Immeasurable Gifts Continued

We are truly overwhelmed by the generosity of others.  Your actions continue to take our breath away.  Whether you've shared kind words, said prayers, or donated to the girls' fund, we are grateful for every gift that has been given.

A Few Examples
Nativity
A wonderful advocate and friend of the girls recently gave us a beautiful Haitian painting of the Nativity from one of her recent trips to Haiti.  We especially love the Wise Men and the tiny angel above.



Creativity
Some amazing colleagues at work pooled resources to provide the girls with an amazing donation of "dough".

Immeasurable Gifts

Gift - noun
something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present

It's early Christmas morning.  Many of us take in the warm-lit vision of stuffed stockings and beautifully wrapped boxes with bows.

This year, we are struck with the immeasurable gifts we've already received:

• the honor and privilege of moving forward in the adoption journey
• the blessing of meeting three amazing young ladies
• the incredible support of family and friends
• the unfathomable generosity of others
• the opportunity to share a bit of our journey, and gratitude, through ABC news (check out the link below)

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8931006

Update and Event

Update:

The girls have been able to return to their current home and school.  The cleaning continues, the facilities and security walls are being repaired, and it sounds like life is returning to normal - or at least some semblance of normalcy.

Upcoming Event:

Due to the creativity and efforts of several friends, we are having a Holiday Shopping Open House.  A portion of all purchases will go directly to the process of bringing the girls home.  Please see the invite below and feel free to contact any of us with questions - either through commenting here or contacting us directly.

Perseverance

per•se•ver•ance    n.

steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement

Several weeks have passed since Hurricane Sandy tore through Haiti. The FEJ staff is doing their best to repair facilities while caring for the children - perseverance personified.

The girls did indeed have to be evacuated from the creche in Lamardelle.  Transportation issues plague the staff - the roads have been impassable, making the delivery of basic supplies a challenge.  The children haven't been able to be in school, but efforts to clean up the mud/water sediment continue.  

On a brighter note, they hope to have the students back in school by the end of the week.  In addition, a family from Chicago is supposed to travel sometime in December.  We are hopeful that we'll be able to send some needed items and personal letters down to the girls before Christmas.

O'Keeffe perhaps??

One of our days in Haiti was spent mainly at the U.S. Embassy in Port Au Prince.  After many hours of traveling down to Port Au Prince, taking care of business at the Embassy, and getting back up the mountain, we were able to be with the girls for a few hours before dinner.

When we entered the creche, the girls proudly brought us pictures they'd made for us during the day - our first official artwork created by the girls.  Looks like O'Keeffe-type talent to us.  :-)

 

Aftermath

af·ter·math - 

something that results or follows from an event, especially one of a disastrous or unfortunate nature; consequence

The consequences of Hurricane Sandy continue to plague the efforts of FEJ.  The road leading to the village where the girls reside continues to be devastated by rushing water.  A nearby levee is on the verge of collapse and an evacuation of the orphanage is being planned.  No FEMA, no power crews from other states, no widely publicized television fund-raising events.

Our hearts are with all the children and their caretakers every day.

Hurricane Sandy Update

We received the following update today regarding the hurricane's impact in Haiti.  The Kenscoff location is where we recently stayed with the children.  LaMardelle is where our girls currently reside and go to school.

Many pictures posted by various news outlets provide a sense of the devastation.  We cannot begin to imagine the challenges being faced by the thousands and thousands of people in the tent cities. We are eternally grateful for the protection and care that FEJ provides for the children in their care.

It did hit the FEJ Kenscoff location and caused a significant amount of damage.   There is flooding, roof damage and damage to the water tank.   The children have been relocated to another location for their safety, but we do not yet know where.   The LaMardelle location is experiencing some flooding in the school area and mobility is limited in and out of the area because of the roads being flooded.   The children at LaMardelle remain there and we received no reports of structural damage to this facility.   Thankfully we received no reports of anyone being hurt at either location.  
 Please keep the FEJ staff and the children in your thoughts and prayers, as they face yet another challenge.  

Tangible

tan·gi·ble     

adjective

Capable of being touched; discernible by the touch; material or substantial.

Much of the few weeks leading up to our trip was spent determining what types of activities we could bring that would help us to begin building the foundation of our family.  

We decided on a tangible representation of family.  Each person selected a specific type of bead and gave one of those beads to each of the other members of the family.  We also used a heart-shaped bead to signify the concept of family.  Remarkably, the girls understood our attempts to communicate the goal.  While we know the bracelets may not make it home in the end, we feel blessed that we were able to see evidence of their true purpose - Later that day, we spied one of the girls gently touching each bead and saying each of our names.

