The Lord Hath Sworn

Waiting and trusting the Lord is not an easy thing.  My faith has been challenged like never before.  Steve has been rock solid.  If the Lord has spoken, He has spoken and He cannot lie.

One month ago the adoption agency called us and let us know that the Italian family was in full swing of adopting our children from Colombia.  They asked us what we wanted to do about the money we had already sent them.  Steve said, "I'm not trying to be difficult.  I'm not trying to make a point.  I know this sounds crazy to you but I'm not changing my position.  Those children in Colombia are ours.  God hasn't spoken otherwise.  We're still standing and waiting for something to happen that will bring them back to us."  They said okay and then that was that.

That news was the final nail in the coffin.  Our hearts knew that it was officially impossible.  However, in the midst of it, Steve declared that this final blow to the reality of our adopting the sibling pair was going to make our miracle more incredible!

A week ago last Sunday, Eric, our pastor, spoke on the lineage of Christ.  It was incredible to see how in the face of impossibility God managed to come through every time and preserve the seed that would become the Savior.  Even our children's faith surged as we listened to God's faithfulness to His promises.  There was one part in the geneology where there seemed to be no hope. The kingly line was being cut off.  Then the deliverer came in the form of a woman who spared the life of the one who would be king....her name meant "the Lord hath sworn".  Blown away by God's covenant keeping mercy to mankind, I began to cry as I thought of how His promises haven't changed.  He is still keeping His word!

The next day, Monday, the children had a badminton tournament and in the middle of it Steve got a text message to call Trevor.  He returned the call and the conversation went something like this:

Steve:  Hey Trevor.

Trevor:  Hey Steve.  Has Florida called you?

Steve:  No, should they?

Trevor:  Yes.  (Sarcastically) Coincidently, the Italian couple has dropped out of the adoption process.  Something came up in their paperwork and they cannot continue pursuing the adoption.  The orphanage called and wanted to know if you and your family still wanted to adopt J&J.  Are you still interested?

Steve:  Trevor, our stance is the same.  It's never changed.  Those are our children. We've been waiting for this to happen.

The next few moments are a blur to me.  I laughed so hard I started to lose my voice.  I smiled so much my face hurt.  I cried tears of joy.  We pulled our children aside and told them the news.  Anna burst into tears.  Kate shouted with joy.  Stephen hugged me so tight I could barely breathe.  Nathan ran back and forth with his hands in the air screaming "Yeah"!

As we were rejoicing with our children, Steve said to Stephen, "Son, don't ever let circumstances, what people say, others doubt and unbelief change your position of faith.  Let this be a memorial for you.  When God speaks, only the word of the Lord matters.  Nothing else. God keeps His word!"  Stephen looked straight into his father's eyes and said with confidence, "For the Lord hath sworn".

Tuesday, we spoke to the agency and they added to the excitement.  "Colombia wants to expedite the adoption because of everything that has gone on.  We need your dossier in a month!"  What? A month!  Is it possible?  With God all things are possible! :)

As we continued the conversation with them we asked about having biological children since that was why they refused us and gave our little ones to the Italian family.  The response healed a place in my heart that I didn't even realize was wounded.  Basically, this particular orphanage had specific reasons for not adopting their children out to families with biological children but God changed their hearts concerning us and they have made an exception for our family.  We know that God has prevailed!

This testimony is because of Him and Him alone.  There was no hope in sight.  Lazarus was dead....but we serve a God who is the Resurrection! He has the power to bring the dead to life!

We are on a fast track to Colombia....however, we are still in need of miracles!  Supposedly having your fingerprints done, sent to the FBI and given the go ahead from the background check takes about 5 months.  We need it before then!  Please help us pray that we will have favor and our paperwork will fly through the system.

We need prayers for us, our biological children and our Colombian children!

Steve and I need so much wisdom in how to parent our four at home while we spend every waking moment pursuing this adoption.  One of the things that can easily happen is for everyone else to get overlooked while we are working to bring J&J home.  Our desire is to remain attentive to their needs, find time for long walks, long talks and some extracurricular activities in order to continue to communicate with them their preciousness and value to us.  We need prayer that our final months together with our biological children will be rich with an extra measure of love and grace as we prepare our hearts and our home for the arrival of two more!

