Back in the Fast Lane

Do you see Africa in the clouds?

Well, things are beginning to take off again on the adoption front.  (Ethiopia, however, is still predicting adoption paperwork and approval to slow WAY down).  But most of our road blocks are beginning to be cleared. 

• We've sent our request to the USCIS for a fingerprint extension appointment.  Waiting for that to come back; This will be at no cost to us!  Praise God!
• We've contacted another home study provider who is coming on Tuesday to redo our home study at HALF the cost of what our other provider was charging for our update!  Praise God!
• We have our physicals on Tuesday, which will knock out our home study requirements and our dossier update requirements.
• We have most of our references back for our dossier update.
• We resubmitted our state clearances and received our local police clearance letters for our dossier.
• Touched based with our notary so she knows all the stuff that's going to be coming her way!

So, things are moving along again.  I did touch base with our case manager to get his thoughts on Ethiopia adoptions and asked if he thought they might stop completely.  Of course, he doesn't have a crystal ball, and said it was up to us, but he thought things were going to continue... just at a slower pace. 

So, as we knew when we started the process, International Adoptions are always risky and unpredictable.  I know some people are bailing out of the Ethiopia program and moving their paperwork to adopt from another country.  We're staying In..... we think E is worth the risk.  The fat lady hasn't sung yet!!

5 months waiting

Well, another month has flown by, but not for a moment have we not thought about having “E” home with us. We talk about it all the time as a family. We know that each day that passes is one more day closer to her.

Baseball season is over so now that our busy-ness is over, we can slow down, rest and wait. (at least until the fall sports start). We just returned from a little escape to the beach. We literally left from our last ball game to travel to the beach. Wow… what a little sunshine, fresh air and rest can do for the soul.  Amazing!


So, for the summer, we plan on hanging out with the boys, enjoying them, enjoying our families, and just slowing down and enjoying the ride. . . all while knowing who is in the drivers seat :)

Questions with some fun

I must say, we have been getting a few more questions and looks of concern from people when they find out we are adopting. It’s comical, really. I totally appreciate people who don’t understand why we are adopting. Adoption certainly isn’t for everyone and I’m sure we have some difficult time ahead of us. Questions from people are entirely natural and actually I welcome them. It’s not like we decided overnight to adopt and didn’t think about it, pray about it, and weight the options.  So questions from friends, and even stangers are normal.  It also gives me the chance to tell about the miracle of adoption and how God can plant a seed in anyone’s heart for a child (either naturally or through adoption). . . sometimes when you least expect it.


So, with that said, here is a list of some of our latest questions. Now  -- I must make a disclaimer -- I think adoption is as very serious thing....not for everyone, not for the weak at heart... but at this point in the game, we are starting to chuckle at some of the questions we get, so please don't be offended by any of my answers or the bit of sarcasim in my tone -- it's all in good fun!  :) 

“Why would you want to do that?” (well, that’s a long story, but basically because we can – we have room in our hearts and our home for another child that has no home, and because God placed it in our hearts) 

“You know the baby will be black, right?” (Nooo…. Really? - smile, smile)

“Why don’t you just wait for grandchildren, if you like babies?” (Ummm… yeah, I just smiled at that one)

“Is this a church ‘project’?” (Uhh.. no, this isn’t a “project”, it’s a life we are talking about -- our daughter - our family)

“Isn’t that really expensive?” (First of all, how do you put a price on a life?   And, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not any more expensive than the car you drive, and our we'll have our daughter (God-willing) a lot longer than you will have your car) :)  

“Why did you pick Ethiopia?”  (another long story (you can refer to older post) but bottom line, they have the greatest need – skin color didn’t matter to us, nor the stigma that goes with children from Africa. I think in the end, Ethiopia picked us.)

“Don’t all those babies have AIDS?” (no, while it is true that many children are orphaned because of the AIDS epidemic, most of the children are safe from the disease. Others, however, are not so lucky, and there are many wonderful families that adopt these beautiful babies).

