Highs and Lows in the World of Kaz Adoption

Many of you know the Kaz adoption community is a small, tight knit group.  We follow each others stories, encouraging one another during the wait, collectively holding our breath as we wait for each LOI to come through, and rejoice at the first family pictures of beautiful almond-eyed children and their overjoyed, exhausted parents.  Together we  breath a sigh of relief each and every time a judge say "Da" and another little Kaz prince or princess finally finds his or her way home.
   
In our little world, this has truly been a week of highs and lows.  Yesterday, the Stone family got some WONDERFUL news.  Becki, whom I know only through Facebook, traveled with her husband to KZ in January to bond with their future son.  Over 100 days later, they went back for their court date (in some regions of KZ, you make 3 trips instead of 2 as I did).  Unfortunately, they got a negative ruling from the judge, as did 10 other families in another region (known as the Taraz 10).  Becki being Becki refused to give up the fight and appealed the court's decision.  Yesterday, after months and months of waiting they got the fantastic news that the ruling was overturned and Maverick is officially their son.  We were over the moon for them!!! What a happy day it was!!!

And then today happened.  It was announced that due to a backlog in the office that processes KZ citizenship ID cards (which also happens to be the office that processes passports), families finalizing in Kaz now are being told to "go on home" and come back in January.  In addition, My heart breaks and bleeds for these families. Being away for a little over a month was hard enough, I can't imagine having to say goodbye to the child with whom you have bonded and not come back for 4 months?!    It's bureaucracy and it's lunacy all rolled into one.  In addition, in May 2010, the Kazakhstani Embassy in Washington and Consulate General in New York stopped accepting new intercountry adoption dossiers.  The Kazakhstani government said this policy on new adoption cases will remain in effect until the Hague Adoption Convention (the Convention) enters into force for Kazakhstan. 

International Adoption is a roller coaster ride no matter how you spin it.  All we can do is hold our children tightly at night as we pray for the ones left behind.  Please lift these families up in prayer; may they find peace in knowing they have a community of supporters behind them every step of the journey.    

 We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life. But those who make their journey home across time and miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed by God's very own hands. -Anonymous