Embassy Submission: Check!
There are no words to describe how relieved I am this moment. A few months ago, "Embassy" was a dreaded word in my ears. How things have changed! At this moment, I am so thankful and relieved that Meryn's case is out of our agency's hands and at the Embassy. I received an email this afternoon from the US Embassy informing me that our case had been submitted today! After 13 loooong weeks of waiting and pushing and struggling with our agency, the next step has finally been taken.
Due to several things, our family has chosen to hire a private investigator in Ethiopia. For one, he will turn over every stone, ask every question, talk to every person who might have been involved in Meryn's story. This will leave little room for doubt in the Embassy's decision as to her orphan status, and almost certainly will help our case clear more quickly. I'm hoping and praying this additional thorough information will be all that's necessary and will prevent our case from being sent to Nairobi for further review, hopefully saving us 3-6 weeks of further waiting time. Secondly, it will provide us with a much better picture of the circumstances surrounding Meryn's past and a lot more information to provide her when she is older and has questions. This, to me, is invaluable.
If our case follows the pattern of others this investigator has worked on, we could be cleared in as little as 4-6 weeks! I could be picking her up the first week of May! Lord, let it be so!
The alternate option would be for the Embassy to still not be convinced of her orphan status, and so to send her file to Nairobi to the USCIS office for further review. There is nothing about our case that is strange or troubling, it is a straightforward case. So in all likelihood if we were sent to Nairobi, it would just be a matter of time, probably 2 weeks before it would clear, be sent back to Addis, and we would get the go ahead to come and pick her up.
Please pray for things to continue to move according to God's plan. I feel confident that we have followed his leading in all of this so far, and pray he continues to bless this process for us and for Meryn...
Due to several things, our family has chosen to hire a private investigator in Ethiopia. For one, he will turn over every stone, ask every question, talk to every person who might have been involved in Meryn's story. This will leave little room for doubt in the Embassy's decision as to her orphan status, and almost certainly will help our case clear more quickly. I'm hoping and praying this additional thorough information will be all that's necessary and will prevent our case from being sent to Nairobi for further review, hopefully saving us 3-6 weeks of further waiting time. Secondly, it will provide us with a much better picture of the circumstances surrounding Meryn's past and a lot more information to provide her when she is older and has questions. This, to me, is invaluable.
If our case follows the pattern of others this investigator has worked on, we could be cleared in as little as 4-6 weeks! I could be picking her up the first week of May! Lord, let it be so!
The alternate option would be for the Embassy to still not be convinced of her orphan status, and so to send her file to Nairobi to the USCIS office for further review. There is nothing about our case that is strange or troubling, it is a straightforward case. So in all likelihood if we were sent to Nairobi, it would just be a matter of time, probably 2 weeks before it would clear, be sent back to Addis, and we would get the go ahead to come and pick her up.
Please pray for things to continue to move according to God's plan. I feel confident that we have followed his leading in all of this so far, and pray he continues to bless this process for us and for Meryn...
We're waiting for you, Meryn, and your seat is ready! :)
Congrats!! That is wonderful news!
ReplyDeleteHeather Wiens
Amen, Sister!!! Can't wait for a smooshy hug. Love you.
ReplyDelete