Special Friends

On October 11, our family had the wonderful opportunity to meet with some other AWAA families who are also adopting from ET. We met the Chan family and the Portilla family at and Ethiopian restaurant in Austin, TX for lunch. We had a great time sharing stories and getting to know one another. Here are some pictures from our time together:




Our first taste of Injera bread! It was a really great meal!


Tulio and Karen Portilla and family are on the left. Billy, Libby and I in the middle and Shelley and William Chan on the right.


Here, Billy tried to get a more close up picture of all of us - because he's the "picture nazi".

During lunch, Shelley mentioned that the Austin ET adoption yahoo group (people from all agencies who have already or are currently adopting) was meeting that afternoon for dinner so we decided to stay in Austin for the day to meet everyone. Libby took her nap in the car and when she woke up we were welcomed by Shelley and William into their sweet home. We enjoyed their company and hospitality very much. I'm so excited for the Chan's - they are #1 on the list for a boy. Anyday now they will receive their referral!!!!!!

At 5 pm we met all the Austin families and were overwhelmed by their friendliness. We could hardly eat our burgers because we were constantly meeting new families. What an awesome surprise! We also met some ADORABLE Ethiopian children and some amazing families. We truly had a blast.

We arrived home at 9pm that night and were totally exhausted, but we were also so full of gratitude for such a great experience in meeting other ET families. So encouraging!

Baby Etsegenet Forrest Passed Away

It is with great sadness that I post this news. Baby Etsegenet Forrest (the Ethiopian baby girl that was referred to the Forrest family) passed away over the weekend before the Forrest family could travel to receive her. This kind of loss is so hard to process. Please be lifting up the Forrest family in your prayers. Here is what the Forrest family posted on our yahoo group....

YG,
Thank you for your prayers. We just wanted to let you know that we
found out this morning that Etsegenet died on Saturday.

We are trying to process this information and we are tying to figure
out what is next...

We know that our God is GOOD. And He is Sovereign. He didn't drop the
ball...

1. I asked the Lord that I might grow/In faith and love and every
grace/Might more of His salvation know/And seek more earnestly His face

2. Twas He who taught me thus to pray/And He I trust has answered
prayer/But it has been in such a way/As almost drove me to despair

3. I hoped that in some favored hour/At once He'd answer my
request/And by His love's constraining power/Subdue my sins and give
me rest

4. Instead of this He made me feel/The hidden evils of my
heart/And let the angry powers of Hell/Assault my soul in every part

5. Yea more with His own hand He seemed/Intent to aggravate my
woe/Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,/Cast out my feelings, laid
me low

6. Lord why is this, I trembling cried/Wilt Thou pursue thy worm
to death?/"Tis in this way," the Lord replied/"I answer prayer for
grace and faith"

7. "These inward trials I employ/from self and pride to set thee
free/And break thy schemes of earthly joy/That thou mayest seek thy
all in me/That thou mayest seek thy all in me."

FOUR MONTHS WAITING!!! Details on fee increase, a note about Tom Davis and a Prayer over Lulu and her Biological Mom

On the eve of our 4 months of waiting mark, I wanted to share with you more details on the reasons behind America World's Fee increases. Duni, one of AW's family coordinators, sent an email explaining the various reasons that AW had to make such a substantial increase. It all makes sense and it's all worthwhile. Before reading about all the details, though, I thought you might best understand some of Ethiopia's situation by seeing the video at this link regarding Ethiopia's Green Famine: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2008/aug/01/green.famine

Ethiopia's food shortage is grim and it is impacting the health of their children in major ways. When America World chooses a child to be referred to a waiting family, that ET child is moved from the orphanage into what is called a "transitional home". This is where the child is kept and sometimes nursed back to health while paperwork is processed for referral and waiting families wait for their paperwork to make it through the ET court system and as the families wait to travel. Read below to see AW's explanation for how this and other factors have affected their budget and therefore the fees we need to pay.

TRANSITIONAL HOME COSTS: Our role as an agency in Ethiopia is quite different than any of our other programs in many ways. One is that we care for the children we are to place in homes. These children come from difficult situations. Some are malnourished and many get sick with common cold, pneumonia or parasites. We don't want to merely "keep" the children until families come for them but deem it our responsibility to give them the best treatment and care we possibly could. Medical care of children, especially when they first arrive in our home is quite high. We also try our best to involve families in the child's life long before they meet them. We send updates with snippets of their children's milestones and pictures. We hire qualified nurses and have a lower nannies to children ratio so that the children can get a more personalized care than they would at an orphanage. We also provide transitional services such as hiring English teachers and an American Social worker to help the children adjust better. All of these things involve significant financial undertaking. We have also found that diapers and Formulas cost quite a lot more than what we projected. This is also due to inflation in the past year and weakening of the dollar.

