A Sacrifice

Here's a quick story that might just make you smile.
Last week my just-turned-seven year old son was scheduled to go on a field trip with some friends to a nearby waterslide park. The outing was going to cost us around $30 for entrance fees and food etc. The night before we were packing his stuff and he informed us that he wanted to stay home the next day. We, of course, thought he was feeling ill or something but then he informed us that he wanted to stay home so that we could put that $30 into the "bank to get his baby sister(s)" Buster and I were thoroughly impressed! We thought he might change his mind the following moring but he insisted that that money be saved to bring his sister(s) home. I was a proud mamma!

Speaking of adoption. Nothing new to report. The person in charge there reportedly had been and might still be on leave for awhile so nothing is being done. I doubt we will get our approval letter this week.

maybe by Christmas

Well... nothing new to report. We are still waiting for our approval letter from the minister and cannot do anything without it. Even though they reported finishing our file a month ago we still cannot begin to work with the orphanages until it is official. Things seem to be taking so much longer than when we started this process last summer so at this point I am hopeful that we can travel to get babies by Christmas... it would be nice to be there for my birthday in November but at this point that might be pushing it. On the bright side winters in SDak are freezing so a sidetrip to Africa then might be nice.

So, we wait...

pray for the adoption office

We still have not gotten our appproval letter from the minister. Our paperwork was done being reviewed three weeks ago and yet still no letter.

Rather than be frustrated with all these delays I think it best to pray for the government in Rwanda, more specifically the office that approves adoptions. My caseworker reports that inter country adoptions are not really on the "priorty list". In other words, the office where adoptions are processed have several other things they do and often times adoptions get pushed to the backburner. So, my prayer is that this week this office will have time, energy and enthusiasm to process the paperwork needed for several families to continue on in this process toward adoption. We are one of around fifteen families that are waiting for approval letters before nuns at the orphanages can find matches for our families.

I am sure that there is a lot going on in this office, and since there is really only one person who approves families, and that one person is often out traveling and completing other important work for her division, then it is so important to lift her up in prayer so that she can complete what needs to be completed and still find time to help find homes for the thousands of orhpans in Rwanda.

So, join me in prayer for time, energy, and ethusiasm... after all I know that God loves adoption and He is enthusiastic about finding homes for all children and that enthusiasm should pass through the ministers office as well! :)

Not official yet

Well... we were super excited to hear that our paperwork had been processed last week and now we continue to wait for the official letter of approval from the minister. We cannot do anything without that so there are still no nuns in Africa selecting a child or children for us at this point. Because of recent policy changes from the Rwandan government, etc. etc. we are not anticipating a travel date to Rwanda this summer... it would be nice, but the chances are slim at best. So,we wait, and wait, and try our best to roll with the changes.