Click here to read about it and see the pictures.
Click here to read about Renald and see his pictures.
Tara is running a marathon in support of this miracle...Click here to help. Be the miracle.
Showing posts with label miracle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miracle. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Thanks for praying, please keep praying!
For Jefferson.
He got the medicine that he needs.
Now we wait and see if it works, if it's the right (specific) medicine that he needs.
Please pray that it is, that it works and that there is full and complete healing and restoration.
Pray for his emotional comfort and for his parents and care-givers.
Thanks so much!
Prayer works.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Pray!
His name is Jefferson.
He needs medical attention.
He NEEDS prayer.
God knows the details.
Pray for this precious boy, please.
Thank you.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
My heart is going to burst....good news in Haitian Adoptions
My heart is going to burst with joy, and in a good way......
:-)
Click on the names to read the good news.
I'm so happy for these families. And I'm aware of a few others that have had movement in their files this week. I think the last time I did a quick count, there are about 8 children in the end stages....almost home to their forever families at the orphanage where the boys are........The two families above account for 5 children.
Praise God.
I'm so excited.
God is faithful.
God is great.
Movement in the Haitian adoption process.
WOOHOO!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Miracles do happen.
Pictures from my most recent (and all previous) trips are up on my facebook page.
I want to tell you what happened on the day that I came home from Haiti.
To me, it is more evidence that God exists. That God cares. That God listens and answers prayers. That prayers matter. Those of you who have traveled to Haiti via Miami International will understand this more than those who have not. I know that many of my readers have a relationship with God, and this is not new information for you. Consider it a reminder then. :-) I also know that I have other readers who are skeptical or don't have a relationship with God. At any rate, I just felt I needed to share this story of not just "traveling mercy" as we so often ask for, but of several "traveling miracles".
So our team arrives at the airport in Haiti and as I'm checking in, the ticket agent tells me that our flight out is delayed by about 90 minutes. Okay, that's not unusual.
Then she says I won't make my connection in Miami. So she's looking in the computer, intently, trying to find another flight from Miami to Phoenix. She's looking. She's searching. She's looking. She's frowning. After what seems like an eternity, she informs me that there are no more flights from Miami to Phoenix until 24 hours AFTER the one I'm booked on.
Groan.
I ask her to check other routes, non-direct flights etc. She does, and says, even if I stop in Dallas, there is still nothing the same day.
Groan.
She excuses herself for a moment, ducks into the back room for some unknown reason. While she is gone, I quickly explain to one of my traveling buds-Kristina, what is going on, and say "Please pray!" which both Kristina and I do silently while the ticket agent is gone.
When she returns she says, "well, you might make it. So I will leave it alone, but also put a ticket on hold for this other flight tomorrow." So I figure that her supervisor told her to leave it alone, and let it be Miami's problem once I get there and miss the flight.
But whatever.
So off we go to "hurry up and wait" which is what traveling by air entails. Several hours later, we get on the plane and we're off, about 90 minutes later than scheduled.
This is where the miracles start (in my opinion):
in 59 minutes, exactly:
I make it off the plane, from the rear-almost the very back-row 31.
I get through the first desk for Customs & Immigration. (you know the place with the 20+ lines that usually resembles a mob scene after the long walk from the plane?)
I get to baggage claim.
I get both of my bags, with a little help from my friends.
I get through the 2nd desk/check point for Customs & Immigration.
I get to security screening check point and re-check my 2 bags.
I get upstairs from the baggage claim area and head to terminal D.
I get through security.
I make it all the way to the END of concourse D-to gate D49. Sometimes jogging, sometimes walking briskly. At least 2x stepping right out of my flip flops. And at every bathroom and sandwhich stand, debating if I have time to stop. Needing to stop, somewhat desperately.
Being unable to locate a clock or the current local time, anywhere, I decide it best to keep moving.
As I approach the gate, I hear my name being called over the loudspeaker-and the words "final call for boarding and immediate departure."
I make it to my seat and we leave.
WHEW.
All of this in 59 minutes, exactly.
and, get this.
When I arrive in Phoenix, I tell my hubby that we are most likely going to have to wait til all the bags are unloaded, so that I can file a claim with baggage services.
There is no way, in that mad dash that my 2 checked bags got on the plane.
No way.
But guess what?
They did.
Both of them.
And so, I am reminded that prayer is important and that God is still in the business of miracles.
I was so happy to be home and to reconnect with my hubby. Of course, I am sad and I miss the boys something fierce. And at the same time, it is good to be home. So good.
Thank you to my traveling buds and friends, for your help and prayers. Thank you God for knowing what I needed and allowing it to happen. Thanks also for the gift of being able to travel to spend time with the boys.
Thank you!
I want to tell you what happened on the day that I came home from Haiti.
