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.  

Another Step Closer

Our trip to Haiti in March was wonderful!  Rodner, Bobby and I were able to spend some great time together and to strengthen our bond as a family.

One of the moments from this trip that I will never forget was when Rodner looked at us and said, "Mom, Dad...  I think I'm ready to go to Minnesota."  We are ready too!!!

We have recently learned that our file has received dispensation (a very important signature) and has been passed out of IBESR.  Now, I am scheduled to appear in Parquet Court on April 8.  When our file passes through Parquet, we are on to MOI, legalization and PASSPORT!!!! 
Please continue to pray BIG prayers for Rodner to be home in Minnesota before his 9th birthday on June 9th.  God CAN hear our prayers and He CAN move the mountains to bring him home.  Through Him all things are possible! 

Answers

Each day, I get questions from friends and family.  Questions from the heart.  Questions surrounded by kindness.  Questions encompassed by hope.  Many questions about Rodner's adoption.  Most of which I could not answer until now.

I have been praying for answers and praying for information about Rodner's adoption.  Today some answers were sent to me in an e-mail and some pieces of the adoption puzzle came together.

Here is what I know...  I submitted my adoption paperwork (also known as my dossier) to the Haitian Social Services Governmental Department (also known as the IBESR) in August of 2011.  My file ran into roadblock #1 when I was identified as "too young to adopt" in October of 2012.  Roadblock #2 occurred in November of 2012 when I was deemed as "dating (as stated in my home study) and childless."  The Haitian government flagged my file twice because I am "too young" and because "I am not married and have no biological children."  In their eyes, this creates an opportunity for me to produce mounds of paperwork and to prove that I am, in fact, a fit mother and, most importantly, the mother that God has chosen to love and raise Rodner.  So...  Roadblock #1 was conquered with a letter eloquently written by myself to plea with the Haitian government to overlook the fact that I am 33 and not 34 years of age, to grant me exception and to pass along my file.  Roadblock #2 was originally defeated with a letter from my ObGyn stating that I do not have any biological children, that I am in good physical health and that I would make an excellent mother.  This letter was notarized, translated into French, state certified, legalized by the Haitian Consulate in Chicago and hand delivered to Haiti where it was lost.  LOST!  I am now in the process of going through all of the steps for that letter from the start and I will, once again, hand deliver it to Haiti on March 10.

My translation of all of this is that my file to adopt Rodner Daverne has been SITTING for 18 months and that it could possibly take another year or longer for him to arrive HOME.  I am so sad!  I am terrified!  I am lost!

Through all of this, though, God has been working in me.  In my heart and in all of me.  He has taught me PATIENCE.  He has taught me to reach out for SUPPORT.  He has taught me TRUST.  He has given me HOPE.  He has shown me the power of PRAYER.  I will not give up and I will choose to live each day in Him.

Please join me in BIG prayers to bring Rodner home.  Pray for the IBESR to respond well to the letter they will receive from me in two weeks.  Pray that dispensation (the Presidental signature needed on Rodner's file) to happen quickly.  Pray that the final steps on the part of the Haitian government will move quickly and smoothly and will grant the issuance Rodner's passport very soon.  Once the Haitian side is complete, Rodner's file will move to the US Embassy in Port Au Prince for review, a Visa appointment and Visa issuance.  Please pray that this all goes smoothly and quickly.

Rodner's turns 9 on June 9.  His Golden Birthday.  Please pray that he will be in Minnesota surrounded by family and friends who love and support him on that very special day.

Many times each day, I turn to God and wonder how He chose me to be Rodner's mom and I thank him with a grateful heart for that special honor and privilege.  I am so blessed!  I am blessed to have been chosen as Rodner's mom and I am blessed to have each of you in my life as family, friends, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, Christan examples, sources of joy and providers of love.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  Thank you! 

One Step Closer

On November 9, I left for my sixth trip to Leogane, Haiti.  This trip was to be filled with lots of love, joy and some business.

After spending a night in the Dallas airport, three different flights and a variety of conversations, my travel companion, Steve and I arrived in Port Au Prince on November 10 around 3:30 in the afternoon.  A two-hour car ride brought us to Leogane at the front gate of OLTCH.  As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was greeted with many hugs from the children and adults of OLCTH.  Then, came the best greeting of all…  Rodner came running out of the dining room at full speed to give me a giant hug.  Back together again!  

Our days together were filled with laughs, coloring, treats, games, puzzles, Legos from Dad, love, hugs, prayers, friends, reading, school and much, much more.  Rodner and I can have fun doing anything together and we make the most of each moment that we are together.  Monday through Friday, Rodner goes to school in the morning.  The picture above is of Rodner waiting to board the van to school.  The video to follow is when Rodner returned from school.  I am so proud of him!

