(gentle music)
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- [Jim] Oh yes stay right there,
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stay right there I
will be right back.
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Hey, welcome everybody, to
Talking Donkey international
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and our new television
series, Country Wisdom.
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- Let's set the tone
for this new series of ours.
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It's found in
Proverbs 4, "Let your eyes look
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directly forward and your
gaze be straight before you.
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Ponder the path of your feet,
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and then all your
ways will be sure."
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- Join us now
for Country Wisdom.
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(gentle music)
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- Have I ever told
you the whole story
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of how we decided
to adopt our daughter?
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- No, I don't think you
have, I'd love to hear it.
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- Oh, it's a great
story, first of all,
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you know we had two
boys and I wanted a girl.
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I had this idea that God
would give me a daughter.
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And I had mentioned
a few times to Steve.
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Well, maybe, you know,
we could adopt some day.
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And he kind of, eh, and in fact,
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I think one day
he actually said,
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"Look, if that's what
you need to really be happy,
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then I won't stand in your way."
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And I had the
papers on the coffee table.
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- You were
ready for this? - And,
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but I never sent them
in, I filled out you know
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the initial form
but never sent it in.
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Because I thought, okay,
if I'm just doing this for me,
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you know, our
marriage is partnership.
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I'm not just gonna,
you know nag him to death
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until he finally says,
yes, you know, let's do it.
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I felt like he was just
giving me permission, you know
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he really want this, but it
wasn't what he really wanted.
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So I never did
anything about it.
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And literally
several years go by.
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And then we had...
- So you were patient?
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- Well, I'd given up. (laughing)
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Okay, okay, now
the truth is out there.
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- Because Steve
wasn't as fully on board.
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And then we had friends who
were going to China for a year.
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He was going to
be teaching medical
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Western surgery methods
or some new surgery method.
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And we were at
their house and they had
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told us what their plans were.
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And on the drive home, I said,
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really just kind of flippantly,
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I was not completely serious.
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I was just sort of harassing
Steve cause I kind of do that.
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And I said, "Well, since
they're going to be in China
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for a year, and China,
you know at that time."
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I said, "They tend to
toss little girls out."
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I said, "Maybe they can find us
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one while they're over there."
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And Steve said,
"Well, maybe we should talk
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to them about that,
maybe that would work."
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- So you almost
fell out of your chair?
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- If I hadn't been belted in,
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probably, cause
we were in the car.
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No, I actually
didn't say anything
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because I was afraid
of breaking the spell.
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This was Steve finally
saying, yeah, maybe we should.
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- After you'd
been waiting for years.
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- So obviously, I
don't know what happened,
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but obviously, now he was ready.
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I had been ready, but he was.
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So the next day, I kind of
broached the subject, you know,
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so, were you
really serious last night?
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Because it would
help, I was fairly certain,
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so optimistic and naive, that
having someone in the country,
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having friends who were there,
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that they could do
some of the legwork,
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that they would know who
to go talk to, what agency.
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And he said, "Yeah, yeah,
let's talk to them about it."
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And I was going, yes,
but I didn't do a happy dance
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because again, afraid
of breaking the spell.
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It's like, be
casual, like, oh, well,
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if you insist, I'll
look into it, you know.
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(laughs)
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- Went behind the
bedroom door and go, "Yes!"
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(laughs)
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- I know how to
play my cards right.
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So, we started the
process and the only agency,
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you have to have
a home study done.
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And I knew that,
so the only agency
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that would come to our
little town was four hours away.
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But they were really willing,
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it was a nice Christian agency.
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And they worked with orphanages
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in several
third world countries.
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And they were
delighted and they had
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a social worker who didn't mind
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driving all the way,
four hours to interview us.
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And Steve at
that time, see it was
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his partner who was in China.
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So Steve was on call for a year.
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It turned into two
years, but that's another story.
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So he couldn't leave
to go down to Sacramento.
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And normally they require you
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to go through
these parenting classes.
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And they let me
go down by myself.
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They said, we need to at
least meet him. (chuckles)
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We need to know you're not
talking about a phantom husband.
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And one time he got
coverage and we went down for
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one all day, big,
long meeting with them.
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And after that, they have bent
the rules and worked with us,
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and Shyla kept
making trips up to see us.
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If I had known
maybe how long the process
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would end up
taking, I don't know.
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But it was, I was thrilled there
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that we were going
to get our daughter.
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- Wow. - So,
adoption is wonderful.
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It was only part of the process
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that I could have done without.
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- You know, you
talk about adoption,
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I can't help but thinking
about in heaven, you know,
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God created the
most beautiful couple,
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gave them the
most gorgeous location.
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But then they decided
to choose somebody else,
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they'd been
created with free will.
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And here comes the devil
who at that time, you know,
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was Lucifer, the
light, but he was a deceiver.
