A Little Light…

Hello all. Just wanted to provide a brief update on a few things in relation to our adoption. To answer the obvious question, “no” we have not been matched yet. This November will be two years since we began the process. In some ways we are discouraged because the waiting has been hard, but we wanted to share a few ways in which we have been encouraged recently:

• We were able to finish up our home study updates last week. Our documents have been sent off to USCIS. We do not anticipate any issues and hope to receive our I-800a extension by mail in the next month or so. This is important because it will give us a year long extension to be able to complete our adoption. Hopefully, this will be the only extension we need.
• Sadly for us, but happily for our former Case Worker, she moved on from Lifeline to another job opportunity. We will miss her, but we are thankful for God’s provision in her and her family’s life. What this means for us is that we are on our THIRD Case Worker since beginning the process. While for some this may be unsettling, it is not for us. We have worked with this person since the beginning of our process and look forward to completing our adoption with her support and guidance.
• Speaking of our new Case Worker, we had a conversation with her today. The situation in Colombia has not changed much. The numbers for COVID-19 are still growing and thus the restrictions in Colombia are still very rigid. That said, there is an increasing hope that September will bring better numbers and a relaxation of restrictions at best. At least, there is the hope that the courts will begin again to grant abandonment decrees for the many children that need families. Our Case Worker said on a couple of occasions that our team and the group home we are adopting from (FANA) discuss our family regularly and are very committed to seeing us get matched!

All that to say, we have the sense that something could be happening for us soon. We’ve said on a couple of occasions that if it takes a global pandemic to get us to our daughter it will all be worth it. This does not mean that there is a guarantee that something will be happening soon, but we left the conversation more hopeful than discouraged.

How You Can Be Praying for Us:

• The biggest prayer is that the situation with COVID-19 in Colombia changes in a more favorable direction. As it stands, we would not be able to travel with the boys due to the in country restrictions. It is our hope that the numbers get better leading to relaxed restrictions in Colombia and specifically in Bogotá and La Mesa. Along with this, a reduction in COVID-19 cases would lead to the reengagement of the processes crucial to the completion of adoptions. This is important not just for our family, but also for many other waiting families. We need a miracle from God!
• While we continue to wait, please pray that we be diligent in preparations. In some ways, in order to cope with the waiting, we have disengaged in our minds. Please pray that we continue to prepare ourselves spiritually and emotionally for a new life, but also practically.
• Financially, we are very close to our end goal. That said we will be preparing soon for a couple more fundraisers to get over the finish line. With the potential of a longer stay in country due to COVID-19 we will need a little more support from family and friends to make this happen. We understand that during these trying times, many are faced with their own financial struggles. We need God’s grace in this area.
• Finally, please pray for our daughter. Our hearts are knit together with her heart already. We can’t wait for our arms to be locked with hers. Pray that God gives us grace while we continue to wait.

As always, if you’ve made it this far, we appreciate your support. Stay tuned for future updates. We appreciate you all!