Surreal

Surreal - having the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream; unreal

Traveling to Haiti was truly surreal.  As we've been fortunate enough to share with many of you, we could not have imagined a more wonderful experience.  We've certainly left pieces of our hearts in Haiti.

We landed in Port Au Prince and spent the majority of our time in a mountain town called Kenscoff - amazingly beautiful, rugged, and a paradise compared to Port Au Prince.  The last picture below shows the humble playground of the creche accompanied by the gorgeous mountain slopes beyond.

Go Team!

Just for fun, at last count, here are some of our totals:

1,524 baby wipes
4,095 cotton swabs
216 pens
226 hair clips and bows
22 bottles of children's acetaminophen liquid
24 toothbrushes

Thank you for your combined efforts to help us deliver needed supplies to the children being cared for by FEJ.  If you'd like to know more about FEJ, please check out the link below.
 Fondation Enfant Jesus

The Girl Effect

Research abounds as evidence of what an investment in girls and women can bring about in impoverished nations.  The Girl Effect is powerful.  

In a matter of days we will be forging the foundations of another layer of our family.  After a brief few days, we hope and pray that our girls feel hope.  Hope for a home.  Hope for the love of a family.  Hope for a future with limitless opportunities.  

October 11, 2012 is the International Day of the Girl (care.org).  With heavy hearts, we'll be leaving Haiti.  Fortunately, we know our girls are well cared for.  They are clothed, fed, allowed to attend school.  Millions of other adolescent girls are not as fortunate.  As partners with us on this journey, we're guessing "the girl effect" may resonate with you more powerfully now than it may have before.  It certainly does for us.

Mèsi Bokou!

Mèsi Bokou!  -  "Thank you" in Haitian Creole.

Gratitude - Thankfulness - Appreciation - Gratefulness

We feel so blessed by the myriad ways you've supported us as a family-in-waiting.  Sharing positive thoughts and prayers, checking in with us over the last many months, donating through Project Hopeful, gifting airlines miles, providing furniture for the girls, introducing us to Haitian Creole/English picture dictionaries, purchasing Adoption Bug t-shirts.  We continue to be amazed by your generosity and kindness.

With twelve days to go before the trip, your continued support is needed more than ever.  Pictures of the "staging area" coming soon.   :-)

Immeasurable

Immeasurable access to necessities - unprecedented convenience...life in our corner of the United States.

In less than 25 days we'll be headed to Port au Prince.  We'll be visiting an orphanage whose staff cares for over 50 children under 5 years of age.  Their needs are truly limitless.  

Families engaging in the process of adopting children typically deliver supplies to support the basic functioning of the orphanage.  If you would like to join us in this effort, please view the lists below and bring or send us whatever you'd like to donate (by Tuesday, Sept. 25th).

 

Journey

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

Despite the hurdles, altered paths, and paper chase, our journey will truly begin on October 8th when we travel to Port au Prince to meet Ruth (who turned 15 today), Samantha, and Yoline.

Several of you have been kind enough to offer airline miles to help us secure the flights we'll be taking over the coming months.  We've included a link below to the American Airlines webpage where you can donate miles on behalf of our family.  Our AAdvantage numbers are included as well.

American Airlines Miles
Janelle - Y1562Y4
Wayne - (Gordon Wayne) 84UJK18

It seems like American Airlines is helping out too.  They just happen to have a special offer providing bonus miles when you share.  

Your continued thoughts and prayers are much appreciated - and needed more than ever.  

Tropical Storm Update

So many of you have been kind enough to share your thoughts about the girls during the recent tropical storm/hurricane.

We received the following update toward the middle of the week.

Tropical Storm Isaac:  FEJ reports that Isaac hit Haiti last Friday night and Saturday.  There was material damage, however everyone is fine.  Uprooted trees, flooding and power outages remain a challenge. 

We are obviously relieved with this news.  However, the Haitian people are in desperate need of continued prayers and support.   I believe the report I heard on NPR stated that close to 400,000 people are still living in fragile post-earthquake tent camps.  Flooding, disease, loss - Impossible to truly comprehend from where we are privileged to reside.

