April 14

Previo #3

This is very hard for me to write, but sadly, we have received some very very bad news on our adoption case. It is a very long story, but essentially, the courts are not satisfied with the solution our adoption agency came up with to solve our last previo, even though that method had been successful in the past. So, the road before us now is a long one. Essentially, the problem is that several years ago, the mayor of the town where our birthmother got her ID card, didn't sign her ID card. Unfortunately, the mayor at that time has since moved to the United States and is obviously unavailable. Our lawyers are now going to have to go to the civil registry office in question (located several hours away in a very small mountain town) and have this office produce a certain document for the court system saying that the mayor is no longer there. Then the document goes back to the courts, and through a legal process, which will end eventually with the courts telling the civil registry office to nominate someone to sign the ID card. Then our lawyers will take everything back to the civil registry office to have this done. Once it is complete, our file can re-enter PGN (the court system for adoptions). Our agency director of our Guatemalan office came yesterday to deliver the news in person. They do not have a timeline for how long this will take, but it will be many months before I can even re-enter PGN. We are looking at another 6 months at least in Guatemala. To say that Greg and I are devastated is putting it mildly. Our finances have been exhausted and we are putting our faith in God that He will provide everything we need. We are also exhausted emotionally and spiritually. Please keep our family in your prayers and pass this information on to anyone I might not have an email address for.

Our daughter Irene is celebrating her 15th birthday this week. Please also add her to your prayer lists.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13




Sharon and Greg