Timeline

July-August 2013:  Before traveling, I had three prayers: (1) that I would get to meet JP's mother and that it would be a meeting in which God was glorified; (2) that I would understand the truth; and (3) that the Lord would provide a connection in the DRC, so I could know how things worked out and help if it became necessary.  I knew that the mother was ill, and I knew that the extended family was not willing or able to care for JP.  This created a great deal of worry for his well-being.  The first two prayers were answered in country; the third was answered as we returned home.  My private investigator was so moved by the investigation that she has kept in touch with the family.  I never asked her to do so, nor have I made one inquiry, but she has taken the initiative to keep me up-to-date on the family.  My replies must be vague:  we continue to pray for the family.  We can't promise that we will be able to move forward with an adoption, so the family needs to make the best decisions for JP, regardless.  JP is currently still living with his mom.  Her brother forced them to leave their home because he could not care for them, so they are now living with a cousin.  The hearing that I thought was going to be a hearing about JP's well-being was actually a "slander" suit against the mother.  An attorney in the area has agreed to defend her for free.  At this time, the orphan and widow are being cared for by the Lord. I am so thankful for the ability to pray for them, as they walk through this season, and I am encouraged by the Lord's provision amidst a seemingly hopeless situation.

July 10, 2013: I left the DRC, unsure where anything would lead.

July 9, 2013:  Today was the day that I was going to meet JP's mom.  I think that actually deserves its own post: it was such a powerful moment. Because both parties (our in-country rep and the biological family) had begun to make allegations against one another, a civil suit had been filed on July 8.  JP was returned to the family, at the family's request.   So, we met--JP, his mother, his three uncles, my translator, my private investigator, and me.  I learned one important thing at that meeting:  mom willingly abandoned JP to an orphanage last July or August because she was too ill to care for him, but mom did not know he would be adopted.  Once the family met me and knew he would live with someone responsible, they wanted him to be adopted.  But, the ethical considerations were so gray--and the civil dispute and Embassy application so mired--that there was no way to move forward toward adoption as things stood.  I went to my hotel and immediately withdrew my petition.  The Lord, in His time, would have to reveal the next steps.

July 8, 2013:  I met with the US Embassy and received a copy of the discharge and abandonment report in question.  I met with our in-country representative and discovered that these documents included fingerprints, something that were not included on the black-and-white copies provided to the Embassy. It was my full intent to get a fingerprint expert and prove one way or the other what happened.  Unfortunately, the fingerprints were pretty smeared on one of the documents, but there was at least one good print.  I did not know where I would get a stamp pad in the DRC.  Amazingly, I looked in my suitcase, and I had brought a few games in case things worked out (how naive I was at how complicated things had become).  In one of those games was a stamp pad.  Just a little encouragement from God.

July 6-7, 2013:  I flew to DRC.  I was petrified, traveling alone, but also grateful for the opportunity.

July 3, 2013:  On July 3, I received a call from the Embassy. They were alleging some very serious allegations against those who placed JP into an orphanage, and subsequently, up for adoption.  I initially emailed our reps and told them to return him to his mother (who I thought had abandoned him) immediately.  Because the Congolese courts had officially put him into our care, this had to be done through a tribunal.  When looking at the documents, it seemed that some information on the documents--mom's complete, accurate address and JP's proper, full name--did not completely match the story I was being told.  I did not understand why someone involved in criminal activity would voluntarily include this information when "mother unknown" or a new name for our little guy would likely have sufficed.  I woke up in the middle of the night, worried for JP and wanting to know the truth.  The next morning, the representative for our organization said, "You need to go. You need to ask the questions, so that you can understand what happened."

June 2013:  Our little boy attended the visa appointment on June 10.  We expected to hear news within the next few days giving us the okay to go and make JP part of our family.  We waited and waited.   We heard on June 17 that the DRC would resume issuing exit letters.  We purchased tickets for June 25, sure that the visa would be issued by then.  On June 24, we emailed the Embassy, frantic.  They replied to let us know not to come--they had reopened the investigation.

May 2013:  Because a family (not affiliated with us or our organization or even our country, for that matter) completed an adoption that did not meet the criteria for adoption in the DRC, the Congo made an announcement that they would not issue exit letters until they came up with new procedures, essentially closing down adoptions.  We continued to wait.  We heard that another family in our group received a negative finding from the Embassy, so we grew worried amidst all of these issues.  On May 29, we received an email from the Embassy stating that our field investigation was complete.  The visa appointment was scheduled for June 10.  We thought this was the news we had been waiting for.

April 2013:  With the three-month mark coming up, we were growing more anxious and excited.

March 2013:  In the meantime, it was our hope and prayer to raise enough funds that the children at the orphanage for which we raised money for beds and schools could have their own Bible.  The money for each child to have a Bible was raised in about 48 hours.  God is good!

February 2013:  Because of the change in procedures, our Embassy binder--which had already been shipped to the DRC--could not be delivered by our in-country representative.  I (and two other adoptive parents) traveled to DRC to drop our binders off at the Embassy.  We delivered the binders on February 15.  Our waiting period begins. I also got the privilege of seeing our little guy again.

January 2013:  My school and Kate's school raised the money necessary to send 50 kids to school.  What an incredible blessing!  We gathered all of the documents for our Embassy binder, and at the end of the month, we requested an Embassy appointment.  On January 31, the US Embassy announced that they were changing procedures.  Visas would no longer be issued until the field investigation was completed, and the Embassy stated that would take three-to-six months.

December 2012: Received Adoption Decree.  Waiting on other documents to say he is our little boy.  Sent off information for passports, medical exam, exit letter and visa: the items we need to bring him home. Raising funds to send approximately 50 children to school through the sale of "School is Cool!" Bracelets. Adoption Act dated December 29, 2012. The adoption final in the DRC.

November 2012: Waiting game for adoption. In the meantime, raised funds to provide 20 bunk beds for an orphanage in the DRC.  So exciting to see the Lord raise that money in about five weeks time.

October 2012:  USCIS Fingerprinting Appointment.  Visit to the DRC for our IR3 Visa. When we returned from the DRC, USCIS approval already received.

September 2012: WE HAVE A REFERRAL of a sweet little boy.  We found out the agency with which we had question in June 2012 had some "issues" right during that time.  Thank the Lord for discernment.  USCIS Application in the mail.  Dossier sent to the DRC.

August 2012: On the Road Again . . .this time, with an AWESOME organization!

July 2012: Put on the brakes.  Waiting for God's direction in adoption.

June 2012: With our home study and all necessary paperwork together, we began to pursue a waiting child with another agency.  Once we found out he was still waiting, we applied to that agency. 

May 2012: We got our paperwork together (not as bad as we thought) and scheduled our home study.

April 2012:  We decided to puruse adoption in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  We researched agencies that arrange adoptions in the DRC and applied to one agency.

March 2012: Philip and I agreed to begin the process to adopt.