To me, it is more evidence that God exists. That God cares. That God listens and answers prayers. That prayers matter. Those of you who have traveled to Haiti via Miami International will understand this more than those who have not. I know that many of my readers have a relationship with God, and this is not new information for you. Consider it a reminder then. :-) I also know that I have other readers who are skeptical or don't have a relationship with God. At any rate, I just felt I needed to share this story of not just "traveling mercy" as we so often ask for, but of several "traveling miracles".
So our team arrives at the airport in Haiti and as I'm checking in, the ticket agent tells me that our flight out is delayed by about 90 minutes. Okay, that's not unusual.
Then she says I won't make my connection in Miami. So she's looking in the computer, intently, trying to find another flight from Miami to Phoenix. She's looking. She's searching. She's looking. She's frowning. After what seems like an eternity, she informs me that there are no more flights from Miami to Phoenix until 24 hours AFTER the one I'm booked on.
Groan.
I ask her to check other routes, non-direct flights etc. She does, and says, even if I stop in Dallas, there is still nothing the same day.
Groan.
She excuses herself for a moment, ducks into the back room for some unknown reason. While she is gone, I quickly explain to one of my traveling buds-Kristina, what is going on, and say "Please pray!" which both Kristina and I do silently while the ticket agent is gone.
When she returns she says, "well, you might make it. So I will leave it alone, but also put a ticket on hold for this other flight tomorrow." So I figure that her supervisor told her to leave it alone, and let it be Miami's problem once I get there and miss the flight.
But whatever.
So off we go to "hurry up and wait" which is what traveling by air entails. Several hours later, we get on the plane and we're off, about 90 minutes later than scheduled.
This is where the miracles start (in my opinion):
in 59 minutes, exactly:
I make it off the plane, from the rear-almost the very back-row 31.
I get through the first desk for Customs & Immigration. (you know the place with the 20+ lines that usually resembles a mob scene after the long walk from the plane?)
I get to baggage claim.
I get both of my bags, with a little help from my friends.
I get through the 2nd desk/check point for Customs & Immigration.
I get to security screening check point and re-check my 2 bags.
I get upstairs from the baggage claim area and head to terminal D.
I get through security.
I make it all the way to the END of concourse D-to gate D49. Sometimes jogging, sometimes walking briskly. At least 2x stepping right out of my flip flops. And at every bathroom and sandwhich stand, debating if I have time to stop. Needing to stop, somewhat desperately.
Being unable to locate a clock or the current local time, anywhere, I decide it best to keep moving.
As I approach the gate, I hear my name being called over the loudspeaker-and the words "final call for boarding and immediate departure."
I make it to my seat and we leave.
WHEW.
All of this in 59 minutes, exactly.
and, get this.
When I arrive in Phoenix, I tell my hubby that we are most likely going to have to wait til all the bags are unloaded, so that I can file a claim with baggage services.
There is no way, in that mad dash that my 2 checked bags got on the plane.
No way.
But guess what?
They did.
Both of them.
And so, I am reminded that prayer is important and that God is still in the business of miracles.
I was so happy to be home and to reconnect with my hubby. Of course, I am sad and I miss the boys something fierce. And at the same time, it is good to be home. So good.
Thank you to my traveling buds and friends, for your help and prayers. Thank you God for knowing what I needed and allowing it to happen. Thanks also for the gift of being able to travel to spend time with the boys.
Thank you!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Today's Adventure part deux.....
This is the second part of our most recent Adventure. You can read Part One here.
As soon as I get in the car I pull out the home study because Officer Lovely had asked me if the home study I wanted to drop off had original signatures, I pulled it out and looked at it....DRAT. It does not. I had gotten several copies from our adoption agency, with original signatures, but they all had places to go. I had debated with myself in the morning, before we left the house, between the last original copy or a copy copy. I remember thinking I should take both, just in case. But apparently I made the decision to keep the original and turn in the copy. After all, they do have an original, but they don't know where it is. I place a call to our adoption agency and leave a message explaining the situation and asking for another original or two to be sent to me. I decide to put the copy back in the envelope and say a quick prayer. (we are nearly an hour away from home and the original at this point.) I hope that she can verify with our adoption agency and that the copy will suffice.
So, I mention the name of the street Officer Lovely had told us she was near. My husband sighs and says that is in the direction of the protest march. He is hesitant to go in that direction, but we are SO CLOSE. And we must have this piece of paper. We HAVE TO TRY.
We drive in that direction, and begin to see the protestors....carrying signs, chanting "What do we want?" answer unintelligible; "When do we want it?" Answer unintelligible; and all of that. I'm clear on what issue they were protesting, but I am not clear on what they wanted. I even read several of their signs, and I'm still not sure.
(sidebar: My husband is very interested in history and politics and he has strong opinions on most of the topics of the day. He is what some would call strong willed. I will call him passionate, he is a Scorpio, after all. We don't agree on everything, but we also don't fight about it.)
The focus of the protest is enough to make my husband's blood pressure SOAR. In the past, this day of frustration, obstacles and unexpected changes to plans/errands would have been enough to send either one of us over the edge. (remember, I'm hanging on to sanity by a thin thread.) But not today. We are determined. Focused. And going to do WHATEVER IT TAKES.