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He totally deceived them saying,
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"Hey, join my family, come along
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and join my family, my
family is much better."
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- We have more fun in my family.
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- And you know,
they made that choice.
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They decided to
go that direction.
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And basically right there,
there was a whole gene change.
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You know that the whole royalty
just was out of their blood.
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And they were grafted
into the family of the devil.
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And basically, that's
where we've been ever since.
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It's a sad situation,
it's reverse adoption, really.
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- I hadn't thought
about it like that.
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- But it's a cool
thing God had a plan, too.
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- When we got into
the actual process,
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like I said, we
applied for it to China.
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And Steve insisted,
if we're going to adopt,
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he wanted that baby, he
wanted it as young as possible.
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And he even put on
there, on one of the forms.
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That I think like
one year old was his gap.
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And I remember
teasing him and saying,
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"Oh, so you're saying
if God has the perfect
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four year old for us, you
would go, no, sorry, too old."
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And he just kind of
laughed but he still
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put that on the form, infant.
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Now, you've met our daughter.
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- I have. - And has it
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occurred to you
that she's not Chinese?
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(laughs) Have you
thought about that?
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I kept expecting
you to go, what do mean
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you applied to
China, I've met Aleah.
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That is the
most wonderful story.
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- Even I can figure
out she's not Chinese.
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- We were, oh, at least
halfway through the process.
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We had done our
home study, we had,
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I'd gone multiple trips
down to where the agency was.
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We were getting
close to the time
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when they would be
assigning us a child.
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And one day, I think we
were sitting at the table
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and I suddenly had
this thought and I said,
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"Steve, how are we
gonna choose which one?
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Do you suppose they just show
you like a catalog, you know?
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I said, I'll just
pick the cutest one,
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I'm that shallow
and so how do you do it?
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And he just kind
of, I don't know.
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And I remember a
story that I read years ago.
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I was still a kid and
my grandmother subscribed
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to Guideposts
Magazine, which is still around.
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I subscribe to it now
and I remembered a story
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that I read when I
was maybe 10 years old.
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And it was a story about,
I want to say Eddie Albert,
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the story of Green
Acres. - Oh yeah, yeah.
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I can remember the old
Green Acres. (indistinct)
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- Well, yeah, I'm old
enough I remember it too.
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But he wrote a story in there.
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He had been
making a film in Spain.
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His wife went with
him they had no children.
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And while he was
off every day filming,
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his wife found there was a
little orphanage down the road.
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And she had made friends
with the orphanage director.
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She would go down there
and volunteer during the day,
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she was playing
with the kids and all.
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So she told him, I want to
adopt one of these children.
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And they talked to the director.
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Now, mind you,
let's see this must have,
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I don't even remember what
year, this was maybe the 50s.
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When he was, it was then this.
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I was older than
that when he wrote
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this story but
he was talking about
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something that
happened way before then.
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'Cause I'm not old
enough to remember the 50s.
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(laughs)
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So, they made
all the arrangements.
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It was easier then. - Yeah.
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- But they're driving,
on his last day of filming,
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he'd wrapped, they're
driving to the orphanage
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to meet the
director and choose a child.
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And his wife said the same
thing, all of a sudden, she
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goes, "Wait, how
are we going to choose?"
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And they pulled over to the
side of the road and prayed.
00:09:56.46\00:09:59.76
And they said, "Okay,
Lord, we're gonna make
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a deal with you,
the very first kid that
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that director
brings to introduce us to,
00:10:04.77\00:10:07.10
we're gonna say
yes, no matter what."
00:10:07.10\00:10:10.31
- That's scary.
- And then he said,
00:10:10.31\00:10:12.01
When the director walked
in with this little girl,
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he almost reneged
it was like, no, Lord,
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you can't
possibly mean that one.
00:10:17.81\00:10:19.58
Because he said she
had a look on her face
00:10:19.58\00:10:22.68
that he just knew she was
going to give them trouble.
00:10:22.68\00:10:26.02
- A fireball on
the Harley. (laughs)
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- And he almost went
back on his promise to God.
00:10:28.32\00:10:31.53
But his wife didn't and they
said, "Yes, we'll take her."
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He was writing this story like
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20 years later on
the eve of her wedding.
00:10:38.70\00:10:43.17
And he was just
saying, "God knew exactly who
00:10:43.17\00:10:47.34
they needed and who needed them,
00:10:47.34\00:10:49.48
and it was the perfect choice."
00:10:49.48\00:10:51.61
So that's what Steve and I did.
00:10:51.61\00:10:52.98
We actually prayed
and said that, you know,
00:10:52.98\00:10:56.22
"We don't know
what you have in mind,
00:10:56.22\00:10:58.62
but we know that you know
who needs us and who we need,
00:10:58.62\00:11:02.76
and we'll do the same thing."
