Pure Insanity

I finally spoke on the phone to our Adoption Coordinator today. I so appreciate her brutal honesty as I never feel like I don't know what is going on. I think the truth would be somewhat difficult to handle for many, but as many of you know, I appreciate brutal honesty.

I learned that all orphanages across the country of Ghana are shutting down or have been shut down. Originally, this was because many orphanages were sub-standard and were not providing adequate shelter and food for their children. Some were not using government funds to care for the children. In an earlier post I mentioned that our orphanage is (was) an NGO, supported by a Canadian Ministry and checked out very positively during the investigations. They were originally told they could stay open. During this country wide investigation though, "someone" in charge (a new minister? who knows...) started doing some research on the adoption programs working with a handful of orphanages. They discovered that agencies charge a "foreign adoption fee" that varies from agency to agency. Our organization has a relatively low cost, whereas some other agencies were charging more than three times as much! As the popularity of Ghanaian adoptions increased, so did the many agenices working to coordinate them, and more "foreign adoption fees" were going outside the country and well, those in charge didn't appreciate it. For a country that has 45% population living in poverty, they want a piece of the pie. Our coodinator said that sadly, it all comes down to money.

So now, our daughter is now living with someone who used to work at the orphanage with 4 other children - yet again another home for her to handle. The good news is that the man's daughter also used to work there and LOVES these kids. She helped us to have our first conversation with her on the internet, has great faith, and really believes in the adoption process. She also sent me an email today to assure me that our daughter is being cared for. We're now trying to get them to accept a food program that will deliver food directly to them - our daughter has some nutritional challenges and we want to begin addressing them yesterday.

Today we were told that the adoption is NOT tenuous, so we're holding onto that and staying calm. We both really are surprisingly calm about it all, and having a sense of humor. There really is absolutely nothing we can do! I'm struck by the irony of our choosing this route for the relative "ease" and stability in the program (one of many reasons,) but now the system is falling apart. We are told though that all children with matches are going home so we're just biding our time.

It's looking like a stronger possibility that I will be headed over there this summer, on a journey of support and meet rather than to bring her home. I can't imagine walking away without our daughter in hand though... we'll see if I'm up to it!

Thanks for reading, listening, caring, praying, and laughing along with us at the total absurdity of this process. We are hanging in there!