Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Update on Various Issues

update on various issues

Updates on Various Issues
Well, I know that I have left you all hanging on some stuff so will at this point try to fill you in on several things.

As far as pursuing baby Trevor, we have somewhat started on the paperwork for him. I received the passport photos of him that I had requested from HFU and my heart knew as soon as I saw him that he was mine. When Duane and I said yes to this child to become his parents, we hadn’t laid eyes on him by photo or person. In fact it didn’t occur to me to ask for a photo until several days after we said yes! He is very small and malnourished and has only been with HFU for one month. Though he is said to be almost 2, he looks like 6 month. He cannot walk yet as he has been carried on his auntie’s back as she worked. He is so cute!!!! His cheeks are swollen from the effects of the malnourishment but HFU says that they are going down somewhat. I only have passport pictures at this point but am hoping that I can get HFU to email them so I can post them. I am wanting to start his passport process before I leave and hopefully have the passport before I come back for the court hearing. The passports are what is taking the longest to process. If we had had those before the court hearing we could have only had to stay in country about 10 days.
So we will see what I can get done.

We were supposed to hear on the 5th that our court decree was issued in writing but did not hear. On Trevor’s case I was hoping to expedite his paperwork and head home with him also but the word expedite does not exist in this country! Ha!
! So we will have to come back for him. We went on Monday, to Mr. Nyombi’s office to check on the progress of the passports for the kids and to talk about issues with Trevor. Well, to my utter disappointment, I found out that the process had only been started on Friday!!!! My impression was that they had been submitted on Jan.28th! The day of the court hearing!!! But no, we did not even receive the court decree until the 8th and then he submitted the applications! So for 11 days we have been waiting for nothing. I was really frustrated. Our plane leaves on the 17th and God is going to have to work a miracle for the passports to be completed by then. I know God can do this. In the natural world, it does seem impossible but in the realm of God there is possibility. In this land of “I’ll get to it when I feel like it”, it looks slim. God is in control and I know His ways are not my own. Jana and I have loved being here and have met many wonderful people but we are starting to be homesick. This is the longest we have ever been away from our husbands and families. Thankfully they call us almost every night but it is not home.
Alleni and Andrew are doing better on behavior and we are bonding. They are very demanding and have no manners. They are funny and very active. After living on their own for so long, it is hard for them to come under the authority of an adult. But they are learning. They love card games and Andrew can’t take it if he does not win. They both like school work and can already do basic addition and spell some English words. Alleni’s English had already improved greatly and she really strives to communicate with me in English. Andrew is hanging onto Luganda and insist that I learn Luganda to talk to him. Here not everyone speaks Luganda. Though it is the predominant language, English is the one pushed so all the people groups can communicate. Most of the people speak English unless they are young or old. Not all kids go to school. Only the ones whose parents can afford school fees. Richard our driver speaks good English but he wants to speak better so he can go to Bible School. Out in the villages, it is more common to find all the people speaking the local dialect.
Andrew speaks some English because he has been going to school through HFU for the last year. Allenni, because she has been around Americans for the past year or so.
Both kids seem pretty intelligent with no developmental delays besides social skills. I think Allenni has more of grip on things comprehension wise than Andrew. Allenni loves to dance and cracks me up with her little African dances. Andrew can play the drum very well and loves to sing. They kept Jana and I entertained for about 30 minutes straight the other day singing and dancing. Both are very strong willed and definitely want things done their way or no way! Temper tantrums are getting less frequent and less intense since last week. They are very loving and love kisses and hugs. Andrew moves quite well with the soccer ball and I think he and Graham will love playing with each other.
Both have already informed me that when they get to America, they want a cell phone, a computer, and music player! I told them no way. So far every toy that I have brought for them has been broken. Ben’s going to love Andrew as he is obsessed with the radio and arranging things just right! (Don’t know if I can handle 2 of them!!!! Yikes!) Ha, ha! Eli and Allenni are going to be a pair! There is no telling what they are going to get into. Tie everything down or hide it! (Note to self : Just remove every breakable thing from the house and put it up in attic. Bring it back out when she leaves home)
Allenni is a girly girl and loves the frilly, pretty things. Jana painted her toenails and she loved it. She keeps wanting me to pierce her ears and keeps begging everyone to put braids in her hair. They keep telling her, your hair is too short, it has to grow. Well today, she talked Resty into braiding it and now she had these little knots all over her head! Boy is that going to be fun getting those out! They kids both love playing with my hair and I don’t mind it too much either.
Andrew has taken to Scott the missionary here as well as to Richard who has spent a lot of time with us. As I watch him interact with these men, I can see that it is going to do him well to have a dad.
Well, I think that pretty much tells a little about the personality of the kids.
This past weekend we went to Jinja to do somesight seeing and will write about that next.

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