So, on Saturday, we headed out to Shek O Beach–located on the eastern side of HK island. It is one of two beaches we’ve visited since living in HK (beaches, of which there are sooo many we’ve yet to see!). Anyway, we really like Shek O b/c the water seems to be calm and good for the kiddos…and it’s a really nice scenic spot as well. Turns out it takes us less than an hour to get there via public transport…so that’s nice too.
This being the first time Ezri’s been to the beach since she was around 10 months old, she loved it!!! She did not want to leave and kept saying, “Pool, pool…..” as we were leaving…really wanting to go back into the water and sand…of which she was a great fan!
We’ll post some videos of our sea-faring fun very soon…enjoy!
So, last night Jason and I called the PGN in Guatemala. It seemed like a good sign already when I spoke to a new lady whose name was Berta. She was quite jovial and when I told her Javi’s number to check his case, she asked me to wait a moment. She came back with a response that differed from what we’d heard from them over the past couple of weeks: “salida en la ventanilla”…which essentially means it is ready for pick-up at the window…what window and where, I have no idea, but it was good news! And, so I asked her how much longer we could expect. She replied, “2 days more”!!! WOW! We were both ecstatic and so glad we’d called.
Then it came….the email from our adoption consultant that we’d all been waiting for (and you with us): the subject line read: “APPROVED”!!! Javi’s case has been approved and released from PGN!!! This is the beginning of the end of the adoption process for us! We will most likely be able to travel to Guatemala to get Javi within the next 8 weeks!!! It is so exciting and emotional and fabulous….and overwhelming–all at once!
OK…that’s the huge news. Praise God with us; He has blessed this entire process! Please continue to pray with us that the remainder of the process goes smoothly without any unforeseen ripples. Javi was born in a town called Mixco; this particular spot seems to be a difficult one to get birth certificates from (Javi’s new birth certificate with his new last name: Case on it)…so, we’ll be paying an expediting fee to have it done in a timely fashion…hopefully that will be completed within 2 weeks time, as will the signing of the final decree of the adoption…and then we’ll have a last set of documents to fill out to get ready for travel. We’ll then await an appointment date from the US embassy…and that will dictate our travel dates. We already have travel arrangements from HK to the US for July…and traveling back east in August. Please pray that timing lines up for us to all travel to/from Guatemala and then back to HK together! Please pray for Javi’s transition from orphanage to home life….and the loss and grief he will go through as he has to leave the women who have lovingly cared for him for this first pivotal chapter of his little life!..and the subsequent transitioning into our home/family and building new bonds and strong/positive attachments!! Whew! That’s a lot of prayer, eh?!!!
Thank you for journeying with us on this. We love each of you so much and are forever grateful for you!
On Sunday past, Hong Kong celebrated Tuen Ng; this is a public holiday commemorating a special event in the history of HK. The tradition goes as follows: Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month/moon of the Chinese calendar (approximately early- to mid-June), commemorating the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet who lived during the Warring States period. Known for his patriotism, Qu Yuan tried unsuccessfully to warn his king and countrymen against the expansionism of their Qin neighbors. When the Qin Dynasty general Bai Qi took Yingdu, the Chu capital, in 278 BC, Qu Yuan’s grief was so intense that he drowned himself in the Miluo river after penning the Lament for Ying. According to legend, rice dumplings were thrown into the river to prevent fish from eating the poet’s body. (reference: http://zique.blogsome.com/2007/08/12/glutinous-rice-dumpling/)
So, following with tradition, Dragon Boat races are held all over Hong Kong. We were able to go to the races in Sai Kung, only 20 minutes bus from us. There were lots of people, boats, and festivities. Hope you enjoy the photographs from this eventful celebration!
Here’s the latest from our little Javier…. apparently all decked out for summer! He now weighs just over 15 lbs and is nearly 2 ft. long! He is quite a growing boy. The ladies at the orphanage who care for him say that he is quite a talker and is grasping and playing with toys and rolling over regularly. He does seem to have a cold at the moment, but is otherwise doing well.
Okay….we’ll keep you posted on further developments with the adoption! Thanks for your support and enjoy the pics.
We’re hearing that 230 cases were released on Friday. We do not know how many were approvals and how many were kickouts (previos) at this point. We’ll be checking Monday to see if we were in the 230!
Joint Council is pleased to announce that PGN has released approximately 230 adoption cases today. At this time, there is no estimate of the number of cases with previos, versus the number of cases without. Upon the release of cases by PGN, Joint Council will be providing estimates of the number of cases without previos. Joint Council extends its appreciation to PGN for its release of these cases. We will continue to work with PGN and key stakeholders in Guatemala on the review of the adoption procedure.
