{"id":301240,"date":"2006-11-23T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2006-11-23T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/adoption-stories-phil-and-christy-krause\/"},"modified":"2024-10-07T22:42:31","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T02:42:31","slug":"adoption-stories-phil-and-christy-krause","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/adoption-stories-phil-and-christy-krause\/","title":{"rendered":"Adoption Stories:  Phil and Christy Krause"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Phil and Christy Krause talk about their quest to adopt Abraham and Grace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2006-11-23.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"11.35M","filesize_raw":"11902688","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2818],"tags":[2712,4475],"podcast_series":[7487],"cwp_profile":[9044],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-301240","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adoption-and-orphans","tag-adoption","tag-orphans","podcast_series-caring-for-the-orphan-child","cwp_profile-phil-and-christy-krause","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/301240\/adoption-stories-phil-and-christy-krause","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/301240\/adoption-stories-phil-and-christy-krause","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"KdclE3puhU\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/adoption-stories-phil-and-christy-krause\/\">Adoption Stories:  Phil and Christy Krause<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/adoption-stories-phil-and-christy-krause\/embed\/#?secret=KdclE3puhU\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Adoption Stories:  Phil and Christy Krause&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"KdclE3puhU\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Phil and Christy Krause talk about their quest to adopt Abraham and Grace.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2006-11-23.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0All right, let me see if I can get this put together here \u2013 Dennis!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0Mm-hm?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Finish your mashed potatoes, it's time for the radio program.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0[mouth full] Okay.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0I've got Phil Krause's audio journal here.\u00a0 We're going to listen to part of it on the program.\u00a0 Let me see, this goes back to 1971 \u2013 October 5, 1971.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWoman:\u00a0Well, Philip is six day old today [baby crying].\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0No, no, no, that's way too early.\u00a0 Let's see, this is March 20, 1977.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBoy:\u00a0I don't like my teacher.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0No, I'm going to have fast-forward this.\u00a0 Dennis, do you know where, in Phil Krause's audio journal, where it is that he and his wife adopted the two babies from Africa?\u00a0 Was that about a year ago?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0This is FamilyLife Today for Thursday, November 23rd.\u00a0 Our host is the president of FamilyLife, Dennis Rainey, who is finishing his Thanksgiving dinner.\u00a0 I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We'll hear what has made one family very thankful this year.\u00a0 Stay with us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And welcome to FamilyLife Today, thanks for joining us on the Thursday edition.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0Happy Thanksgiving, Bob.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0The Thanksgiving Day edition \u2013 Happy Thanksgiving to you.\u00a0 Welcome to Barbara Rainey's favorite holiday of the year, right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0No doubt about it.\u00a0 As folks are listening to this, we're going to be \u2013 well, gathered around the table with a few family members.\u00a0 Not everybody came back this year, but a few of them journeyed back.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0One of the things that we're thankful for here at FamilyLife is the number of folks who, in the last several weeks, have joined with us to say, \"We want to help with the needs of the orphan around the world.\"\u00a0 You know, it was just last week that we made a week-long emphasis on the needs of the orphan, and you never know who's listening when you talk about things like this but \u2013 well, we do know at least a few people who are listening, because when we're done with an interview, it goes to the editors, right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0That's right, and one of the editors who listened to not just these broadcasts but some earlier broadcast \u2013 Phil Krause is his name, and he and his wife, Christy, now have six children \u2013 four girls and two boys.\u00a0 But you're about to be taken into an experience of his diary.\u00a0 Phil edits the broadcasts so he gets a chance to listen to some of these broadcasts, Bob, multiple \u2013 multiple times and trying to fix what you or I say or maybe a guest says here on FamilyLife Today.\u00a0 In the process of listening to the broadcast \u2013 well, I want you to hear the rest of the story.