Another Closed Door

I received an e-mail today stating that the 3 kids in CA are not meant to be a part of our family because we live outside of the US. Therefore, we are back to waiting on our permanent visas which will take at least another year. Then we can begin the process of adopting from here in Chile.

We are not disappointed for us. We are simply of the mindset that we need to knock on all doors to see if God is opening them. When He confirms that the door is closed we move on down the hallway. How long before the next door appears in the hallway, only He knows. But for now, we pray for the future family of Charlie, Ramon, and Tammy and pray for our future kids that each child would have the blessing of coming to know Christ as personal savior.

Thanks for continuing to pray!!!

What in the WORLD!

What a roller coaster!!! A while back I wrote that God was/is redirecting us back to Chile. Here's the reasons why. 1. Nicaragua will be VERY EXPENSIVE! 2. Our ministry - There was a missionary here for MANY years and she was truly loved by the Chileans in part because she adopted two Chilean girls. This truly endeared her to many. We don't want people to think, "Our kids weren't good enough for you, so you had to go to Nicaragua??" 3. The Nicaragua process is becoming LONG - kind of like Haiti's process for those of you who know anything about that EXTREMELY LONG PROCESS!! 4. Doors here in Chile seem to be more open now to us, at least once we get our permanent residency visas. In the mean time we wait and see what God is doing.

So, what is He doing?? As we wait patiently we are praying. We are seeking to walk through doors that God brings into our path. For instance, my friend and fellow missionary wrote a blog about 3 hispanic children from California who need a home that is bilingual. So after seeing these 3 beautiful children, I wrote and e-mail to the LA county adoption services division. I still haven't heard back. Are these God's children for us? Or has God brought them into our lives only to pray for their forever family? The BIGGEST obstacle is that we are living out of the country, but without our permanent residency here, we are legally connected to the states, so maybe these are God's future Amundson children.?.! Please pray with us for Charlie (6), Ramon (4) and Tammy (3) that they would find their forever family soon, whether that is our family or not!!! Even a closed door is an answer from God!!!

Redirection

Please pray as God seems to be redirecting us back to a Chilean adoption. I'll fill in the details later, since I don't have time tonight, but we are excited to see what God is going to do!

Confirmation AGAIN!

God just keeps on pointing us to Nicaragua! Yesterday I went to the national adoption center here in Chile to inquire about the possiblity of jumping through their hoops to adopt from here. I am truly amazed at what I heard! First of all, there is a program for Chilean nationals that we will qualify for once we've been granted our permanent residency AND have had that residency for no less than 2 years. In other words we'd qualify in 4 more years to BEGIN a Chilean adoption. Second, there is a program for foreigners, but we don't qualify for that one either because we are living here. So basically we want to jump through their hoops but we can't join the circus here in Chile.

That just reconfirms everything God keeps telling us - "Nicaragua is where the children I have for you are waiting."

For now, we are doing what we can to speed up the adoption process. We've begun some adoption classes on-line to make our homestudy move faster, and then when we get our final approval from the ABWE board in July, we'll really begin the long process.

Not from Chile

Yesterday I received confirmation that we cannot adopt from Chile until we have our permanent residency and even then it is an EXTREMELY LONG process. Therefore we will begin the adoption process through Nicaragua in July. For now we are taking classes on-line toward our homestudy. It is a great time of Doug and I talking and processing things together. I love it when we take a class together and can grow intellectually and spiritually together and over the same material. Keep praying for our future children and for patience for us!

The Twins

Praise the Lord! The twins have a family seeking to adopt them!!! I had asked you to pray that even if we were not their forever family, that they would get a family soon! Praise God they do have a family!

Now, what? We continue in the process seeking the children GOD has for us! We are excited to see God work and someday finally bring home our next 2 kids.

The Answer

Thank you SOOOO much for praying!!! We met with the men on Wednesday and after we presented our reasons and timeline, they voted to grant us permission to adopt 2 children, beginning the process in July. PRAISE GOD!!! Therefore, we have 2 more steps with ABWE to get through. 1. is to have the full field council vote on the recommendation of the work committee that we be granted permission to adopt. 2. is at the next ABWE board meeting, which won't take place until July, our field team administrator will ask permission from the ABWE board. Then we can begin by applying to the agency that will help us adopt from Nicaragua.

I am excited. As I've moved into this house, so many of my thoughts have been about how to set up the house to allow for 2 more kids. Things like putting the medicines and cleaning agents out of reach, setting up Caleb's room to add the top bunk when we need to.

This process will be long and sometimes overwhelming, but we are excited to see God continue a process that has been on our hearts for years and years.