Many of you may have seen a book I recommend under our Adoption Resources section. This book "There is No Me Without You" is excellent. I would suggest it to all parents adopting from Ethiopia. I would also recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about Ethiopia, the AIDs crisis in Africa, and international adoption. This book tells the story of an Ethiopian woman who began an orphanage and the difficulties she faced. It also talks about the political and Biblical history of Ethiopia and the impact and specific stories of international adoption. The AIDs crisis is also discussed where the disease is explained, as well as, theories about it's origins and the spread of the disease through Africa.
So I just finished an excellent book (thank you, Nathan). It is called "There is Always Enough." This book is about the ministry of Rolland and Heidi Baker in Mozambique. It is an excellent testament of how God can work in your life if you allow Him to do so. Their ministry, which has sparked an amazing revival in this region of Africa, all began with their heart for the poor and orphaned and their obedience to God's call to start an orphanage. If you are looking for a quick, easy read to bring you some spiritual inspiration, I reccommend this book.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Orientation Call
So here's the latest. We had our orientation call with AGCI yesterday. Brian was selected for jury duty and we had to reschedule at the last minute. I thought that might really put us behind but we were able to reschedule with no problem. Brian and I were able to have all of our questions answered. We went into the phone call with an entire page full of questions. Our contact at the agency was extremely patient and answered each and every question thoughtfully and completely. We ended the conversation being very excited, completely reassured in all our concerns/questions, and feeling very good about the agency we have selected. Here are some examples and highlights from the conversation:
We have stated a preference of an infant boy. This decision was made for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, we read that most adoptive parents request infant girls leaving more boys available. We really wanted to meet the greatest need since we didn't have too much of a preference gender-wise. We were able to confirm that this was true in our phone call which really confirmed to us that stating a preference of a boy was right for our family. Another reason we feel led to an infant boy is because this is who God had placed on each of our hearts and minds individually. When first thinking of adoption I had this picture of a little boy in my head and he was always African. When Brian asked me early on what country I was leaning toward, I did not share with him this picture I had in my mind because I didn't want this to be something I had all figured out that he was just supposed to say "yes" to. I gave him the names of a couple of countires that I would be "open" to but never shared with him my desire of Ethiopia or a boy. Brian's reply was "well ever since you first mentioned the word adoption, I pictured a little African boy." We feel God gave us both the same desire individually for a reason.
We also learned more about the referral process which is the only part of the process I was uncertain about. We learned that once our dossier is submitted we are put on a waiting list with AGCI. Once we are at the top of the waiting list AGCI matches us with a child they feel is right for our family and refers the child to us. This process for Ethiopia is different than in many countries where the government refers you a child. I was very pleasantly surprised by this information as this means the person matching us with a child is staff of AGCI and truly is seeking God's direction and prompting in this process of referral.
Right now our contracts are ready to go - we are just waiting patiently for God's timing and provision.
We have stated a preference of an infant boy. This decision was made for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, we read that most adoptive parents request infant girls leaving more boys available. We really wanted to meet the greatest need since we didn't have too much of a preference gender-wise. We were able to confirm that this was true in our phone call which really confirmed to us that stating a preference of a boy was right for our family. Another reason we feel led to an infant boy is because this is who God had placed on each of our hearts and minds individually. When first thinking of adoption I had this picture of a little boy in my head and he was always African. When Brian asked me early on what country I was leaning toward, I did not share with him this picture I had in my mind because I didn't want this to be something I had all figured out that he was just supposed to say "yes" to. I gave him the names of a couple of countires that I would be "open" to but never shared with him my desire of Ethiopia or a boy. Brian's reply was "well ever since you first mentioned the word adoption, I pictured a little African boy." We feel God gave us both the same desire individually for a reason.
We also learned more about the referral process which is the only part of the process I was uncertain about. We learned that once our dossier is submitted we are put on a waiting list with AGCI. Once we are at the top of the waiting list AGCI matches us with a child they feel is right for our family and refers the child to us. This process for Ethiopia is different than in many countries where the government refers you a child. I was very pleasantly surprised by this information as this means the person matching us with a child is staff of AGCI and truly is seeking God's direction and prompting in this process of referral.
Right now our contracts are ready to go - we are just waiting patiently for God's timing and provision.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Why Not Domestic Adoption?
