From the desk of the Executive Director of Programs
It is another Friday and the end of a busy week here in Virginia. We were excited to welcome a new Family Coordinator to our China Program, Aimee Meier who moved here to North Virginia from North Dakota. You’ll get a more formal introduction to her from our China staff. She and another newer staff member, Teresa Spencer have been receiving training this week. It has taken us awhile to find the right replacement for this position but as always God has provided in His timing.
In the Eastern Europe programs we have had some good news as well. One family is preparing to travel to Russia on their first trip right after Thanksgiving. Please keep them in your prayers. Another family heard that they have received a date for their dossier to be submitted to the SDA in Ukraine. And in our Kazakhstan program another dossier was sent to our translator and will then be submitted to the Consulate in DC for approval. There are a number of other families working on updating their dossiers at this time and we would ask you to remember them in prayer as they wait on USCIS approvals and update documents.
Our Africa programs in Ethiopia and Rwanda have both seen referrals in recent weeks and we thank God for his continued provision and we rejoice with the families who have received their referrals. The time between referral and traveling is such a hard wait time and we continue to lift these families up to the Lord in our daily staff prayer time. We do meet daily at 9 am EST for prayer so please let your Family Coordinator know if you have a specific request. We also enjoy hearing how God has answered and it is a highlight in our days to get an email that shares how God has answered a prayer request we prayed about.
Jenni, an America World prospective adoptive parent, has been leading a Visiting Orphan team who is in El Salvador this week and this is part of an email she sent.
“Our experience at the orphanage was indescribable. The children were crying as we left today, and MANY asked if we would take them home. They were so loving, warm, well behaved, polite, grateful, affectionate and full of life. We found out that all of these children have been abused, and their stories were heart wrenching. At the same time, they are in a loving, safe and warm community. We bought almost $2,000 worth of food at the market in San Salvador (rice, beans, sugar, etc). We went to the grocery store and filled up 5 grocery carts – baby food, toilet paper, shampoo, drinks, balls, and on and on. We also stopped a truck in the street that was selling oranges. We ended up buying the truck load of oranges – and they followed us to the orphanage. We bought 7,600 oranges for them – it was SO FUN. It only cost $300!” They also left a substantial donation for the orphanage.
This team of three prospective adoptive families also had a planned meeting with the Procurador today.
Our Executive/Senior staff spent a day this week in retreat and focused on planning and budgeting for 2010. It was a fruitful time and opportunity to reflect on 2009 and look ahead to 2010.
Recently, I was reading about the Feast of Tabernacles in Deuteronomy 16:13-16 and want to wish everyone a joyous Thanksgiving holiday.
Susan B. Maines, LSW, LCSW
Executive Director of Programs