If the result of the xray is positive, we have think we have determined that we have anywhere from 2-6 months of treatment to go through before he can come home.
If the result of the xray is negative, we could be home in less than two weeks.
That is the range we believe we are working with. Only God knows.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Skin Test: Positive, Our Attitude: Mostly Positive
It was positive just as we suspected based on reading the CDC website.
They took two front chest xrays and then I had to hold him for the side chest xray (xrays are good - I am hoping to grow a third arm to help with the mechanic work). Guess what...we have to go back there again - Monday.
While doing the xray, the guy doing the xray asked me if I knew anyone else who wanted a Haitian child. He said he had children of all ages to hook me or my friends up with. This is the second time this has happened to me - I suspect I am not the only person.
This guy looked at the xray and said it looked good, but I don't trust him at all. We'll wait for the official person to read the xray. Based on the way Lou acts all day long, I would guess that he doesn't have it, but... only the Lord knows right now.
Stay tuned until Monday... I'll try to come up with some commercial breaks. I might have some BCS later (Boring Car Stuff) in the week (i.e., tomorrow).
Please pray that we mentally make it through another weekend -they are tough for us.
They took two front chest xrays and then I had to hold him for the side chest xray (xrays are good - I am hoping to grow a third arm to help with the mechanic work). Guess what...we have to go back there again - Monday.
While doing the xray, the guy doing the xray asked me if I knew anyone else who wanted a Haitian child. He said he had children of all ages to hook me or my friends up with. This is the second time this has happened to me - I suspect I am not the only person.
This guy looked at the xray and said it looked good, but I don't trust him at all. We'll wait for the official person to read the xray. Based on the way Lou acts all day long, I would guess that he doesn't have it, but... only the Lord knows right now.
Stay tuned until Monday... I'll try to come up with some commercial breaks. I might have some BCS later (Boring Car Stuff) in the week (i.e., tomorrow).
Please pray that we mentally make it through another weekend -they are tough for us.
Arm
We are leaving now and Lou's arm does not look good. I am thinking that we'll need to do the chest xray and then.... who knows what.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Update
OK. Here is where we are at...
Tomorrow around 5:45 we are leaving to go to get Lou's test results. If it is negative, we'll head to the US Embassy and drop off the paperwork. If it is positive, he'll need a chest xray and I don't know where we go from there...
If we get to the US Embassy tomorrow, we'll be trying to schedule an appointment and discussing why we should have an IR3 visa instead of an IR4 visa. From what I can tell, it will be the Haitian-side that determines whether or not we get an IR3 visa (this is good news).
This afternoon I got an email from the US Embassy in Haiti and that email said that they received an approved I600 (yeah! they finally got it!!) and they want the orphanage director to come in with the paperwork. We have all the paperwork and the orphanage director is now in Germany, so we'll deliver it ourselves...assuming the TB test is negative.
So that's the plan. We'll update you when we get back tomorrow. Your prayers will be greatly, GREATLY appreciated!
Tomorrow around 5:45 we are leaving to go to get Lou's test results. If it is negative, we'll head to the US Embassy and drop off the paperwork. If it is positive, he'll need a chest xray and I don't know where we go from there...
If we get to the US Embassy tomorrow, we'll be trying to schedule an appointment and discussing why we should have an IR3 visa instead of an IR4 visa. From what I can tell, it will be the Haitian-side that determines whether or not we get an IR3 visa (this is good news).
This afternoon I got an email from the US Embassy in Haiti and that email said that they received an approved I600 (yeah! they finally got it!!) and they want the orphanage director to come in with the paperwork. We have all the paperwork and the orphanage director is now in Germany, so we'll deliver it ourselves...assuming the TB test is negative.
So that's the plan. We'll update you when we get back tomorrow. Your prayers will be greatly, GREATLY appreciated!
