Encouragement from the Word

This verse was in my morning study and it spoke so profoundly to me that God is control and His love is still as big as before for us and for Ava. He is in control. This was such a huge reminder that God is in control, that He still cares for all the orphans over in Vietnam that are waiting for loving families, and that His love is deeper, wider, longer, higher than I will ever be able to humanly comprehend. How good it is to regain perspective and lay it at the feet of Jesus.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide, and long, and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3 14-19

Cautiously Optimistic/Hopeful

We received and email from the adoption agency stating that things are still in the works for getting that interim agreement to improve the adoption process and hopefully soon be able to resume adoptions.

Here is a portion of what we received from the adoption agency:
Approximately two weeks ago a meeting took place at the US Embassy between DOS officials and officials from the Vietnam Ministry of Justice. This meeting went very well and both sides extended their desires to begin the negotiations on a new bi-lateral agreement.
Last week in Hanoi there was a meeting between the Ministry of Justice, DIA, Provincial Justice officials, MOLISA and directors of the orphanages that are approved to participate in inter-country adoption. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss proposed changes in the policies and procedures for inter-country adoption in Vietnam.

Significant steps have taken place in the last several weeks in an effort to commence negotiations on a new bi-lateral agreement. The proposed changes being considered by Vietnam are welcome changes that we believe are in the best interests of the children of Vietnam and will greatly improve the practice of inter-country adoption in Vietnam.

The DIA has yet to make a formal announcement regarding the returning of dossiers not matched with a referral prior to September 1, 2008. The DIA is currently holding onto these files, as there has been recent movement on negotiations toward a new agreement. If a new agreement is not put into place in a reasonable about of time it appears that these dossiers will be returned to the agencies. If this is the case, Faith will hold these dossiers at our office in Hanoi until they can be resubmitted.

The ups and downs of this adoption process has been huge. We are trusting that God's plan and will for our family is to bring home Ava. We are also trusting that His plan if far better than ours. God's plan is for all children to have loving homes and we thank God that we are being obedient to his calling to open up our hearts and have Ava be part of our family. What a huge blessing!!! Through this journey of adoption and through parenting God is refining Rich and I as parents/spouses/children of God. I thank God for all that even in the midst of emotional pain it brings. I know when Ava is finally home we will look back and see the perfect plan and the reasons that it went the way it has. Instead of looking at the problems of this adoption looking so huge, I am being challenged to change it around and remember that God is bigger than any problem we may encounter.

Expected news, yet still difficult to hear...

News from our adoption agency was as we expected, not full of new information and left it still hanging in the air as to when Ava will get to come home. Basically the only thing we do know, is God knows the exact time and day, and we have to be patient and trust for his perfect timing. Her is a bit of the email that was sent via our adoption agency:

Today, September 1, 2008, the current Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the United States and Vietnam expires. As a result, intercountry adoption is effectively suspended until a new MOA is signed and implemented by both countries. Joint Council sees the suspension of intercountry adoption as a tragedy for children and for the families willing to provide a loving family to Vietnamese orphans.

Joint Council and its Member Organizations remain committed to the children and families of Vietnam and continue to work closely with both governments. Completing existing adoption cases and putting a new MOA in place remain the top priorities.

Joint Council remains confident that a new MOA is achievable especially in light of recent events. Joint Council’s A Child’s Right Campaign, the subsequent letter from Members of the U.S. Congress to the Department of State, arrests of corrupt practitioners in Vietnam, a discussion of the Hague Convention by Vietnam’s National Assembly, a joint statement by President Bush and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, the U.S. Department of State’s official request for a lead Vietnamese negotiator and other recent events, all demonstrate that both parties take this seriously and are interested in resolving this crisis.

The adoption agency continues to seek clarity on all aspects of the adoption process in Vietnam and have suggested that the DIA refrain from returning family dossiers to their respective adoption service provider at this time. Unfortunately many questions remain such as when a new MOA is in place, will existing dossiers be considered valid. When this and other determinations are made, the adoption agency will notify us promptly.

Rich and I have been encouraged by the adoption agency to keep our dossier in country and that they are still hopeful an agreement can be reached by the end of 2008 or early 2009. So, as before, we are just waiting and looking forward to the day we get our referral as well as get to go and get Ava.