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0January 7, 1998 \u2013 Rebecca, our second, is two months old, and Christy and I have been talking about adoption.\u00a0 Between programs, I've been editing at FamilyLife and just desires that I guess God is putting on our hearts, we're thinking about maybe adopting.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0January 8, 1998 \u2013 here's what's really bugging me about this whole adoption thing.\u00a0 International adoption is extremely expensive.\u00a0 The word that comes to mind is \"highway robbery.\"\u00a0 You have to be rich or something to do this.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0January 9th, 1998 \u2013 so today Christy reminded me that, yes, even though adoption is extremely expensive, there are financial helps available, and so I said, \"Okay, let's look into it.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0March 20, 2002 \u2013 I know it's been like a long time since I've said anything about adoption, but we've still been praying about it a lot, and it's kind of been on the back burner.\u00a0 We had a house to build, we had issues to work through, we've had two more children, and so now we have a total of four, and still God has put this desire on our hearts to adopt.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0July 1, 2005 \u2013 Wow!\u00a0 Things are really flying now.\u00a0 In a nutshell, we went to a FamilyLife Hope for Orphans If You Were Mine conference, and that really encouraged us that, yes, adoption is possible even if we don't have a ton of money.\u00a0 I hadn't made the connection in my mind, the picture that physical adoption here in this life, is like our spiritual adoption into God's family as a child of God.\u00a0 That's just really cool, and so it's like I've turned the corner from \"Yeah, something needs to be done to help these kids,\" to now it's that \"something\" has to include me in some way.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0October 20, 2005 \u2013 [phone rings] To log onto your mailbox please enter your password.\u00a0 [enters password]\u00a0 You have two new messages.\u00a0 To listen \u2013 message received \u2013 \"Hey, Phil, This is Paul Pennington at Hope for Orphans.\u00a0 I just wanted to leave you a message that there may be a unique opportunity if you and Christy are interested with the Gardner Center.\u00a0 They are going to be opening up a brand-new program in Ethiopia, and when a new adoption program like this is being launched, they look for pioneer families who are willing to kind of blaze the way to see how that program will work.\u00a0 And since I know you've had an interest in this area and wanted to find out if you would like to follow-up on going to Ethiopia.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0January 26, 2006 \u2013 Well, we just got off the phone with the International Adoption Pediatrician Specialist lady, Dr. Heidi Schwarzwald, and we've been talking over with her the records of not one but two children from Ethiopia.\u00a0 They're little babies under two months old, a boy and a girl, and she says their medical records look great, their tests have all tested well, they're healthy little kids, so we are getting excited.\u00a0 It looks like we'll be traveling soon to Ethiopia.\u00a0 The Lord has done so many things.\u00a0 There is no way I could list all the things God has done for us over the last few months.\u00a0 Our church hosted a dessert social for us, it was a fundraiser, and that raised multiple thousands of dollars.\u00a0 We have been given grants from Shoahannah's Hope, the Lydia Fund has offered to help us with travel expenses, Life International gave us a matching grant, and that's just on the money side of things. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0It is very encouraging and you know what?\u00a0 It looks like we're ready to go.\u00a0 We have what we need for the trip.\u00a0 Even our neighbors \u2013 let me tell you this \u2013 our neighbors brought us encourage envelope, cash, for the trip.\u00a0 They said, \"Here, use this,\" and it was encourage envelope with $100 in it.\u00a0 And stories like that are just replicated over and over again.\u00a0 All we did was send out some e-mails saying, \"Here's what we're doing, please pray for us,\" and the Lord has brought us all the money we needed, and we're ready to go.\u00a0 It's so exciting.\u00a0 It's really exciting.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0February 4, 2006 \u2013 and we are getting close.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0So what are we going to be doing?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGirl:\u00a0We're going to Ethiopia to adopt Abraham and Grace.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0In His kindness, God is allowing us to take along Rebecca and Rachel, who are eight and almost 10.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0Are you excited?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGirl:\u00a0Yeah [giggles]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0And who are you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCurt:\u00a0Curt.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0What are you going to be doing while we go to Ethiopia?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCurt:\u00a0I'm going to stay at the Fontenoy's [sp] house.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0At the Fontenoy's house?