The following are two updates given to my congregation at the point when I felt ready to start letting people know where I was at in the process. As you will read below, I began my exploration of adoption with a program in Haiti immediately following the January 2010 earthquake that devastated that country. (Help is still needed for the people of Haiti. If you are interested in being a part of redevelopment, I would point you toward www.apparentproject.org or www.worldvision.org.)
These stories come after my home study was approved, and my paperwork was essentially complete. As of today, my dossier is in Ethiopia, and I am in the waiting season. The next step will be a contact from my agency who will have a child referral.
But for those of you interested in the back story…. here you go!
Adoption News
5 September 2010
It’s been an exciting week – full of ups and downs. I was contacted Monday, 8/30, and given the news that adoptions in Haiti are pretty much stalled out – they expect it to be years (two or more) before matching begins to happen. I had been watching the news all summer and getting reports, and it was hard to figure out the truth of what was going on. I was glad to finally get a straight answer and direction.
In addition, Haiti’s government is considering the passage of a law that would make it illegal for single parents to adopt unless they were widowed or divorced. That counts me out! And my agency didn’t want me to linger in the system, only to find out that I would be ineligible a year or two from now.
That was the down part of the week. But the upswing happened immediately. The agency I work with has a vibrant and well established program for adoptions in Ethiopia (with the beautiful country flag above). They asked me to consider moving into that program because there are children waiting for placement.
I took some time to think and pray through the decision, but really found it quite an easy one to make. I have three friends who all have adopted from Ethiopia. One of my dearest friends is a Kenyan woman living in Nairobi. My travels have taken me to Africa, and I’m already participating in community development work there. Within hours, I felt like I had ‘come home’ to this opportunity and was finally in the right program.
So, I am now waiting for a baby girl from Ethiopia.
This process promises to move MUCH quicker, and we are trusting in God’s perfect timing to match me with the girl who is meant to be a part of my family and a part of our community.
Many of you have asked me “Why adopt from overseas? Why not here at home?” I want to take this opportunity to answer that question. The first and most important reason is that throughout my life, God has called me into building bridges between cultures and countries. I shared with you when I first arrived at Westminster that I believe a part of my call is to collect stories of God at work here and other places, and share those stories as encouragement with those who need to hear. Adopting from overseas is simply an extension of that call.
The secondary reason is that the adoption system in the US in this day and age is complex and geared towards the financially advantaged two-parent family. A large sector involves marketing and lawyers and is controlled by a system that needs reform. The other option is Foster-to-Adopt, but that program comes with a large chance that the child you have bonded with will be returned to their family. Neither of these options suit my particular situation.
So, I follow the call God has put on my life to build bridges and have hope for communities in crisis. And I hope to introduce you to my daughter sometime within the next year. God willing!
Thank you for your prayers,
Pastor Heather
Adoption News
24 October 2010
Thank you so much for your prayers as I have been walking through the process of adopting a baby girl from Ethiopia. Things are moving along, and I wanted to give you an update on the process.
For the past month, I have been compiling a 35+page collection of documents called a Dossier that includes all the relevant personal information, financial information, and recommendations that are needed to support my request to adopt. I also applied for clearance from Homeland Security to bring an infant into the country and allow her to immigrate. Seeking this clearance involves going to a Homeland Security office and being fingerprinted. It was humbling to find myself in a stream of people wanting to seek a new home in our country. I was filled with a variety of emotions, and found myself reflecting on the many privileges I have as a citizen born in the USA.
At this time, I am simply waiting for the final approval from our government. When that comes, it will be sent with my dossier to Ethiopia. And then I begin waiting for a referral.
I would so value your prayers for this process. First, for the paperwork to be successfully compiled and transferred. And then for wisdom and discernment in the process of making a referral. I’m not sure how you would enter this part of the journey without a sense of faith that God’s hand is involved – I can not imagine looking at the picture of a child and simply from my own desires answering the question of “yes” or “no”.
And so, I invite you to pray for the officials from my agency and from Ethiopia who will be determining the best child to come and live with me. And I ask your prayers for that moment, hopefully in the next few months, when I will begin to receive packets of information and will be asked to discern if they have truly chosen the child meant to become my family.
I’m so thankful that our good and gracious God has us all in His loving hands.
Thank you for your prayers,
Pastor Heather
