Parquet Court Visit

On April 7, I boarded a plane to take me to Haiti for the 10th time in 2 years.  What an amazing journey God has called me to!!!!  I am so blessed!

My appointment for Parquet Court was in the morning on April 8.  So, I woke, got ready, helped Rodner get ready for school and headed to Port Au Prince with a driver I had met only once.  During our travels, I was pleading with God for safety and success.  Once in Port Au Prince, we stopped to pick up a driver I had met several times and my anxious heart was settled just a bit.  Our next step was to find a woman that works along side my lawyer from Haiti.  She was going to walk through the steps of Parquet Court with me.  There was about a half hour wait time before we could meet her and so I wanted in what I called "The Green Room" because it was painted green and I had no idea what it was actually used for each day. 

Once she arrived, we traveled together to Parquet.  Parquet is a step that all adoption files need to go through and it begins with court.  As my Haitian representative and I stepped out of the car to head into court, she took a look at my tank top and skirt and shook her head.  I was soon to find out that in Parquet you MUST wear sleeves.  This is where things got less serious and really hilarious...  You see, in Haiti a great majority of public drivers wear bright yellow shirts with blue collars.  Since we were in the car with two drivers, there was an extra shirt laying in the back seat.  So...  This was my court attire for Parquet Court...

I hope you are laughing!  I still find it amazingly funny that I sat for at least an hour among extremely well dressed Haitian judges, lawyers and other legal council in this outfit.  What a wonderful memory!!!  As I sat in the busy room buzzing with action, I was handed my file.  The file that I had worked so hard to complete two years ago.  The file that lists me as Rodner's mom.  The file that gets passed from step to step to complete Rodner's adoption.  The only thing I could do was lay my hands on that stack of papers and PRAY.  Pray for the LORD's protection and for His speedy handiwork.  So, I did.  I prayed and prayed over that set of papers.  Then, the judge that was needed became free and was handed my file.  He looked in my direction and I gave him the best wave and sweetest smile I could...  Remember I am still wearing a taxi driver shirt....  Then, he signed my file and we were off.  We walked with my papers to another building where my file was left in a file cabinet.  IN A FILE CABINET!!!  I threw my hands up and said "God, you've got this!"  And I know in my heart that He does.  He has had His hand on this entire journey and He will continue to guide Rodner's file through the remaining steps.  Praise be to God!!!!
So, what's next...  Parquet includes a series of legalization steps and I will wait and pray that this process goes quickly.  From there, my file travels to MOI (Ministry of the Interior) and goes through a few more steps.  Finally, it is on to passport.  From passport, my file goes to the US Embassy for VISA.
Please join me as I praise the LORD for His amazing goodness through this entire process.  Please also continue to pray with me for God to bring Rodner home to Minnesota very soon...  Sometime before his birthday on June 9th.
God is so good, so faithful and so amazing!  May His blessings be found each day in your life and in the lives of those around you.