I think I had about 3 days of feeling somewhat peaceful about our new adoption timeline until last Saturday came around. The reason I was finally at ease was because we found out our paperwork made it to Ethiopia and the news of it's receipt was promising. We had supplied what Embassy was asking for and we had a new (later) timeline to wrap our arms around again. Although we had been delayed, things were back to some forward movement. I was relieved.
Then, I got online last Saturday afternoon.
I read articles and posts with terrifying news that some leaders in Ethiopia were suddenly discussing a complete shut down on international adoptions. Some posts even were saying the shut down could occur within just 10 days. All of this without saying for what reason. I panicked. (Who am I kidding, the entire Ethiopian adoption community panicked.) When you are in an international adoption and you invest your heart and savings into a process, this type of news is your absolute worst nightmare. Remember Guatemala? Haiti? Russia? Yeah... it's bad. Kids caught up in a shut down can get "stuck" in orphanages and live institutionalized for years while their parents fight to bring them home after these types of sudden shut downs. It's terrible. That's not even to detail for you what happens later in those orphanages, when there are no options for the kids who never had a chance to be placed. (I'll spare you the heartbreaking videos about that.)
However, it appears right now that the stories of a complete shut down may have been a little exaggerated. It is true that Ethiopia does want to end international adoptions... eventually. But it doesn't appear that's happening right now like it was being portrayed at first. Thankfully, it appears that Ethiopian leaders are finally realizing that they might be able to formulate a successful domestic adoption system. (Much like what the organization I sponsor, 'Bring Love In' currently does in Ethiopia) For the children of Ethiopia, this is very good news. The meeting that was held last week was apparently so leaders could begin formulating ways to begin discussions on how they can scale back the amount of international adoptions and start increasing the amount of domestic adoptions. Praise God if what I am hearing is in fact the case. Believe it or not, even though I am in love with Ethiopia and of course my kids are my world, I know keeping them in their home country with their birth family is truly what was initially in God's plan. His plan was not for Eli and Zoe to grow up with us here in cozy America, that was just a blessing for Mark and I among the sin and brokenness that occurred in their infancy. In God's eyes, they were supposed to be Akram and Nazrawit, two beautiful children of Ethiopia.
What all this means for us now is not clear, our case is moving forward and we continue to wait. So far, so good. We are planning to travel on our first trip in February and Mark will travel to bring Zoe home hopefully in mid-March. However, I am not naive in thinking that another delay is not possible because of all that is happening. I am also preparing myself mentally for the absolute worst, incase the initial rumors ring true and we are suddenly "stuck" in the system with a child that is legally our daughter, but that we are unable to gain custody of because of bureaucracy. I don't know what we will do if that occurs, but I'm preparing myself as best I can for that horrible news if it suddenly becomes our reality.
For now, I ask you again for prayer. The bottom line for us right now is that without a shadow of a doubt, we are Zoe's family. She needs us. We are the only family that can adopt her right now. She needs to come home. So, I ask with a very grateful heart that you will pray very purposely for a few things:
-That Zoe Nazrawit, who is in Jane's House in Ethiopia, comes home to us in March.
-That Ethiopia makes the necessary changes to improve their adoption system in ways that are in the best interest of the children who are without parents.
- That the many waiting families in Ethiopian adoption programs have peace and clarity about how to proceed with their adoptions from here.
- That we (primarily me, hehe) are able to remain positive and focused on taking this process one day at a time, and trusting that God knows when Zoe will be here, and that His timing will be perfect.
As always, thank you to our supporters and our prayer warriors. God hears us defending his command to care for the orphan, I just know He does, because my family is proof of it.
Then, I got online last Saturday afternoon.
I read articles and posts with terrifying news that some leaders in Ethiopia were suddenly discussing a complete shut down on international adoptions. Some posts even were saying the shut down could occur within just 10 days. All of this without saying for what reason. I panicked. (Who am I kidding, the entire Ethiopian adoption community panicked.) When you are in an international adoption and you invest your heart and savings into a process, this type of news is your absolute worst nightmare. Remember Guatemala? Haiti? Russia? Yeah... it's bad. Kids caught up in a shut down can get "stuck" in orphanages and live institutionalized for years while their parents fight to bring them home after these types of sudden shut downs. It's terrible. That's not even to detail for you what happens later in those orphanages, when there are no options for the kids who never had a chance to be placed. (I'll spare you the heartbreaking videos about that.)
However, it appears right now that the stories of a complete shut down may have been a little exaggerated. It is true that Ethiopia does want to end international adoptions... eventually. But it doesn't appear that's happening right now like it was being portrayed at first. Thankfully, it appears that Ethiopian leaders are finally realizing that they might be able to formulate a successful domestic adoption system. (Much like what the organization I sponsor, 'Bring Love In' currently does in Ethiopia) For the children of Ethiopia, this is very good news. The meeting that was held last week was apparently so leaders could begin formulating ways to begin discussions on how they can scale back the amount of international adoptions and start increasing the amount of domestic adoptions. Praise God if what I am hearing is in fact the case. Believe it or not, even though I am in love with Ethiopia and of course my kids are my world, I know keeping them in their home country with their birth family is truly what was initially in God's plan. His plan was not for Eli and Zoe to grow up with us here in cozy America, that was just a blessing for Mark and I among the sin and brokenness that occurred in their infancy. In God's eyes, they were supposed to be Akram and Nazrawit, two beautiful children of Ethiopia.
What all this means for us now is not clear, our case is moving forward and we continue to wait. So far, so good. We are planning to travel on our first trip in February and Mark will travel to bring Zoe home hopefully in mid-March. However, I am not naive in thinking that another delay is not possible because of all that is happening. I am also preparing myself mentally for the absolute worst, incase the initial rumors ring true and we are suddenly "stuck" in the system with a child that is legally our daughter, but that we are unable to gain custody of because of bureaucracy. I don't know what we will do if that occurs, but I'm preparing myself as best I can for that horrible news if it suddenly becomes our reality.
For now, I ask you again for prayer. The bottom line for us right now is that without a shadow of a doubt, we are Zoe's family. She needs us. We are the only family that can adopt her right now. She needs to come home. So, I ask with a very grateful heart that you will pray very purposely for a few things:
-That Zoe Nazrawit, who is in Jane's House in Ethiopia, comes home to us in March.
-That Ethiopia makes the necessary changes to improve their adoption system in ways that are in the best interest of the children who are without parents.
- That the many waiting families in Ethiopian adoption programs have peace and clarity about how to proceed with their adoptions from here.
- That we (primarily me, hehe) are able to remain positive and focused on taking this process one day at a time, and trusting that God knows when Zoe will be here, and that His timing will be perfect.
As always, thank you to our supporters and our prayer warriors. God hears us defending his command to care for the orphan, I just know He does, because my family is proof of it.