00:11:02.76\00:11:04.39
The very first
baby that they offer us,
00:11:04.39\00:11:07.36
we'll say yes, no matter what.
00:11:07.36\00:11:09.50
And I thought we might be
opening ourselves up for maybe
00:11:09.50\00:11:12.27
some medical
issues, but that's fine.
00:11:12.27\00:11:16.24
Steve's a doctor, we know a lot
00:11:16.24\00:11:18.27
of people in the
medical community.
00:11:18.27\00:11:19.84
We would give this little girl
a chance she might not have.
00:11:19.84\00:11:23.65
When you leave things up to God,
00:11:25.88\00:11:27.88
the answer to your prayer might
not look like what you think
00:11:27.88\00:11:31.05
it's gonna look like.
- Most of the time not.
00:11:31.05\00:11:33.39
- First of all,
we'd applied to China.
00:11:33.39\00:11:36.19
Secondly,
Steve's insistent, baby.
00:11:36.19\00:11:39.73
And I had all these little pink
00:11:40.76\00:11:42.53
you know, little tiny dresses.
00:11:42.53\00:11:44.87
And they called us and
said, "One of our workers
00:11:44.87\00:11:49.20
who's gotten to
know you is actually
00:11:49.20\00:11:51.11
over in Addis Ababa
where we have an orphanage."
00:11:51.11\00:11:54.14
And she said, "Call the Nelsons
00:11:54.14\00:11:55.94
and tell them I
have their daughter."
00:11:55.94\00:11:57.91
And this woman on the
phone is talking so fast.
00:11:57.91\00:12:00.78
She does not want me to break in
00:12:00.78\00:12:02.78
and say, no, no we are getting-
00:12:02.78\00:12:04.85
- That's a few miles from China.
00:12:04.85\00:12:05.79
- We're getting a Chinese baby.
00:12:05.79\00:12:06.96
What are you
talking about, Addis Ababa?
00:12:06.96\00:12:08.29
You know, I might not
be the best with geography,
00:12:08.29\00:12:10.79
but I know that's not in China.
00:12:10.79\00:12:12.53
And so she's
talking fast and the whole
00:12:13.40\00:12:15.56
time I'm going, okay, all right.
00:12:15.56\00:12:17.77
And she said,
"Well, this little girl,
00:12:17.77\00:12:19.83
they think she's
about four years old."
00:12:19.83\00:12:21.84
But she said, "this one
will give her brothers a run
00:12:21.84\00:12:24.91
for the money, you
know, this is their daughter."
00:12:24.91\00:12:27.81
And I'm going,
okay, she's going,
00:12:27.81\00:12:29.48
"Well, do you wanna talk
to your husband about it?'
00:12:29.48\00:12:31.91
And I said, "Oh, I will,
he's out fishing right now,
00:12:31.91\00:12:34.48
but I definitely
will, but it's still yes."
00:12:34.48\00:12:37.02
And she goes,
"Would you like to see
00:12:37.02\00:12:38.52
a picture first, we can
have her send a picture."
00:12:38.52\00:12:40.59
And I said, "I would
love to have a picture of her,
00:12:40.59\00:12:43.63
but the answer is still yes."
00:12:43.63\00:12:45.36
Now I had a brief moment
because the first picture
00:12:45.36\00:12:50.60
they sent to us, I understood
Eddie Albert thinking,
00:12:51.97\00:12:54.17
ah wait a minute
because I thought
00:12:54.17\00:12:57.14
they sent us the wrong picture.
00:12:57.14\00:12:58.97
They sent me a picture, it
was just a little headshot.
00:12:58.97\00:13:01.71
We got a better
one a little later.
00:13:01.71\00:13:03.91
But this little
headshot I thought
00:13:03.91\00:13:05.88
that's a little boy
with a very bad haircut.
00:13:05.88\00:13:09.88
(laughs)
00:13:09.88\00:13:11.25
- Oh my. - No, that was her.
00:13:11.25\00:13:12.79
- Good thing your daughter
isn't around to hear that.
00:13:12.79\00:13:14.39
- So we had not
told our social worker
00:13:14.39\00:13:17.79
about the deal
we'd made with God.
00:13:17.79\00:13:20.33
So she wasn't
having to try to twist
00:13:20.33\00:13:23.00
our arms or talk
us into anything.
00:13:23.00\00:13:25.67
It was, yes, yes, yes of course.
00:13:25.67\00:13:28.34
And it's true, she has
been the most delightful thing.
00:13:29.47\00:13:34.34
I could not have picked a
better daughter for myself.
00:13:35.48\00:13:38.28
I could not have given
birth to a better daughter.
00:13:38.28\00:13:43.08
I sometimes I've had people who
00:13:43.08\00:13:45.75
would have occasionally said,
00:13:45.75\00:13:47.62
you've done such a
great job with her.
