Some days the hope just feels more tangiable than others. Today I feel like I’m teetering on a tight rope. Trying to not look down, but giving-in sometimes which sends me careening into a dizzying flailing of trying to center myself again.
We thought we would have Abigaëlle/Eleanor’s passport yesterday. Then we were told it would be picked up this morning. At this point we honestly just don’t know if it was picked up or not, but I am starting to wonder if there are more problems. The other family from our orphanage that is at our same stage received copies of their passports that were picked up. That leads me to believe that Nathan went in today and was able to get theirs but ours wasn’t ready? I just think it would be strange for him to send a copy to that agency and not send a copy to ours if he had it. Of course I am very excited to hear that the other family got their passports. We love those kids and are praying they will be united with their family soon also… Just the fact that we have the same rep makes me think something else may be wrong with El’s passport and it makes me sick.
Friday, March 27, 2020
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Mysterious Ways
I could stay up all night recording times in my life that I have prayed for something, hoping for my prayer to be answered a certain way...or at least expecting that it would be answered one of two ways (generally in an expected "yes" or "no" of sorts to what I'm asking for) - and that it didn't turn out how I expected.
As anybody who believes in the power of prayer can attest, answers to prayer often don't come how or when we expect. And often when I do recognize these answers I don't take the time to write them down, but I want to this time.
Because even though these answers could be waved away as coincidence or too trivial for God to have bothered helping orchestrate, I feel differently. I believe that the subtle ways he has succored me over the last few days particularly have been exactly the way a loving parent would show their love for their child.
Gently.
Personally.
Without expectation of anything in return.
It has been years that we have pled for various things throughout this adoption process. Nine days ago we did something we have done only one other time in this adoption process - we emailed family and friends and asked them to join us in prayer for miracles in our adoption process. Despite reassurances that there weren't plans for Haiti to close their borders to the U.S. very soon, my fears were realized just 3 days later as just that happened. We had just begun to see amazing things happening in the last stages of the girls' paperwork and became hopeful that the answer we were looking for of our girls finally coming home was only days away to have that hope dashed. Honestly it shattered my heart for a bit. Not my faith that the Lord loves me or that He is watching over our girls. Not that I didn't know that my girls will come home, but that the answer wasn't what I was aching for and I didn't know if I was strong enough to keep doing this long, worrisome wait. Not that there is another option.
And the truth is... I'm not strong enough by myself. But He has met me where I am, amidst my shortcomings, and supported me.
The answers to my prayers recently have come in ways that have felt so tender to me. I think the hyper-awareness that these are blessings from Him are part of the answer to my prayers:
As anybody who believes in the power of prayer can attest, answers to prayer often don't come how or when we expect. And often when I do recognize these answers I don't take the time to write them down, but I want to this time.
Because even though these answers could be waved away as coincidence or too trivial for God to have bothered helping orchestrate, I feel differently. I believe that the subtle ways he has succored me over the last few days particularly have been exactly the way a loving parent would show their love for their child.
Gently.
Personally.
Without expectation of anything in return.
It has been years that we have pled for various things throughout this adoption process. Nine days ago we did something we have done only one other time in this adoption process - we emailed family and friends and asked them to join us in prayer for miracles in our adoption process. Despite reassurances that there weren't plans for Haiti to close their borders to the U.S. very soon, my fears were realized just 3 days later as just that happened. We had just begun to see amazing things happening in the last stages of the girls' paperwork and became hopeful that the answer we were looking for of our girls finally coming home was only days away to have that hope dashed. Honestly it shattered my heart for a bit. Not my faith that the Lord loves me or that He is watching over our girls. Not that I didn't know that my girls will come home, but that the answer wasn't what I was aching for and I didn't know if I was strong enough to keep doing this long, worrisome wait. Not that there is another option.
And the truth is... I'm not strong enough by myself. But He has met me where I am, amidst my shortcomings, and supported me.
The answers to my prayers recently have come in ways that have felt so tender to me. I think the hyper-awareness that these are blessings from Him are part of the answer to my prayers:
- Noticing less weight to the tangible heaviness in my heart. Not that I don't worry still, or miss my girls... but I can feel a physical and emotional weight that has been so much less heavy.
- More affection between my boys that are often not that way with one another.
- A husband who genuinely looks for ways that he can step in and take over whatever is needed at home or with our boys. Even more than he normally does. Without complaining.
- Texts and messages that someone is praying for me.
- A package in the mail from a dear friend.
- Hearing the ways someone I haven't met is advocating on our behalf on the other side of the country for us well after her shift is over. More than once.
- A thoughtful gift from my parents that offers a visual reminder that this will all work out.
- A FaceTime call from our adoption facilitator at a time that I thought everything was too much to bear. And her being available to answer my many, many texts recently.
- People reaching out offering connections to those that may be able to advocate for us.
- Hearing of immense efforts of those working on our behalf in Haiti despite the huge struggles going on there.
- A friend dropping off my favorite drink on the porch.
- Another adoptive mama sending me beautiful article to read and offering prayers and solidarity.
- Sleeping through the night without diabetes issues. More than once.
- Just an awareness of increased gratitude for what I already have.
- A friend sending me a song that she thought might touch my heart.
- With cancelling all of our activities we have more time. More time to be together as a family.
These are some of the answers I have seen to my prayers (and the prayers of so many people on our behalf). I don't mean to say that the Lord is done blessing us, or that we aren't continuing to ask Him to protect our girls or bring them home...
I am simply saying that one of the answers that I am seeing from a loving Heavenly Father is the clarity I have that He hears me. I know He does. It's the awareness of the blessings being poured out over me that are as much of a blessing as those things being offered.
When someone else is extending their love right now, I also feel His love. I truly do. And that right there is the mysterious way that I wasn't expecting to have my prayers answered.
...................................................................................................................................................................
On a separate note, in case anyone is actually reading these posts looking for updates...Nathan was going to be bringing the girls to the immigration office today, but he's going to be doing it tomorrow. Hopefully it will be open and that they can get Abigaelle/Eleanor's passport!
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Someday this will be REALLY funny
Ok, it's already a little funny (very frustrating, but still a bit funny):
We found out why Abigaelle/Eleanor didn't get a passport... because the passport office cancelled it. They said they already printed it. Nathan told them that there should be two passports - that they're twins. They argued with him. They said the two passport photos were of the same child and that the names were even the same (they are only one letter different). They felt like someone was trying to pull one over on the passport office to get a second passport that could be doctored for someone else! So they just cancelled the second passport! They refused to accept that those were really two different children and demanded that they bring both girls in to the office in person before they would process the second passport!
The Abigaelle/Abigaille name issue has been a struggle at every stage of this adoption process. Mistakes, mix-ups, confusion. I love the names, and I'm grateful to keep them as middle names, but we are certainly as sure as ever about our decision to give them first names that are unique from one another.