Amazingly, I decide not to engage in the rant that is happening in our car and instead nod understandingly while he rants. I figure that it's better to be quiet than to gently remind him that this is America, and people have the freedom of speech and to protest peacefully. Even when we don't agree with their point of view. (proof that God does exist, the fact that I knew enough to keep my mouth shut AND I DID IT.) :-)
Back to the Adoption Adventure.
It looks like we might get to the location where we need to turn left before the long line of people blocks our way. We stop, waiting for the light to change. We might make it. The light changes, we get a green arrow. At that EXACT moment, a police officer on a motorcycle motions to us that we cannot make the left turn and waves us on down the street. (sigh).
So we drive for a while.....and there doesn't seem to be an end of the line in sight. I see a fast food chain on the right-I say to my husband-let's go there, grab a drink and wait it out. It will probably just be a few minutes. He changes lanes and this is what we do. I'm happy because I need to use the bathroom, and I figure getting out of the car will be a good thing. Change of scenery, getting the marchers out of our sight. And besides, I really need to use the bathroom!
We kill 15 minutes, and decide to venture out again. I call Officer Lovely, because she was expecting us in 5. I get her voicemail. (sigh).
So we head back out, and locate the Starbucks. It's a beautiful day in Phoenix and it's close to lunch time, and there was just a protest march. There are people EVERYWHERE. Milling around. Visiting. Eating. Drinking coffee. Smoking. Walking around. Everywhere. People. Everywhere.
I get out of the car and look around for a few minutes. Stand there awkwardly, because I am not sure exactly where Officer Lovely will come from. And, I don't know what she looks like. Hard to find a person when you don't know what they look like. I stood there so long, that a man smoking a cigarette asked me "Are you looking for Immigration?" (what?!?!? how could he know that?!?!) I said "Yes" and he motioned in the direction of the Immigration office. So now, at least, I had a direction to look expectantly in.
After what feels like an eternity, I make eye contact with a woman, and in an instant I KNOW that it is Officer Lovely. She comes up to me, like she knows me (probably that desperate adoptive mom look or smell or vibe or something). I want to give her a hug, but I refrain, because after all, I don't actually know this woman. (Impulse control is a good thing.)
So I hand her the papers, we talk. I ask what happens next. She tells me a bit about the process. She says to me "I THINK I WILL GET TO THIS TODAY." She tells me about the process-sending a letter to me, to the Visa Service Center and to the Consulate. I ask if there is anyway I can pick up my copy, rather than risk the mailing time. She considers this for a moment, and says yes, probably on Monday. Again, the urge to hug (and this time kiss) this woman rises up and again. Seriously, I picture that closing scene from An Officer and a Gentleman, where Richard Gere picks up the love interest (her name escapes me at the moment) in the factory-squeezes her, spins her, and carries her away. Fortunately, I am still on the sane side of things, by thin line, but still, I AM on the sane side.....and that being true, I resist the urge. I have impulse control. I'm pleased with that fact! We talk a few moments longer, and I thank her profusely. And then we are off, on our way.
Blown away.
Blown.
Away.
Wow.
Especially since we all know that stereotypes have some basis in reality. Officer Lovely has blown away the stereotype of the government worker. And I know this stereotypical government worker exists, because we've had the opportunity to meet her and work with her twice at the local DMV office. Not once, but twice. I'm not going to go into details of our interactions with her, but suffice it to say she is the stereotype to the 'T'. (my apologies to any readers who are or have been government workers).
We enjoy a nice lunch and do some other errands and shopping. We are so pleased and pleasantly surprised by all that transpired. We don't really even think of all the distractions and obstacles. We feel hopeful. We are blown away by God's hand in this-all the details. The fact that Officer Lovely called Friday night. That she was working on Saturday. That she was helpful and willing to come downstairs to meet us (she came down a total of 3 times, while we waited for the protest to be over.) That she explained the process and was just so danged nice. caring. friendly. warm.
The Adventure continues.....
Go to Part One
Go to Part Three
As soon as I get in the car I pull out the home study because Officer Lovely had asked me if the home study I wanted to drop off had original signatures, I pulled it out and looked at it....DRAT. It does not. I had gotten several copies from our adoption agency, with original signatures, but they all had places to go. I had debated with myself in the morning, before we left the house, between the last original copy or a copy copy. I remember thinking I should take both, just in case. But apparently I made the decision to keep the original and turn in the copy. After all, they do have an original, but they don't know where it is. I place a call to our adoption agency and leave a message explaining the situation and asking for another original or two to be sent to me. I decide to put the copy back in the envelope and say a quick prayer. (we are nearly an hour away from home and the original at this point.) I hope that she can verify with our adoption agency and that the copy will suffice.
