After much prayer and research, we believe God is leading us to turn our adoption focus to Ethiopia. We have re-applied to our adoption agency and are waiting to get notice of acceptance into the Ehthiopia program. It is so weird that we're starting all over again. Oi. We're supposed to be getting some money back from our facilitator in Ukraine. Please pray that everything goes smoothly with that. I must say that a one-week stay in a warm country is a nice adjustment, as are many other aspects of Ethiopian adoption. We'll keep you posted on any further developments. Jump over to our new blogsite as we chronicle our journey to Ethiopia:
http://hollandadoptiontake2.blogspot.com
Gina
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Disembarking from the Ukraine Train
Over the past couple months we have been following blogs of people going over to Ukraine to adopt children. As we've been watching many stories play out we've noticed that it has become increasingly difficult to move forward in that country if you want a young child under the age of 4. Just recently, a family that is working with the same agency we are, went over and spent 5+ weeks chasing down multiple referrals only to return home without a child. We were following another family via their blog that is from Florida and they also returned home without a child after multiple jacked up referrals.
So, about two weeks ago we began praying to see if God wanted us to continue with Ukraine or head a different direction by seeking another country or possibly domestic. We have been asking for clarity and wisdom and that God would be clear in His leading.
God could have spelled it out in my Alphabits, but instead He chose a different, less freaky way. Wednesday I (David) got a call from the Eastern Europe program director from our agency and she informed me that the State Department of Adoption in Ukraine would not be accepting our updated documents and that we could re-submit our dossier in 2009 with the slim possibility of receiving a healthy referral for a little girl under 5. Apparently the word coming from Ukraine is that they have no healthy children under age 8 available. It's not true, but that's the party line. She went on to say that if we chose to stay in the program that they would support that decision and assist in any way they can, but she did not recommend it based on what has been transpiring over there. She has never been this direct in her counsel, but it has never been this bad in Ukraine either.
So, later on today we're going to call her and officially remove ourselves from the Ukraine program. It's a very odd feeling because for the last 18 months we've been all amped up to adopt a little girl from there and now that is not going to happen. It's sad because we KNOW there is a little girl over there that would match our request. But, there is some relief as well because neither of us wanted to go back there for so long and get yanked all over the place jumping through all the hoops you have to and still likely coming home childless.
Please pray for us as we back everything up and start from square one. We're not sure which road to take, but we clearly see that God has stopped the Ukraine Train and it is time to disembark. Thanks for following our story, we'll keep you posted on the next step!
So, about two weeks ago we began praying to see if God wanted us to continue with Ukraine or head a different direction by seeking another country or possibly domestic. We have been asking for clarity and wisdom and that God would be clear in His leading.
God could have spelled it out in my Alphabits, but instead He chose a different, less freaky way. Wednesday I (David) got a call from the Eastern Europe program director from our agency and she informed me that the State Department of Adoption in Ukraine would not be accepting our updated documents and that we could re-submit our dossier in 2009 with the slim possibility of receiving a healthy referral for a little girl under 5. Apparently the word coming from Ukraine is that they have no healthy children under age 8 available. It's not true, but that's the party line. She went on to say that if we chose to stay in the program that they would support that decision and assist in any way they can, but she did not recommend it based on what has been transpiring over there. She has never been this direct in her counsel, but it has never been this bad in Ukraine either.
So, later on today we're going to call her and officially remove ourselves from the Ukraine program. It's a very odd feeling because for the last 18 months we've been all amped up to adopt a little girl from there and now that is not going to happen. It's sad because we KNOW there is a little girl over there that would match our request. But, there is some relief as well because neither of us wanted to go back there for so long and get yanked all over the place jumping through all the hoops you have to and still likely coming home childless.
Please pray for us as we back everything up and start from square one. We're not sure which road to take, but we clearly see that God has stopped the Ukraine Train and it is time to disembark. Thanks for following our story, we'll keep you posted on the next step!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Waiting for Little Sissy
Davi has a little notebook (she calls it her diary) that she scribbles in from time to time. This picture was her most recent add. Mind you, there's not a lot of detail as there are with many of her pics--just a quick draw. I asked her about the picture. She said it's Little Sissy inside the orphanage. She's sitting waiting for us. I'm glad to see she has a smile on her face.
A few weeks ago Davi offered to give us money to help with the adoption. She's so funny and such a sweety.
Despite the fact that she's excited to get a sister, she's doing quite well with the wait. Actually, all three of us are feeling at peace about being put on hold as we're watching some messiness happen in Ukraine. We're hoping there as some good changes (and warm weather) in the near future that are timed perfectly with our return. Whatever the case, we know our God is capable of anything, and we're so grateful to be in His wise care.
Gina
Friday, March 7, 2008
March 7th
Our facilitator was not given an invitation this week for us to return for a second appointment. Go figure. He was told that invitations might come next week. Anyone want to place a bet?
