As I was about to put down the computer for the night, I received a “blip blip” from our Lawyer on Skype who was down in Haiti working at l’Institut du Bien–être social et de recherches. l’Institut du Bien–être social et de recherches is also known in most adoption circles as IBESR, and is the “Social Services” of Haiti.
IBESR is the monumental first step of the adoption process – and we have just entered it!!!! Our journey has just officially begun; and our most worrisome point is still to come that is the Haitian National Palace where we shall petition to receive a waiver to adopt (despite the fact that we already have biological children, and we are under age 35).
Any parent reading this blog will perhaps understand what it might be like to have your children separated from you and be so far away, out of your loving arms and protection, but worse, that it is not within our power to bring them home. I’m not sure what it was, but in Church this Sunday both Amanda and I broke down as we started to sing “Knowing You”, we both almost had to leave the sanctuary as we had a hard time pulling ourselves back together.
So – we have just officially, after a full year of preparing with paperwork, started out on the long, long journey of adoption. Our daily family prayer is that God will empower and guide Clifford (our lawyer) to work efficiently in the legal system to bring our children home, and that God will strengthen Chris, Hal, Junior and HIS Home with the ability to provide the love and protection for our children while we are separated from each other.
And if you have it in your heart, for us, please bring this request before the throne of The Almighty.