It's so wonderful to see Kate, Anna, Stephen and Nathan embrace these children.  They are so full of love towards our Colombians children that it is astounding at times.  Steve and I are not ignorant concerning the great change that is coming to our hearts and our home.  Even though we probably can't fully imagine the scope of it, we are still confident that God will enable us and our biological children to thrive in the midst of it.  Please help us pray that we will be so fortified as a family that the enemy will not be able to prevail in an attack against any one of us.  Our desire is to be made stronger through this process ... to love more completely!

We are praying for J&J that God has already begun their healing process. We don't know their story yet but if they are in an orphanage, there has to be pain on some level if not many.  Our heart is to see them fully healed and integrated into our family without too much suffering in the transition period.  It's going to be a huge deal for them to leave their home, which according to our sources, is a wonderful place.  Also, they will be leaving their country and culture.  As diversified as America is, it still isn't Latin America.  They will be living together as brother and sister for the first time in quite a while (how long we're not sure) ... so there will be adjustments there, not to mention gaining 4 more siblings!  So much for their little minds and hearts to absorb.  We really need the Lord to overwhelm the situation and do what He does best.

And finally, we need to raise $37,000.00 for this adoption!  That in itself is a miracle!  Usually you pay the same amount per child regardless of the amount of children adopted.  Colombia doesn't charge a full fee for a sibling.  They only charge administrative fees (approx. $5,000).  Then we need another $5,000 for our biological children to come with us to Colombia for 6 weeks while we spend time there getting to know J&J (required by orphanage).  All in all $37,000 is wonderful!  I had a friend who adopted two brothers from Russia....$50,000.  So, we're thankful for our fee!  We will be applying for grants for some of this but the rest will come through donations and fundraising!  Pray we get really creative!

Please join us in prayer!  We need God to continue to move on our behalf...on J&J's behalf!  If you want to send an encouraging word, please do.  If you want to support us financially, there is a link to the Rosen Family Adoption Fund through PayPal at the top of the blog on the right or at the bottom of the blog!  :)  However, if you just want to pray, we will most assuredly benefit from those prayers and we'll trust God to do the rest!

Thank you to all of you who have stood with us and believed in the impossible! Our God is able, He is faithful and He is good!  We've been warned that there is still a risk until they are in our home but it's one that we will continue to take!

All glory, honor and praise to our God!  The Lord hath sworn!

Walking By Fath

It's a beautiful but quite morning.  It's snowing outside.  It's cold inside.  My fire is struggling in the fireplace.  Steve's not here to build a man's fire.  The kids are at co-op.  I need to write an update on our adoption.

It's been a while since my initial post concerning our pursuing two precious siblings in Colombia and that's been because we've been busy putting the final touches on our remodel.  We're happy to announce that we're officially in our home and eager to get settled!

It's a new year and God seems to be wanting to teach me more about Him and this journey of faith.  It started back in December when I made my first post about our Colombian children.  Out of the blue, I received an email from a friend that I haven't seen since 10th grade.  That was a long time ago.  He had somehow come across my blog and felt the need to respond.  In the email, he dared to speak very directly to me concerning my faith for finances.  If I weren't familiar with God's strange ways of speaking to me, I would have gotten offended; but, instead I laughed.  I couldn't believe that God was actually sending me an email via an old friend!  The words went deep into my soul concerning the faith God was calling me to with one line sticking out more than others......."This is the acid test".

I have faith...the fact that I had actually hit "publish" and posted the first blog was a huge act of faith because the voices in my head were giving me every reason not to.  What if something happens to the adoption process?  What if the money doesn't come in? What if?  I could hardly imagine my faith being tested more.  Why was God speaking to me so forthrightly about faith?

Two weeks after the blogpost, we received an exciting call.  The orphanage in Colombia wanted a pre-homestudy interview and fast!  WOW! We couldn't believe this.  So, I pulled over on the side of the road and spent two hours telling our story...this was an incredible day!  Then the instructions to hurry up and wait!  That's how Colombia is, I'm told.

Then finally, the big call came.  We were working on the house and the phone rang.  Our dear consultant from Florida was on the phone and she wanted to speak to both of us.  I got Steve and we put her on speaker phone.  The rest is sort of a blur as I recall the words, "The orphanage rejected your letter of intent because you have biological children and has placed your children with an Italian couple".  I couldn't speak. Steve said something but I don't remember what it was. I walked into the closet and sank to the floor.  What about our children here at home? What about our miracle in December? What about our Colombian children? Would our kids' here at home lose faith because of this? Why?

I wish I could say that I responded like a godly woman would but my response was shock!  Steve's response was to appeal.  We called a Spanish speaking friend and wrote our letter of appeal to the Colombian contact at the orphanage.  Once again, hurry up and wait.

