Hope

Fundraiser Update:
Chick-fil-A Family Night = $240 = Awesome

Noonday Collection Trunk Show = $200 = Wonderful

T-Shirt Fundraiser = Still going = $15 for each shirt
                       $10 for each shirt if participating in 5K or Fun Run

5K/1-mile Fun Run = Saturday, October 25th = McKenzie City Park
                                = Registration at 8:00 am
                                = 1-mile Fun Run 8:30 am = $20 entry fee
                                = 5K Run/Walk 9:00 am = $25 entry fee

Adoption Update:
We also want to update you on the craziness of adopting from the DRC.  We have FINALLY received all the paperwork from the courts to file for our I600.  Great news!  The I600 step is for our government to do an investigation to make sure that Camden is a true orphan.  We had originally planned on Jason travelling the middle of October to meet Camden and file the I600 in country.  When you file in country, this step of the process is much faster than filing in the US.  After much prayer and constant changes, we decided to wait for Jason to travel in November.  We are going to go ahead and file our I600 with the USCIS and pray for a speedy investigation.  On average, it takes about 6 months for an investigation but we have heard in the last few months that people are passing investigation in 2 - 3 months.

Of course, none of this matters unless the DRC government lifts the suspension on exit letters.  You have to obtain an exit letter to leave the country with your legally adopted child.  The suspension has been over a year and they released another notice last week that stated "the suspension will remain in effect until further notice."  We don't really know what that means for Camden and all the other 400 children that have been legally adopted by families over all the world.  Some families are moving to DRC at the first of the year, some families are backing out of their adoption because they can't afford the monthly orphan care fees, some families are giving up hope, and some families are fighting even harder to bring their children home.  You could probably guess that we are fighting and doing everything in our power to bring Camden home soon.  We are going to continue to move forward in the process, pay our monthly orphan care fees, send pictures of us through email, receive pictures of him growing up, contact anyone in government that will listen to our situation, and TRUST in the Lord for His perfect plan for our lives.  We ask that you continue to pray for the DRC government to lift the exit letter suspension.

"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future."        Jeremiah 29:11