So, I mention the name of the street Officer Lovely had told us she was near. My husband sighs and says that is in the direction of the protest march. He is hesitant to go in that direction, but we are SO CLOSE. And we must have this piece of paper. We HAVE TO TRY.
We drive in that direction, and begin to see the protestors....carrying signs, chanting "What do we want?" answer unintelligible; "When do we want it?" Answer unintelligible; and all of that. I'm clear on what issue they were protesting, but I am not clear on what they wanted. I even read several of their signs, and I'm still not sure.
(sidebar: My husband is very interested in history and politics and he has strong opinions on most of the topics of the day. He is what some would call strong willed. I will call him passionate, he is a Scorpio, after all. We don't agree on everything, but we also don't fight about it.)
The focus of the protest is enough to make my husband's blood pressure SOAR. In the past, this day of frustration, obstacles and unexpected changes to plans/errands would have been enough to send either one of us over the edge. (remember, I'm hanging on to sanity by a thin thread.) But not today. We are determined. Focused. And going to do WHATEVER IT TAKES.
Amazingly, I decide not to engage in the rant that is happening in our car and instead nod understandingly while he rants. I figure that it's better to be quiet than to gently remind him that this is America, and people have the freedom of speech and to protest peacefully. Even when we don't agree with their point of view. (proof that God does exist, the fact that I knew enough to keep my mouth shut AND I DID IT.) :-)
Back to the Adoption Adventure.
It looks like we might get to the location where we need to turn left before the long line of people blocks our way. We stop, waiting for the light to change. We might make it. The light changes, we get a green arrow. At that EXACT moment, a police officer on a motorcycle motions to us that we cannot make the left turn and waves us on down the street. (sigh).
So we drive for a while.....and there doesn't seem to be an end of the line in sight. I see a fast food chain on the right-I say to my husband-let's go there, grab a drink and wait it out. It will probably just be a few minutes. He changes lanes and this is what we do. I'm happy because I need to use the bathroom, and I figure getting out of the car will be a good thing. Change of scenery, getting the marchers out of our sight. And besides, I really need to use the bathroom!
We kill 15 minutes, and decide to venture out again. I call Officer Lovely, because she was expecting us in 5. I get her voicemail. (sigh).
So we head back out, and locate the Starbucks. It's a beautiful day in Phoenix and it's close to lunch time, and there was just a protest march. There are people EVERYWHERE. Milling around. Visiting. Eating. Drinking coffee. Smoking. Walking around. Everywhere. People. Everywhere.
I get out of the car and look around for a few minutes. Stand there awkwardly, because I am not sure exactly where Officer Lovely will come from. And, I don't know what she looks like. Hard to find a person when you don't know what they look like. I stood there so long, that a man smoking a cigarette asked me "Are you looking for Immigration?" (what?!?!? how could he know that?!?!) I said "Yes" and he motioned in the direction of the Immigration office. So now, at least, I had a direction to look expectantly in.
After what feels like an eternity, I make eye contact with a woman, and in an instant I KNOW that it is Officer Lovely. She comes up to me, like she knows me (probably that desperate adoptive mom look or smell or vibe or something). I want to give her a hug, but I refrain, because after all, I don't actually know this woman. (Impulse control is a good thing.)
So I hand her the papers, we talk. I ask what happens next. She tells me a bit about the process. She says to me "I THINK I WILL GET TO THIS TODAY." She tells me about the process-sending a letter to me, to the Visa Service Center and to the Consulate. I ask if there is anyway I can pick up my copy, rather than risk the mailing time. She considers this for a moment, and says yes, probably on Monday. Again, the urge to hug (and this time kiss) this woman rises up and again. Seriously, I picture that closing scene from An Officer and a Gentleman, where Richard Gere picks up the love interest (her name escapes me at the moment) in the factory-squeezes her, spins her, and carries her away. Fortunately, I am still on the sane side of things, by thin line, but still, I AM on the sane side.....and that being true, I resist the urge. I have impulse control. I'm pleased with that fact! We talk a few moments longer, and I thank her profusely. And then we are off, on our way.
Blown away.
Blown.
Away.
Wow.
Especially since we all know that stereotypes have some basis in reality. Officer Lovely has blown away the stereotype of the government worker. And I know this stereotypical government worker exists, because we've had the opportunity to meet her and work with her twice at the local DMV office. Not once, but twice. I'm not going to go into details of our interactions with her, but suffice it to say she is the stereotype to the 'T'. (my apologies to any readers who are or have been government workers).
We enjoy a nice lunch and do some other errands and shopping. We are so pleased and pleasantly surprised by all that transpired. We don't really even think of all the distractions and obstacles. We feel hopeful. We are blown away by God's hand in this-all the details. The fact that Officer Lovely called Friday night. That she was working on Saturday. That she was helpful and willing to come downstairs to meet us (she came down a total of 3 times, while we waited for the protest to be over.) That she explained the process and was just so danged nice. caring. friendly. warm.
The Adventure continues.....
