In many ways having others in control is awesome- we want to make sure orphanages are not corrupt, countries are trying to keep biological families together and not just any insane and unfit person brings a kid home (of course that person can always just reproduce and bring a baby home, but I digress...); and being a superwoman or not, one person cannot do all that.
The other side if it is complete trust. Here is just a short list of all the people we have to trust in order to make this happen, in no particular order and probably missing a few:
- God, or whomever you believe controls our destiny
- Your spouse
- The notary
- The agency
- The orphanage
- The US government
- USCIS
- Congo laywer
- Congo judge
- The girls chaperone and caretakers
- The airlines to get us there safely and back, and the girls to Kinshasa
- Congo government
- US Embassy
- DRC doctors
- FedEX or the US post
- Your bank
- US doctors (for immunizations and health letters)
- Personal references
- Email providers
- Parenting class teachers
- Your social worker
- Other adoptive parents to give you information/help
- etc, etc, etc
As adoptive parents, we actually have little personal interaction with a lot of the people on this list. If that isn't a leap of faith I don't know what is! We are forced to believe in the good of people, and that they are doing the best they can or know how.
Sitting here waiting for court with no power to see the outcome or timeframe, it's no wonder I feel lost at sea-