We have been asked this question a number of times now and since I have no problem answering it I figured I will share the answer with all of you in case you were wondering too. When we were first discussing adoption the very first question we asked ourselves was domestic or international? We came to our decision through generalizations. Now as a global studies student I have learned not to generalize about countries/people groups/cultures, etc. but that is exactly what I am going to do right now so please forgive me.
Are there problems with the U.S. foster care system? Yes. Does any child deserve a Mom and Dad any more than another? Absolutely not. Do we commend and encourage domestic adoption? No question. Here's where I hope not to offend anyone. Generally speaking, orphans in the U.S. are better off than orphans in an underdeveloped country. We know the system has problems, we know there are horror stories, and we wish we could help each and every child. However, when Brian and I were discussing this question we felt called to help the worst off. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus instructs, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Of the countries Brian and I qualified to adopt from, Ethiopia is the "least of these". In Ethiopia many children struggle daily to survive. With 60% of all children (not just orphans) being malnourished, many are in some stage of starvation. Overcrowded orphanages or even no adult supervision at all are common cases in Ethiopia. We are blessed to live in America where even the poorest is better off than most in Ethiopia.
Although I truly hope I haven't offended anyone with my generalizations, this is honestly how Brian and I came to the agreement to look in to international adoption. We really wish we could make a larger impact, unfortunately at this point in our lives we can only help one.
Are there problems with the U.S. foster care system? Yes. Does any child deserve a Mom and Dad any more than another? Absolutely not. Do we commend and encourage domestic adoption? No question. Here's where I hope not to offend anyone. Generally speaking, orphans in the U.S. are better off than orphans in an underdeveloped country. We know the system has problems, we know there are horror stories, and we wish we could help each and every child. However, when Brian and I were discussing this question we felt called to help the worst off. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus instructs, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Of the countries Brian and I qualified to adopt from, Ethiopia is the "least of these". In Ethiopia many children struggle daily to survive. With 60% of all children (not just orphans) being malnourished, many are in some stage of starvation. Overcrowded orphanages or even no adult supervision at all are common cases in Ethiopia. We are blessed to live in America where even the poorest is better off than most in Ethiopia.
Although I truly hope I haven't offended anyone with my generalizations, this is honestly how Brian and I came to the agreement to look in to international adoption. We really wish we could make a larger impact, unfortunately at this point in our lives we can only help one.
We Got The Package!
We received our orientation package in the mail. It is always so exciting to go to the mailbox when you are waiting for something, open it up, and there is the package. In the package were a number of contracts, a list of our next steps and a list of additional resources.
The contracts included: a contract for our agency between us and the agency; a fee contract stating the fees, when they are due, and to whom; a contract for Ethiopia; and a grieveance contract which explains how to problem solve if we have a complaint.
Our next step will be a conference call with All God's Children. We have this scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. During this call we will go over the packet, contracts, and ask any questions. After that we will send in the signed contracts. We will then be sent our dossier packet (doss ee' aye). This includes all the forms and paperwork we will be needing. Once we receive our dossier we will have another call with All God's Children and be introduced to our case manager. We will then begin working on our dossier and start getting all the forms completed. The beginning step of working on our dossier is getting our home study (social services) done.
The additional resources included a list of lots of books all having a specific purpose (some of which applied to us others which did not apply). I will definitely be picking up a couple. The other resources included about a page and a half list of hair care products, as well as, books and websites about hair. Can you believe that? Honestly until all my blog research I didn't even know I should be using special shampoo. I just assumed Johnson and Johnson worked on all babies. Apparently "ethnic hair" as it is so lovingly called needs a lot of TLC so I will be learning all about how to keep the fro from being frizzy. Since we didn't think being first time parents was going to be challenging enough :), we thought we would spice things up and add a whole new set of things to learn into the mix! There sure are a lot of exciting new things we are learning about and honestly I can't wait until I have to use special shampoo cause that means our little boy will be here!!
The contracts included: a contract for our agency between us and the agency; a fee contract stating the fees, when they are due, and to whom; a contract for Ethiopia; and a grieveance contract which explains how to problem solve if we have a complaint.
Our next step will be a conference call with All God's Children. We have this scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. During this call we will go over the packet, contracts, and ask any questions. After that we will send in the signed contracts. We will then be sent our dossier packet (doss ee' aye). This includes all the forms and paperwork we will be needing. Once we receive our dossier we will have another call with All God's Children and be introduced to our case manager. We will then begin working on our dossier and start getting all the forms completed. The beginning step of working on our dossier is getting our home study (social services) done.
