WANTED: A Family For A Little Girl Named Dorcas

Today, I am excited to introduce you to the Humiston family.  I crossed paths with Jennifer two summers ago at a community pool in Hannibal, MO while we were in town for Super Summer.  They had recently adopted their son, David, from Guinea and we had just started our journey in foster care.  

Glimpses of God From the Humiston Home

 We discovered that we had a few friends in common, as well as a common passion for orphan care.  

As I have followed her posts on Facebook over the last year and a half I have been encouraged over and over by something in particular.  She is commited to helping a little girl, who still lives in an orphanage in Guinea, find a forever family. 

She started a fund to help cover the adoption cost for the family that will one day discover God has asked them to be her family. 

It seems very backwards.  And it's amazing.  It sounds exactly like the the upside down, inside out, unexpected way that God's kingdom works.  I love it so much.  

A few days ago it finally hit me that more of us need to share her story.  I am believing with Jennifer that God has a family for this little girl.  I also believe that if more of us share her story a family will eventually learn about her and hear God speak into their hearts that it's supposed to be them.  

How will they know unless they hear?   

Would you be willing to share this post with those in your social media sphere of friendship and influence?

It will be such a joy for hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of us to celebrate as we see her story unfold.  Her family is out there!!

Today, let's learn about how God first put this on Jennifer's heart.  (The following is from her post, "He Sets The Lonely In Families.")

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In April of 2012 my feet touched down on West African soil for the first time. I thought I was there to do a VBS for missionary kids.  And I was.  And it has changed my life. 

I also went to an orphanage for the first time...and met my SON (although I didn't know he would be my son at the time!) 

But he wasn't the only kiddo that caught my heart's attention.  I also met a sweet little girl named Dorcas.  Today I'd like to introduce you to her.

 April 2012

 Look how little she was the first time I met her!

 April 2013

 

 2014/2015

Eating pizza!

Fun at the swimming pool.

  

  Pete & Amy Riley

Dorcas is determined. I've seen her with the help of her friends at the orphanage ride a tricycle.

Dorcas is a beautiful child of God. Her smile literally lights up the room.

 Dorcas is an overcomer. She has been "diagnosed" with CP.  However, she doesn't let that stop her too much. Since we met her she has received a walker and learned to get around very well with it. Recently, through the help of therapy (done by an amazing volunteer missionary) she has began to learn to walk unaided. We can't imagine what she could do with professional focused therapy!

 Dorcas loves to be loved.

Dorcas needs a family.

 I have to confess I put off writing this post. I am a detail person. I wanted the perfect set of pictures and description of what her skills are and her prognosis is. I wasn't sure exactly how to advocate for this precious girl. So this year our family began praying on a daily basis for Dorcas to find a family. And the Lord has burdening my heart like crazy. And so I write. Do I have all the "answers" to what life with Dorcas will look like for a family? No. But, I am confident her forever family is out there.

Could it be you? Could it be a friend of yours who has a heart for children with special needs? Your friends who have been looking to adopt an older child?

Although we do not know the exact day that she was born we do know that Dorcas is six years old.  She is currently living in an orphanage called CASOG (Centre D'Appui Aux Sans-Abris Et Orphelins de Guinee/ general translation: Support Center for the Homeless and Orphans of Guinea) in Guinea, Africa.  We are still in the frontier stages of adoption work in Guinea, but it can be done!  We did it and you can too!

She has the amazing blessing of a missionary family (The Rileys) who are investing in her while she waits for you. They are paving the way for her to have a family by taking her swimming (fun therapy), doings exercises, exposing her to American food, taking her places outside the orphanage walls, and pouring love and affection on her. (and photographing/videoing it all for you to have!)

But, this is not a forever family. It breaks my heart that she has been waiting this long. What have I been so busy doing that I haven't written this post before? Why did I think I had to have advocacy all figured out before I began? No more.

The Lord has challenged me to do more. I am starting a fund for Dorcas. Many of you know my cupcake business Sweet 2 the Soul began as a way to bring David home. I have continued to bake and give half of everything I make to missions.  I am currently putting money in a fund for Dorcas' future family to help offset their adoption expenses.

If you'd like to hear more about what an amazing little girl Dorcas is and what day to day life with her might look like I'd be happy to put you in touch with Amy Riley. If you have questions about how to adopt from her country we've done it and would be happy to help you on that end.

What can YOU do?

-Pray.  Pray and ask God if you could be the family God has been waiting for to step out in faith and adopt Dorcas. If you are certain that isn't you then please begin praying for her forever family to be found.

-Share. Will you please share this post with your prayer warrior friends, your heart for adoption friends, your friends who feel a deep passion to help those with special needs?

-Give. If God leads you to be a part of this little girl's journey please visit her GoFundMe page created to raise support for the family that will one day bring her home.  

You can always contact me at jenniferhumiston@hotmail.com or through Facebook with any questions you might have.

"God sets the lonely in families." -Psalm 68:6 

Let us pray and believe that God will fulfill this in Dorcas's life.