So! Gratefully Nathan (the orphanage director) brought the girls in to the passport office to show that they are indeed two different children and... they were not open!!! Ugh. He said that he will take them again tomorrow. Praying they are open. I am growing increasingly nervous that they will soon deem the passport office non-essential (in a country with completely closed borders) and close it for a period of time while they deal with everything going on. I just REALLY want to be sure that we've secured Abigaelle/Eleanor's passport soon for that reason.
Now the good news!... Nathan took the twins in for the medical exam today! Wahoooooooo! Exam results should be done by early next week.
So, no we don't have any good news about how/when the girls will come home with the current situation, but they HAVE to have the medical exams and passports before that can happen so we are so grateful for progress!
We found out why Abigaelle/Eleanor didn't get a passport... because the passport office cancelled it. They said they already printed it. Nathan told them that there should be two passports - that they're twins. They argued with him. They said the two passport photos were of the same child and that the names were even the same (they are only one letter different). They felt like someone was trying to pull one over on the passport office to get a second passport that could be doctored for someone else! So they just cancelled the second passport! They refused to accept that those were really two different children and demanded that they bring both girls in to the office in person before they would process the second passport!
The Abigaelle/Abigaille name issue has been a struggle at every stage of this adoption process. Mistakes, mix-ups, confusion. I love the names, and I'm grateful to keep them as middle names, but we are certainly as sure as ever about our decision to give them first names that are unique from one another.
So! Gratefully Nathan (the orphanage director) brought the girls in to the passport office to show that they are indeed two different children and... they were not open!!! Ugh. He said that he will take them again tomorrow. Praying they are open. I am growing increasingly nervous that they will soon deem the passport office non-essential (in a country with completely closed borders) and close it for a period of time while they deal with everything going on. I just REALLY want to be sure that we've secured Abigaelle/Eleanor's passport soon for that reason.
Now the good news!... Nathan took the twins in for the medical exam today! Wahoooooooo! Exam results should be done by early next week.
So, no we don't have any good news about how/when the girls will come home with the current situation, but they HAVE to have the medical exams and passports before that can happen so we are so grateful for progress!
Monday, March 23, 2020
It Will All Work Out
No new updates, I just had to document what my thoughtful parents did yesterday. I'm such a lucky lady to have people love and support us like this. I opened the front door to see this:
Hearts on the door. Homemade cookies and the sweetest throw pillow.
I don't know how or when things will all work out, but...
I do know that it will all work out. Sometimes I just need to feel it too.
I feel it.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Not the news we'd hoped for
This post is to serve two purposes:
We received the news that the U.S. Embassy is not able to issue the girls' visa at this time to get them out with the other Americans being extracted right now after the recent Haitian border closing, so they will not be coming home soon.
According to an email I received from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, they have received a global policy to stop processing visas for children being adopted internationally with the sole exception of the adoptive parent(s) already being in country (since they are in need of extraction home themselves). This is a clear line drawn in the sand that there isn't a way around as our girls can't leave Haiti or enter the U.S. without an issued visa (and we still don't have Abigaelle/Eleanor's passport yet or the girls' medical exam completed which would be necessary to obtain said visa).
This was not the update we were hoping to get and I have been working through a whole slew of feelings. Here are just some:
"If only___" feelings.
"Why?" feelings.
Worried and scared feelings.
Pleading for comfort/peace feelings.
Feelings of gratitude.
Prayerful petitions for Haiti, for our daughters & the other children at the orphanage.
Desire to strengthen my faith in my savior and rely on Him.
As I mentioned, I'd like to dump a lot of my thoughts and feelings here for therapeutic purposes (yes, that actually helps me) and you are welcome to read them.
Let me start by saying that as I sort through my feelings of fear and grief, I still feel very impressed of the importance to obtaining Abigaelle/Eleanor's passport and the girls' medical as quickly as possible. I have sorted through why I feel this way and and I have come up with a few thoughts:
- To update anyone who is checking in for updates on what is going on with the girls
- As a therapeutic writing outlet for me (hence my posts being long as I work through my thoughts & emotions)
We received the news that the U.S. Embassy is not able to issue the girls' visa at this time to get them out with the other Americans being extracted right now after the recent Haitian border closing, so they will not be coming home soon.
According to an email I received from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, they have received a global policy to stop processing visas for children being adopted internationally with the sole exception of the adoptive parent(s) already being in country (since they are in need of extraction home themselves). This is a clear line drawn in the sand that there isn't a way around as our girls can't leave Haiti or enter the U.S. without an issued visa (and we still don't have Abigaelle/Eleanor's passport yet or the girls' medical exam completed which would be necessary to obtain said visa).
This was not the update we were hoping to get and I have been working through a whole slew of feelings. Here are just some:
"If only___" feelings.
"Why?" feelings.
Worried and scared feelings.
Pleading for comfort/peace feelings.
Feelings of gratitude.
Prayerful petitions for Haiti, for our daughters & the other children at the orphanage.
Desire to strengthen my faith in my savior and rely on Him.
As I mentioned, I'd like to dump a lot of my thoughts and feelings here for therapeutic purposes (yes, that actually helps me) and you are welcome to read them.
Let me start by saying that as I sort through my feelings of fear and grief, I still feel very impressed of the importance to obtaining Abigaelle/Eleanor's passport and the girls' medical as quickly as possible. I have sorted through why I feel this way and and I have come up with a few thoughts:
- We don't know when opportunity for transport will become an option or when the Embassy will change their policy on adoption visas, but the girls need to be immediately legally available to have a visa issued and leave when that does happen.
- Because as COVID-19 spreads through various communities it will only become more risky to risk exposure by taking the girls to medical clinics and for them to potentially bring the virus back to the orphanage.
- If COVID-19 does spread through Haiti it will take no time for the limited medical resources to become overwhelmed caring for the patients needing critical care and bringing children in for a routine medical exam will simply may not be a priority or possibility.
- Maybe the passport office is eventually going to close since the borders are not open anyway.
- I may feel this urgency as a divine impression due to one of the reasons above (or a combination thereof) or because of totally different reasons we can't foresee. What I due know is that even though I know a the passport and medical exams won't lead to bring my little girls home right now I feel the urgency of it impressed upon both my mind and heart.
So! That is what I have shifted my prayerful petitions to now. That He will impress that same urgency on those people in places of influence and on those directly in care of our girls, to secure that remaining passport and to get the girls in for their medical exam right away.
Next feeling I'd like to dump: fear.
