Nelson Family Update

If you read my last post, thank you. Last week was a rough week and things are looking up again this week. We are still in the process of adopting Josie from the country of Haiti. I was hoping that the earthquke would speed things up a bit, but I was wrong. Horribly wrong. We were told a couple of weeks ago that we must complete our adoption in Haiti. This means starting over. It has been three years since we entered this process. I was devastated. We have renewed our paperwork several times now and it all comes with renewal fees. Our adoption agency told us this could on for YEARS! Too make a long story short, I contacted Iowa's senators and represenatives. Our story got on the local news. I felt like our story was heard, but nobody could help or knew how to do anything about it.

Last week, Jon was informed that our medical insurance was going to drop her. Another hard blow. We have had to stop therapies that Josie desperately needs because we can't afford it. It breaks this mommy's heart to not be able to help her the way that she needs. We had to postpone a surgery she needs because the recover period is difficult and we don't have adequate support (home health care, physical therapy, respite, etc.) Josie is in her developmental years and each day that passes by is a missed opportunity. It is extremely frustrating to just sit and wait and not be able to do anything.

I finally broke. I began to question why we were doing this. I began to wonder why God would put this child in our home if this adoption were never to be completed. I faced the reality of Josie going back to Haiti. We could no longer help her until her adoption is finalized. I needed help. I was hopeless and scared. I wondered where God was in all of this. This is not a fun place to be. My strength was gone.

Amazing things happen when my strength is gone because that is when God's strength takes over. My husband began making phone calls and things started moving again. We now have a lawyer that is going to plea our case before a judge and try to finalize this adoption domestically. He has done it before and thinks he can do it again. It is not a guarantee but it is worth giving it a shot. There are people praying for a miracle and for God to move mountains on Josie's behalf. I have hope again. This is far from over and I ask anyone who is reading this to pray for the following....

1. Josie's status - we are applying for TPS (temporary protected status). We have been applying for medical visas - those expire after 6 months and are very expensive to renew. TPS would give her a status and she won't be deported.
2. We need Josie's birth certificate. Her original is in the Haitian civil court. It was there when the earthquake hit and could have been destroyed. We have a copy of it and are hoping that will be good enough to present in court in the US.
3. We need to get Josie back on our medical insurance.
4. Pray for our lawyer - he is advocating big time for Josie. We praise God for leading us to him.
5. Pray for the judge that will hear Josie's case. We are presenting her case without all the necessay paperwork. Pray that the judge will overlook this and do what is best for Josie.
6. Pray for my family and my marriage. I believe that in my moments of doubt that the evil one creeps in. Satan really doesn't want this adoption to happen. Pray for protection of my family.
7. Pray for a miracle. Pray that Josie's adoption will be finalized domestically.
8. Pray for all of the orphans around the world. Pray for the people advocating for them. Pray for the orphanages. Pray for the countries they are in and their governments. Pray for those in the process of international adoption.

Thank you for reading. I truly appreciate all of you.