“Aren’t you afraid you are going to get a sick child?” (No, screenings are performed to the best ability that the country can do (which is sometimes minimal).   Many times some of the children are a bit malnourished and behind a bit and need some special TLC, but bottom line is there are no guarantees in any child (bio or adopted). We will get what God feels we can handle).

“Why don’t you adopt from your OWN country.” (We get this one a lot.  We don’t feel strongly either way over US adoption verses International adoption. All of these children need forever families. We did feel funny, however, creating a ‘pick me’ book for a mother to look through and pick our family for her baby, over a couple who has no biological children.  So, in the end, we decided with Ethiopia since there is such a great need, the children are confined to orphanages (not foster families), and many people pass over Ethiopia because of the stigma of disease and skin color. We just felt Ethiopia was the place and I think it was a personal choice for us.. and again, I think Ethiopia picked us).

When will you be ready to throw in the towel – i.e., get tired of waiting and just give up. (NEVER).

What do your boys think about it?  (they are thrilled beyond words and can't wait for their little sister to come home!)

My personal favorite (when someone finds out we are adopting) is the blank stare, the blink of the eyes or scrunching of the face, and then changing the subject like they didn't even comprehend what we said... makes me giggle. 
 
Ohhh, how I can imagine the questions once little E comes home.  It's all good though. . . I'm sure she will melt through the hearts of some of the toughest critics. 
 

Waiting

Waiting ... for those of you who have asked, based on our Agency's new Referral Waiting Clocks, it appears as though we may be waiting about 8 more months for a referral. (October-November range).  That could change... for the better or for the worse.  Plus with the new travel, court and embassy changes, we can expect another 4 - 8 month wait after referral until Baby E is home. 

Funny thing is, we are ok with that.  What??? That doesn't even make sense to me, but I guess it goes back to the whole trust and peace aspect of trusting God in this journey.  He is the one who first placed this on our hearts, so He is the one who will help us grow and learn patience and peace through all of this.  I must admit, I wince and pout (if truth be known) every time I see a change coming that's going to mess with MY plan, but guess what... it's not MY plan :) 

I still continue to hope and pray that the changes going on in Ethiopia will be for the better, not just for us, but for other families who are just beginning the process, or who are deciding whether or not Ethiopia is the right country for them.  The children are precious and I would hate to see families shy away from Ethiopia because of some of the bad press and changes.  Adoption is always risky and unpredictable.. that's not new news, but there is always that hope that things won't affect you.  When things to happen, you have to do what you can and let God do what you can't (I stole that from Joyce Meyer).   So for now, we'll be happy to wait. 

Adoption Tax Credit Extended & Improved

Considering adoption?  Now might be the perfect time to start the process!

 We have just found out, that the Adoption Tax Credit (ATC), which was scheduled to expire in 2010, was extended for one-year (through December 31, 2011). This is awesome news to those in the process or considering adoption. This will especially be helpful to those couples (like us) who have to travel to Ethiopia two times (adding $5,000-$7,000 to their expenses).


What is the ATC: The ATC is a critically important element in finding permanent families for children in the U.S. foster care system and the children of our world, who live without permanent parental care. The ATC makes adoption a viable option for many families who may otherwise be unable to afford to adopt.


The highlights of the credit are:
* The maximum credit was increased from $12,150 to $13,170
* The ATC is now retroactive to January 1, 2009. This represents a potential increase of $1,000 for adoptive families.
* The ATC was made refundable. If a family has no tax liability, the IRS will refund the amount due.

 I haven’t read all the small print yet, but this is such good news for those (like us) who will not be able to complete their adoption process in 2010, as previously thought. Goodness, I hope we have our baby home in 2011!

We know this won't cover all of our expenses, but it's a great start.  Plus, no matter what, we would still find a way to get Baby E home, regardless of the tax credit.  So to us, this is just a really nice BONUS!  God is good. 

Two Months Waiting

Two Months Waiting

Not a whole lot to report.  Just the changes that are already posted.  But something to ponder -- We recently went to the Skillet/TobyMac Concert with the boys (which was totally awesome, by the way....).  TMac sang some of his new songs, but some old ones too.  One of his songs reminded me of something. . . he didn't sing the whole song "Irene" just the chorus, but it goes something like this . . .
 