The additional resources included a list of lots of books all having a specific purpose (some of which applied to us others which did not apply). I will definitely be picking up a couple. The other resources included about a page and a half list of hair care products, as well as, books and websites about hair. Can you believe that? Honestly until all my blog research I didn't even know I should be using special shampoo. I just assumed Johnson and Johnson worked on all babies. Apparently "ethnic hair" as it is so lovingly called needs a lot of TLC so I will be learning all about how to keep the fro from being frizzy. Since we didn't think being first time parents was going to be challenging enough :), we thought we would spice things up and add a whole new set of things to learn into the mix! There sure are a lot of exciting new things we are learning about and honestly I can't wait until I have to use special shampoo cause that means our little boy will be here!!
Fortune's Fortune
I am going to start this post by saying "I swear this is a completely true story." A couple weeks ago I was at P.F. Chang's for my lunch break with Traci and Melanie. We were talking about the adoption almost the whole time because I like to do that whenever anyone will listen. Traci had already heard most of it but Melanie was a very captive audience as she hopes to adopt someday. Of course at the end we all got fortune cookies. My fortune read, "Your nurturing nature will expand to include many people." We laughed and thought that was crazy but I didn't think about it again. A few nights ago Brian and I were driving back from a soccer game in L.A. (one of his Christmas presents) and decided to stop for dinner in San Clemente. We went to this independently owned sushi place. After eating our meal we got fortune cookies. I opened mine up and read, "Your nurturing nature will expand to include many people." I couldn't believe it! A different brand of cookie, from a different restaurant, in a different city and I got the same fortune two times in a row! Brian read it and was frankly a little scared. Then I told him about my previous fortune and he was downright frightened. I suppose we will all look back at this and laugh when we are adopting child number 13. Just kidding, honey. Well, maybe...
Our First Baby Gift
This is so exciting!! We got our first baby gift ever. It is such a cute little outfit. The outfit is from Auntie Em (this is what my sister has decided she will have her future nieces and nephews call her). And just like Emily on HER birthday she was giving ME a gift. Well I suppose technically it was for her first nephew.Oh and check out the shirt I am wearing. The shirt has all these statistics about Ethiopia on it. Brian and Emily have one too. Half of the cost goes to support Hannah's Hope Ethiopia. This is the orphanage that our child will be at for at least a little while if not the whole time before he comes home. It's a great way to support Hannah's Hope and have something cute to wear that will hopefully cause people to ask questions and bring about some awareness. If you want to get one they are being sold at the clothing store Obligato, by another couple who is adopting from Ethiopia through All God's Children. For more information go to http://adoptionwear.blogspot.com/
Monday, January 21, 2008
We Have Been Accepted!
On Friday afternoon we found out from AGCI that we were accepted. This means that we have been approved to work with the agency we chose. We will be receiving an orientation packet in the mail in the next couple of days. This packet will have the necessary contracts for Ethiopia and will give us a more detailed look into the next step. A week from tomorrow we will then have a conference call with the agency to go over the packet and ask any questions we may have. We are making progress!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Our Adoption Letter
January 10, 2008
Dear Friends and Family,
As many of you know, we feel led to begin our family through the process of international adoption. Originally we were planning on beginning this process during the summer of 2008. The more we have learned about the adoption process, the more we realize how excited we are and ready to begin this step of faith.
We have applied to adopt an infant boy from Ethiopia. The entire process is estimated to take 9-12 months. The process begins with a 3-4 month paperwork stage. This includes our home study (social services reports and approval) and all the legal documentation called our dossier. We are then placed on a waiting list for 2-6 months. A child is then referred to us. At this stage a U.S. Embassy approved pediatrician does a medical review of the child, we are given all known information, and e-mailed a photo. After our acceptance of the referral the child will be transferred to Hannah’s Hope Ethiopia. Next is the adoption processing where the Ethiopian court will review our documents and the adoption will be finalized. This step can take 3-5 months. Finally we will travel to Ethiopia for 1-2 weeks and come home with the newest addition to our family.
Yesterday, we submitted our application to All God’s Children International. They have wonderful information about their organization on their website www.allgodschildren.org and a very informative and touching video about Hannah’s Hope Ethiopia. There were a couple reasons we felt led to work with All God’s Children. First and foremost we wanted to support a Christian organization. After first requesting an information packet the staff was very quick to follow-up with us (only one of twelve other agencies contacted us). Also, we were extremely drawn to their orphan care program. Most of the agencies only handle adoptions, however, All God’s Children has made it a point to care for the millions of orphans that are left behind. Through Hannah’s Hope Ethiopia orphaned and abandoned children can live there while waiting on their forever families. If our child is not already there, he will be transferred to Hannah’s Hope once we accept him and will be housed there until our homecoming.
