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Child in a Paper Pile

Week 25 Waiting for news just came to a close and here is what we know:   

I have to say that I am very frustrated today, yesterday, and well, it's just a bubble of anger that has been brewing since we've heard rumors.  Yesterday the news was confirmed and so this pot is just boiling over.  It happens.

Let me give you some background information on the adoption process first.  After our six months of diligently working to get all of our appointments complete, interviews, doctor reviews, papers signed, meetings, notarized letters, State sealed, government approved, etc. etc. our grand 'dossier' (collection of papers and approvals) are complete with the US and are now registered in Ethiopia to be processed there.

In Ethiopia the organization that is similar to our Social Services and child protective services is called MOWA.  MOWA stands for Ministry of Women's Affairs and they oversee the care of the children in Ethiopia. They are responsible for everything from the investigation of the children's background and history so that the children are available for international adoption to the accreditation of orphanages and agencies.  

About 2 months ago it was reported to us by our agency that MOWCYA had near 50 cases for children available for adoption that they were ready to process.  As you can imagine we and the adoption groups of waiting families were all up and excited for the potential processing of these cases.  Time has past and rumors have flied about when MOWCYA is going to move forward for nothing has moved and very, very few referrals have been made to families. 

We just got news yesterday that MOWCYA hasn't moved on these cases and in fact doesn't have any eager intentions of moving the children forward in their adoption process.  Instead, they are 'busy' on a "grassroots agenda" (whatever that means) and the children are on hold.  Ok, so they didn't say "the children are on hold" but I DID! That is what it comes down to: Children, at least 50 of them, are in an orphanage already abandoned, already alone and confused, waiting, waiting, and waiting for a family to love them and help them get these shattered pieces of their life back together.   What??   How can one let hurting children sit on a desk??  

I wish that is what MOWCYA's desks looked like- little children sitting on it, swinging their dusty bare feet off the edge, the older children holding the babies, big brown eyes glaring innocent messages of "could you find me a mommy and daddy"- 50 of them!  Instead of seeing a pile of papers, file folders, and a work load that can be saved until after another agenda goes through, they would see little hearts and crushed spirits longing for love- the forever kind.  

I understand that adoptions take time.  I understand that many jumps from desks to desks and paper piles are in place for the safety and protection of the children.  I commend this and absolutely want safe and ethical adoptions, but when the news is shared that other agendas are taking time and attention away from the children's cases- that is not cool with this mamma.  It has nothing to do with ethical laws and hoops, it has everything to do with priority to the children and their well-being. An orphanage is no place to be raised and no child should be there more then necessity be.

Now if you have visited here before I hope you have seen that we can be patient when patience is due.  We are in this for the long haul no matter how long that is.  That's ok.  That's what our family devoted to do. We remind ourselves daily that God is in control, He's got this, He can do amazing and mighty things, and His timing is the best timing!  All very true statements and we hold tight to these promises.  At the same time, when an injustice is being done and children are the ones suffering from the lack of 'processing papers' well, then I've got an edge of a righteous anger and a 'Mama Bear' fight stirring in my soul! 

You see, that's our children sitting on that desk.  Every week that passes and every month that they aren't home is another month lost.  For the love they could know, for the family they could have, for the health and safety they could experience, for the growth and mental development stages that are critical in those early young minds.  All the "could be" and "could have" if only these papers would go through.  Needless to say at this point in the post, it's frustrating news.   

 


Please keep the orphaned children in your prayers and fervently pray for movement with MOWCYA and other paper jams that are holding up their placement with families.  Pray for the waiting children and that their spirit of hope will not dwindle as more and more time passes them over.  

We are so very thankful for you, for your prayers, and for you opening your heart to understand these stages of adoption with us.  The good and the bad. We are in this together and will celebrate together when the kids are finally home!! 

For more understanding of this rising issue of children being "STUCK" in the red tape of adoptions visit: Both Ends Burning 



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