Biometrics

On Friday, August 24, 2012, we received notification from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Customs and Immigration) that we were to appear on September 5 to submit biometrics as part of our application process.  Christy and I fully realize that there are elements of this journey over which we have no control.  However, we have always said that it is unacceptable for our little girl to spend one day longer than necessary in an orphanage and that we would be expedient and pro-active about submitting anything requested of us for this journey.  Having said that, we had been informed that it might be possible to go earlier than our appointed time for biometrics.  We were cautioned that they were not required to accept us outside of our appointed time.  We decided that we would be at the immigration office at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 27 to try to submit biometrics.  Our prayer as we traveled to Birmingham was simple:  "God, You are the defender of the orphan and Father to the fatherless.  Please create in their hearts a compassion for the same things as You."  We arrived at the office and I explained that we did not have an appointment scheduled for that day but hoped to be worked in to submit biometrics.  The officer sternly explained to me that they absolutely did NOT accept walk-ins and he had no idea as to why I thought that I could come outside of my scheduled time.  My voice trembled as I explained to him that my daughter was sitting in an orphanage in China, she had special needs, and we were willing to wait all day if they would just accommodate us.  It was as if an angel whispered in his ear, because his demeanor totally changed and he told us to come back in an hour and he would take care of us.  The look on his face as he was telling us that he would work with us was that of a man that could not believe what he was hearing from his own lips.  Christy and I left that office as quickly as we could before he had a chance to change his mind.  We aimlessly rode around Birmingham for the next 45 minutes and returned at 9:00.  We thanked him profusely for showing grace and mercy to us and showed him a photo of the little girl whose life would be impacted by his actions.  We submitted our biometrics on Monday, August 27, 2012.  We had been told to expect to wait anywhere from one to three months for approval from Immigration.  We received our approval on Friday, August 31, 2012.  Four days from biometrics to approval.  Our God is SO good!

Our next step is to have the dossier authenticated.  Our documents must be authenticated at the local level and at the Alabama Office of the Secretary of State.  We are told that this process takes approximately three weeks.  We'll keep you posted.  Keep praying!

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory..." -Ephesians 3:19 ESV