Just wanted to post those pics I promised a couple weeks back…you will note the following photo ops: 1) Me, livin’ large in mommy’s t-shirt; if clothes are lying around the house…it won’t be long before I get my mitts on ‘em!……………. 2) Some pics of me and mommy watching a video–my favorite time of day (oftentimes I begin asking for video as soon as I awaken around 7:30am, but unfortunately–unless I’m sick–video is reserved for around 4:30pm….still gotta try, eh?!!…………….3) Daddy got some shots of the view out of our living room window…around sunset…………….4) Some photos of me eating two messy treats: spaghetti, and my first try on cream cheese spread on a cracker–let’s just say the cheese was good and the cracker was left standing alone!………………. 5)Finally, you’ll note a couple shots of me wearing Daddy’s sock; they may be ‘ankle socks’ to Daddy, but they are more like boots on me….knee-high boots!!!
OK then…hope this finds you all well and enjoying summer wherever in the world you may be!!!
Way back in late 2005 Melanie and I started the application process to become candidates for the International Mission Board, the missions agency for the Southern Baptist Convention. Melanie served two years in Guatemala with the IMB as a journeyman and has felt a strong call overseas from a very young age. I too felt a calling to live out the gospel in foreign cultures. Unfortunately for us, the IMB implemented two highly controversial guidelines while we were in process. You can find out about those guidelines here: Rodney Hammer’s Open Letter to the SBC, Baptism Meanings and Methods Spark Debate Among Some Baptists, and Pulling Back the Curtain on SBC Power Politics
One of the guidelines required me to be rebaptized since I was baptized in a Christian church. After much prayer and heartache and consulting with our church elders, I could not in clear conscience be rebaptized to gain a “Baptist Identity”. I’m Southern Baptist by choice, not coercion. Our church elders submitted a request for an exception on our behalf (see below), but we were told by our candidate consultant almost immediately that it had no chance of being granted. If you know our story you’ll know that God still found a way to get us overseas. Although we have no insurance, no formal training, no support network locally and are going into debt, we know that this is where God wants us right now. Finally though, there are a group of people trying to reverse these guidelines.
Here’s a copy of the letter we are planning to send to the IMB. I tried to get an appointment with the IMB representative, but his secretary said his schedule was completely full. I have heard some rumors that the IMB is already rethinking this policy. Let us hope and pray that letters like this will help repeal this policy. -Rob
March 29, 2006
International Mission Board
3806 Monument Avenue
P.O. Box 6767
Richmond, VA 23230-0767
Dear Partners in the Gospel,
We, the pastors of Sojourn Community Church (SBC), are writing this letter in support of Jason Case, who is in the process of applying for missionary service with his wife, Melanie Case. According to new IMB policies, Jason is required to be rebaptized because the church in which he was originally baptized does not hold to the doctrine of eternal security. (Jason, though, does hold to the doctrine of eternal security.) We cannot in good conscience rebaptize Jason, and are writing this letter to appeal for an exception.
Jason came to saving faith in Christ through the ministry of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., and was subsequently baptized in this church. Southeast is well-known in Louisville for its strong stance on the authority of the Bible and salvation by faith in Christ alone. The church has friendly ties with the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and their senior pastor has spoken in the seminary’s chapel.
We have talked with Jason, and he has a Biblical understanding of his baptism. He views his baptism as a symbolic proclamation of the salvation which he received as a free gift from God (Eph 2:8-10). Jason and his wife, Melanie, are faithful members of our congregation and committed Southern Baptists. We feel constrained by both the Scriptures and conscience not to rebaptize Jason. We believe Jason and Melanie would make great international missionaries, and we hope that this new policy will not hamper their continued application.
Sincerely,
The Pastors of Sojourn Community Church (SBC)
Robert Cheong
Mike Cosper
Daniel Ems
Brian Miller
Daniel Montgomery
Rob Plummer
So Friday night (Friday morning in Guatemala) Melanie was able get the current status of our case from the PGN office in Guatemala! Melanie was excited to speak Spanish and we were able to find out that cases were going to start being released that day, and in fact we found other sources to verify that info. We were also told that our case would be released to the lawyer in two weeks, more or less. So the good news is that the process is moving again, but the bad news is that only 1 out of 5 cases are being approved and if we get kicked out (previo) again, the case may have to wait for up to another 8 weeks. Considering we’ve already been kicked out once and we’ve had go ahead and purchase our tickets to fly home at the end of the summer, it is VERY important that we are approved in two weeks. SO PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WILL GET PGN APPROVAL WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS!!! PS: We should be posting some new pics of Javi in the next week, as soon as we get them from our agency. Also will be posting some clips of Ezri. Peace, Jason
From guatadopt.com:
Cases were released today!
Some cases were released from PGN today. Some came out with Previos and some were Approvals. We have not verified how many at this time.
Added: Around 50 released. 10 were approved, the rest had Previos. While not great news, remember that paperwork is not necessarily tied with birthmother intent. Let’s hope that these are minor issues and can be resolved quickly.
SOME OTHER COMMENTS FROM FAMILIES ALSO IN PROCESS:
Oh Come on give me a break! After all this waiting they are releasing cases with previos. Now we have to start all over, when will it stop.