Steve began to seek God daily concerning these children and after asking Him one night how long must we continue to wait and ask, he was reminded through Scripture, in Luke 18, about the widow who continued to plead with this judge and finally got his attention.  The judge responded that he would avenge her because her persistence was wearying him.  Jesus said, "Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though He bear long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith in the earth?"  So, we got the message loud and clear.  Don't waiver in your faith.  Be persistent.  Weary the Judge of the earth if necessary.

We began to spend our time asking God how to tell Kate, Anna, Stephen and Nathan.  There was  praying and fasting.  I was busy trying to make sense of what God was doing and together, Steve and poured over every single detail of this entire process and we still came up with the same conclusion, "those are our children in Colombia and although man has said "No", God hasn't".  God determines our lives. When He says "Yes", it's yes.  When He says "No", it's no.  He can do what He wants and we'll accept it.  For now, the yes is still yes and we're not waivering.

This is the acid test.

While waiting and continuing to remodel our home, Steve has been working on a powerful media project concerning the authenticity of Christ and His right to govern our lives. Canon.  His working time on this project was upwards of 36 hours and orchestration was nearly complete when he heard his computer making a strange sound.  Yes, hard drive failure.  No backup.

I knew this was an attack of the enemy.  First our Colombian kids and now the message that has been burning in Steve's heart for two years is gone.  He turned in disbelief but also in an absolute resolve to continue in faith.  As he sat down at the dinner table, my broken husband asked our children to remind him of God's faithfulness.  He humbled himself before them and said that he needed his faith to be increased.  He was admitting that his soul was under attack and he needed to be reminded of God's providence.  One by one, each of our children shared God's faithfulness over the years.  Stephen shared how when he was 4 years old that God had put a bubble around him as he waited below the surface in 8 feet of water for his daddy to find him, which happened over a minute later.   God saved him from drowning!  Kate testified how the tip of her finger grew back after she cut if off peeling potatoes and how she has feeling in it even though the doctors said she wouldn't.  Nathan testified about the miracle of how God had spared our family from any harm in a recent car accident and Anna reminded us that God had brought our Colombian children back to us after they were given to another family last fall.  Yes, God was faithful and all of our faith was increased as we listened to Him being glorified.

Steve said his goodnights and retired to our room early to spend time with the Lord.  As he opened his Bible, it fell open to Luke 11:5-13...it's a good read.  Persistence pays off with God.  Ask. Seek. Knock. So he did, again.

The next morning, Steve left early for church to attend a men's meeting and I stayed home to get the family dressed.  In my quiet time before I woke the children up, I just sensed that it was the day that we should let the kids know what was happening.  It wouldn't leave me and so I thought that I would ask Steve about it later to see what he said.

For some reason,that particular Sunday morning it was incredibly challenging to get everyone together and in the car at the same time....there were little frustrations here and there, nitpicking about every little things, etc.  What was going on with my kids?  So, I cancelled church.  "We're not going to church and pretend like we're Christians if we can't be Christians here at home".  So, we sat on the couch and began working through our little issues.  I had called Steve and left him a message to inform him that we wouldn't be there.  I had expected that he would call me back and he did.  However, he wasn't so much concerned with what was going on as he was that we weren't headed to church (since we live 45 minutes away).  What was the big deal?  He would normally want me to deal with the children instead of ignoring their bickering and going to church as if everybody was great...why was this time different?  Then he said that he wanted me at church and to listen to the message.  It was going to be on faith.  The Man of Faith.

I knew instantly that we were to tell the children about the adoption complications that day and then Steve said that was what we were going to do after church.  He wanted us to be sitting there listening to the Word of God and declare our position as those who have faith in what they cannot see, believing that it is.

Done. We jumped in the car and soon were sitting there listening to all the verses that God had reminded us of over the last two weeks and more.  We had gained a position and the enemy was after it.  Were we going to take it sitting down?  Steve wasn't but I kind of had been, however, that morning something had changed. I woke up with a resolve to believe God in spite of what I saw.

We sat there over chips and salsa and began to remind our children of God's faithfulness and His goodness and then we told them of our situation.  Praise God that the united response was one of faith and expectancy!  God hadn't only built mine and Steve's faith the night before through our testimony time but we remembered that we had received a phone call in December that changed our lives so we could receive another one!  Our God doesn't have a quota for miracles!