Oh well, this is not our biggest concern right now. We just got word of a family who is returning home without a child. They had received three referrals (we've been told you only get two) and went to three regions only to be going home with no child.
We're also hearing of other families who are refusing first referrals, but we haven't gotten to see what is happening at second appointments yet.
We're trusting God's will in all this. Thanks for your prayers. Please pray that we would see God move to release more orphans.
Gina
Oh well, this is not our biggest concern right now. We just got word of a family who is returning home without a child. They had received three referrals (we've been told you only get two) and went to three regions only to be going home with no child.
We're also hearing of other families who are refusing first referrals, but we haven't gotten to see what is happening at second appointments yet.
We're trusting God's will in all this. Thanks for your prayers. Please pray that we would see God move to release more orphans.
Gina
Friday, February 29, 2008
Still No Appointment, but...
This morning we got an email from our family coordinator. Our facilitator, Yuri, did not receive an invitation for us, but he was told by SDA staff that they are working on invitations for all second appointment families. Yuri expects that we will be invited for April, possibly March, and that we will likely have notification of an appointment date next week. We'll see. God's timing, right?
The spring would be a great time to go, weather-wise. If we go this spring, please pray that we can get to Ukraine and back before Davi finishes school. It would be really nice if she could finish kindergarten and do all the end-of-the year activities with her class.
Gina
The spring would be a great time to go, weather-wise. If we go this spring, please pray that we can get to Ukraine and back before Davi finishes school. It would be really nice if she could finish kindergarten and do all the end-of-the year activities with her class.
Gina
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Hopefully new info on Friday!
We got a call from our adoption agency family coordinator today. Our facilitator in Ukraine, Yuri, got to meet with someone from the SDA. They told him that this Friday they will have an official letter of invitation for us to return to Ukraine for our second appointment. It is not clear as to whether there will be a specific return date in the letter. I hope it's not just a letter vaguely saying they will have us back sometime. We'll let you know if we do actually get the letter on Friday and what's in it!
Thanks for your prayers!
Gina
Thanks for your prayers!
Gina
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Forgotten Yet Fingerprinted
We got fingerprinted for the third time today...you know, just in case something has changed since the last two times we were fingerprinted. If I'm sounding cynical...well then you get my vibe. This was an update to the fingerprints we got last year about this time for the state of Nebraska. The FBI had to have their own set for the USCIS stuff--why they can't share is beyond me.
We're a little concerned that they won't be processed in time for our home study to be updated before the original one expires. Not much we can do about it, though. Of course we're praying.
In the meantime, we're feeling forgotten. I was just on the FRUA website, viewing some previous chats. The only other families, except for our new friends the Reeds and us, that I've come across who are waiting for second appointments are from Germany. At least one of them has been waiting since October. If anyone has heard of someone who was sent home and then returned for a second appointment, please let me know. It seems we've been forgotten by the SDA. They seem to have just gone on with business as usual, just like we never happened. At their first appointments, families have been getting children that we would have gladly welcomed. From a faith perspective, I know those children were not meant for us, but it's still hard to be waiting because "there are no children that match our request." I don't know what they plan to do with all of us who are waiting, or if they plan to do anything. Very frustrating. So we continue to do things like get our fingerprints updated because we're still hoping.
We're tired. We can't wait to have a face to put with all the preparation; then we'll say, "It was all worth it!" But right now, we don't have that face. I admit, I'm having a hard time keeping my focus on Christ without a wandering glance at my circumstances. I'm hoping for the time that we can look back on this and see God's fingerprints all over it. And I'm clinging to the fact that, in Christ, we are never forgotten.
Gina
We're a little concerned that they won't be processed in time for our home study to be updated before the original one expires. Not much we can do about it, though. Of course we're praying.
In the meantime, we're feeling forgotten. I was just on the FRUA website, viewing some previous chats. The only other families, except for our new friends the Reeds and us, that I've come across who are waiting for second appointments are from Germany. At least one of them has been waiting since October. If anyone has heard of someone who was sent home and then returned for a second appointment, please let me know. It seems we've been forgotten by the SDA. They seem to have just gone on with business as usual, just like we never happened. At their first appointments, families have been getting children that we would have gladly welcomed. From a faith perspective, I know those children were not meant for us, but it's still hard to be waiting because "there are no children that match our request." I don't know what they plan to do with all of us who are waiting, or if they plan to do anything. Very frustrating. So we continue to do things like get our fingerprints updated because we're still hoping.
We're tired. We can't wait to have a face to put with all the preparation; then we'll say, "It was all worth it!" But right now, we don't have that face. I admit, I'm having a hard time keeping my focus on Christ without a wandering glance at my circumstances. I'm hoping for the time that we can look back on this and see God's fingerprints all over it. And I'm clinging to the fact that, in Christ, we are never forgotten.
Gina
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