00:13:48.59\00:13:51.06
And I tell them, "Oh no,
no, no, she came that way,
00:13:52.19\00:13:55.86
I just with God's
help kept her that way,
00:13:55.86\00:14:00.17
I didn't mess her up too badly."
00:14:00.17\00:14:02.20
Because she's
just a wonderful person
00:14:02.20\00:14:05.21
inside out, beautiful
person inside and out.
00:14:05.21\00:14:08.98
- They won't surprise
you, I know to realize it,
00:14:08.98\00:14:12.15
you know, God's an amazing
parent who said the same thing.
00:14:12.15\00:14:16.42
Just I'm gonna
take them all, you know,
00:14:16.42\00:14:18.99
everyone that shows up to
me I'm gonna take them in.
00:14:18.99\00:14:21.32
- And I'm sure that some of
us kind of look like, you know
00:14:21.32\00:14:24.93
the picture that I first
was sent or the little girl
00:14:24.93\00:14:27.96
who walked in that
Eddie Albert laid eyes on,
00:14:27.96\00:14:31.10
a lot of people
go, no, not that one.
00:14:31.97\00:14:35.00
But- - Think we got a minute.
00:14:35.00\00:14:37.17
Let's maybe we can find a
place to sit down, I know.
00:14:37.17\00:14:39.47
I want to share a couple
of bible text with you about,
00:14:39.47\00:14:42.71
cause you I know you've
got a lot more to share too.
00:14:42.71\00:14:44.98
- Oh, you can get me talking
about my daughter forever.
00:14:44.98\00:14:47.25
Are you kidding me, I
could keep you here all day.
00:14:47.25\00:14:50.09
- [Narrator] God, once used
a donkey to spread his word,
00:14:51.25\00:14:55.39
but he'd rather use all of us.
00:14:55.39\00:14:57.66
In partnership with
you our mission is to share
00:14:57.66\00:14:59.93
the life saving love and
hope only found in Jesus Christ.
00:14:59.93\00:15:03.93
- I'm too old to be traipsing
00:15:07.17\00:15:08.80
around the country like this,
but master Balaam insisted.
00:15:08.80\00:15:14.01
Oh, and he was so angry,
you should have seen him.
00:15:15.14\00:15:19.65
He was so angry, he didn't even
00:15:20.32\00:15:22.32
notice who was talking to him.
00:15:22.32\00:15:25.89
He didn't even
notice it was the donkey.
00:15:25.89\00:15:29.49
This donkey spoke to
him, except I don't believe
00:15:29.49\00:15:34.10
it was the donkey, I think
God spoke to master Balaam.
00:15:34.10\00:15:39.37
Because he hadn't
being listening before.
00:15:40.24\00:15:42.04
The donkey made
him listen. - So,
00:15:42.04\00:15:45.31
how are you doing anyway,
you know you can't talk, huh?
00:15:45.31\00:15:48.04
Well, you know,
there was actually a donkey
00:15:48.04\00:15:50.65
in the Bible that
talk, did you know that?
00:15:50.65\00:15:53.28
Matter of fact it's found
in Numbers, well Numbers 22.
00:15:53.28\00:15:56.62
You'll see, it's
an amazing story.
00:15:56.62\00:15:58.09
It's about this
prophet, he was God's prophet,
00:15:58.09\00:16:01.09
but he'd wandered away,
he'd strayed away from God.
00:16:01.09\00:16:04.16
And he began
preaching against God's people.
00:16:04.16\00:16:08.00
One day he hops on his donkey
00:16:08.00\00:16:09.73
and he's riding down the trail
and he gets down the trail,
00:16:09.73\00:16:12.87
and all of a sudden
his donkey swerves away.
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.57
Did you know that
his donkey totally
00:16:15.57\00:16:17.21
swerved away got
out in the field.
00:16:17.21\00:16:19.21
And he beat him
because he was so mad,
00:16:19.21\00:16:21.11
and got him back on the trail,
going down the trail again,
00:16:21.11\00:16:23.85
and all of a sudden the
donkey runs him into a wall,
00:16:23.85\00:16:27.45
and he's going,
what is going on?
00:16:27.45\00:16:29.35
He beats him again
and starts yelling at him.
00:16:29.35\00:16:31.59
And the third time the
talkie does the same thing.
00:16:31.59\00:16:34.52
And this time the prophet gets
00:16:34.52\00:16:36.36
so mad he's beating the donkey.
00:16:36.36\00:16:38.29
And all of a
sudden, the Bible says
00:16:38.29\00:16:39.83
that God gave the donkey voice.
00:16:39.83\00:16:42.36
That's right. (donkey brays)
00:16:42.36\00:16:43.83
Yeah, that's exactly right,
God gave the donkey a voice.
