Thursday, January 7, 2016

"...in answer to the prayers of MANY."


I believe prayer is very POWERFUL and that our God is a miracle worker. 

I have contacted over 800 churches across this nation asking for prayer for the release of over 1,000 legally adopted children who are
waiting on exit visas from the DRC.  The response has been amazing!  I have received words of encouragement and promises of prayer from around the world!  Would you be willing to join us in our prayers? I have written out the information below detailing the situation and specific prayer requests. Would you be willing to put this information on your church's prayer chain? Give it to your pastor? Share it in your small group or Bible study? Send it out to your family or friends willing to pray? If you would like for me to send it to you in a pdf to forward along, email me at aclmstultz@gmail.com and I will make sure you get it!  Thanks for your prayers!!!!

Dear Prayer Warriors,

My name is Lynsey.  My husband and I, along with two of our children, Eva (6) and Eli (4) attend Summerdean Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Virginia.  We need your prayers.  In Janurary 2012, our family felt God calling us to adopt a child internationally.  After many months of prayer and confirmation from the Lord, we began the paperwork and approval process to adopt from the beautiful Democratic Republic of Congo.  We completed our adoption of our 4 year old daughter, Elysee, in September 2013.  During the same month, the Democratic Republic of Congo suspended issuing exit visas for legally adopted children.  This was done so that they could re-write their adoption laws to better prevent any Congolese children from being mistreated.  In December 2013, we learned that Elysee’s mother had given birth to a little girl and wanted to know if we would be willing to adopt her as well.  We immediately began the paperwork and Etta’s adoption was completed in December 2015.  Meanwhile, two years and three months have gone by and the visa suspension continues.  We have made three trips to Africa to visit our girls and God has given us a love for these children that is indescribable.  We have missed years of their lives. 

God directed me to this verse…

"On him we have set our hope, that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."  2 Corinthians 1:10-11

The scripture is out of a letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians and he is speaking of the hardships they faced during a missionary journey.  He realized that they could do nothing to help themselves, they simply had to rely on God. We are in the same place.  We can do NOTHING to help ourselves or these two precious girls, we simply have to rely on God.

I felt the Lord speak to me through this scripture..."Then MANY will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of MANY."  I am asking MANY of our brothers and sisters in Christ to lift these children in prayer to God...not just our children but the many orphans waiting on families to bring them home. There are over 1,000 children who have been legally adopted and are not allowed to leave the DR Congo.  During the visa suspension, 29 legally adopted children have died of preventable diseases. 

Please be in prayer that President Kabila of the DR Congo would come to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Pray that God would soften his heart and that he would release all of the children to their families.  There is a delegation of Congressmen traveling to the DR Congo in January to meet with DR Congo officials about the release of these children.  Please pray they will be able to meet with President Kabila and that their meetings would be successful.  Pray for God to make these families complete.

I am sending this information to churches around the world.  I believe in the power of prayer!  Please share this information with your congregation.  If you have a prayer chain please put this information on there.  If you have regular prayer meetings, would you please ask your prayer warriors to add this to their list? If you are willing to join us in prayer, please reply and let us know at aclmstultz@gmail.com .  We promise to let you know when God performs a miracle!

We are very grateful for your prayers.

Adam and Lynsey Stultz