I have tried to write a post about this child more than once.  I have written it one hundred times in my head…..one thousand times in my heart.  Today I read the story of how this child, named Richa, became a daughter to these parents.  I have waited a very long time to read this blog.  If you want to read it, let me know.  Richa is a child who was born in India.  She was among the first to enter the care of Sarah’s Covenant Homes, a ministry that is near to my heart.  The director, Sarah, wrote about Richa on HER blog, asking for advice about her medically, sharing insights about her personality over 8 years ago…..and my heart ached and longed for her.  I wanted to be her mama.  So, so, so badly.  I asked my husband if we could adopt her and his answer was something like this….”are you crazy?  We are working on adopting a domestic infant right now and have 3 other children we are parenting!”  It was resounding No.   I prayed for her, cried for her, ached for her…….I went to India and met her.  I cried most of the way home from India because I held her in my arms for just a few minutes and she didn’t know how much I loved her or how much I fought to try to be here mama and it was No.  Several other families tried  to adopt her…..one tried hardest of all and invested everything trying to adopt her and  for a season I was jealous and resentful of their process and commitment to her.  Doors shut for them too.  Why?  Why was it so hard for this emotionally fragile child to get her forever family?!  Sarah, the other mother and I began to pray for Richa, that she would get her family in God’s will.   There were quiet rumors 2 years ago that she had been matched with a US family but everything had to stay very confidential.   Today I got to read a social media blog post from her adoptive mother about how and why they have become a family and I clutched my heart and wept……because Richa is now home with a forever family.  She has a mom and a dad and God put her there.  God.  She is now 15 years old.  Please join me and pray for all of the kids who are waiting and wondering about their forever family.  This was a long and heavy road for Richa and for her parents…..and for all of us who asked for her along the way.  Adoption is a hard, tragic, heavy and beautiful thing……and tonight all of those emotions are trying to swim around inside of me and find a place to rest.   Ultimately I can praise the Lord for His faithfulness to Richa……because He led her home.  She will never comprehend what took place as each of us cried out for her, asked for her, begged for her and were told No.  She will never know the tears that were cried and that is the best definition of Mercy I can find tonight.  Mercy says that Richa had her childhood in India.  As a teen ager, she was adopted by an American couple who are able…..more than able…..to parent her and love her throughout her next seasons of life.  All glory to God for His Sovereign plan again and again and again.