Sunday, March 6, 2011

Discouraged

It's been awhile since I've updated, and I hate the fact that I'm updating with a discouraging post. Unfortunately, my heart is deeply saddened this weekend and I need the support and prayers of friends and family. 

Friday night we received an email update from our adoption agency regarding a potential change to Ethiopian adoptions. Currently, within the country, prospective parents must be approved by the Ethiopian courts as well as the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA) prior to being granted full custody. This past week MOWA made the decision to decrease their daily case hearings to only 5 per day...they are currently hearing 40 cases a day, so you can see this is a HUGE decrease. This change will significantly delay any and every process throughout the country. If this decision is permanent, it could potentially take 8 times as long for families to be united. What sad, sad news.

Our agency is urging families to "not panic" because of this news, but added that the Chief of the Adoptions Division for the Children's Issues of the Department of State is "extremely distressed" by the news as it was not expected.

This coming week (March 7-11) there will be discussions among adoption attorneys in Ethiopia (including our agency's lawyer), the Minister of MOWA, and the President of the Courts regarding this potential change and possible solutions. The Department of State has said that they are willing to assist MOWA  with the training of more judges and social workers to help with adoption cases, unfortunately they have not gotten any responses as of yet.

Please pray for next week's discussions...that hearts would be softened and resolutions could be made that would be most beneficial to everyone this would affect, particularly the sweet little children.  JT and I are both very concerned about this 1.) because we already love our little boys and want them to join us as soon as possible and 2.) because this decision could be very detrimental to literally millions of children awaiting homes.  The drastic reduction of daily cases could become a deterrent for many families seeking adoption from Ethiopia, a country generally known for it's smooth adoption process.  According to UNICEF, there are currently an estimated 5 million orphans in Ethiopia, these sweet, beautiful souls longing for the love of family. 

My heart has been broken and I've shed several rounds of tears since learning of this news.  I can't help but question why this is happening. As difficult as it is to believe, I know that God has a plan in all of this, but it's hard to see what it could be right now.  I'm urging you to pray with me this weekend and throughout next week; to pray for the attorneys to be influential with their proposed solutions, to pray that MOWA would not feel overwhelmed by the number of cases being brought before them but rather feel an urgency to place these children into loving homes. I would ask that you would pray that this case reduction does not remain permanently, but that willing workers would move into jobs that will once again increase their daily adoption approvals. Please pray for the children as they wait, specifically that each individual wait time between referral and court date would be shortened, that as these children hear of "family" they will not lose hope in the prospect of a mommy and daddy to call their own. Also, please pray for all the families who are currently in any stage of an Ethiopian adoption, that we ourselves would not lose hope in the process, that our faith would be strengthened and we will persevere through this difficult news.

Please pray with us and pass this information along to any friends and family who would be willing to pray about this situation. This week will be a important week of discussion and decision.  Please feel free to post this blog to your fb page or email a link to our site. I'll update next week's decisions as soon as we get official word from our agency.  Thanks for all your prayers in advance.

" Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16

9 comments:

  1. Oh friends...I'm so sorry. Thanks for updating us all. We'll wait this week alongside you in spirit, as we see what God will do... Remember -- He is able to do more than you can ask or even IMAGINE!

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  2. Erin....this morning in church all I could think about were the millions of children who are waiting. How each and every one need a home. How God's heart and His promise is to set the lonely in families! My heart hurts and I am praying for quick resolution! I am buckling down and fasting this week for the thousands of families in the process, the thousands of chilren this will affect! May God move heaven and earth on behalf of these beautiful children made in His image!!!

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  3. We are will be praying diligently for the softening of hearts and the quickening of these processes for your children and the rest who are waiting. Keep looking to God for His strength.
    -Amanda

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  4. I will be praying for ya'll.
    -Ethan

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  5. Erin,

    I will definitely keep your family in my prayers. I pray your two boys will make it HOME to you guys and I just hope that this new law that you mentioned does not hold up. There are so many children that need and want the help and so many willing to do so! I commend you guys greatly for what you are doing.

    -Krystal B.

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  6. I have a heart for Ethiopia and so my heart is wrecked and yearns for peace for you, your babies and all those other orphans and potential families!
    I'll be praying!

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  7. Having gone thru the adoption process 2 years ago, I know what it feels like to wait, wait & wait some more! Know that I am pray for your family, your children & the people involved in the process!! Psalm 20:4 - "May He give you the desire of your heart and make ALL your plans succeed." Keep looking up for strength & encouragement instead of what the situation currently looks like. God is in control of this process. Your job is to remain faithful and pray. Looking forward to hearing your testimony!

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  8. Praying and fasting today for all the little orpahns and for your sweet little babies...

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