I realized the other day that I’ve been saying there are about a dozen or so stages left of this adoption that we have to do before meeting our guy. I decided that I’d better actually count them….and behold, I only found 10. Many of you have been praying with us for months for Peng’s file to get registered in Beijing. This has been our prayer since June. This “Step 11” has taken incredibly longer than ever anticipated and if you are able to pray than NONE of these 10 steps left would take nearly that long….we’d be ever so thankful.
We all want to know when we’re traveling to China. If I focus on how long it might be before we
could possibly go, I get so sad and discouraged. I have to break it down into
little goals and try to celebrate the progress. If you’d like to celebrate
these little steps with us and understand what they actually are, I thought I’d
lay it all out…..
10. Peng’s file needs to get registered at CCCWA (China
Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption) in Beijing. (Time frame: 1 more day – 4 months?)
9. Lu (our agency rep living in China) submits our Letter of Intent (LOI) to adopt Peng. (Time frame: Submitted the day after he’s registered.)
8. CCCWA assesses our LOI, matches it with Peng’s registered file and issues us Pre-Approval. This means our file is finally linked with his in the system. This is likely when we will be ready to announce Peng’s new family name J (Timeframe: 2 days after receiving LOI to 3 weeks)
7. Receive “soft” Letter of Seeking Confirmation (LOSC). This is the email version that we have officially been approved by China to adopt Peng. (Timeframe: 1 week – 12 weeks)
6. Apply to USCIS to get permission to bring Peng, specifically, into the country. With this “soft” LOSC, we can get the ball rolling. Once we receive the hard copy of LOSC, we submit that asap. (Timeframe: 3-4 weeks)
5. Receive approval from the U.S. that Peng is suitable to immigrate here. National Visa Center (NVC) sends this approval to Guangzhou, China. (Time frame: 1 week)
4. We file our DS-260 online to apply for his Visa. (Time frame: a few days)
3. Receive Article 5. This is the approval from the U.S. that tells China they approve of China's approval of bringing Peng into our country. If it's starting to sound like a lot of approving approvals, it is. (Time frame: 10 days)
2. Receive Travel Approval from China. (Time frame: 3 weeks)
1. Travel to China (Time frame: 2-6 weeks)
So, as you can see the bigger waits are near the higher steps (where we are now) and Lord willing, those final 5 steps will fly by. Until then, we wait.
Advent will have a new meaning this year. The people of God waited a long time for the Messiah to be born. Peng will have to wait quite a few more months for his family. In his little heart and mind, I pray he can understand Jesus is waiting with him. I know I’ve said this before, but Jesus is his Savior, not us. And God can be his Provider right now where he’s at, just like He’s providing for us right now where we are at.
If there is anything or anyone you are waiting for, I hope you sense Jesus’ shepherding presence walking with you through it.
Blessings on the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend….
