Why Not Haiti

Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Hubby and I have been asked many times, why we are not adopting from Haiti. Every country has specific requirements for their prospective adoptive parents. We did not meet the requirements for Haiti....simple enough, if you don't meet the requirements, you can not adopt. For Haiti, a few of the requirements are:

1. Married for 10 years.
2. At least one person must be at least 35 years old.

We didn't fit either one of these requirements.

Update on our adoption: Our home study and dossier is probably being translated into Amharic (the official language of Ethiopia) right now. After that, it will be sent to the Ethiopian Embassy.

The Department of Homeland Security has also received our home study and application. We will be fingerprinted by the FBI in about 3 weeks. Then, Department of Homeland Security will (hopefully) approve our fingerprints. That could take up to 3 months. After that, we will be on the waiting list. The current wait is 17-18 months. I have also gotten many questions about why it takes so long. I don't think there is any one single answer. When adopting internationally, many governments are unstable. Wait times can increase and decrease depending on changes in the adoption laws and policies of a specific country. Also, once a child is found abandoned or brought to an orphanage, the government begins an investigation to ensure the child is truly an orphan. They look for members of the child's family to make sure they know the child will be adopted and taken to the US. It is uncertain how long an investigation can take. It depends on how complex the issues surrounding the child are.

And, specifically in our country of choice, Ethiopia, there is a prime minister election coming up this year. The current prime minister, Meles Zenawi Asres, has been in office since 1995 and some people feel it is time for a change. If Meles Zenawi is replaced, the adoption laws could change. If they were to change, we have no idea if they will change for better or worse.

From the research I have done, Meles Zenawi seems to be doing a good job as prime minister. Despite Ethiopia being a third world country, Meles Zenawi has received many awards for the way he has developed Ethiopia since the 1990s. Either way, if he is replaced, or if he continues to be prime minister, some groups will not be happy. After the last election in 2005, there was post-election violence that some described as a massacre. Please pray for the upcoming election in Ethiopia (May 2010). Pray that God's will is done and that our future child will be safe.

Timkat!

Today is the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Holiday of Timkat! Timkat = Epiphany. This holiday celebrates the baptism of Jesus Christ and is thought to be the biggest national holiday in the country. Enkuan Aderesachehu!

Haiti Earthquake 2010

It is so hard to comment on this. As soon as I heard about the earthquake, my thoughts turned to the increased number of orphans that will come out of this. What will happen to the poorest of the poor, the children that no one wants or can not afford? In 2007, there were an estimated 380,000 orphans in Haiti with a population of approximately 9 million people. Right now, many orphans are living outdoors since some orphanages in Haiti were destroyed. Where will they go? My heart hurts.

Enkuan Aderesachehu!

Enkuan Aderesachehu = Happy Holidays! Direct translation = How good that God has gotten us to this point/this day! The majority of believers in Ethiopia are Christians, with a large minority of Muslims. However, Ethiopia is one of the rare countries where Christians and Muslims live together in relative peace. (Another awesome fact about Ethiopia that Hubby and I liked).

Today is Christmas in Ethiopia. It is called Ganna or YeLidet Beal. Direct translation = festival of birth. And, that is what the Ethiopians do. Gift giving is not done on this day. This day is used to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There are feasts and games and most people go to church. Many people fast on Christmas Eve (which was yesterday). How did you spend your Christmas holiday? Did you spend it rushing around the mall, spending all your money? I have to say, I believe the Ethiopians have the right idea. This day should be spent celebrating Jesus. It should be spent with family and friends. This is exactly what my family did and we had a wonderful time! Enkuan Aderesachehu!