I Would Like This Nightmare To End Please

So much going on.  So much to process.  So much of a rollercoaster.

Nate, Wayne and Shannon were told today that James and Shadrack's visas were denied because their case wasn't "compelling" enough to warrant this type of visa.  Nate asked him "You mean the fact that my son might die isn't compelling enough to grant him this visa?"  And the answer was no. Nate and Wayne and Shannon had taken the boys to the US Embassy doctor, who issued them a medical report saying these boys need to leave the country ASAP.  The consulate who looked at their case didn't even look at these reports.  He was the same consulate who denied James' visa the first time.

So we felt devastated and trapped.  The only thing left for me to do was to contact Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken's office.  Thank you sweet sister Catie for starting that process for me when I was paralyzed in sadness!! We have an emergency file pending with them and are praying for a last minute miracle!!!  Their offices were extremely helpful and have all of our information to contact the embassy with.  Thank you to all of our friends who called and emailed and got them to take us seriously right away!  No need to call their offices any more, as they are working on it, but if you feel like emailing them in support of us, go for it!!

Nate will still be arriving home on Thursday regardless of what happens.  If James is issued a visa after Nate leaves, then Roosevelt from the orphanage will bring him to the US.  We will also be meeting with immigration office in St Paul once Nate arrives home and work on applying for a different visa if need be.

So why is this happening?  Shouldn't all of this have been figured out before we even got to Liberia?  YES!!!  I am extremely displeased with James' orphanage. They insist that the US Embassy told them that this was the process to take to get these kids to the US.  However, the embassy denies saying that.  I had asked the orphanage director and deputy director SO MANY TIMES if the embassy situation was worked out and they INSISTED that it was.

But there is really no use pointing fingers or placing blame.  We are in this situation now and there is no turning back.  We can throw blame around all we want, but that won't get James home.

Some may ask "Where is God in all of this?"  "Why isn't God answering our prayers to bring James home?"  We have to look at this from a big picture perspective.  This world doesn't revolve around us and there is more to this situation then we can see or understand. We so badly want what we want, when we want it, but there truly is an eternal plan at work and God has more work He wants done in this situation.  We may not understand it and we certainly don't like it, but we can praise God that He continues to be at work.

"And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28  We must hold firmly to this!!!

I got to talk to James again today... this time he talked back AND Nate said he smiled.  I was pretty much useless with tears for about an hour after that.  My poor kids think their mama has gone crazy.  Good thing Grandpa and Grandma are here to fill in the parenting gaps!