Changes and surprises can be very sobering and can happen quickly. I received an urgent call from Kim early on Friday morning. The reason for it was that she had received a call from the US Embassy in Kiev, Adoption Unit/Immigration Visa Services. In a nutshell, they discovered that a form from Immigration Services (I-600A) and our home study reflect adopting 2 children that are relatively healthy. Since HIV has not been taken off the list and probably won't be taken off now for immigration visas (only tourist visas have seemed to be approved on this), then I need to provide an amendment to the home-study and the I-600A (in that order) through our agency and the Los Angeles DHS office. So, I need an amendment reflecting the change in the health condition of a child. The potential timing delay is big. I have been in contact with our agency here and will continue to be until I can get the home study amendment and then get into that office in Los Angeles hopefully Monday.
As you can imagine it is both a surprise and shock. It sure woke me up in a hurry at 6:20 this morning! We thought we were complying completely with all requirements and that the waiver was the way of reflecting the change in health condition. That's not the case though. Please be in prayer for this as I need to be able to obtain these documents quickly. When it comes to dealing with these sorts of things a one day delay here can turn into a week or more in delays there. The embassy is willing to even contact the DHS office and encourage them to expedite our amendment. They can't demand it but they can earnestly suggest and encourage it so that they will be able to continue on our behalf. I would ask you to earnestly ask the Lord to move all barriers so that we can bring Kim and the kids home soon.
It is quite interesting too, and I share this with a sober heart, but on Wednesday I was stuck in some traffic a half hour and I had taken with me my copy of Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, which I only usually have on my nightstand. While sitting there I read the following and it caused me to pray and even on Thursday send it to Kim to try and communicate the Lord's working in my heart through it: From the prayer The All Good...
You are all my good in times of peace, my only support in days of trouble, my one sufficiency when life shall end. Help me to see how good your will is in all, and even when it crosses mine teach me to be pleased with it. ..... you are a bottomless fountain of all good, I give myself to You out of love, for all I have or own is yours, my goods, family, church, self, to do with as you will, to honor yourself by me, and by all mine. There's more of course. I recommend the book very much.
Needless to say, I had no idea we'd be facing this sort of situation today. Sometimes it is 3 steps forward and 2 steps back, but it never catches the Lord off guard. My hope and prayer is that this is just another "hiccup" in this whole thing and not a delay. The embassy said they will work with Kim as far as they can (passports, visa, visa rejection, waiver documents) so that perhaps the only thing needed is the receiving of the amendment from DHS in LA. Of course I can't get that until the amendment related to the original home study is in hand. Honestly, I have had moments of depression and anger over this today, but the Lord has been good to me in those moments and the peace that passes understanding and correct thinking and action that is explained in Philippians 4 4-9, have been also evident to me as well. Philippians 4:4 says "Rejoice!". Verse 5 tells us to let our forbearing spirit be known to all men. I curiously looked up forebearance and it says, "patient self-control, restraint, tolerance". Synonyms are very helpful too and some of them are, "patience, resignation, endurance, fortitude and self control". Verse 6 reflects this further with imperatives like, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (to appeal to, call on, ask and request) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Then it says, "And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Please pray for Kim and I and especially our children as well, to not lose heart or grow faint-hearted with all of this. Even before I had time to tell Kelly what has happened today she came to me asking when Kim and the kids would be coming home. So, I tried to explain this situation to her and that we need to continue to pray, because the Lord knows that exact day and time that they will come home. Thanks for praying and listening.
1 comment:
We'll be praying. If you have any trouble getting the paperwork done quickly, please don't hesistate to use your senators and representatives to help apply pressure. They're pretty good at getting the USCIS to work quickly.
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