The Stewarts from Together for Adoption on Vimeo.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
An UPDATE!!!
Friends,
We have waited for for 4 months to even get word that India has received our paper work and today that was confirmed! I believe this is evidence of answered prayers! So, the good news is, they have received our paper work and have reviewed it! But there is also bad news. They are requesting 3 additional documents. I can put those together fairly quickly, run them down to Montgomery to have them apostilled and mail them off for India by Wednesday. But these are more delays that can affect us by weeks!
Although India wants hard copies of these documents.....a copy of them can also be received via email in the mean time. (hoping that is a benefit to us!) So, at this point when India receives our additional paper this could go a couple of different ways. We could go back to the bottom of the 550 cases, or be at the top waiting to be approved.....or some other weirdness in between those two options. But, I'm so encouraged that there is some movement here! At the same time, the enemy is still hard at work on our family and has still not let up on me in regards to my health. So, I'm asking you....for those of you that have entered into the battle with us, to keep fighting for us in prayer! Keep asking God for the things that seem impossible and the miracles we need to get this baby girl home!
Lastly, another blogger friend sent this post to me as a way of encouragement tonight and I can't tell you just how much of an encouragement it was. (thank YOU Meredith!!) It documents my EXACT THOUGHTS and FEELINGS on this adoption and the battle that we are in and our desire to fight for our child to come home. Please consider reading this. It is SO SO good!
Till she comes home,
We have waited for for 4 months to even get word that India has received our paper work and today that was confirmed! I believe this is evidence of answered prayers! So, the good news is, they have received our paper work and have reviewed it! But there is also bad news. They are requesting 3 additional documents. I can put those together fairly quickly, run them down to Montgomery to have them apostilled and mail them off for India by Wednesday. But these are more delays that can affect us by weeks!
Although India wants hard copies of these documents.....a copy of them can also be received via email in the mean time. (hoping that is a benefit to us!) So, at this point when India receives our additional paper this could go a couple of different ways. We could go back to the bottom of the 550 cases, or be at the top waiting to be approved.....or some other weirdness in between those two options. But, I'm so encouraged that there is some movement here! At the same time, the enemy is still hard at work on our family and has still not let up on me in regards to my health. So, I'm asking you....for those of you that have entered into the battle with us, to keep fighting for us in prayer! Keep asking God for the things that seem impossible and the miracles we need to get this baby girl home!
Lastly, another blogger friend sent this post to me as a way of encouragement tonight and I can't tell you just how much of an encouragement it was. (thank YOU Meredith!!) It documents my EXACT THOUGHTS and FEELINGS on this adoption and the battle that we are in and our desire to fight for our child to come home. Please consider reading this. It is SO SO good!
Till she comes home,
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Warfare Prayers and a Miracle
Friends,
We are in need of your prayers. Let me update you and tell you why.
Our papers for Bella went for approval to New Delhi in June this summer. At that time we were told we would received approval in about 15-30 days to which the papers would then be forwarded on to the state courts and spend another 30 days and then we would apply for passport and bring Bella home by the end of the summer.
Obviously, none of that has happened. In fact, our papers are still in New Delhi and going on 100+ days now. The last several weeks we were notified of back log in paperwork in Delhi that was causing delays but that they would complete all backlogs by September 3oth and we remained hopeful as that day was quickly approaching... that our papers would be approved and we would move on to the next step.
But, September 30th had come and gone and we still had no approval. We've been notified of a remaining backlog of 550 adoption cases and they have now indicated that the pending adoption cases are projected to be cleared by December 31st 2011. We don't know where we stand in that 500+ adoption cases....but we are in there somewhere and now have no idea just how much longer this will take. Regardless, bringing Bella home by the years-end is fading quickly. It's looking more like it will be next year sometime. We are extremely disappointed to say the least.
On another note, over the course of the last couple of weeks I've been experiencing some serious difficulties (medical in nature) that by all means have proven to be nothing but spiritual warfare.
This attack from the enemy has drained me both physically and mentally to where at the end of the day I am weak and exhausted. I have been clinging to the LORD just to get through each day. I have experienced some extreme opposition to say the least.
This experience has me gathering thoughts on how these continued adoption delays could also be warfare related. It wouldn't surprise me. We've had all kinds of difficulties, road blocks and set backs along the way, but this time it just feels offensive. I was reading just last night a few other adoption blogs about how the enemy brought on extreme attacks during the home stretch of their adoptions. Similar situations such as ours were mentioned. I was even reminded of Russell Moore's statement,
We are in need of your prayers. Let me update you and tell you why.
Our papers for Bella went for approval to New Delhi in June this summer. At that time we were told we would received approval in about 15-30 days to which the papers would then be forwarded on to the state courts and spend another 30 days and then we would apply for passport and bring Bella home by the end of the summer.
Obviously, none of that has happened. In fact, our papers are still in New Delhi and going on 100+ days now. The last several weeks we were notified of back log in paperwork in Delhi that was causing delays but that they would complete all backlogs by September 3oth and we remained hopeful as that day was quickly approaching... that our papers would be approved and we would move on to the next step.
But, September 30th had come and gone and we still had no approval. We've been notified of a remaining backlog of 550 adoption cases and they have now indicated that the pending adoption cases are projected to be cleared by December 31st 2011. We don't know where we stand in that 500+ adoption cases....but we are in there somewhere and now have no idea just how much longer this will take. Regardless, bringing Bella home by the years-end is fading quickly. It's looking more like it will be next year sometime. We are extremely disappointed to say the least.
On another note, over the course of the last couple of weeks I've been experiencing some serious difficulties (medical in nature) that by all means have proven to be nothing but spiritual warfare.
This attack from the enemy has drained me both physically and mentally to where at the end of the day I am weak and exhausted. I have been clinging to the LORD just to get through each day. I have experienced some extreme opposition to say the least.
This experience has me gathering thoughts on how these continued adoption delays could also be warfare related. It wouldn't surprise me. We've had all kinds of difficulties, road blocks and set backs along the way, but this time it just feels offensive. I was reading just last night a few other adoption blogs about how the enemy brought on extreme attacks during the home stretch of their adoptions. Similar situations such as ours were mentioned. I was even reminded of Russell Moore's statement,
“Adoption and orphan care is not charity; adoption and orphan care is not another denominational program. Adoption and orphan care is spiritual warfare, because adoption and orphan care is about Gospel and about mission.”
And that just about sums it all up. The enemy would like nothing more than to try and put an end to this adoption....or delay or discourage or distract. With all that said, I am asking you to please consider entering into some warfare praying for us and our Bella. At this point, there is no reason why she could not come home! We are ready, she is ready, her room is ready.....and travel expenses have been fully funded. (PTL) We just lack one thing......our DAUGHTER!
This is not to say that we think we know the best time for Bella's homecoming or that we are doubting God's perfect timing and sovereignty. By all means....HE KNOWS BEST! and we trust Him completely and know His plans and timing will not be thwarted or delayed. But at the same time we have a real enemy that would love to opposed us in every way with the Bringing Home of our "orphaned no more" daughter. SO.....I'm sensing the need to call on prayer warriors to join us in this battle to get our Bella HOME. And SOON!
This is going to take a miracle to make all this happen by the end of the year....but that is what we are hoping and praying for. And we KNOW that our BIG GOD is capable of the impossible. So, will you join us?
We desperately covet your prayers.
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