Well it's been a little over a week since Epi and I (Ady) have been home. We adjusted quite quickly to the time zone. I think we were just so tired from everything that pure exhaustion took over when night came to Nova Scotia.
I felt so completely relieved to get home and be done with the pressure created by such an ordeal. It's nice getting on with the living part of family life. It's not without it's struggles though. It's an incredible change for all six of us. Having Epi in our home is like insta-child. He comes with all of his habits, language and personality to our family. Our flexibility is called for as we embark upon stretching out our tent pegs even further.
When your family is suddenly larger, it's all hands on deck. As Epi is getting more comfortable he is getting louder. So he is now adding his voice to the chorus around the table. I think he had better mealtime habits before he came into our home.

ADJUSTING

Go Away - Come Back (part 2)

I didn't think it could happen! But it DID!

Today we went to MSI (Nova Scotia's health services) to get Epimaque's health card. We were told ahead of time that we needed his passport, so we brought that along. But, low and behold, it wasn't enough. We needed some other paper work as well.

So, off we went back home to get the other paper work. Ady then travelled back to the office to get his health card, and minutes later she walked out with a shiny new piece of plastic.

It felt like Kigali over again. At least we didn't have to get anything notarized!

The upside is time was not a factor. Whether we got the card today or tomorrow or in 10 days, it wouldn't really matter - so the stress level was much lower.

-dale

Family Life

So, all are back in Canada and in the house.

It has been fun to watch Epimaque adjust to his new surroundings. From the moment we met him and Ady at the airport he became all smiles. (Ady said he had been more than a handful during the travels.) He was actually quite giddy when we got to the house. He seems over all very content and happy.

But, there is certainly adjustment going on too - for every one.

I think maybe Reuben is finding it the hardest. For the last 4-1/2 years he has been the youngest and has had daddy pretty much to himself. Now he has to share! He is doing very well, but there are times when it is a little much for him. Especially as Epimaque does not slow down.

For each of us there is adjustment required. If you decide to adopt, be prepared. That said, I'm not sure you can. You KNOW this is going to be different, but then when it actually happens, it's different all over again - nothing like you expected. You need to know the un-knowable.

Well worth it though.

Also, we really wanted to say a BIG THANK-YOU to all of you who have supported us to this point. The many encouraging words and prayers have been invaluable. As well, the donations were much needed and greatly appreciated.

Thank-you incredibly.

Blessings.

-dale

(more posts to follow - and we will try include a brief synopsis for anyone else trying to attempt this)

Return of the King (or Queen as it may be)

So, the latest is that Ady and Epimaque get to come home on Saturday! This is such fantastic news. Then over the next number of days, we will try update this blog with some photos.

I am still amazed at how much we accomplished in such a short time. It don't always feel like things were moving very fast while in Africa, but all in all, to get the passort and the visa in less than 3 weeks, that is nothing short of miraculous.

Thank-you all for your incredible support and prayers. We could NOT have done it with out you.

Blessings,

-dale

YAY GOD!!!

Today we have great news. The case worker at the Canadian high commission in Nairobi called Ady & Chad to tell them to drop the kids passports off tomorrow, and the visas would be issued on Friday! Praise God!

They are tentatively booked to fly home on Saturday, arriving in Halifax on Sunday.

What a wonderful miracle - and this is nothing less than that!

Please pray for flights to be booked properly (I had trouble with mine on the return flight) and safe journeys home.

Thank-you God for all You have done!

-dale

How long? (The Waiting Game)

Many of you have asked - When do Ady and Epimaque come home?

Honestly, we just don't know. Could be late this week. Could be 2 weeks. Could be 2 months! That is the frustrating part of the visa process as they just will not give a time line. If you had a time line, you could make a plan and go with it. But, as it is, you end up sitting around and playing the Waiting Game.

Patrick - a good friend of ours that planted the Kigali Vineyard along with his wife and 2 sons - spoke in our church on Sunday as they are in Canada on furlough at the moment. He shared this wonderful message about being open to God's plan. That we can have a pretty tight plan, but if it is not what God is doing, then really it's not worth pursuing.