NEW CAPACITY BUILDING FEE BY MOWA : After many complaints by us (adoption agencies as a whole) of lower productivity by MOWA in completing adoptions, MOWA has mandated a capacity building fee so they can hire more social workers and purchase computers to process adoptions.

TRANSLATION AND AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS: The cost of dossier translation and authentication both at the department of state and Ministry of Foreign affairs in Ethiopia have gone up.

POST PLACEMENT : The Ethiopian government requires 3 post placement reports the first year of the adoption and one self report per year until the child turns 18. As the agency that facilitated your adoption, we are required to follow up with families to make sure that reports are submitted and on time. We will be charging a one time minimal post placement administration fee to cover the administrative cost.

For these reasons we have been unable to cover the cost with the current fee schedule. I recognize that this is difficult news for families, and that the increase in the cost of your adoption will impact each of you in significant ways. The fiscal situation facing the program is a critical one, and these increases are essential in order to maintain our commitment to offering you and the children you adopt the best care and services possible.

Hopefully that gives you a better idea of what is going on. I completely trust AW and believe that they are doing everything they can to provide the best care of these orphans. Any increase in fees is a tough pill to swallow, especially when the process already costs a total of around $30,000. So please continue to pray for us and other families as we all trust God to provide in the midst of what can already be an emotional and difficult journey.

Another note to make: Tom Davis - author of "Red Letters" and "Fields of the Fatherless" (and who will also be the keynote speaker at the AWAA San Antonio Gala) is currently in Ethiopia searching for orphanges that churches in the US can partner with. Following his journey is quite impacting and offers some amazing perspective and... conviction. Please visit http://tomdavis.typepad.com/ to follow Tom through Ethiopia over the next many days. To get an idea of what you'll find there, I cut and pasted one of his latest entries below:

Ethiopia Day 2 and 3

Oh how I wish you were here! Let me share a few highlights with you. Ethiopia Cultural Experiences: 1. At an Ethiopian restaurant I was shocked to notice everyone was eating meat. Apparently that's quite the luxury, but the shock wasn't the meat, it was the fact that it was all raw. Yep, you got it. Delicacy of the day: Raw goat meat. Not wanting to take home a pet amoeba, I choose to have it cooked well done.

2. Tonight we were invited to a home for a coffee ceremony. The family was unbelievable. Poor, but filled with so many riches. There are 10 kids, and all of them are very close. We were greeted with three kisses on the cheek and treated like we were family. Their hospitality was something to be desired. One of the things I've come to discover is that the poor have so much to treat us regarding what it means to love, share, and give. I'm convicted.

3. Have I mentioned the coffee?! From one coffee lover to another, you have never tasted coffee like this! Apparently, coffee was originated here in a city called Kaffe centuries ago. They serve macchiatos that will knock your socks off. Sugar, milk, espresso and froth that Starbucks couldn't touch with a ten foot pole. And yes, that's Simon's belly.

3. Public transportation. In a mini-van seating 12, we managed to pack in 20! At least it was cheap. A whopping .20 cents each for a 30 minute trip.

Orphanages:VERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY: We will have one orphanage ready for sponsorship immediately. I can't say enough about how moved I was by being with these children. Their situation is desperate. I know there are at least 100 of you keeping with this trip and involved in helping us launch Ethiopia. If you are ready to have your church, business or organization sponsor this awesome place called Kechene, email me ASAP at: tdavis@hopechest.org. I would like this orphanage sponsored right out of the gate. There are 87 children there, very poor, half are orphaned because of AIDS. There is a phenomenal staff in place, acting as teaching, role models, and providing the nurture they need to grow up healthy. First come, first serve!

Please go to his site (linked above) and follow his journey. If your church is interested in orphan ministry - now is the time and the opportunity to get involved. Tom is spelling it out for you! Just read and allow your heart to fully engage.

