It’s been quite a while since
our last post. A few things have
happened in our journey to adopt a child from the Congo. First, we have officially completed the home
study phase of our adoption. The next step is additional paperwork with a lot
more money that has to be turned in. At
this point, we are kind of at a stand still due to the Congo not issuing exit
visas. Congo has also decided to rewrite
their adoption laws and do not have a time frame as to when it will be
completed. Our agency assures us that
this is just one of those things and other steps are being completed in
country, but we have no idea how long it will be before these things are
resolved. Due to these uncertainties, Michael and I do not feel comfortable at
this point continuing on. We could get a
referral now (if we had the additional money to complete that paperwork), but with
that acceptance we would then be required to pay $500.00 a month for foster
care in country. While we know that goes
to a great cause of taking care of our child, we also know that we are at least
14 months out on exit visa and the wait could be much longer if they don’t lift
the ban on exit visas. We are now at the
point of looking at what other doors might be open to us.
While all of the issues with
the Congo were going on, we heard about an organization through a local church
in Nashville called Jonah’s Journey. It
is a group of families who foster infants of women currently in prison. It is not a program run through the
Department of Children’s Services, but through the church. It could require short-term care, long-term
care or even adoption. We sent in our
paperwork and so far they have accepted every piece of paperwork that we had
completed for our adoption, even the home study. This is pretty significant because the time
and money spent on our adoption paperwork was not in vain. The only thing
lacking is our CPR certification and some training which will take place on
Saturday, June 28. Once that training is
complete, our file will be complete and we could be the foster parents of an
infant. One interesting part of this,
while reading books for the adoption dealing with attachment, I would read the
scary stories to Michael and he would say “maybe we need to adopt an
infant.” We would look at each other and
say “Nahh!” Who knew when we started this journey that we would say yes to
Foster Care if it came up. God did. I am too emotional and yes I have seen the
news of those who care for children for long periods of time only to have to
give them back to their biological families.
That is one reason we said we would NEVER foster children. (Be careful of the things you say you will
NEVER do.) I know that the Creator of
the universe cares deeply about my family and about the least of these. I know that if we are seeking Him daily, he
will protect us and guide us to be right where he wants us to be. I am reminded of a man whom God told to do something
specific and he refused and did something entirely different. God caused a great fish to swallow him up for
three days and then he was thrown up out of that fish and decided to do what
God told him to do. While we think we
are headed in the right direction with either of these options, we have felt
his leading and know that the right door will open or close at just the right
time. I just know that I don’t want to
spend any time in the belly of a fish so I will say yes to whatever He has for
us to do. It reminds me of a line of a
song that says if you just keep opening doors, I promise to keep testing the locks.
If we do end up fostering, we
will not be allowed to post pictures or any details of the situation, but we
will let you know if the door does continue to stay open.
