Well, for those of you that don't have this written in personally on your calendars, you may have missed it. Yesterday was Juneteenth, which celebrates the signing of the Emancipation Proclammation, which ended slavery in our country. Yesterday there was a celebration at a park over in Davenport, to which Kathee and I attended after I got off work.
I heard about the celebration from a local tv show that does pieces on what's happening locally (Paula Sands Live). They said it was going to be a celebration of African-American history and culture. They said there were going to be people their doing/showing how to do corn rows (of which I'm sure we'll have to learn how to do). And so we went.
I learned from my father-in-law as we stood outside the US Embassy in Guatemala City (when I had forgotten all forms of idea at his house but had a meeting/breakfast with a man "on the inside") that 90% of life is acting like you belong there. I have taken that notion and applied it to pretty much every area of my life.
And so we did, although it was a bit hard to act like you belong there when you are the only white people there aside from the 2 Boys Club workers who are trying to corral their kids.
We were quite surprised at how little they had going on there, although there were about 200 people there. There was essentially one table having cultural things from Africa. It was pretty funny, however, when the lady told Kathee that the fabric we were looking at was from Kenya. When Kathee and I walked away Kathee told me that the fabric was certainly NOT from Kenya, and most likely made in the West to look like Kenyan fabric, or was made in West Africa. Nothing like having a wife who knows more about the African culture than... well, nevermind.
We did thoroughly enjoy the youth dance team from one of the AME churches in Davenport. And I enjoyed the high school choir from Bethel AME church in Davenport.
One thing both Kathee and I did notice that seems to be in stark contrast to holidays that white people celebrate was the presence of the church being INVITED to participate. The celebration yesterday is obviously a secular holiday (as opposed to a religious holiday). The emcee for the event was a pastor. They had 2 hours set aside for youth choirs and dance teams from churches to be on the stage performing. It was just stark how important the church seemed to be by the organizers. I saw and heard no one whining about "what are the churches doing here," or "I didn't know they were going to try to make this into a religious thing." Rather, I saw about everyone there singing and dancing with the music. I saw all ages cheering on the kids up on the stage. I didn't see the adolescents jockeying for position by putting down the little kids, but saw them encouraging the younger and whatnot. It was just very cool.
Anyway, that's my little editorial on Juneteenth in Davenport. I suppose it also served as a good practice for when Junior comes home and we take him to cultural events like this. It also served as a good discussion starter for Kathee and I (should we take him to things like this as his cultural background is Ethiopian and not African-American. Will he want to know more about his Ethiopian background or will he the African-American? At what point do we bring him into the discussion of how involved he wants to be in things like this, etc?).
I love talking to Kathee about stuff like this. We still feel like we are just two kids (30 years old, have you) with a dream that may or may not be achieved. But we love the prep all the same.
Oh yeah, the blog may be a little dead for the next 2 weeks as on Tuesday I leave for the country of Moldova for a two week missions trip.
Thanks for reading.
Isaac T
Friday, June 20, 2008
Another Kick in the Teeth
We were told to expect about a 6 week wait from the time we approve our referral to when we travel. Here's just another "oh by the way, things have changed email." I'm starting to hate these emails. This is the email we received from our adoption coordinator. Obviously there are good reasons why it's been moved back, it just stinks when it personally effects you!
There is an important change that all Ethiopia families need to take note of. From this point forward we are asking families to anticipate an 8-12week wait after receiving a referral before traveling to Ethiopia to pick up their child/children (12-16 weeks for families whose referrals fall during the court closures). During those 8-12 weeks there are a series of steps that must be taken to receive governmental approvals, court decrees, birth certificates, passports, visas, and a plethora of other documents for the adopted child. Because receiving the court decree is especially difficult and often times not approved on the first or even second court date we have decided to now switch to a new system where we will notify families with a travel approval when all of their documents have been collected and definitive dates can be identified to schedule travel. This means that we will no longer be contacting families about when their court dates will be, or each time their court date did not go through, or has been changed. Families will be notified within 2-4 weeks before traveling to Ethiopia with their travel approval.
