A lot of things have happened in the last couple of weeks, but we have been so crazy busy, we have not had time for a blog post- sorry!
Things have begun to move faster than we expected. A little over a week ago we received word from citizenship and immigration service (CIS) that they had approved the update to our home study. This update specifically recommended us for the specific special needs that Carolina and Neydali are dealing with. This approval came back weeks earlier than we expected. This just confirms in our hearts and minds that God is sovereign and it reminds us that He is in control of the time table and is not limited by the "projected waiting times" established by mere mortal men.
God continues to answer prayer in providing support. We received a generous check from a family from across the country we have never met. We will not mention their names as we don't know if they intended this to be an anonymous gift or not. We do want them to know how much we appreciate their gift that will help us bring our girls home. Thank you and God bless you! We followed their adoption journey while it was going on. They adopted from Medellin- same city where we will be going this time.
Last weekend, we got to visit our good friends the Rimas who have adopted 14 children from Colombia. We met them while we were in Bogota on our first adoption journey. They are an inspiration to us and an example for everyone.
The next big event happened two days ago when we found we have been given our final CIS approval. We don't yet have the document, because we had to resubmit a supporting document that was lost. We should have the documentation this coming week. This approval from CIS comes several weeks before we expected to see it! We had been told we should expect to travel around the end of March to mid April. This early approval from CIS blows that time line to pieces! We are not sure exactly how much the time line has moved, but we now anticipate meeting Carolina and Neydali in very early March. YIKES!!! That is only a month away- we are feeling excited and terrified all at once! This week we should get some more clarity on how soon our travel date will come. We will also be able to post pictures soon - hopefully this week.
After all the waiting and all the work that goes into pursuing an international adoption, it is hard to believe that the time is almost at hand. So many hours have been spent compiling documents, running down notaries, racing to the state capital for apostilles, and sending off those overnight deliveries. Each task has been done with love in our hearts for these two precious ones who God is entrusting to our care. We have prayed for them with every thing we needed to accomplish knowing that our God was able to sustain us to the finish line. The journey to this point has been exhilarating even if at time it was exhausting. We have persevered not because of our own strength, but because of Him who strengthens us, because of Him who equips us for every good work, because of Him who is strong when we are weak and weary, and His strength He has shared with Betty and I - always when we needed it most.
Our paperwork process has involved 3 places in Canada, Alaska, Virginia, South Carolina, Hawaii, and West Virginia. We have been fingerprinted so many times our fingertips are permanently dyed from the ink. We have had our names checked with child abuse registries in 9 different states, been checked with local, state, and federal law enforcement- all checks were squeaky clean! Every T has been crossed and every I has been neatly dotted. The mountain of paperwork is complete without spot or blemish. We have spent untold hours in the process (most of the hours by Betty)- and why? All has been done in obedience to the call God has placed on our hearts - all for the reward of hearing two little words:
Mami
Papi
And the reward of 4 tiny arms holding fast around our necks as hot tears of joy stream down our cheeks.
God Bless you.
Jim and Betty
Why "Eight Is Not Enough"?
When we were younger, there was a television sitcom that was called "Eight is Enough". The television watching world was entertained with the thought of a family with eight children. Most of us were shocked at the prospect of such a large family- myself included! Then ever so slowly, God began to work on our hearts, until we surrendered to Him all of our lives- yes even gave Him sovereign control over the size of our family and He has blessed us immeasurably, with eight biological children. Each of these children have been an amazing gift to us and we cherish each of them. And we praised God for them and felt to ourselves "eight is enough" - at least for a time.
Then God began to stir our hearts. It was as if He spoke to say to us "these 8 precious children I have given to you, but what have you given to my orphans in return?" A burden began to build on our hearts to adopt. We knew that for us God still had other plans for us as parents if we would be faithful to His calling- that eight is not enough. And so, we followed this call to adopted and He has continued to blessed us through adoption. First a sibling group of three from Soacha, Colombia. They joined our family in November, 2008. In May 2010, we adopted twin infants from Texas. In September of 2012 we were privileged to return to Colombia and adopt a sibling group of two from Cali. At this time, we anxiously wait for our travel date to depart for China where a very special girl and boy wait for their forever family. By the time they all reach adulthood, we will have had the amazing privilege to be parents of children in our home for a half century. Our life is full beyond measure, beyond our wildest expectations, yes even beyond anything we could have ever hoped. Truly, eight is not enough. As of late we have wondered if God's plan for us as parents all along was not for eight children, but rather eight plus eight. Our heavenly Father knows and His word assures us "I know the plans I have made for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." We trust He knows the number of His children He wants us to love and to nurture on His behalf, and whether that is eight or eighty times eight we stand ready and say speak Lord, your servants are listening and are prepared to be father and mother to your fatherless on earth.
Then God began to stir our hearts. It was as if He spoke to say to us "these 8 precious children I have given to you, but what have you given to my orphans in return?" A burden began to build on our hearts to adopt. We knew that for us God still had other plans for us as parents if we would be faithful to His calling- that eight is not enough. And so, we followed this call to adopted and He has continued to blessed us through adoption. First a sibling group of three from Soacha, Colombia. They joined our family in November, 2008. In May 2010, we adopted twin infants from Texas. In September of 2012 we were privileged to return to Colombia and adopt a sibling group of two from Cali. At this time, we anxiously wait for our travel date to depart for China where a very special girl and boy wait for their forever family. By the time they all reach adulthood, we will have had the amazing privilege to be parents of children in our home for a half century. Our life is full beyond measure, beyond our wildest expectations, yes even beyond anything we could have ever hoped. Truly, eight is not enough. As of late we have wondered if God's plan for us as parents all along was not for eight children, but rather eight plus eight. Our heavenly Father knows and His word assures us "I know the plans I have made for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." We trust He knows the number of His children He wants us to love and to nurture on His behalf, and whether that is eight or eighty times eight we stand ready and say speak Lord, your servants are listening and are prepared to be father and mother to your fatherless on earth.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
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