"Collisions with the Future"

Life is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum of what we have been, but what we yearn to be.Jose Ortega y Gasset

"What we yearn to be"...a very hopeful phrase.  On the eve of another birthday, we've experienced a few collisions with the future.  But the hope of what we yearn to be - the hope of a life's purpose beyond ourselves - these are the hopes of another year on Earth.

Amazingly, I am blessed to share my birthday with the youngest of the three girls.  Instead of speaking of the girls' ages as 14, 9, and 7, we'll soon be saying 15, 9, and 8.  Although we won't be able to be with the girls during their upcoming birthdays (8/25 and 9/4), we'll look forward to when we are able to celebrate as a family.

"Favorable Determination"

The USCIS just approved our i600A.  This basically means that the government considers us to be prospective parents, qualified to continue through the adoption process.

Although they've approved us many times over the last 7 years (approvals expire after 18 months), this approval is colossal.  

C loser to the goal line

O verwhelming

L inked to three young ladies

O rphaned

S isters

S urvivors

A broad

L uminous

One At A Time

You may remember that we recently posted a blog entry about a t-shirt fundraiser.  Here are the styles we ordered first.  We're looking forward to posting more pictures from friends and family.  http://www.adoptionbug.com/hockett/

Refresh

refresh:  make like new; give new life

We've all heard the phrase "refresh the page" - be sure you have the most recent information on a webpage.  We've heard how "refreshing" a new beverage can be - how a walk on the beach can "refresh" your soul.

Our "refresh" button  has definitely been clicked.  Following the silence of the last few weeks, we received this information:

IBESR:   In a decree dated August 10th, IBESR announced that it will accept dossiers prepared between May and July of this year between the dates of August 15th and September 15th.  The new process and policies will be implemented on October first.      

Just prior to this update, we received word that our dossier was officially "IN" IBESR.  This means the process is rolling right along and we will not have to navigate the transition to the new procedures Haiti will be implementing very soon.

However, the refresh really came when we received another updated report on each of the girls, listing us as the "adoptive parents of"...Shortly after, we were asked ("ask the parents if") if we would give our permission  for the two youngest girls to participate in their first communion. 

I'm not sure what words best describe the surreal nature of these brief phrases and interchanges.  Without having met the girls, without them knowing who we are, it's still a foreign concept to be considered their parents.  Click Refresh.  Our drive has been refreshed - our drive to meet with the travel doctor, work on our Haitian Creole, increase our fundraising efforts, read more, plan more.

Thank you for joining us on this journey - your continued thoughts and prayers are so appreciated.  

Silence

Navigating the adoption road includes many moments of silence.  Currently, the silence is characterized by a country closed to new adoptions while they improve their protocols and become a Hauge-compliant country.  (The Social Welfare Department (IBESR) was set to reopen on August 1st.  No word yet as to a new date.)

We experienced another unexpected curve this week when our Gift of Adoption grant application was denied.  We certainly don't envy the grant selection committee.  Prioritization of funds for so many deserving families must be extremely difficult and heart-wrenching.

Fortunately, these moments each have positive outcomes.  Haiti's adoption processes will be strengthened...safety for children will be increased.  The Gift of Adoption grant will be provided to a family, making another home for a deserving orphan.

Our reaction to the silence?  Patience.  Perseverance.  Continued hope.  Never easy, but certainly necessary.

Our continued thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

Heartstrings

We are so excited to share that we've partnered with an organization called Adoption Bug that facilitates fundraising efforts through the purchase of adoption-themed t-shirts.  

If you (or anyone and everyone you know) would like to show your support of our girls, and adoption in general, please consider shopping for inspiring t-shirts using the link below. You can purchase other great items from Adoption Bug, but only the t-shirts featured on our page are included in our fundraising efforts.
http://www.adoptionbug.com/hockett/

Please tweet the link, post to your facebook page, or share with others in any way you'd like.  In addition, we'd love to post pictures of our family and friends wearing the adoption-themed t-shirts.  We'll get one up for ourselves as soon as we can.  

As always, thanks for reading and joining us on our adoption journey.

"Expanding Families"

Every so often I come across something incredibly helpful as I search for ways to articulate this journey we're experiencing.  Today, this "something" was a white paper written by the Christian Alliance for Orphans.  

--17.8 million children worldwide have lost both parents.--

There are many inherent limitations to any data that claims to be truly "global" in nature.  One of the greatest weaknesses in these global orphan estitimates is that they include only orphans that are currently living in homes.  They do not count the estimated 2 - 8+ million children living in institutions.  Nor do current estimates include the vast number of children who are living on the streets, exploited for labor, victims of trafficking, or participating in armed groups.  Thus, global orphan statistics significantly underestimate the number of orphans worldwide and fail to account for many children that are among the most vulnerable and most in need of a family.

