Today Fedlaine's biological parents officially relinquished their rights and also signed their wishes for us to adopt her. We officially signed that we wish to adopt her. The Haitian IBESR...paperwork and a Presidential Waiver come next. We also have to update our home study when we go back to the States in May and file more paperwork. Even though there is more red tape ahead, today was a huge hurdle. It was also a very strange experience.
After both parents finally showed up this morning, we all pile into the same truck. I sat in the back with Fedlaine's biological parents for the 45 minute ride. Everyone was all smiles, but we knew that the mom and dad do NOT get along - very awkward. Strange - today was one day I was thankful for the language barrier...I don't know what I would have said to them anyway.
When we arrived at the courthouse- the local tribunal, we were ushered into a small back room. On the desk was a school composition notebook with a little girl on the cover. I was almost too busy praying to notice, though, because the mom and dad forgot to bring their ID's and we weren't sure if we'd have to come back. After some discussion, the notebook is opened to a page full of writing. The mom tries to sign her name, but doesn't know how- almost can't even hold the pen. The dad tries to sign his name, but puts too many letters in it. In the end, they both have to make their "mark" with their fingerprint instead. Then, we signed our names to this little notebook. Only after we get outside did we even know what we were signing. Strange - official adoption paperwork in a school composition book...."signed" by parents who couldn't write.
On the long, bumpy ride home, I was almost in shock at what had just occurred. Two people signed over the rights to care for and love a beautiful, smart little girl...a treasure. Why were they all smiles? Were they sad inside? Or, as Pierre seems to think, are they excited about the future possibilities of Fedlaine coming back to help them when she grows up? If they had had the same opportunities as Jay and I have had - loving families, education, material wealth- would they have wanted to keep her? I can't fathom their thoughts and feelings. I pray that Jesus walks with them and that they would turn to Him - I'm so thankful that He has a plan for this strange world.
After both parents finally showed up this morning, we all pile into the same truck. I sat in the back with Fedlaine's biological parents for the 45 minute ride. Everyone was all smiles, but we knew that the mom and dad do NOT get along - very awkward. Strange - today was one day I was thankful for the language barrier...I don't know what I would have said to them anyway.
When we arrived at the courthouse- the local tribunal, we were ushered into a small back room. On the desk was a school composition notebook with a little girl on the cover. I was almost too busy praying to notice, though, because the mom and dad forgot to bring their ID's and we weren't sure if we'd have to come back. After some discussion, the notebook is opened to a page full of writing. The mom tries to sign her name, but doesn't know how- almost can't even hold the pen. The dad tries to sign his name, but puts too many letters in it. In the end, they both have to make their "mark" with their fingerprint instead. Then, we signed our names to this little notebook. Only after we get outside did we even know what we were signing. Strange - official adoption paperwork in a school composition book...."signed" by parents who couldn't write.
On the long, bumpy ride home, I was almost in shock at what had just occurred. Two people signed over the rights to care for and love a beautiful, smart little girl...a treasure. Why were they all smiles? Were they sad inside? Or, as Pierre seems to think, are they excited about the future possibilities of Fedlaine coming back to help them when she grows up? If they had had the same opportunities as Jay and I have had - loving families, education, material wealth- would they have wanted to keep her? I can't fathom their thoughts and feelings. I pray that Jesus walks with them and that they would turn to Him - I'm so thankful that He has a plan for this strange world.