00:16:43.83\00:16:46.43
Wait you got to
stick around with me
00:16:46.43\00:16:47.67
and hear the rest
of the story, okay?
00:16:47.67\00:16:50.04
God used a talking
donkey to save a lost man.
00:16:50.04\00:16:52.57
We believe God is
using a talking donkey,
00:16:52.57\00:16:54.61
once again, to
save those who can't see
00:16:54.61\00:16:57.21
what is right in front of
them, the God of eternity.
00:16:57.21\00:17:00.95
- [Narrator]
Together, we can carry
00:17:00.95\00:17:02.62
the final advent message to
the individuals of planet Earth
00:17:02.62\00:17:06.39
and hasten the
return of our Lord.
00:17:06.39\00:17:08.79
Please pray for and
support the successful mission
00:17:08.79\00:17:11.89
of Talking Donkey International.
00:17:11.89\00:17:14.36
- Give the donkey a voice.
00:17:14.36\00:17:15.83
Spread the word of
Jesus Christ around the world.
00:17:15.83\00:17:18.07
Now is the time,
there hasn't been a time
00:17:18.07\00:17:20.04
in earths planet earth
history, actually like this.
00:17:20.04\00:17:23.37
Please join us
today. (gentle music)
00:17:23.37\00:17:27.48
- Yeah I wanted to share
a few of the text with you
00:17:30.25\00:17:33.25
because I think
it's so important
00:17:33.25\00:17:35.28
for people to realize that
God put everything into this.
00:17:35.28\00:17:38.69
I mean, he's invested the
universe into our adoption
00:17:38.69\00:17:43.26
again, because we
blew it, we gave it away,
00:17:43.26\00:17:45.33
we have allowed
somebody else to adopt it.
00:17:45.33\00:17:47.66
So one of the first
ones is Galatians 4.
00:17:47.66\00:17:50.93
And it says, in chapter
four, "But when the fullness
00:17:50.93\00:17:53.64
of time had come,
God sent forth his Son,
00:17:53.64\00:17:56.97
into the world, under the law".
00:17:56.97\00:17:59.31
Well, the law demanded
that we'd totally blown it.
00:17:59.31\00:18:01.54
We you know, there
was no way we could
00:18:01.54\00:18:05.31
get out of the
situation we put ourselves in.
00:18:05.31\00:18:08.05
So Jesus came to live
a life above all of this
00:18:08.05\00:18:11.62
and then die for us as if
he was the one who blew it.
00:18:11.62\00:18:15.06
And it continues
on, why did he do that?
00:18:15.06\00:18:18.09
To redeem them
that were in the law,
00:18:18.09\00:18:20.30
to redeem well, if
you're going to redeem us,
00:18:20.30\00:18:22.83
you know, his buying us back.
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.03
And then Paul says
in, Romans chapter 8,
00:18:25.03\00:18:29.57
"For as many as are led by the
00:18:29.57\00:18:30.97
the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God."
00:18:30.97\00:18:33.84
We can choose to go
back to the life that God
00:18:33.84\00:18:36.85
had promised us where we
can become royalty again.
00:18:36.85\00:18:39.45
You know, because
Adam and Eve in the family
00:18:39.45\00:18:41.32
they were royalty in the garden.
00:18:41.32\00:18:43.55
- I like that idea. - Oh yeah.
00:18:43.55\00:18:46.42
- I can be royalty. (chuckles)
00:18:46.42\00:18:48.52
- Well, God wants
us all to be royalty.
00:18:48.52\00:18:50.53
That's the key,
you know, he says,
00:18:50.53\00:18:51.99
"For you have not
received the spirit of bondage
00:18:51.99\00:18:54.46
against fear, you have
not received the spirit
00:18:54.46\00:18:56.97
of adoption whereby
we cry, Abba, father!"
00:18:56.97\00:19:00.14
You know, God is saying,
I wanna adopt you, you know.
00:19:00.14\00:19:03.07
And then there's another
one I wanted to share with you
00:19:03.07\00:19:05.71
and in,
(indistinct) John verse 13.
00:19:05.71\00:19:10.98
It says, "Which
were born, not of blood,
00:19:11.88\00:19:13.38
nor of the will
of the flesh of God,
00:19:13.38\00:19:14.75
Nor the will of man but of God."
00:19:14.75\00:19:16.72
And the word was made
flesh and blood among us.
00:19:16.72\00:19:19.25
Jesus came down, born of the man
00:19:19.25\00:19:21.49
to show us the
way back to adoption.
00:19:21.49\00:19:23.69
He paved the way
he laid it all out
00:19:23.69\00:19:25.79
for us that we can get back at.
00:19:25.79\00:19:28.43
And let me tell
you, it costs God a lot.
00:19:28.43\00:19:31.93
- You remember I told
you how at the beginning
00:19:32.87\00:19:34.60
of the process, I
was a little naive
00:19:34.60\00:19:37.07
and optimistic, all
kinds of roadblocks.
