No Medical - Update on Imagine Adoption Bankruptcy

Yesterday, we received confirmation from our agency that CIC has not yet requested the medical. Until this is done, we cannot move forward to request the Permanent Resident Visas. We have been told by our agency that once the medical is requested it is a matter of days for them to send the remaining paperwork to Nairobi. Then it is normally a 6 to 12 week wait for the visa to be reviewed, issued and sent to Addis. Since my mother-in-law has to give her work 2 weeks notice before she leaves, that means we are 8 to 14 weeks waiting to travel after the medical is done. However, with the bankruptcy of Imagine Adoption and the urgent need to get the children home, I am expecting that we will be on the long end of this timeline or potentially even longer, before we can travel.

I do not mind waiting for the Imagine families. I know that their need is urgent. I am sad that the greed of the few can impact the well being of the many. My children are well cared for, just not by me. I soooo want to be the one caring for them.

The Imagine families are developing an action plan to save their adoptions. Most of the families would prefer to have their adoption files continue and a match made to a child, rather than getting their money back. They have started the blog Families of Imagine Adoption (FIA) to coordinate their efforts and to increase the awareness to their plight. They have been very active all week and I believe they are very close to formulating the solution they desire. I hope their efforts prevail.

I have started a list of why this delay is a positive rather than a negative:

• All our renovations will be done, the girls rooms will be complete and both will probably be fully paid.
• I will be working at least one more month, so we should have more money in the bank.
• I will have more time for shopping (so much for the bank account)
• I likely will be able to take the full 12 weeks off I had planned.
• If we had left in August, my 12 weeks would have been up in mid November. Since I work contract, this is the worst time of year to be looking for a new contract.
• August is the rainy season in Ethiopia and the high season for flights, so we will be saving money and we will get good weather.
• I will likely be off work at Christmas time

I hate the fact that we are not leaving when I had hoped, but I know it will happen. During these dark days that is truly a blessing.

Patience will bring you

Your Bright Star Dreams