Ben and Cate's Adoption Journey
Donation protected
Last update Oct. 2021: Thank you all again for your support and efforts and thoughts and prayers. This will be the final post on this page. I encourage you to continue to read the news to keep on top of the latest developments re: international travel to China.
HELPFUL LINKS OF RECENT NEWS/EFFORTS:
Copy of U.S. Senate Letter to Blinken (Wednesday, 5/12/2021):
https://www.blunt.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/klobuchar_blunt_colleagues_urge_state_department_to_prioritize_resumption_of_intercountry_adoptions.pdf
Copy of U.S. House Letter to Blinken (Tuesday, 6/1/2021):
https://kevinbrady.house.gov/uploadedfiles/brady_china_adoption_final_letter.pdf
-------
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STORIES/ARTICLES ON THE CURRENT SITUATION (newest to oldest):
* Washington Times (8/30/2021): https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/30/china-only-country-not-resume-international-adopti/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=copypaste&utm_source=urlshortener
* Fox News (6/18/2021): https://www.foxnews.com/media/couple-waiting-two-years-adoption-china-pandemic-delays
* U.S. Representative Kevin Brady (6/1/2021): https://kevinbrady.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=405035
* Yahoo News / Axios (5/12/2021): https://news.yahoo.com/lawmakers-urge-biden-administration-china-193037491.html
* CNN (3/26/2021): https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/26/us/china-us-adoption-families-pandemic/index.html
* VOA (12/11/2020): https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/voa-news-china/international-adoptions-resume-amid-covid-not-china
* NBC News (12/11/2020): https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/not-knowing-right-now-hardest-thing-what-it-s-trying-ncna1250936
* USA Today (2/13/2020): https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/13/coronavirus-outbreak-forces-us-families-delay-china-adoptions/4729719002/
-----------------------------------------
Spring/Summer 2021: Thank you, friends, for your continued support, and for your hopes and wishes and prayers that our LOA (Letter of Approval) will be issued soon.
ABBREVIATED TIMELINE:
12/1/18-11/27/19: A LOT of prep work = 12 months
11/27/19-2/6/20: Country Decision, and then prep work to get ready for the start of the Home Study = 2 months
2/6/20-8/24/20: Obtaining and working on all paperwork (Home Study, and then Dossier) = 6.5 months
AFTER PAPERWORK (1 year):
8/24/20-10/2/20: Paperwork being reviewed stateside = 1+ month
10/2/20-1/28/21: Paperwork being reviewed overseas = 4 months (118 days)
1/28/21-present: Waiting for LOA (Letter of Approval) = 7 months
-----------------------------------------
Thursday, 1/28/2021: Hello, friends. I wanted to let you know what has happened in the process since our last update in late summer. Since then, our Dossier has gone from being shipped to our agency, to the US State Dept., to the Embassy in D.C., and then back to our agency. It was approved at each of these steps. Then, it was shipped overseas on 10/2/20. From there, it was logged-in, translated, and then the review was completed. The time from shipping it overseas to dossier review completion was 118 days.
The next step is for us to wait for issuance of the Letter of Approval (LOA). Thanks, as always, for your thoughts and prayers.
TIMELINE:
* June 2016 - We started a savings account just to start saving for this process. Yes, this whole long and wonderful thing started that far back!
* December 2018 through July 2019 - These 6/7 months were spent doing a LOT of things, including LOTS of agency research and meeting with agencies, fundraising, research on the process, early training/education, Preliminary Adoption Application submission and approval, etc.!
(2/10/19 - This GoFundMe page set up)
-------
July 2019 - Formal Adoption Application submission and approval
Fall 2019 - Considering the different countries/programs
11/27/19 - Country decision!