So, here we are.  We worship while we're waiting.  We serve while we're waiting.  We pray while we're waiting.  We trust Him while we're waiting.  We wait upon the Lord.

One of the things we've learned in this life is that our lives belong to Him...in EVERY situation.   He is the author and the finisher of our faith.

So, this time it's just as difficult to hit the "publish" key as it was with the first post.  This time not because something might go wrong....but because it already has.  This time, it's challenging because I'm sure we look crazy continuing to stand for these children when so much is against us. It's hard because we could be accused of being in denial or foolish in the first place for believing that God ever spoke to us.  And worse....God might look like a liar to those who believed He did speak.  So many reasons to leave this message in my draft box.

 Nevertheless, we stand ... and I hit the "publish" key.

Will you join us in prayer for these children that God will protect them and keep Him in His hands?  Will you pray for us that we will remain strong and confident in the face of such adversity? Will you pray for the orphanage that they will change their stance and give our little ones back to us? Will you help us pray that this Italian woman will be able to have children?  Will you pray for our faith to be stronger than ever?

Heb. 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

TWO Good To Be True!

Dear Friends and Family,    
                                                            

“The Lord is righteous in all His ways.  Gracious in all His works.  The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.  The Lord preserves all who love Him.”    
Psalm 145:14-20

This is the post we've all been waiting for!
Yes!  We're adopting!
 It's crazy, it's scary but it's wonderful!  We want to share our story with you.....it's great!

Sixteen years ago, we (Steve and Kara) were married in Houston, Texas on a warm November day.  Soon after that we began to talk of having children and found ourselves longing to fill our home with love and laughter.  As those desires began to manifest with the birth of our first three children, we knew that our family wasn’t complete.  So, for about two years, we entertained the idea of a fourth child.  Our conversations began to include the idea of adopting another child and although that resonated within both of us, we also felt that it might be possible that we were to have another biological child.  So, we began to pray about it.  Considering we were getting later in our years, we knew that we needed an answer quickly; therefore, we asked for one and God answered. Nathan was born nine months later.

As our home quickly filled with sounds of growing children, our hearts still yearned within us for more and we knew that God was calling us to adopt.  But when and how?  For those of you who know our story, our lives weren’t working out as planned....God had a different path and at the time, it wasn’t easy.  Yet, still we waited on Him.  

Four years ago this week, everything changed.  We were in Oregon visiting family when one afternoon Anna and Nathan came up to us weeping.  As Anna held Nathan, with tears streaming down her face, we all listened to Nathan tell us about what had just happened to him.  He said, “I was sitting on Grammy’s green carpet and God spoke to me.  He said it’s time to move, get a new house and go get our two babies...a boy and a girl.”  Anna spoke up and said, “It’s true.  When Nathan came and told me this I knew it was a word of the Lord”.

For those of you who may not know this about us, we believe God still speaks.  We also know that if you believe and listen you will hear Him also.  Nathan was listening that day and what he heard changed our lives forever.  The word of the Lord that came to our home confirmed every desire that we had for adoption but it also established that it wasn’t just our idea but it was God’s.  However, here was a little boy about to be four years old and his sister, who expected us to leave at that moment and fulfill everything that God had just spoken.  As we carefully explained how it works when God speaks, we realized the enormity of that word and also our inability to do anything about it.  Sometimes you can obey God’s word and your obedience brings it to pass and other times you just have to let Him be God and do the work for you.  This was one of those times.  So we waited.

As time rolled on, we felt the call of God to move to Colorado and attend a Bible college there.  Knowing that this was where we were supposed to be, we started to put down roots.  The children began to make friends, we began to make friends and even found a cute little house to rent just two blocks from church.  Soon after the move, the Lord took the whole Rosen family to the Baja for a month’s work at an orphanage and life was  moving along.  However, we still found it difficult to be settled.  Shortly after returning from our first trip to Mexico, we were asked to move out of the home we were renting due to the owner’s personal situation.  Thankfully, dear friends let us live in their home for a few months until we could find something else.  Then we found our dream home......

Actually, it was a foreclosure that was 4” off plum on a six foot level on more than one wall!  Not exactly our dream home but it was in a high mountain valley on four acres and God was calling us there.  We knew it with every fiber of our being.  So, the process of remodeling began.  As construction started, we had to move out.  So, we spent our time going back to the orphanage in Mexico to serve, attending my sister’s wedding, visiting family all over the country and living with our wonderful friends.

