Eric's cousin, Brandon and his wife Dayna are adopting a beautiful little girl from Guatemala. Isn't she the cutest thing EVER?! We are beyond excited for them, as they have been waiting for a child of their own for so long... and they have been blessed with the opportunity to give this little girl the ultimate gift of a life that she otherwise would not have.
The international adoption process is long and complicated, but they are trying to be patient as they anxiously wait to bring Maria home to Indiana. In Guatemala, orphans are placed in foster homes - a huge advantage over the orphanages that some countries use - so Dayna and Brandon are able to use a translator and call her foster parents for updates.
Today, Brandon and Dayna left for Guatemala to meet baby Maria in person!! They are not allowed to bring her home (although that probably hasn't stopped Dayna from conspiring a way to sneak her in a suitcase), but they are able to stay in a hotel alone with her while they are there. Please pray for them as they finally have this special time to meet and get to know their new daughter... and pray harder for them as they then have to leave her there and return home empty handed - for now. I know Dayna was hesitant at first about whether visits would be wise... as it inevitably would make the separation harder... but this process is not for the faint of heart and in the end I know, they will treasure every moment they have with her.
Please, please, also be praying for the adoption issues in Guatemala right now. A month or so ago, the President of Guatemala announced that all international adoptions will cease after the first of the year due to various issues. This would include adoptions like Brandon and Dayna's, that are "in process"... as they are still most likely several months away from being able to bring Maria home. Many have been fighting this and right now, it looks like they may allow those adoptions in process to proceed, but many decisions have yet to be made. And even if these families are allowed to proceed, many many children will be left stranded in foster care throughout the rest of the country if international adoption is halted.
So much to pray about... here's another picture for inspiration:
3 comments:
I'm praying...she's beautiful! I am sure they are so happy! My cousin and her husband are in the process of adopting a child from Thailand. It's such a draining process with hopefully a wonderful and precious end!! I hope you are doing well with your pregnancy, too! Take care!!
jen
We just talked to Brandon and Dayna in Guatemala. They are all doing really well. Maria is beautiful according to Dayna. She doesn't want to leave her. Maria is happy to be with them and looks for her Daddy when he isn't right there. Taking a lot of pictures, Maria is a little ham.
I have a friend who is also adopting from Guatemala. They met their little boy in July and are on the long waiting stretch. I just can't imagine how hard it would be to meet your precious baby, fall in love with him and then have to leave him for several months not knowing when the actual adoption will take place. According to Amy, it sounds like the legal issues in Guatemala are changing again in January. I hope their adoption takes place quickly and without any complications at all.
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