, and I will only eat a little bit.”

I will give up the luxuries of life for the rest of my life if it gives another child a home… Those vacations and clothes and name brands really seem so ridiculous and menial when we think about giving kids a future, a family and a home, don’t they?

*We are now very open to adopting older kids, as well as kids from foster care. Yes, we realize those bring on a lot more craziness and “problems.” No, we don’t think that it will be easy. But do we feel called? Absolutely. We are not concerned about “breaking birth order” because if we were, that would be bowing down to an idol rather than following God’s leading. That is something adults freak out about a lot more than the actual kids… And that’s also a very minor concern that when stacked up against saving a life, it doesn’t seem so important.

*We are not at all concerned about Presley ever resenting the fact that there are so many kids, or that so many are adopted. Here’s why: #1 It will teach her to care for the orphans and the hurting. #2 It will give her a greater world view and she will appreciate other cultures more. #3 She will learn unselfishness. #4 Every child we ever have will be made to feel unique, extra special, deserving and beautiful. And they ALL deserve it… Not just our first born.

I have a great friend who is the Presley of her family- first born female- and her parents are my parents’ age, still adopting kids and giving them a home. They believe that as long as there is an orphan crisis and they can help a child, they will do something about it. Abi is now one of the MOST AMAZING people ever because of the love her parents poured out on her, and on all their kids- biological and adopted. She now has a heart for orphans and is getting ready to begin her own adoption process. I’d say that’s a win!

Ultimately, this conference aligned my dreams with Chris’, and vice versa. We are totally in sync with the plans and visions that God has for our lives. THAT was the biggest win of the weekend. We have let go of the “what if’s” and fears that have been holding us back from fully experiencing the plans God has for our family. Our hearts are completely broken for the orphans of the world, even more than they were before. We are SO grateful that God has adopted us into His family and has allowed us to live in fellowship with Him, our Father. Now it’s time to give some kids a father on Earth, as well.

Dream big with us, won’t you? We are starting an orphan care ministry in our hearts and in our home. We are so eternally grateful for you love, support, and prayers. Truly… Thank you!