Go to Part One
Go to Part Three
Adoption Adventure.....
When I created this blog, back in the spring of 2008, it was mostly a way to raise support and keep donors in the loop about my first short term mission trip to Haiti. Thus the URL for this blog.
After my trip in July, meeting the boys and sensing what God was doing......and after some serious prayer and discussion with my husband; and after getting our approval to adopt the boys from the O, I renamed the blog Our Adoption Adventure. I kept the previous URL because it flowed from there-if not for the mission trip, this Adventure wouldn't be happening in this way, at this time. I also knew enough to know that embarking on this journey would indeed be an Adventure-as stepping out in faith with our God always is. And of course, I was aware that adoption can be a lengthy process-and that adds to the Adventure.
Now I'd like to tell you a little about our most recent adventure. It's a long story that happened over a short time. God is in the business of details. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in...this may take a while.
We have been praying feverishly for one particular piece of paper to arrive. It is the last approval we need on the American side of things, and we must have it and file it in person, in Haiti to begin the Haitian side of this Adventure. So we're praying and believing and hoping, and checking the mail every day..... and two days ago (Thursday), I sent out a prayer request regarding this particular piece of paper. Thank you to all who responded on the blog or off with encouraging words, suggestions and prayers. You have no idea what your responses mean to me. I could literally feel your prayers on our behalf. I was not terribly anxious over this, and yet, your prayers made a visible, physical, real, difference in my day. And in our Adventure.
At any rate, two of my fellow adoptive moms who are further along in this Adventure than I am sent me suggestions to contact my local US/CIS office where this form will come from because they had both needed help and gotten it. Now, I know you will find this hard to believe, because I find it hard to believe, but that thought had not occured to me. Not once. Seriously. It never crossed my mind to contact the office. Now I'm not dumb, and I am fairly well educated. I know how to advocate and work with systems and get things done. But the thought NEVER OCCURED to me. I can't explain it. I'm just telling you how it is.
I have been checking my snail mail box every day, hoping for some official government looking letter to arrive. To no avail. They've had my application since August, we were fingerprinted (oh that's another Adventure blog post) in September, and I sent them our approved home study on January 20. I figured this is government, so it will probably take some time. And it will probably take longer than I think it should, right?
After about the 1 month mark, I started getting antsy and praying more feverishly. But the thought still has not occurred to me to try to contact the office. (sigh)
I thought about the suggestion, but it was late in the day on Thursday by the time I got home and had time to look for way to contact the office-all I had was a mailing address. So I did some research (gotta love the internet-say good bye to office hours!) All I could find was the same mailing address I had and an 800 number. I was not too optimistic about the 800 number because this is a government office and well, I was just not too hopeful. I had flashbacks of those endless loop phone trees that make you push 25 keys and then disconnect or play that "Your call is important to us" recording over and over. I kept looking and found an email address for the local office and decided to use it. On the website it said that I could expect a reply in approximately 2 business days from my inquiry. With only a week to go before we travel, I was not too optimistic, but figured it's worth a shot. So I sent the email at 4:53 PM on Thursday and went about my business for the evening.
We were hanging out with friends Friday evening. I had my cell phone with me, but didn't answer a call that came in at 8:16 PM because I was busy chatting and all that. When I got home from our friends house, I checked my voicemail and heard a voice say "Hello, Lena? This is Officer so and so from Immigration." I was so shocked I dropped my phone. Also, it's amazing how many people you love can flash through your mind in the second between the word Officer and the word Immigration. I did the world's fastest inventory of who could this be about, are my loved ones okay? in that second. Luckily my husband and I were together or I might have passed out from hearing the word "Officer". I guess I watch too many police dramas. LOL. Fortunately, once she said "Immigration" I knew exactly what it was regarding and I could hang on to my thin thread of sanity.
At any rate, back to the Adoption Adventure. So this very sweet sounding woman, with a beautiful name, leaves me a message that says she found my application and that they were just waiting on my approved home study. She says that they can usually issue approval letters in a few days, once they have that. She leaves me a phone number for me to get her tomorrow (Saturday) or another officer's name and number if I can't call until Monday. I'm getting this message around 10 PM on Friday night. She says, "I see here in your email that you sent your home study to us on January 20, but we don't have it. If I knew which agency did it, I could contact them. At any rate, this is what we need."
So at 10:16 PM (Friday) I decide its too late to call, but I fire off another email to the same generic email address that I used before. I say that I will bring the home study to her, all she has to do is tell me when/where. I double check my records, and see that I did sent the home study and rec'd delivery confirmation for January 20, from the post office. But I figure, there's nothing I can do about that now, maybe the home study is lost in their office somewhere.
So I go to bed. Hard to sleep. But I'm tired-it's been a long, emotional week-on a variety of fronts, not just the adoption. Funny how life seems to go on, responsibilities, stress, drama and all, in spite of my almost obsessive focus on all things adoption. ;-)
I get up on Saturday morning and make an executive decision to cancel an appointment that I have for 9:15 AM because my husband and I have another important errand to tend to, and it must be done in the morning. I'm thinking that if this nice officer is working on a Saturday it will be mostly in the morning/early afternoon hours at best. So I decide I need the time to get this done.
