Where to begin….

I honestly have spent a big portion of my time just staring at the screen, wondering what to say.

 

First of all, know that 99.9999999% of adoption processes are not like ours. (I’m not sure how KC and I feel being the rare exception.)

 

For whatever reason, MOWA and the Ethiopian courts don’t follow the “normal” processes and procedures with us.

 

We have no clue why. By all accounts, we should have had our file reviewed today and should have received our court date.

 

But instead, the courts issued a separate court date of October 10^th for MOWA to review our file (again)  to issue their recommendation – positive or negative.

 

That means we would not receive a court date until the week of the 13^th.

 

KC and I are at the point where we are no longer sad, but angry. There is no logical reason why Bertie should not have already been home. There’s no logical reason why we should not have been given a court date today.

 

We entered into this stage of the process with several families, and our file has consistently been re-done, delayed, and turned back.

Again, this makes absolutely no sense  to anyone - us or our agency. Our agency has no idea why "the change in process".

I wanted to wait before typing up a post because there are still a lot of unanswered questions. Ethiopia is 8 hours ahead of us, so the time difference can get a bit frustrating in instances like this. 

Guys, I'm going to be transparent with you. We do not know what another 'no' from MOWA and the courts would mean. We do not know if we could "lose" Bertie because they are not "content" with our file and what it contains. 

Friends, this is MORE than just us "waiting on God" or "trusting in His timing". 

KC and I both strongly feel like we're in the middle of a battle; a spiritual battle. 

In Ephesians 6:12-13 we're told that:

[Our] struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

There comes a time when we are called to do more; when we're called pray and fast and seek Him out. 

That does not mean that prayer and fasting will immediately remedy the situation. Many times, it will be hard fought. 

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 

But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 

-Daniel 10:12-13

For 21 days, Daniels prayers were fought. Daniel kept praying. He held on to faith that He would come through, and He did. 

KC and I are not giving up. We are, again, asking for your prayers. 

But if you feel led, we are asking you to take it a step further and fast for Bertie as well.