Problems in USCIS - Prayers Needed!

Monday we received some very disturbing news regarding our adoption.  But first, the good news.

Our crèche representative believes he will have Wisly's corrected birth certificate back to USCIS on Friday.  If he is able to do so, that little hiccup lasted one month and three days.  I will be excited to hear when he gets it resubmitted.

On to the unpleasant news.  We received an email Monday morning from USCIS that stated, in reviewing our documents, they are unsatisfied with the information they have from the crèche regarding the circumstances that caused Wisly to come into their care and are calling the crèche representative to come before them for a follow-up interview.  They have to be fully satisfied before they will give us I-600 approval, the permission for Wisly to get a visa appointment to come home.

Ugh!! :(

I know about THIS!  I have another adoptive friend who just went through this, along with three other families from her crèche.  Our immigration situations are very similar.  With them,  USCIS demanded old documents be redone, new documents acquired, "got into it" with IBESR, and dragged their heels and added many weeks (for a couple families, six months!) before everything was resolved.

Lawyers were hired, Senators were called and USCIS finally just gave in without so much as a, "You were right, we were wrong.  Sorry we made you hire lawyers, pay extra money, and had your kids wait extra months to come home."

This is the bureaucratic mindset we are dealing with.  In too many offices that process international adoptions, children are a number on a manila file, not real human beings longing for hope.  Adoptive parents are merely strangers far away that keep bugging us with emails and phone calls.  And the ol' devil LOVES it all.  He's having a hey-day, disrupting and delaying kiddos coming home to their Forever Families where they will get love, care, health, security...healing.

The meeting was set for Wednesday morning (today).

Then yesterday afternoon I get a short email from USCIS saying they are canceling the meeting and pushing it off two more weeks...and no reason given.  Just "Sorry for the inconvenience."

What a punch in the gut!!

We have had such a large number of frustrating delays in this whole process, it is almost comical.  But, it isn't.  In May, we just KNEW we would be picking Wisly up by the end of May or early June.  Now it's the end of July.  I'm not guessing at his homecoming any more.

Praise God for His love and "peace that passeth understanding".  He is truly our Rock and Fortress.

At the advice of our crèche rep and our agency rep (both praying people, yay for that!), they said to send a firm but polite email requesting a sooner appointment than the August 9th.  Yesterday afternoon, I sent them an appeal. 

As of this writing, I have had no reply from USCIS.  So we wait and see...

I also have had about a dozen recommendation from various individuals-- call your senators, hire a lawyer, raise some <<bleep>>.  Eric and I are praying about our options and seeking wisdom.  We are also still praying for favor with USCIS and a softening of the hearts and compassion for our son.

I don't know what tomorrow holds, but it's in God's very capable hands.  Whatever the outcome, The Story God is writing will be beautiful and He receives all the glory!!

Thank you for your continued prayers! xo