May 2009 Adoption Update

We got news a week or two ago that we wouldn't be getting photos in May - the orphanage's camera is broken again. So, they're planning to have someone from an early June mission trip take photos for the adoptive families, and again someone from a late July mission trip so we can continue to get photos this summer.

Also, I've heard from some missionaries' blogs that I read regularly that Port-au-Prince has not had any city electricity for the last week or two, and isn't expected to have it for another few weeks - apparently there was a fire at the power plant. So, I assume this is probably inhibiting communications a little bit.

But, alas, we got our update on processing that occurred in May. We heard today, that our dossier has finished what was needed for 2nd Legal, and was ready for pick-up TODAY! It will soon be submitted to MOI. From what I understand, MOI only allows walk-ins and appointments on Thursdays and Fridays, so I assume our dossier will be submitted at the end of this week.

MOI is short for the Haiti's Ministry of Interior. This is basically the office that looks through our entire dossier to make sure all the documents are authentic and legal, and then approves the children's passports. There is more specific info on MOI in several posts dating back the last 6-8 months on this blog. (The author of this blog is a lady that lives and works on adoptions in Haiti, so there's lots of other interesting info there too.)

What does this mean as far as when our kiddos might be able to come home? We are told that MOI can take 2-8 months. Then they'll have to print the childrens' Haitian passports, which can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months. Then we'll be on to the US immigration part of things. Immigration can go quickly if the childrens' birth parents' interviews are completed successfully by the time their passports are in hand.

So... Please pray with us that MOI goes quickly, and that the birth parent interviews are completed very soon, with no DNA requested. We are encouraged by the movement in the process, and are longing for Elijah & Josephine to come home to us. The day is becoming more and more real in my imagination!