Lulu, this adoption is teaching me so much. Your culture and the challenges your people face are changing me. I long to hold you, baby girl. I long to know your face and touch your hair and make you smile. I long to look you in the eye and see you soul to soul. We are praying for your biological mom to have everything she needs while she carries you in her womb. We are praying that God miraculously provides for her and that she will KNOW that you are a special baby, chosen by Him. We pray that she will be strong in these difficult days and somehow, somehow she will have a sense of peace and comfort as God prepares her heart to let you go - I don't know how that is possible, but we are praying -praying for her to have some hope in the midst of her despair and grieving. May she be well fed and protected in the night. May the light that breaks in the morning carry hope in it's warmth. May the Lord give her dreams and visions in the night that reveal Himself to her and may He provide miracles by day to affirm His love for her, so that she will know that He sees her, He hears her and He is close to her. And may you, Lulu, be aware of His presence even there in her womb because you already belong to Him. To the spirits of rejection and abandonment we declare that you have no place in our Lulu. She belongs to the King of Kings and from before time began this was His plan - that she would be born in Ethiopia and she would live with us. No lie you have to whisper shall prosper in Lulu's heart, soul, mind. The belt of truth is wrapped around Lulu with great care. Lord Jesus, protect our baby girl while she is away from our reach. Set her guardian angels guard over her body, soul, spirit, mind and heart. Sing and dance over her in the night. As you form her, mold her heart into the heart of a lioness of God - a passionate heart for the advancement of Your Kingdom - a heart that desires to put an end to injustice, darkness and bring peace, love in the sweet name of Christ. Make her gentle but strong, kind but honest. Give her deep thoughts on the things of You and an even deeper desire to know You and make You known. Give her big eyes that both radiate with Your joy but also portray Your unfailing compassion. May her eyes be full of peace and passion. May her smile be illuminating and contagious. May her voice be gentle and yet bold when used for Your glory. May she love to please you more than man. May her beauty be exquisite both inside and out. May Libby and Lulu have a miraculous and deep bond and may they truly love one another selflessly. May Lulu's life be fueled by the desire for Your name to be known among all peoples because Your name is the one to whom she has eternal belonging. Amen.

The Power of Worship

There is power when we call on the name of the Lord - the name that has full power! Our ET/YG families have been so heavily burdened this week with the news about increased fees, but last night Jesus decided to step into the YG dialogue (love it when He does that) and everyone that was online last night came together and had a sweet time of worship through worship lyrics, hymns, scriptures, testimonies, prayers and blessings. It was our battle cry - our attempt to focus on the Lord as we forge into the frontlines of battle for our families, finances, agency and most importantly our ET children! One of the things we prayed for besides God's provision and change of heart towards the fee situation was for the Forrest family baby who has been extremely sick with pnuemonia and on oxygen in an ET hospital. Today, the Forrest family posted this good news on YG:

We have learned that baby girl is out of the "danger, danger" zone.
(As I term it) She is doing better today which I feel is 100% a result
of your prayers and many others. She is still in the hospital, is
still on oxygen for rapid breathing. She is eating well and responding
to a new antibiotic. Praise the Lord!...

...Thanks for your continued prayers on behalf of Forrest babe!
Blessings,
Hilary
www.ethihopeia.com

PS I have full confidence in care our agency is giving. One of the
drugs she is/was on our doctor here in America was surprised they had
access too. It would have been her drug of choice as well. Fortuna has
a deep heart for our children and PRAYS for them!

One of the hymns last night that was so powerful to me was the old hymn "Because He Lives". The second verse was so perfect as I thought of the Forrest baby. It says,

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Just praising God for answered prayer today and continuing to request your prayers over all the adopting ET families and the ET children, particularly the Forrest baby. If you would like to visit the Forrest family adoption site go to: www.ethihopeia.com

The cross is lifted over us. We journey in its light!
Cindy

Some passed court, Others did not

Here is a short paragraph posted by the Wistrom family on our YG that explains what happened with court dates today:

The Wistrom family did not pass court... Duni explained that none of
the families with the older children (I think that would just be Wistroms,
Hutchinsons and Van Wettens) passed court but all of the babies did pass
court. We are so happy for those of you who made it through this momentous
day! Congratulations and please know that despite our heartbreak - we are
rejoicing with you!!!
Evidently, the courts and MOWA changed a regulation during the court
closure and did not inform the orphanages and the agencies. They
knew nothing about the new regulation until they appeared in court.
The new regulation requires that children that are relinquished by
their parent - are now required to have the same paperwork from the
orphanage that the "abandoned" children would get. This is a new
policy. The paperwork can be acquired from the orphanage within a
day or 2 but now the courts are completely overwhelmed from the court
closure. So the earliest date they could secure for us is Nov 8.
They will continue trying to appeal for an earlier court date but
Duni did not sound optimistic. My heart just breaks for our little
boys who have been at the transition home now since March. That is
such a long time to wait for your family to arrive and to watch other
kids leave. Thanks for your love and prayers YG! We will keep you
posted!! with love, Karen Wistrom www.family-from-afar.blogspot.com

We are incredibly happy for those who passed court today and incredibly sad for those who did not after such a long wait for courts to reopen. I know Scripture says to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn, but I'm not certain how to do both at the same time. This group of families adopting from Ethiopia through AWAA is such a family. We all rejoice and grieve together. What a blessings to have such a wonderful, supportive group during this wait.

For those of you who have not read my previous post, please do and continue to pray for the other matters mentioned in that post - especially for the baby in the hospital. Thank you.