A couple of months ago, on just another Sunday, a friend of ours announced in church that he had just begun working for an adoption agency and was going to be bringing approximately 40 children to Colorado for a hosting program with the intent of having them exposed for the purpose of adoption.  If anyone was interested in the hosting program they could see him after church.  The price for this three week time period was normally between $3,000-$5,000 but through anonymous donors and the aid of the Colombian government, the cost would be $250 per child.  WHAT? This was a miracle!  We could do that!  We wondered, “God is this the beginning of you bringing your word to pass?”  We couldn’t wait for service to be over so that we could sign up!  Our friend replied to our fury of questions, “ Yes, there are sibling pairs in the group and yes, you can look at the list and choose the children you want to host”.  We scrolled down the page.  Face after face appeared.  Sibling group after sibling group went by but we didn’t see them.  Then, as the numbers 40 and 41 graced the top of the screen, there they were.  *J&J (as we affectionally call them).  When we saw their names on the page we couldn’t believe our eyes....her name was the name we always said we would name another girl if we had one and his name is a Rosen family name. Their ages are what we had prayed for. 

There they were, brother and sister, side by side.  We were overwhelmed.

It seemed as though a holy hush fell over us and at the same time a joyful noise rang forth as we all exclaimed that these two were our son and daughter, brother and sister.  It was decided.  We would get them for the month of December for the hosting program and then they would go home and we would just continue with the waiting until all the paperwork went through.  Our family was overjoyed.  God had done it! 

Our excitement was short lived as two weeks later we received a call that there had been a mistake and *J&J had already been placed with another family.  It felt as if we had just lost two children.  As we grieved and the tears came, so did a strong sense that this wasn't right.  These were our children and we were certain God had made that clear to us.  It was amazing how we knew that after just a short time. 

That same weekend at a church meeting, Steve shared that *J&J had been placed with another family but that we were going to stand in faith and believe God for those children.  We never felt a release in our hearts from the Lord and so while we couldn't do anything, we chose to remain steadfast and trust the Lord.  These two children, on another continent, were still tugging at our hearts and wouldn’t let go.  As husband and wife we began to ask the Lord how to pray concerning them and finally decided to pray for the other family that they would realize that *J&J weren’t the right children for them.  It sounds strange to pray that way but we really believed that they belonged to us and unless God changed our hearts we were going to believe that way.

As time went on, the house remodel was progressing, we continued to live with our friends, homeschooling continued and the holiday season came upon us.  It was Hanukkah and although we were busy from sun up to sun down running up and down the mountain working on the house, the beauty of this celebration, once again, gripped our hearts.  Each night, for a week, we would read about the history of Hanukkah, have dinner, exchange gifts, sing, light the candles and share about our Savior, the Light of the World.  Regarding *J&J, there was no news.  They were out of the system, placed with another family and very much a part of ours.

It was the last night of Hanukkah and two weeks ago today.  We were working on our house when the phone rang.  It was the call that changed our lives.  Our Florida contact for the adoption agency was on the phone.  She was at a company picnic and had just received word from Colombia.  For whatever reason, the family who was going to adopt *J&J pulled out of the adoption and the children were now available.  She asked if the Rosen’s were still interested.  “YES!”  As we gathered more information, our hearts pounded and our minds raced a million miles a minute.  The joy was unspeakable and our emotions ran high.  All we could do was praise God!  There were so many questions to ask and yet we knew all we needed to know.  God had done what was impossible for anyone to do.  He came through and proved that He is able to do what no man can.

Each night of Hanukkah it was someone else’s turn to light a candle. It was appropriate that it was Nathan’s turn to light the last candle of Hanukkah.  Here we were exactly four years later from when we were in Oregon when God had used Nathan to confirm to our hearts that we were to adopt.  As we sat around the dinner table, we spoke of what the miracle of the holiday was and how Christ was the fulfillment of this wonderful event.  We ate dinner by the candlelight and then passed out the remaining gifts.  As the children opened up their last present, we told them that there was one more.  We asked them to close their eyes as we began to tell them of God’s faithfulness and how He could be trusted with the smallest and the greatest details of our lives.  They listened as we shared about His goodness and His power.  Each child was challenged to remember this night for the rest of their lives and to look back on it whenever anyone would try to sway them concerning their trust in the Lord.  It was a night that would stand as a memorial stone in their hearts forever.  