More Problems
Somewhere between the MN USCIS and the National Visa Center in DC, they have managed to classify the visa as an IR4 and not an IR3 (which you get if you visit your child - oh we visited him...for over 15 months). That means that if they don't fix it, we will have to go through the re-adoption process in the States which means that it will cost us more money. Now we have to mess with that and it will most likely cause delays. We are already delayed because they have not contacted us about scheduling a visa appointment. So...on we go...
God manages to work out His timing in very creative ways. We trust in His timing.
God manages to work out His timing in very creative ways. We trust in His timing.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Frustration
We are so mentally spent.
Every time we think things should go smoothly, they don't. Keep in mind as you read this that in the daily activities of going to town to do these things, only about 20% gets on the blog and then even that isn't the full experience.
We thought we would show up today and do the physical and then go drop off the papers at the US Embassy and schedule an appoint (the final one). We arrived at about 7:30 AM and finally left around 11 AM. We had to struggle with Lou absolutely (ABSOLUTELY!) flipping out because a nurse/doctor wanted to touch him. He freaked. It was not fun and he has done this before. We managed to pin all of his appendages down so they could give him a little shot. The nurse seemed upset that I didn't know enough Kreyol and didn't speak French. "Only English?" she says? Even though she could speak English, she continued to tell this ignorant missionary-mechanic-wannabe everything in Kreyol/French until I could figure it out. Nice.
Why did he need a shot? They needed to test for tuberculosis. Guess what - it's a two day test and we'll get the results back Thursday. Yes, we are going out again on Thursday - we just can't get enough apparently...
What never ceases to amaze me is the amount of necessary details the orphanage director either does not know or does not tell us (I believe the latter based on my experience). After many years of doing adoptions, one would think that she would have it down by now. The tuberculosis test is not new - I asked the person who gave the shot (the one who wouldn't speak English). One more detail that wasn't mentioned...we needed US$65 for the doctor to do the physical exam and all related things. It was a good thing I was a walking "mugging waiting to happen" - I had US$500 on me and a bunch of Haitian cash. We asked the director yesterday if we had to pay for the doctor visit and she told us that she didn't think so. She didn't think so?!?! How long has she been doing this? She decided to not tell us that and to keep it a secret surprise for us - she has to know that because she takes other children to the same place for the same reason.
OK. We swallowed that part OK. Not a big deal.
Then we get home and check our email. The US Embassy in Haiti is saying that they sent the paperwork to the MN USCIS and they should approve it. The MN USCIS told us to contact the National Visa Center to see what the status is of their approval. The National Visa Center says we need to contact the US Embassy in Haiti to check the status. Round and round we go - where we stop nobody knows... The USCIS in Haiti says that we should contact the US Embassy/Consulate General (which is no doubt on the other side of the hall). In ALL of these cases (like just about 90% of all Haitian activities we have been involved with) if you don't ask your 20 questions correctly, you won't get the information. If you don't ask, they won't tell. Nobody tells us how to contact those places unless you ask and only one has responded in all of our adoption situations. This even includes walking around trying to find the door you are supposed to go in.
I am so glad that I didn't order plane tickets yet. It may be a while. We never know what the next day brings here. It is so different here than in the US where you can plan more than one thing and you can expect it to happen within 15 mins of that plan. Some day soon we hope we will have a day in the sun.
We continue to lean on our Lord...heavily - and He is enough.
Every time we think things should go smoothly, they don't. Keep in mind as you read this that in the daily activities of going to town to do these things, only about 20% gets on the blog and then even that isn't the full experience.
We thought we would show up today and do the physical and then go drop off the papers at the US Embassy and schedule an appoint (the final one). We arrived at about 7:30 AM and finally left around 11 AM. We had to struggle with Lou absolutely (ABSOLUTELY!) flipping out because a nurse/doctor wanted to touch him. He freaked. It was not fun and he has done this before. We managed to pin all of his appendages down so they could give him a little shot. The nurse seemed upset that I didn't know enough Kreyol and didn't speak French. "Only English?" she says? Even though she could speak English, she continued to tell this ignorant missionary-mechanic-wannabe everything in Kreyol/French until I could figure it out. Nice.
