The Ritsema family is growing! On November 19 we took 2 pounds of adoption paperwork to FedEx. I (Margaret) was giddy as we packaged up 
almost 4 months of work to mail to the Florida Secretary of State and US Immigration Services! We put so much prayer, time and effort into each form, and it was a step of faith to hand the documents over to the young woman behind the counter. We had to get pictures, of course, to celebrate this milestone in our journey! Many thanks to all of our “notary” friends at work who helped notarize over 70 documents for our adoption!
Yes! Our adoption is moving along! We have a lot to pray for and give thanks over this holiday season – including you! Thank you for being a part of our journey even now as we, by God’s grace, prepare to welcome our first child home.
We’re blessed to have a wonderful team of encouragers in life and ministry. We are excited to give our child an opportunity to have a new life, a loving Christian family and most importantly, the opportunity to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
Our social worker and adoption agency both feel that we will be traveling to Russia by March 2012! This is will be the first of two trips to meet with Russian court officials, complete additional paperwork, and then bring our child home.
One of the most enjoyable parts of our adoption journey is sharing this experience with you. You’re part of the work that God is doing to bring three lives together! Your partnership in prayer and/or finances is God’s provision for us to continue the ministry to which He has brought us, and you. We cannot thank you enough!
