Adoption Update

Just a short update on the girls’ adoption.  We are still waiting for the final declaration by the judge.  It has gone to the D.A. and now it’s just waiting. We should be getting it very soon.  While in Lima we talked with the embassy and got the low down on requirements for the girls to get into the U.S.  I’ll try to explain it the best I can.

First, the U.S.views legal custody from the time that we got the legal placement (Colocación) from the judge which was September 30th, 2008.  That means to start the paper work to immigrate the girls we have to wait until September 30th 2010.  We would have to file an I-130, which still wouldn’t get the girls U.S. citizenship.

Second, the U.S. penalizes us the days that we are out of the country (Peru).  They require 2 years (730 days) of us living with the girls (in our legal custody) in Peru.  That means that the 2 weeks in January that I was in the states has to be added on to September 30th, 2010.  So technically, it would be mid October until we could file the I-130.  Also, I was told that the I-130 would take about a month to process.

Please keep us in your prayers.  We are praying and trying to decide what is best. Option 1:  Just wait until we can immigrate the girls and go home some time next November. Option 2: Try to get the girls a tourist visa and go home for a little over 5 months (and just be penalized for those days) so we can see family and raise more support.   Both options have their drawbacks and benefits.  Pray that the Lord would show us what is best.

Pictures of our trip

Here are some pictures of our trip to Lima:

on the farris wheel with Papaw Stanton

at the zoo

waiting in the airport

at world's largest fountain park (in Lima)

fountain shooting up behind us 80 meters

Back from Lima and our new car

We got back from Lima this morning!  Praise the Lord we had a great trip!  The Lord has been so good to us.  We were able to go to the Embassy and we got  some answers (I’ll explain about that later).  We also got our car this afternoon!  We praise the Lord for this car!  What a blessing it will be to be able to drive.  We’ve been over 4 years taking taxis and combis.  Here’s a picture of the car:

Kids club in the morning

This morning we had our kids club at 10 a.m (normally we have it at 3 p.m.).  I loved having it in the morning.  Even though: 1. our attendance was down and 2. the kids had a lot more energy.  For now we are going back next week to 3 p.m. but I think we’ll re-visit the 10 a.m. time.   I think once the kids get use to it we wouldn’t have a problem.  For those of you that don’t know we have it at 3 p.m. because most of the kids can’t come until then.  Their parents require them to go to catechism classes every Saturday 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.  That’s why we have always had our club in the afternoon. We praise the Lord though that 13 came this morning!

Adoption News

Our lawyer called this morning and said that he was notified that our adoption was proceeding to the sentencing phase!  That means in the very near future Natali and Neomi will be officially ours!

This quote has nothing to do with the a fore mentioned but it’s taken from “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers: “It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God – but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people-and this is not learned in five minutes.”

So often we think we’ve got to be doing “great” and “awesome” things for God, and that if we are not then we are not a good, sound, mature, and holy Christian.  I think the point that we often miss is that doing great and awesome things for God starts with obeying Him – doing the small, ordinary, and everyday things of life.  Often those “great” and “awesome” things are merely living the Christian life day after day.

Car Trouble

The people we are getting a car through have about driven me to my limit (no pun intended).  Once we found out we were getting our car we were thrilled!  Then they told us they wouldn’t lower our payments (even though it’s in the contract) because we are foreigners.  Next, they couldn’t find us a 2008 model of the small SUV that we wanted to get for the past 8 months.  They said if we wanted it we would have to come up with the $1,500 difference.  So, we opted to go with a Toyota Corolla.  For the record we picked a kind of charcoal gray color.  Today I was reviewing some of the paperwork and saw that they had put on the paperwork that we were getting a red car.  I promptly called them and told them about the mistake.  They then decided to fill me in on the matter that, evidently, they weren’t going to tell us about.  They aren’t getting a new fleet of cars in until December 1st! This means if we want a car we have to take the only one they have in stock.  What really makes me mad is that they weren’t going to tell me any of this.  So, in a couple of weeks (maybe) we will have a car to drive, but it won’t be the make or model that we wanted.  We will be happy to have a car and to never have anything else to do with Opcion.

Updates

Check out our “updates” page for our latest newsletter.  Here are some recent pictures of kids club and the youth:

kids looking thrilled or not so much

youth eating chifa (chinese food)

playing checkers

girls giving their offering

Pictures

We haven’t posted any pictures lately so here are some of the clubs:

Adolescents playing pictionary

putting a puzzle together

little ones coloring

xiomara receiving her Bible

Sowing Seed Video

This video is a little over 8 minutes, but if you have the time to watch it you will really be inspired to tell more people about Jesus.

Video commemorating Bro. I.D.

Here’s a video that was made for Bro. I.D. ’s home going celebration.  It’s a little over 9 minutes long, but there are a lot of great pictures of Bro. I.D. and all the family.