Hush little baby baby don't you cry

Daddy's gonna sing you a lullaby

Everything's gonna be alright

The Lord's gonna answer your prayer tonight

Hush little baby don't you cry

Daddy's gonna sing you a lullaby

Everything's gonna be alright

The Lord's gonna answer your prayer tonight

He just kept singing those words over and over.  Suddenly those words sunk in and spoke to me.  Of course everything is going to be alright.  As believers, we know that, but it's so easy to forget that in the middle of a crisis or situation.   I think in a world of instant gratification, it's easy to lose sight of the grand plan of things and get caught up in one little detail or set back. 

But we have to remember, all those little things and set backs were already figured into the grand scheme of things, unbeknownst to us.  These little things are not changing our path or His plan for us or for our family-- He already figured them into the 'package deal.'  There's no fine print or hidden costs in His plan for us -- he already PAID it in FULL -- and guess what.... It's a free gift.  Have you accepted it? 

Thanks Toby for reminding me of something I already knew, but had forgotten for the slightest moment. 

Peace

Even with the unknowns and the weekly changes that have been occuring in Ethiopia, Brad and I feel a sense of peace.  It's wierd -- especially for me, being the control-freak that I am -- I normally would be freaking out!  But we feel peace.  It's all apart of the plan -- the growing, the stretching, the maturing of our faith.  The trusting that things will work out -- perhaps not as we have planned in our human minds -- but exactly how He has planned for it to happen.

What we do know is that we will definitely be going to Ethiopia 2 times now.  Our first trip will be to appear in court to show our committment to adopt; our second will be to bring Baby E home.  There's probably going to be anywhere from 3 - 6 months in between trips (I am only guessing here -- we haven't received offical word yet)   We are actually excited to be able to visit Ethiopia earlier in the process to meet our daughter and soak in the country, the atmosphere and culture.  It is going to be tough, however, to get back on that plane without our daughter.  I haven't begun to process that yet. 

So, the good news is we will get to see our daughter earlier in the process.  The bad news is that it is going to add about $5,000+ to our adoption expenses.  Again, we feel peace about this and know that we will have it when the time comes.  We are hoping to do a few fundraisers this summer -- an adoption rummage/yard sale; perhaps a family fun day, and we are still collecting donations for our puzzle. 

So many of our family and friends have been generous in support and prayers.  You know who you are -- thank you again for investing in our daughter and family through prayer and support.   We cannot do this on our own and your words of wisdom, prayers and support continue to carry us.  

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.    

I Peter 5:7

Department of State - Ethiopia Adoption Notice

More information about the delays in Ethiopia:

Adoption Notice

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Change in Processing Timeline for Adoption Cases
March 5, 2010

The Department of State shares families’ concerns about recent media reports alleging direct recruitment of children from birth parents by adoption service providers or their employees. In response to these reports, the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa has implemented some changes to adoption visa processing. Adoptive parents should be aware that an I-604 (Determination on Child for Adoption, sometimes referred to as “orphan investigation”) must be completed in connection with every I-600 application. Depending on the circumstances of the case, this investigation may take up to several weeks or even months to complete. Therefore, adoptive parents should not plan to travel to Ethiopia until they have confirmed with their adoption agency that their visa interview appointment has been confirmed.

Adoption agencies submit case paperwork to the U.S. Embassy for review before the Embassy schedules the immigrant visa appointment. In some cases the I-604 determination could take several weeks or more from the time a case is submitted to the U.S. Embassy to the scheduling of a visa interview appointment. We understand that in such cases this will result in a longer period before parents are able to bring their adopted children to the U.S. However, this additional scrutiny is required to ensure that the adoption is legal under both U.S. and Ethiopian law. The U.S. Embassy will work with adoptive parents and their adoption agency to ensure that each case is processed in the most expeditious manner possible in accordance laws and regulations. Families should continue to work through their agency to schedule immigrant visa appointments and answer questions regarding pending cases. . .

Oh Pooh!

