It's been almost two months since the last update that wasn't really an update of progress. I figured it's about time I let you know what we've been hearing. First, here's a brief history:
Lyle attended court on July 25. At that time, he was told that they would expect us to go to Ethiopia to pick up Mihret and bring her home for ever at the end of October.
End of October has come and gone.
Delayed. Why?
We were first delayed for one month because our file was locked inside the courthouse and the courthouse was closed for the rainy season / new year. It would have been longer but the head lady from MOWA was able to get into the courthouse to retrieve our file, along with others.
The second delay has been ridiculous. This delay still stands. It has been two months since our file was retrieved, and the days will continue to move for who knows how long. We are waiting for MOWA to issue their form letter advising both Immigration and Vital Statistics that we are legally Mihret's parents. Immigration would then issue a passport and Vital Statistics would issue a birth certificate. Both are required before the Embassy in Nairobi can request / proceed with the medical check on Mihret and visa issuance.
Why is MOWA sitting on their letters?
The reason is pure speculation. Both speculative reasons have been voiced by more than one employee of our agency. Both speculated reasons are legitimate reasons from MOWAs viewpoint to hold up ours, and other people's files.
1. Contact by Canadian families, both waiting in Canada and waiting in Ethiopia, with MOWA is not allowed. Canadian families have made direct contact with MOWA asking them to move things along. MOWA is not impressed.
2. MOWA did not want the adoptions to become legal for those children that came through the orphanage that is now closed. This includes Mihret. The judge overruled MOWAs feelings. MOWA is not impressed.
MOWA can sit on our letters for as long as they want. However, the agency's representative in Ethiopia has met once, and will again this Friday, with the Ministry hoping to get our letters done ASAP.
Please join us, and other families, in prayer as we all want our miracle of having our children home for Christmas. Although Christmas is very soon and the timing is unlikely, we can still pray for the miracles.
8 comments:
My prayers are with you. I've been anxiously waiting to hear an update on your adoption, and I'm so sorry about the delays. I came across your blog sometime in the summer, I would like to adopt from Africa as well, and have been reading blogs to get information and read people's stories. Your story really stuck out to me and I went back to the begging of your blog and read the whole thing. I loved your story, your writing style, and the issues that you were not afraid to tackle. I wanted to email you, but the 'contact us' button didn't work, so I thought I would let you know how much I appreciated it. I hope that MOWA can get passed being "not impressed" and get all those letters signed. Come on MOWA!
Praying you get your Christmas Miracle. ((Hugs))!!!!!
Oh geez!! Why do these people let politics and nonsense take precedence over families?? I am also praying for a Christmas miracle for you guys.
Thinking of your family and M in Ethiopia. Hoping things move quickly, there is always something isn't there!!?
Well, that's just a nasty situation, isn't it. I know people get really hyped and want to move and shake things over in Africa (I sure as heck did) but the real deal is that the world runs on relationships. And if those relationships are strained...
So sorry to hear you are caught in the middle of it......
"Nicky"
Ah, that just sucks...praying it gets sorted out asap.
I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!! love you, Auntie Gale
I know that MOWA can be a bit territorial and this unfortunately can very much impact timelines, but I very much believe in miracles and even in cases that seemed much less likely involving MOWA, the kids did come home and sooner than some would have expected. I will be praying.
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