Time to Pray

In the last several days I have been heavily burdened for Lulu and the entire Ethiopia adoption process. My concern started as I reviewed the number of people in line for a girl who are ahead of us - around 18 families. If all the families ahead of us are indeed waiting for infant girls then we have a long wait ahead. The last several months AWAA's referral rate of infant girls has been aproximately - 1 per month! If it continues in this manner it will be a LONG time before we receive a referral. I'm talking - at least a year from now. I trust in the Lord's timing, but I am still sad as the wait is hard enough without realizing it's about to possibly be a lot longer. This December will mark 2 years since God put this adoption on my heart and 1 year since we started the paperwork. To date, we have been waiting almost 4 months since our paper work was submitted to Ethiopia. The wait is currrently at 9 months for an infant girl, but unless some changes take place (which is what I praying for!) it will be much longer. Having said all that, let me say again - I trust God in this matter and know from experience that the child God has for me is without a doubt worth whatever the wait may be.

Second, AWAA has - out of necessity - decided to increase some of the fees. While I am not concerned about the money because the Lord has provided, I am a little surprised about how much they are increasing fees - close to $4000.00! Not only that - but $3750 of that is due by Jan. 15 for families who have already submitted their dossier - meaning us. Again, we have the money, it's just surprising that around Christmas time when the economy is seemingly going downhill we've been given this very fast approaching deadline and I know there are so many families who CAN NOT do that without a miracle. My heart is so sad for those who are overwhelmed by this burden. This is coming at a very hard time for many families. Please be praying for them. The increased fees truly are a necessity as AW is doing everything they can to both keep their doors open and make sure that all ET children in their orphanges and transition homes are cared for properly once referred. But the increase, as said before, is way more than any of us were expecting.

Third, tomorrow is a BIG court date for several AWAA families who have been waiting patiently through court closures and are eager for a successful court date so they can go get their babies. Please pray for the following people who's court date is tomorrow - Oct. 8:

October 8 court date:

Redfern
Wempe
Wistrom
Schmidt
VanWetten
Lusse
Hutchinson

Lastly, and this one is a huge prayer request - the following message was posted on our YG by the Forrest family who is waiting for a court date so they can get their baby:

Please pray for our little girl.... Duni just called to say
she has pneumonia or an upper respiratory infection plus diarreah....
She is 4 months and according to last weight check still only 6.8lbs.
PLEASE PRAY. We appreciate it.
Hilary and Jacob Forrest

Today we received another update from this family saying their baby girl is on oxygen with pneumonia and remains in the hospital. The families of AWAA know too well the hardship of this situation and what is on the line. Please, please pray for God to heal this baby girl! And pray for her parents to be comforted in this time.

Thank you for reading and taking all this to heart.
For His Glory,
Cindy

Updated List - (that we know of...) For Those Waiting for Girls

Black - 1
Bowman - 2

Blackwell - 3

Lunceford - 4

Rothermund - 5

Eckhardt - 6

Heinrichs - 7

Jones - 8
Keiderling - 9
Gillman -10

Mullins - 11
Moffat - 12

Pickard - 13
Delfosse - 14

Dragovich - 15
Gagnon - 16
Bartley - 17

Portilla - 18
Foote - 19!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Redd - 20
Kerby - 21

Reed - 22
Bowers - 23

Carpenter - 24

Monberg - 25

And - in case you need more lists - here's the top 11 overall (from all "lines", I'm assuming) waiting for referral (* = from the girl line!):

Black*
Bowman*
Blackwell*
Lunceford*
Chan
Martin
Hall
Reno
Richardson
Whitaker
Rothermund*

So..... let's say in the month of October AWAA does a little bit of catching up from the slow month of September and does somewhere between 11-15 referrals - if all of these top 11 get referrals then that would move us up 5 places in line since 5 of those in the top 11 are waiting for girls (see *). However - from the opposite perspective (have to keep things balanced here) if it does take longer to receive a girl referral - can all 5 of these girl referrals happen in one month? Does anyone in our YG know the largest number of girl referrals in one month time? Just curious...

Courts are open again in ET! This Oct 8 (this week!) several AWAA families are to have a court date that they've waited so long for! Pray that all of them have a successful court date! Here's the list of those waiting for court, travel, etc.(I swiped all these lists from our YG - thank you!)

October 8 court date, tentative travel October 25:

Redfern
Wempe
Wistrom
Schmidt
VanWetten
Lusse
Hutchinson

Tentative travel November 1:

Laughner
Britton
Hammond
Nunez
Terwilleger

Waiting for court:

Caldwell
Juvinall
Armstrong
Forrest
Gamble
Witter
Stager
Sloniger
Savage
Pridemore
Sparr
Joner
Howley
Burk
Kulp
Tennant
Semlow