The Story of Thunder and Lightning: Flagman Ahead

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Flagman Ahead

The Holy Spirit flagged me over to the side of the road early this morning and compelled me to pray. This was no ordinary quiet time. This was captivating, sincere, and urgent as the overwhelming presence of God was felt in an undeniable way. The words that spilled from my lips were words of praise and utterances of thanks, THEN my heart poured out compassion for the officers of the USCIS (see previous post for definition).....in their own words, "overworked and underpaid".

On this day May 5, 2011, Cinco De Mayo, and the National Day of Prayer, I plead with each of you to pull off the highway and join me in corporate prayer for the officers and agents of the USCIS.

With hearts and spirits united let's ask the Holy Spirit to renew a passion in the officer's processing the I-800A and I-600A applications. (Seventy-five days to process is too long.)

Let's pray that the officers be moved to urgency and realize that they play an integral part in uniting families and giving the world's orphans a forever home. (This is a great act of love.)

Let's pray for revival in the officers' hearts. (Anyone can become desensitized.)

Let's pray new enthusiasm and understanding for them as they work through their caseloads. (Thirty files a week can be overwhelming.)

Let's pray for the Holy Spirit to move over and in and about the National Benefits Center working in every detail of the officers' day to speed all families through this part of the process. (There are still days and weeks and months of waiting ahead in the adoption process.)

Let's pray for God to multiply the officers' time allowing them to accomplish much more than they could ever imagine in their eight hour work day. (Make every minute productive.)

If God has in any way softened your heart to the plight of the orphan or if you are on the "Adoption Highway" yourself, make a pitstop and join me in prayer today. HE IS LISTENING.

Psalm 135:5-7

"I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is greater than all gods.
The LORD does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses."

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Major Roadsigns Along the Adoption Highway

June 25, 2012 I-800 sent to the National Benefits Center for processing and approval
June 21, 2012 I-800 received at the Texas Lock Box
June 20, 2012 I-800 submitted
June 12, 2012 So much to do, so little time! Ha!
June 11, 2012 Post-referral and Immigration paperwork packet (I-800, I-864W, DS230) completed and FEDEXed to Gladney. FBI Fingerprint Clearance letters on their to a courier in DC for an apostille.
June 9, 2012 Celebrating on the "mountaintop"! Humbled by the "valley" we have passed through...
June 8, 2012 Familia Worley's dossier is APPROVED and an official REFERRAL has been given!
June 7, 2012 The chiquitines Adoption Committee meets
June 6, 2012 Dossier is at Chiquitines
May 30, 2012 Dossier is being transferred to Chiquitines...the boys are still available!
May 29, 2012 Regrouping and asking "Where do we go from here?"
May 24, 2012 The boys were referred to another family...sad
May 22, 2012 Dossier APPROVED!
May 21,2012 Home study addendum received by Gladney, notarized, and sent for apostille
May 19, 2012 FBI Clearance letters received
May 17,2012 Addendum to home study requested by CMN
May 15, 2012 Dossier is submitted to CMN NOT Chiquitines for review and approval
May 9, 2012 Letter of Intent sent to Cali, Colombia, South America
May 4, 2012 A match made in heaven...we have been introduced to Thunder and Lightning
April 30, 2012 Fingerprint card sent to FBI for updating
April 20,2012 Dreaming about the possibilities!
April 17, 2012 Confirmation that translation of dossier is complete
April 6, 2012 Hope is on the horizon
March 16,2012 I800-A approval
March 13, 2012 Hague Adoption Officer from USCIS issues an RFE letter
March 9, 2012 Our I800A case has been assigned an Officer and is under review
March 5, 2012 Completed Colombian Dossier Documents Apostilled and mailed to Gladney
March 2, 2012 Biometric Fingerprints completed (Walk-In)
February 3, 2012 I-800A Application submitted to USCIS
January 17, 2012 FBI Clearance Letters sent to DC for Apostilles and I800-A Application mailed to Gladney Center for Adoption
January 5, 2012 Update Home Study
January 3, 2012 Rerouting to Colombia
September 12, 2011 Waiting for a number on the Honduran National Waitlist
September 9, 2011 Dossier Approved
August 16, 2011 Addendum to Psych Report notarized and apostilled and sent to Gladney Center for Adoption
August 8, 2011 Addendum to Psych Report requested from IHNFA
July 26, 2011 Dossier officially presented to IHNFA
June 29, 2011 Dossier READY to be presented to IHNFA
June 27, 2011 Completed registration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs
June 20, 2011 Translation complete and documents sent to Ministry of Foreign Affairs
June 8, 2011 Translation of dossier documents begins
June 8, 2011 Dossier received in Honduras
June 3, 2011 WAITING
June 2, 2011 Dossier packaged and mailed to Honduras!
June 2, 2011 Dossier received by Gladney Center for Adoption
June 1, 2011 Dossier express mailed to Gladney Center for Adoption
June 1, 2011 Dossier reviewed and letter from the Honduran Consulate in Atlanta, GA, received
May 31, 2011 Destination: Honduran Consulate in Atlanta, GA (403 miles)
May 31, 2011 Obtained notary and apostille for the FDL (I-171H) to be added to our dossier
May 28, 2011 FDL (I-171H) received in the mail from Department of Homeland Security
May 24, 2011 I-600A approval
May 5, 2011 Pitstop: National Day of Prayer
April 28, 2011 WAITING, again
April 27, 2011 final revisions to dossier documents apostilled and mailed to Gladney
April 26, 2011 Biometrics completed during walk-in hours at local field office
April 25, 2011 Biometrics appointment notice received in the mail
April 23, 2011 second I-797C Notice of Action letter received with a USCIS case number
April 15, 2011 WAITING
April 14, 2011 posted The Story of Thunder and Lightning
April 8, 2011 I-797C Notice of Action letter received with receipt number
April 6, 2011 Dossier completed and received by Gladney with the exception of the I-171H and the Consulate Letter
April 4, 2011 Apostilles done with the exception of I-171H and the Consulate Letter
March 31, 2011 I-600A submitted to USCIS
March 28, 2011 Agency Approval
March 8, 2011 Homestudy
February 22, 2011 Psych Evaluation and MMPI Report completed
February 2, 2011 Received Agency Application
January 31, 2011 Destination: HONDURAS

Thought Provoking

"What if the secret ingredient for changing the world is teamwork?"

-Max Lucado

"I am convinced that every boy, in his heart, would rather steal second base than an automobile."

-Tom Clark

"Remember! Remember! Although we are far apart, through silence and distance you still hold my heart."

-Carrie Jacobs Bond

"Life is a journey, not a destination. Its treasures are not found at the end, but all along the way."

-Anonymous

"Travelers, there is no path. Paths are made by walking."

-Antonio Machado

"The world is but a canvas to our imaginations."

-Henry David Thoreau

"Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart."

-Pablo Casals

"There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved."

-George Sand

"I am here to live out loud."

-Emile Zola

"A happy marriage has in it all the pleasures of friendship, all the enjoyment of sense and reason, and, indeed, all the SWEETS of life."

-Addison

No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

"It takes a village..."

-Beth Whitacre, Gladney Caseworker