4 today. 🧡 He was born via a planned c-section as a result of Promise’s birth being an emergency c-section 2 years prior (not what I wanted at all for either). And unknowingly leading up to his entry into the world, his planned caesarean birth was likely the miracle that saved his life. At 38 weeks he was born and weighed 9lbs 10oz, and as the nurse brought him to the warming table and then soon after quickly onto my chest where he immediately latched and I nursed him on the operating table, my OBGYN exclaimed “Oh my gosh! Look at this!” “What, what is it??!” I said, as I lay behind the surgical curtain unable to see. My doctor held up Shepherd’s umbilical cord (the part still attached to my placenta) and there was a massive knot in it. “If we had waited any longer to deliver this baby, with how big he is and how big he would have continued to grow, his birth could have been a very different story....a very scary story.” 🕊 Shepherd’s birth is always a testament to a decision we made to trust God even in the midst of such disappointment (a c-section birth, again). We had arrived back to America from Tanzania too late to have more options for his birth. The time was ticking and the options grew slim, and I grieved not being able to give birth naturally—the way I always wanted and dreamed. And in the midst of that time, trying to decide what to do, God simply asked “Melissa, do you trust me?” Yes, Lord. Yes Lord, I do. I’m so glad we decided to trust. 🕊 Whatever disappointment you are facing, just trust Him. It might actually be the thing that brings about the miracle. 🕊 Happy Birthday Shepherd Aaron, my miracle boy. You have stolen my heart and are one of the greatest joys and blessings in our lives. 🧒🏼🧡
Some of my favorite memories from our first 2 days back in America that I don’t want to forget: + the incredible ways we were supported at each airport we arrived at. When we landed at LAX, we had the happiest, nicest immigration officer helping us (a rare thing) and then an incredible crew of guys collect and push all our luggage up to the arrivals gate. I literally just held my kids hands as these guys pushed our 16 bags, carryons, and dog in his kennel up the steep LAX ramp. It was amazing. ✈️ + the way an airport security guy asked Moses (who was sitting about 10 feet away from me while I stood at the curb of the arrivals section) where his parents were. (He was concerned maybe Mo was alone) When Moses pointed at me and said that’s my mom right there, the security officer looked at me, then looked back at Mo and said “That’s yo mama??” 🙋🏼♀️👦🏾 + the way Dodger saw a tiny dog for the first time, probably wondering to himself ‘what the heck is that thing?’ 🐈 + the way Dodger had no idea what stairs were and had to have Brandon carry him down because he couldn’t figure out how to walk down them 🐶 + Dodger’s first experience with carpet (AKA pooping on it because he thought it was grass) 💩 + my kids asking me “mom, what is that thingy?” “Is that a small oven?” “Is that a toaster box?” It was a microwave. Bless them. 😇 + the way my kids get SO excited about box mac-n-cheese 🍝 + we had received some Sour Patch Kids in our welcome bags from our amazing church The Garden, and Promise asked me while on the drive up to my parents house “Mommy, can I try those gummy children?” 😂 + the way Moses was sleep-eating his In-N-Out burger because jet lag is a beast 🍔 + the way we are freezing our butts off here in CA because we definitely aren’t next to the equator anymore ⛄️ + the most random food items consumed in the last 48 hours because they are all things we haven’t had in almost a year. String cheese? Yes! Cereal? For sure!! Chips and salsa? Absolutely! (All eaten within 45 minutes of each other) 😆 + the way my African son beat my Armenian-American stepdad in backgammon, a game he was raised on and has taught Moses and Brandon how to play👏
Grateful, just grateful. 🕊 Today we leave home to return ‘home’. And all I can think of is how kind God has been to us. Not 1, but 2 places to call Home this side of Heaven. What a God of abundance... of double portion... of doing exceedingly more. Tanzania has been the greatest gift to our family, and understandably so it is through tears we say goodbye for now. But not without this promise: “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.” -Isaiah 55:12-13 🌿 Tanzania, we love you. California, we’re coming for you. ✌🏻
I’m convinced more and more that the Kingdom of God is in the dropping off of a meal, the offering of free babysitting, and the bringing by of fresh cut flowers “because I thought you might need some beauty in this transition.” All of these things have been done for us this week (actually a handful of times), and I am so much more persuaded of the supernatural power of hospitality—to anticipate someone else’s needs and offer help before a word is even needed to be said. Meals are powerful—grilled chicken, baked potatoes, veggies, soup, rice, still warm brownies.... all vehicles of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. If you can make a casserole, you can do the work of God. And if you can’t make a casserole, well, there’s always take-out, and that works just as fine. There is power in feeding people, it’s the downright truth. 🥘 We leave in 2 days and God is so close—right here, right now, in the tension. In 48 hours we will be headed to the airport to fly away from the home and country we love so deeply, not knowing when we will return. And I have supernatural peace. It’s a miracle. Friends, God is real. His love is real. His promises are real. The finish line of the last 9 years is in sight, and we’re running hard to finish well. He’s the proud Dad screaming His head off in the bleachers; His recognizable voice giving us courage and motivation to finish strong. 💪🏻 Pray for our next 48 hours. We’ve said so many goodbyes over the last several days, and have more to say even still. (And not to mention finish packing.) Pray for us! We appreciate it so much.