This just in -- looks like we will be traveling 2 times to Ethiopia -- once for court and once to bring our little girl home.  The Ethiopian Government has just announced that beginning March 1, 2010, adoptive parent(s) must appear in court for the adoption hearing.  The good news is we will get to see her (hopefully) during the first trip; bad news is we won't be able to bring her home.  Maybe in some twisted way, this change in process will make things more efficient.

One positive thing is that she will come to the US on an IR3 Visa, making her an immediate US Citizen. 
On a negative note -- that's travel expenses times 2!

As soon as I hear more from our Case Manager -- I'll give an update.

Truth is... we'd travel around the world twice to bring our daughter home.  We'll just have to work on the logistics of it! 

No News

For those of you who have asked -- No news on our end, but we don’t expect to hear anything until this fall or later. We have no idea where we are on the waiting list, and we are not planning on asking anytime soon.  I'm afraid it will just discourage us.  In January, they were giving out referrals for those who submitted their dossier in June 2009.  Probably not too many referrals have been given out since.  (but notice our snail is still smiling!!)

Things are still slow in Ethiopia with ongoing investigations, referrals, court dates and embassy appointments. (Embassy appointments have now gone from 2 weeks after court to 8 weeks after court). We are hoping that is only a temporary thing. We also hope that somewhere along the line, all of the investigations will somehow improve the process and flow of paperwork in Ethiopia. Please keep families that are SO CLOSE to referral and traveling in your prayers. I’m sure it’s difficult to know your little ones face, but be unable to get to Ethiopia to get them.   Also, please keep all the babies and children who are currently waiting in your prayers. Some of these babies are stuck in orphanages that (due to on-going investigations in their region) are unable to give out referrals or move already-referred children to their interim care homes.

We know that everything has a purpose and reason, so we are trusting that God has His hand on this and will make things happen when its time. In the meantime – we wait and take pleasure in all the blessings we already have -- which are too abundant to count!

I-171H Received

Yay!  We received our USCIS Form I-171H Form today!  We were fingerprinted on 1/25/10 and this was approved and sent on 2/23/10.. so it took about 4 weeks!  Very awesome, since I was expecting it to take 3 months. 

That's one more thing we can cross off the list!

This form expires in 18 months, so hopefully we will have everything complete by then!

Field of Dreams - 1 Month Waiting

Yay! One month waiting. Not too bad. We’ve had our ups and downs of wanting E to come home NOW to periods of time when we realized that we are not yet ready. I suppose that's why it takes 9 months for a baby to come!  It gives the parents time to prepare their home and their heart. We’ve talked many times in church about the timing, process, etc. And lately, all of those sermons are flooding my mind. Yeah, yeah, I know.. the plan, the process, God’s timing, etc. But I love when our Pastor and friends put it so eloquently in fresh new ways… a way we can all relate.

Last year, I remember, was a good analogy of a baseball field and how you can’t get ‘home’ without first touching 1st, 2nd or 3rd base. How many times in life, business and relationships, do we want to get home without running all the bases? How many people do we know in relationships or business that skip bases and get to home by cheating?  Here’s a small snippet of that awesome sermon about running to 1st Base (which is where we are in the game)

Running to first base takes faith. We must believe that God knows best.

Running to first base takes patience. Stay the course. Do things the right way not necessarily right away.

Running to first base takes humility. Every thing in your being will tell you to run the bases your way. In the end we must realize that God knows best. He is running the show. We must let go. If we can die to ourselves we will establish a strong foundation of character. Then we will be ready to continue on this journey with God guiding us every step of the way!

