October Update
Well, here we are, on the other side of the decision making. We have spent a good deal of time these past few months looking at our options as far as adoption is concerned.
Basically, our choices came down to:
1) Wait for Rwanda to open back up. This was a serious option we weighed. But looking at the timing, it would most likely be 3 years or so before we had our baby. But Rwanda had become such a part of the journey. We loved the people already.
2) Look into a domestic adoption. There are children all over who need families, and this was where we were initially looking when we began.
3) Choose a different country. This was somewhat familiar as we had looked at various countries while in the research phase. We knew we wanted to stay in Africa for now, simply because it had become part of the dream. To incorporate another culture into our family was a big draw, and we've felt called to Africa. But where?
After much thought and prayer, we have decided for now, to pursue our child in Burundi. While there are many changes, there are also many similarities with Rwanda. Burundi neighbors Rwanda to the south and shares much history, including the tribal groups and the genocide of 1994. It has one of the highest poverty rates in the world, and the need is outstanding.
Of course, this meant quite a few changes to our "plans" as well.
1) We would need to sign on with an agency. We were originally planning on doing an independent adoption with the help of Mugisha Ministries for Rwanda. And we hope to someday continue that process. But Burundi is much more difficult to navigate legally, and nobody has done it before. So- here we are, signed up with an agency, as a Pilot family!
2) Our hope of adopting 2 children at once isn't quite a possibility. Unless biological twins are available, we will be matched with a child under 12 months of either gender. There are several reasons for this, and we're accepting of this policy.
3) We are going to be the "guinea pigs" of this program! We will be within the first 5 families to go through the program. Although that concept is scary simply because there is no where to base our expereince off of, it's also incredibly exciting and frankly, quite an honor. Because of our experience, more families will be able to find their children in Burundi.
So- that's the long-overdue update on our status in the adoption world. I'll be posting some insights we've gained through the Pre-Adoption Education we've just completed. Exciting stuff!
That's it for now, Shepard just learned how to climb out of the crib. It's nap time here, and I hear Mini Mom aka Mia scolding him now. Ahh, the joys of adventure-parenting. :)
Love & Hugs,
Anna & Co.
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