Javi at Eagle’s Nest – Melanie arrive
A long-awaited trip to Guatemala!! It was so fabulous to go and visit Javi’s orphanage. I flew into Guatemala City around noon on a Saturday, and was able to go out to Eagle’s Nest (Javi’s orphanage…located in Solola) that evening. Arriving around 5:30pm or so, after 2-3 hour trip in a bumpy shuttle bus, I found myself suddenly more awake as we neared the children’s home. I began thinking, “Oh my goodness…I am really finally about to meet our son…for the first time ever!” It seemed so surreal….Javi was referred to us at the age of 2 weeks….and ever since, he had been (virtually) part of our family…but obviously not physically here with us. He was in our conversation, our prayers, our dreams…but not in our arms—————but in those bumpy moments before meeting him, all this reality passed through my heart and mind, and the weightiness of this event began to set in. I had just traveled for two complete days….from Hong Kong….to Korea…to Chicago…spent the night getting some final documents notarized and a few hours in a Chicago hotel….gotten on a plane to Houston….to Guatemala….and now I was finally going to come face to face with the little man we’d loved in our hearts for one complete year….yet never touched with our own hands!!!! Amazing!
I got emotional at this point (which any of you who know me could have guessed, right!) We were there before we knew it, and I helped get some things out of the car to take into the children’s home (as I’d ridden there with the people who manage the home). The front door opened up into the office, which in turn opened right into the large area where the kiddos play, eat, watch videos, etc. When I walked in and put my things down, Ana said, “Pase adelante…a ver al nene.” (Come/go in…to see your baby.)…And there he was…his main care giver, Flory, was holding him and had brought him up to see me. She handed him to me….I mean, of course I was just overwhelmed with joy…those of you who have children know that those first precious moments…hours…days and maybe even weeks you often cannot look upon your child without overflowing with joy (which for me involves concurrent tears!)…it is just an amazing thing to be given the opportunity and privilege to parent. God is good. He is really good.
After holding him a few minutes, I went over to a carpeted area where the kids were all sitting or playing (some in bouncy seats, others in ‘bumbo chairs’, still others in walkers or just on the carpet) and watching a video. I let Javi down to play with the other kids, and, after a few minutes of play, he bopped his head quite hard (on accident, of course) on the floor–ouch!! He was screaming! I picked him up to comfort him, and went over to a rocking chair to rock him. Within a few minutes, he fell fast asleep on my chest. How amazing!!!! (In hignsight, this head-bop was a disguised blessing that allowed us to bond right off….if that doesn’t sound too wierd!)
That is an explanation–in brief–of our first meeting.
July 2008 – Javi Health Update
Cristian Javier Case
DOB: 08/20/2007
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Weight: 17 lbs 5 oz
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Height: 25.5
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Head size: 17.5
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Foot: 3.5”
Cristian is doing well. He is healthy. He is sitting up on his own. He is crawling. He doesn’t like the walker but he does like the swing.
Here is a note from my cousins’ daughter who is at EN this month volunteering…
Cristian is precious! He loves to be around people but is content to play by himself. He gets excited when he sees someone familiar and wants to be picked up. He flaps his arms up and down and makes this cute little whimpering sound. When you start to pick him up, his face is filled with an adorable smile. He loves it when you kiss him on the palm of his hand over and over again. He gets very excited when you wrap your fingers in his hands and he pulls himself up.
Latest Update on Javi and Guatemala Adoption Process
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:
Comment by Don at May 30, 2008 04:50 PM
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…
Comment by A Waiting Mom at May 31, 2008 12:05 AM
Today’s update on Javier…
We just heard from our adoption consultant that “the interview went well” on Tuesday morning and they were on their way back to Solola, where the children’s home/orphanage is located–about a 3-4 hour trip. So, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!! God has been gracious in allowing the meeting to go well. We still do not know exactly what this means for our case and for Javi. Please keep Javi (pronounced Ha-vee), our family and this whole process in your prayers. We will be sure to keep you posted as we know more.
Thanks again and praise God with us; HE IS FAITHFUL!!!! (Praise Him with these verses from his word:
“(A)I will give thanks to You, O LORD;
For (B)although You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away,
And You comfort me.
2“Behold, (C)God is my salvation,
I will (D)trust and not be afraid;
For (E)the LORD GOD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
3Therefore you will joyously (F)draw water
From the (G)springs of salvation.
4And in that day you will (H)say,
“(I)Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name
(J)Make known His deeds among the peoples;
Make them remember that His name is exalted.”
5(K)Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things;
Let this be known throughout the earth. (Isaiah 12)
In His hands,
The Case family
Big News – Please Pray
Urgent Prayer Request for the Guatemala Adoption Process!!!
For those of you unaware, in February of 2007 we started the process to adopt from Guatemala. Over $12,000USD spent and 15 months later and we hear this:
May 7th in the New York Times:
Guatemala has ordered a one-month hiatus in foreign adoptions, to investigate potential fraud. A law that took effect in January created a government adoption authority to replace an adoption system handled by private lawyers. The suspension affects 2,300 adoptions that began earlier. The attorney general, Baudilio Portillo, said the cases, most of them involving American parents, will be individually reviewed, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Under the country’s new adoption law, which took effect Jan. 1 to comply with an international treaty to prevent human trafficking, adoptions will be taken out of the hands of agencies and lawyers and handed over to Guatemala’s notoriously sluggish courts and the National Adoptions Council.