00:19:37.07\00:19:40.48
She ended up having measles,
so it delayed her coming over.
00:19:40.48\00:19:45.48
In the U.S. they won't complete
00:19:45.48\00:19:47.32
an adoption until
the child is here.
00:19:47.32\00:19:49.68
Ethiopia won't release the child
00:19:49.68\00:19:51.62
until the adoption is complete.
00:19:51.62\00:19:53.32
So we're doing everything twice,
00:19:53.32\00:19:55.92
doubling everything
once here, once there.
00:19:55.92\00:19:59.13
And it's, some days seemed like
00:19:59.13\00:20:01.23
she was just
never gonna arrive home.
00:20:01.23\00:20:04.33
We were never
really gonna get her.
00:20:04.33\00:20:06.17
And I'm kind of glad
that I didn't know how hard
00:20:06.17\00:20:09.97
parts of it were going
to be, because I don't know
00:20:09.97\00:20:13.48
if I would have thought
it was worth going through.
00:20:13.48\00:20:15.88
- That's what's so interesting
00:20:15.88\00:20:17.01
as God knew how
much is going to cost.
00:20:17.01\00:20:19.51
God knew
everything about the pain,
00:20:19.51\00:20:23.12
the suffering, the
anguish, matter of fact.
00:20:23.12\00:20:26.19
That was God's plan
A, he had no plan B.
00:20:26.19\00:20:29.72
He saw all of this stuff,
he saw the sacrifice of Christ.
00:20:29.72\00:20:33.09
The death of his own
son, all of these things.
00:20:33.09\00:20:36.13
And he chose to
do it, that's what,
00:20:36.13\00:20:37.93
you know I mean that's
exciting, to think about it.
00:20:37.93\00:20:41.04
It just, I think
about, being in heaven
00:20:41.04\00:20:46.01
God's got everything around him.
00:20:46.91\00:20:48.11
You know, we're
looking with the dirt
00:20:48.11\00:20:49.24
and crud and rocks and stuff.
00:20:50.25\00:20:52.25
Heaven's fabulous
and God says, look,
00:20:52.25\00:20:54.85
I've laid all this out
for you, I've chosen you,
00:20:54.85\00:20:59.02
matter of fact, I've marked
you in the palms of my hand.
00:20:59.02\00:21:02.26
You're so precious. you know,
00:21:02.26\00:21:03.66
I'm scarred for
eternity for you.
00:21:03.66\00:21:06.39
And he says, now,
look, you get to sit with me
00:21:07.30\00:21:10.77
in my throne
because you're royalty.
00:21:10.77\00:21:13.67
You're part of the
family, you're the children
00:21:13.67\00:21:15.50
of the family,
you know what I mean?
00:21:15.50\00:21:17.54
- And who wouldn't
want to be the royalty?
00:21:17.54\00:21:19.11
I could see myself with a tiara.
00:21:19.11\00:21:22.24
(laughs)
00:21:22.24\00:21:23.68
- But you know,
not until you throw it
00:21:23.68\00:21:25.15
at the feet of Jesus
when you get there, right?
00:21:25.15\00:21:26.58
- Right, it won't mean anything.
00:21:26.58\00:21:28.18
- Yeah, yeah because
he bought it all for us.
00:21:28.18\00:21:30.75
We'll think about that,
we will sit in God's throne
00:21:30.75\00:21:33.36
with him and Jesus and
rule the universe for eternity.
00:21:33.36\00:21:37.39
I certainly don't deserve it.
00:21:38.19\00:21:39.93
I don't think you do. - No, no.
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.73
- None of us do, but God
says, look, I've washed you,
00:21:41.73\00:21:45.00
made you white as
snow now and you're
00:21:45.00\00:21:48.40
joining in the family
of God, think about that.
00:21:48.40\00:21:51.54
You know you've gone
through that adoption process
00:21:52.94\00:21:55.68
and, but as many,
says, as received Him
00:21:55.68\00:22:00.58
to them become sons
and daughters of God.
00:22:01.52\00:22:03.59
- We have to make that choice.
00:22:04.59\00:22:06.52
He already chose
us. - Yeah you're right.
00:22:06.52\00:22:08.36
It's our choice,
just like they made
00:22:08.36\00:22:10.73
back in the garden
to choose the devil
00:22:10.73\00:22:13.13
and his genetic
pool and everything else.
00:22:13.13\00:22:15.46
You're right, we've
gotta make a choice again.
00:22:15.46\00:22:18.20
- Hey, I've got one more
place I'd like to show you.
00:22:19.57\00:22:22.50
And Aleah said, she'll
meet us there, you up for it?