There is an important change that all Ethiopia families need to take note of. From this point forward we are asking families to anticipate an 8-12week wait after receiving a referral before traveling to Ethiopia to pick up their child/children (12-16 weeks for families whose referrals fall during the court closures). During those 8-12 weeks there are a series of steps that must be taken to receive governmental approvals, court decrees, birth certificates, passports, visas, and a plethora of other documents for the adopted child. Because receiving the court decree is especially difficult and often times not approved on the first or even second court date we have decided to now switch to a new system where we will notify families with a travel approval when all of their documents have been collected and definitive dates can be identified to schedule travel. This means that we will no longer be contacting families about when their court dates will be, or each time their court date did not go through, or has been changed. Families will be notified within 2-4 weeks before traveling to Ethiopia with their travel approval.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
What Happens from Arrival to Placement?
Kathee and I have wondered about this for months. So we found out via an email we received from our adoption coordinator. Obviously parts of this are new to us, some kinda discouraging, but at least we now know.
After Dossier Submission
1. Dossier is taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Authentication
2. Dossier is Translated into Amharic
3. A copy of the Dossier is submitted to the AW Partner Orphanages
4. When a child has been identified our representatives go to KC to pick up the child and all the necessary paperwork (profile or police report)
5. The Child is taken to a medical
6. All the documents are translated into English
7. The Translated referral document is then sent to our office in the US where a referral call will be made to the family.
After Referral
Step One Upon acceptance of the referral, a Contract of Adoption is signed between the child's legal guardian (the Orphanage) and the adoptive parent(s), or the agency representative (Girmachew). If the legal guardian is also the agency that is processing the adoption, another licensed orphanage can sign on behalf of the child. This contract is the basis for the issuance of the adoption decree, which shows that the guardian or the orphanage has relinquished their parental or guardian right in regard to the adopted child. The contract must be taken to the Inland Revenue Administration office to be stamped. There is a nominal fee.
Step Two- The parents' dossier is submitted to MOWA (ministry of women's affairs) . MOWA will then affix a summary sheet, on which will be noted items such as court decisions, background data on the adopted child or children, and the names of Adoption Committee members who will complete the form at a later date (see below). At this point, for private adoptions only, MOWA usually asks the U.S. Embassy to provide a letter of support for the adoptive parents.
Step Three- MOWA submits the parents' dossier to the Adoption Committee for review and approval to adopt. The Adoption Committee meets periodically, sometimes as often as every week, to review cases. The Committee either approves or rejects the prospective adoptive parent(s), based on Ethiopian guidelines for international adoptions. Given the volume of work before the Committee, it can take weeks before the Committee reviews a dossier. Further investigation into the parents' qualifications is done if deemed necessary, and a recommendation is made. Only if all the members of the committee agree, and sign the recommendation, is the request approved.
Step Four - Once the Committee has approved the parents' dossier, MOWA opens a file at the Federal First Instance Court to apply for an appointment date for the adoption hearing. The court date could be one to two months from the date of filing.
Step Five - CYAO opens a file at the Federal First Instance Court to apply for an appointment date for the adoption hearing. The court date could be one to two months from the date of filing. The Court generally is closed between three and twelve weeks between July and October. The dates change every year.
Step Six - A notice seeking any other claimants to the child is published in the local press stating the child's name and the name of the adopting parents. Anyone opposed to the adoption is requested to appear at MOWA by a certain date and time.
Step Seven- When the appointed court date arrives, the prospective parents or their agency's local representative will be asked to appear in court. Final decisions can be handed down quickly, but delays of weeks are not uncommon. Adoptive parents must obtain at least two originals of the court decree. One will be retained by MOWA and one must be submitted to the U.S. Embassy for the visa application. The original submitted to the Embassy will be returned to the parents.
Step Eight- After the adoption is complete, MOWA prepares a request to the city of Addis Ababa for the issuance of a new birth certificate, and a request to the Office of Security, Immigration and Refugee Affairs for an Ethiopian passport for the child in its new name. The U.S. Embassy needs both the new birth certificate and the passport to complete the child's U.S. immigrant visa application process.
Step Nine - The court decree must be translated into English. The original and the translation are submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for authentication. The authentication stamp, seals and signature are placed on the back of the translation. If the adoption contract was made in Amharic, it too must be translated into English and the original translation authenticated by MOFA.
Families can travel to Ethiopia for their consulate appointment and pick up their children after the above steps have been completed.
As I read and re(read) this I get more and more discouraged. I know that the Lord has the timing in His hands. I know His timing is best. This ride just seems to keep going and going (and to be honest, I'm excited for the time when we come around and see the end where we get off... with our son mind you!) It just appears that this ride keeps on going.