-------
2/6/20-5/5/20 - Formal Home Study process (89 days)
-------
5/5/20-8/24/20 - The process of obtaining all Dossier paperwork (111 days)
8/24/20-10/2/20 - Dossier @ State Dept., then Embassy, then back @ Agency (39 days)
FROM DOSSIER SHIPPED OVERSEAS TO REVIEW COMPLETE (118 days total)
10/2/20 - Dossier shipped overseas ("DTC")
10/16/20 - LID = Log-in Date (14 days)
10/16/20-1/28/21 - Dossier Translated and Reviewed (104 days)
4/1/21 - Agency update
Next Step: Waiting for LOA (Letter of Approval)
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 9/15/20: We are so thankful and grateful to say that we have now raised a total of $26,086 through ALL sources, including $4,385 from this GoFundMe page. May God bless you all this day!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 8/24/20: We are relieved to say that our part of the dossier paperwork is now complete. From the beginning of the Formal Home Study to the end of our work on the dossier paperwork was exactly 200 days. I thought I would take this time to share with you all what our timeline has been for the past 20 months.
1/1/19-5/22/19: Preliminary work / Research / Meetings / Fundraising
5/22/19 - Preliminary Adoption Application Approval
7/22/19 - Formal Adoption Application Approval
7/22/19-2/6/20 - Lots of Training / Fundraising / Prep work for Home Study
2/6/20-5/5/20 - Formal Home Study process
5/5/20-8/24/20 - Dossier paperwork process
We do need your prayers now more than ever before. Specifically, please pray that as the US State Dept. looks over our dossier paperwork, that it will be reviewed and approved in a timely manner. Thank you for thinking of us.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 6/9/20: Our thoughts and prayers are with each of you, and all of you, during these difficult times in the world. We hope that each of you is OK, safe and healthy.
We wanted to report an update that we have now passed the $20,000 mark raised from all sources (checks, Paypal, and this GoFundMe page). The time frame for us to travel remains, Lord willing, 6-9 months from now. Thank You so much for being a part of these efforts.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 5/5/20: We are so happy to announce that our home study is officially approved, and we are one more step closer to adopting a child in Asia! Lord willing, we hope to travel within the next 6-9 months to bring our child home!
We would ask for your prayers that the paperwork moves along smoothly and that our fundraising goals are completed by travel time.
We have raised $17,000 from checks, PayPal, and GoFundMe and are working to raise the final $10,000. If you feel so led to financially contribute to our cause, we would be honored to have you be a part of our special journey!
-----------------------------------------
4/11/20: We really want to send prayers and love to all of our family and friends during this difficult time in the world. To all of you, we wanted to say that we love and appreciate you. Please stay safe, and we care about each of you greatly!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 3/4/20: We have now passed $17,000 in total funds raised, including $4,085 from this GoFundMe page. We love our friends and family, and want to say Thanks!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 2/26/20: Hi, all! We are pleased to say that we are now very approximately 75% through the Home Study. Also, we have now passed $15,500 in total funds raised, including $4,035 from this GoFundMe page. Bless you!
Love,
Ben and Cate (and Blair!)
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 2/14/20: We are happy to say that we are now halfway through the Home Study. We also have now officially passed the $15,000 mark raised from all sources, including $3,935 from this GoFundMe page. As always, Thank you so much!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 2/6/20: We have now passed the $10,000 mark raised from all sources, including this GoFundMe page and all other sources. Thank you for your prayers, love, and support. We have also now officially started the Home Study process.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 1/25/20: We have now raised a total of over $9,600 through all sources. From the bottom of our hearts, Thank You for your continued support. Check back here very soon for more updates on how the overall process is going!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 10/29/19: We have now raised a total of $8,000 through all sources. Still a long way to go on this journey, but we are SO grateful for everybody's help in making it this far. Thank you for your support, including your prayers. Our adoption fundraiser garage sale in September/October was a big success. It ended up spanning 3 weekends, in part because of every kind of weather in the book, and also because once it's all set up... why not keep it going?
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 8/25/19: We want to extent a huge Thank You to our friends and family who have given so far. Even if you have considered giving, or simply visited this page to keep up-to-date with our situation, or said a prayer on our behalf, we greatly appreciate you. We have now raised a total of $5,900 from all sources, including this GoFundMe page, as well as Paypal and checks. We are pleased to say that we are only $650 away from reaching the next big milestone which will allow us to start the home study. Thank you for your considering helping us reach this next big goal and milestone! Any amount is so greatly helpful and appreciated.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 8/18/19: We have received word from Bethany Christian Services that our formal application has been approved. Thus far, we have raised a total of $5,050 from all sources, including this GoFundMe page, as well as Paypal and checks. It is your generosity that has allowed us to arrive at this point in the adoption process, and we are extremely grateful to those who have helped us in this life-changing journey.
