Solomon is almost home. Not yet. But soon.
As you may remember, we had court on March 12 and were waiting to receive the Adoption Order from court that proved the Judge's ruling in our favor, making Solomon a Cain forever! We were told that it takes about 14 business days to receive this document.
Well, welcome to Africa. About 40 business days after court, that beautiful piece of paper was finally in our hands. Part of the delay was because of a spelling error so the whole document had to be resubmitted. The team in Ghana works so hard to retrieve documents in a timely fashion, but it just.takes.time. Power outages and unreliable technology don't help. But guess what? God was faithful - the Adoption Order is in our possession! WOOHOO!
Having this piece of paper means a little bit more right now because the adoptive process is changing dramatically in Ghana right now. In short, since September 2012, the new Minister of Social Welfare in Ghana has been trying to "clean up" or reform the adoptive process to ensure ethical practices. So much easier said than done - especially in African countries where the government is not a particularly strong entity in general. Her efforts have resulted in the US Department of State issuing this
statement:
Alert: Government of Ghana Suspends Intercountry Adoptions
The Government of Ghana has temporarily suspended processing of all adoption cases, including intercountry adoptions, pending Ghana’s review of its current adoption procedures. The U.S. Embassy in Accra is seeking further clarification of the scope and duration of this temporary suspension by the Government of Ghana and how this suspension may effect pending adoptions. The U.S. Embassy will continue processing adoption cases already approved by Ghanaian authorities.
*sigh* These types of road blocks and setbacks are heart wrenching because they essentially mean children stay orphans longer.
But here's the good news: after a conference call with our agency this morning, it does not seem as though this alert will affect us and our ability to bring Solomon home. SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR. Regardless, however, would you pray for the many other families trying to adopt from Ghana and the tricky waters they currently have to navigate???
Where are we now? What's next? And the one everyone wants to know: When is Solomon coming home?
1. Where are we now?
The beginning of the end. Really.
These are the last steps to bring Solomon home. Last Friday, we mailed off all the paperwork for our I600 approval. This is point where the US steps in and determines whether Solomon is, in fact, an "orphan" according to their standards. The I600 will allow us to receive a US Visa for Solomon so that when we land on US soil and go through US customs, he will automatically become a US citizen.
2. What's next?
Everything on our end is done. We mailed off the I600 forms and will just need to wait until the US Immigration Office either approves our visa application or requests further documentation to prove Solomon's orphan status. Furthermore, we already mailed off all the documents needed by the US Embassy in Ghana to actually print Solomon's visa.
The team in Ghana is currently working to secure Solomon's Ghanaian passport. First, they need to receive a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra that grants them permission to apply for the passport. Then, they can actually apply for the passport. Since we already have Solomon's new birth certificate (YAHOO!), we are very hopeful that the team in Ghana will be able to round-up Solomon's passport without incident.
If all goes to plan (please God!), we will hear some sort of response (hopefully an approval!) from US Immigration by the end of May. We will then schedule for the team in Ghana to pick up the medical forms from the US Embassy in Ghana and the final "interview" about a week later. Interviews are always on Mondays or Tuesdays and visas print on Fridays.
3. When is Solomon coming home?
See? We are close to end. But there are still a few steps for which we only have tentative timelines. Our prayer is that we can have speedy I600 approval by the end of May/beginning of June. If so, we *should* be able to bring Solomon home about two to three weeks later. Best case would be a home coming trip by the end of June. AAAAAHHH!
Some other questions you may be asking:
*What can we do now?
Pray.
"Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." I Thessalonians 5:17-18
*Do you need any more travel funds?
NO! You all helped us max out our matching grant with LifeSong for Orphans (*high fives all around*) and we have been able to stash away some extra bills during the last two months. Although plane tickets are significantly more expensive during the summer months, we estimate that we will have enough to cover our final trip to Ghana.
*Can we help in any other ways?
Always. The orphan problem is such much bigger than just our little family. If you are interested in donating to help other families in the adoption process or helping to sponsor a child for school, please ask us. We can connect you with people that are making big strides to revolutionize the lives of children in need.
If you feel lead, you can also give money to us to spend on donations for the orphanage in Accra where Solomon has been living. We hope to buy a large quantity of baby formula and diapers to give the Head Mistress. In an effort to stimulate the Ghanaian economy and cut down on shipping costs, we plan to purchase these donations in Accra during our final trip.
"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
This journey has been a GOOD path to walk....God has taught us so much about ourselves and opened our eyes and hearts that He could not have done any other way. We praise Him for the good work He is doing in us, in Solomon, in Ghana, and in YOU as you walk alongside us.
"From the beginning to the end, I can trust you!"
