Christmas and Ethiopia

Well we are moving again this Christmas season! So much can happen in a year. We were moving to a new city this same time last year. We have bought a new house here in our new city and we will be moving and preparing another nursery for our Ethiopian child. Hopefully this time, we really will be bringing our child home to this house! :)

So, yes, this moving means we have to have another homestudy update, another USCIS approval update and a dossier update!! All of this (plus moving to a new house) has to be done by January 13, 2012. Why, you ask, does it have to be done by January 13? Because for the first time ever, we are within the range of receiving a referral!!!

Obviously I don't have much time to write on this blog with all that has been going on lately, but I did want to post this picture. If you get caught up in the spending of Christmas that so many Americans take part in, please remember and celebrate the real reason for the season, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Orphan Sunday

I wrote the following post a while back and forgot to publish it! So, November 6 has passed, but you can still make a difference! The orphans are still out there!
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Orphan Sunday is this Sunday, November 6. Orphan Sunday is a chance to bring awarenss to the needs of the orphans. It is our role as Christians to care for orphans - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world
(James 1:27).

In the times when the Bible was being written, it was up to the church to look after orphans and widows. In current times, most widows have some form of life insurance or other savings from their spouse. However, the plight of the orphan has not changed. It is still up to us to care for the orphan.

Psalms 127: 3-5 - Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Notice the similar "1:27 (James), 127 (Psalms)". Could these two verses be related? Now I am not saying every Christian needs to adopt an orphan (although that sure would help the 140 million orphans that are in the world), but I do think there are many verses in the Bible (including these two verses) that definitely stress the importance that God places on taking care of children, especially orphans.

Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

I have no more words. Will you watch the video below and then pray and ask God how you can help?

Testimony

Well, for some time, I have struggled with writing this testimony. But, early this morning, God urged me to write this testimony for someone who may be struggling with finances and adoption. I always believed that I would be an adoptive mother. God revealed this to me when I was 13 years old. However, when the time came for Hubby and I to pursue adoption, I was held back by the cost of adoption. Hubby continued to encourage me and would say "I am not too concerned about the cost of adoption."

In October 2009, we decided to step out on faith and pursue an adoption from Ethiopia. When we started the process, Hubby had just lost his job 3 months before and had decided to start his own business. Also, at the same time, I moved from a full-time job to a part-time job. Our total income was decreased by 75%! Imagine living on 1/4 of what you currently make.

BUT GOD!!! When we decided to step out on faith and listen to God, He took care of us! Matthew 6:25-27 says “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

In a March 2010 post I talk about how the adoption tax credit (ATC) was extended and increased. Now, the ATC has been extended again to December 31, 2012. And because God can do exceedingly and abundantly more than you can ever ask, think or imagine, He has increased the fruits of our labor to such a point that we are not even eligible for the ATC anymore!!! (I don't think I mentioned before, there is an income limit in order to be eligible for the ATC.) If you are reading this today and you are struggling with the idea of paying for your adoption, just know that if God has called you to do this, He will provide.

Famine In Ethiopia

There is a famine going on right now in Ethiopia. Pictures like this (a 3 year old Ethiopian child weighing less than 10 pounds) make it very difficult for me to stick to this adoption process. I don't understand why it has to be so complicated.

Why can't I just jump on a plane right now, go help the people of Ethiopia and bring all the starving children home with me? Please pray for Ethiopia (and Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti). And please pray for my faith to be continually renewed. I trust in Jesus and I know all things will work together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. I pray that in due season, His plan will be revealed.

Ethiopian Orphanages

After being a part of the international adoption world for 2 years now, we have learned that it seems like there is always something going on. The latest news is the closing of many orphanages in Ethiopia. One orphanage closing has definitely been confirmed and there is talk of at least 20 more closings. See the most recent notice from the State Department here

As of right now, largely due to our commitment to be with an ethical agency, our agency is not working with any orphanages in danger of closing. However, our agency does not manage these orphanages directly. Therefore, we are not completely immune to operational problems and concerns that may arise within an individual orphanage. What happens to the children when an orphanage closes? When an orphanage closes, the care of the children must be transferred to another orphanage. This would most likely slow down the adoption process because the orphanage that the children get transferred to may be partnered with a different adoption agency than the one we are working with.

What is going on right now with orphanages closing is a prime reason why it is important to know the mission, goals and values of an adoption agency. The orphanages that are closing right now are being closed by the Ethiopian government because they have failed to provide local humanitarian aid. As you may remember from previous posts, our agency provides a lot of humanitarian aid and has built at least one hospital and school in Ethiopia. The orphanages that are closing were simply serving as a gateway to adopt Ethiopian children out of their birth country. They were not providing help to the people of Ethiopia.

Our agency's main goal is to provide humanitarian aid to the children of Ethiopia and to only use adoption as a last resort. So, I know I might sound like a broken record but most of the events surrounding Ethiopian adoption have pointed to the consequences of unethical agencies. I am not saying it is easy to wait this long for our child, but God has certainly given us peace in knowing that we are trying to do the right thing for the children of Ethiopia.