I call the number the nice officer with the beautiful name left, (I am going to call her Officer Lovely from here on out).
To my dismay, go right to voicemail, which says that she is in another office, and please call a different number instead. Thinking on my feet-I simply leave a message that says I am bringing this document to her today. Can she please call me to verify. I decide to call the other number, and also get voicemail there. I leave basically the same message.
Now I'm torn. Debating on my schedule, Officer Lovely's location and how to get these things done. And do I wait for her call back? or just start driving? I wait one hour and have not heard back from the officer. So, we decide to do our other errand, and take the home study with us, hoping she will call back. She does not. So, after our other errand is done, we decide to head to the address I have and try to drop it off. I'm fairly optimistic that we can find the office, but not so sure about getting in. After all, it is a Saturday and it's a government office, in the city center.
So we're driving looking for the address. And again, I feel I must say I AM NOT DUMB. However, the address was an odd number, and I said the number and said to my husband "It will be on that side (the wrong one) of the street." I even kept reading EVEN numbers out loud while we searched. All of the sudden, the numbers went up, like they skipped over the one we were looking for. So we turned around, and drove back by where I thought the building should have been. No dice. So we drove around the small block-trying to see if we could get closer to the building, but there was no back way in. So, we found a parking spot, and decided to get out and walk a bit and see if we could find it.
(sidebar here: we haven't been down to the central city much since we both stopped working down there. I used to work on this street, and my husband worked about a mile away from where we were today. It's been about 5-6 years. One of the many changes we noticed is the new light rail system-which happens to run down the street we were on. While we are looking for this address, a train came alongside us, blocking our view of the addresses we were looking for. Now that the day is over, as I reflect on the day, that feels a bit like warfare-obstacles or blinders in our way. It was irritating, at the time. And in the past, it may have been just frustrating enough to make us give up and go home. Not today, though.)
So at any rate, while we are waiting to cross the street, it dawns on me, that we are looking on the wrong side of the street. So we cross the street, and begin looking on the right side of the street. And guess what? We found the building. Locked up tightly. Fenced. Gate locked. Large security woman behind the gate says "Can I help you?" in a rather gruff tone. I explain that I am here to drop off some papers, she shakes her head, smiles and says "I'm sorry but we're closed." I show her the papers, the officer's name, and say meekly "but she said I could bring them to her today." (which is not accurate-as I have not talked to Officer Lovely at all yet, only her voicemail.) The security guard must've sensed my desperation, as she came closer and said, "I'm not sure what to tell you, we just guard the place, really." Then she proceeded to tell us about another office location that wasn't too far away and suggested maybe that Officer Lovely was there.
We get directions, and turn to head back to the car. I decide to try calling Officer Lovely one more time while we walk back. To my utter amazement, SHE ANSWERED THE PHONE. I tell her my name, and she KNOWS WHO I AM. I tell her where we are, she tell me where she is, which is not at the office we just got directions to, but still nearby. She's giving me detailed directions. She asks me if the copy of my home study I have with me has original signatures on it. I'm standing on a busy street, traffic and trains going by. I see a police officer in his cruiser in a parking lot waving my husband down and telling him something, but I can't hear what it is, I can't focus because I'm still in SHOCK that she answered the phone.
My husband motions to me that we need to keep moving, so I follow him back to the car. All the while clutching the home study and my cell phone, trying to hear above the traffic noise and remember the directions. (For those of you that know me personally, you already know that remembering directions and getting to unfamiliar places is not my strength, and so you are probably laughing hysterically as you read this.) Finally, Officer Lovely mentions a landmark I can most assuredly identify with-STARBUCKS. Oh, sure I know where that is! I'll be right there. She says "Okay, I'll come downstairs in about five minutes, that's probably how long it'll take you to get here."
And we're off. I ask my husband what the police officer was saying to him. He says there is some sort of protest march headed our way, and they will be here (where we are standing) any minute and we might want to get out of the way. Seriously. I told you this was an Adventure.
To be continued........
Click here to go to part 2.
Click here to go to part 3.
After my trip in July, meeting the boys and sensing what God was doing......and after some serious prayer and discussion with my husband; and after getting our approval to adopt the boys from the O, I renamed the blog Our Adoption Adventure. I kept the previous URL because it flowed from there-if not for the mission trip, this Adventure wouldn't be happening in this way, at this time. I also knew enough to know that embarking on this journey would indeed be an Adventure-as stepping out in faith with our God always is. And of course, I was aware that adoption can be a lengthy process-and that adds to the Adventure.
Now I'd like to tell you a little about our most recent adventure. It's a long story that happened over a short time. God is in the business of details. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in...this may take a while.
