I have heard since we decided to adopt that you are automatically accepted into a community of others who have or are in the process of adopting. I thought that was nice, but never really thought anything else about it. Of course you have an instant connection to others who have adopted and maybe an even closer connection to others who are adopting from the same country you are, but today I experienced genuine community.
Today could of possibly been one of the most frustrating days for me in our adoption process. Yesterday we received our final document that we have been waiting on, so that we can send everything off and go on the waiting list. I won’t bore you with all the details. Anyways, I went to The Rutherford County Clerk, so that could authenticate that our notary was legit. Upon arrival I was told that it was $7.00 dollars a document. Even the lady behind the counter felt bad charging me $126.00 dollars to print 18 pieces of paper and sign them. Once I completed this task, I then went to downtown Nashville for the to authenticate that Rutherford County could authenticate our notary. Are you serious? Their fee was a nominal $2.00 a paper. I had more here to authenticate. But here is where community happened.
When the lady took my papers she asked if I was paying by check or cash, I promptly said, debit card, in which she promptly replied we don’t take those. I said well I guess I will be going to an ATM huh, since my wife doesn’t allow me to carry a check book :) A gentleman who was also their authenticating said how much do you need? As I opened my wallet to look to see how much cash I had, he handed me a ten dollar bill. He said hopefully you won’t have to leave, where are you adopting from. I told him Ethiopia, and he told me he was adopting also. The lady said it will be $44 dollars, and I looked in my wallet and smiled at him and said yeah I gotta run to the ATM, and proceeded to give him his $10 dollars back. He refused and said hey we are here to help each other out right, God bless you, and walked off.
Community happens when people come together for a common cause. God continues to blow me away with how people are so willing to be apart of this adoption! Pray for us this weekend as we scan everything and send it off. Wow God is so good.
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