Comment by Don at May 30, 2008 04:50 PM
Ugh, thousands of families in-process, many for well over a year, still pining for their kids, and after a month of hellacious waiting, we are at 10 approvals and 40 previos?! It is really hard to see this as anything other than a strategy to wage a war of attrition: try to get as many birth mothers to change their minds as possible, and drag out all the cases until the waiting families are so financially and spiritually bankrupt that they give up. But we aren’t giving up! Even though this is going to be a long row to hoe.
Comment by Anonymous at May 30, 2008 09:45 PM
How frustrating. Didn’t the new PGN say they weren’t going to be issuing as many unnecessary previos? And now it seems they’re being even pickier than the old administration.
Does anyone know what the protocol for resubmits will be post-BMI? I hope it won’t be another 8+ week wait…
So, I’ve posted a few pictures for you to check out…as it’s been a while since I’ve done so, …and don’t want you all forgetting what I look like! Included in these are a few pics of me just hanging out around the house, while there are others of Easter Sunday (or R.O.C. as mommy calls it–Resurrection Of Christ, a more accurate labeling of the day we celebrate). And, lets not forget the pictures of me having a tea party!!! My Uncle Nate and Aunt Kelly Thompson sent me this fabulous cloth tea set for my birthday (Thanks so much guys!!!)… it is such fun; the shots shown here were taken just after I’d opened this gift and was enjoying it for the first time. Since then, we’ve become well acquainted, and we are now having not only tea, but oftentimes ‘cockee’ (what I like to call coffee).
Well, just wanted you to have something fun to look at. Oh, and a video of my tea party exploits can be seen below! Enjoy.
p.s. Still no new word on my brother, Javier. Please keep praying for him, his birth mom…and our family as we all want want is best for him. Please pray for God’s will, not that of us silly people, to be done!
So….this morning Ezri and I headed down to Central (downtown area, Hong Kong) for playgroup. It was a good time, as there were 4 moms and babies…lots of fun toys for the kiddos, tea and muffins (morning tea) for the mums…and conversation between all. Another plus and point of interest is the makeup of the group: one couple (mom and baby) from Congo, Africa, another from the Philippines, another from New Zealand, and then us from the U.S.–diversity can be such a blessing…to see God’s creativity in the people he has fashioned—how amazing!!!
Today was the second of two very rainy days in a row, and so, as Ezri and I left playgroup, we went a different way than usual–so as to avoid the pouring rain. We landed in IFC mall, where I attempted to purchase a 3rd anniversary gift for Jason–something leather. Anyway, Ezri was getting a little antsy, and was begging me for a hot dog…which I had not brought with me…so I decided to try a couple pastry shops, scouring for a ‘pig in a blanket’. When that idea failed, I was passing by a Starbucks and noticed some yummy looking quiche in the pastry case. I passed by at first, heading for the train, but Ezri began to whimper, so I thought rather than set myself up for a long 45 minute train-ride with an unhappy toddler, I’d better head back and try the quiche! So, we ordered one “bacon and egg pie” and a bottled water and lounged to enjoy them. The quiche was surprisingly of little interest to Ezri, but the courtesy baby-size frappucino was very enticing! I let her taste it and then drank most of it, leaving whipped cream for her to slurp up. One of the baristas who was talking to Ezri asked if I’d like a ‘baby-chino’ for her. (I was thinking, “you have a frapp. for babies on your menu?…hmmm…don’t think we need that.”) But then she brought Ezri another tiny cup with steamed froth topped with cinnamon sprinkles! Ezri was aglow! She took it and dipped the straw in the taste–fabulous in the eyes of this toddler! So, the barista–whose name we found to be Sandra–was talking to me as Ezri enjoyed her ‘drink’. It turned out that she was from mainland China and had moved to Hong Kong with her family 15 years past. She spoke pretty good English, and, in making conversation, I asked if she attended a church in HK. She looked puzzled, “Church?” So, I tried to then ask about God,…then religion…and so on….she said, “Could you use simple terms, please?” I was floored! She was a spiritual blank slate! —– (It occurred to me that it was no coincidence that it had been raining, we’d taken a different route home, Ezri had been cranky…and I’d stumbled into Starbuck’s seeking respite in the form of a quiche!!! God is at work!!!) I then began to talk to her about a very ancient book in which we believe (the Bible) that tells us of God… and before I knew it, Ezri was off–darting out of Starbuck’s and I had to run after her. By this time, of course, Sandra needed to get back to work, and Ezri needed my full attention. She asked if we were in the area often and mentioned that she worked there full-time. I told her that we came out that way on Tuesdays, and so could hopefully see her again. That was it…for today. Please pray for Sandra and her family. Pray that God almighty, who fashioned our meeting today, will give her eyes that see, ears that hear and a heart that understands His truth from scripture!!! Pray that God will give me both the words to share the gospel message with her and the boldness to do so.
