Still on HOLD, but a little HOPE

Our social worker from Generations sent out another email explaining the situation about the visas:

"We received an update on the visas in Uganda. The Consular had decided she did not want to accept the Ugandan judges' order unless it was strongly worded that there was understanding that legal guardianship was being given for the purpose of adoption. She wants more specific language added into the orders. The main judge that our lawyer Isaac had been using had always done this, but the judge stepped down 6-8 weeks ago and the other judges had not been using this specific wording.

We are still working with the Consular to find out what steps need to be taken to make this change. Our attorney is speaking with judges and members of the Uganda Parliament to guarantee this wording change will be made by all the judges. As long as the wording is changed by the judge that is over the case, then the Consular will grant visas for US Citizens. Similar problems have arisen at the US Embassy in Uganda in the past and have been resolved successfully in a matter of weeks. Our attorney is hopeful that the current situation will be resolved in a timely manner as well.

We will keep you updated as we learn more information and this situation gets worked out. I do not mean to worry any of you, but wanted you to be aware since you would have probably heard through the internet anyway. Again, adoptions are not being closed but rather they are simply putting a hold on visas until they can work out the wording. This situation will not effect most of you, especially if you are still in the home study process.

Please pray that all the judges in Uganda will make this wording change quickly and easily for the children whose cases are going on in Uganda right now, who this situation most directly effects. God wants to put the lonely into families. I will keep you updated as I have new information."

My friend from James 1:27 blog has some amazing news! Her judge is going to rewrite her legal guardian papers, so the US will give her a visa. Sarah is going to be adopted and is going home very soon! Next Friday, everything will be finalized. Sarah was the exception because of all her medical problems. The Ugandan government saw the urgency of her situation. Praise Jesus! As far as I know, she is the only orphan being adopted and brought to the United States as of right now. Please continue to pray for all the other families that are stuck in Uganda without a way to bring their sons and daughters home. If God can move mountains, he can make this happen!

Adoptions in Uganda on HOLD = (

I just got an email from our social worker with Generations:

I wanted you to be aware that we have heard that Legal Guardianship Immigrant Visa issuance in Uganda is currently on “hold” due to a problem with the wording used for the legal guardianship paperwork in the Ugandan courts. They have not shut down adoptions in Uganda, but the U.S. has asked them to put a pause on issuing visas until they can work out different wording with the Uganda courts. Our Ugandan attorney has a appointment at the US Embassy in Kampala tomorrow to obtain additional information and potential ramifications relating to this situation. Generations is confident that hearing directly from the Embassy will cut through a lot of rumors now circulating on the internet. I will email you again tomorrow to let you know information. At this time, this is all the information I have and will not have more accurate information until our lawyer meets with the Embassy tomorrow.

       When I read this email to my husband, he said, that means, WE CANNOT ADOPT A CHILD FROM UGANDA, as of right now. The Ugandan Judges might rewrite the documents, but who knows. This is not good news for us, but more devastating is the people who are already in Uganda adopting their children. They have been there for weeks, trying to get their children home. One blog friend, James 1:27, has been through "heck" and back trying to get her daughter Sarah home. I am heartbroken for her and her family!! They either have to move their family to Uganda for three years or leave Sarah an orphan forever!! Sarah has been malnourished and has many other problems from being institutionalized. My friend quotes on her blog, "This is a death sentence for Sarah".

      Please pray for these families that are trying to get their children home! Pray that the Lord will give us guidance and show us what steps to take in a new direction, if the decision of the U.S. Embassy is final. As horrible as this seems, we know we serve a Good God! We know God has a plan that is perfect! We trust in his sovereignty!

Uganda!

      Dee and I have been praying and asking for guidance for the last couple of weeks. There is a great need to adopt domestically and internationally for different reasons. We feel that God is leading us to adopt from Uganda. All I think and dream about is Ugandan children. We pray that if Uganda is not where our child is, that God would redirect our steps to another country. Until then, here we go!!
     We filled out an application to use Generations in Waco, TX. This is an adoption agency that started only two years ago, but Lifeline helped them get started. Like I said in another post, they have not completed one adoption in Uganda to date. Right now, there are five families in the process of adopting. The first family should have their child by the end of the year.
     Most families that decided to adopt from Uganda do not use an agency. They go straight to the orphanages to adopt a child and they travel to the country at least twice. Uganda has only been open for international adoptions for three years. It is the "wild west" of adopting compared to Ethiopia. So nothing is really established in Uganda, but that makes this an adventure!
    Our next step in the process is a phone interview and then we start our home study. This whole process usually takes 7-9 months. So we should have our child home with us by this summer! This gives me chills! When we go pick up our child in Uganda, Dee and I will go over together, but he will come home after a week. I will stay another 2-4 weeks. Leaving my kids will be hard. But, if this is where our child is, then it is worth it!!