I've come to view the nameless, faceless people at the Department of Homeland Security as the "Soup Nazi" in those old Seinfeld episodes. If I don't fill out my paperwork properly, instead of hearing, "No soup for you!" we will have our application rejected, returned to us, and be delayed in bringing our son home by weeks or months....... Don't get me wrong, completing the forms is not rocket science, but the directions can be unclear and confusing to the novice, so our advice is to seek wise counsel at every step.
February 8, 2013
We received our I800-A approval letter.....it took only 34 days. We hear that 4-6 weeks is about average. We worked hard to complete our dossier-- which is a packet of papers containing our life's story, and then some....and prepared for this to make it's way to Burkina Faso. This dossier is sent to the Burkinabe version of child welfare, called , "Social Action", where Very Important People hold our fate and future in their hands, and determine whether or not to approve us as Sylvain's adoptive family. Although we've followed all of their guidelines and meet their qualifications, there is a chance that they will find something that they don't like, and may reject us.....
March, 2013
Our dossier is hand-carried by our US adoption worker, Gay, to Burkina, and is also scanned to our in-country facilitator, Ruth, who will have her staff translate into French.
April 3, 2013
Our dossier is at Social Action!! We wait for it to be reviewed, and then to receive the next sliver of hope-- a letter of approval. This is expected to take 30-60 days. Meanwhile, we've arranged to pay for Sylvain to get new glasses, and we will also be sponsoring his tuition for preschool. Making these steps makes us feel a little closer to him. We are pleased that he's got new specs, but Ruth has shared that, new as they are, they are not adequate, and the care in Burkina Faso cannot meet his needs....we just can't wait to get him home, and know this his life, with such poor vision, must be such a challenge.
May 17, 2013
We received an important letter from Social Action, where they ask us to request to adopt Sylvain. This is a preliminary approval, but not the brass ring..... We sign and approve a letter requesting to adopt Sylvain, specifically.
Interestingly-- we've had our hearts broken for a little girl who lives in another orphanage. Ruth knows her. She is 11 and waiting, waiting, waiting for her family. She's had many disappointments in her young life, and endures many hardships. We've asked family and friends to pray with us....for God to bring her family to her. We've also asked Ruth if perhaps WE can adopt her.....right now she has no one. HOW could we say no, if this was a possibility? Social Action will consider this option, but it is unlikely, as their policy is that only one child may be adopted. In my heart, I pray that God will move mountains for this girl to join our family.....it would truly be miraculous! All the cards are stacked against this happening. Ruth assures me, that we need to rely on God and trust His plans.....but we can pray!
June 22, 2013
Our two sons have passport appointments.....we are planning for imminent travel, and are still waiting to hear from Social Action. At the end of the month, we also learned that the little girl we were praying for found her family! We are so thankful for God's provision, but can't help feeling that we will miss her-- our hearts had already grown to love her. It is amazing what God gives us.....
June 24, 2013
We have received what is called, the "Demande Poursuite" from Social Action!!!! This means that our application to adopt Sylvain has been approved, and our case will be turned over to our Burkinabe attorney in the next week or two, for the legal process to begin. Elated by this news, we know our case will again be moving forward, but we also breathe a sigh of frustration......as we see that the approval date of this critical document is stamped as "May 30th"! We wonder if the delay in getting this processed was because our dossier was kept in Social Action, for consideration for the little girl we mentioned. Our dossier was with SA for 10 weeks.
July 9, 2013
Another lengthy application to Dept. of Homeland Security-- This time, to submit our I800 Application-- Thankfully, there is no fee associated with this one, but it is quite involved. This application is to adopt Sylvain, specifically, whereas the I800 A was the application for us to adopt a foreign born child. Ruth was so great about gathering and sharing important information about our little one, to help us prepare this application.....Sylvain was born on May 6th, 2008, in Kordie, in the providence of Sanguie....he gets up at 6:30 a.m. every day, and often helps other children to get up and get ready for preschool. He walks to preschool, right next door, and comes home after lunch. There's much to share, and this will come later.....I need to pray about how to write for him, as this is his story, and truly God's story.
July 15, 2013
Wow!! The soup Nazi gave us Mulligatawny, and sent us on our way!! We are pleasantly surprised that we've received our I800 approval so soon! We also received the news from Gay that, like many European and Latin American Countries, Burkina Faso, (formerly a French Colony) basically closes shop for the month of August. No one makes passports or signs visas. Judges and attorneys do not work. The government offices close. Our attorney is working to gather signatures until then, but the process is......s....l....o...w
August, 2013
Ruth has left for the US for a much deserved rest with her family in the mid-west. This is a working vacation-- a furlough. She will meet with churches and take care of the business of Sheltering Wings-securing support so critically needed for her babies' home, the school in Yako, the women who come to her in desperation.
Although our attorney has not gathered all signatures that are needed to set a court date, Ruth assures us that this will re-start in September. Our boys here at home have received their passports......all we need now is a trip to the traveler's clinic for some vaccinations.
September, 2013
We are back to school and things are so busy! Ruth returns to Burkina on the 17th. I can't imagine the time it will take her to catch up with Adiara-- her partner and Social Worker who monitors cases in her absence. She'll also need time to re-acclimate to her job, her babies, her people-- but I sure look forward to hearing from her, hopefully by the end of the month
This is the last leg of our process, but a long stretch......Our attorney, since July has been working on gathering four different signatures from four different government officials. This typically takes 4-6 weeks, but since the country closed in August, we add 4 more weeks to this timeline, at least. After these precious signatures are obtained, a court date will be set. our attorney presents our petition to a judge, who is expected to approve our adoption. We will see our boy one month after this first court date, when we travel to bring him home, and appear again before the judge, as a family.
We have been encouraged by another adoptive mom, Sara. She told us, "believe that our God can keep your child safe and love him while you prepare to come for him". We believe that He can.
We pray everyday, and ask you to join us--
God, please send your army of angels to watch over our sweet boy until we come. Let your hedge of protection guard his heart and keep the enemy from him in all ways. Let our boy know your peace, be treated with kindness, and have enough to eat and drink. Lift up his caregivers and send your love to all of the children in his home.
Another friend encouraged me with this verse, on just the right day.....
He will bring to pass all of his plans. His power is at work within you. Nothing can stop what He wills from coming to pass.
Eph 3:20
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