Secret Thoughts...

Of an Adoptive Mother.



Just finished a great book for adoptive parents. Very easy to read (only took me about a day) but full of so much information. The author does not hold back on her thoughts and emotions throughout the adoption process. If you are an adoptive parent, or a prospective adoptive parent like me, I can almost guarantee that you have had at least one of these thoughts portrayed in the book. This book was assurance that those secret thoughts are normal and okay. Highly recommend.

Live and Become

Hubby and I watched an awesome movie titled "Live and Become"!!! The movie is based on a true story and begins when Ethiopian Jews have fled to Sudanese refugee camps. In 1984, "Operation Moses" begins to transport the Ethiopian Jews from the Sudan to Israel.

There is a Christian Ethiopian woman who wants a better life for her 9 year old son. She tells her son to pretend to be Jewish so that he can go to Israel and have a better life. The boy is sent to Israel with an Ethiopian Jewish woman whose son recently died. Once in Israel, the adoptive mother dies. The movie brings up thought provoking issues of race, religion, discrimination, adoption, and transracial/transcultural relationships.

Hopefully, the little I have revealed has peaked enough interest that you might rent this movie to watch. Hubby and I highly recommend it. Especially if you are interested in Christian, Ethiopian or Jewish culture.

An Uplifting Testimony

In Honor of Father's Day, enjoy this video about a famous Christian adoptive Dad, Rev Run, and his adoption journey. Praising God for all the real men out there(including my Husband, my own Dad and my Father-in-law!) who are willing to open their hearts to what God has to say about adoption.

Been There, Done That

We have had to start the process of extending our I600A (our approval to adopt from Ethiopia). Our FBI fingerprints are only valid for 15 months and our approval is only valid for 18 months. So, last week we went and had our fingerprints redone. Our I600A expires in August so that will be the next thing we will work on.

After that, we most likely will have to redo our dossier. It is now only valid for 2years (another new change that the Ethiopian government recently made). Not really exciting news. Necessary paperwork being done, even though we have already "been there, done that". :)

God Is In Control

Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do (Isaiah 46:9-11)

This verse gives me comfort. This says to me that God is in control and nothing can stand in his way. There are many examples in the Bible where people tried to take matters into their own hands, but God’s plan still worked. From the beginning, in Genesis, Sarah thought there was no way she could become pregnant and so she had Hagar have a baby for her, but that was not God’s plan. Eventually, Sarah became pregnant and had Isaac. God’s plan happened, in spite of Sarah’s own agenda (Genesis 21:1-2).

Yesterday, we talked with the director of the Ethiopia program at our agency. We learned that wait times continue to increase and that it will likely be another 2 years until we even get a phone call about the child that God has planned for us. However, knowing that God is in control is so important to me. Hubby and I realize that we have no control over the adoption process. Although it is not easy, most of the time I feel at peace knowing that we have no control, but God does.

Yes, of course, there are other avenues we could pursue. But, we feel God telling us to wait on Him. And so, we continue to wait and adjust our expectations. We have had to let go of the expectation that we will bring a baby home from Ethiopia. We have learned that the child God has planned for us from Ethiopia might be a toddler. We have had to adjust our thoughts on what our expanded family will look like.

We feel confident that the Ethiopian child that joins our family will be the one God has planned for us. We continue to seek God's will for our family and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers as we diligently stay on the path God has put before us.

How's the Adoption Process Going?

We keep getting a lot of questions about where we are in our adoption process. We haven't had much to say because we don't really know. And what we do know is so hard to explain.

After the last major announcement about the slowdown, there has been nothing new to report. The slowdown in processing cases is in effect, and we are all still waiting to see what that actually means. This year, so far, there have only been 3 infant referrals from our agency. Seems like about every other month, there is one infant referred from our agency. Of course, that information doesn't really help us because we don't know where we are on the list.

We talked with our caseworker 2 weeks ago and asked a lot of questions. Many people we are acquainted with have been making some personal changes, such as increasing age ranges, adding a second adoption and even deciding not to adopt and live a childless life. I guess the bottom line is, after exploring our options, we are still committed to Ethiopia.

A Thousand Words

Once, while showing a good friend pictures of some beautiful Ethiopian girls, she said: "You need to post these on your blog. People need to know the reality of adoption. These are not the poor heartbreaking babies they show on TV when they ask for you to sponsor a child."

The reality is, those poor heartbreaking babies ARE real, and they are beautiful!!! Enjoy these pictures and see the beauty of adoption (Note: These are all Ethiopian beauties!)

Fasika

Fasika is the Amharic word for Easter. In Ethiopia, Fasika is preceded by Hudade (Lent). Hudade is 56 days of fasting where the Ethiopians do not eat any meat or animal products, including dairy. On Fasika Eve, there is a service known as Paschal Vigil, that lasts into the early morning hours of Fasika Day. Once the service ends, people return home to prepare for a fast-breaking feast, which includes the slaughtering of a chicken at midnight for the symbolic occasion.

