Garrett Adoption Update - 12/23/06

Merry Christmas to all! Some of you have been recently added to our list, and as always, if you don’t wish to get updates, just drop us a note and we’ll be glad to remove you. Again – we won’t be offended…life is just too short for that.

You may remember that in our last update we told you of some changes taking place in Haiti, and we had a deadline of 12/22/06 to get out dossier in country. Well, much has happened since then! The only word that consistently comes to mind is: intense. This adoption journey is intense. In short, our dossier made it to Haiti by the 22^nd and we are in awe of God! Read on for details, and what’s next…

Praises:

*The man who did our psychological evaluation (required for our dossier, and yes – we passed…just in case you were wondering) is also an adoptive parent – he was an encouragement to us.

*The translator we were connected with is not only an adoptive parent, but her daughter is from Haiti. She still follows what is happening in the adoption world, knew of the changes in Haiti, and agreed to turn our translation around more quickly than normal and for no additional charge. She has also been an encouragement to us.

*We both have flexible employers which was a huge help in getting more than a month’s worth of paperwork around in a week and a half.

*The mission orphanage we’re working with in Haiti was trying to raise funds for a land purchase to build a new building. All financial needs have been met for this part of their project, and all by the deadline set.

*Safe travels as we have chased documents all over west Michigan in the last couple of weeks!

*This week’s miracle: On Monday we sent eight documents to the Haitian consulate in Chicago. I sent them overnight, with a return envelope that was also for overnight delivery. They needed to authenticate these documents and get them back to us so we could put them with the rest of the dossier, get it to our agency’s corporate office in Grand Rapids and make five copies so that all could be sent to Haiti. The catch: The Haitian consulate has a normal turnaround of about a week. We were getting skeptical about meeting our deadline. In fact, I remember telling one of you that if God wanted this paperwork in Haiti by the 22^nd, then He would need to do a miracle. Tuesday I checked the tracking numbers for the packages online to be sure they were received by the consulate. The consulate got the documents at 11:39am on Tuesday. Just for fun (I’m so entertained that you can track packages online…I know, I know – get a hobby) I entered the tracking number for the return package. It had been picked up from the consulate at 3:32…the same day! This does not happen; the Haitian consulate does not turn documents around in under four hours…ever. It cannot be explained humanly. This was a miracle from God that still has us reeling. When we got the return package, all documents had a consular seal and signature and had been processed correctly.

*Our social worker, Belinda Geertsma…she loves the Lord, and is a great guide and encouragement.

*Our parents and siblings, who are walking this intense journey with us, and who pray for us continually.

*Good friends who also love the Lord, and share experiences of their own that illustrate the goodness of God. (Thanks, Dave!)

*The Haiti contact in our agency’s corporate office, Jane Bradford. On Wednesday I got the package from the consulate, compiled the documents in the proper order, scanned everything and ran off the first copy. Jane was willing to meet with me that afternoon (late) to go through it all to ensure nothing was missing. I got to her office at 4:45. I was increasingly thankful for Jane as I watched the exodus of people leaving the office, while she led me in the opposite direction to her workstation! She and I were at the office until 6:00. I am so grateful she was willing to stay an hour late that evening.

*Accuracy and completeness! Belinda gave us a pat on the back, as she said a large percentage of dossiers have to be returned to the family who sent them because of some error or something missing. Ours was complete, accurate, and ready to be sent to Haiti.

Prayer Requests:

*We did find out on Wednesday evening that our dossier not only had to be in country by the 22^nd, but also had to have gone through the first step of being legalized in country. So, it is still possible that we could be rejected by the Haitian government. Dixie, however, who runs the mission orphanage, is not concerned. She thinks that because we currently have no children, we will still be accepted.

*Patience! It is one of the fruits of the spirit as outlined in Galatians. One of the ways God cultivates it is by making us wait! (Just so you all know, my mother needs it, too. She’s already told our social worker that she’s ready for a picture of this child!)

*That the Haitian government would repeal the changes they have implemented. Many families have had to be steered toward other countries by our agency because of these rule changes. These new rules are not in the best interest of the children who need forever families. Dixie and others have spent days in government meetings trying to convince the director of the IBESR (Haitian social services) that these rules will result in fewer adoptions. This has happened in the past, and within a couple of months they repeal them and go back to the former rules. Pray that will be the case here as well.

So, now we wait. Within the next couple of months, we’ll either get a referral (photo and bio of our child), or we’ll get a rejection from the Haitian government. It is in the hand of God, and we will accept whatever He has for us. In the meantime, we prepare for a referral and we pray.