I won't go into all the different fearful scenarios that I have to keep in check in my mind. What mother wouldn't be struggling with this emotion in this scenario? And I worry for the country and people of Haiti in general. The sanitation infrastructure is minimal, the medical resources are already not available enough as it is. Doctors in Haiti have been reaching out saying that while the outbreak is only in the very beginning stages (only a couple confirmed cases) that they aren't ready and don't have supplies needed. I fear for the rapid spread and devastation that is possible in this country I love. I fear for the more routine medial problems that won't be able to be addressed for Haitians once the medical system is depleted and overwhelmed also. So many worries. That's just a few of them.
Next emotion I've been overwhelmed with: gratitude.
Concurrent with my sadness and fear I truly have felt overwhelmed with gratitude for those that are caring for our girls and working on our behalf. I'm grateful for the caregivers and administration at our girls' orphanage. I'm grateful for those in the U.S. and Haiti that have been working hard to get the girls paperwork finished and look into options for them come home (even though that latter part didn't work out yet). I'm grateful for people that have gone above and beyond advocating on our behalf over the years, and for people I've never met that have put in countless hours of effort on our behalf after hours during a time that they are facing their own struggles amidst the pandemic going on across the world (because in our own ways everyone's life is being affected). I'm grateful for all our friends and family that have prayed for us over this long 7 1/2 year journey that still continues. I'm especially grateful for the love, support, and prayers that we've had this last week as I have felt weakened to a point I hadn't yet experienced. I'm humbled to know that others are praying for us, for our daughters, and for Haiti. Thank you. You will never know how deeply that has touched my soul and lifted me up.
Last emotion I want to write about: aching for true peace and desire to strengthen my faith
This is harder for me to put into words. I know that the place I can turn for lasting peace is my savior. I believe that I can always work on strengthening my faith in Him. I talked in my last post about being caught in this place where I'm partially in the dark, but trying to face the light. It feels like it is just taking so much more effort to do that lately than in other times of my life, but I'm trying. I want to turn my face to him more completely, to bathe in the warm comfort of His love, to allow him to help carry my burdens, to trust more fully in Him. To surrender.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Face toward the light
💛This is my daughter Abigaïlle (Evelyn). I took this photo almost a year ago on our third visit to spend time with our girls. I love this picture. I love the way she throws her arms back behind her in abandon. ❤️
Half of her face is bathed in sunlight and half is in shadow. This resonates with me right now as I battle to focus my heart on the light of my savior as we struggle with the wait to bring our daughters home. The half of me in the shadow of the unknown is aching and struggles to see past fear & worry for Haiti and my own hurt to be with my daughters and have them home.
Both the part of me in darkness and the part in light plead in faith for a miracle that I know God can provide, if it is His will, to be able to bring our girls home with the wave of Americans leaving Haiti after their country’s recent border closure. 🙏🏽We only have a passport for one girl… We need the other printed. And we need their medical exam done right away so they can leave the country.
I pray with all the energy of my soul that those in positions of influence will do all they can to bring our little girls home before a door closes that could be for a very long time. We just want them here with us where we can love and care for them.
And I pray that once things play out, however that is, that I will be able to throw my arms behind me in abandon and faith like my little girl does in this picture...and turn my face even more toward the light.
Half of her face is bathed in sunlight and half is in shadow. This resonates with me right now as I battle to focus my heart on the light of my savior as we struggle with the wait to bring our daughters home. The half of me in the shadow of the unknown is aching and struggles to see past fear & worry for Haiti and my own hurt to be with my daughters and have them home.
Both the part of me in darkness and the part in light plead in faith for a miracle that I know God can provide, if it is His will, to be able to bring our girls home with the wave of Americans leaving Haiti after their country’s recent border closure. 🙏🏽We only have a passport for one girl… We need the other printed. And we need their medical exam done right away so they can leave the country.
I pray with all the energy of my soul that those in positions of influence will do all they can to bring our little girls home before a door closes that could be for a very long time. We just want them here with us where we can love and care for them.
And I pray that once things play out, however that is, that I will be able to throw my arms behind me in abandon and faith like my little girl does in this picture...and turn my face even more toward the light.
Friday, March 20, 2020
We need a miracle
I sent someone a link to this blog recently and I sat and just looked at the url and title of my blog.
waitingforournextmiracle.blogspot.com
One Miracle at a Time
It's true. Each one of our children have come into our lives through their own series of miracles, whether involving adoption or modern medicine. Bringing the twins into our lives has been that also. A series of little miracles all happening at the necessary time. That doesn't mean things haven't been hard or that they've gone how I would have scripted them, but I do believe that the important things have been orchestrated how they needed to be.
One Miracle at a Time was specifically meant to have dual meanings. It references that adding each child to our family has come with its own miracles and that each child is a miracle in and of themselves. It also means that during the process of adding this child (we now know it's children) to our family that there would be a series of necessary miracles to occur and I have certainly seen that over the last 7 1/2 years of this adoption process.
Right now we are praying that it is God's will to provide a really huge miracle. With the borders closed to Haiti we don't even know what to ask for to be able to bring the girls home. I know that we still need Abigaelle's passport, that we don't have medicals done, and that there isn't as of now a way to leave the country...certainly not for us to pick them up anymore as we were planning to (the plan before last night was that we were planning to pick them up next week at the Port-au-Prince airport - they would be brought to us and we wouldn't even leave the airport).
So, we would need some pretty huge miracles at this point if it is the Lord's will for them to come home now. I pray that our will and His align at this point.
I am very emotional about everything people are doing on our behalf. Both on the Haiti and U.S. side. I have mentioned some of those things in prior blog posts.
Last night I shot off emails to a new congressional contact and my current contact Emily at the joint Senators Lee/Romney team. I wanted her to have all new updated information when she arrived to work in the morning so we could look into options. I ended up getting an email back from her at 10:30 (so 12:30am her time) saying that she'd been trying all night to call the emergency citizen services abroad hotline, but hadn't been successful. She discussed some concerns and assured me that she would pursue every angle she could and that she'd keep me updated.
Chareyl has also been in frequent contact with me throughout this with calls, FaceTime, and text. I know she recognizes the gravity of this situation and is also exploring every angle available to us at this point. She says that we don't give up until we have looked at every possibility and that there are no options left. There are no words I have to express how grateful we are for her. We felt that way before this week, but in a time of so much worry and vulnerability we feel it so much more potently.
If anybody is reading this... please, please pray for a miracle. Pray that we can get the passport for Abigaelle and that we can work something out with medicals and get the girls home somehow. We love them and just want to care and provide for them and teach them what it is to be in a family that is theirs forever.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Heartbreak
I allowed myself to start to get excited this afternoon.
I looked at the girls room and thought that maybe in a few days they would be sleeping in those pink beds. I walked by the bathtub and smiled thinking about giving them their first bubble bath. I started thinking about what to pack and what to entertain them with on our flight home.
Home.
I thought we were so close to bringing our girls home. In celebration I allowed myself to disconnect and take a long, hot shower. Washing away the stress and worry of the last week as much as I could.
