May Numbers?

 

I would love to be able to announce that we received our May waitlist numbers from AGCI.

 

However, there will be no more numbers.

 

Towards the end of May we received a long e-mail from AGCI informing us of a lot of changes that have been going on and will be taking place in Ethiopian adoptions.

 

Here are some key points that were made in the letter:

 

*Ethiopia continues to value adoption for their many orphans and there are NO plans to close adoption in Ethiopia.

 

*MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs) in Ethiopia is in the process of removing the corruption involved in adoptions, child buying, and other unethical practices that are unfortunately taking place.

 

*Ethical adoption time frames are slowing down because of this, but there is hope of stabilization.

 

*Currently, families are waiting approximately 2.5 years to receive a referral, but we are told to prepare for 3.5 years or more, depending on how open our age/gender/health parameters are.

 

*As of June 1st, the Ethiopia program has been capped.

 

*Families have been given the choice to let their home study expire until approximately 6 months before an estimated referral date. This would reduce the overall cost of the adoption because of all of the updates required to keep it current. However, if a family chooses to do this, they would move appropriately on the list, but they would not be eligible for a referral. At this time, Colin and I are choosing to keep our home study current and are in the process of doing our yearly updates.

 

*Monthly waitlist numbers have been discontinued due to their inaccuracy (if a family is open to an older child with special needs at number 75, they could receive a referral at that number because no family closer to number 1 is open to those parameters). Most agencies do not give waitlist numbers for this reason.

 

*AGCI will continue to give monthly e-mail updates and will inform us of referrals. Ex. A toddler boy was referred to a family with a dossier date of February 2011. Our dossier date is November 2012, so we will be on the lookout for when referrals go out to families with dates near ours.

 

Colin and I remain confident in AGCI's choice in being committed to adoptions that only occur in an ethical manner. We have heard through other AGCI mommas that there have been 3 infant girl referrals in the last 2 weeks! We remain hopeful and in love with our little Ethiopian in our hearts and prayers every single day.

 

I read on the website Incourage, that there is so much comfort in living life knowing that you are in the care of the One who knows the roads like no one else! NO bumps take Him by surprise. Those unexpected ruts and potholes EXIST on His road map! He knows exactly what lies around each corner.

 

So we move forward in peaceful confidence, knowing that God knows.