Nov08 Adoption Update & Prayer Request

We received an update on our adoption process this week. Our dossier is progressing along within MOI, and they are ready to have the "long forms" filled out for our passport applications. I wasn't exactly sure what this meant, but I remember others having this done - checked with a friend who has their children home, and she said they were out of MOI about a month after their long forms were filled out. AWESOME!!!

Usually what this means is, when we're out of MOI, they will print the children's passports (a few weeks), then immigration/visa process (a few weeks to a couple months) - then they can come home. Wow! That really got me thinking about just how much I have to do here at home before they come home. Don't get me wrong, if they called me tomorrow and said to come get them, I would totally do it, and it would work out just fine - granted, a little crazy, but it'd be perfect, and we'd LOVE having them home.

BUT - and that's a big BUT - in order for immigration to go smoothly, we need both children's birth parents to come in for their interviews. Josephine's father is ready to come in, and our processor has requested an appointment but hasn't received it. Since Josephine's birth mother is deceased, it apparently is standard for them to request DNA. It used to be that a USCIS rep would meet the lawyer, child and birth parent at one of a few USCIS-approved labs in Port-au-Prince. Now USCIS requires it to be done at the US Embassy- BUT (another big one) they do not have a process, so they're not doing them yet - they've been at a standstill for DNA for several weeks (maybe longer than a month!). Elijah's birth mother is still missing. We understood she came to the orphanage at one point, about six months ago now, but hasn't been back.

Our processor has also asked us to contact our US senators and representative because of the issues with the DNA testing. Absolutely! If you'd like to contact yours on our behalf, feel free to do so. I'm not 100% sure how to go about this, and I'm nervous and words tend to escape me on the phone, but I'll do it for our kids! I'm glad we're getting to a point when our government is involved, and feel like there's something I can do about this insanity!

Please pray the following with us regarding our adoption process:
*For MOI to continue to go smoothly, and that no errors are found on our documents.
*For Elijah's birth mother to be located, able to come in long enough for her interview, for DNA to not be requested.
*For Josephine's birth father's interview to be scheduled.
*For our US Senators and Representative to be willing and able to advocate for our children in Haiti's USCIS/Embassy office.
*For the USCIS DNA office to be opened up, for them to catch up to the backlog quickly, and for our DNA to be tested and come back quickly with no issues.
*For our hearts and our children's hearts as we prepare for their homecoming.

We are going to fast in prayer for our children on Wednesday. Please join us if you can. We were blessed when we fasted and asked friends to join us in prayer in February - our process has gone fairly smoothly since then, and I've had such a peace about our children coming home in perfect timing since then. We'd like the help of our friends and family to lift our process to the LORD again. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20.

And I know some of you are asking when - well, it still is unknown. Kaylen asked me this morning, "how many days". I'd love to be able to answer that question - with a number less than 100 - or wouldn't 50 make it an awesome Christmas?!? ...but it's all dependent on the above things. "How long, O LORD, how long?" Psalm 6:3b.