Americans, Wanna Adopt in Brazil?

I have no idea what God's doing? What are you doing, God?

I find it very strange that I never found this out in any other way before now, but here it is. Now what?

What is God doing? What is the direction He is taking me...us?

As you all know, I've posted about 'the kids' that we went to meet with the mindset that we might just adopt them (we didn't). Since we have children and I sometimes call them 'the kids' :), from now on I'll be calling the kids up for adoption 'KS&D' (their names are Kauan, Samira, and Diego) to ward off any confusion. Anyway, I've posted about KS&D several times now. I also sent out our March update last week which I will post here also in the next couple of days. When you read it, you can just direct your prayers accordingly with the knowledge of this post.

Last week I got a message that someone who is hoping to adopt more children soon was interested in more information about KS&D. Today I got another message (a comment on my blog) about someone else who was interested in them. Both of these families are from the United States. I'm actually just going to post here part of the email that I just sent. What do we do from here (and I ask all of you to do this whether you are interested in actual adoption or not; we are all called to care for the orphan...this could be your chance)? For right now, pray earnestly for this to change. And I'm sure that I'll be giving you more ideas of things you can do in the future to help in this. Hopefully there will be even more things that we can do together to get the orphans here in Brazil taken care of. Please pray!

I'm floored to find out what I just found out. Seriously cannot believe it.

I heard back from the social worker who said that we needed to contact a specific Brazilian organization to ask them about an American adoption. I emailed them and was told that they currently do not have a way for Americans to adopt from Brazil. WHAT?!? I just had no idea. And it makes me sick. I mean, I know there are countries you can't adopt from, but had no idea that Brazil was one of them...and for no reason. Thankfully they said that they have chosen an American agency to work with in order to make adoption from Brazil possible for Americans, but that the approval and accreditation of that American agency (which is Bethany, by the way) has not been completed. And honestly, who knows when that will be. This website (the adoption.gov website...Bethany directed me there, see next paragraph about me talking to them) said it could be up to a year...but, in honesty, if the Brazilian people have anything to do with it, it could be way longer than that...just the way things work down here, no rush at all. There are other countries that can adopt from Brazil...Italy and a couple more...so, maybe 'our kids' will be adopted just the same. Otherwise, I'm counting on God to supernaturally approve the Bethany thing quickly or let us go back and get those kids ourselves. We'll see what He does.

This breaks my heart. I asked Joel that if nobody can even adopt them (ok, not 'nobody' but nobody from the states anyway), then why doesn't God just let us have them? He said that maybe He just wanted me to find out stuff like this. I have no idea what God is doing. But, this has got to change. So much about adoption in Brazil, and orphanages and orphan care in general, needs to change. Pray for us.

It is all so very sad and discouraging. To think that there are people who are interested in these children (and others) and cannot begin the process to take them into their family is just heartbreaking. But, I know that God is doing something through this. I'm not sure what that is exactly just yet. But, I can't wait to see it. And I can't wait to see these children in a family of their own for forever.

Italy, France, and Norway are the countries that can adopt internationally with Brazil. But, the orphanages here are full of kids who are *not* being adopted. Once they get to a certain age, kids are almost automatically put on the international adoption list...Brazilians are even less likely to adopt 'older' children than there in the states. But, the orphanages I've visited are just full of older children. Please, God...help us know our part in all this!