For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11)
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Snow play
We have had very little snow this winter, usually only a few inches at a time and not very often. It was to the great joy of the kids that we had a few inches the other night and it did not melt off right away.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction... (James 1:27)
For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men. (Lam. 3:31-33)
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. 13:10)
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him. (Prov. 14:31)
Ethiopia Facts
Bordered by Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia
Slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Population approximately 77 million
Capital Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa population approximately 5 million
Official currency is the Ethiopian birr (~11 birr to 1 dollar)
Amharic is the official language, although more than 80 other local languages are spoken
Primary two religions are Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and Sunni Muslim
Average income approximately $1 per day
Adult literacy rate less than 50%
Median age is 18
Average life expectancy approximately 48 years
More than 1 million people with AIDS
More than 4 million orphans ages 0-17
Children in orphanages are either abandoned due to poverty or orphaned due to AIDS or war
What's Next..... (LAST THING TO DO) Change Kayla's citizenship status with Social Security
7/5/2011 - Received Certificate of Citizenship
4/23/2011 - Applied for Certificate of Citizenship
4/13/2011 - Received Kayla's US birth certificate
3/16/2011 - Received US birth certificate notification and sent in application
2/23/2011 - Received Decree Validating Foreign Adoption
2/15/2011 - After much delay, we have submitted Kayla's Colorado re-adoption paperwork to the courts
6/4/2009 - We receive Kayla's passport, visa, medical exam results, and head to the airport to return home.
6/2/2009 - Appointment at US Embassy in Addis Ababa. Kayla is approved for entry to the US on an IR-4 visa.
6/1/2009 - We pick up Kayla from foster care this morning. She is with us from now on!
5/30/2009 - Fly to Ethiopia
4/24/2009 - Received our Embassy appointment date, which determines our travel dates.
4/21/2009 - Ethiopian court approves our adoption of baby Kayla. She is now officially ours! Can't wait to go get her, but we still need an Embassy appointment date.
4/2/2009 - Homestudy update completed and mailed out.
12/11/2008 - Started working on paperwork for Colorado homestudy update.
12/8/2008 - Received our referral!
11/3/2008 - Decided to move with my job to Colorado. Big decision. Huge decision actually.
7/7/2008 - Our dossier ships out to Ethiopia. We are officially on the waiting list for a referral!
7/5/2008 - Received our I-171H (Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petitions) from USCIS
6/24/2008 - Complete dossier sent to Washington DC for authentications.
6/13/2008 - Copies of entire dossier sent to CWA for review.
6/10/2008 - Official homestudy report received! Copy sent to USCIS.
5/21/2008 - Draft copy of homestudy report sent to CWA for review
4/30/2008 - Received certified Dossier Cover Letter and Power of Attorney forms from Secretary of State
4/19/2008 - Homestudy interviews and house inspection completed and passed!
4/5/2008 - Mailed notarized Dossier Cover Letter and Power of Attorney forms to Secretary of State for certification
4/4/2008 - Received call from social worker. The homestudy interviews and home safety inspection are scheduled for the 19th.
3/31/2008 - Completed "Adoption Parenting" book and online exam to satisfy the remaining hours of training required by the Hague Convention
3/24/2008 - Completed and mailed paperwork requirements to homestudy agency - now waiting for phone call from social worker to set up interviews and home inspection
3/22/2008 - Completed "With Eyes Wide Open" online training course
3/8/2008 - Fingerprinting at USCIS for FBI background check
2/21/2008 - LiveScan fingerprinting at Police Dept for Justice Dept background check
2/19/2008 - Mailed I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) to USCIS
2/8/2008 - Started working paperwork for homestudy requirements
2/4/2008 - Accepted for our homestudy
1/25/2008 - Applied to another local agency to do our homestudy
1/24/2008 - Received Gary's passport (really bad picture)
1/22/2008 - Canceled contract with local homestudy agency after they said they would not work with a family that has an infant in the home already
1/21/2008 - Received Jamie's passport (with a good picture of course)
1/19/2008 - Completed NCFA online training course to satisfy 8 of the 10 training hours required by the Hague Convention
1/16/2008 - Signed with local agency for California homestudy
1/04/2008 - Applied for passports
12/30/2007 - Signed up with Christian World Adoption for placement of an Ethiopian girl between the ages of 6 and 18 months
Dec 2007 - Started seriously looking at international adoption agencies
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