I feel it in my stomach. Right where The Pit seems to have permanently taken up residence.
It's the travel to Ethiopia with open ended tickets because we're not sure exactly what day we will make it home after more than 2 weeks away from our children pit surrounded by acid which leaves me feeling ill.
Normally, travel to pick up adopted children from ET takes 6-8 days. Because of our daughter's medical situation, her visa will automatically be denied the first time we apply for it. Then, we have to show evidence (through a whole bunch of paperwork :) that we will take care of her medical needs, that she will not become a burden of the state...etc. This process takes additional time, possibly 6-10 more days for a grand total of somewhere between 2 and 3 weeks.
Oh my heart.
It is so, so, so, heavy about leaving JOTSC for this long.
We've got a couple of wonderful girls who are in their late teens coming in to take care of the kids with the grandparents picking them up for a few overnight stays to give the teen girls a break. It's a good arrangement. I know that.
Yet, we spend all our time together and none of us are used to separation.
If something goes wrong, there is nothing I can do to help them.
If they get sick, I won't be here.
I don't even know how much we will be able to talk.
I can't say "we'll be home in ______days" because I won't be sure when we'll make it back.
God just has to take care of us all. Trusting Him to do just that is where I need to find myself. My head knows it, but my emotions, my stomach, my watery eyes are another story.
Lord, calm my anxious heart. I want to trust and rely confidently upon You and be still, knowing you are my God, the God of my children, The One who has called us to this knowing we are only capable through You.
I cast these cares upon You.
Counting on Your grace and peace to carry us through, to care for our little ones, and for their mother too.....
I can not do this alone.
Family photo 2013
4 comments:
Hey Tish, there is a family in West Michigan right now who is in your same situation and found a way to escape this! They filed their I600 BEFORE even traveling... they are applying for their waiver BEFORE even traveling. They are going to travel for JUST one week, as soon as the waiver has been approved. :) So, you may want to talk to HQ about this and see if you can do something similar. The family I am talking about is with Gladney though, but it IS possible if you get people willing to walk you through this alternate route. Our agency could talk w/ people at Gladney and ask "how are you doing this?" :) Also, we went without open-ended tickets. We were gone (total travel time) for 2.5 weeks... our waiver was amazingly approved after less than 48 hours and our VISA for Bereket was ready at that time as well. It was amazing! However, we couldn't get an earlier flight out of the country to come home earlier because we were traveling at high season and all departing flights were booked.
oh, friend. i KNOW. good that you recognize that you can't do this alone. HE Is in this...and He'll be in EACH detail...down to the littlest one...praying for you!
praying.
Tisha,
I would love to help any way I can. We had talked about taking a couple of the kids while you are gone. That is still an option. If there's any other thing you can think of for us to help with the kiddos, please let me know.
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