This is the time of August that we were dreaming we would be taking our first trip to Ethiopia to meet our kids. The courts are closing any day now, which means that there is no way for us to travel until it re-opens sometime in October. Even if they stayed open, though, we wouldn't be able to travel because of a stall on both the US Embassy side and Ethiopia side.
On the US side, we are required to go through something called the PAIR process. I'm sure I've mentioned it several times before. It's basically the US government evaluating all the paperwork, conducting an interview of either a birth parent or the person who found an orphaned child, and granting a PAIR letter to move forward with the adoption. Since this process is new as of September, many people have experienced bumps along the way with average time frame of 4-5 months to be completed. We have experienced 10 foot deep potholes and mountains trying to get through this. It seems like if something could go wrong, it does.
For example, when our paperwork was supposedly ready to be sent from the US office to the Embassy in Ethiopia (they scan it in the computer, so it's fairly quick), I was told it was being sent on a Thursday. Come to find out, the employee who told me that left the office permanently on the following day and left our paperwork in a pile, waiting for the next person. It sat there for almost two weeks before we figured out where it was. Then, once we found it and had a new officer assigned, she informed us that we were missing a document. The previous employee had made a mistake. So, for a simple task of our paperwork being sent to the Embassy, (15 minute job) it took almost three weeks.
We are almost to six months now, with no PAIR letter, and waiting for an interview to be scheduled.
Things like this have continued to happen over and over again and it's almost driving me crazy.
On the Ethiopian side, apparently our agency is having to re-do most of our paper work in order to have it meet a certain requirement for the Regional Head. She still refuses to sign for our kids, even though we really do have everything thoroughly documented and turned in. This KILLS me. Our kids have been in an orphanage for over a year of their life now and will continue to be probably for a total of at least 18 months, because of one signature.
One signature. It's ridiculous.
At this point, we have no idea of when PAIR will be completed. We have no idea of when the documents will be updated and ready and we have no idea of when/if this regional head will ever actually sign the paperwork for our kids. There is an overwhelming uncertainty as we think about, pray for, and love two little faces across the world.
As I've said probably in every other post, the only thing that encourages us and keeps us hopeful is our trust in God. We know he has a plan for our family. It makes ZERO sense to us, but we know he is faithful and we believe he comforts the hearts of our kids in Ethiopia.
We would appreciate prayers and we continue this process. We've given up praying on specifics because specifically, almost every aspect needs prayer. At this point, we are just praying for a miracle.
Kam, our family has continued to pray for your little ones and for God's plan to unfold in perfect timing. I certainly can't imagine why He has allowed this to move along at such a slow pace, but join you in trusting that He is sovereign over *everything*—even a single signature. Love you so much.
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