We got word this week that the government of Ethiopia has changed the number of days an abandoned child has to remain in an orphanage before being eligible for adoption has been reduced from 90 days to 60 days. Kathee and I are stoked about this new law as it seems it could and will allow us to unite with our son even quicker.
We also got word this week that a total of 9 children ranging from 1 month to 9 years were referred to families this week! We are excited for these families receiving their referrals. We are also greatly encouraged by the age range (as we requested an infant boy ranging from birth to 12 months).
Each day gets closer and closer to receiving our referral. We know the Lord has our son hand-picked for us and pray that He will give us wisdom in discerning His will.
And so we continue to wait!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Another Proof of God's Providence
So the Terwilleger house has been a bit upended this week with Kathee's (un)timely release from her job at the church. After being called in last Thursday night to discuss with the church council the issues the church is facing with great budget shortfalls, Kathee was relieved of her duties at the Lutheran church on Tuesday (well, Sunday was the congregational meeting where they voted to do away with Kathee's position, but we found out Tuesday morning).
Kathee made about $4,000 last year working at the church. She has been working to save up for the adoption and to cover other adoption costs. After we reached the place where my job paid enough for us to live on, we put all of Kathee's income to adoption and paying down her college loans. I'd also be remiss to say that her income has also allowed us to do some traveling over the past few years, too! However, with the baby coming within the next 6 months, we were planning on having Kathee work up until we left for Addis. So the loss of her income at this time was a rather large blow to our system.
After discussing whether or not Kathee should find another short-term job, we decided it would be best and most honest for Kathee to NOT get another job. As we don't know when the referral will come, we thought it a bit dishonest to have an employer hire her, spend all the time and effort training her, only to have her quit in a few short months (we hope).
So we again threw ourselves on God's providence to care and provide all that is and will be needed to complete the adoption. So the very day she was let go at Faith (Tuesday morning), we received a check out of the blue for $2500 to go to the adoption account (Tuesday afternoon). That's just over 6 months of Kathee's work. As we had told no one about Kathee's potential job loss, we rejoiced in God's providence in yet another HUGE financial blessing as we continue this journey. PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!
On a side note, we also just sent off one of the grant applications this past week, so you can keep that in your prayers as well!
Our old associate pastor at First United Presbyterian Church used to say all the time, "Well, our Father owns the cattle on 1,000 hills (Psalm 50:10)." And I know that not every family going through the adoption process is blessed the way we have been. So all we can do is praise the Lord for blessing us in the way He has, giving us grace when we didn't and don't deserve it.
Our God is magnificent isn't He??!!!!
Kathee made about $4,000 last year working at the church. She has been working to save up for the adoption and to cover other adoption costs. After we reached the place where my job paid enough for us to live on, we put all of Kathee's income to adoption and paying down her college loans. I'd also be remiss to say that her income has also allowed us to do some traveling over the past few years, too! However, with the baby coming within the next 6 months, we were planning on having Kathee work up until we left for Addis. So the loss of her income at this time was a rather large blow to our system.
After discussing whether or not Kathee should find another short-term job, we decided it would be best and most honest for Kathee to NOT get another job. As we don't know when the referral will come, we thought it a bit dishonest to have an employer hire her, spend all the time and effort training her, only to have her quit in a few short months (we hope).
So we again threw ourselves on God's providence to care and provide all that is and will be needed to complete the adoption. So the very day she was let go at Faith (Tuesday morning), we received a check out of the blue for $2500 to go to the adoption account (Tuesday afternoon). That's just over 6 months of Kathee's work. As we had told no one about Kathee's potential job loss, we rejoiced in God's providence in yet another HUGE financial blessing as we continue this journey. PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!
On a side note, we also just sent off one of the grant applications this past week, so you can keep that in your prayers as well!
Our old associate pastor at First United Presbyterian Church used to say all the time, "Well, our Father owns the cattle on 1,000 hills (Psalm 50:10)." And I know that not every family going through the adoption process is blessed the way we have been. So all we can do is praise the Lord for blessing us in the way He has, giving us grace when we didn't and don't deserve it.
Our God is magnificent isn't He??!!!!
March 13- Id Al Fitir (End of Ramadan)
I hope you all thoroughly celebrated Id Al Fitir to conclude Ramadan in the Ethiopian calendar. Kathee and I celebrated it by NOT fasting but made sure we feasted with 15 kids and 3 adults from our youth ministry last night at our weekly youth dinners!!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
A Bit Discouraged!