00:22:22.50\00:22:25.24
- Sure, sounds good, you know,
00:22:25.24\00:22:27.14
I was just thinking that
one more thing I want to share
00:22:27.14\00:22:29.44
because it seems
like it's so important.
00:22:29.44\00:22:30.98
And I don't know that a
lot of people really grasp
00:22:30.98\00:22:33.62
or understand it, but that's
adoption is for the redeemed
00:22:33.62\00:22:37.45
because the redeemer
paid the price, you know
00:22:37.45\00:22:40.79
adoption is not
a fanciful fiction.
00:22:40.79\00:22:43.83
It's reality, you
know, God promises.
00:22:43.83\00:22:47.60
- And that's the best news ever.
00:22:47.60\00:22:49.00
- Absolutely.
(footsteps receding)
00:22:49.00\00:22:52.17
I felt like Satan
was constantly nipping
00:22:53.34\00:22:55.40
at my heels and I just
couldn't catch my breath.
00:22:55.40\00:22:58.37
I was grieving, I felt scared,
00:22:58.37\00:23:00.14
confused,
anxious, and depressed.
00:23:00.14\00:23:03.88
My life was literally turned
upside down and falling apart.
00:23:03.88\00:23:08.15
I didn't know what to do,
but I knew who had the answers.
00:23:08.15\00:23:12.12
Can you relate, this amazing
study guide changed my life.
00:23:12.12\00:23:17.39
In twelve weeks,
I caught my breath.
00:23:18.29\00:23:20.63
My faith grew stronger, my
confusion turned to clarity,
00:23:20.63\00:23:24.07
my anxiety
lessened, my depression eased.
00:23:24.07\00:23:28.14
I let myself be
held in the arms of Jesus
00:23:28.14\00:23:31.51
and he calmed my aching heart.
00:23:31.51\00:23:34.18
Are you ready for a
dramatic change in your life?
00:23:35.34\00:23:39.01
This twelve week study guide,
00:23:39.01\00:23:40.85
will guide you on your
journey of transformation.
00:23:40.85\00:23:44.39
This study is packed
with powerful content.
00:23:44.39\00:23:47.06
To lead you on an
encounter with Jesus.
00:23:47.06\00:23:50.93
Jesus will use
this study as a tool
00:23:50.93\00:23:53.73
to change your
life as he did mine.
00:23:53.73\00:23:57.20
Order your copy today to
experience your transformation,
00:23:57.20\00:24:00.97
log onto
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org.
00:24:00.97\00:24:04.84
(upbeat music)
00:24:05.84\00:24:08.61
- [Narrator] Introducing
Talking Donkey International,
00:24:17.62\00:24:20.19
God once used a
donkey to spread his word
00:24:20.19\00:24:23.26
but he'd rather use all of us.
00:24:23.26\00:24:24.79
Our experience
team has preached,
00:24:24.79\00:24:27.23
taught and filmed in
countries around the globe.
00:24:27.23\00:24:30.77
In partnership
with you, our mission is
00:24:30.77\00:24:32.77
to share the saving
love and hope found only only
00:24:32.77\00:24:35.64
in Jesus Christ with everyone
in this lost and dying world.
00:24:35.64\00:24:40.04
Your financial
partnership with Talking Donkey
00:24:40.04\00:24:42.41
will enable this
exciting ministry
00:24:42.41\00:24:44.41
to proclaim that
Jesus is coming soon.
00:24:44.41\00:24:47.28
It's time to prepare quality
programming created to attract
00:24:47.28\00:24:50.85
and reach viewers
of the world together,
00:24:50.85\00:24:53.49
we can carry the final advent
message to the individuals
00:24:53.49\00:24:57.03
of planet Earth and
hasten the return of our Lord.
00:24:57.03\00:25:00.66
Please pray for and
support the successful mission
00:25:00.66\00:25:03.73
of Talking Donkey International.
00:25:03.73\00:25:05.97
(gentle music)
00:25:07.27\00:25:09.40
- So there in that courthouse.
00:25:09.40\00:25:11.24
That's where it
all finally ended.
00:25:11.24\00:25:13.34
We stood in front of a judge
and signed the final papers,
00:25:14.51\00:25:18.08
or maybe I should say
that's where it all began.
00:25:19.28\00:25:21.28
- The beginning, yeah,
it probably really was.
00:25:21.28\00:25:23.32
- Hi there? - Hey how are you.
00:25:23.32\00:25:25.29
Greetings, this is
the child? - This is her.
00:25:25.29\00:25:29.59
She didn't look
like this the day
00:25:29.59\00:25:32.36
that we came out
of that courthouse.
00:25:32.36\00:25:34.13
- Let's go ahead, have a seat.
00:25:34.13\00:25:35.86
- Yes, sit for a
minute, I've been telling Jim
00:25:35.86\00:25:39.70
about coming to the
courthouse to sign final papers
00:25:39.70\00:25:42.67
and feeling like
great, it's finally over.
