Adopting a baby is not as easy as it looks. It sure seems easy. You fill out some paperwork...okay, a LOT of paperwork, then you have someone check out your house, then you have another person visit frequently and talk to you about your life story, then you are matched with a sweet soul who was meant to be yours...right? Ideally, yes. But like many times in life, this journey did not go as planned. This journey came to a screeching halt about a month ago.
The Korean Government has made the decision to stop issuing VISAs to children in all orphanages. This means that very few children are allowed to leave the country. The few that are already placed with a waiting family have to wait until January of next year to travel. Why? Their hopes are to eliminate foreign adoption altogether within the next few years. Korea is focusing on placing those children with forever families in their native land, instead of across the world. I understand. It makes sense. But are all of those waiting children going to have forever families?
The adoption agency we are working with in Ohio is professional, helpful and kind. They seem just as surprised as we are. They have been working with Korea for 25 years (with the same orphanage), placing hundreds of waiting children with forever families. Their mutual respect for one another came from years of experience. I truly believe they didn't know this was coming. We are all at a loss for words.
So once again, we were guided away from our original path...for good reason, I'm sure. But it's so difficult to refocus again and again. With my whole heart, I know this IS the right way. I'm still hanging on to the slightest chance we could become parents to one of the souls who is waiting.
Thank you for following us.
Tina