Then I got our of the shower and checked my phone and it took my breath away. Haiti's borders would be closing at midnight tonight. And confirmed cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Haiti, which is also so scary and heartbreaking.
I sat on the floor, dripping wet from my shower and let my tears mingle with the water from my shower. I sobbed and sobbed. It was a cry of sadness, of worry, and of exhaustion. I have tried to be faithful and patient. Sometimes better than others. But this journey has gone on for nearly 7 1/2 years. It's taken turns I couldn't have expected, it's timing isn't what I thought it would be, and of course it's been worth it. But... I. am. so. weary.
Of course I texted Chareyl and shot out a Hail Mary email to my contact in D.C. that's been coordinating things on behalf of Senators Lee and Romney. I also reached out to a contact from congress that my brother put me in contact with. I don't even know what I'm asking for. Anything. Anything at all that we might be able to do. This could be a long, long border closure as this virus ravages this country I love. While we wait helpless for our daughters, who have been legally ours for 6 months, continue to live in an orphanage instead of a home and family.
I just want my daughters home.
My heart aches in a new way I didn't know it could ache. How is that even possible?
I looked at the girls room and thought that maybe in a few days they would be sleeping in those pink beds. I walked by the bathtub and smiled thinking about giving them their first bubble bath. I started thinking about what to pack and what to entertain them with on our flight home.
Home.
I thought we were so close to bringing our girls home. In celebration I allowed myself to disconnect and take a long, hot shower. Washing away the stress and worry of the last week as much as I could.
Then I got our of the shower and checked my phone and it took my breath away. Haiti's borders would be closing at midnight tonight. And confirmed cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Haiti, which is also so scary and heartbreaking.
I sat on the floor, dripping wet from my shower and let my tears mingle with the water from my shower. I sobbed and sobbed. It was a cry of sadness, of worry, and of exhaustion. I have tried to be faithful and patient. Sometimes better than others. But this journey has gone on for nearly 7 1/2 years. It's taken turns I couldn't have expected, it's timing isn't what I thought it would be, and of course it's been worth it. But... I. am. so. weary.
Of course I texted Chareyl and shot out a Hail Mary email to my contact in D.C. that's been coordinating things on behalf of Senators Lee and Romney. I also reached out to a contact from congress that my brother put me in contact with. I don't even know what I'm asking for. Anything. Anything at all that we might be able to do. This could be a long, long border closure as this virus ravages this country I love. While we wait helpless for our daughters, who have been legally ours for 6 months, continue to live in an orphanage instead of a home and family.
I just want my daughters home.
My heart aches in a new way I didn't know it could ache. How is that even possible?
A multiple post kind of day
Adrenaline has been my friend and enemy lately. It's propelling me through a lot of things I'm juggling, but sometimes makes me feel like I'm not thinking as clearly.
I found out that one of our immigration documents was expired. I didn't freak out (not totally anyway), which I count as a win. I waited to hear if that's something that's a quick fix...turns out it is. Then I found out that I am the one to update it online, which I was kind of glad because I can control how quickly it's taken care of.
I immediately got online and filled things out, but ran into a field that I couldn't figure out. Finally Chareyl tells me that it's a duplicate field from a prior number I used in the application, so that got entered and done. Whew. Both DS-260 forms are updated, submitted, and copies sent to Chareyl.
Also, I did get a copy of Evelyn Abigaille's passport. Here it is (with private information censored...but I love to see our last name on hers in print):
I found out that one of our immigration documents was expired. I didn't freak out (not totally anyway), which I count as a win. I waited to hear if that's something that's a quick fix...turns out it is. Then I found out that I am the one to update it online, which I was kind of glad because I can control how quickly it's taken care of.
I immediately got online and filled things out, but ran into a field that I couldn't figure out. Finally Chareyl tells me that it's a duplicate field from a prior number I used in the application, so that got entered and done. Whew. Both DS-260 forms are updated, submitted, and copies sent to Chareyl.
Also, I did get a copy of Evelyn Abigaille's passport. Here it is (with private information censored...but I love to see our last name on hers in print):
Praying, praying praying for the other passport and that medical exams are done right away so we can get those lab results underway!
An almost celebration
And this is why I didn't announce to anyone yesterday that we got passports...
We were told passports were done and going to be picked up yesterday. I woke up today to find out thaaaat.... Only one printed.
This stuff has happened a lot with the twins. Either an error in the paperwork due to names being so similar, submission numbers being only one number off, etc. I honestly don't know if there is a paperwork issue or if someone just thought they were going to print a duplicate passport and didn't print it?? I'm sure I'll hear soon.
Now for the good news: The embassy emailed me today and said that they will issue medical exam letters today! That is great news. Especially after concerns yesterday that they possibly weren't issuing exam appointments right now. Of course we're praying that the girls get in today to have those medical exams done since it takes a week to get results back, but we are sooo grateful for Nisthone's tenacity in staying at IBESR yesterday until those article 23 letters were finished. So, so grateful.
Chareyl and I have been texting this morning and she is telling me that she was communicating with C4C about the girls late last night, and then with Nisthone early this morning. She confirmed that only one passport printed, but that Nisthone and Nathan have been in regular communication with the Embassy today and I am so grateful for that. I shot an email off to Emily in D.C. to let her know that the Embassy is working hard to coordinate things for us and that I appreciated her efforts in helping light that fire under them for that.
I get the impression that it was just an error at the passport office and that the other passport will be issued today. I am hopeful that is the case and am praying at this point that the medical exams can be issued and take place today. I am very nervous with how long it takes to get those results back that it could end up being too late (with border closure concerns) by the time they come back...so even one day could really make a difference at this point.
Of course we are anxious to have our girls home, but if I wasn't concerned about the borders closing I would be pushing so much for everything to happen so quickly. It sure would have been nice for the article 23 and medicals to have been done any time earlier in the last 10 weeks since exiting MOI so we wouldn't be in this position, but that is where we are now and everyone involved (on the U.S. and Haitian side) is working very hard to get things done. We are beyond grateful for everyone's hard work on our behalf right now.
Please keep praying. I believe it is helping.
We were told passports were done and going to be picked up yesterday. I woke up today to find out thaaaat.... Only one printed.
This stuff has happened a lot with the twins. Either an error in the paperwork due to names being so similar, submission numbers being only one number off, etc. I honestly don't know if there is a paperwork issue or if someone just thought they were going to print a duplicate passport and didn't print it?? I'm sure I'll hear soon.
Now for the good news: The embassy emailed me today and said that they will issue medical exam letters today! That is great news. Especially after concerns yesterday that they possibly weren't issuing exam appointments right now. Of course we're praying that the girls get in today to have those medical exams done since it takes a week to get results back, but we are sooo grateful for Nisthone's tenacity in staying at IBESR yesterday until those article 23 letters were finished. So, so grateful.