\u00a0 And what are you going to do there?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCurt:\u00a0Play.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0I had a question for Christy, though.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0What's been the most difficult thing in the preparation for this adoption trip?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tChristy:\u00a0Leaving son behind.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0Well, it's Tuesday, February 7, 2006.\u00a0 We left on Sunday afternoon, left Little Rock, flew to Chicago, to London, to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and we are tired, to say the least.\u00a0 That was a long trip.\u00a0 But we're also very excited.\u00a0 The man who is helping us here in Ethiopia with our adoption is a man named Balai Taphase [sp].\u00a0 I'm probably butchering this name, but Balai is really a neat guy, and he \u2013 I mean, he's like a tour guide.\u00a0 As we travel everywhere, he tells me all about city and about the country, and he's very knowledgeable and helpful and kind.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Do you know how many orphans there are?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBalai:\u00a0There are 4 million \u2013 estimate that 4 million orphans in Ethiopia.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0That doesn't mean that all 4 million of them are living in orphanages because, as Balai explained to me, community living is the norm in Ethiopian culture, so when a child's parents die \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBalai:\u00a0The aunt or extended family, even the neighbors, will take care of the kids.\u00a0 But average annual income in Ethiopia is about $120 a year.\u00a0 So you can see how difficult it will be to take care of, like, eight kids in the house.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0I asked Balai what conditions had to be true in order to be classified as an orphan.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBalai:\u00a0Both of their parents are dead, or they have been abandoned, and they can't find the parents, especially in the city that's a big problem.\u00a0 If you have kids, and they tell you they might have a small medical problem, the mothers will just leave their kids in the hospital and run away.\u00a0 And, actually, the Blackline [sp] Hospital, there is a kid that's gone in the hospital because his father checked him in there, and the bill was piling up, so his father just abandoned him.\u00a0 I think he's been there for five years now.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0The boy?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBalai:\u00a0Yeah.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0He's still at the hospital?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBalai:\u00a0He's still at the hospital, and there is also [unintelligible].\u00a0 We have a picture of another kid that has grown up in the hospital.\u00a0 Everybody \u2013 all the doctors, nurses, know about them, so they just give them \u2013 everybody supports them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0Balai shares story after heartbreaking story like that and, really, back to our story, we don't know all the details, but we do know that the two we are going to adopt have been abandoned.\u00a0 Today was the court hearing.\u00a0 It was brief.\u00a0 The judge read the statement, and these two children are ours now.\u00a0 It just blows your mind if you think about it too much.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Wednesday, February 8, 2006 \u2013 I knew today was going to be an emotional day.\u00a0 I guess I didn't know how emotional it really would be.\u00a0 The first orphanage we went to was where we picked up Hermela [sp].\u00a0 She's the one we're going to call \"Grace.\"\u00a0 The orphanage was in a poor part of town, a small compound of buildings.\u00a0 I suppose each building houses a different age group of children, and we went into one of them, which was where the babies were.\u00a0 There were 25 cribs in this room and a baby in each crib, so you can imagine it was not quiet [sounds of babies crying].\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0They showed us Grace [baby crying].\u00a0 The first thing Christy did was put on some clothes we had brought and a diaper, and then we just held her.\u00a0 She was little.\u00a0 She's less than eight pounds.\u00a0 There were happy tears.\u00a0 One thing Christy had been worried about was that she wouldn't love our adopted children like she does our biological children.\u00a0 It's pretty obvious that's not going to be a problem.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0On our way to the next orphanage, Balai told us a little bit about it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBalai:\u00a0This orphanage was donated by the empress, Haile Selassie's wife, about 60 years ago, and it's the girls' orphanage, but they also will take boys under the age of six, usually, and the girls will stay here until they get to the age of 13.\u00a0 Once they reach the age of 13, they will give them about 2,500 Birr.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0That's about $285.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBalai:\u00a0And they'll be sent out on their own.\u00a0 But what happens is some of them will not have the skills to support themselves.