Our good friend, Sam, spoke recently about embracing the process (see his blog here http://mathew514.blogspot.com//). His analogy of the process/event made me think about our upcoming process and the adoption process in general. Everyone on the outside remembers the "Gotcha Day," the photos, etc., but I'm sure most of us will never forget the process that brought us to the event. . . the trials, setbacks, unknown, etc. And, once we are far enough in the process to look back, I'm sure we'll be able to see God's alignment in it. For us, I already see it, but we have a long way to go yet. Sam said,

ask anyone to tell you a bible story… most likely they will remember the EVENT . . . Moses leads the people to the Promised Land! They don't talk about the 80 years those people wandered in the wilderness or the fact that Moses didn't even enter into the Promised Land. That's the process and it's not nearly as sexy . . . Noah builds an ark! Brought the animals in 2 by 2! Everyone knows that, but did you know that it took Noah around 100 years to build the ark . . . with his only help being his children . . . do you think he questioned at times if he really heard right from God? Building a massive boat in the middle of dry land? 100 years of a process brings us to the event. . .

His sermon focused on two main points:

Romans 3:28  What we've learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We've finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade. MSG

Proverbs 16:9   In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. NIV

Sam also said this –( I Love the last part!):

There is a plan in place for your life. You have an idea of what it should be, but in the end it's God's plan not yours. It can be a truly frustrating thing if you cannot get in step with God and His amazing story. A lot of times we just want to know what's next. This leaves us wondering the question all children ask their parents. Why? When my children ask this it just sets me off. What do you mean why, it's because I'm your dad and I said so.    I think God feels this way with us too. In the end, it's because God said so.

Ahhh.. the EVENT. . . can’t wait for that day, but I know that we first have to run all the bases, touch each one without being called out, and then continue walking through the process (with our heads up) until God’s timing for that child, and His timing for our family collide. It might not be when and how we want, but oh what a sweet day that will be!

“This is God's universe and He does things His way. You may have a better way but you don't have a universe.”  ~J. Vernon McGee

Voice of Truth

Recently, CBS aired a story about corruption in Ethiopian Adoptions. A similar story was aired in September on an Australian network. Both stories attacked CWA with false allegations of unethical adoption practices in Ethiopia. CWA has spent many hours investigating the allegations and defending itself against a twisted story full of inaccuracies and allegations.

If you haven’t seen either of the news pieces, I caution you to not even waste your time or let the media poison your mind. If you must watch, please do so but with the knowledge that the story was created to make a good media story. Please look at every position, factor, and motive behind the story before forming an opinion.

I must applaud CWA though, for their 1 hour + rebuttal interview in which they put to rest the allegations made by the Australian journalist. It’s even quite entertaining. If you saw both news pieces, I encourage you to watch the 8 part interview with CWA’s attorney on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChristianWorldAdopt
It’s a long watch, but so worth it.

They have also made two statements, which can be found here:
http://www.cwa.org/ethiopia-statement.htm
http://www.cwa.org/cbsnews-response.htm

When you defend the defenseless, there is always going to be those who question and oppose that, so that’s not a surprise. What is surprising is that news media can report on things without being accountable for their accusations. Adoptions are risky. In order to defend the defenseless, there is always risk involved. As our Pastor spoke about several weeks ago, "We are the servants who are given a life. If we take our lives and take risk to build God’s kingdom, we are rewarded in heaven. If we take our lives and play it safe, it’s actually a riskier way to live. . ."  His sermon was based on Psalms 82:3-4 You're here to defend the defenseless, to make sure that underdogs get a fair break; your job is to stand up for the powerless, and prosecute all those who exploit them." MSG   Brad and I were on-stage guests that week and spoke about our upcoming adoption and what it means to us to defend the defenseless. We also talked about the risks involved in an adoption. We know that the risks are there, but we are trying not to dwell on them. We must first embrace the process as we walk thu one step at a time. (I’ll post later about our good friend, Sam, and his sermon about “Embracing the Process.”)

I could go into lots of details about the claims, but bottom line – CWA has done an excellent, excellent job of preparing us for many of the risks involved in the process and once the child comes home. They have been very transparent.  They also require 10 hours of training, including on-line courses, lots of reading, dvds with testimonies of adoptive parents that have brought children home, entire segments on special medical needs of Ethiopian children, etc.

I can understand that occasionally, things may go wrong, things that parents may not have prepared their hearts for. . . things that may seem unfair. That happens in every family whether biological or adopted.  It stinks!! But, I think many times people look for someone to blame. But that doesn't necessarily justify attacking CWA.