My struggle is that we were told to expect 14 to 20 months from application acceptance to placement. We were accepted in January of 2007. At the latest that puts us in October. As we read, and as the dates drag on. And as our agency keeps telling us to expect a little more time, and a little more time, it just kinda takes some of the wind out of your sails.
God is still good. We still have MUCH faith in our agency. We have much faith in the process and are still excited about the process...IT JUST SEEMS TO TAKE FOREVER, AND SEEMS TO RIP ONE'S HEART OUT THE LONGER ONE WAITS!
I eagerly await the waiting for a biological child. For at least we know that we'll have him, or know her, or be able to bring them home at 9 months. This whole, "we're getting close, only to add another month" or more just stinks.
God is good. And in that knowledge I'll close for the evening!
After Dossier Submission
1. Dossier is taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Authentication
2. Dossier is Translated into Amharic
3. A copy of the Dossier is submitted to the AW Partner Orphanages
4. When a child has been identified our representatives go to KC to pick up the child and all the necessary paperwork (profile or police report)
5. The Child is taken to a medical
6. All the documents are translated into English
7. The Translated referral document is then sent to our office in the US where a referral call will be made to the family.
After Referral
Step One Upon acceptance of the referral, a Contract of Adoption is signed between the child's legal guardian (the Orphanage) and the adoptive parent(s), or the agency representative (Girmachew). If the legal guardian is also the agency that is processing the adoption, another licensed orphanage can sign on behalf of the child. This contract is the basis for the issuance of the adoption decree, which shows that the guardian or the orphanage has relinquished their parental or guardian right in regard to the adopted child. The contract must be taken to the Inland Revenue Administration office to be stamped. There is a nominal fee.
Step Two- The parents' dossier is submitted to MOWA (ministry of women's affairs) . MOWA will then affix a summary sheet, on which will be noted items such as court decisions, background data on the adopted child or children, and the names of Adoption Committee members who will complete the form at a later date (see below). At this point, for private adoptions only, MOWA usually asks the U.S. Embassy to provide a letter of support for the adoptive parents.
Step Three- MOWA submits the parents' dossier to the Adoption Committee for review and approval to adopt. The Adoption Committee meets periodically, sometimes as often as every week, to review cases. The Committee either approves or rejects the prospective adoptive parent(s), based on Ethiopian guidelines for international adoptions. Given the volume of work before the Committee, it can take weeks before the Committee reviews a dossier. Further investigation into the parents' qualifications is done if deemed necessary, and a recommendation is made. Only if all the members of the committee agree, and sign the recommendation, is the request approved.
Step Four - Once the Committee has approved the parents' dossier, MOWA opens a file at the Federal First Instance Court to apply for an appointment date for the adoption hearing. The court date could be one to two months from the date of filing.
Step Five - CYAO opens a file at the Federal First Instance Court to apply for an appointment date for the adoption hearing. The court date could be one to two months from the date of filing. The Court generally is closed between three and twelve weeks between July and October. The dates change every year.
Step Six - A notice seeking any other claimants to the child is published in the local press stating the child's name and the name of the adopting parents. Anyone opposed to the adoption is requested to appear at MOWA by a certain date and time.
Step Seven- When the appointed court date arrives, the prospective parents or their agency's local representative will be asked to appear in court. Final decisions can be handed down quickly, but delays of weeks are not uncommon. Adoptive parents must obtain at least two originals of the court decree. One will be retained by MOWA and one must be submitted to the U.S. Embassy for the visa application. The original submitted to the Embassy will be returned to the parents.
Step Eight- After the adoption is complete, MOWA prepares a request to the city of Addis Ababa for the issuance of a new birth certificate, and a request to the Office of Security, Immigration and Refugee Affairs for an Ethiopian passport for the child in its new name. The U.S. Embassy needs both the new birth certificate and the passport to complete the child's U.S. immigrant visa application process.
Step Nine - The court decree must be translated into English. The original and the translation are submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for authentication. The authentication stamp, seals and signature are placed on the back of the translation. If the adoption contract was made in Amharic, it too must be translated into English and the original translation authenticated by MOFA.
Families can travel to Ethiopia for their consulate appointment and pick up their children after the above steps have been completed.
As I read and re(read) this I get more and more discouraged. I know that the Lord has the timing in His hands. I know His timing is best. This ride just seems to keep going and going (and to be honest, I'm excited for the time when we come around and see the end where we get off... with our son mind you!) It just appears that this ride keeps on going.