We have been crate-training Dodger for the last several weeks, preparing him for his big international move (yes we are taking our dog to America 😂). He was Brandon and I’s first child when he was a 4 week puppy, and now is 7 years old. It just wouldn’t be right for us to leave him here. Our vet here has been amazing in helping us with his immigration process and advised us in the best way to crate-train him. Basically, it’s all about introducing it to him in stages. The crate is imported from Italy (that’s not a fancy brag, that’s admitting this dang thing cost a lot 🤑), and comes disassembled. We first start him off by just getting used to laying in the bottom green section, then after a couple weeks we introduce the top white cover. So now that he doesn’t have a cone around his head (lest we not forget about how he almost became a 3-legged dog recently), he’s getting more of the full experience of the crate life. Last step will be adding on the door. With so much going on, I’m thankful this part of the move has been smooth and Dodger has taken to it well. 🙌🏻 So now we just pray he doesn’t have an anxiety attack on the airplane (it’s a real thing ya’ll) and arrives to America with as little stress as possible. We are flying KLM who is ranked number 1 in animal travel, so we know he’s in good hands! 🐶 Anyone else flown internationally with their pets? Don’t tell me your horror stories!! 🤪 #takingroute #velvetashes #velvetashesafrica
Things I will definitely miss: incredible, local, inexpensive produce. Massive avocados for pennies, mangos falling off our 2 trees by the bucket-full, bananas brought down the mountain each morning on the heads of the banana ladies to sell right around the corner from our house. It all makes me so happy. 🍌 This sight is not unusual (conjoined bananas), and neither are double-yoke eggs. 🥚God has blessed the soil here to be so healthy and we all get to reap the benefits of it. 🥑🥥🍍🍉🌽 #velvetashes #velvetashesafrica #takingroute
Yesterday was holy. 17 pastors that we partner with gathered to bless us with a commissioning back to America, and it was.... incredibly powerful. Our sweet friends wanted to have us over for a meal to say goodbye, telling us that some pastors wanted to see us one more time before we go. But soon the house filled with ministers, giving of their day to minister to our family. It was completely unexpected and we wept with the abundance of their blessing. Each pastor stood and shared how the message/call that God has placed on our lives has impacted them; how Brandon’s book has opened their eyes and hearts to see orphans and widows in their midst differently, and how they are fulfilling the call to care for the least of these in their own communities now in greater ways. One pastor stood up to share how at one of our Kingdom Families conferences he and his wife heard about the importance for children to be in families and have since brought in 2 vulnerable children from their village who he now calls his own children and loves them as his own. Another pastor shared how the trauma training seminar that we put on has now changed how he responds to children he hears crying in his community and how he approaches families differently who are struggling in their parenting. Another honored Brandon by saying that when he talks and interacts with Brandon, he forgets that Brandon is white and see’s him instead as a local. And still many others boldly encouraged us to not pack our bags, to come back to their country again very soon, and to not give up on this message of adoption... that all churches in their country needs to hear the message and that they do not believe we are done here. Friends... we wept. And it was healing. Their words were a balm on our souls and their encouragement was energy for the call God has on our lives. These pastors, each stood and spoke encouragement and honor to my husband and it was probably one of the proudest moments for me as his wife. He is so respected here and his commitment to this country, it’s culture, it’s language, it’s churches, and it’s families has impacted these minister’s in beautiful ways. They thanked me for (continued👇)
We fly out in exactly 2 weeks. 14 days left here, and it hasn’t fully hit us. The emotions are there, the workload is in front of us, but the fact that we don’t know the next time we will be in Tanzania again has not fully registered. Brandon and I were talking the other day, trying to have a short time of processing, in between working on stuff. And I said the transition and all the work required for it is something we can handle, something we have done before, something God is gracing us for. Our entire marriage and time overseas has been in a state of constant transition: it’s sorta the name of the game. The hard part for me is the not knowing when we will be back here. A year from now? 2 years from now? 5 years? That’s the hardest part. This has been home and leaving it with no return date is something I am laying down to God on the daily. We have loved raising our children here. We love the slower and simpler way of life here. We love the people here. We love and believe in the churches and families here. We feel so strongly about ethical missions, ethical development work, and ethical, Kingdom-based orphan care. And we have strived to maintain a standard of excellence when it comes to all of those. And let’s face it, we never will be done with this country—one of our very own is Tanzanian. This level of trust is supernatural; something we cannot do on our own. It’s a trust that has been cultivated over years of constantly laying it down and believing that He works ALL things together. And not just that, but with the attached promise that it’s for our GOOD. And so we say yes. And so we trust. And so we choose to not believe the lie that this is as good as it gets, but instead believe that even greater things are still to come. From Grace to Grace. From Glory to Glory. From Increase to Increase. It’s what we’re expecting and it’s what I’m claiming! We’re palms-up-people, because we trust the character of our God. We have a history with Him. He’s good, He’s for us, and He can be trusted with our whole lives. One foot in front of the other, one yes after another. There’s Grace for it all. #takingroute #velvetashes #velvetashesafrica