We have been praying feverishly for one particular piece of paper to arrive. It is the last approval we need on the American side of things, and we must have it and file it in person, in Haiti to begin the Haitian side of this Adventure. So we're praying and believing and hoping, and checking the mail every day..... and two days ago (Thursday), I sent out a prayer request regarding this particular piece of paper. Thank you to all who responded on the blog or off with encouraging words, suggestions and prayers. You have no idea what your responses mean to me. I could literally feel your prayers on our behalf. I was not terribly anxious over this, and yet, your prayers made a visible, physical, real, difference in my day. And in our Adventure.
At any rate, two of my fellow adoptive moms who are further along in this Adventure than I am sent me suggestions to contact my local US/CIS office where this form will come from because they had both needed help and gotten it. Now, I know you will find this hard to believe, because I find it hard to believe, but that thought had not occured to me. Not once. Seriously. It never crossed my mind to contact the office. Now I'm not dumb, and I am fairly well educated. I know how to advocate and work with systems and get things done. But the thought NEVER OCCURED to me. I can't explain it. I'm just telling you how it is.
I have been checking my snail mail box every day, hoping for some official government looking letter to arrive. To no avail. They've had my application since August, we were fingerprinted (oh that's another Adventure blog post) in September, and I sent them our approved home study on January 20. I figured this is government, so it will probably take some time. And it will probably take longer than I think it should, right?
After about the 1 month mark, I started getting antsy and praying more feverishly. But the thought still has not occurred to me to try to contact the office. (sigh)
I thought about the suggestion, but it was late in the day on Thursday by the time I got home and had time to look for way to contact the office-all I had was a mailing address. So I did some research (gotta love the internet-say good bye to office hours!) All I could find was the same mailing address I had and an 800 number. I was not too optimistic about the 800 number because this is a government office and well, I was just not too hopeful. I had flashbacks of those endless loop phone trees that make you push 25 keys and then disconnect or play that "Your call is important to us" recording over and over. I kept looking and found an email address for the local office and decided to use it. On the website it said that I could expect a reply in approximately 2 business days from my inquiry. With only a week to go before we travel, I was not too optimistic, but figured it's worth a shot. So I sent the email at 4:53 PM on Thursday and went about my business for the evening.
We were hanging out with friends Friday evening. I had my cell phone with me, but didn't answer a call that came in at 8:16 PM because I was busy chatting and all that. When I got home from our friends house, I checked my voicemail and heard a voice say "Hello, Lena? This is Officer so and so from Immigration." I was so shocked I dropped my phone. Also, it's amazing how many people you love can flash through your mind in the second between the word Officer and the word Immigration. I did the world's fastest inventory of who could this be about, are my loved ones okay? in that second. Luckily my husband and I were together or I might have passed out from hearing the word "Officer". I guess I watch too many police dramas. LOL. Fortunately, once she said "Immigration" I knew exactly what it was regarding and I could hang on to my thin thread of sanity.
At any rate, back to the Adoption Adventure. So this very sweet sounding woman, with a beautiful name, leaves me a message that says she found my application and that they were just waiting on my approved home study. She says that they can usually issue approval letters in a few days, once they have that. She leaves me a phone number for me to get her tomorrow (Saturday) or another officer's name and number if I can't call until Monday. I'm getting this message around 10 PM on Friday night. She says, "I see here in your email that you sent your home study to us on January 20, but we don't have it. If I knew which agency did it, I could contact them. At any rate, this is what we need."
So at 10:16 PM (Friday) I decide its too late to call, but I fire off another email to the same generic email address that I used before. I say that I will bring the home study to her, all she has to do is tell me when/where. I double check my records, and see that I did sent the home study and rec'd delivery confirmation for January 20, from the post office. But I figure, there's nothing I can do about that now, maybe the home study is lost in their office somewhere.
So I go to bed. Hard to sleep. But I'm tired-it's been a long, emotional week-on a variety of fronts, not just the adoption. Funny how life seems to go on, responsibilities, stress, drama and all, in spite of my almost obsessive focus on all things adoption. ;-)
I get up on Saturday morning and make an executive decision to cancel an appointment that I have for 9:15 AM because my husband and I have another important errand to tend to, and it must be done in the morning. I'm thinking that if this nice officer is working on a Saturday it will be mostly in the morning/early afternoon hours at best. So I decide I need the time to get this done.
I call the number the nice officer with the beautiful name left, (I am going to call her Officer Lovely from here on out).
To my dismay, go right to voicemail, which says that she is in another office, and please call a different number instead. Thinking on my feet-I simply leave a message that says I am bringing this document to her today. Can she please call me to verify. I decide to call the other number, and also get voicemail there. I leave basically the same message.
Now I'm torn. Debating on my schedule, Officer Lovely's location and how to get these things done. And do I wait for her call back? or just start driving? I wait one hour and have not heard back from the officer. So, we decide to do our other errand, and take the home study with us, hoping she will call back. She does not. So, after our other errand is done, we decide to head to the address I have and try to drop it off. I'm fairly optimistic that we can find the office, but not so sure about getting in. After all, it is a Saturday and it's a government office, in the city center.
