Last night Denae and I slept miserable. I think our bodies are trying to adjust to India time versus Michigan time. Or maybe we had a lot on our brains and hearts as today was to be a big day for us in India. Today, we were scheduled to have our passport appointment at 10:00 AM. This was the fifth passport appointment for what typically only takes one appointment and is very smooth. Five times the director of our daughter's home traveled 10 hours by train to get to this office. Four times the director was told to come back with something different or more paperwork. The poor director was feeling understandably frustrated and finally we were asked to come so we would be available to help with any signatures, questions or documents in person at the appointment. This was a special circumstance as usually the adoptive parents don’t come to the passport office and everything can be done very simply by the director. Would it be different this time now that we came? That is what we wondered.
We began our day with devotions from Psalm 27. How fitting! Psalm 27 begins in vs 1 saying: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom I shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Admittedly, I was afraid of hearing a "No, we cannot issue your daughter's passport yet." I was afraid of hearing the words: "Please come back another time." I was afraid. So these words were a great and mighty comfort this morning.
And then the last verse of Psalm 27 ends with: "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!"
Wait for the LORD to move. Wait for the LORD to act. Wait for the Lord. Be strong in Him. Take courage in Him. Wait for the Lord.
Admittedly, I confessed to God during the passport appointment, "God, I am tired of waiting. Please don't let us wait any longer for the passport to be issued."
Our devotions were timely because our God knew that we needed them.
Also, we heard from SO many people from back in the States who wrote to us via Facebook or text message or email informing us that they were praying for us! You all have no idea how that lifted our spirits knowing that our burden was bore by so many approaching God's throne of grace on our behalf. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
And you want to know what? God heard your prayers and our prayers and He answered them!! At 12:10 PM in India, we were issued our passport for our daughter, Keerti!!!!!!!!!!
Us before leaving our hotel. We had lots of butterflies!
After devotions, we ate breakfast with the other couple here as well as our guides. We then took a tuk-tuk ride to the passport office about 12 minutes away.
Outside of the RPO (Regional Passport Office)
We arrived on time and met the director of our daughter's home outside of the passport office. We then walked to the "guard shack" to check-in. We passed there and went to the inside of the building. The atmosphere reminded me of a secretary of state office or DMV appointment. There was an instant recognition that something important was happening here.
We found seats close to the counter, waiting for our daughter's name to get called. Finally, we heard "Keerti". The director of Keerti's home went to the counter with his paperwork and began speaking with the official behind the counter. I wish I could've understood what exchange they had. It didn't sound very good. He went back to his seat as they took the paperwork to look it over.
About a half hour later, they called him back up to the counter. Another exchange of words that indicated it wasn't looking very good for us.
Ten minutes later he was called back up. Again, an exchange of words not looking very good. He brought us the copies of our passport photos and informed us that they wanted our signatures on them. So we signed them and dated them.
Our guide explained to us that the director of our daughter's home was being asked to give "unwarranted paperwork." In other words, the passport office was once again wanting more paperwork.
Denae, waiting to hear some sort of news.
After sitting at the passport office for 2 hours and 10 minutes, after the director of Keerti's home went up to the counter many times, we finally heard the news from our guide: “It’s done. The process is finished and then will issue the passport!" What a sigh of relief after what felt like two long hours of stress and anxious waiting! Smiles were ear to ear under our masks! And the neat thing of this is that Keerti's passport was issued, as well as the people who we are traveling with--their daughter's passport was issued as well so we can continue on traveling together! God is SO good!
Outside of the passport office post-appointment! So happy!
We then took a tuk-tuk ride back to our hotel. We ate some lunch and we’re now sitting here in the hotel typing this blog.
Four grown adults in a tuk-tuk....we certainly were squashed!
Left to right: the director of our Keerti's home, me, Denae, Alex (our guide).
Tuk-tuk's everywhere! Such a fun sight!
This is Alex, our guide while in India. We asked him to take a picture of us and this is what we got instead! :)
Thank you so much for your prayers! We certainly felt God's presence with us today! Many of you stayed up late praying, thank you!
The next couple of days are very exciting! Tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon, we fly to Belagavi. Thursday we are planning to meet Keerti for the first time and take her back to the hotel with us! There is a good possibility that her passport will arrive on Thursday as well! If it does, this means that we can fly up to Delhi on Thursday night or Friday morning! There are other steps after this one but they are simple and straightforward. Having the passport issued was our last big hurdle completed which feels amazing! We expect to be in Delhi around a week finishing up our final appointments like a medical appointment for Keerti, a visa and exit permit applications for all of us. Will you pray with us for the passport to arrive on Thursday at her home? We were told they would expedite mailing the passport for us so we could have it on that day so we are hopeful that actually happens. If not, it should arrive on the 30th according to our guide. Then we can continue our travels to Delhi and we’re a huge step closer to coming home!
Thank you all for your encouragement, thoughts and prayers! We SO very much appreciate them!
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