So, I suppose, even if we could make a plan, it probably isn't worth pursuing at this point. :>)

Anyway, if you would, please pray for favour with the case worker and a sense of urgency in her heart that these visas need to be approved. The case worker told Adrienne and Chad that she would call today, so we wait for her call and hopefully some news - good news preferred!

Blessings.

-dale

Spread Across the Continents

So, as you may have figured out, Adrienne is still in Nairobi and I (Dale) am back in Canada.

Sorry for the break in blog entries, but between the craziness of travel and inconvenience of the place we were staying at in Nairobi just made updates very difficult.

As Ady mentioned, we are pretty much in the waiting game right now. Everything on the adoption is complete except getting the immigration visa so Epimaque can come home. Unfortunately, Immigration Canada is not forth coming in giving any kind of time line other than sometime in the next 2 years.

Immigration is a very confusing and frustrating process, and Ady, Chad and I spoke about this a few times when we first got to Nairobi from Kigali. I asked, what is the one most critical piece of advice you would give prospect adoptive parents about international adoption? They both answered without hesitation, "Don't travel until ALL the paper work is done." The problem with this, we all instantly recognized is that if the adoptive parents are not present and in the face of the officials, the work does not get processed. So, had we waited for all the paper work, it would have added time on to our process.

And where we don't think the visa will take 2 years, but really only a matter of weeks, if we waited for Immigration to do this on their own, it would take several more months.

So waiting will make the process easier (or at least, less stressful) it would mean our son would still be in the orphanage and most likely would be for at least 6 months extra. In the midst of the struggle, it is tiring and overwhelming, but honestly, getting Epimaque out of the orphanage sooner rather than later is worth it.

But, we would ask for lots of prayer. Now that I am back in Canada, I have a little perspective on what to pray for:

1. speedy visa issuance

2. grace, grace, grace

3. favour with Canadian officials

4. and this is where the new perspective comes from - freedom from spiritual oppression. I realized, especially today during our church service here, that Nairobi is a very oppressive city. And I think further complicated by the adoption process, which is bringing freedom to a child. Bringing freedom to children is the heart of our Father, and conversely, the ire of our enemy. Pray for release of this oppression for Ady and Chad as they are still in Nairobi.

On the home front, it was so wonderful to see our other kids again and get hugs, cuddles and kisses from them.

What a torn place to be in right now - enjoying the kids here and tremendously missing Ady and Epimaque in Nairobi.

God, let Your Kingdom come!

-dale

We attended the Karen Vineyard in Nairobi this morning. I didn't really know what to expect, but it was much like a service back home. It was refreshing worship together with extended Vineyard family.

We are playing the waiting game in regards to visas for Teresita and Epimaque. We don't know what to expect in the midst of the unacceptable.

Yesterday we went to a wildlife park. We drove about 30km and saw Ostriches, Giraffes, Zebras, Antelope and Water Buffalo. Epimaque fell asleep about half way through.

Love to all, please keep praying for our return soon.

In Nairobi

Well, we made it this far...

The last few days in Kigali were rather rushed, and getting the passports posed extra hoops to jump through, which we came to expect. That said, there some people in the system who were extremely helpful and managed to get the passports done. We got them at five minutes passed closing time the day before a holiday, so if we had not received them, we would have had to stay at least another two days. So, praise God for that.

We hopped on an EARLY flight to Nairobi, dropped our bags at the guest house and went off to the Canadian High Commission to inquire on our visas. This turned out to be rather disappointing as there will be more hang ups here by the looks of things so far. PLEASE PRAY!!!!

We need prayer on two specific things:

1 - that we will have favour here at the High Commission and for a speedy visa process

2 - accommodations for Ady, Chad and the kids for a longer stay. The place where we are at is nice, but too costly for an extended stay. As well peace for them. I need to leave Friday regardless, but they will need much prayer.

Sorry, no pics as I am doing this at an internet cafe - and it just doesn't work. :>(

-dale