Why did he need a shot? They needed to test for tuberculosis. Guess what - it's a two day test and we'll get the results back Thursday. Yes, we are going out again on Thursday - we just can't get enough apparently...
What never ceases to amaze me is the amount of necessary details the orphanage director either does not know or does not tell us (I believe the latter based on my experience). After many years of doing adoptions, one would think that she would have it down by now. The tuberculosis test is not new - I asked the person who gave the shot (the one who wouldn't speak English). One more detail that wasn't mentioned...we needed US$65 for the doctor to do the physical exam and all related things. It was a good thing I was a walking "mugging waiting to happen" - I had US$500 on me and a bunch of Haitian cash. We asked the director yesterday if we had to pay for the doctor visit and she told us that she didn't think so. She didn't think so?!?! How long has she been doing this? She decided to not tell us that and to keep it a secret surprise for us - she has to know that because she takes other children to the same place for the same reason.
OK. We swallowed that part OK. Not a big deal.
Then we get home and check our email. The US Embassy in Haiti is saying that they sent the paperwork to the MN USCIS and they should approve it. The MN USCIS told us to contact the National Visa Center to see what the status is of their approval. The National Visa Center says we need to contact the US Embassy in Haiti to check the status. Round and round we go - where we stop nobody knows... The USCIS in Haiti says that we should contact the US Embassy/Consulate General (which is no doubt on the other side of the hall). In ALL of these cases (like just about 90% of all Haitian activities we have been involved with) if you don't ask your 20 questions correctly, you won't get the information. If you don't ask, they won't tell. Nobody tells us how to contact those places unless you ask and only one has responded in all of our adoption situations. This even includes walking around trying to find the door you are supposed to go in.
I am so glad that I didn't order plane tickets yet. It may be a while. We never know what the next day brings here. It is so different here than in the US where you can plan more than one thing and you can expect it to happen within 15 mins of that plan. Some day soon we hope we will have a day in the sun.
We continue to lean on our Lord...heavily - and He is enough.
Dr. Visit - Port-au-Prince
We picked up the paperwork yesterday and in normal "nothing is normal" fashion, the orphanage director's place didn't have electricity and their generator was broke. We waited a little while for the mechanic to fix it because we needed more copies of some paperwork for what we need to do yet in the process, but it didn't get fixed - no copies could be made. We ended up going with one of her workers to go make copies at a store in Petionville (closer to where we live). All of the necessary paperwork (including originals) are now in our hands.
We are going to be leaving here in a half hour to go to the doctor for Lou to have a physical. This is necessary to obtain the visa.
After the doctor visit, we are going to the US Embassy to get our visa appointment which we hope will happen on Thursday since they only make appointments for visas on Mon, Tues, and Thurs.
We'll keep you updated!
We are going to be leaving here in a half hour to go to the doctor for Lou to have a physical. This is necessary to obtain the visa.
After the doctor visit, we are going to the US Embassy to get our visa appointment which we hope will happen on Thursday since they only make appointments for visas on Mon, Tues, and Thurs.
We'll keep you updated!
Monday, October 5, 2009
For the Grandparents
On the newly modified (fixed) teeter-totter:
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Can you believe that the boy on the right is only 15 months older than Lou on the left? The boy on the right, David, is Sandi and Cullie's son - Cullie is a former mechanic of the Baptist Haiti Mission that I have mentioned before and he lives/works a mile up the mountain. They have had David since he was an infant.
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Can you believe that the boy on the right is only 15 months older than Lou on the left? The boy on the right, David, is Sandi and Cullie's son - Cullie is a former mechanic of the Baptist Haiti Mission that I have mentioned before and he lives/works a mile up the mountain. They have had David since he was an infant.
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Can't Sleep
I wonder why (passport perhaps?)... I keep thinking of how life will be different when we get back. I keep going through what the Lord has taken us through to get us to this point. We have done a lot of growing and maturing - our children have, too. There have been so many challenges.