After a bit of uncertainty regarding last week's AWAA update, I emailed our adoption coordinator to get some clarification. Well, I received word back, but am a bit (like a lot) disappointed by what it says. When our dossier arrived, we were told 3-7 months. I guess being "the eternal optimist" (as Kathee calls me) kinda set me up for this. However, I still know God's plan, which includes His timing, is best. So here's what I received back.
Dear Isaac,
I encourage families to project their referral time by using their DTE (dossier to Ethiopia date) and the time frame we give for a wait time. The wait time for a boy is currently 5-7 months. The DTE for the last family to receive a boy referral in February is September 20. As you submitted your referral in December you are in your third month of your 5-7 month wait. This is the best way to communicate to families and friends about your anticipated referral time.
Blessings,
Duni Zenaye
Africa Program Director
Dear Isaac,
I encourage families to project their referral time by using their DTE (dossier to Ethiopia date) and the time frame we give for a wait time. The wait time for a boy is currently 5-7 months. The DTE for the last family to receive a boy referral in February is September 20. As you submitted your referral in December you are in your third month of your 5-7 month wait. This is the best way to communicate to families and friends about your anticipated referral time.
Blessings,
Duni Zenaye
Africa Program Director
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Adoption Process As Stated by America World
The below information is a simple cut and paste from our adoption agency's web page. I know this may be overkill in view of the blog post a few days ago. However, as more of you are asking, I thought I'd just post what they have posted.
Ethiopia
HISTORY
Ethiopia is the only African country that was not colonized as various European nations scrambled to divide and rule Africa. With the brief exception of the Italian occupation from 1936-1941, Ethiopia has remained an independent nation.
With a population of nearly 75 million people, there is an assorted collection of food, languages, customs and people groups. Ethiopia also contains a diverse landscape, including parts of the Nile River and the Great Rift Valley. As an East African landlocked country, Ethiopia is bordered by Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.
Ethiopia, an ancient Christian nation, has deep-rooted Ethiopian Orthodox customs and practices. The Judaic-Christian roots of Ethiopia can be found in both the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Today, about half the population of Ethiopia is Christian.
Unfortunately, this country that is about twice the size of Texas has an estimated 4.3 million orphans. The children are primarily orphaned due to poverty, and live in both government-run and privately established orphanages.
PROCESS
Ethiopia’s international adoption process is relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated. After filling out an application, receiving approval through America World’s intake process, and signing an Agreement with America World, prospective parents initiate what we call the “paper chase," which takes 4-6 months to complete. During this stage of the adoption, families begin assembling their dossier (or set of adoption paperwork). America World assigns each family a personal Family Coordinator to help them compile their dossier, which includes a home study and approval from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Before America World can submit a family’s dossier to the Ethiopian government’s Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, it must be sent through a careful process of certification and authentication in order for it to be used as a legal framework for adoption. Certification and authentication is a three-step procedure in which dossier documents visit their respective Secretaries of State, the U.S. Department of State, and Ethiopia’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. Family Coordinators will assist families through this process as well. The authentication process concludes the paper chase, and America World delivers the finished dossier to the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs.
Once the dossier is in Ethiopia, it is translated, processed and examined by the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs. Our staff works with government officials and orphanages as a match is made between prospective parents and a child. Prospective parents typically wait 3-7 months before receiving a referral of a child from Ethiopia. These parents are given a picture, medical test results and a socio-biographical sketch of the child’s life. All children are tested for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and other medical conditions. Prospective parents are given the option to accept or reject the child referral they receive. America World plans travel arrangements for families choosing to accept their referral.
The in-country stay in Ethiopia is generally about one week long. America World’s staff will coordinate travel logistics, including air and ground transportation, lodging, translators, and some meals. Families fly into the capital city, Addis Ababa, where they are assisted by an America World representative. During their stay, adoptive parents visit the U.S. consulate in Addis Ababa to receive their child’s visa.
America World is pleased to be able to offer families the opportunity to adopt from this beautiful African nation, and we are also eager to partner with others in our commitment to provide humanitarian aid and sustainable development projects for orphans’ welfare in Ethiopia. Your decision to adopt through America World will not only change your life and the life of the child you adopt — but will also affect the life of your friends, family and community.
