A Near Referral

God has been actively working on our hearts and in the hearts of Bethany’s (our agency) matching team in Michigan. We are praising our faithful Father!!!

I just found out the following in the last 24 hours:

Debby, my social worker, called last night and said that she hadn’t heard if we were matched to a child from a group of 81 Chinese children, but that they were already putting the remaining kids on the Bethany list for Round 2. They usually tell all families who have special needs paperwork completed if they did or didn’t get a match and THEN they put out the new Round 2 list…follow me so far???

So after 3 long years of waiting, NOW I was allowed and encouraged to look to my heart’s content at the Round 2 list to see if any of this precious pumpkins was our Sophie Rose! There were at least 40 records to review!

We searched and prayed ALL evening and found # __ Todd and I both fell in love with her. I immediately e-mailed Debby and asked to do a formal request for #__.

Debby called Jaclyn, the head social worker in Michigan, this morning. ( She’s been trying to reach her personally since before Christmas, but with the new Chinese kiddos to match and the recent Haitian earthquake, Jaclyn’s been overwhelmed. To reach her today was a pure gift.)

Before Debby could even give our formal request, Jaclyn said, “I’m so glad you called, I was just now praying for the Todd and Shari Bentzel and #__!!! We had them matched together in Round 1, but we thought that they may not want her b/c she may be 7 years old till they traveled for her!!!! So we put her on the new list so the Bentzel’s wouldn’t be locked in to her.” (Our paperwork specifies 3 through 6 years old. She also said our special needs paperwork didn’t include a dislocated hip….there was NO WHERE to even check off that special need!!!!)

Upon hearing this, I immediately begin shaking, crying and screaming to Debby, “We want her; we want her!!!!”

Because she is now on the Bethany list Round 2, others can also request her until Jan. 29th. We have to wait till Feb. 1 to hear if this is indeed our Sophie Rose - it seems like a long time, but really only 11 days away!

I’ve waited for 3 years! Of course, I can wait another 11 days!!!!

Debby said that it’s NOT a done deal, but she would be “very surprised if they originally matched this girl with you and then gave her to someone else.”

Currently, while my heart is soaring at the potential excitement, we are being cautious! ( with a huge smile on my face :))

Would you please pray with us:


1. God would be glorified in our response, whatever the answer!
2. If she is our Sophie Rose, ask God to knit us in her heart till I can wrap my arms around her and smooch her beautiful lips!
3. Content our hearts (esp. mine and Ellie’s) to focus on the reality of life~ caring for Todd, schooling, house chores, etc.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers; I’ll send out another note as soon as I have any updated information.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.