Bad News

Bad News
This trip started out great. Ellie was a wonderful little traveler, our first days with David Reni were going beyond our expectations, and we were enjoying getting to know this corner of Albania – we were making new friends, impressed with the care at David Reni’s orphanage, and touched by the care and service provided us by our hotel staff and taxi drivers. In spite of trying not to compare adoption experiences, these trips couldn’t have been more different.
Then the past 48-72 hours have been kinda rough. First Ellie got sick (still not sure exactly what has been ailing her – she has been making repeated trips to the bathroom and had a touch and go fever for three days straight), then I got sick last night with tonsillitis of some sort and was laid out all day today in bed with a fever and difficulty swallowing. Nathan returned from the orphanage this morning to report that David Reni was also sick, not sleeping, downing water, and sweating through his clothes while also dealing with a bad skin infection all over his body. This was on top of it taking longer and longer to procure our court date than anyone anticipated. I had a growing feeling that things were going to get more difficult before they got better.
Our best case scenario was that we would arrive here, knock off our 14-day pre-court visit with David Reni, get our court date set for mid July so that we could get the adoption decree (15 days after court) before the August recess and bring him home in early August . Realistically, we would have been satisfied with getting our court appointments taken care of in this trip and then one or both of us would return to pick up David Reni in early to mid-September after the 15 day appeal period expired, and all the necessary legal documents procured.
Today we learned that the ‘worst case scenario’ might be unfolding. To everyone’s surprise, the judge (or her assistant) refused to give Sister Rosita a court date today, insisting on speaking only with a Bethany Rep (in the past they have given dates to Sister Rosita) and requiring some further documentation for their files. Sister Rosita was told that they probably wouldn’t accommodate us until mid September at the earliest. Should this happen, then both of us would need to return to Albania in September for the court appointments, and then one of us would have to make a third trip back to bring David Reni home later in the fall.
We are discouraged and our minds are reeling at what this means. In talking it through, we came up with a couple of other options in mind to present the judge tomorrow. We are thankful that the Bethany rep, Alma, can come here tomorrow to present the documents they are wanting, so we should get a date finally set tomorrow. Perhaps all of these delays have happened because a case will be cancelled and an opening will appear on the docket. We’ll see. Perhaps all of these things have been allowed to happen so that you, our family and friends will also get to see God’s hand at work. We know that God is in control, is aware of our resources, and wants the best for us and David Reni. We have been praying all along for a situation that might bring Him glory. By the end of tomorrow we should know a good deal more about the remainder of our time here. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and notes of encouragement.