"When ya gonna get 'em?"
The most common question I am asked is, "When ya gonna get 'em?" Honestly, I have no idea. Can't even guess. I am copying below the latest from Angel Rutledge, who's the most 'in the know' of anyone I know...
At the moment there is a hold on new adoptions in Liberia. Specifically, the Ministry of Health and Social Services has said they will not investigate new cases until some policies for how adoptions are processed in Liberia are changed. There is a lot of speculation about what these changes might be and how long it might be before new adoptions are able to move forward again. There are also some questions about adoptions that have already made it past the investigation of the Ministry of Health but are not completed. Here is what I know from several sources who have been in Liberia over the past month and have met with the Consular at the Embassy and had limited access to the Ministry of Health.
I’ve even heard some people talk about the potential of adoptions shutting down completely in Liberia. I don’t believe adoptions will be shut down. The reasons people have talked about this possibility I think boil down to the following reasons:
However, giving an opinion on how long it will take for decisions to be made and new adoptions to move forward again is impossible in my opinion. To understand Liberian time means understanding that estimating timeframes when dealing with anything in Liberia is fruitless. It’s like trying to nail God down for when He’s going to do something in your life. He’s not bound by our desire to know when something will happen.
Possible changes
Predicting these is almost as hard as predicting timeframes, but here are a couple I anticipate.
I hope this is helpful information to those of you who are following our journey. Is it frustrating for us to wait? Certainly. I hope to go to the airport tomorrow night to welcome the Bridges family home with their two boys, Solopino and Stewart. I know they will bring information to us from Sayfou and Matterline and that makes me feel like the process is moving along for us... even if it's at a snail's pace.
At the moment there is a hold on new adoptions in Liberia. Specifically, the Ministry of Health and Social Services has said they will not investigate new cases until some policies for how adoptions are processed in Liberia are changed. There is a lot of speculation about what these changes might be and how long it might be before new adoptions are able to move forward again. There are also some questions about adoptions that have already made it past the investigation of the Ministry of Health but are not completed. Here is what I know from several sources who have been in Liberia over the past month and have met with the Consular at the Embassy and had limited access to the Ministry of Health.
- Adoptions are proceeding in regards to going to court, getting passports, getting medicals, and getting visas at the US Embassy. Children are continuing to travel to the US by escort or after being picked up by adoptive families. I know of four families (adopting through ACFI) in the past month who have gotten their children’s visas and come home or will be in the next couple of days.
- As far as a potential timeline for
when new adoptions will be able to move through the Ministry of Health again, I have
not heard any information from anyone who can give a definitive answer
on this. I’ve heard answers that range from 2 weeks to up to 6 months.
I’ve even heard some people talk about the potential of adoptions shutting down completely in Liberia. I don’t believe adoptions will be shut down. The reasons people have talked about this possibility I think boil down to the following reasons:
- UNICEF has been somewhat involved in the discussions surrounding the state of Liberian adoptions and UNICEF is openly anti-international adoptions. I don’t think UNICEF’s views on international adoptions are going to have a lot of weight on Liberian adoptions mainly because their view is the same as it always has been and they don’t suddenly have anymore influence in Liberia than they have previously.
- The Deputy of the Ministry of Health has recently vocalized anti-adoption sentiments. While many of his concerns are valid, I think they will be addressed by some modifications in the adoption process, so hopefully he will change his position as the modifications are established. Also, he is not the ultimate person who makes the decision about whether or not adoptions in Liberia proceed, and most of the other people who have a say in this DO want to see the adoptions continue.
However, giving an opinion on how long it will take for decisions to be made and new adoptions to move forward again is impossible in my opinion. To understand Liberian time means understanding that estimating timeframes when dealing with anything in Liberia is fruitless. It’s like trying to nail God down for when He’s going to do something in your life. He’s not bound by our desire to know when something will happen.
Possible changes
Predicting these is almost as hard as predicting timeframes, but here are a couple I anticipate.
- Escorting will probably be done away with. There will likely be a requirement that adoptive families spend some time in Liberia before bringing their children home. I don’t know if this will mean one or both parents have to travel or for how long. My best guess is that at least one parent will need to be in Liberia for at least 3 weeks.
- There will be more in depth investigations of the children’s backgrounds and their orphan status.
- There may be an additional fee that needs to be paid to the MoH for each adoption.
I hope this is helpful information to those of you who are following our journey. Is it frustrating for us to wait? Certainly. I hope to go to the airport tomorrow night to welcome the Bridges family home with their two boys, Solopino and Stewart. I know they will bring information to us from Sayfou and Matterline and that makes me feel like the process is moving along for us... even if it's at a snail's pace.
Praying with you, friend. I can't wait to hear how God opens doors for Sayfou and Matty to come home. I am praying particularly for Matty's health. Looking forward to your next update.
Love you all!
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Been follong you progress from time to time since our trip to VA. Do hope that all goes well for the 4 (soon to be 6 of you)bureaucracy can be had to fight but not impossible. Hope all is well in NC a little cold up here from time to time got down to 42 below this winter.
love to all
Ron and Coral
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Hi Ellen & the rest of the Verhaagen clan. Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that I am continuing to pray for your two other children to be brought home. I'm sure this waiting is unbearable, I can not imagine. I am also praying for the government of Liberia and for the caretakers at the orphanage where Sayfou and Mattie are...that your children are being well cared for physically and emotionally.
Blessings,
Amy
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