Serendipitous encounter

D and I have been educating ourselves on other cultures because we know there is a high probability that we will have the opportunity to adopt a baby from a culture other than ours.  I've been reading up on transracial adoptions on this blog and what strikes me the most is that a lot of people are talking about preserving the AA culture and incorporating it into your life if you adopt an AA child but no one gives examples of what the AA culture is. D and I were a little worried that we would be passed over for an AA child because we are white, live in a white community, and are surrounded by mostly white friends.
Fast forward to Monday morning at 9 am. Our office opens at 8:30 and I rarely schedule an appointment at 9 because I like to have some time in the morning to get my day planned out and prepare for other meetings. at 8:56 the door swings open and a rich, melodic voice announces that he is here to see me. Nancy, the office manager, lets me know that my 9 am appointment is here as I'm frantically scrambling to pull up my calendar and get his papers together. (I swear the calendar says the appointment is at 10!)
I welcomed Kevin into my office and we sit down and start to talk. I like to connect with my clients before I try and sell them something. I want to let them know that I'm not just looking for their money but to get to know them and to create a bond.  Kevin and I start talking about his weekend (which was rough) and I felt a true connection to this man. Kevin  seemed like he could see through me to every issue I was having and I felt myself opening up to him about our hesitancy to jump back into church when we still had questions that were unanswered, about our infertility struggles, and about our jump into the adoption waters.Kevin and I talked about how to raise a baby that was ethnically different from me and I truly believe that it doesn't matter what color skin I have or what color skin my baby will have as long as I raise him/her with a strong sense of right and wrong and raise them to be compassionate to all of mankind.
Kevin shared a story with me that really reaffirmed my belief that we were on the right track. A few years ago he had worked for a big company making VERY good money. He had a call from a client who was distraught and talking about making very bad decisions that would hurt her and the people around her. Kevin listened to this woman and her story touched him. He gave her the number to his pastor and a few weeks later came in for his normal shift and was promptly given the boot. Suddenly Kevin was unemployed and angry that God had let this happen. He railed at God, cried and asked why this was happening to him. A few days later he was asked to foster one child...then later another child, and the requests kept coming. Kevin sat down one day and looked at his bills and realized that he was now doing what he loved full time and making more than he had at his job. Even though it hurt to lose his job and he didn't understand it at that point, Kevin realized that losing his job was one of the best things that could have happened to him.
I'm reaffirmed that our infertility, while painful and heartbreaking, is a way for God to lead us to the child he has chosen for us-be it any shade of brown, pink, or tan.

Red, yellow, black & white. They are precious in MY sight!