I got a call...

Today has been an emotional roller coaster. As the last bell rang, I heard my cell phone ring. I could not answer it, so I let it go to voice mail, thinking it was Matt or something and I could call him back after dismissal. Once the kids were out the door, I checked my voicemail without looking at the number, hearing "This is E from AWAA, we're going to expedite your dossier, there have been some changes, call me back." My heart did a back flip! The agency called US in the middle of the day? EXPEDITE the dossier? What does that mean??

I called her back and of course, got her voice mail, don't you love phone tag? I left her a message to say I got her message and could be reached on my cell phone. I had a meeting after school, and just as I sat down, my phone rang! I ran out of the room thinking, ok, maybe there are all these children waiting for homes and they need families ASAP, so they are rushing dossiers over to match with them!

The sweet voice on the other end was so up beat and pleasant. She told me then that Rwanda is in the process of becoming Hague compliant. That means they want to set up their adoption system so that it follows all the international adoption guidelines.

This is great for the kids. It helps to prevent things like child trafficking and mandates that adoptive parents go through training and such. For us, it's nothing new, as our agency follows all the Hague rules already and we already had to do all that. but there are lots of people who adopt from Rwanda independently, without an agency's help. This lowers some costs, but is definately not for the faint of heart!

Anyway, while they are going through this certification process, they are going to stop accepting any new dossiers. E made it sound as though they are going to continue to process the dossiers they already have. Here is where we stand...on the EDGE. Our dossier has spent the last 3 weeks in DC being authenticated by the Rwanda embassy. This can take as long as 4 weeks. It may or may not be completely done at this point.

Our wonderful agency is sending someone tomorrow to go check on it. If it is not done, it will be expedited (still not sure what all that means.) Then she will send it via Fed Ex to Rwanda. They MIGHT accept it and add it to the pile.

PRAY!!! That tomorrow, when it is checked, it will be found complete! Then, that it will travel safely to Rwanda. That it will arrive in Rwanda to welcoming hands who will log it in and add it to the pile to be processed BEFORE they stop accepting any new dossiers.

I feel almost selfish. I have gotten to know some very wonderful families who are just behind us in the process, who will now have to wait until Rwanda re-opens, or make some hard decisions on what to do next. We might very well be among them. Only God knows the next step for any of us. HE is in complete control. HE knows the desire of our hearts and HE will do the work for our good and HIS glory. Praise be to MY GOD! My rock and my redeemer!