Finally, I feel like we are getting somewhere! It is so exciting to know that our paperwork (Dossier) will be received in Joshua's country sometime this week, and all the documents will then be translated into his country's native language and registered in Joshua's region of that country. Although it seemed to take forever to bring us to this point, I know that the timing is all in God's hands, and I am choosing to trust Him in all things. It won't be too long now before we get our dates for our first trip to meet our precious Joshua!
I thought that I would take some time to give you a little peek into this adoption process. Every country has different rules and requirements, and a different process. For Joshua's adoption, things are way different than our experience of adopting Valerie from Hong Kong. But no matter what country, International Adoption is not for the faint of heart! It is a long, grueling process that is every bit as emotionally draining as it is financially exhausting.
International Adoption involves stacks of paperwork and red tape, multiple finger-printings by the police and the FBI. We have gotten to know several local notaries on a first-name basis. We have gone through several interviews with our Social Worker where have discussed basically everything we ever did, said, or thought about! (At least that is how it feels!) We have had to make detailed lists of finical assets and liabilities to prove that we can adequately care for an adopted child and that we are financially stable. The paperwork and forms that need to be filled out seem to be never-ending. We have to receive 30 hours of training classes, which we are doing on-line.
Sometimes in the middle of all of this, we stop and say, "Why are we doing all this? It is so inconvenient. It is so hard. It is so exhausting. It is so expensive." But then when we look at Joshua's sweet face, we know that it will all be worth it, so we press onward toward the prize. We know that we are following where God is leading us, and we find peace and rest in knowing that we are obeying His calling in our lives.
So here we are, with our Dossier en route to Joshua's country! This week we also sent in our I-600A application, which is basically seeking approval for Joshua to immigrate to our country, where he will be a US citizen once the adoption is finalized in his country. What do we still have to do?
* Our Dossier has to be translated
* Our Dossier will be registered in Joshua's region of his country
* The country may ask for additional documents (pray that they won't!)
* Make our 1st trip to meet Joshua and formally accept his referral
* Get appointment for FBI finger-printing for the I-600A
* Get I-600A approval
* Wait for court date in Joshua's country (usually 2-3 months after 1st trip)
* Make our 2nd trip to Joshua's country for court
* Wait for 30 days after court, for court documents to be released (back in the US)
* Return to Joshua's country after the 30 day wait, get his US passport and visa
* Bring Joshua HOME!
Please pray for us and with us as we work hard toward bringing Joshua home! And please pray for Joshua, for his health, safety and protection--that he would know that he is loved!
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We are also adopting from Joshua's country... a little behind y'all and it's neat to hear your experiences. I was shaking my head "YES" while reading- "this is not easy, exhausting, etc...but then you look at his picture". That's how I feel. Our son's picture is close to the computer and many times I have to look up at it and think....it'll be worth it in the end. Good luck! I can't wait for your first trip. I'm hoping I'll see some updated pictures of my son while you're there! :)
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