One of the biggest things in the media is that people want a ‘guarantee’ that a child will be healthy or a guarantee that there will be no problems, or a guarantee that life will be peachy . . . I’m sorry.. children, families, and life in general doesn’t come with a guarantee. We are all clay in God’s hands to mold and sculpt to glorify Him.   

Unfortunately, the unjustified accusations will ultimately hurt and hinder international adoptions. At the end of the day that directly affects children who are in need of a forever family and families that are waiting in the process.  Please pray for the children and families that are waiting, and for the management and staff at CWA that they can continue to combat the allegations as they continue doing God's work in defending the defenseless. 

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Happy Valentine's Day, Part II

Ok.. this really has nothing to do with the adoption, but I couldn't resist and it's quite fitting for Valentine's Day.   I came across this picture of Brad and I when we were in 7th and 8th grade!  Can you believe it??  (Please ignore the parachute pants and the 80's hair styles going on).   We have been together since then and have been married for 17 years so that makes us a couple for ummmm..... 25 years!   Talk about trials, tribulations and such.  Oh my word it makes me chuckle.   In those 25 years, we've moved 5 times, had 2 beautiful boys, walked thru a total marriage redemption, came to know Christ, renewed our marriage vows, was baptized as a family, and can now minister and help others from our experience in our marriage.  Our life isn't perfect, but we've come a long way from parachute pants and Aerosmith. 

Jesus spoke of Christianity as a banquet, but never as a picnic -- Anonymous

    

                                                                        15th Wedding Anniversary/Renewal of Vows

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day Baby!

Even though we don’t know your name, face, or if you are born yet, you are already loved. Friends and family are anxiously awaiting your arrival, even though we don’t know when that will be. Gifts have already come for you.  Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask a question or give a kind word for you. We pray for you and your mommy and daddy every day. We pray that you are safe and at peace until we can come for you. Please know that You are loved. You will always be loved and everything begins with God’s Love.

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

We don’t know the timing of our first meeting, but we know that God has a plan and He will watch over you and keep you until we meet. We know that you are His child and He will care for you. We know that He has chosen you for us and our paths will soon cross… on God’s timing.

“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Happy Valentine’s Day Baby!


Sweet kisses to you from your forever family -- Mommy, Daddy, Colton & Dylan

Puzzle Update #2

Well, being snowed in does have its advantages.  I finished the puzzle! (and, all the pieces were there -- which is a miracle in itself!)   Now we are going through and writing the names of those who have sponsored pieces.  As you can see, there are still many pieces available for sponsorship -- but we have time!   I'm so excited to show Baby E when she's older!!  It will be neat for her to see the names and meet the people who have sponsored pieces.  Pretty Cool! 

If you are interested in sponsoring a piece or a row of the puzzle, please contact me via email @ baxter075@comcast.net

Blizzard of 2010

We often wonder what Baby E will think when she sees snow for the first time.  Well, unfortunately, over the last week, we've seen our fair share of snow.  So, we want to put these pictures in our blog so we can show her the "Blizzard of 2010."  We received about 22" of snow on 2/5/10 and 2/6/10... and it took us most of 2/7/10 to dig out with the help of a friend with a Bobcat!  (Thanks Ryan!)   Then, on 2/9/10 we were hit again with at least another 24" of the white stuff along with 40 mph winds. which caused 3 to 4 foot drifts.  Lovely.   We have been blessed with the fact the the federal government has been closed -- so we haven't had to travel in this! 

Being trapped in doors for nearly a week has made me realize why some wild animals eat their young!  ha ha... no, the boys are doing well being cooped up, but it is taking a toll on mommy.   Luckily, I think we can get out today... Unfortunately, the forcast is calling for more snow next week. 

These pictures are from the 1st Snow!  2 of the driveway; one of the grill (no bbq for us).. and then one of my 2 snow angels :)

Hurry up Spring!!! 

