A Letter from Jo

This was the e-mail Jolene sent out this morning about the situation:

Friends and family,

Ryan and I received some very difficult news about
the status of our adoption yesterday. Unfortunately, this news not only
affects us, but a host of other families currently in the process of adopting
from Rwanda.

We've been informed that the Rwandan government will be sending a letter to
us and other applicants basically stating that they do not currently have any
children available for adoption, and furthermore, if there are still no children
available for adoption in 6 months, our applications will be terminated.
This letter is particularly hurtful because it is so blatantly untrue.
There are thousands of true orphans in Rwanda and over-crowded orhanages trying
to serve them. I'm sorry that at this time I don't have any more
information than this, and no indications as to the motivation behind this
letter. Our agency and others are working diligently with their native
contacts to offer assistance to the Rwandan government in identifying children
and to get to the bottom of this unexpected news in a way that is culturally
appropriate. For this reason, they've asked us not to contact the
government directly, as negative pressure or misunderstanding might force them
to respond in a negative way, jeopardizing adoptions already in progress.
We respect this request, and would ask you to do the same.

What we do need from you, very desparately, are your prayers. We know
that it is the will of the God called Father of the Fatherless that all of His
children have homes. He is willing and ready to make this right.
Please ask Him. Ask Him to protect these little children in need who have
always been waiting; ask Him to comfort the families that received this news
yesterday, some who have been waiting longer than us; ask Him to strengthen our
case workers who live to place these children in homes and yet had to deliver
this terrible statement to waiting families and might be questioning their own
resoluteness; ask Him to soften the hearts of those officials in Rwanda who have
the grave responsibility of deciding the living situation that is in the best
interest of these children; ask Him to calm the fears of other families who are
considering adoption and might be tempted to give up before they've even begun
when they hear stories like this.

As for Ryan and I, we are heartbroken, but not hopeless. We are
shaken, but resolute. We have seen the power of God work to move even more
impossible adoptions to fruition, and I know He will do the same for these
families and these children.

Thank you, Jolene