Our Haiti Adoption


A little over 5 years ago God laid on our hearts that we were to add to our family through adoption. This wasn't something we said yes to right away we really had to pray about this and ask god if he was really sure. Well shortly after the earthquake in January 2010 in Haiti we knew exactly what God wanted us to do. So we began the process right away not being old enough by the current Haitian adoption law but we knew God was leading us to Haiti so we pressed on. Below is a log of our adoption process so far. Its for sure been a bumpy ride but we know God is with us!  Sure we want our kids home now but we also know that Gods timing is perfect far better then we could ever imagine! 


Officially Started Adoption Process Sent App To HIS Home

03/05/2010
Found Out HIS Home didn't receive our app sent 2nd App
09/27/2010
Submitted Adoption APP To KKO
01/25/2011
Found Out We would not be able to adopt from KKO
02/25/2011
Contacted HIS Home Again
02/28/2011
Found Out HIS Home didn't receive our app sent 3rd App
03/01/2011
Submitted Adoption App To Rivers Of Hope
03/31/2011
Learned about Vanessa
03/31/11
Confirmation from HIS Home of receiving our adoption app
04/06/2011
Learned about Derline
04/10/2011
Learned that Vanessa's Birth Parents decided to take her back
04/19/2011
Officially committed to adopting Derline From HIS Home For Children
05/06/2011
First Trip to Haiti to Meet Derline
08/13/2011
Meet Juvens at the Orphanage after Church
08/14/2011
While In Haiti Zach says to me he thinks we should see if there are any boys that need a family
08/18/2011
We learn that Juvens the boy we met at the orphanage was needing a family
08/18/2011
Officially committed to adopting Juvens from HIS Home For Children
09/18/2011
2nd Visit with both Kids in Haiti
11/15/2011
Home Visit Complete
11/22/2011
3rd Visit with the kids in Haiti
02/06/2012
Officially committed to adopting Sophia from HIS Home For Children.
03/26/2012
Switched agencies for our Home Study to get the approval of 3 kids.
03/26/2012
Told we would no longer be able to use agency in Texas due to me being a working mom
04/11/2012
Contacted Adoption Advocates International to see about them being our agency
04/13/2012
Submitted App to Adoption Advocates
04/26/2012
Home Study finally Completed and picked up!
05/25/2012
Made contact with Rachel @ Rivers of Hope about attorney
05/29/2012
Made contact with Heather Elyse @ Voice Of The Orphan about using them as our agency/attorney
06/12/2012
Sent all documents to translator
06/29/2012
Received all translated documents back
07/05/2012
Final Authentications
07/13/2012
Legalization at Haitian Consulate in Chicago
07/13/2012
Hand Delivered Dossier to VOTO
07/14/2012
Dossier went to Haiti with VOTO
07/16/2012
Dossier enter Pre-IBESR
07/17/2012
Dossier Out of Pre-Ibesr
08/16/2012
Kids Dossier Ready
09/12/2012
Waiting to Enter IBESR
09/13/2012
Switched Lawyer and Finally entered IBESR
05/21/2013
Exit IBESR
07/23/2014
Enter Court
07/24/2014



Another big question is how much does this cost and why are you trying to raise money all the time. Truth is its expensive and it seems like there is always new and added expenses that we are paying. 


We are estimating when we get all done it will cost us somewhere around $50,000 to adopt all 3 kids. We have been able to pay a lot of the steps along the way through generous donors and fundraising  We are now heading into the more expensive part of the adoption with lawyer fee's and passport and visa. At this time we still need to raise approximately $25,000. Yes that's a big number but we fully Believe that God funds what he Favors and we know that he has called our family to be Derline, Juvens and Sophia's forever family! 


US Homestudy x 2 - $2000
Generous donors and fundraising supporters helped us cover this cost.

This is a report on our family, our home, our past and our plans/goals for the future.  This determines if we are fit, equipped and eligible for adoption according to both US and Haiti standards.  A US agency can approve couples for adoption and Haiti can read the home study and reject the couple... and it happens.

Psychological Evaluations - $300  
Generous donors and fundraising supporters helped us cover this cost.
This evaluates if we are able to handle the process and life of adoption... not everyone can.  
Medical Evaluations - $300
Generous donors and fundraising supporters helped us cover this cost.

A Medical evaluation is done on both parents and any children living in the home. This helps evaluates if we are able to handle the process and life of adoption... not everyone can.  

Document Authentication - $0
Generous donors and fundraising supporters helped us cover this cost.

This is where we had to send every document that had been notarized to Indianapolis  so they could check and make sure that each notary stamp/seal was authentic. Luckily this is a free service here in the great state of Indiana!! 

Document Certification - $525  
Generous donors and fundraising supporters helped us cover this cost.

After the documents come back from the state capital from being Authenticated they then have to go to a Haiti Consulate in the US to be certified and ready to go to Haiti.

Translations $650   
Generous donors and fundraising supporters helped us cover this cost.

Every document must be translated in French so the adoption agency in Haiti can read them. We needed this done ASAP and we paid a little extra for this! 
I600a/I600 - $890 1 kid (I600A) / $720 x 2 kids (i600) $1440 not paid yet
We paid for the I600A and Homeland Security Fingerprints
Still need to pay for I600 as soon as we come out of IBESR $1440
The I600A is a form that the US government uses to determine if the parents are qualified to adopt from another country.  Since our kids are not biological siblings we have to pay an additional $720 for the 2nd and 3rd child when we file the I600 at the end.  The I600 is the US government making sure that the kids we were approved to adopt are in fact, true orphans and eligible to come to the US.

In Country Fees / Orphnage Fees/ Childs Dossier Fees / Attorney Fees/ Passports Visa - $40,000 Total 

Generous donors and fundraising supporters helped us cover $4,500 of this cost.            
This covers but is not limited to.... all the legal documents, filing fees, Haiti government fees, submission fees and salary for the attorney and anyone who is helping  prepare our dossier and the costs associated with preparing the kids dossiers.  Orphanage Expenses 
(kids medical and psychological exams, laboratory testing, social study, birth certificate and archive document, photos,  etc.).    Fee also includes passport processing, visa processing and DHS medical exam. 
Flight Home - $4,000 not paid yet
This is not counting previous flights to take documents and paperwork down. Or when we go to visit the kids. When they are ready we will fly down to bring them home. 

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