As I reflect back on what we have done and what we have been through here in Haiti, it seems that only recently we have really begun (only begun) to understand what it means to trust in God and turn it over to Him. There are points when we succeed and points when we fail. The points when we fail seem to be when, as we have heard our home pastor say, we listen to ourselves instead of preach to ourselves. We have our feelings and thoughts on what should be happening and whether or not those "things" that should be happening are based on facts, averages, normal happenings, or whatever does not matter. We need to move beyond listening to ourselves complain or even reason about our circumstances and move to what the Bible tells us.
It tells us to be patient. It tells us to trust in our Lord God. If we ask, seek, and knock, he will answer. It tells us that He will give us our heart's desire if we follow and trust Him (i.e., if our heart's desire is to follow, trust, glorify Him).
The last one is one place (just one of many) where I think that we may have gotten lost many times. We feel that, just like some people at a stop sign in the States (an observation that we have made many times), if you have sat waiting there long enough it's your turn to go regardless of what is coming up. It's not about us and it's not about what we know. God knows far more than we can ever know. He sees beyond what we see and He does not always (often?) show us what is coming up and why/how it may be better for us (and sometimes [mostly?] it is not even about us).
I think that we have failed on numerous occasions to rest, trust, and know that God has purposes in circumstances and it is not our way nor in our timing that things be accomplished. Of course this is always easier to say near the end of very long journey. I hope that next time we (I) go through a significant trial that is this much of a challenge (our biggest yet) that we see and realize these critical observations sooner and that we can do much better.
We have certainly achieved growth in our walk and this is one lesson that was well taught by having to go through a significant trial. We have learned things that we did not expect to learn that have nothing to do with adoptions or Down syndrome.
As I prayed and hoped at the beginning of our journey to Haiti, I hope that others have grown in their wisdom and knowledge of Jesus through the trial and circumstances that he brought us through. To God be the glory!
As I reflect back on what we have done and what we have been through here in Haiti, it seems that only recently we have really begun (only begun) to understand what it means to trust in God and turn it over to Him. There are points when we succeed and points when we fail. The points when we fail seem to be when, as we have heard our home pastor say, we listen to ourselves instead of preach to ourselves. We have our feelings and thoughts on what should be happening and whether or not those "things" that should be happening are based on facts, averages, normal happenings, or whatever does not matter. We need to move beyond listening to ourselves complain or even reason about our circumstances and move to what the Bible tells us.
It tells us to be patient. It tells us to trust in our Lord God. If we ask, seek, and knock, he will answer. It tells us that He will give us our heart's desire if we follow and trust Him (i.e., if our heart's desire is to follow, trust, glorify Him).
The last one is one place (just one of many) where I think that we may have gotten lost many times. We feel that, just like some people at a stop sign in the States (an observation that we have made many times), if you have sat waiting there long enough it's your turn to go regardless of what is coming up. It's not about us and it's not about what we know. God knows far more than we can ever know. He sees beyond what we see and He does not always (often?) show us what is coming up and why/how it may be better for us (and sometimes [mostly?] it is not even about us).
I think that we have failed on numerous occasions to rest, trust, and know that God has purposes in circumstances and it is not our way nor in our timing that things be accomplished. Of course this is always easier to say near the end of very long journey. I hope that next time we (I) go through a significant trial that is this much of a challenge (our biggest yet) that we see and realize these critical observations sooner and that we can do much better.
We have certainly achieved growth in our walk and this is one lesson that was well taught by having to go through a significant trial. We have learned things that we did not expect to learn that have nothing to do with adoptions or Down syndrome.
As I prayed and hoped at the beginning of our journey to Haiti, I hope that others have grown in their wisdom and knowledge of Jesus through the trial and circumstances that he brought us through. To God be the glory!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
We have PASSPORT!!!
This morning at 9AM the orphanage director called to tell us we have the passport. YEA!!!
