Passports

I am finding that I am addicted to my yahoo groups. Throughout the day, I receive emails of families who have adopted from Acres of Hope. It is fascinating to read their emails and questions and to learn from their discussions. Most of all, I love looking at their family photo albums. I have been trying to imagine what our family will look like in a year from now. I am going to need to cut myself off a little or I will never get caught up in my housework. : ) (Hi, my name is Becky and I am a yahoo-group-aholic....)

One of the things that I have learned from reading these emails is that the passport situation in Liberia is very delayed because of a change in government. It sounds like the newly elected president and her administration are not corrupt and the change has brought hope to many for the future of Liberia. However, with transition comes chaos and delays. Many of the families in my yahoo groups have been waiting for months and months for their adopted children to receive passports. They can't bring them home until they receive their passport. Right now things are beginning to move again in the passport department, but there is still an estimated wait of 2-3 months. Once a family has a referral of their new child, they wait approximately 4-5 months for that adoption to be complete in Liberia. Once the adoption is complete, the child is officially their child. It is heart-wrenching for these families to know that their adoption is complete and then to wait and wait without a clear picture of how long it will take to get the passport and their children home.

Please pray for the passport situation. I am truly hoping that it will speed up before we get to that point in the process, but right now I just hurt for the families that want so much to have their son or daughter home. One lady in my yahoo group said that she has felt like she's been "in labor" for four months.

I am quickly learning that I will need an extra measure of patience for this process. I am still holding out hope that we will have our son home before Christmas. That would definitely be the "fast track" but I am still hoping and seeing that as my "due date."

Our first major hurdle will be getting the home study done. Please pray that that goes smoothly. Our home visit is scheduled for January 26th at 1:15. Please pray for us on that day so I will be peaceful and not a nervous wreck.

Blowing kisses to my little one who is half way across the world.....