My struggle is that we were told to expect 14 to 20 months from application acceptance to placement. We were accepted in January of 2007. At the latest that puts us in October. As we read, and as the dates drag on. And as our agency keeps telling us to expect a little more time, and a little more time, it just kinda takes some of the wind out of your sails.
God is still good. We still have MUCH faith in our agency. We have much faith in the process and are still excited about the process...IT JUST SEEMS TO TAKE FOREVER, AND SEEMS TO RIP ONE'S HEART OUT THE LONGER ONE WAITS!
I eagerly await the waiting for a biological child. For at least we know that we'll have him, or know her, or be able to bring them home at 9 months. This whole, "we're getting close, only to add another month" or more just stinks.
God is good. And in that knowledge I'll close for the evening!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
The Human Petri Dish
Kathee and I had our appointment yesterday at Passport Health. This is a clinic in Moline that specializes in overseas travel and is licensed to get us the shots and whatnot we need for traveling to Moldova and Ethiopia. So both of us went in, with all the shots I need for Moldova also being needed for Ethiopia. It turns out that Ethiopia has a lot more medical concerns than Moldova, which I suppose isn't a big shocker.
So we got shots for Meningitis, Yellow Fever, Polio, are taking pills for Typhoid, and will be taking pills for Malaria. I was also prescribed pills for diarrhea to be used, and given one refill, in case I get it in Moldova, then I can re-up it for Ethiopia.
We already have Hep A and B from India (and anything else we needed for India). So pretty much, we've had it all. However, we were told about a doctor that is going to Uganda to do medical work and was told "he has been given pretty much everything known to man."
One funny interaction we had was when the lady told us, there's two places in the world I'd never go (due to the diseases), one is Uganda, the other is the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was a bit interested to find Kathee had lived there for 2 years!
Anyway, so we should be set and ready to go to Ethiopia now, and I have more than enough for Moldova this month!
It was a neat realization yesterday that our going to Ethiopia is a coming reality. It's not just an abstract thought anymore. As she was telling us about the elevation (and which mosquitos live at which elevation), the diseases, etc, it became much more exciting... WE ARE GOING TO ETHIOPIA!!! Now, if only we had a date in which we know we are traveling. However, I'll take what I can get, as I'm now getting my mind around the thought that Addis Ababa is in our sights! How fun to think about!!!
So we got shots for Meningitis, Yellow Fever, Polio, are taking pills for Typhoid, and will be taking pills for Malaria. I was also prescribed pills for diarrhea to be used, and given one refill, in case I get it in Moldova, then I can re-up it for Ethiopia.
We already have Hep A and B from India (and anything else we needed for India). So pretty much, we've had it all. However, we were told about a doctor that is going to Uganda to do medical work and was told "he has been given pretty much everything known to man."
One funny interaction we had was when the lady told us, there's two places in the world I'd never go (due to the diseases), one is Uganda, the other is the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was a bit interested to find Kathee had lived there for 2 years!
Anyway, so we should be set and ready to go to Ethiopia now, and I have more than enough for Moldova this month!
It was a neat realization yesterday that our going to Ethiopia is a coming reality. It's not just an abstract thought anymore. As she was telling us about the elevation (and which mosquitos live at which elevation), the diseases, etc, it became much more exciting... WE ARE GOING TO ETHIOPIA!!! Now, if only we had a date in which we know we are traveling. However, I'll take what I can get, as I'm now getting my mind around the thought that Addis Ababa is in our sights! How fun to think about!!!
Friday, June 6, 2008
The Almost Referral
Yesterday I was out mowing to get ready for all the kids to come over for our Thursday night dinner and Bible study. Kathee came out holding a post-card sized sheet of paper that was left by the mailman. It said we had a certified, large package that he tried to deliver, but because we weren't home at the time, we could pick it up Friday after 9:00am at the post office. We just knew it was the referral. We were told to expect it in June (even though it was 15 days early). We assume it will be sent certified. And certainly it will be large, right? So I asked Kathee to call the post office and try to find out where our postman is so we can find him. After the call, they said they couldn't tell us, and that if we tried to find him, it would be his disgression if he gave us the package or not. So, in excitement, I asked Kathee to jump in the car and try to find him. We kinda know the general route of our postman, so Kathee started searching and found him within about 10 minutes. He gave her the package.
Upon opening it, it was the returned check and paper we sent to the United States Customs and Immigration Service.