Praise God BIG TIME because she also told us that she is going to Germany next week (we may have had to wait more for her to get back)! She wants us to go there at 10AM tomorrow to get all the paperwork we need for the last two things: Dr. Appt and the visa. We could be done next week.
I have the flight scheduled (on hold until tomorrow at midnight). When we get back from seeing her Monday morning, I'll purchase them if all seems to be OK. We are looking at about 2 weeks until we come back (flights will be cheaper that way).
Help us praise our Lord!! We may be done soon!!
Praise God BIG TIME because she also told us that she is going to Germany next week (we may have had to wait more for her to get back)! She wants us to go there at 10AM tomorrow to get all the paperwork we need for the last two things: Dr. Appt and the visa. We could be done next week.
I have the flight scheduled (on hold until tomorrow at midnight). When we get back from seeing her Monday morning, I'll purchase them if all seems to be OK. We are looking at about 2 weeks until we come back (flights will be cheaper that way).
Help us praise our Lord!! We may be done soon!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
2-3
Last night after the dog woke us up at 1AM by barfing whatever junk she decided to eat that day, I had a thought. One of the things that Haitians say in Kreole is "2-3" when the English equivalent is a few. So when the orphanage director has been saying "2-3 days" it is really in a few days. Add to that amount the way things are in Haiti and you got yourself at least a week or two. The director was simply translating the Kreole into English for us and I was taking her literally - at least until the dog barfed.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Numbers, Comparisons, Beetle
Some Numbers
Days the adoption paperwork has been in Haiti for processing:
.....897 (we were told at the time 9-12 months or 270 to 360 days)
Days the Schlorf's have been living in Haiti with Lou:
.....457 (we thought no more than one year which we thought was unrealistically long)
Days waiting for the passport in Haitian Immigration:
.....15 working days (after an expected 2-3 days as stated by the orphanage director three times)
Days waiting for the passport in Haitian Immigration for the second attempt due to lost paperwork:
.....3-4 whole days (depending on when it was actually dropped off)
We have just realized that we have been here for more than half of the whole adoption process, as far as the paperwork being in Haiti. We rest in knowing that the Lord's plans are more well-conceived than our own (perfectly conceived). God is good! All the time!
Comparison
This is a good reminder about comparing (it is related to disabled children, but can be applied to everything, including how longs other have to wait to complete an adoption in Haiti).
Beetle
This hit our window last night and we thought it was a bird. It buzzed around a little so we picked it up and played with it. It was hard as a rock (almost) and clunked around inside the container. We let him go after about an hour.
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Days the adoption paperwork has been in Haiti for processing:
.....897 (we were told at the time 9-12 months or 270 to 360 days)
Days the Schlorf's have been living in Haiti with Lou:
.....457 (we thought no more than one year which we thought was unrealistically long)
Days waiting for the passport in Haitian Immigration:
.....15 working days (after an expected 2-3 days as stated by the orphanage director three times)
Days waiting for the passport in Haitian Immigration for the second attempt due to lost paperwork:
.....3-4 whole days (depending on when it was actually dropped off)
We have just realized that we have been here for more than half of the whole adoption process, as far as the paperwork being in Haiti. We rest in knowing that the Lord's plans are more well-conceived than our own (perfectly conceived). God is good! All the time!
Comparison
This is a good reminder about comparing (it is related to disabled children, but can be applied to everything, including how longs other have to wait to complete an adoption in Haiti).
Beetle
This hit our window last night and we thought it was a bird. It buzzed around a little so we picked it up and played with it. It was hard as a rock (almost) and clunked around inside the container. We let him go after about an hour.
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Monday, September 28, 2009
Transmission - Part II
It's been a while since I have posted any boring car stuff. The adoption stuff is beginning to get boring, too. I may call about the progress on the passport on Wednesday afternoon, but I am not sure yet so...
Boring Car Stuff...
