New Prayer Request

Our attorney responded to an email I sent him asking for an update on our case. He said that Judge Angelica (her first name....very fitting for a potential angel in Cintia's life...just like Dr. Angel) has NOT signed the resolution for our official court date. Her court official (who is an angel by the way....you would love her!!) says not to worry that October 8 is the date and the hearing will happen. She told him to come back Thursday. The problem is that notifications cannot be made until the official resolution is signed.

What are notifications? They are ads in the newspaper or radio that report Cintia as an abandoned child. Any family member wishing to lay claim to her would be advised to come forward or said child would be legally abandoned through the minor's court....no one could come later and say..."oops...I want her back." Our attorneys will put out notifications as will PGN (sort of like DA's office here but this one is specifically for minor's court...each court has their own PGN). Chances are that if no one has looked for her in 3 years...no one will. If they do, they have to convince the judge they can take care of her and her needs. Chances are they would not want her once they knew of her problems anyway.

Our potential problem seems very big although we trust that God has His hand on all of it. Directing some focused prayer towards this situation would be very appreciated. This is the problem: will the notifications happen in time so that Cintia's hearing will be a definitive abandonment hearing? That means that the hearing can deem her legally abandoned on Oct. 8 which in turn deems her legally adoptable. Don't get too excited...that doesn't mean that we can just adopt her straight away. Adoptions are closed and the new law keeps us from choosing our child. Fortunately, once we get her case registered, it is very indicated that we will be chosen for Cintia although nothing will be official until she is legally adoptable (in other words...no one will sign a document stating such a fact on a child that is unadoptable...which Cintia is right now). If the notifications are not done in time or they have to run longer than the 4 weeks we have until the hearing, Cintia's hearing will not be definitive and she will have to have another hearing after the notifications are complete. Key point: can anyone count the number of months we have waited for this hearing? At last count, they were booking cases in March 2010 and that was back in May. We have waited 7-9 months for this hearing to be "worked-in." I don't know if Cintia would be allowed to leave with us while this proceeds in her absence or whether this answers the question of our residence for the coming months. I don't know anything really. I think the judge can give us temporary custody of Cintia at the first hearing the same as she can if it is a final or definitive hearing. Ugh!!! I have asked these questions to our attorney and when I have some answers I will share them. For now, pray for Judge Angelica...that she will show mercy and expediency for Cintia. That she will sign the paper she has every intention of signing (I know she plans to sign it....she told me the date of the hearing herself on my trip in May). Pray that the notifications aren't delayed as is typical of EVERYTHING IN GUATEMALA! Pray that they are simple, short, and complete. Pray for one hearing...final...definitive...deeming our daughter adoptable at last! It seems very strange to everyone I explain this to...that a 3 year old (she will be 3 just 7 days after the hearing) who was abandoned as a tiny baby isn't obviously abandoned after 3 years...why not sign the stinking papers! For everything there is a process...in Guatemala, every process is a looooooooooong process.

I'll update once I hear from our attorney.

Blessings to all!
April