[annelisa]

I just finished talking to my dear friend. She is having a really bad day, which has followed some really long bad weeks. I will try to be objective and stick with the facts, but I have to admit that I am a bit emotional right now.
When my friend and her husband began this adoption, they did ALOT of research! They already have 2 adopted children whose cases took a year plus, so they REALLY wanted to "do it right" this time. They were told, before signing with the agency, that their adoptions were running 6-8 months; that they would receive monthly medicals and pics; that their questions would be answered on a timely basis; that they had the best lawyers, etc.
It will soon be a year since they accepted their referral. They have gotten 4 medicals to date; MAYBE pics that often; they have been in PGN since last November; and they haven't heard from the director for at least 2 months. The last time my friend asked a question, the director had another CLIENT answer her questions.
This is an agency who insults God by claiming to be a Christian organization and who blame Him when things don't go right. Yes, they phrase it by saying, " It is all in His time.....you just need to trust." Well, I am also a Christian who owns a service business with my husband. Can you imagine if we didn't take responsibility for our business and told our customers that their service would happen "in God's timing". We would be out of business in short order!!!!
It is agency directors who hire Guatemalan attorneys and facilitators . It is then their JOB......their responsibiliry to the people who hired them....to see to it that these people are doing THEIR jobs!
There are only a handful of really good agencies out there; agencies who only take on the amount of clients that they can serve well. Agencies that aren't just trying to get rich at the expense, frustration and heartbreak of their clients.
To these agencies I say, "Thank You.......God bless You."
To my friends' agency ( and I know you have your "lurkers" who read the forum every day), I say, "Shame on you!!! You take people's money and are good to them ONLY if they don't ask too many questions
or want to know what's going on with their year old case! When you get angry with a client, you threaten to take away their referral. You talk behind your clients backs to other clients and slander them. You make a mockery of God by telling clients that "THEY" can't possibly be a Christian when they question you. WHO do you think you are? It's time to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! It's time to show a little compassion to your clients; at the very least PRETEND that you care!!"
So many people say that once their child is home, you forget all the pain you had to endure at the hand of your agency. You know what? That is not true for everyone. I speak from experience. No, I did not have my friends agency, but I had one just as bad. This Sunday will mark the 3rd anniversary of our Embassy appt. Yes, I am madly in love with my daughter and I am so glad to have her. But, the 16 months of hell that we had to endure to get her home will remain forever in my mind. The really sad part is this.........
Our first adoption went very well; we brought home a beautiful 9 month old daughter 7 years ago. It was such an incredibly happy time!!! By the time we endured the 16 month process of our 2nd, we were so emotionally, spiritually, and financially drained, the JOY we experienced with our first was robbed from us. We were relieved to have her home, but it took months for the depression of the process to lift.
I feel for all of you who have or are experiencing this situation right now. It is JUST NOT FAIR. And, though we all know that alot of things in life aren't fair, it makes it more bitter when it is being caused by uncaring, uncompassionate, unprofessional people.
Dear friend, I love you and I continue to pray for you. It is NOT God who is causing all this delay; He hurts right along with you. May things turn around for you soon.