Why does it take so long, Part II

Recently, our Case Manager spent 4 weeks in Ethiopia watching and learning the process from the other side. From what he wrote, it is simply amazing that they are able to unite so many families with children. To us living in the U.S., it’s hard to comprehend a world without email, fax machines, scanners, blackberries, or even cars, for that matter!  Following is a message from him, explaining what it takes to get ONE document, for ONE adoption, for ONE court hearing. God Bless the staff at CWA and all agencies in Ethiopia working so hard for all of us for the children.  This really puts the 'waiting' aspect into perspective. 

     I had the privilege of spending a few days in Soddo with our Children’s Cross Connection in Ethiopia (CCCE) partners on my trip to Ethiopia. One of those days I spent with the social workers, Sister Amarech and Ato Eyasu, so I could become acquainted with exactly what they do on a daily basis. They picked me up from where I was staying in the morning and we set off to see what we could do about getting a zonal document for a little boy I’ll just call ‘B’ who is now in the orphanage, but used to live in a nearby village.

     We spent about an hour on bumpy dirt roads before we arrived in the village where B’s father lived. As soon as we arrived, I noticed that the atmosphere was much different than in Addis. I don’t think we saw another vehicle in that town and certainly no other white faces. The children were very curious to see the car and get a closer look at the ‘forenge’, me. As we drove, most of the kids either yelled ‘forenge’ or ‘money’. When we stopped, they really just wanted to see. Stephne had warned me not to go handing out Birr.

     Our driver asked around and found that B’s father had been staying at his brother’s house since his wife passed away and he was sick. The fact that Ethiopia is typically a much more oral society than written one is evidenced by the fact that I only saw two street signs in Ethiopia and those were in downtown Addis. I was amazed that the social workers could find anything. We drove up to B’s uncle’s house and asked for the father. He came out and Sister Amarech explained what we were there for. She asked him if he would be willing to accompany us to the zonal court and see if we could get the last needed document for Federal court. He agreed, but wanted to change clothes first.

     As a side note, Ethiopian hospitality is remarkable. B’s aunt quickly brought out stools and chairs for all of us to have a seat and offered to make us coffee, but we weren’t going to be there that long.

     When the father was ready we piled into the car and headed back out into town. We stopped on the way because B’s father wanted to show me where B’s mother was buried. Once we got back into the village, our next task was to locate three witnesses who would be willing to verify in court the background of this family. Sister Amarech explained that this was no small request because we are asking people to give up a day where they are trying to provide for their own families to come and support another family. Due to the circumstances, the father’s illness and mother’s death, those in the community were compassionate and we only spent about half an hour locating the witnesses. Then, of course, the witnesses wanted to change clothes as they might be appearing in court later.

     Once everyone was ready, all eight of us piled into a Land Cruiser and drove about 30 minutes to the town where the zonal court was located. When we got to the court, we found that they were closed for lunch. Lunch in Ethiopia is from 12-2pm. We stopped to eat a lunch that Stephne graciously prepared for us. However, apparently a meal is not a meal unless injera is involved so we also shared some tibs and injera.

     When the court opened up again, I went with the social workers and B’s father to speak with the judge in his office. I was told that we were fortunate to see a compassionate judge that day and he agreed to hear the case later in the afternoon. We first needed to submit a formal request though. Sister Amarech came prepared with a pen and paper and we all sat on the benches as she wrote out the formal request letter in Amharic.

     We sat for a while longer and eventually were called in for the hearing. Even though the building appeared to be crumbling, the hearing was very formal. The judge wore a black robe and sat at a desk with a bright red table cloth. There was a man who assisted the judge and instructed everyone on where they were to stand or sit and when to stand and sit. He was an older man, but I wouldn’t want to cross him. B’s father and the three witnesses were all asked to place their hands on a Bible and make an oath before giving their testimony. Then they came in one at a time and sat in a chair a few feet in front of the judge while he interviewed them and took notes.

