We just spoke with our in-country representative, Abebe (or, as we refer to him, Señor Fantástico). After seeing him with our boys on video, we had already bonded with him – we are excited to meet him Sunday night! We sent him an email last night and followed up with a phone call this morning to clarify our agenda with a much shorter visit in Ethiopia. We asked for his advice as we try to fit a trip to the orphanage in while still leaving maximum time to bond with the boys and, or course, take care of all the necessary paperwork related to the adoption and immigration.
As we expected, he was tremendously helpful and cheerful. He had read the email and arranged for all the details even before we called. He will meet us at the airport with a minibus to accommodate all our luggage. Short version of the itinerary:
- Arrive Sunday night and go to our guest house.
- Monday morning we meet/get the boys!!!
- Then we meet with our lawyer, review paperwork, prep for the embassy appointment, pay for the boys’ visas, etc.
- With the boys, we will go to the orphanage.
- Tuesday we’ll do a little shopping in the morning and go to the US embassy in the afternoon.
- Wednesday the adoption agency has a program for us and others with embassy appointments this week.
- Thursday is kind of a down day before we board the plane to come home that night.
Specific concerns and prayer requests:
- Travel – specifically that Sary-Jo does not get sick during this long journey
- Boys – in addition to blending as a family, it might be difficult for them to return to the orphanage and even more, to say good-bye again
- Embassy appointment – no issues or obstacles
- General frantic pace of this trip – we will need rest but it really doesn’t fit into the schedule
- Return travel with the boys – we cannot even imagine how confusing and difficult this might be for them, even as they must be very excited to fly for the first time