As they each sat there with their eyes closed, listening to their father speak of God’s greatness, a folded piece of paper was placed in front of each of them with their names on it.  Under each name was written, “Your God is good”.  Finally it was time.  They were instructed to open their eyes and look at their final present.  As they all opened the piece of paper, they beheld a picture of *J&J.  Tears began to fall, mouths fell open, gasps were heard around the table, sobs soon filled the air as the story of this great miracle began to be told.  Kate’s face was buried in her hands as she sobbed.  Anna’s tears fell one after the other as she just sat there staring at their picture.  Stephen was chattering incessantly about how incredible this was and Nathan chimed in with his exclamations of joy about our pursuing the adoption of *J&J.

As each candle burned down further and further and the darkness of evening slowly began to encroach upon us, as parents we sat there watching each of our children bask in the light of God’s love.  No one would ever be able to tell them there wasn’t a God, that He didn’t love them and that He didn’t care about every little detail of their lives.  He had proved it.  He was a God of miracles.  He loves *J&J and has a plan for their lives as well.  He has seen their plight.  He knows their story and ours and He has a purpose in joining our hearts and lives.

So, here we are.  Looking back on the last couple of years, we see where God has been setting us up in order to keep His word.  He brought us to Colorado in order to keep His promise.  “It’s time to MOVE.”  Then He spoke very clearly about the little foreclosure in the mountains and miraculously provided for our home and is now fulfilling “It’s time to get a NEW HOUSE”.  Now He has begun the process of bringing to pass “It’s time to get OUR TWO BABIES”.  Truly, our God is good.

Lastly, we want to thank each of you who have been a part of this journey with us.  Many of you have seen us walk through some difficult times and yet you’ve watched the faithfulness of the Lord in our lives.  He has chosen to move in supernatural ways (as with this situation) at times but mostly He has used people, His hands and feet in the earth to minister to us and to teach us of His unfailing love.  He’s used each of you to love us with His love.

God has taught us to trust Him with the smallest of things and with the greatest.  This adoption is one of the greatest areas of trust that God has called us to.  Once again, we are in a position of need and have nothing to bring to the table but love....yet we have a Father who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  He will choose to provide for *J&J and for us how He wants to.  

Please join us in praying for *J&J.  Even though they are siblings and have a close relationship, they live apart from each other.  Pray that this will be a quick process for their sakes.  We want to reunite them as soon as possible.  We are just at the beginning but if all goes well, and we believe it will, we should be bringing *J&J home by the end of 2013.  Pray for their safety, their health and the mending of their hearts.  We don’t know their story but God does.  There's a lot we don't know, but what we do know is that God can heal any wounds and we believe He will.

Also, please pray that God will give us creative ways to fundraise.  Adoption is expensive but we’ve been blessed with an agency that truly has the Father’s heart.  We are also blessed that Colombia is a country eager to place their orphaned children and are doing what they can to make the process go smoothly.  We would love to be able to fund this with our own resources but once again, God has called us to something greater than we can pull off on our own.  WE NEED HIM TO PROVIDE!  Please pray for us to not waiver in our faith concerning what He can do. 

As you pray, please feel free to drop us a word of encouragement.  You would be surprised at the negative comments people make concerning adoption.  Things like, “What if they have baggage?  Isn’t that expensive?  How are you going to provide for six children in this economy?  Do you have some love void you’re trying to fill?” and so on.  If you are moved to encourage us.....please do!    :)  

Our new address is below or you can reach us at:
thevalleystudio@mac.com (Steve) or rosenfamily6@yahoo.com (Kara).  

We will continue to post updates as we get them.  Please check here often!

Thank you for enduring this long letter.  Sometimes a story is so good you have to share all of it!  We love you and wish you the most joyful New Year!  

For those of you who may not know the God we have spoken of, our heavenly Father....He is so good! His greatest act of Love towards us was to adopt us into His family!  He did this by sending His only Son, Jesus/Yeshua (His Hebrew name), into the world in order to die for the remission of our sins and to raise from the dead that we might have access to His LIFE!  We no longer have to live in bondage to sin and suffer the effects of it in our lives.  God then sent His Spirit that we might be filled with His power.  He did this so we would be able to live this Life by loving the way He loved us!  In order to be one of His children and to have this amazing Life, all you have to do right now is call upon Him.  He will answer!  He is faithful.  He loves YOU!

“The Lord is righteous in all His ways.  Gracious in all His works.  The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.  The Lord preserves all who love Him.”    -Psalm 145:14-20

Steve and Kara Rosen

P.O.Box 12

Drake, CO 80515

970-667-4477 (home)

*For legal purposes, we cannot share the names of our Colombian children or post photographs.