As the attorney stood up, and began to describe the papers she was handing the judge, I thought back to Mme. Soliet, the orphanage director in Haiti, and the innummerable phone calls and conversations she had had to get signatures from the biological father on those papers.
I thought of the Haitian judge, leaving in the middle of a meeting late on a Saturday night to sign papers that would allow Will to head to the embassy the following day and leave the country on a special post-earthquake visa.
And I thought of our dear friend Magistra Dahame translating those papers while sitting in a dusty classroom where the occassional rat graced the rafters and asking "Teacher, how would you describe the word "duress"?"
The South Carolina judge could never guess how many hours of stressing, running, and praying went in to getting those papers in his hands.
Then the attorney called upon the parents to testify. One by one, Beth and Justin, the parents who had fought 3 years through a forest of red tape for their son, were asked to make public affirmations of that love and commitment.
"Do you understand that this adoption is permanent?"
"Do you agree to take care of this child and meet his every need?"
"Do you understand that health problems could arise in the future?"
And on they went. "This adoption will make this child your legal heir, which means he can inherit from you and you from him, just as if he had been born to you."
Though Will had been living with Beth and Justin for over a year and had been their son even before that time, there was something powerful about this public declaration that this is their son.
And I couldn't help but think back to the bible passages where God sends his Spirit to declare about Jesus, "This is my son, whom I love. With him I am well pleased." How affirming for Jesus, and for Will, to hear their parents publicly affirming their identity as a beloved son.
While I tried to keep the tears pooled in my eyes and tried to swallow the ice-like lump in my throat, Paul's words popped into my head. "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”" Romans 8:15
Wow! The fact that God has adopted us as his sons and daughters makes so much more sense to me. After watching Beth and Justin and the things they were willing to invest just so they could bring their son home--the finances, the time, the tears--I think maybe I'm begining to get a glimpse of the love Paul was talking about.
When I walked out of the courtroom Wednesday morning, Will was in his Daddy's arms, friends were hugging Beth, and I'm pretty sure God was smiling and saying "Yep, those are my kids, and I love them!"
