We Are Home...

We have come home with a daughter and a love for a country that is horrible and wonderful. I will update soon and post many pictures. There is much to tell.

P.S.
Maida is doing wonderful....

Beth

The Wait is Over... We Are In Congo

I no longer am wondering who this new daughter of mine is! I have been getting to know her since the 2nd!

We were scheduled to leave on the 30th but hurricane Sandy prevented us from doing that, so we left the following day and arrived here in Kinshasa the night of November 1st.

I am very behind in my posts and am sorry for that:(
As the days got closer and closer to leaving I was very overwhelmed mentally and emotionally. We were making a risky decision to travel prior to having Maidas visa issued, then getting word that DGM, the office here who issues the required exit letter would require at least a seven day stay in country. Everything we had planned for at this point, ( a five day stay) was becoming obsolete and we were now having to make new plans and it was all very unsettling as we tried to figure out what was best to do with the new information.

Several others families were traveling at or around the end of the month so we decided to jump on board and go then too. We decided a two week stay would be as safe as you can predict here for getting the needed papers in order. It is looking like that was a wise decision as our visa has been issued but we are still waiting on our exit letter. Today is Thursday and we are scheduled to leave Monday.

I was homesick before we even left. I cried about leaving my family and was crying with joy and excitement at the thought of being so close to meeting my new daughter. I as a mess but here I am now sitting next to this new treasure from God!

We met up with two families at Dulles airport and our in- country co-ordinator.  We all were able to fly together all the way to Kinshasa and are staying at the same place which has been wonderful and comforting.
We have been able to watch other children from Maidas orphanage be united with their families. To be sure you know who "we" is, my daughter Gabriella is my traveling companion. Her heart is for the orphan and has been my right arm in this whole process. One day she hopes to be in northern china working with the North Korean orphans along the border. This was a great opportunity for her to experience a third world country and help out in the orphanages.
My husband and I decided to use our in-country co-ordinator as a family escort so he could stay at home with the rest of the family knowing we were in safe and competent hands as long as we were with her.
She and Papa J are invaluable. Both do a great deal of work for this process. She in the states, and he here with the children. While in country he is our driver and translator. We are so thankful for them.

Our connection here is very very slow and unpredictable but if possible will post more updates and try to upload some photos soon.

She is wonderful. Smaller than we thought and spunkier than we thought lol!


Beth