We believe that our adoption program in Ethiopia offers a great opportunity to build families through God’s plan of adoption. Our Ethiopia program staff is experienced and ready to help and serve your family in your adoption.
Ethiopia
HISTORY
Ethiopia is the only African country that was not colonized as various European nations scrambled to divide and rule Africa. With the brief exception of the Italian occupation from 1936-1941, Ethiopia has remained an independent nation.
With a population of nearly 75 million people, there is an assorted collection of food, languages, customs and people groups. Ethiopia also contains a diverse landscape, including parts of the Nile River and the Great Rift Valley. As an East African landlocked country, Ethiopia is bordered by Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.
Ethiopia, an ancient Christian nation, has deep-rooted Ethiopian Orthodox customs and practices. The Judaic-Christian roots of Ethiopia can be found in both the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Today, about half the population of Ethiopia is Christian.
Unfortunately, this country that is about twice the size of Texas has an estimated 4.3 million orphans. The children are primarily orphaned due to poverty, and live in both government-run and privately established orphanages.
PROCESS
Ethiopia’s international adoption process is relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated. After filling out an application, receiving approval through America World’s intake process, and signing an Agreement with America World, prospective parents initiate what we call the “paper chase," which takes 4-6 months to complete. During this stage of the adoption, families begin assembling their dossier (or set of adoption paperwork). America World assigns each family a personal Family Coordinator to help them compile their dossier, which includes a home study and approval from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Before America World can submit a family’s dossier to the Ethiopian government’s Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, it must be sent through a careful process of certification and authentication in order for it to be used as a legal framework for adoption. Certification and authentication is a three-step procedure in which dossier documents visit their respective Secretaries of State, the U.S. Department of State, and Ethiopia’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. Family Coordinators will assist families through this process as well. The authentication process concludes the paper chase, and America World delivers the finished dossier to the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs.
Once the dossier is in Ethiopia, it is translated, processed and examined by the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs. Our staff works with government officials and orphanages as a match is made between prospective parents and a child. Prospective parents typically wait 3-7 months before receiving a referral of a child from Ethiopia. These parents are given a picture, medical test results and a socio-biographical sketch of the child’s life. All children are tested for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and other medical conditions. Prospective parents are given the option to accept or reject the child referral they receive. America World plans travel arrangements for families choosing to accept their referral.
The in-country stay in Ethiopia is generally about one week long. America World’s staff will coordinate travel logistics, including air and ground transportation, lodging, translators, and some meals. Families fly into the capital city, Addis Ababa, where they are assisted by an America World representative. During their stay, adoptive parents visit the U.S. consulate in Addis Ababa to receive their child’s visa.
America World is pleased to be able to offer families the opportunity to adopt from this beautiful African nation, and we are also eager to partner with others in our commitment to provide humanitarian aid and sustainable development projects for orphans’ welfare in Ethiopia. Your decision to adopt through America World will not only change your life and the life of the child you adopt — but will also affect the life of your friends, family and community.
We believe that our adoption program in Ethiopia offers a great opportunity to build families through God’s plan of adoption. Our Ethiopia program staff is experienced and ready to help and serve your family in your adoption.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
John Piper Video on Adoption
I was awoken tonight with what I am discerning is a word from the Lord. As I am researching for more information in discernment, I came across this while on John Piper's blog. I hope it works and I hope you enjoy this as I have the utmost respect for Doctor Piper and believe he is one of the foremost theologians and pastors of our time.
Oh yeah, I'm just putting the link down here because I don't have time to figure out how to upload the youtube video right to this blog entry (any help?).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgNXQ2CazUg
Oh yeah, I'm just putting the link down here because I don't have time to figure out how to upload the youtube video right to this blog entry (any help?).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgNXQ2CazUg
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Incomplete List of Everything We Had to Do For The Adoption
TO BEGIN…
Fill out application to international adoption agencyFill out application to local adoption agency to do homestudy
- Include 15 page document about ourselves, our marriage, our faith, our parenting styles, our conflict resolution styles, our families of origin, etc.