Chareyl and I have been texting this morning and she is telling me that she was communicating with C4C about the girls late last night, and then with Nisthone early this morning. She confirmed that only one passport printed, but that Nisthone and Nathan have been in regular communication with the Embassy today and I am so grateful for that. I shot an email off to Emily in D.C. to let her know that the Embassy is working hard to coordinate things for us and that I appreciated her efforts in helping light that fire under them for that.
I get the impression that it was just an error at the passport office and that the other passport will be issued today. I am hopeful that is the case and am praying at this point that the medical exams can be issued and take place today. I am very nervous with how long it takes to get those results back that it could end up being too late (with border closure concerns) by the time they come back...so even one day could really make a difference at this point.
Of course we are anxious to have our girls home, but if I wasn't concerned about the borders closing I would be pushing so much for everything to happen so quickly. It sure would have been nice for the article 23 and medicals to have been done any time earlier in the last 10 weeks since exiting MOI so we wouldn't be in this position, but that is where we are now and everyone involved (on the U.S. and Haitian side) is working very hard to get things done. We are beyond grateful for everyone's hard work on our behalf right now.
Please keep praying. I believe it is helping.
"Shaking" things up with real NEWS! (and an anxiety vent)
First of all...to explain the cheesy blog post title...
I'm shaking things up by having actual news to share, and it's meant to be a lame pun referencing this morning. I was awakened by a very heavy, rolling earthquake this morning. My bed was really heavily rolling/shaking and it went on for at least a solid 30 seconds. Let me set the stage simply because it lends a better picture to my emotional state today.
I'm awakened from a dead sleep to the first bigger earthquake that I've ever felt (found out later it was a 5.7). I've experienced smaller ones that shake the wallhangings and make wonder if a very heavy truck drove past or if it's actually an earthquake. This was very different and I woke up instinctually knowing that what I was feeling was something to be afraid of. I had adrenaline for a solid hour, I kid you not. The hyper-vigilance I've been experiencing lately already had me al revved up with anxiety:
Let's give some context and start with yesterday. Yesterday Max had his Endodontist appointment at which we found out that his two front teeth that had been damaged last summer finally had gotten infected and completely died. He had to have a procedure to remove the infection and stimulate bone growth to create an artificial cap to the root (since he's so young and it isn't closed) and then he'll have to come back for a full root canal too. These things are sad on a mama heart anyway, but then I'm worrying about his cortisol response to the pain and stress which shoots his blood glucose high...and when his BG is high his immune system is suppressed....which makes me worry about the COVID-19. And speaking of the virus...due to social distancing measures they couldn't fit both Mark and I back in the treatment room so Mark went back with Max and I waited wringing my hands in the waiting room. I sat on the edge of one of the waiting room chairs trying to touch as little as possible and texting updates on Max back and forth with Max... until I got a call from Washington D.C.
I got a call from a very professional sounding young staffer named Emily from a joint team between Lee and Romney. We discussed our situation and she offered to have a letter signed by Senator Lee & Senator Romney urging attention and possible expediting our case, but that I needed to write the letter (as if them) and send it to her along with another privacy release form. I communicated back and forth with Chareyl to be sure the contents I was including were appropriate. She let me know that Nathan and Nisthone's meeting DID happen that morning and our article 23 was applied for (hallelujah!) and that it would be done by Friday. That was good news, but I felt hyper-focused on getting this letter just right and turned in before the end of Emily's work day.
Here is the gist of what I included in the letter: I requested for them to follow up with the Haitian passport office about the girls' passports, asked if they would consider waiving the girl's U.S. required medicals (since they take a week to get back and we're super nervous about borders closing), and lastly that they expedite the visa printing and release it to Nisthone. I explained our concerns about borders closing (everyone knows we're on borrowed time) and gave them information that would help them identify us and our girls.
I submitted the letter and supporting documents at 2:30 my time (4:30 back east) so about 1/2 hour before closing in D.C. with a heavy heart because I just knew she wouldn't have time to get the senators' signatures, amend anything necessary and submit it to the Embassy before the end of her shift.
At 8:00pm Eastern time I received an email from Emily that she had finished compiling things and got the senators' signatures and submitted everything to the Embassy in Haiti with the communication marked urgent! I felt so immeasurably grateful for her hard work, and that she surely spent time after hours getting things done so she could get it out that night. I went to bed feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, grateful, and admittedly a bit anxious.
I had a lot to feel anxious about. The whole virus pandemic...trying to do my part to "flatten the curve", worrying about Max, worrying about parents and my grandma, worrying about Haiti, worrying about borders closing in Haiti (and worrying about borders NOT closing in Haiti for their safety). Worrying about homeschool. Trying to think if I'd worded letters well from the senators. Had I reached out to everyone who could possibly help expedite things on the U.S. side, worrying if I'd bothered people too much, worrying how our girls are doing, worrying what the trauma of being whisked away suddenly from everything and everyone they know will be like for them, worrying about potential violence in Haiti, worrying about us and the girls being exposed to COVID-19 during travel and bringing it home, shall I continue???...
And I had no idea that I would wake up to a big earthquake and all the chaos that ensued for a few hours after that! Rumors flying that FEMA was warning of a bigger earthquake coming within the hour. I didn't know if it was legitimate or not so I ran around moving my van out of the garage (in case of power outage), getting the boys' shoes and hoodies on, grabbing a bag of diabetes supplies, water, snacks, flashlights, charging bar and cords, etc. I tried to bring down my anxiety, but it was rough. It did circulate that the warning was either a hoax or misunderstanding and that there was only a 5% chance of a larger earthquake coming in the next day or so.
THEN! I got an email from the U.S. Embassy basically saying that they wouldn't waive anything (the medicals), but that they'd let IBESR know to process our article 23 quickly. I felt defeated. I was grateful for a response, but there was no mention of the passports (so of course I started worrying that there could be a paperwork issue there) and I knew that if we have to do passports they won't issue medicals until we have the article 23 and then the results take another week! I don't think we have that much time.
THEN! I found out that there was damage to our Salt Lake City airport and that they have evacuated all passengers, diverted flights and closed the airport?! I was like...are you kidding me?? I texted Chareyl about that and she ended up calling me on FaceTime. We just spoke a bit about how crazy this ALL is (pandemic, earthquake, Haiti stresses) and she was so supportive and encouraging. She made me cry. On FaceTime so I couldn't hide it. And she assured me that her husband (who is a pilot) assured her that they would get the airport up and running quickly so not to let that be a worry, so that was reassuring. She assured me that she was doing everything she could on the Haiti side.
She let me know later that she'd been trying to call the Embassy all day and they weren't answering, so I began to feel more overwhelmed. I just needed some answers...and I'm trying to juggle 3 stir-crazy kids and figure out 12 different teachers schedules and oversee sudden homeschooling!