The transmission on the old Toyota that I repaired a few thousand miles ago started going bad about a month ago. I thought for sure that I did something wrong when I put it back together but after taking it apart today, another part failed that caused 3rd and 4th gear to go bad. It also chewed up the synchronizers for 3rd and 4th as well as took a couple chunks out of a few gears. Tomorrow they'll hopefully buy the parts and Wednesday I'll hopefully put it back together.
Boring Car Stuff...
The transmission on the old Toyota that I repaired a few thousand miles ago started going bad about a month ago. I thought for sure that I did something wrong when I put it back together but after taking it apart today, another part failed that caused 3rd and 4th gear to go bad. It also chewed up the synchronizers for 3rd and 4th as well as took a couple chunks out of a few gears. Tomorrow they'll hopefully buy the parts and Wednesday I'll hopefully put it back together.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
2-3 Days Part II
The orphanage director fortunately has copies of the papers needed for the passport and told me (again) that it will take 2-3 days. I am assuming that she will deliver the paperwork tomorrow, so I am hoping for Wednesday next week based on what she stated. We will see... Again, I will keep you posted. Monday will be day 1 of the 2-3 days (I am not including the delivery day).
This isn't so bad. It is a little easier to be talking about days now instead of weeks or months. There is only one more set of paperwork to lose (the visa), but it doesn't matter - I think that I am finally getting the hang of trusting our Lord more about the final timing and not worrying about the details in between (I am GETTING there...I am not THERE yet...).
This isn't so bad. It is a little easier to be talking about days now instead of weeks or months. There is only one more set of paperwork to lose (the visa), but it doesn't matter - I think that I am finally getting the hang of trusting our Lord more about the final timing and not worrying about the details in between (I am GETTING there...I am not THERE yet...).
We Interrupt...
...this commercial break for some late breaking adoption news:
This just in 45 minutes ago, we regret to inform you that Haitian Immigration lost the paperwork for processing the passport. We'll keep you informed as details are known.
_____________
It's a good thing that, in spite of the incredible amount of hardships, we are accomplishing our primary goal: Saving Lou from literally YEARS (1.25 years so far) of being stuck in an orphanage.
This just in 45 minutes ago, we regret to inform you that Haitian Immigration lost the paperwork for processing the passport. We'll keep you informed as details are known.
_____________
It's a good thing that, in spite of the incredible amount of hardships, we are accomplishing our primary goal: Saving Lou from literally YEARS (1.25 years so far) of being stuck in an orphanage.
Indication
If the lack of a post yesterday is any indication of what is happening, I can tell you that nothing has indeed happened. I am not planning to call the orphanage director for while - it is pointless. She really has no idea when the passport will be out of Haitian Immigration and until it goes a really long time, she won't go there and ask them to work on it.
So in the Lord's timing, we'll get our passport and we'll be on our way. Until then, I offer you this valuable commercial break:
Morning and Evening
A Devotional Series
by Charles H. Spurgeon
Morning Devotion
Thursday, September 24, 2009
"For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him." {#Ezr 8:22}
A convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band, but a holy shame facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be mere hypocrisy, or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to preserve his own worshippers. He could not bring his mind to lean on an arm of flesh in a matter so evidently of the Lord, and therefore the caravan set out with no visible protection, guarded by him who is the sword and shield of his people. It is to be feared that few believers feel this holy jealousy for God; even those who in a measure walk by faith, occasionally mar the lustre of their life by craving aid from man. It is a most blessed thing to have no props and no buttresses, but to stand upright on the Rock of Ages, upheld by the Lord alone. Would any believers seek state endowments for their Church, if they remembered that the Lord is dishonoured by their asking Caesar’s aid? as if the Lord could not supply the needs of his own cause! Should we run so hastily to friends and relations for assistance, if we remembered that the Lord is magnified by our implicit reliance upon his solitary arm? My soul, wait thou only upon God. "But", says one, "are not means to be used?" Assuredly they are; but our fault seldom lies in their neglect: far more frequently it springs out of foolishly believing in them instead of believing in God. Few run too far in neglecting the creature’s arm; but very many sin greatly in making too much of it. Learn, dear reader, to glorify the Lord by leaving means untried, if by using them thou wouldst dishonour the name of the Lord.