I had a scheduled appointment at the US Embassy in Port Au Prince at 8:30am on November 13.  This means that I left the orphanage at 6:00am to begin the 2-hour drive back to Port Au Prince.  While at Embassy, I was able to file my I600 form, which was well received by the Embassy officers and will classify Rodner as my immediate relative once he lands in the United States on his trip home.  One step closer!

We continue to wait and to pray for the Haitian government to accept my file, sign the necessary pieces and pass it along to the next person/agency in line.  We also pray for God’s will to be done and for all glory to go to Him.  We are certain that this plan was completely orchestrated by God and will only be completed through Him. 

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.”                                                                                                                                   Romans 8:28

Bobby and I are traveling back to Haiti to celebrate Christmas with our son.  We are so excited to be together as a family for this wonderful time of year.  We wish many blessing and much love for you and your family as you celebrate this blessed and special time of year.

We will praise you while we're waiting!

And the waiting continues...
This week we heard exciting news for Operation Love the Children of Haiti (OLTCH), the orphanage where Rodner lives.  Four families that are currently in the adoption process of beautiful children from OLTCH received the Presidential Dispensation that is needed by most and possibly all of us in order to move onto the next step.  This is wonderful news!  While I wish that Rodner's name was on that list, I will continue to trust in God's perfect timing for this amazing plan that He has put into place.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.” 

From what I understand, the Presidential Dispensation happens in the Haitian Social Services Department or the IBESR.  I have heard that currently there are 200 to 600 adoption files sitting in the IBESR waiting for the needed signatures to move to the next step.  Rodner's file is one of the hundreds waiting.  Please pray with us for God's hand to be upon all of the files and to move them through the IBESR and the following steps quickly.  Prayer will bring Rodner and his friends home!  We are sure of that.  Please also pray for the families that have received the signatures that they will be blessed with the knowledge to know what to do next and the intuition to know who to contact when additional help/guidance is necessary.

Thank you for your prayers and for you love.  May God's blessings be upon you and your family.  

Our Family

On Thursday, April 5, my fiancé, Bobby, and I traveled together to Haiti.  Our goal for this trip was to spend time with Rodner and to come together as a family.  If, by chance, we received any information on our adoption process, that would be an additional and unexpected blessing.

Before we left on our trip, my excitement escalated to an all time high.  Not only was I going to be able to hold Rodner in my arms again and remind him of the never-ending love that I have for him but his DAD was going to be with me. 

Bobby and Rodner met on April 5, 2012 near the entrance gates at OLTCH.  It was an awesome moment as they were introduced as father and son and we were brought together as a family.  

During our first night at OLTCH, Bobby, Rodner and myself fell asleep after being warned of the rain that had been predicted for the area.  Several times Bobby and I woke up to reposition our beds and luggage to a somewhat dryer and less leaky location in our tent.  Rodner slept through the storm and woke up soaking wet but in my arms and surrounded by our love.  That day we were moved to a bunk house and this is where we spent the remaining nights and quiet daytime hours together.

Bobby was put to work digging a large hole for additional drainage for the girls’ shower and reorganizing some of the tools and equipment used at OLTCH.  Rodner and I checked on him often and brought him lots of water and encouraging cheers as he worked.  He loves to help so this was a perfect way for him to spend part of our trip. 

Rodner was very happy to be spending time with his mom and dad.  He loves to build things, work on puzzles, color, write and share.  We spent a lot of time as a family working on these things and creating happy memories.

Until the day comes where Bobby and I can bring Rodner home to Minnesota, our trips to Haiti must end in heartbreaking good-byes.  This time Rodner was the first to shows signs of sadness.  He stepped away from the group and began to play on his own.  I went over to him and scooped him up.  As he clung to me, he began to sob and ask about why we needed to leave without him and when we were planning to return.  Only God can answer those questions and we trust that in His perfect timing, we will no longer need those answers.

As we wait for Rodner’s adoption to be finalized, we continue to pray.  Specifically, we are praying for patience, for God’s protection over Rodner and OLTCH, for God to guide the hearts and the minds for all of us involved in the adoption process and to help us to make decisions so that His will may be done and for all the glory to go to Him.

Many blessings to you!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your friends and family!

I am looking forward to a very exciting 2012!  My prayers are that during this year, Rodner will be home in Minnesota and we will begin our life together.  God is so good!

Christmas at OLTCH looks like it was full of Jesus, love and happiness.  Please click on the "Christmas at OLTCH Video" link below and enjoy the movie.  Look for Rodner.  He is growing so quickly!

Christmas at OLTCH Video

Lots of love to you!