Remember this picture?



That’s my friend, Joy Harty, and me just before we headed to the airport to fly to Uganda in November 2010. Joy and I look so happy, content and excited to start off on our big adventure, don’t we?

But don’t let the picture fool you. Here’s what you don’t see: Seven hysterical children wailing in the background. Three of the children are mine, four are Joy’s. There are tears streaming down little cheeks, big kids begging us not to go, babies screaming in their car seats and two Daddies doing their best to calm the situation and assure us that they’ll be “perfectly fine” for the next week or so.

Now, I had no choice in this matter. I had to turn around and get on that airplane. I had two children, one attorney and a court date waiting for me in Uganda. But Joy… she chose to be there with me. She purchased a $2,000 plane ticket, arranged and paid for a week’s worth of childcare and flew to Africa to just to stand by a sister in Christ. Now that’s a friend.

Joy and I spent a week together in Africa. I met Hannah and Joseph for the first time. We served with SixtyFeet. We appeared in court for my adoption hearing. And then we left my children in the very capable hands of Ernest and Catherine and headed on home.



Two weeks later, Dan returned to Uganda for our court ruling. This was the week before Christmas and, to be honest, it was a very hard time for me. I knew that Dan probably wouldn’t make it home for Christmas. I knew that once he was home, our family would never look the same again.


But mostly I was struggling with the idea that Dan was going to be all by himself, on the other side of the world, caring for two children he barely knew, with no help at all. My man is capable – but that’s some major stuff.

About a week into Dan’s adventure in Uganda, one of his best friends decided to fly over and help him out. That friend just happened to be Joy’s husband, Scott. Nevermind that it was the week of Christmas. Nevermind that their family had to purchase another $2,000 plane ticket to help our family out. Nevermind that Scott is a busy international tax attorney. 

Scott had every good excuse in world NOT to go and join Dan in Africa. Perhaps his best excuse could have been “buddy, this isn’t my problem.” He could have offered to pray for us. He could have offered to help out financially. But he wanted to put his faith into action and do something.

Scott spent a full week in Uganda with Dan. That week, He was literally the hands and feet of Jesus to my husband. Dan needed a friend, he needed some support and Scott was there for him. Scott flew home on Christmas Eve – but only because Judd Harper, another of our dear friends, was coming over to take his place.

This is sacrificial friendship at its very best.

Throughout our adoption process, the Harty’s stood with Dan and me right on the front lines. They prayed with us through the good times and the bad. They cried with us over the lack of support of we received from other believers. They helped us raise money. They helped us gather enough courage to go through with the thing when we wanted to quit.

You’d think that seeing these struggles and challenges first hand would have scarred the Harty’s for life. You’d think they’d never want anything to do with international adoption ever again. You'd think they'd never want anything to do the Owens again.

But you’d be wrong.

This crazy experience actually had the opposite effect on them. This weekend, Scott and Joy announced their own plans to adopt from Uganda!!

So why am I telling you all this? Well first, because it’s one heck of a story – and I know y’all love a good story. But second, because I hope you’ll hop on over to Joy’s blog, sign up as a follower and keep up with the Harty adventures.

Pray for them, encourage them, even support them financially if you feel led. This family is one of a kind and we all have so much to learn from Joy and Scott. I, for one, cannot wait to follow every step of their journey.

“A friend loves at all times.” – Proverbs 17:17, NIV

And by the way, Happy Easter from the Owens Family to yours! Rejoice for He has risen!