Update on A's next adoption...

For A's fan club!

The process is dragging on more than we had expected for A to be able to live with M's family in a "pre-adoption period" here in Cochabamba. When a child has been spotted to be assigned to a certain family, child social services is always ordered to update their reports on the child (medical-psychological-social). Then they present these to court and only THEN can everything march forward. I guess in our joy for A, we thought this step would be skipped or go faster, but nope. ;-)

For us, this updating process which includes visits to offices as well as their visits to us, has been more complicated than usual in trying to protect A from further emotional damage. He did not want to go back to the social services office after all the trauma he went through in the last adoption. He also has weekly visits from a court-appointed psychologist, who mentioned to our psychologist (Carmen) that he thinks A should be medicated for hyperactivity, ADHD, and begin a therapy program lasting at least one year! Well, Tia Carmen shot him out of the water on that one, explaining what she knows of A and how maybe the form he is working with him is not bringing out the best in A. After talking, he said his reports will be positive that he receive a family ASAP.

On the other front, Carmen and the tias, and even Tio David from the office, have been talking and talking and talking to A about having a family. He is very happy about the idea and they have had many animated, sweet conversations, that I love being retold. Very soon we will let him know that it's M's family which he will join!

My most recent experience with A was of another tenor: This Wednesday during my weekly school pick-up, 8 children had happily piled into the car but our dear oldest girls A & S were squabbling over who would be closest to the window. As I entered their little power struggle so that we could stop melting in the midday sun and finally get going, A suddenly piped up in an exasperated voice "GIRLS!! Tia Jenny is the DIRECTOR of Hogar de Amor, don't you know?!" As we all stopped to look at him, I said grinning "And how did you know that, A?" to which he replied "Well it's TRUE, isn't it, Tia Jenny?" All of his time spent in government offices much have made this stick in his head, or simply all the years living with us, but I laughingly informed him that kids don't really care who you are - kids will be kids! :)

After we finally got all in the car, happily or not, I couldn't help but point out to them that the street kids in my car every night rarely complain over anything, they are just SO HAPPY to be IN the car and not walking, ha!

Anyway, keep praying for this whole process and that the reports presented in court next week are positive. Even if it is undeniable that A needs a LOT of special attention and maybe even therapy to overcome all the rejections in his young life, we want the overriding opinion to be that he needs a forever family to even begin heading in the right direction. And since A turns 9 in August, this could very well be his last chance. Thank you!!