In addition, the CAFO utilized the term "Expanding Families" to describe when orphans are placed in permanent, loving families.  Phrasing like this so beautifully defines our feelings and beliefs about our current situation.  These amazing Haitian sisters are a family.  They have a family history.  We are not replacing that family history - we are becoming part of their "Expanding Family".   What a miracle.


If you'd like to read the complete CAFO white paper, please see the link below.
Understanding Orphan Statistics

Heat Wave

The desert-like temperatures of the heat wave we've just experienced provide an effective analogy for the current state of our adoption news.  High temperatures buckle pavement, scorch lawns, and force all creatures to seek the support of shade and hydration.


Similarly, monetary challenges, the uncertainty of governmental actions, and timelines outside of our control create their own weathering wave.


The expense of adoption is impacted by many variables; country, agencies, number of children, etc.  Funds we've invested in our adoption process of the past are of no use - A new journey equals new fees.  Our hope has been to raise the $50,000+ necessary to complete the adoption and bring the girls home.  Through a series of grant applications, networking, fundraising, and saving, this will hopefully be a reality.  


We sincerely want to thank those of you who have supported the girls to date.  Please know that the immense need remains.  Although we've sought support from outside sources, responses have not been as encouraging as we'd hoped.  We remain steadfast and continue to search for opportunities to gather together the funds necessary for continuing the journey.


Heat waves pass as fronts roll in.  Rains can soothe, average temperatures restore, and a sense of normalcy returns.  Whether you are keeping us in your thoughts, saying a prayer on the girls' behalf, or sending us ideas for fundraising, you are helping to calm and sustain us.  Many thanks.  

"Wait Time"

We have no love for the phrase "wait time".  Throughout our adoption journey, we have experienced an incredible amount of "wait time".  Agencies use this phrase to describe how many months are between the submission of certain paperwork and the acceptance of a referral.  Or, how many months are between all the paperwork and being able to travel to the the children.

Initially, we were hoping to travel to meet the girls in May or June.  With the Haitian government deciding to reorganize their adoption processes, they are not accepting dossiers until August 1st.  This means that our first trip to the girls will not be until at least the range of August-September-October.

The positive aspect of this is that Haitian government officials want the best for their children.  They want to increase the efficiency of their processes, and ensure that children are safe by enhancing the sets they have in place.  We are in full support of these efforts.

What we've learned over the years is not to count on any particular timeframe until official word/travel details are in hand.  We've also learned to use the time in ways that make sense for us.  Continuing to read, learn, plan, stay firm in our faith.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers as we all engage in this "wait time" together.

What a week!

Amidst the ordinary hustle and bustle of a week, we experienced two moments of unexpected joy.


With another visit to the Index department downtown, our final documents for the dossier were approved by our government and officially authenticated.  We quickly hand-delivered those documents to our agency in Oak Park.    
     
On the heels of feeling the relief of one completed task, we were given our referral for the girls.  In adoption lingo, this means that we are officially matched with the girls!  We wrote our letter of acceptance, and signed on the dotted line.  


While this may seem like just another paper task, this step is our formal commitment to the girls and to becoming a family.  Adoptive families wait for months, and even years, to finally receive word of a child or children who have been referred to them for adoption.  


In all honesty, we are stunned by the fact that we've actually come this far after so many years.  We exist in a world of emotions - relieved happiness, cautious optimism, tempered anxiousness.  As always, our faith, family, and friends are a tremendous support.

To Do List

1. Tie up some paperwork loose ends.
2. Practice patience.
3. Keep learning.  Learning new words, reading expert perspectives, taking classes.
4. Remember that we are never in control.
5.  Interview counselors to find someone with the right blend of knowledge, compassion and expertise.
6. Continue to pursue grants and other fundraising efforts. 
7. Find a travel clinic to begin rounds of shots.

While we continue to work on the things we can control, we are often met with news of what we cannot control.  For instance, the U.S. State Department recently posted news that the IBESR (Haiti's governmental entity overseeing adoption) has ceased taking in new dossiers and will open the process again on June 1st.  Last week, we received word that this timeline has changed to August 1st.

We don't really know what this will mean for us.  We hope that we will still travel to meet the girls in the next few months.  In the meantime, we’ll continue to have faith and focus on learning along the way.