I was about ready to crack up and then Chareyl texted me saying that their passports were issued and that Nathan said he was on his way to pick them up! I literally fell on the floor and sobbed when I got that text. Like ugly cry sobbed.
I know we still have other hurdles, but I needed something concrete. Some progress. And that was a big one.
Checking Facebook was a buzz-kill though since people are saying that the Embassy just cancelled their medical appointments (I don't know why yet) and that the Embassy isn't issuing visas as of Monday now. I'm not clear if they are actually not issuing visas or just not doing visa appointments (which the girls did months ago). I'm trying not to panic about that as things change daily and I don't have details, but that got me back down until...
Chareyl texted me again and said that Nisthone went back to IBESR and stayed there until they issued the article 23 letters!! Are you kidding me? That was such amazing news!! That means that when I wrote back to the Embassy after they denied our medial waiver asking them if they were willing to submit the medical appointment prior to the article 23 being complete (figuring that could save a day or two, which matters at this point)...that they don't even need to make any exceptions now. Just issue our dang medical appointment! And then pray that Nathan takes the girls right in. Then pray that they get results back as fast as possible (and yes I do know this is still Haiti, and Haiti in turmoil).
I don't expect that anyone else will probably ever read this long boring re-cap of my last two days, but it has been cathartic for me to sit in my dark kitchen after midnight and just type, type, type out all the stresses of the last two days.
Now I have room to take on whatever tomorrow brings. (And I'm hoping that includes medical instructions!)
I'm shaking things up by having actual news to share, and it's meant to be a lame pun referencing this morning. I was awakened by a very heavy, rolling earthquake this morning. My bed was really heavily rolling/shaking and it went on for at least a solid 30 seconds. Let me set the stage simply because it lends a better picture to my emotional state today.
I'm awakened from a dead sleep to the first bigger earthquake that I've ever felt (found out later it was a 5.7). I've experienced smaller ones that shake the wallhangings and make wonder if a very heavy truck drove past or if it's actually an earthquake. This was very different and I woke up instinctually knowing that what I was feeling was something to be afraid of. I had adrenaline for a solid hour, I kid you not. The hyper-vigilance I've been experiencing lately already had me al revved up with anxiety:
Let's give some context and start with yesterday. Yesterday Max had his Endodontist appointment at which we found out that his two front teeth that had been damaged last summer finally had gotten infected and completely died. He had to have a procedure to remove the infection and stimulate bone growth to create an artificial cap to the root (since he's so young and it isn't closed) and then he'll have to come back for a full root canal too. These things are sad on a mama heart anyway, but then I'm worrying about his cortisol response to the pain and stress which shoots his blood glucose high...and when his BG is high his immune system is suppressed....which makes me worry about the COVID-19. And speaking of the virus...due to social distancing measures they couldn't fit both Mark and I back in the treatment room so Mark went back with Max and I waited wringing my hands in the waiting room. I sat on the edge of one of the waiting room chairs trying to touch as little as possible and texting updates on Max back and forth with Max... until I got a call from Washington D.C.
I got a call from a very professional sounding young staffer named Emily from a joint team between Lee and Romney. We discussed our situation and she offered to have a letter signed by Senator Lee & Senator Romney urging attention and possible expediting our case, but that I needed to write the letter (as if them) and send it to her along with another privacy release form. I communicated back and forth with Chareyl to be sure the contents I was including were appropriate. She let me know that Nathan and Nisthone's meeting DID happen that morning and our article 23 was applied for (hallelujah!) and that it would be done by Friday. That was good news, but I felt hyper-focused on getting this letter just right and turned in before the end of Emily's work day.
Here is the gist of what I included in the letter: I requested for them to follow up with the Haitian passport office about the girls' passports, asked if they would consider waiving the girl's U.S. required medicals (since they take a week to get back and we're super nervous about borders closing), and lastly that they expedite the visa printing and release it to Nisthone. I explained our concerns about borders closing (everyone knows we're on borrowed time) and gave them information that would help them identify us and our girls.
At 8:00pm Eastern time I received an email from Emily that she had finished compiling things and got the senators' signatures and submitted everything to the Embassy in Haiti with the communication marked urgent! I felt so immeasurably grateful for her hard work, and that she surely spent time after hours getting things done so she could get it out that night. I went to bed feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, grateful, and admittedly a bit anxious.
I had a lot to feel anxious about. The whole virus pandemic...trying to do my part to "flatten the curve", worrying about Max, worrying about parents and my grandma, worrying about Haiti, worrying about borders closing in Haiti (and worrying about borders NOT closing in Haiti for their safety). Worrying about homeschool. Trying to think if I'd worded letters well from the senators. Had I reached out to everyone who could possibly help expedite things on the U.S. side, worrying if I'd bothered people too much, worrying how our girls are doing, worrying what the trauma of being whisked away suddenly from everything and everyone they know will be like for them, worrying about potential violence in Haiti, worrying about us and the girls being exposed to COVID-19 during travel and bringing it home, shall I continue???...
And I had no idea that I would wake up to a big earthquake and all the chaos that ensued for a few hours after that! Rumors flying that FEMA was warning of a bigger earthquake coming within the hour. I didn't know if it was legitimate or not so I ran around moving my van out of the garage (in case of power outage), getting the boys' shoes and hoodies on, grabbing a bag of diabetes supplies, water, snacks, flashlights, charging bar and cords, etc. I tried to bring down my anxiety, but it was rough. It did circulate that the warning was either a hoax or misunderstanding and that there was only a 5% chance of a larger earthquake coming in the next day or so.
THEN! I got an email from the U.S. Embassy basically saying that they wouldn't waive anything (the medicals), but that they'd let IBESR know to process our article 23 quickly. I felt defeated. I was grateful for a response, but there was no mention of the passports (so of course I started worrying that there could be a paperwork issue there) and I knew that if we have to do passports they won't issue medicals until we have the article 23 and then the results take another week! I don't think we have that much time.
THEN! I found out that there was damage to our Salt Lake City airport and that they have evacuated all passengers, diverted flights and closed the airport?! I was like...are you kidding me?? I texted Chareyl about that and she ended up calling me on FaceTime. We just spoke a bit about how crazy this ALL is (pandemic, earthquake, Haiti stresses) and she was so supportive and encouraging. She made me cry. On FaceTime so I couldn't hide it. And she assured me that her husband (who is a pilot) assured her that they would get the airport up and running quickly so not to let that be a worry, so that was reassuring. She assured me that she was doing everything she could on the Haiti side.
She let me know later that she'd been trying to call the Embassy all day and they weren't answering, so I began to feel more overwhelmed. I just needed some answers...and I'm trying to juggle 3 stir-crazy kids and figure out 12 different teachers schedules and oversee sudden homeschooling!