\u00a0 They will go out to become prostitutes, so we have second-generation orphans in here.\u00a0 They'll just have babies outside.\u00a0 They can't afford to feed them, and they'll bring their kids here.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0The scene largely repeated itself at the next orphanage where we picked up Kitibel [sp], Abraham.\u00a0 Kitibel is Amharic for \"cherubim.\"\u00a0 So he's our little cherub.\u00a0 The television was on in the room next door.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0February 15, 2006 \u2013 Well, all the paperwork is done, we are ready to go home soon, and we're really looking forward to that.\u00a0 I made a little list here of things I want to be sure I remember about Ethiopia, about Addis Ababa, and the people here.\u00a0 One is it's just the kindness of the people.\u00a0 I think it's easy for me, as an American, to think that goodness of heart and kindness come with wealth, and that's not at all true, because here is a country where people are very poor, and they are very happy, many of them, they are very happy.\u00a0 You see people smiling as they walk down the street, even though they don't have shoes on.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Another thing I want to remember is a family that I spoke with who had been living in Dallas for several years, they were Ethiopian, and they decided to move back to Ethiopia to have a better place to raise their children.\u00a0 That's sobering to me, because here I am taking an Ethiopian child back to the United States.\u00a0 It makes me think, \"What do I have to offer?\u00a0 What do I have to offer this child?\"\u00a0 The only thing I have to offer is a loving home and a loving family, is certainly not perfect, and God.\u00a0 Otherwise, I'm bringing them from a poor, but in many way, still content culture, to a very wealthy, discontented place.\u00a0 And I don't want to \u2013 you know, I know the United States is a great place to live but you know what I mean.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0The third thing is just the children in the orphanages.\u00a0 There was one little boy who had the biggest smile.\u00a0 He looked like he was about Curt's age, maybe five or six years old \u2013 the cutest kid.\u00a0 His name was Thomas.\u00a0 In fact, I did manage to record just a few words with him.\u00a0 Here you go, listen to this \u2013\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0What's your name?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThomas:\u00a0Thomas Mik [sp].\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0How old are you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThomas:\u00a0I am seven.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPhil:\u00a0Oh, okay, so he's even not five or six.\u00a0 Anyway, I tell you, if we had been approved to adopt three instead of two, we would have brought him home.\u00a0 He would come up, he'd shake my hand, he'd say \"Hello.\"\u00a0 He'd smile, and there he is at the orphanage.\u00a0 So I don't want to forget them.\u00a0 We're looking forward to going home, but we'll also miss Ethiopia a lot.\u00a0 I hope we come back.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[electronic noise] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0November 12, 2006 \u2013 people often ask us if the babies have adjusted yet to life in this country, I guess.\u00a0 I tell them, \"Yeah, they're just a normal part of our family now.\"\u00a0 As with our biological children, I can't remember what it was like to not have them as part of our family, and I like it that way.\u00a0 They still have most of their lives ahead of them.\u00a0 I know it won't always be easy, but for now I'm content to listen to the sounds of babies with sniffly noses playing with obnoxious electronic toys.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0[Playroom sounds]\u00a0 Okay, so it's not always that peaceful.\u00a0 This was right before suppertime [babies crying].\u00a0 But there's nothing a couple of bottles and a jar of baby food can't fix.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[music]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0That's fun.\u00a0 We got a chance today to hear one of our editors, Phil Krause, get on this side of the microphone and share a little of his story.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0A 12-year journey.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0A 12-year journey and six children later \u2013 and I have to tell you, you look at Phil and Christy, and this is a couple that lives modestly, they didn't have a big bank account they could reach into to go over to Africa and adopt these children, but they stepped out in faith, and they watched God work, and they're raising their family, and two of those family members are brand-new to their family this year from Africa.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0And, Bob, I want our listeners to see a picture of their family, so I'm going to ask our staff to post this on the Internet, because I got this picture in an e-mail, and I'm going to tell you something \u2013 if you don't fall right into the middle of this family, I mean, if you don't just break out in a big smile when you see these two little babies, and their skin is different from their other children but you know what?\u00a0 They have the same family.\u00a0 They have the same Lord, and they have the same love as those other kids.