August Jude Update - We Finally Have a Smile!

This is a little bittersweet, because we weren't supposed to get an August update...we were supposed to be in Haiti getting Jude! However, we're encouraged that after months of photos with no smiles, we finally have a picture of Jude smiling. He's smiling in the pool because he loves the water. Maybe we'll only get smiles in the bathtub! Enjoy...

Visa - Orphan Investigation

We have been told that the reason Jude's birth mother did not attend the orphan investigation meeting is because the US Consulate only gave the orphanage about 1 1/2 days' notice for the appointment, which is generally not even enough time to find someone in Haiti.

We are very frustrated by this. While we are sure that no one would do this on purpose, it would also seem that (working in Haiti) the Consulate would know that a day and a half isn't enough notice for such an appointment. Since many people in Haiti don't have telephones, the orphanage often has to call a family member to get a message to the birth parent that they are needed at the orphanage, and two or three days later they show up. We have no idea why the Consulate chose to make this appointment with such little notice. We have generally heard of a week's notice for others.

We've also been informed that the Consulate is currently short-staffed. Please pray for them as they seek to process paperwork. To our knowledge, the orphan investigation meeting has not yet been rescheduled.

As you pray for us, first praise God that He seems to be giving us extra grace to endure right now. We had a rough day a few Sundays ago, and have been doing well ever since. Life does not stop. There is no lack of things to do. So we go on, every now and then peeking into Jude's bedroom and thanking God. People have told us that we're doing such a great thing by adopting this child. The reality is that we are acting with pleasure in obedience to a call of God on our lives, and this child is His blessing to us.

We want to be very clear as we ask you to pray further. The delays of the last several months have not been at the hands of the Haitian government. Although very slowly, they have done everything they were supposed to do in our case, and because of this Jude's adoption has been finalized for months. His last name is our last name.

Our delays have been at the hands of our own US Immigration and US Consulate. With all our money and resources, we have a very convoluted and gummed-up system. Please pray for God's hand specifically in this Visa process. Pray for wisdom as our government officials staff the Consular office. Pray for the Consular General (Donald Moore) as he brings on new staff. Please pray for the Consular Adoption Unit Officer (Garry Pierrot) as he conducts orphan investigations and processes adoption paperwork.

At the end of the day, we need system reform. (Ah, what a lofty goal...politicians haven't made it happen, and yet here I state it.) But for today, we'll settle for getting Jude home, and we'll tackle system reform with our letter-writing pen "tomorrow". "After all, tomorrow is another day."

Blessings to you all, and thank you for your prayers. We appreciate you!

It's Hurricane Season!

Hurricane Gustav has dropped 7 1/2" of rain on GLA, and it isn't finished. However, the worst of it has passed and the staff and children are all well. The orphanage is in the mountains, so they are on high ground.

More News - 08-15-08

We received word Friday that while the orphan investigation was scheduled for Wednesday, it could not be conducted because Jude's birth mother did not attend. Dixie, our orphanage director is now seeking to find her (again), find out why she did not attend, and get another date scheduled for the orphan investigation. We have been told that the US Consulate is generally very quick about getting these back on the calendar when something like this happens.
Please pray that Dixie will be able to find Jude's birth mother quickly, and that she will attend the next meeting so that Jude can come home.
We are amazed. This adoption is final, and has been legally complete in Haiti for some time now. Getting this child home is proving to be almost a bigger challenge than getting him adopted!
Please join us in prayer. Until we have more news...

Finally - News!

We just got word today that Jude's orphan investigation is scheduled for tomorrow. This is very good news! This is (finally!) the first step in getting his visa. Once this is done, the US Consulate can approve Jude's visa and have it printed up, and then we'll get travel dates.

We need this bathed in prayer. Please pray tonight and tomorrow whenever you think of us. Pray that everyone who needs to be at the meeting will show up, that Jude's birth mother would answer all questions appropriately, and that the meeting would go without incident.

Also, please pray for Jude's birth mother. Her name is Vanesse. I am sure that tomorrow will be a painful day for her. Pray for comfort to her spirit and peace to her heart.

Until next time...

Photos! Between updates...

Good morning, all! We still have not heard anything from the US Consulate or Embassy in Haiti. They have about a three-week process to get Jude's visa done. Our papers have been there for two weeks, and to our knowledge, they haven't yet started with the first thing in the visa step. However, we were blessed to spend some time with our caseworker Belinda yesterday, as she has just returned from Haiti. She was kind enough to take a birthday gift to Jude from us, and she was able to spend some time with him there. These photos are so precious. Enjoy...

Jude was the first child who came to the balcony edge to see who was coming through the gate. I do believe he's waiting for us...













Our dear Belinda and our precious Jude. It's obvious as you look at the last photo above why we are so blessed to have Belinda in our lives. She loves Jude. There's no question about it.

Belinda couriered a birthday gift to Haiti for us, as Jude's birthday was on July 24.




So, Belinda said that Jude loves eating time. Just another confirmation that God intended him for us! Just look at that belly - fabulous!





Belinda also told us that when she got this out, Jude connected with it. This is the photo album that we sent to him many months ago...maybe even almost a year. He's touching a photo of us. It sounded like it was obvious that he had seen it before...he recognized it easily.


Please join us in prayer that God would still allow us to travel in August. You may have noticed that Jude doesn't smile much in pictures anymore. Belinda tried to get him to smile all the time she was with him and he never did while she was there. We believe that he's become old enough to have internalized that people leave, so he doesn't connect with new people. It's time. He needs to be home. Each day that goes by will make his attaching time with us longer and more challenging.

Also, pray for the staff of GLA, specifically for Dixie, Stephanie, and Melanie. These ladies work in the office, tracking paperwork throughout the process. They need much prayer that they will be successful as they work with various government agencies, including our aforementioned US Embassy and Consulate.

We are so thankful to God that He sent Belinda to Haiti! What a blessing it has been to us.