I was about ready to crack up and then Chareyl texted me saying that their passports were issued and that Nathan said he was on his way to pick them up! I literally fell on the floor and sobbed when I got that text. Like ugly cry sobbed.
I know we still have other hurdles, but I needed something concrete. Some progress. And that was a big one.
Checking Facebook was a buzz-kill though since people are saying that the Embassy just cancelled their medical appointments (I don't know why yet) and that the Embassy isn't issuing visas as of Monday now. I'm not clear if they are actually not issuing visas or just not doing visa appointments (which the girls did months ago). I'm trying not to panic about that as things change daily and I don't have details, but that got me back down until...
Chareyl texted me again and said that Nisthone went back to IBESR and stayed there until they issued the article 23 letters!! Are you kidding me? That was such amazing news!! That means that when I wrote back to the Embassy after they denied our medial waiver asking them if they were willing to submit the medical appointment prior to the article 23 being complete (figuring that could save a day or two, which matters at this point)...that they don't even need to make any exceptions now. Just issue our dang medical appointment! And then pray that Nathan takes the girls right in. Then pray that they get results back as fast as possible (and yes I do know this is still Haiti, and Haiti in turmoil).
I don't expect that anyone else will probably ever read this long boring re-cap of my last two days, but it has been cathartic for me to sit in my dark kitchen after midnight and just type, type, type out all the stresses of the last two days.
Now I have room to take on whatever tomorrow brings. (And I'm hoping that includes medical instructions!)
Monday, March 16, 2020
Aching and urgency
Aching:
Nothing concrete to report since my little post 3 weeks ago. It is probably enough to say that I didn't think it was possible to yearn more to have our sweet girls home than I have...and yet I do. The aching to have them home seems to increase exponentially every day.
When we were 2 years into our adoption journey (which started in Ethiopia) and things fell through we felt pulled to Haiti, but the thought of having to wait up to a year after meeting our child/children was my only real hurdle with starting our process over and beginning things in Haiti. Of course it is worth it, and no I shouldn't center myself in the adoption triad (much more trauma and loss has happened with the other two parties involved)...but sitting here 17 months later after having finally having held my girls and still not having them home has become exquisitely painful.
I ache to hold them again.
"The plan" was that if we signed on to adopt from Haiti that we would visit our child/children every 2-3 months while we waited to bring them home. The plan. Always a silly thing to have when adopting. Although it did work (with some stress/worry involving dangerous situations in Haiti) for us to visit every 2-3 months for a while. Until it didn't.
For 6 years we saved credit card miles to be able to make several visits to Haiti. We made 5 amazing visits to see our girls. To get to know them. To document them at those ages. To begin (an admittedly interrupted) bonding process. On my last visit Eleanor ran to me upon my arrival and threw her arms around my neck calling out, "Manman!!" (Mama) I celebrated their birthday with them and was sure we would be back weeks later to pick them up.
And then things took longer than expected. Again. And then there was another lockdown. And then our paperwork seemed to get stuck.
Now it's been 6 months since I've seen our girls. We kept thinking that we'd get our passport anytime. Every day I wake up hoping today will be the day.
Urgency:
I see your aching and I raise you one with obsessive urgency. That's where I am right now.
Eleven days ago the U.S. Embassy raised the travel advisory to its highest level. Level 4. To the same travel advisory as Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea...
I knew that kidnappings were becoming more of a problem, and I knew that the Haitian police and military did just get into a shootout agains one another in the streets. I knew that Carnival was cancelled due to violence. I know that things get "hot" in Haiti quickly, but all of that happened in a level 3...including the country lockdown. So why the change now? It made me realize that things must be much more dangerous than I realized and after looking into things found that was the case. In addition to violent protests the kidnappings have spiked tremendously, including 12 foreigners during just the first 9 weeks of this year.
I began looking into armored services and guards. Who has used them? What would our pickup trip look like?
While bathing in all the hypotheticals of our pickup trip I also began to steep in growing worry over a growing epidemic called the Coronavirus. It spread from China to Italy and I could see that with the lack of measures being taken that it wouldn't be long before it came here with international travel.
Bam. And here it is. Along with declared pandemic status as of Wednesday. School is cancelled, we are social distancing (some of us more than others) and I am watching as countries understandably close borders.
And here's where the urgency comes in. Literally NOTHING has changed on our paperwork in the last 2 months! Nothing. No passports. No article 23 (and therefore no medicals)...and visa comes after that. And at midnight tonight Haiti is closing her borders to the DR, Europe and Latin America. Apparently they changed their mind and decided to leave their borders open to the U.S. after arrangements were made with U.S. officials that people traveling from the United States would have to provide documentation of negative COVID-19 status (that's what the virus has been officially called).
Let me be clear. Haiti needs to close her borders. I can't even fathom what a highly contagious virus like this would do in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere (Haiti)...with the state of the economy and lack of medical resources, people's immune systems already being weak due to lack of food, and conditions that lend themselves to facilitate an even faster spread.
My urgency is that...things are rapidly spreading in the United States. I think we'll see full border closure soon, and I think we'll see the same with Haiti. And then we won't be ABLE to get the girls home! Then not only will they not be here - with their home and family, but they'll also be vulnerable in a country being increasingly dictated by gangs controlling resources and the economic fallout of a virus decimating their island. This is of course my take on things. Nobody knows how it will progress, but with Italy and Spain on complete lockdown and doctors in Italy having to decide which patients get ventilators and which patients die...I can only imagine how bad things will be in Haiti.
I feel absolutely panicked about doing everything in my power to get our girls home.
There's only so much I can do, but I did reach out to family and friends asking for their prayers. The last time I did that was 17 months ago and 8 days later we received our long awaited referral. I have many other examples of combining faith and prayer in my life, and I felt impressed to swallow my pride and reach out pleading for everyone's prayers. That we would find intervention on our behalf to get the girls home before borders close.
I also wrote both of our state Senators and the U.S. Embassy in Haiti yesterday. I've been communicating with our adoption facilitator (Chareyl) and followed up with phone calls to both Senator's offices today. By the time I called the Embassy to follow up it was 1:45 here, but it was 3:45 there and they had just closed 15 minutes earlier. I felt like I had failed.
I was so grateful to get a return phone call later in the day from Senator Romney's office. He called to let me know that he'd like me to fill some paperwork out and sign a release giving their office to speak on our behalf. Ummm...yes! Their is a joint team between Senator Lee's and Senator Romney's office that has international social workers familiar with the adoption process and climate as well as resources and connections that they can offer as they advocate for us.
I compiled all the information they needed and sent things over to them as quickly as I could, but missed getting it there before closing by about 5 minutes. Grrrr. Hopefully I'll hear from them in the morning and if not I'll call to make sure everything was in order because I need them to reach out to the Embassy in Haiti while they still have time to do anything before the end of their work day.