We are not certain yet what country the Lord is planning for us at this point in the process, but the possibilities are becoming clearer, and they include Colombia, China, and several European nations.
Please continue to pray for the child this very day that the Lord has in store for us.
-----------------------------------------
Here is our original post for you to see:
Dear Friends and Family,
Twelve years ago, God set us out on a journey as husband and wife. During that time, we have grown to love one another and Christ more every day. Today, we would like to include you on our next journey…our journey to adoption.
After much prayer and conversation, we together came to realize that God has placed the call of adoption on our hearts. So when God places a burden on your heart, the only thing you can do is take action.
The verse that spoke to us specifically was James 1: 26-27: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in the affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” As Christians we are called to support adoption, because we ourselves are adopted through Christ. So, we have followed God’s lead and will for our lives and have decided to adopt our first child.
We are in the initial stages of our adoption journey. At this time we have chosen an adoption agency and are saving money to begin the homestudy process. Unfortunately, the process of adoption requires that we step out on faith and be stretched in ways that are out of our comfort zone. We are so thankful that we have the means to provide for a child’s daily needs, but the reality is there is a substantial amount of money needed to bring this child home. Would you be willing to enter into this journey with us? Whether you feel led to help us financially or through your prayers and encouragement, it all means the world to us!
This letter has been one of much prayer and thought. Honestly, this may be the hardest thing that God has ever told us to do. We have struggled with the thought of asking you to support us. But, we also know that God uses his people for his purposes. We would be honored to know that you helped us bring our child home and knowing that this one child will have the opportunity of growing up in a Christian home. We are humbly on our knees before God, knowing that he will do great things through our faith in him.
As we continue throughout this process, we will keep you updated through letters and emails, so you can follow us on our complete journey to bringing home our child.
Thank you so much for your prayers and your support. No words could ever express our gratitude for your love for our family.
Love,
Ben and Cate (and Blair!)
HELPFUL LINKS OF RECENT NEWS/EFFORTS:
Copy of U.S. Senate Letter to Blinken (Wednesday, 5/12/2021):
https://www.blunt.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/klobuchar_blunt_colleagues_urge_state_department_to_prioritize_resumption_of_intercountry_adoptions.pdf
Copy of U.S. House Letter to Blinken (Tuesday, 6/1/2021):
https://kevinbrady.house.gov/uploadedfiles/brady_china_adoption_final_letter.pdf
-------
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STORIES/ARTICLES ON THE CURRENT SITUATION (newest to oldest):
* Washington Times (8/30/2021): https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/30/china-only-country-not-resume-international-adopti/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=copypaste&utm_source=urlshortener
* Fox News (6/18/2021): https://www.foxnews.com/media/couple-waiting-two-years-adoption-china-pandemic-delays
* U.S. Representative Kevin Brady (6/1/2021): https://kevinbrady.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=405035
* Yahoo News / Axios (5/12/2021): https://news.yahoo.com/lawmakers-urge-biden-administration-china-193037491.html
* CNN (3/26/2021): https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/26/us/china-us-adoption-families-pandemic/index.html
* VOA (12/11/2020): https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/voa-news-china/international-adoptions-resume-amid-covid-not-china
* NBC News (12/11/2020): https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/not-knowing-right-now-hardest-thing-what-it-s-trying-ncna1250936
* USA Today (2/13/2020): https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/13/coronavirus-outbreak-forces-us-families-delay-china-adoptions/4729719002/
-----------------------------------------
Spring/Summer 2021: Thank you, friends, for your continued support, and for your hopes and wishes and prayers that our LOA (Letter of Approval) will be issued soon.