The total cost of the adoption is estimated to be $23,000-27,000. To help defray the overwhelming expense we will be having a fundraiser over the month of February. If you would like more information on the fundraiser and how you can help go to our adoption website for more information. We have created this website so all of you can follow along with us on this exciting journey. The web address is http://gossettadoption.blogspot.com. Please continue to remember our child, his birth family and us in your prayers.
With thanks and love,
Brian and Autumn Gossett
Autumn_gossett@yahoo.com
Dear Friends and Family,
As many of you know, we feel led to begin our family through the process of international adoption. Originally we were planning on beginning this process during the summer of 2008. The more we have learned about the adoption process, the more we realize how excited we are and ready to begin this step of faith.
We have applied to adopt an infant boy from Ethiopia. The entire process is estimated to take 9-12 months. The process begins with a 3-4 month paperwork stage. This includes our home study (social services reports and approval) and all the legal documentation called our dossier. We are then placed on a waiting list for 2-6 months. A child is then referred to us. At this stage a U.S. Embassy approved pediatrician does a medical review of the child, we are given all known information, and e-mailed a photo. After our acceptance of the referral the child will be transferred to Hannah’s Hope Ethiopia. Next is the adoption processing where the Ethiopian court will review our documents and the adoption will be finalized. This step can take 3-5 months. Finally we will travel to Ethiopia for 1-2 weeks and come home with the newest addition to our family.
Yesterday, we submitted our application to All God’s Children International. They have wonderful information about their organization on their website www.allgodschildren.org and a very informative and touching video about Hannah’s Hope Ethiopia. There were a couple reasons we felt led to work with All God’s Children. First and foremost we wanted to support a Christian organization. After first requesting an information packet the staff was very quick to follow-up with us (only one of twelve other agencies contacted us). Also, we were extremely drawn to their orphan care program. Most of the agencies only handle adoptions, however, All God’s Children has made it a point to care for the millions of orphans that are left behind. Through Hannah’s Hope Ethiopia orphaned and abandoned children can live there while waiting on their forever families. If our child is not already there, he will be transferred to Hannah’s Hope once we accept him and will be housed there until our homecoming.
The total cost of the adoption is estimated to be $23,000-27,000. To help defray the overwhelming expense we will be having a fundraiser over the month of February. If you would like more information on the fundraiser and how you can help go to our adoption website for more information. We have created this website so all of you can follow along with us on this exciting journey. The web address is http://gossettadoption.blogspot.com. Please continue to remember our child, his birth family and us in your prayers.
With thanks and love,
Brian and Autumn Gossett
Autumn_gossett@yahoo.com
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Baby Bottles Banks
If you would like to join us in our fundraising to bring our baby home, here's how:
We will be doing a baby bottle bank drive. Over the month of February we will be passing out baby bottles in which you can collect all your spare change. At the end of the month, turn in the bottle and we will be many bottles full of change closer to bringing our baby home!
If you would like to help us in this manner, please let us know how many bottles to give (or send) you. If you attend a church or small group who may be willing to participate we would be thrilled to have the support. If you would like to be a coordinator for your church or small group we can send you a dvd introducing ourselves, our adoption journey, and the need in Ethiopia.
We are confident God will provide for our needs in this area and thank you all for your consideration of helping us through this fundraiser.
We will be doing a baby bottle bank drive. Over the month of February we will be passing out baby bottles in which you can collect all your spare change. At the end of the month, turn in the bottle and we will be many bottles full of change closer to bringing our baby home!
If you would like to help us in this manner, please let us know how many bottles to give (or send) you. If you attend a church or small group who may be willing to participate we would be thrilled to have the support. If you would like to be a coordinator for your church or small group we can send you a dvd introducing ourselves, our adoption journey, and the need in Ethiopia.
We are confident God will provide for our needs in this area and thank you all for your consideration of helping us through this fundraiser.
Here we are cleaning out multiple Walmarts and $.99 stores of all their cheap baby bottles. Many people couldn't help but ask what exactly we were doing with hundreds of baby bottles - the answer: being optimistic!
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