Ecuador Update

I spoke with adoption agency #209 and…was denied.  What do I mean when I say denied? I would like to give you an idea of what our family is willing to “accept.” Don’t take offense to that word. Please put yourself in my shoes and think of what child you would be willing to adopt and parent the rest of your life. I inquired about a healthy child (in adoption lingo this means mild/correctable special needs), boy or girl, two or younger.

Ecuador has two adoption programs: regular and waiting children (WIC). Regular meaning healthy children infant age and up, and WIC meaning children harder to place due to age and health. The country of Ecuador has their regular program on hold indefinitely because they are trying to keep their healthy infants/toddlers in country, adopted by nationals. This means the three agencies with Ecuador programs are only offering their WIC program. 

We would have to be willing to accept:

Children four years or older and/or

With mild to severe Special Needs and/or

Of Afro-Ecuadorian or mixed indigenous race and/or

Part of a sibling group.

That’s a lot to be willing to accept (especially if you add up all the “ands”)!

Where do Jared and I stand? We are not searching for the perfect child. We are searching for our child. The one God has prepared for us, conceived in my heart, in need of Jared, Maria, and Sawyer. May His will be done.

Something extremely important to us is birth order. The Lord gave us Sawyer first. We plan on keeping him the oldest. It is his birth right from the Lord. We also know what we can handle when it comes to special needs: financially and emotionally.  Then add the fact that Ecuador has many(!) healthy infants not being adopted. How sad. I type this with a knot in my throat, hoping you can open your heart and see where I’m coming from.

Having said all that, here is the email I received from my dad in Ecuador (I have to specify because I have two daddy's:). It was sent to him from the special lady I talked to you about in my previous post.  It states:

“Hello, I have investigated what I spoke with you earlier. Indeed, there is a corporation that can help you. They tell me that the adoption process is fast (again, in adoption lingo this means less than 12 months) and they have younger children that are adoptable. Next week they will tell me the adequate people to contact.”

By "next week" I hope she means Monday:)

I was born in Ecuador! I am Ecuadorian! I have family members living in Ecuador! This is not all in vain. The Lord has had this all planned from the beginning of time and will show His great power in this situation. To Him be the glory in everything that happens. He is my God and He does everything right. Please pray for clear direction, open doors, and patience as this process is sloooow. Thank you for all your support. It has been so encouraging:)

“You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.” Psalm 77:14