00:25:42.67\00:25:45.84
What do you
remember about that day?
00:25:45.84\00:25:47.91
- That the
judge was super scary.
00:25:47.91\00:25:50.15
- Why? - Well,
00:25:50.15\00:25:51.51
I was short and
he was, you know,
00:25:51.51\00:25:53.38
on his pedestal and
he seemed really big
00:25:53.38\00:25:55.25
and intimidating at that time.
00:25:55.25\00:25:56.69
- You're still
short. - Just not (murmurs).
00:25:56.69\00:25:59.05
- Thank you for
the reminder. (laugh)
00:25:59.05\00:26:01.26
So that would
have been intimidating.
00:26:01.26\00:26:02.82
I think anyone
who's standing in front
00:26:02.82\00:26:04.46
of a judge feels intimidated.
00:26:04.46\00:26:06.83
- [Jim] How old were you
00:26:06.83\00:26:07.86
at that time? -
Between five to seven.
00:26:07.86\00:26:11.67
- [Jim] Why are you hesitating?
00:26:11.67\00:26:13.94
- 'Cause they
didn't know my age,
00:26:13.94\00:26:15.60
I didn't come with
birth certificates.
00:26:15.60\00:26:17.54
- [Janice] We had to
guess. - [Jim] Had to guess.
00:26:17.54\00:26:19.31
How did you kind
of zero in on it?
00:26:19.31\00:26:21.78
- They took me to their dentist
to do, was it photographing?
00:26:21.78\00:26:26.98
- [Janice] Yeah, he
looked at your teeth.
00:26:27.92\00:26:29.48
- To determine
approximately the age.
00:26:29.48\00:26:32.79
- And the orphanage
had said they thought
00:26:32.79\00:26:34.42
she was about four
but he said, no, no,
00:26:34.42\00:26:36.73
she's six or
seven. - [Jim] Okay.
00:26:36.73\00:26:38.69
- She had too
many teeth to be four.
00:26:39.93\00:26:42.43
- [Jim So what happens
next, the judges then what?
00:26:42.43\00:26:45.73
- [Janice] How
much did you understand?
00:26:46.63\00:26:48.87
- None, well, I knew that
this was the final process
00:26:48.87\00:26:53.68
and me getting to stay
with this family so I understood
00:26:53.68\00:26:57.75
that much,
everything else is kind of blur.
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.18
- Do you remember what you
said as we came out the doors?
00:27:01.35\00:27:04.12
- Yes. - I know,
00:27:04.12\00:27:05.65
I remember you're holding
daddy's hand on one side,
00:27:05.65\00:27:07.49
and my hands on
the other, and kind
00:27:07.49\00:27:09.29
of skipping,
you were very happy.
00:27:09.29\00:27:11.43
- Uh-Hmm, and I told you
guys that you could no longer
00:27:11.43\00:27:14.50
get rid of me,
that you're stuck with.
00:27:14.50\00:27:16.16
- So she understood
that much, that this is it.
00:27:16.16\00:27:18.77
There's no fear
of being sent back.
00:27:18.77\00:27:22.44
And that made
me think about God,
00:27:22.44\00:27:26.04
because legally the judge
explained we can not disown her.
00:27:26.04\00:27:31.25
We could disown the
two we gave birth to
00:27:32.15\00:27:34.12
but we can't get
rid of her legally.
00:27:34.12\00:27:37.65
If- - You had chosen her-
00:27:37.65\00:27:39.52
- And it's a done
deal, - It's a done deal.
00:27:39.52\00:27:41.86
- A done deal. - She could
00:27:41.86\00:27:43.79
legally un-adopt us,
but we can't initiate that.
00:27:43.79\00:27:48.96
If she ever decided
I've had it with this family,
00:27:49.93\00:27:52.10
I never want to see them again,
00:27:52.10\00:27:54.94
she would have to
make the first move.
00:27:54.94\00:27:57.57
- [Jim] Be your
choice? - Oh yeah,
00:27:57.57\00:27:59.14
it would have to be my choice.
00:27:59.14\00:28:00.61
- And you know, if anybody
is left out of the kingdom,
00:28:00.61\00:28:03.65
if there's anyone who
isn't part of God's family,
00:28:03.65\00:28:07.88
you know at the end,
it'll be their choice.
00:28:07.88\00:28:11.39
God will never
unadopt us. - You know,
00:28:11.39\00:28:16.66
first God paid
the ultimate price.
00:28:17.53\00:28:19.66
He gave his own life
for you, that you might
00:28:19.66\00:28:22.16
be adopted in the family
and as was just saying, you know
00:28:22.16\00:28:26.23
you're the only one
that can change that.
00:28:26.23\00:28:27.60
God gave himself to
bring you into the family.
00:28:27.60\00:28:42.62