Quick aside for some background information. Our fingerprints with the USCIS are only good for like 15 months. So, they will be good through July. So Kathee started the remittance process, as once USCIS gets our money, they give us a date that we have to go to Chicago or St Louis to get fingerprinted. So now that my blood pressure (right now as I write) is going through the roof, let me tell you why they returned it to us. They returned it because we had the check written out to USCIS and not United States Customs and Immigration Service. Why does that madden me? Because the first time we sent the check (last year) we filled it out to USCIS and it worked fine. Now, we do the same thing and they return it saying we filled out the check incorrectly. Ahh the continued joys of working with government bureaucracy! Anywhoo, so that was our surprise excitement! We were all geared up for the referral, only to find we got a slap on the wrist over what seems to be legalism at its finest!
We continue to wait in patience, expectation, and excitement!
Have a great weekend!
Upon opening it, it was the returned check and paper we sent to the United States Customs and Immigration Service.
Quick aside for some background information. Our fingerprints with the USCIS are only good for like 15 months. So, they will be good through July. So Kathee started the remittance process, as once USCIS gets our money, they give us a date that we have to go to Chicago or St Louis to get fingerprinted. So now that my blood pressure (right now as I write) is going through the roof, let me tell you why they returned it to us. They returned it because we had the check written out to USCIS and not United States Customs and Immigration Service. Why does that madden me? Because the first time we sent the check (last year) we filled it out to USCIS and it worked fine. Now, we do the same thing and they return it saying we filled out the check incorrectly. Ahh the continued joys of working with government bureaucracy! Anywhoo, so that was our surprise excitement! We were all geared up for the referral, only to find we got a slap on the wrist over what seems to be legalism at its finest!
We continue to wait in patience, expectation, and excitement!
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Foster Parent Re-licensing is Good To Go!
Well, today our social worker met with us to relicense us as foster parents. It was a pretty simple meeting, taking about a half hour to forty-five minutes. She had to reask us a bunch of questions (do you have smoke detectors on all floors, you will promise to feed, clothe, and care for a child placed in your home, etc?). Aside from that, we were able to ask her a bunch of questions we have (which doctor should we send the medical health report of the referral to to have him/her give the okay? what things should we ask the pediatrician when we interview him this week to determine if he'll be the kids' doctor? How do we go about the readoption process once we get him home from Ethiopia (the adoption will be finalized in Ethiopia, but many/most families also have the adoption re-legalized in the States)?
The other thing I asked that totally stumped her was why Kathee and I need to be re-fingerprinted for the United States Customs and Immigration Service. Here's the complete stupidity of the situation. Our fingerprints with the USCIS are good for like 15 months. So they will need to be re-upped by August. Here's the question, as my fingerprints haven't changed in a year, why do I need to drive all the way to Naperville, IL (2.5 hours from here)? Why can't we just pay the money and have them re-search both of us to make sure we haven't committed any crimes in the last 15 months? See what I'm saying? It's not that I don't understand why they have to re-search us, which is fine to make sure we are still "clean," but why do they need to redo the fingerprints themselves...THEY DON'T CHANGE?!!!
Anyway, just more joys of dealing with government bureaucracy!
Oh, and I just thought of this. Some of you may be wondering why we need relicensing in the first place, and wondering why we are foster parents. We have been licensed to be foster parents in case the adoption isn't finalized in Ethiopia. He would come home with us, and would fall under the "foster child" title until the adoption were to be finalized, which couldn't then legally happen until 6 months after he came to live with us. So there you have that.
The other thing I asked that totally stumped her was why Kathee and I need to be re-fingerprinted for the United States Customs and Immigration Service. Here's the complete stupidity of the situation. Our fingerprints with the USCIS are good for like 15 months. So they will need to be re-upped by August. Here's the question, as my fingerprints haven't changed in a year, why do I need to drive all the way to Naperville, IL (2.5 hours from here)? Why can't we just pay the money and have them re-search both of us to make sure we haven't committed any crimes in the last 15 months? See what I'm saying? It's not that I don't understand why they have to re-search us, which is fine to make sure we are still "clean," but why do they need to redo the fingerprints themselves...THEY DON'T CHANGE?!!!
Anyway, just more joys of dealing with government bureaucracy!
Oh, and I just thought of this. Some of you may be wondering why we need relicensing in the first place, and wondering why we are foster parents. We have been licensed to be foster parents in case the adoption isn't finalized in Ethiopia. He would come home with us, and would fall under the "foster child" title until the adoption were to be finalized, which couldn't then legally happen until 6 months after he came to live with us. So there you have that.
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