Update on Families in Nepal

(Cindy, thank you for the reminder that I needed to do an update!)

****Update: Got an email from our agency just now saying the two families from our agency who were in Nepal are now home with their little girls, and they reported no serious issues. They had to be there an extra week because of the shutdown, but I don't know what the total time was that they were there.


I don't have an update on the families from our agency who were in Nepal, but the one family whose blog I was following came home yesterday with their little boy. They were there about three and a half weeks. Not ideal, but not horrible considering there was a big shutdown while they were there. It seems as if there were no major snags in the process- that's huge!

Beyond all of the cost associated with a long trip, I try to prevent myself from spending too much time wondering whether we can be away from Lily for that long. It is borrowing tomorrow's worries, and we have no way of knowing how different the process will be when it's finally our turn. As of right now it doesn't look like  a great idea to take Lily, but the thought of being away from her for that long makes me want to throw up. I know she'd be fine with her grandparents (by the way G&G and N&N, can you take care of her??) but I'm not sure I would. We know families who have taken their children and left them, and we know there are pros and cons both ways. Right now all I see are the cons to both ways...

Anyway, praise God for protecting the adopting families in Nepal and for placing these precious orphans in families!

pray for the families in Nepal now

There are families in Nepal now, including two from our agency, and they need a lot of prayer. There is a huge protest going on, and the Maoist protesters are intent on a government overthrow. The result is a complete shutdown of the whole city, including the US Embassy. If the Embassy isn't able to work, they aren't able to process visas for the children to come back to the US. Please pray for the Lord to intervene and allow the adoptions to be finalized and visas to be issued so these families can return home with their new children. Also pray for them to be protected against fear or discouragement, and for bonding to take place despite the obstacles.

Finally, Good News!

Just hopped on the Internet to check the recipe for the very special lemon cake I'm making for Easter, and found out that Travel Approvals have FINALLY come for the families who have had referrals since September! This means nothing for us directly, except that the program is moving.

It also means that in my flesh I am tempted to begin to worry that we won't have the money when our referral does arrive, but it's Good Friday so I am asking Jesus to take every worried thought to the cross with Him! It is SIN to forget that the Lord provides for His children, and He took every last sin to the cross. Thank you Lord for willingly being our blameless sacrifice, so that we could have life, and so we could become your children that you will provide for throughout eternity, which began on this very Friday so many years ago.

You can help!

I haven't written much lately because, quite frankly, I have been pretty depressed about the state of Nepali adoptions. Although some new referrals have been received in the past few weeks, there is reason to still be very concerned because travel approvals still have not been issued to the families who received referrals six months ago. Without travel approvals these new referrals, although undoubtedly very exciting for the families receiving them, really don't signify that the process is moving again.

It is a pretty helpless feeling for all of the 500 or so families currently waiting, but there is something we can all do to try to get the attention of the powers that be. Click here to sign a petition urging the authorities in participating countries to help Nepal get back on track so more orphans can be placed in families.

Thank you!

Two bits of news

There are two bits of news coming from official sources today that I may as well report, although I'm still taking them with a grain of salt.

First, Nepal has announced that they will accept the alotted 10 dossiers per agency from April through July of this year.

The timing is interesting in light of what the US Embassy is reporting, that Nepal has told them that they plan to process all 2009 dossiers (that's us) by March of this year. The Embassy adds that they are doubtful that such a large number of matches could be made in such a short period of time, but it proves consistent with the rumors that have been circulating. I'm not sure that makes it any more likely to be true-- an untrue statement that is often repeated is still not true. However, I would be happy if they even started back on the 2009 matches in March and finished them by the following March. So my expectations are rather low, but perhaps more realistic.

I have resisted the temptation to even predict when our referral will arrive, mostly based upon the fact that there is practically zero data on which to base a prediction (unlike China where there were at least monthly referrals that could be counted on). But based on this post from our family blog yesterday, I'd say there's a good chance that we will get a referral this summer and be home with Little Bro in the Fall. But please realize that is based purely on what would be the most ironic timing for me-- not on reality whatsoever, so please don't take it to the bank.

Instead, pray for continued peace and patience and for provision so that we can afford the remaining fees when the blessed event finally does occur. And most of all, please pray that Little Bro is warm, loved and has a full belly while we wait for him.

No news is not good news

Unfortunately in the world of adoption, no news is not necessarily good news. I haven't been posting updates because the rumors don't seem worthy of being reported. Unlike China, news does leak out, but it doesn't seem to ever pan out. There have been rumors reasonable enough to believe, like that the ministry would be meeting "next week" to approve travel for families with referrals (who have been waiting since September-- talk about torture) and as ridiculous as "all 2009 families will get referrals by March." There's about as much chance as that happening as a speed up in China.

So, we wait. Thankfully, it has been a patient wait thus far, and I'm expectantly asking God for that to continue.

I'm also praying that God will use this wait time to allow us to foster a Haitian orphan. I have no idea if it will pan out, but there's talk of this being permitted since the situation is so dire in Haiti. How cool would it be for God to turn the many empty homes (and hearts) of waiting families into places of refuge for otherwise homeless and hopeless orphans?? I'm thankful that the world's attention seems to be focused on the many orphans in Haiti, and I already know of at least one family who has decided to adopt because of it. Lord, let the sense of urgency to place the world's orphans in families extend beyond this crisis!

Lily named her little brother

Kyle: Lily, what is your little brother's name going to be?

Lily: Uncle Paul.

Kyle: That's right, he's from Nepal, but what should his name be?

Lily: Tow truck.

I'm thinking it may have something to do with the fact that she loves Ca*rs characters lately (she's wearing "Lightening Mr. Queen" jammies as we speak).

Grandy thinks it will be a good name for a lineman. "That masterful block by Tow Truck Harrell opened up a hole for Canady to score, and now the Niners lead the Cowboys 49- 0."