We are a part of a Yahoo Group and in this group we are able to "talk" to other families going through the same thing for prayers, advice, and guidance as we are all in very different points with unique situations and experiences. One of the ladies in the group posted the letter below. Please read and, if you feel inclined, please take a minute to sign the petition to get these children home. The lady that wrote this adopted a little boy in 2008 (Zeke) right before they closed international adoptions in Vietnam. I can't even imagine what these parents are going through!
I recently found out that there are 16 Vietnamese kids who were referred to US families in 2008 who are still waiting to go home. To be clear, they are true orphans living in an orphanage for the past 3 years...There is a big push underway as the plight of these children is getting attention. Would you pray and ask God to liberate these children so they can grow up in loving families? This touches my heart because we had quite a struggle getting our son home as the Vietnam program closed. It makes me just cry to think our Zeke could still be in an orphanage. God intervened in supernatural ways in our case. I know God will do it again because it's not His will that these children suffer.
You can put some feet to your prayers by sending a letter to President Obama, your US Senators and your Congressman/ woman. There is a suggested letter but you can add in your own thoughts, that you, for example, care about this issue because you're an adoptive parent (or prospective adoptive parent). The site is here:
http://www.petition 2congress. com/4665/ bring-home- bac-lieu- orphans/
Finally, please spread the word through Facebook/Twitter on behalf of these children. We have to stand up for the fatherless and this is one way to do it.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Celebration and Information
Today is our 5th anniversary! I can't believe it has already been 5 years, this time has flown by and even with all of the trials we have gone through- I wouldn't change a single thing. There is a song with the refrain "God gave me you for the ups and downs" and every time I hear it I smile and thank God for giving me such an incredible man to share my life with. He amazes me every day and always makes me want to be a better person. I love his sense of humor and his strong sense of self. I love who I am with him :)
Tomorrow is Ryan's wedding. I can't believe my little brother is getting married. Those of you that have younger siblings totally get what I mean. Those of that don't are going "isn't he only 2 years younger than you?" I am so happy for him and could not have imagined a better girl for him! Kelly is wonderful and I love how happy they make each other. Wishing them all the happiness in the world as they embark on this next step. I also think it's kind of cool our anniversaries are almost the same :)
Enough of the mushy... over the past 2 days we've gotten a little more information about what is going on in Ethiopia. We are a part of a yahoo group that is all families that are in various stages of adopting through AWAA in Ethiopia and some of the families that have recently traveled have been able to share some insight. If you remember a few months ago, they appointed a new director of MOWYCA (the agency in charge of all adoptions in Ethiopia) when they discovered things weren't going well. That was when they changed to doing only 5 referrals a day. Well apparently they didn't do such a hot job of selecting a new director. From what the families that are over there have written, she is, get this, NOT AN ADVOCATE FOR ADOPTION. Really??? When you travel to Ethiopia the first time you go to court and petition for the adoption. The judge reviews your dossier and makes sure everything is in order. Then he reviews the child's paperwork making sure that it is all correct and nothing seems fishy. Then he reads over the MOWYCA letter that states they have matched that child to your family. Well, in the past few months we kept seeing family after family not pass court because the letter from MOWYCA wasn't there. So these families are in Ethiopia and have done everything they are supposed to do but the director isn't getting the letter to the judge. Now remember, the families don't travel to Ethiopia unless the referral has been made so it's not like the director is caught off guard. There are, on average, 2-3 months between when you are notified that they have matched you with a child and when you are given a court date and you travel over there.
Please pray for this director's heart to be softened for the orphans that are waiting to meet their forever families and for the families that are traveling now to have faith and know that everything is happening in God's timing. I can't even imagine how frustrating it would be to travel all the way over there and then find someone has not done their job! As for me, I keep repeating in my head "God's will be done" to help me keep perspective when I get frustrated with this process. Thankfully, that doesn't happen very often :) Love you all!
Tomorrow is Ryan's wedding. I can't believe my little brother is getting married. Those of you that have younger siblings totally get what I mean. Those of that don't are going "isn't he only 2 years younger than you?" I am so happy for him and could not have imagined a better girl for him! Kelly is wonderful and I love how happy they make each other. Wishing them all the happiness in the world as they embark on this next step. I also think it's kind of cool our anniversaries are almost the same :)
Enough of the mushy... over the past 2 days we've gotten a little more information about what is going on in Ethiopia. We are a part of a yahoo group that is all families that are in various stages of adopting through AWAA in Ethiopia and some of the families that have recently traveled have been able to share some insight. If you remember a few months ago, they appointed a new director of MOWYCA (the agency in charge of all adoptions in Ethiopia) when they discovered things weren't going well. That was when they changed to doing only 5 referrals a day. Well apparently they didn't do such a hot job of selecting a new director. From what the families that are over there have written, she is, get this, NOT AN ADVOCATE FOR ADOPTION. Really??? When you travel to Ethiopia the first time you go to court and petition for the adoption. The judge reviews your dossier and makes sure everything is in order. Then he reviews the child's paperwork making sure that it is all correct and nothing seems fishy. Then he reads over the MOWYCA letter that states they have matched that child to your family. Well, in the past few months we kept seeing family after family not pass court because the letter from MOWYCA wasn't there. So these families are in Ethiopia and have done everything they are supposed to do but the director isn't getting the letter to the judge. Now remember, the families don't travel to Ethiopia unless the referral has been made so it's not like the director is caught off guard. There are, on average, 2-3 months between when you are notified that they have matched you with a child and when you are given a court date and you travel over there.
Please pray for this director's heart to be softened for the orphans that are waiting to meet their forever families and for the families that are traveling now to have faith and know that everything is happening in God's timing. I can't even imagine how frustrating it would be to travel all the way over there and then find someone has not done their job! As for me, I keep repeating in my head "God's will be done" to help me keep perspective when I get frustrated with this process. Thankfully, that doesn't happen very often :) Love you all!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)