Bring Daniel Home

Our family is asking you to join us on an incredible journey. Meet Daniel! Daniel is young boy who has spent his entire life in an orphanage in Burkina Faso Africa, along with other children awaiting their forever family. Daniel was born October 19, 2002 as a result of a relationship his mother had outside her marriage. When he was born, his mother placed him in a well out of fear. She later became remorseful for this and went back for him. Daniel was brought to the orphanage where he has been cared for while awaiting adoption. Daniel has optic nerve damage and, due to such limited resources in Burkina Faso, has not been able to get an education because of it. His story came to us and God began to stir our hearts. Some of you know that I have had the privilege of serving on 3 mission trips to Africa and have held some of these sweet children in my arms. Our oldest daughter Alex has also traveled to Burkina Faso with me in 2011. After much prayer and counsel, we have decided to move forward to expand our family! Several months ago, I met a women at church who shared her journey with me of how they are adopting a precious girl from Uganda. Shawn and I have pursued foster care 2 times, once 9 years ago and then again last year. Both times, after meeting with social workers, we walked away with heavy hearts at the restrictions of the system. We have been so very blessed with our biological children but have always had a heart to share those blessings. Last year, we opened our home to Precious, an exchange student from Nigeria. She has brought so much joy to our home and we feel so honored that her parents shared her with us for nearly a year. When I met with the woman from church, we shared stories and prayed together. When she asked if we ever considered adoption, I replied, "that would be an act of God and my husband would have to be the driver on that". I bet God snickered at that statement. :) Fast forward a few months...Daniel entered our hearts. Our youngest son Carsen first took notice of his captivating smile and said, "Mom, he should be my brother!" I smiled and gave him the same reply I gave the woman from church. When we got home, Carsen told my husband Shawn about Daniel. When we opened his profile and shared his story, Shawn was also touched by him. As Shawn and I sat with much emotion, we began to imagine Daniel as part of our family. We sent an email off to Ruth Cox with the orphanage asking to hear more of Daniel's story. Before we could get a reply, we quickly realized that there is a substantial upfront expense and we knew that was not possible for us. We accepted that maybe our role in Daniel's life was to lift him in prayer and advocate for him. Then, we received a reply from Ruth! She encouraged us greatly to step forward in prayer and faith to bring Daniel home. We have become aware of some grant money that is available and have decided to pursue what we can. (**Update** We are currently awaiting a reply from a Show Hope grant. Please pray with us that this would be a reality!) Some of you have expressed an interest in partnering with us financially to bring Daniel home and to that, we are so humbly grateful! It is not comfortable for us to reach out with our needs but we are stepping out in faith to bring Daniel home. I want to thank those of you who have been SO faithful to be praying with us. I have once again realized the amazing family I have been blessed with. I am grateful for a husband and children who love, to the best of their ability, as Christ does. I am thankful for a God who leads and equips and that I can place my complete trust in. We are stepping out in faith, praying expectantly,to bring Daniel home. Psalm 139:13-16 ~For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. We know that God has, and always will be purposeful in Daniel's life and we trust in Him because of it. God Bless. Shawn and Lisa Strutz and family