- Fill out a financial inventory form
Collect Isaac’s and Kathee’s birth certificates (2)
Collect Isaac and Kathee’s marriage license (1)
Get fingerprinted (the standard way) at
Request three letters of references written by our friends or families, testifying to the health of our marriage, our readiness to be parents and our general good natures (3)
Request letters from our employers verifying our employment, salaries and prospects for continued employment (2)
Write an application letter asking the Ethiopian government to consider us as adoptive parents for one of their children(1)
Gather proof of medical insurance for both of us (2)
Gather proof of life insurance for both of us (2)
Have a medical check-up and a medical form filled out (2)
Fill out a complete financial inventory for our family (1)
Execute a power of attorney form for the Ethiopian staff member in country to allow him to act on our behalf before we travel (1)
Include a letter of reference from our international adoption agency to the Ethiopian government (1)
Include letter a commitment to provide post-placement services from our local adoption agency to the Ethiopian government (1)
Have a homestudy prepared by local adoption agency (1)
- Schedule three visits with social worker
- Complete 10 hours of parenting training
- Attend an all-day adoption seminar
- Have a medical check-up and a medical form filled out
- Complete a financial inventory form
- Fill out application to DCFS for foster care license
- Get laser fingerprinted for DCFS
- Have a medical check-up and a medical form filled out for DCFS
Obtain a pre-approval form from the BCIS for the orphan visa for our baby (1)
- Fill out application to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the INS) for visa for baby
- Get fingerprinted in
Take these 23 documents and mail them to
Make three sets of copies of all documents.
Get two passport pictures of both of us.
Take pictures of every room in our home.
Gather four pictures of “family life” and two pictures of us as a family.
Photocopy the photo page of our passports.
Mail the 23 documents and the pictures to the international adoption agency. They will send the 23 documents to the appropriate office in
By the way, the list doesn't include making a fire escape plan for the homestudy, putting outlet covers on every outlet in the house, fire extinguishers on all three floors, carbon monoxide detector, and other things not included.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Aunt Kathee and Uncle Isaac
Kathee's sister and our brother-in-law Jamie welcomed William Theodore Steen into the world and our family on March 2, 2008 at 3:45 AM. William is 8 pounds 10 ounces, 21 inches long, and has brown hair. Both parents and baby doing well. WE LOVE BEING AUNT AND UNCLE! And we are super-excited to welcome the first child into the extended Karl Smith family!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Church-Lady Shower
As I type, my wife is celebrating with a baby shower with the ladies from our church. A couple ladies and the Deacons decided to throw us a baby shower. It sounded like they are going to be doing some really cool things. Our good friend Maharah put together a scavenger hunt around the church that details all the stuff Kathee and I had to do to prepare our dossier (go to this place and get birth certificates for Kathee and I, go to this place and get the marriage license, to to this place and... you get the point). As I made the copies for the teams this morning, it sounds like there are going to be 12 teams a ladies carrying out this little hunt to get a glimpse of what it was like for us.
Kathee was very excited to pray with and receive wisdom from mothers and ladies of the church. It's great to see the body of Christ being the body of Christ (see Titus 2:3-5). And we are blessed with such a great group of faithful and godly ladies in our church. Coupled with that we also see the God-given responsibility we have been given to receive wisdom from the more mature and experienced husbands/father and wives/mothers and yet we be the primary people responsible for the raising of our child(ren). That will be an interesting balance to keep as we parent our son and hopefully other children in the church.
So that's what I know for right now. I hope and pray this will be a time for our church to come together, celebrate how God is moving, and will be charged up to be there to help raise up our son in the fear of the Lord that he will come to know and follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!
Still no word on a referral. We will be sending out a few more grant applications over the next week or so, so you can keep those two things in your prayers.
According to my Facebook countdown, we still have 18 days and 13 hours before we can expect a referral (at the earliest). I'll chime in later!
Kathee was very excited to pray with and receive wisdom from mothers and ladies of the church. It's great to see the body of Christ being the body of Christ (see Titus 2:3-5). And we are blessed with such a great group of faithful and godly ladies in our church. Coupled with that we also see the God-given responsibility we have been given to receive wisdom from the more mature and experienced husbands/father and wives/mothers and yet we be the primary people responsible for the raising of our child(ren). That will be an interesting balance to keep as we parent our son and hopefully other children in the church.
So that's what I know for right now. I hope and pray this will be a time for our church to come together, celebrate how God is moving, and will be charged up to be there to help raise up our son in the fear of the Lord that he will come to know and follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!
Still no word on a referral. We will be sending out a few more grant applications over the next week or so, so you can keep those two things in your prayers.
According to my Facebook countdown, we still have 18 days and 13 hours before we can expect a referral (at the earliest). I'll chime in later!
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