So in the Lord's timing, we'll get our passport and we'll be on our way. Until then, I offer you this valuable commercial break:
Morning and Evening
A Devotional Series
by Charles H. Spurgeon
Morning Devotion
Thursday, September 24, 2009
"For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him." {#Ezr 8:22}
A convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band, but a holy shame facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be mere hypocrisy, or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to preserve his own worshippers. He could not bring his mind to lean on an arm of flesh in a matter so evidently of the Lord, and therefore the caravan set out with no visible protection, guarded by him who is the sword and shield of his people. It is to be feared that few believers feel this holy jealousy for God; even those who in a measure walk by faith, occasionally mar the lustre of their life by craving aid from man. It is a most blessed thing to have no props and no buttresses, but to stand upright on the Rock of Ages, upheld by the Lord alone. Would any believers seek state endowments for their Church, if they remembered that the Lord is dishonoured by their asking Caesar’s aid? as if the Lord could not supply the needs of his own cause! Should we run so hastily to friends and relations for assistance, if we remembered that the Lord is magnified by our implicit reliance upon his solitary arm? My soul, wait thou only upon God. "But", says one, "are not means to be used?" Assuredly they are; but our fault seldom lies in their neglect: far more frequently it springs out of foolishly believing in them instead of believing in God. Few run too far in neglecting the creature’s arm; but very many sin greatly in making too much of it. Learn, dear reader, to glorify the Lord by leaving means untried, if by using them thou wouldst dishonour the name of the Lord.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Our Plans: Donations
As we draw near to the end of the adoption journey, we are also nearing the end of our missionary journey. I published a post a while ago that we have determined with prayer and reading that the season of life that we are in right now is one of "family." We are going to put our mission-season on hold until the family-season is over.
If you donate to us through the Baptist Haiti Mission after we leave, the Baptist Haiti Mission will send your donation back to you. Some people have mentioned a desire to help us transition back to life in the States and want to continue to help support us for a short time - we greatly appreciate this! If you choose to do so, please email us directly and we can work out those details. I will be looking for work in the same industry that I left (Financial Services/Brokerage), but if I am unable to find that work I will be looking in another industry/area.
As soon as we can, we will be leaving for the States. When we find out that we are finished with everything, we'll look for the first cheapest flight and we'll be on it. It is possible that we could be back in the States by this coming weekend at the very earliest (Lord willing!).
If you donate to us through the Baptist Haiti Mission after we leave, the Baptist Haiti Mission will send your donation back to you. Some people have mentioned a desire to help us transition back to life in the States and want to continue to help support us for a short time - we greatly appreciate this! If you choose to do so, please email us directly and we can work out those details. I will be looking for work in the same industry that I left (Financial Services/Brokerage), but if I am unable to find that work I will be looking in another industry/area.
As soon as we can, we will be leaving for the States. When we find out that we are finished with everything, we'll look for the first cheapest flight and we'll be on it. It is possible that we could be back in the States by this coming weekend at the very earliest (Lord willing!).
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I600 APPROVED!!!
I just got an email from the USCIS guy who has been working so hard for us. He said that our I600 is approved and that he was going on vacation so he gave us another person to check with if we need to. This is great news! We are just a passport and a doctor visit away from being finished!
Praise God!
Praise God!
Still: Nothing
I called the orphanage director yesterday afternoon and I asked her a couple questions. One being if she thought we would have the passport by now. Of course, she didn't think we would - she must have forgotten that she told me 2-3 days to get the passport. I asked her when she thought we would have it and she, once again, told me what I wanted to hear: early next week. I don't have much (if any) faith in what she tells me, but again, based on other adoption processes early next week sounds about right.
Still nothing from the USCIS. Our good guy must be on vacation or something as he hasn't responded in a couple days to an email I sent. So we are still waiting for an official approval on our I600.