On January 10th we were told this by our adoption agency:
We have been assured by the U.S. State Department that the Guatemalan government will honor and proceed with adoptions started before December 30th 2007.
Some in the government who oppose the adoption process have decided to object to this “grandfathering in process”. They know that they can’t change the law, so they have decided to fight the system with a number of new regulations, knowing they will eventually be forced to comply with the law, but in the mean time they succeed in causing problems. The main regulation they have implemented is that all cases, new and old must (obtain an aviso) register with the Central Authority. As of this moment, a Central Authority does not exist. Therein you can see that changing the rules is merely a pretext to cause problem.
On April 23rd our adoption agency posted the following on their blog www.eaglesnestint.org :
Why can’t we get answers? The officials are in their offices, so let’s just pray they will do their jobs. All they have to do is sign the adoptions. Why don’t they care? The “Blame” is NOT with lawyers, or the home, nor SDI; it is with the officials in high places. Mixco civil register is bribing others and us in order to get a Birth Certificate they are asking for a laptop or $$$$. This is not right. Most towns the BC is given the same day or the next week, Mixco says 6 weeks or longer unless you PAY!
PGN has 44 of our cases. There is no need for them to sit there and not sign. The babies want to be home, the families want them, we want them to go and the officials don’t want to care for them. Let’s all just pray that this week all will be signed! SDI is hurting for you all. Nido needs your prayers, and Larry and I wish we could do something.
On May 9th we received the following statement from SDI’s Attorney in Guatemala:
The PGN has decided to stop the approval of pending cases. They have decided to conduct interviews with each and every birth mother of children in the adoption process in PGN, the final court. This is one of the new requirements by the Hague that mothers be interviewed. The current cases are supposedly “grandfathered in” according to the State Dept. and now with this, it’s almost like the cases are not grandfathered in. They have not given the exact order in which they plan to begin the interview process of the more that 2000 cases in PGN, however 3 of Pedro Cabrera’s cases are scheduled for this Friday.
As for now Pedro’s office is calling contact people and informing them that they need to find and brief the birth mothers and inform them of the upcoming interviews. We are confident we will be able find all the birth mothers, however there will be a cost involved in locating and paying the time and travel expenses of the birth mothers, contacts people to travel to Pedro’s offices and to Guatemala City for the interview. After talking to the attorney, we expect this will cost an average from start to finish of an additional $1,000.00. We also understand that the children are going to be with the mothers during the interview and there is that possibility that the mothers may be made to feel guilty and they may also change their minds. Please keep this in your prayers. We know that many of you have waited a LONG time to get your child and this latest delay is very critical.
We have asked Pedro several questions that many of you are probably already wondering about:
1.If the family decides to NOT pay the $1000 for expenses for the birth mother to come in for the interview, what will happen? If you do not pay, the mother does not come in and the case is lost.
2.If the family pays the $1000 for the mother’s expenses and she changes her mind or the PGN doesn’t like her answers what will happen? The case will also be lost.
3.If the Attorney does not get the mother in for her appointment, the case may also be lost. (We are checking on this right now) The PGN is notifying the Attorneys and they have to pick up the paper that tells them of the date and time of the appointment.
4.If our case is abandonment, what will happen? In abandonment cases, there is no mother, but there will still be interviews with the attorney, the child and Ana, the legal representative of Eagle’s Nest.
5.If the interview is positive and the case is approved, how long will it be before it’s signed and the case is “OUT”? At this time, Pedro doesn’t have any idea when the case will be signed, it might be next week for these 3 that have interviews tomorrow, or it could be longer, we just don’t know.
In January our orphanage also told us this:
If adoptions are delayed so that we are unable to finalize cases, we will have insufficient funds to run the children’s home within 60 days. Families whose cases exceed 6 months are sending childcare, but that is a fraction of the needed to care for these cases. Total cost for 60 children is $15,000 per month, which is $250 per child/month. Maybe someone reading this might want to help with childcare for one or more children during this very difficult and uncertain period. If so, please send a tax deductible check to:
Eagle’s Nest
310 W. Central
Suite 211
Wichita, Ks. 67202
It would not hurt for families to apply pressure by contacting the State Department, US Senators and Congressmen to remind them of their assurances to the families in process before Dec 30 2007.
Needless to say it’s been an emotional day around here…
Javi en Mayo
Weight: 14 lbs 10 oz; Height: 24.5; Head size: 17.1; Foot : 3.5”
Cristian Javier is doing well. He is healthy. He has mastered turning over in his crib. He holds onto toys and holds onto his own bottle. He likes to watch tv and he is learning to sit up all by himself.
Javi the Hoopster – April
Update from the Orphanage:
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Weight: 13lbs 2 oz
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Height: 23.5″
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Head size: 16.5″
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Foot: 3.5″
Cristian “Javi” is doing great. Very happy baby boy and as you can see he is really starting to gain weight fast. He plays with his toys…and loves to be held. I think you might have a basketball player on your hands. He is also eating and sleeping well.
Melanie will post more about the adoption soon…
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