Also, Chareyl let me know that our agency rep and our orphanage rep are going to meet tomorrow morning. I pray that happens, as the last several meetings have turned into no-shows. If that happens and we get passports then I think we are in business...especially if the Embassy is able/willing to waive the girls' medicals (which will take a week to get results back) and expedite their visas.
If this all falls into place (God willing) then we could be picking up our girls this week. I will continue to push on the U.S. side and Chareyl will continue to push on the Haiti side and I pray things will come through before borders close. If they don't I will be heartbroken, but I will know that I did all that I could.
And then I will have to find a way to fall back on my faith.
In the meantime I prefer to use my faith as a driving force. Something active. Something powerful and able to work miracles...if that is what is meant to be.
I pray it is.
Nothing concrete to report since my little post 3 weeks ago. It is probably enough to say that I didn't think it was possible to yearn more to have our sweet girls home than I have...and yet I do. The aching to have them home seems to increase exponentially every day.
When we were 2 years into our adoption journey (which started in Ethiopia) and things fell through we felt pulled to Haiti, but the thought of having to wait up to a year after meeting our child/children was my only real hurdle with starting our process over and beginning things in Haiti. Of course it is worth it, and no I shouldn't center myself in the adoption triad (much more trauma and loss has happened with the other two parties involved)...but sitting here 17 months later after having finally having held my girls and still not having them home has become exquisitely painful.
I ache to hold them again.
"The plan" was that if we signed on to adopt from Haiti that we would visit our child/children every 2-3 months while we waited to bring them home. The plan. Always a silly thing to have when adopting. Although it did work (with some stress/worry involving dangerous situations in Haiti) for us to visit every 2-3 months for a while. Until it didn't.
For 6 years we saved credit card miles to be able to make several visits to Haiti. We made 5 amazing visits to see our girls. To get to know them. To document them at those ages. To begin (an admittedly interrupted) bonding process. On my last visit Eleanor ran to me upon my arrival and threw her arms around my neck calling out, "Manman!!" (Mama) I celebrated their birthday with them and was sure we would be back weeks later to pick them up.
And then things took longer than expected. Again. And then there was another lockdown. And then our paperwork seemed to get stuck.
Now it's been 6 months since I've seen our girls. We kept thinking that we'd get our passport anytime. Every day I wake up hoping today will be the day.
Urgency:
I see your aching and I raise you one with obsessive urgency. That's where I am right now.
Eleven days ago the U.S. Embassy raised the travel advisory to its highest level. Level 4. To the same travel advisory as Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea...
I knew that kidnappings were becoming more of a problem, and I knew that the Haitian police and military did just get into a shootout agains one another in the streets. I knew that Carnival was cancelled due to violence. I know that things get "hot" in Haiti quickly, but all of that happened in a level 3...including the country lockdown. So why the change now? It made me realize that things must be much more dangerous than I realized and after looking into things found that was the case. In addition to violent protests the kidnappings have spiked tremendously, including 12 foreigners during just the first 9 weeks of this year.
I began looking into armored services and guards. Who has used them? What would our pickup trip look like?
While bathing in all the hypotheticals of our pickup trip I also began to steep in growing worry over a growing epidemic called the Coronavirus. It spread from China to Italy and I could see that with the lack of measures being taken that it wouldn't be long before it came here with international travel.
Bam. And here it is. Along with declared pandemic status as of Wednesday. School is cancelled, we are social distancing (some of us more than others) and I am watching as countries understandably close borders.
And here's where the urgency comes in. Literally NOTHING has changed on our paperwork in the last 2 months! Nothing. No passports. No article 23 (and therefore no medicals)...and visa comes after that. And at midnight tonight Haiti is closing her borders to the DR, Europe and Latin America. Apparently they changed their mind and decided to leave their borders open to the U.S. after arrangements were made with U.S. officials that people traveling from the United States would have to provide documentation of negative COVID-19 status (that's what the virus has been officially called).
Let me be clear. Haiti needs to close her borders. I can't even fathom what a highly contagious virus like this would do in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere (Haiti)...with the state of the economy and lack of medical resources, people's immune systems already being weak due to lack of food, and conditions that lend themselves to facilitate an even faster spread.
My urgency is that...things are rapidly spreading in the United States. I think we'll see full border closure soon, and I think we'll see the same with Haiti. And then we won't be ABLE to get the girls home! Then not only will they not be here - with their home and family, but they'll also be vulnerable in a country being increasingly dictated by gangs controlling resources and the economic fallout of a virus decimating their island. This is of course my take on things. Nobody knows how it will progress, but with Italy and Spain on complete lockdown and doctors in Italy having to decide which patients get ventilators and which patients die...I can only imagine how bad things will be in Haiti.
I feel absolutely panicked about doing everything in my power to get our girls home.
There's only so much I can do, but I did reach out to family and friends asking for their prayers. The last time I did that was 17 months ago and 8 days later we received our long awaited referral. I have many other examples of combining faith and prayer in my life, and I felt impressed to swallow my pride and reach out pleading for everyone's prayers. That we would find intervention on our behalf to get the girls home before borders close.
I also wrote both of our state Senators and the U.S. Embassy in Haiti yesterday. I've been communicating with our adoption facilitator (Chareyl) and followed up with phone calls to both Senator's offices today. By the time I called the Embassy to follow up it was 1:45 here, but it was 3:45 there and they had just closed 15 minutes earlier. I felt like I had failed.
I was so grateful to get a return phone call later in the day from Senator Romney's office. He called to let me know that he'd like me to fill some paperwork out and sign a release giving their office to speak on our behalf. Ummm...yes! Their is a joint team between Senator Lee's and Senator Romney's office that has international social workers familiar with the adoption process and climate as well as resources and connections that they can offer as they advocate for us.
I compiled all the information they needed and sent things over to them as quickly as I could, but missed getting it there before closing by about 5 minutes. Grrrr. Hopefully I'll hear from them in the morning and if not I'll call to make sure everything was in order because I need them to reach out to the Embassy in Haiti while they still have time to do anything before the end of their work day.
Also, Chareyl let me know that our agency rep and our orphanage rep are going to meet tomorrow morning. I pray that happens, as the last several meetings have turned into no-shows. If that happens and we get passports then I think we are in business...especially if the Embassy is able/willing to waive the girls' medicals (which will take a week to get results back) and expedite their visas.
If this all falls into place (God willing) then we could be picking up our girls this week. I will continue to push on the U.S. side and Chareyl will continue to push on the Haiti side and I pray things will come through before borders close. If they don't I will be heartbroken, but I will know that I did all that I could.
And then I will have to find a way to fall back on my faith.
In the meantime I prefer to use my faith as a driving force. Something active. Something powerful and able to work miracles...if that is what is meant to be.
I pray it is.
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