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And I was thinking of Psalm 145, just as I was listening to Phil and Christy's story here on Thanksgiving \u2013 Psalm 145:3-4 \u2013 \"Great is the Lord and highly to be praised.\u00a0 His greatness is unsearchable.\u00a0 One generation shall praise Thy works to another and shall declare Thy mighty acts.\"\u00a0 What a privilege we've had today on our broadcast to declare God's mighty acts of a humble couple who stepped out in faith and took God at His Word and to hear the story of how God supplied the means and the heart and the ability to be able to adopt these two little ones, and I'm sure this will not be the last time Phil and Christy cry out to God to ask for help and comfort in the process of raising their children but you know what?\u00a0 That's what a family is all about; it's all about raising a generation to know Christ and to carry on His work as you and I move off the scene.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0And it may be that someday in the future Phil gets a note from a listener who says, \"You know, Phil, you don't know me, but I was listening to your story on Thanksgiving Day, and God did a work\" \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0\"And here is the picture.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Yeah.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0Just like he sent me.\u00a0 Because that's what he did, Bob.\u00a0 Phil sent me \u2013 he said, \"You know, I don't think you know the full story here, but as I was editing the broadcast, I started thinking about children, and I think our listeners have had a chance to hear how God works in the heart of a young couple today.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0And it may be that folks are looking around the Thanksgiving table today and going, \"You know, we could set another plate or two or three or whatever.\u00a0 Maybe we ought to think about this.\u00a0 Maybe we ought to pray about adoption.\"\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0We've got resources on our website at FamilyLife.com.\u00a0 If folks want more information about how you walk through the process, we've got a 32-page guide you can download called \"Welcome Home \u2013 Eight Steps to Adoption\" that walks you, step-by-step through the process \u2013 what to think about, what to pray about, what to consider, as you think through the possibility of adoption. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0There's a Homebuilders guide that we've created called \"Considering Adoption, a Biblical Perspective\" that a husband and wife can go through together or a small group of couples could go through this material and, again, think and pray about whether adoption is right for you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0You can go to our website, FamilyLife.com, and download some of these resources or order others.\u00a0 When you get to the home page, you'll see a red button that says \"Go,\" and if you click that button, it's right about in the center of the page, click that button, it will take you to a page on our site where there's more information about the resources that are available on the subject of adoption.\u00a0 There is also information about other ways that any of us can help care for the needs of orphans around the world.\u00a0 With more than 140 million orphans worldwide all of us, as Christians, need to be asking what can we do to help children who are waiting for our help.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Again, there is more information on our website at FamilyLife.com.\u00a0 Click the red button in the middle of the screen that says go, that will take you right to a page where you can find out what's available, and you can place an order online for some of these resources, if you'd like, or download documents that are available there as well.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Now, tomorrow we are going to hear from a number of individuals and families who share with us some unique ways they've gotten involved in helping to care for the needs of orphans.\u00a0 Some of those involve adoptions, some of them don't.\u00a0 We'll hear about that tomorrow, and I hope you can be with us for that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0I want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team.\u00a0 On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 Happy Thanksgiving, we'll see you next time for another edition of FamilyLife Today. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0FamilyLife Today is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you.\u00a0 However, there is a cost to transcribe, create, and produce them for our website.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would\u00a0\u00a0 you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/site\/c.dnJHKLNnFoG\/b.3782043\/k.384D\/Support_Us.htm\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright \u00a9 FamilyLife.\u00a0 All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/www.FamilyLife.com\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/301240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301240"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301240"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=301240"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=301240"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=301240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}