Random thoughts that have come to my heart these last weeks: As we continue this adoption journey...this intense adoption journey, I am struck by the overwhelming nature of God. I am not surprised that He does miracles…I am overwhelmed at the kindness of them. As He continues to pour out blessing on us, I am struck by my absolute neediness for Him, and my lack of ability to give Him anything back. I am so relieved to be saved by grace...not because of anything I could do. And yet, it leaves me with the deep realization that this also means that I have nothing I can give back to Him...no "thank you" I have is adequate. I suppose that is the very meaning of grace…unmerited favor. Throughout this process, we have seen God work, in ways both small and large. From the people He has put us in contact with to the miraculous work He did in turning around a week's worth of paperwork at the Haitian Consulate in less than four hours, we have been continually blessed.

The reality is, God has already given us eternal life with Christ Jesus, which we do not deserve. He in no way owes us a nice life here on earth. He doesn't owe us blessing; He doesn't owe us affluence; He doesn't owe us anything. Yet He continues to give because that is His character. That is who He is. He is not punitive; He is just, and with that justice comes goodness and kindness and grace to those who follow Him. That is the God of the Bible. Does that mean that none of us will face hardship? Certainly not. Have you prevented every fall your children have had? Neither does He (in our best interest), yet He is there to pick us up and wash our bloodied knees and bless us as He dries our tears. That, my friends, is the God of the Bible.

And so, it is with reverence and worship that we look toward the manger, the cross, the tomb, and the resurrection this Christmas. We are glad to celebrate the miracles of the last two weeks with our families, including my sisters, who will both be in town for the holidays…another kindness from the heart of God. And we wish each of you, our friends and family, a blessed time with your own friends and family. Until we have more news…

Merry Christmas from Matthew and Valerie Garrett

Garrett Adoption Update - 12/07/06

Merry Christmas to All!

We are delighted to report that our home study is done and our INS paperwork will go in the mail tomorrow. Very exciting! This moves us into the stage where we gather documentation for our dossier. We have twenty pieces of documentation to gather (letters from the police, birth certs, marriage cert, copies of bank statement and tax return, letters from the bank, more letters of recommendation…you get the idea). We also need a psych evaluation which I have been asked if I think I’ll actually pass because I live with my joker husband. We shall see, won’t we?

On the dossier front, we have an urgent prayer request for you all. We received a phone call from our social worker last night. Haiti is changing the rules, and one of the rules they are changing could eliminate us from the ability to adopt from their country. The catch: none of the changes apply to us if we have our dossier in country by December 22. Most of the 20 items we have to gather are in process and we expect to have the bulk of them compiled early next week. However, over half of the items have to be translated into French (one of the two national languages in Haiti). The dossier also has to be processed at the Haitian Consulate. These things – all before it goes to Haiti. With the Christmas season upon us, we have no idea how that could change schedules in the offices we need help from. We also both need to get into our doctors again so they can fill out more paperwork for us. Matt’s doc is no problem. Mine is a bit harder to get into, but I am sure if she knows what’s happening she’ll squeeze me in. We have less than fourteen days to get all this done. Oh yes – and we have to get many dollars rounded up…like several thousand. Monday I have an appointment, so I’m going to take the day as a personal day and run around the countryside trying to gather the documentation from various courthouses, police station, etc.

The reality is, we serve a God bigger than us, bigger than Haiti, bigger than adoption. He created all of it. Right now we just strive toward the deadline. Until the deadline has come and gone, none of these changes mean anything. Now, we move fast and pray hard. If God allows a hold up and the deadline comes and goes without our dossier in Haiti, then we look for His new will for us. Until then, we focus, mobilize, and do everything we can to make it happen, trusting that Haiti is still His plan for us. Barring divine intervention, we will meet this deadline. A child is chosen for us in the heart of God.

In the meantime – please pray! We need diligence, accuracy, and great speed in compiling this documentation. We need county clerks and city police and a translator and doctors who can and will respond quickly to our requests. Also, it is our desire to be used by God through this process. Pray that as the roller coaster continues to click up and rush down, our testimonies for Christ will be pure and that people would see Him in us…that we would handle this with the grace and trust that should mark our faith…that we would behave in such a way that others would see that our God is as big as we know He is.

We knew this could happen. Adoption is not a right, it’s a privilege. Any country can change any rule at any time during the game. The ball’s in our court.

Thanks in advance for all your love, support, and prayers. We appreciate you!

Matthew and Valerie