How it all began part 3 (our timeline)

When we began this process we had no clue if we could even adopt Maria or pick a specific child...you can but that is extremely difficult because Panama will do anything to keep the kids in Panama (I'm not downing them for that just stating how it is) If they have an Aunt twice removed that will visit them or claim them then the child will go to that relative. Most kids in these orphanages are for all practical purposes "orphans" but because they have a relative pop in every so often or one that takes them in during the summer vacation they can not be adopted. Our attorney through Faith Int. (Alejandro...more on him later) found out that Maria was available. Even if she were not available we had by that time decided to go through with an adoption regardless. So here is our timeline so far.

• Visited Panama met Maria January 2006
• began paperwork March 2006
• Homestudy and Dossier completed and Sent to USCIS April 2006
• Dossier approved and sent to Panama Embassy and to Faith in Panama for translation June 2006
• Dossier submitted to the DNA (dept of Adoptions) July 2006
• Dossier registered and approved by DNA September 29 2006
• Preliminary referral of Maria received(more on that) May 2007
• June 2007 Maria is told that she will be adopted by us (we can communicate with her)
• New fingerprints done August 2007
• TPR was completed Jan 18 2008
• Official Referral to the court given by the DNA Feb 18 2008
• We currently await a court date for the adoption

How it all began Part 2

So Sena and I have decided to try to adopt....now what? This must be simple right...fill out a form say I love her and will take care of her forever and go back and get her right? Put the brakes on hard.....theres this whole thing called a "process" that has to happen....that just means there is a ton of legal and beurocratic junk to wade through. 1st step is to find an adoption agency...Not just any ole adoption agency but here's the important part I have found...One that can GET A CHILD OUT OF THAT COUNTRY.....a track record....So we researched and it really appears that only one has had much of a track record at all....Faith International in Washington State. And when we say they have gotten some out we are talking only a few ok. The US State department web site says that only 20 kids got out to the US in 2005 and only 6 in 2004. I suspect a number smaller than 20 for 2007 from what I have heard. Regardless of the number you can see that Panama is very difficult to adopt from. If your thinking of adopting from here my first bit of advice is to say are you 100% sure God is leading you to Panama as opposed to somewhere else? If He is leading you to Panama He must feel you need to grow in Patience and forgiveness. Now where were we.....oh yea...so we got connected with Faith and we got the process rolling....by the way don't believe all the timelines the agencies and governments give out, you will only set yourself up for much grief. more next time God bless you.

January 2006 mission trip

How it all began pt1

I will be posting some pictures of our daughter-to-be, Maria soon. Theres so much I would love to tell you about her but for now this will have to do. She is 9 years old and she has been in an orphanage since she was 2 but before we get to far down the road we need to back up and tell the story of how this all began for us.
I met Maria on a mission trip to an orphanage in Panama City in January of 2006 the orphanage is called Casa de hogar. There are probably 30 kids there at any given time and my goal was to get as much Dentistry done on these kids and the students at the adjacent Bible College as I could. Maria had Cleft lip and palate which had recently been operated on and she was and still is in need of Speech Therapy, not to mention significant dental rehabilitation when she gets to the states. Due to her speech difficulty Maria was very shy and rarely spoke aloud. I understand this has changed somewhat over the past year which has been great news.
So what happened that made us consider adopting? After our third natural child (our third little princess) my wife and I decided not to bring anymore children into the world...if God willed us to have another he would let us know. And that is what happened in Panama. When I met Maria and heard her story and realized that she had no one to love her as a daughter and no one to love as a mother or father, my heart was literally crushed, God was laying this on my heart and I knew 100% that I would try to do what I could to give her a home. Now just how could I bring this subject up to my wife? Hey Honey....here's some artwork from Panama and some clothes and shoes oh and lets adopt this sweet little girl I met.....Actually all it took was just telling her that there was a little girl that needed a home and her heart was melted. All that was the easy part.....little did we know that adoptions in Latin American countries (except maybe Guatemala) are anything but easy. More to come soon.

Welcome

Hello and Welcome to our adoption story. This story is still being written and we pray that soon, our daughter in Panama will be united with her forever family here in Virginia. If it should not be God's will for this to happen (and even if it is) we pray that the information in this site can help others in choosing or planning adoption in the Republic of Panama.