     After we were dismissed we were invited to have coffee in a room next to the waiting area. The coffee was strong, but appreciated especially after attempting to understand what is happening without knowing the language and eating two lunches. The judge’s assistant came to let us know that we would receive the document, but we needed to submit another formal request letter first. Sister Amarech again wrote out the letter and submitted it to the court. Eventually we did receive the letter and all piled into the car again. We dropped everyone off at their homes and thanked them. One of the witnesses insisted that we stay and eat sweet potatoes, so we sat under a tree, peeled and ate some sweet potatoes before heading back to Soddo…incredibly humbling. Finally, at 6pm we arrived back at the orphanage having obtained one document for one child. It was a good day!

     I was amazed that the Ethiopians would so generously give, not out of wealth, but out of poverty. And they gave to me, one who is beyond wealthy by their standards. I also gained such an appreciation for the work that is done on the front lines at the orphanages. Not only are they caring for the children and carrying them through malnutrition and sometimes sickness, but they are also fighting for these kids by spending endless hours traveling and pleading their case before officials. Please continue to pray for the staff that work tirelessly to care for these children whose alternatives are unthinkable.

Additional Information on the Court Hearing Process

     Some of you may have heard me say that there is a ‘rumor’ that Ethiopia may require adoptive parents to appear in court for the adoption hearing. Here is an update from our case manager regarding that:

Our CWAE attorney, Derrese, has confirmed that it is not just a rumor that adoptive parents MIGHT be required to appear in court for the adoption hearing. This is being discussed among the members of the court, and is under consideration. We will keep you informed of all developments as we hear of any forthcoming.

     Currently, our agency goes to the court hearing for us, under a Power of Attorney. Recently, there have been cases in which the parents go to pick up their children (after the court case, etc.), and decide not to take them (for whatever reason – medical, personal, etc.) Then, the courts have to go through the revocation of rights and those poor children are put back into the adoption circuit until they are matched with another family. (this hasn't happened in our agency)  This isn’t sitting well with the Ethiopian courts, which it shouldn’t. My best guess is that perhaps there are undisclosed medical conditions that are discovered when the parents arrive to pick up their children. (again, that’s just my best-guess). I’m sure there are other agencies in Ethiopia that are not as forthcoming with medical information as others. 


    While this is still unconfirmed, I see this as a double-edged sword. On a positive side, we would perhaps be able to see and/or meet our little girl a few months earlier, check out her current health situation and just hold her in our arms and squeeze her tight. We might also get to see the Orphanage in which she is staying (before they move her to the transition home). Although, depending upon the region, this might not be recommended. So, would this mean we would travel all that way and not get to see our baby? 

    
      So, I know it is out of our hands and God has a perfect plan for the situation. Just keep this in your prayers. Perhaps if this would happen, it would speed up the process and we’d have our baby girl home earlier? Or perhaps not, and this will just be another process in which our patience and faith will be tested. Either way, we are up for the challenge. 

    On a negative note, if we did get to meet her, we would have to give her back and come home until we travel again for our Embassy appointment. Gut wrenching to think about. Not to mention the fact that we would have to travel there 2 times verses 1 time, which will double our travel expenses. Plus, that means we would both have to take leave from work to travel, which would reduce the amount of time off once she comes home. And, I’m not sure, but that may mean that we could come face to face with her family and/or a remaining living parent during the court hearing? Gut wrenching again to think about the sacrifice her family is making for her. 

And again, these are all just the rambling that go on in my mind… scary, isn’t it :)

Heading to U.S. Department of State and Ethiopian Embassy Tomorrow!

We received our State Certification today, so tomorrow we will be hand-carrying our precious dossier to the US Department of State and the Ethiopian Embassy.  Please keep us in your prayers and we head downtown.  We are not sure what we will find when we arrive at the Dept of State.  All of the Haitian adoptions will be going through the Department of State as well, so I'm sure there is a lot of hub-bub and security issues down there right now.  We certainly do not want to put ourselves before the precious orphans from Haiti, but at the same time we are hoping we can walk in, get our documents authenticated and bound, and walk back out.  That would be perfect.  :)  Then we will head to the Embassy for the same process.  If time permits, we are planning on stopping at an authentic Ethiopian restaurant for lunch.. Yummy!  I'll be sure to take some pictures.

We are on the home stretch!  Next stop for our Dossier = Ethiopia! 

God is good :)