Adoption Changes

UPDATED: You can find out some more information here on this blog and be sure to keep an eye out on the US State Department website for official changes and information.

Ethiopian Federal Court

I wish I had the time I used to to follow everything that is happening in Ethiopia, especially regarding adoptions. Somehow time is something I have very little of right now.....hmmm.

Today I found out that Ethiopia is changing the rules regarding court. As of right now (and they pretty much mean right now, very few cases will get grandfathered in under the old rules) they want parents to travel at the time of court and then again a few weeks later to pick up their child when they have an embassy date. You see, just last week parents could sign a power of attorney and someone from their agency would represent them......well, not anymore. While I am glad to see Ethiopia putting rules in place to make sure that every adoption is ethical, this is going to put a huge strain on families.

For instance, we got the call that our court date was in three weeks. Now can you imagine if someone called and said that along with, "Oh by the way, and you need to be there. And you won't be able to take her home. You will have to leave her here for another 4-6 weeks and come back again to get her." That is what happening to these families. Now this isn't the end of the world but coming together with an additional $5,000 to travel on a moments notice when you are already on the edge of the international adoption cliff, is enough to make anyone a little upset.

So I just ask you to keep these families in your prayers. Keep Ethiopia in your prayers, these kids need homes, but Ethiopia also needs hope. Only the saving grace of our Lord Jesus can truly make a difference in this country. It is my prayer that international adoption is not even needed there anymore one day. But today, kids need families.