HERE'S THE DEAL

Last time I updated you about the potential cut in inter-country adoptions out of Ethiopia, things seemed to be looking up. People making poor decisions were being asked to leave and conversations were happening to come up with the best possible solution for these children. Thursday we received more information. Our agency participated in a stakeholder meeting regarding Ethiopia adoptions with USCIS and the State Department. Here are some of the highlights.

1. USCIS and State support the continuation of the

intercountry adoption program in Ethiopia while also

seeking to address specific problems and concerns.

2. Procedural changes will protect the integrity of the

adoption process while providing better safeguards

for PAP's and children.

3. Adoptive Service Providers need to take more

responsibility for ensuing due diligence and careful

case preparation

4. The US government will continue to refine the

analysis of adoption case information at US Embassy

Addis Ababa as a toll to help guard against unethical

or fraudulent practices.

This is all great news! I'm really proud to be adopting from a country who loves it's children!

Now this is the part that is a little hard to swallow... especially considering we JUST got our referral and the more we look at that sweet face, the harder it is to wait to meet him!

Ready?...

For families who have not received their court date yet,

delays are expected as MOWCYA will begin processing

only 5 cases a day after they complete their review of the

expedited cases. What kind of delay can families expect?

No one knows at this time. CHI will keep all families

informed of the new timelines once we receive court dates

for the next set of families. It will only be at that time that

we will be able to offer our waiting families any indication

on what they can expect to experience. The approval

number has been decreased due to the large number of

cases being presented to the MOWCYA and the lack of

current time/resources to review all of these cases well

with the due diligence that is needed.

A lot of the families waiting for court dates are very hopeful that this will not go into effect. That it wont take long for them to realize that a cut like this will create MANY problems that they don't have the resources to deal with. I'm encouraged by their positive attitudes, but also just trying to keep my eye on the bigger picture. I am all for this kind of change if it's what's best for these kids. I can wait longer to bring my son home if it means that the things that have been overlooked in the past are not overlooked anymore. We want to keep the bad people out and far far away from these children!

Arthur,

We WILL bring you home! We know it will be sweet and magical and perfect. We just don't know when it will be. Keep smiling, little bundle! We love you!