So we're driving looking for the address. And again, I feel I must say I AM NOT DUMB. However, the address was an odd number, and I said the number and said to my husband "It will be on that side (the wrong one) of the street." I even kept reading EVEN numbers out loud while we searched. All of the sudden, the numbers went up, like they skipped over the one we were looking for. So we turned around, and drove back by where I thought the building should have been. No dice. So we drove around the small block-trying to see if we could get closer to the building, but there was no back way in. So, we found a parking spot, and decided to get out and walk a bit and see if we could find it.
(sidebar here: we haven't been down to the central city much since we both stopped working down there. I used to work on this street, and my husband worked about a mile away from where we were today. It's been about 5-6 years. One of the many changes we noticed is the new light rail system-which happens to run down the street we were on. While we are looking for this address, a train came alongside us, blocking our view of the addresses we were looking for. Now that the day is over, as I reflect on the day, that feels a bit like warfare-obstacles or blinders in our way. It was irritating, at the time. And in the past, it may have been just frustrating enough to make us give up and go home. Not today, though.)
So at any rate, while we are waiting to cross the street, it dawns on me, that we are looking on the wrong side of the street. So we cross the street, and begin looking on the right side of the street. And guess what? We found the building. Locked up tightly. Fenced. Gate locked. Large security woman behind the gate says "Can I help you?" in a rather gruff tone. I explain that I am here to drop off some papers, she shakes her head, smiles and says "I'm sorry but we're closed." I show her the papers, the officer's name, and say meekly "but she said I could bring them to her today." (which is not accurate-as I have not talked to Officer Lovely at all yet, only her voicemail.) The security guard must've sensed my desperation, as she came closer and said, "I'm not sure what to tell you, we just guard the place, really." Then she proceeded to tell us about another office location that wasn't too far away and suggested maybe that Officer Lovely was there.
We get directions, and turn to head back to the car. I decide to try calling Officer Lovely one more time while we walk back. To my utter amazement, SHE ANSWERED THE PHONE. I tell her my name, and she KNOWS WHO I AM. I tell her where we are, she tell me where she is, which is not at the office we just got directions to, but still nearby. She's giving me detailed directions. She asks me if the copy of my home study I have with me has original signatures on it. I'm standing on a busy street, traffic and trains going by. I see a police officer in his cruiser in a parking lot waving my husband down and telling him something, but I can't hear what it is, I can't focus because I'm still in SHOCK that she answered the phone.
My husband motions to me that we need to keep moving, so I follow him back to the car. All the while clutching the home study and my cell phone, trying to hear above the traffic noise and remember the directions. (For those of you that know me personally, you already know that remembering directions and getting to unfamiliar places is not my strength, and so you are probably laughing hysterically as you read this.) Finally, Officer Lovely mentions a landmark I can most assuredly identify with-STARBUCKS. Oh, sure I know where that is! I'll be right there. She says "Okay, I'll come downstairs in about five minutes, that's probably how long it'll take you to get here."
And we're off. I ask my husband what the police officer was saying to him. He says there is some sort of protest march headed our way, and they will be here (where we are standing) any minute and we might want to get out of the way. Seriously. I told you this was an Adventure.
To be continued........
Click here to go to part 2.
Click here to go to part 3.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Praise Report
This is an update on Uncle Tom-who had a heart attack on Election day (you can catch up on the story and prayer requests/progress reports by clicking here .....this note is from Aunt Darlene, tonight.
Thanks so much for your prayers!!!!
Praise God!
Lena
"Great news! Tom is doing very well tonight. The ventilator tube was moved to
his trachea, so he is not as uncomfortable as he was yesterday.
He was wide awake, and moving his arms and legs, trying to sit up. He still
can't talk since there is no air getting to his vocal chords, but he's
communicating pretty well. He was even joking around a bit tonight. The nurses
were amazed at how strong he is, and it's clear that he is definitely on the
road to recovery.
He complained that he can't get anything to eat or drink, and rolled his eyes
when the nurse told him he had to be patient. I even got a kiss and a couple of
smiles.
All in all, a great day. It's wonderful to have him back."
Thanks so much for your prayers!!!!
Praise God!
Lena
"Great news! Tom is doing very well tonight. The ventilator tube was moved to
his trachea, so he is not as uncomfortable as he was yesterday.
He was wide awake, and moving his arms and legs, trying to sit up. He still
can't talk since there is no air getting to his vocal chords, but he's
communicating pretty well. He was even joking around a bit tonight. The nurses
were amazed at how strong he is, and it's clear that he is definitely on the
road to recovery.
He complained that he can't get anything to eat or drink, and rolled his eyes
when the nurse told him he had to be patient. I even got a kiss and a couple of
smiles.
All in all, a great day. It's wonderful to have him back."
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