Blessings and Raindrops

One year ago today, I wrote my all-time favorite post: He is FAITHFUL. 

I was finally able to share our Sylvie-girl’s photo because she was on a plane coming home to our family{!!!}. I still get goosebumps when I read the words and think back on that day.

The miracles that unfolded to bring her home still cause me to stand in awe. Bear with me while I try to record the events that led to this amazing day {long post warning!}…

Because Sylvie already held an approved medical visa from USCIS, we had met with the ambassador at the US Embassy in Kinshasa multiple times to ask beg for his help in acquiring a medical exit permit for our girl. Our congressional office, senators, even other US ambassadors were advocating for our case. We had letters from specialists here in the US and in the DRC stating the need for Sylvie to be allowed to leave the country for medical reasons.

We had been turned away from the embassy each time we requested help. We were so very weary. Until, one of my dear friends {who lives about 20 minutes away} received the first medical exit permit since the beginning of the suspension in early June. Once again, we frantically started calling and emailing anyone and everyone who could possibly help. We were asking the ambassador to advocate for our girl. We received an email stating that he would help in mid-June and I thought my heart would burst. Hope was restored.

We rushed to get new medical check-ups and additional letters from specialists and have them all translated and submitted for immediate review by DGM. DGM agreed to review our case which was HUGE. We were guarding our hearts, preparing to be rejected by DGM. They reviewed the documents and asked for our dossier to be submitted immediately. Our agency liaison had all of our documents and refused to turn them in until we paid our final agency fee {which would have normally been paid when we traveled to bring her home}. The wiring process would stall us by several days. After much back and forth and many, many tears on my end, our agency agreed to release the documents once we provided proof of the transfer {we had to wire the money to the agency and then they would wire to DRC}. The documents were released to Sylvie’s foster mom and our dear friend, Dr. Laure. She submitted everything to DGM for us.

At this point, we were trying to decide if Dave should go to DRC. It seemed like he should be there to ensure everything went smoothly and documents were all where they should be. However, we clearly heard from God: wait. Honestly, that didn’t make a whole lot of sense but I was thankful he wasn’t leaving because we had a newborn {Charlotte was about 4 weeks old at the time} and I had no idea how long he would be gone.

We assumed Dave’s travel visa was still valid, as he had visited in February and had a 6 month visa. We felt confident that he could leave as soon as we heard word that it was time.

Weeks passed without word. I was walking in a fog. I hardly slept. I clung to my phone, praying that it would ring or an email update would come through. Instead I was met with silence. I wrote these words  just days before we finally heard news.:

“I suddenly realized I wasn’t staying sane. I wasn’t keeping it together… instead, what I was doing was letting go of hope. Over the past week or so, I’ve let go of believing that the latest news could actually mean our daughter will come home sometime soon. 

You see, about three weeks ago, we received some really good news and I was so hopeful, so sure, that this was finally it that I started planning logistics for her homecoming. And, then, nothing. No news. No updates. Just waiting… in silence.”

My heart was so very weary.

Meanwhile, in DRC, another adoptive momma was living with her daughter awaiting news of a medical exit, as well. We connected and prayed fervently for both of our girls. She kept me updated from Kinshasa and I let her know of any news from my end. She went to DGM daily, waiting on word.

We both heard news from our contacts that the director of DGM would be reviewing our files on Saturday, July 5th. To say that I was a nervous wreck is the understatement of the century.

Dave considered leaving right away. Yet, we learned that his visa was actually expired. He submitted a request for a new travel visa. I was devastated. I never believed DGM would issue an exit permit if the parents weren’t in country.

I was up all night waiting on word. I texted back and forth with the momma in country. She went to DGM’s office to wait. Laure went to wait on our behalf.

A text came through early that morning. It was my friend asking where Laure was. “She is there at the office!” I frantically answered. My friend couldn’t find her anywhere. She was texting me from the associate director’s office. He had told her that this was the last day they would issue any medical exits. The two files on his desk were hers and ours. He had asked if she knew a “Jennifer Marrs.” That’s when she texted me.

Come to find out, they needed Sylvie’s passport number. I emailed it to him and kept trying to contact Laure. Her phone didn’t have service in the office and she didn’t get any of my messages.

Finally, she went outside and saw all of my emails and voicemails. She went back in to find my friend and was led to meet with the director of DGM. He questioned her again about our case {as she is a physician and had been treating Sylvie for nearly two years}.

Meanwhile, back at home, our beloved dog had gone missing. A neighbor found him a few miles from our house – he had been hit by a car. We rushed to the emergency vet. I was an emotional basket case. Right as the vet came out to tell me of the internal bleeding, my phone rang with a Kinshasa phone number. My hands shook as I answered. Laure gave me the news, “She was approved. She is coming home!”

I was in disbelief. I looked at the vet waiting for my decision regarding Bailey. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

I asked Laure if she had the letter in hand and she said no. It would be ready to pick up on Monday. I felt ill. I knew that things could change in two days. This letter could go “missing” … there was no guarantee that she was really coming home at this point.

I hung up and walked inside to say goodbye to my faithful friend of twelve years. Nothing else mattered in that moment. I was heartbroken. I didn’t believe that Sylvie would really come home. It was a dark day.

During the talks with DGM, we requested that Laure be given permission to escort Sylvie home. Because we were still waiting on Dave’s visa, we weren’t able to travel right away. We knew the request was a long shot. We waited and prayed. We were emotionally exhausted.

Monday morning, I woke up the most incredible email I have ever received:

I ran to the kitchen where Dave was working on his computer {neither of us could sleep} to show him the email. I was sobbing, sobbing, on the floor. I just kept saying over and over: “it’s over! it’s over!” She was really coming home.

I called Laure and found out that she was back at the DGM office picking up Sylvie’s exit permit along with her own! She was given permission to escort Sylvie home. I was blown away. Completely in awe.

We quickly booked flights. They would leave the next day. This was the first plane ride for both Laure and Sylvie and they had only 24 hours to prepare. My heart was elated and hurting. I knew Sylvie would board that plane and leave behind everything and everyone she had ever known. Her world was going to forever change.

I was {and this is a theme…} a nervous wreck throughout their travels home. I tracked their planes on my phone and prayed fervently. I was shocked to receive a phone call during their layover in Brussels from another adoptive momma whom I had never met. She told me that she met Sylvie and Laure and would be traveling back with them. She took photos and sent them to me. She gave me the most beautiful update on Sylvie. I was once again in tears. God is so good. He took care of every detail, even to the point of keeping my nervous momma heart updated with photos. Amazing.

Laure and Sylvie were held in customs for several hours. They were stuck in a room with a customs officer. We didn’t know what was happening. They missed their connecting flight. Finally, the other adoptive momma traveling with them went in to the room and asked what was happening. She quickly realized that there was a misunderstanding. The officer didn’t see the vaccination waiver in Sylvie’s documents and was preventing her from entering the country because she did not have the proper vaccines. This other momma cleared everything up and got Laure and Sylvie to their gate {I had worked with the travel agent to rebook their flights}, and even bought Sylvie her very first American meal: McDonald’s. 🙂

And, then, just like that, they arrived. 602 days of waiting. Over. 

Our lives will never be the same. As hard as some days can be, we are blessed beyond measure. This girl has rocked our world in the best possible way. God has big plans for this brave, tender-hearted, lovable, sassy, hilarious, nurturing, beautiful little one. She is the daughter of my heart and I am honored to have been chosen to be her momma.