Side note (or should I say back note): My back is slowly getting better. I did a bit of walking around yesterday and as I got up this morning, it's doing well. I'll try to take it easy over the weekend and get back to work Monday.
Still nothing from the USCIS. Our good guy must be on vacation or something as he hasn't responded in a couple days to an email I sent. So we are still waiting for an official approval on our I600.
Side note (or should I say back note): My back is slowly getting better. I did a bit of walking around yesterday and as I got up this morning, it's doing well. I'll try to take it easy over the weekend and get back to work Monday.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Happy Birthday Sister
I wanted to give my sis
a big birthday wish.
We will soon be home to make
your birthday special by eating cake.
And by bringing your niece and two nephews,
one of them being altogether new.
We hope today you have a good one,
We look forward to seeing you - we're almost done!
a big birthday wish.
We will soon be home to make
your birthday special by eating cake.
And by bringing your niece and two nephews,
one of them being altogether new.
We hope today you have a good one,
We look forward to seeing you - we're almost done!
Nothing new
No news from yesterday. Today is day 7 of a 2-3 day wait for the passport. I really think that we'll have the passport out Monday, but I'd like to hold people to their word - a little accountability. I'll be giving our orphanage director a call today to stay in the front of her mind.
No news regarding the I600 and the fingerprints. I am anticipating hearing something today, but that is based on no solid information (just a want - I WANT to hear something today).
No news regarding the I600 and the fingerprints. I am anticipating hearing something today, but that is based on no solid information (just a want - I WANT to hear something today).
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Almost..., Side Note
The translation is done and I have emailed it to the USCIS person who has been so very helpful. He is working on the fingerprint situation so we do not have to go take them again. Once he has that squared away, we should have our approved I600 which makes the visa all ready once the passport is finished. I am thinking that we will have that today or tomorrow.
We are on day 6 of a 2-3 day passport process according to our orphanage director. She told me 3 days ago that we would have it yesterday or the day before. I am thinking that any and all dates are just random guesses to keep us going. We have seen how long it takes for other people, so we are not too surprised by missing these dates that she gives us. We are thinking based on others' experience that we'll have the passport completed Monday.
After the passport is done, we need to have a doctor appointment set up for Lou which may take a day or two and then a day or two to get the visa linked to the passport. Then...it's over. So...almost...
Side Note
We got more food in at the mission for the affiliated schools and churches. I have been helping to unload/load the sacks of rice, beans, etc... Yesterday, I was lifting the sacks down off the truck to workers so they could carry them on their heads elsewhere and I pulled a muscle in my back. I have been sitting and laying down ever since (it happened in the morning). I will not be working today either because it is too bad. I can hardly walk and sleeping wasn't too good last night. I have a friend that recently fell off a ladder and he broke two vertabre (among other things) - I now have a very brief idea of how he feels. I am sure he is/was much worse than I am. Dave, I hope you are feeling better!
We are on day 6 of a 2-3 day passport process according to our orphanage director. She told me 3 days ago that we would have it yesterday or the day before. I am thinking that any and all dates are just random guesses to keep us going. We have seen how long it takes for other people, so we are not too surprised by missing these dates that she gives us. We are thinking based on others' experience that we'll have the passport completed Monday.
After the passport is done, we need to have a doctor appointment set up for Lou which may take a day or two and then a day or two to get the visa linked to the passport. Then...it's over. So...almost...
Side Note
We got more food in at the mission for the affiliated schools and churches. I have been helping to unload/load the sacks of rice, beans, etc... Yesterday, I was lifting the sacks down off the truck to workers so they could carry them on their heads elsewhere and I pulled a muscle in my back. I have been sitting and laying down ever since (it happened in the morning). I will not be working today either because it is too bad. I can hardly walk and sleeping wasn't too good last night. I have a friend that recently fell off a ladder and he broke two vertabre (among other things) - I now have a very brief idea of how he feels. I am sure he is/was much worse than I am. Dave, I hope you are feeling better!
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