For those who may not know, Easter is celebrated all over the world as a symbol of Jesus' crucifixion which led to his death on a Friday. Jesus' crucifixion was for the purpose of fulfilling the word of God. Jesus overcame death and was resurrected from the tomb after three days. The third day is the Sunday when Easter is celebrated. This is the moment at which we, as Christians, were given everlasting life.

As we celebrate Easter here in America, I hope you reflect on the real meaning of Easter. Contrary to popular belief, for Christians, it is not about Easter baskets, eggs and bunnies. It is about the great sacrifice that Jesus made for our souls!

Reflect on this as you watch the video below (you may have to go directly to my blog to watch the video). Thank you Jesus!!!

The Rumor is True

It has been confirmed that the new policy of limiting the number of adoption cases processed by the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs (MOWA) went into effect Thursday, March 10, 2011 with 5 cases being completed. That is down from 50 cases a day. The US Department of State has issued an alert (read about it here). So, what does this mean? It means, "we expect that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays." (quoting the US Department of State alert.) That's us. Apparently, significant delays are ahead for us.

Rumors?!?

There is some literature out there that says that Ethiopia is going to reduce the number of adoptions (Click here for recent article). In 2010, 2500 orphans were adopted from Ethiopia (fact) and the recent literature says that number will fall to 500 this year. As I have stated before, international adoptions can be unstable and countries may close or reduce their number of adoptions. This is usually due to unethical agencies and adoption workers who try to "sell" babies.

At our church today, God spoke to me through our Pastor. Our Pastor preached on Exodus 32 and how Aaron was impatient. Our Pastor talked about how just because you don't see God working, that doesn't mean He's not working. Are you willing to trust God anyway? I was reminded that we were led to Ethiopia for a reason. And I know that although we may not see God directly working on our adoption, we must trust Him anyway. God has a plan and He has a different timetable from us.

I checked the Department of State website (the premier trusted source for information about adoption), and they don't have any alerts or notices about adopting from Ethiopia. So, I am hesitant to believe what I am hearing and reading. However, I also don't believe these ideas are just surfacing out of thin air. Either way, I hope that you will join us in praying for whatever is going on. We are also reassured by the fact that our agency has not told us anything. Now, I realize that may be confusing to hear that. But, our agency is very ethical and responsible. They don't give out information unless they have all of the facts and a plan to follow the facts.

We choose to trust God in this situation. Although it may be tempting, we will not doubt God's presence. As our Pastor said today, doubting God's presence is a direct path to idolatry (Exodus 32).

Imagine

Every time I see an Ethiopian in the news, I imagine what our child will look like, what their personality will be and what greatness will they achieve. Given my heart, love and passion for others in need, I truly believe our child will be successful and will make a difference, not only in the US, but internationally (specifically in their birth country)! I recently discovered a famous model from Ethiopia, Liya Kebede.

Liya was born and raised in Addis Ababa and in 2003 she became the first woman of color to serve as a representative for Estee Lauder. Amazing! Estee Lauder, as a company, is 59 years old and Liya paved the way for other women of color to model for such a prestigious brand!

And, she is not just another pretty face. For the past six years, she has served as the WHO (World Health Organization) Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. Through this, she founded the Liya Kebede Foundation. Her foundation's mission is to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality in Ethiopia and around the world.

Here are a few pictures of Liya Kebede.

Still Waiting.....

for a referral. This period in my life, of waiting to be a mother, would be impossible without my faith in Christ. When we began this journey, our agency gave us an estimated wait time. Apparently, those estimates are more like guesses. At this point, we don't know when we will receive a referral but we feel pretty sure that it will be at least another year.

Change of Plans

No, not us! :) We watched a very family friendly, pro-adoption (especially international adoption) movie on TV today. It was called Change of Plans. It was the story of a professional couple who have been married 5 years and don't feel cut out to be parents. Sally, the wife, is a rock musician and her husband Jason is a fighter pilot. They live in a gorgeous house and live a carefree life with no children. Well, one day, as they are rushing off on a vacation, they get a phone call that changes their lives. They get word that Sally's best friend and her best friend's husband died in a plane crash. Sally and Jason all of a sudden become parents to 4 children, 3 of whom are adopted internationally. That is all I am going to tell you about the movie. Hopefully just enough of a teaser for you to look up the movie and watch it! :)

Other adoption news: not much to report. We have started the process to update our homestudy. We went and got our fingerprint redone and will soon have our social worker come and do a study on our new house (and my new career).

Yesterday, many of the Ethiopian adoptive families got together to celebrate the Ethiopian New Year. We had planned to go, but God had other plans for our family. I had hoped to have new pictures of beautiful Ethiopian adoptive families to share, but since we didn't end up going, no pictures this time. Hopefully next time.

That is all for now!