ABBREVIATED TIMELINE:
12/1/18-11/27/19: A LOT of prep work = 12 months
11/27/19-2/6/20: Country Decision, and then prep work to get ready for the start of the Home Study = 2 months
2/6/20-8/24/20: Obtaining and working on all paperwork (Home Study, and then Dossier) = 6.5 months
AFTER PAPERWORK (1 year):
8/24/20-10/2/20: Paperwork being reviewed stateside = 1+ month
10/2/20-1/28/21: Paperwork being reviewed overseas = 4 months (118 days)
1/28/21-present: Waiting for LOA (Letter of Approval) = 7 months
-----------------------------------------
Thursday, 1/28/2021: Hello, friends. I wanted to let you know what has happened in the process since our last update in late summer. Since then, our Dossier has gone from being shipped to our agency, to the US State Dept., to the Embassy in D.C., and then back to our agency. It was approved at each of these steps. Then, it was shipped overseas on 10/2/20. From there, it was logged-in, translated, and then the review was completed. The time from shipping it overseas to dossier review completion was 118 days.
The next step is for us to wait for issuance of the Letter of Approval (LOA). Thanks, as always, for your thoughts and prayers.
TIMELINE:
* June 2016 - We started a savings account just to start saving for this process. Yes, this whole long and wonderful thing started that far back!
* December 2018 through July 2019 - These 6/7 months were spent doing a LOT of things, including LOTS of agency research and meeting with agencies, fundraising, research on the process, early training/education, Preliminary Adoption Application submission and approval, etc.!
(2/10/19 - This GoFundMe page set up)
-------
July 2019 - Formal Adoption Application submission and approval
Fall 2019 - Considering the different countries/programs
11/27/19 - Country decision!
-------
2/6/20-5/5/20 - Formal Home Study process (89 days)
-------
5/5/20-8/24/20 - The process of obtaining all Dossier paperwork (111 days)
8/24/20-10/2/20 - Dossier @ State Dept., then Embassy, then back @ Agency (39 days)
FROM DOSSIER SHIPPED OVERSEAS TO REVIEW COMPLETE (118 days total)
10/2/20 - Dossier shipped overseas ("DTC")
10/16/20 - LID = Log-in Date (14 days)
10/16/20-1/28/21 - Dossier Translated and Reviewed (104 days)
4/1/21 - Agency update
Next Step: Waiting for LOA (Letter of Approval)
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 9/15/20: We are so thankful and grateful to say that we have now raised a total of $26,086 through ALL sources, including $4,385 from this GoFundMe page. May God bless you all this day!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 8/24/20: We are relieved to say that our part of the dossier paperwork is now complete. From the beginning of the Formal Home Study to the end of our work on the dossier paperwork was exactly 200 days. I thought I would take this time to share with you all what our timeline has been for the past 20 months.
1/1/19-5/22/19: Preliminary work / Research / Meetings / Fundraising
5/22/19 - Preliminary Adoption Application Approval
7/22/19 - Formal Adoption Application Approval
7/22/19-2/6/20 - Lots of Training / Fundraising / Prep work for Home Study
2/6/20-5/5/20 - Formal Home Study process
5/5/20-8/24/20 - Dossier paperwork process
We do need your prayers now more than ever before. Specifically, please pray that as the US State Dept. looks over our dossier paperwork, that it will be reviewed and approved in a timely manner. Thank you for thinking of us.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 6/9/20: Our thoughts and prayers are with each of you, and all of you, during these difficult times in the world. We hope that each of you is OK, safe and healthy.
We wanted to report an update that we have now passed the $20,000 mark raised from all sources (checks, Paypal, and this GoFundMe page). The time frame for us to travel remains, Lord willing, 6-9 months from now. Thank You so much for being a part of these efforts.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE 5/5/20: We are so happy to announce that our home study is officially approved, and we are one more step closer to adopting a child in Asia! Lord willing, we hope to travel within the next 6-9 months to bring our child home!
We would ask for your prayers that the paperwork moves along smoothly and that our fundraising goals are completed by travel time.
We have raised $17,000 from checks, PayPal, and GoFundMe and are working to raise the final $10,000. If you feel so led to financially contribute to our cause, we would be honored to have you be a part of our special journey!
-----------------------------------------
4/11/20: We really want to send prayers and love to all of our family and friends during this difficult time in the world. To all of you, we wanted to say that we love and appreciate you. Please stay safe, and we care about each of you greatly!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 3/4/20: We have now passed $17,000 in total funds raised, including $4,085 from this GoFundMe page. We love our friends and family, and want to say Thanks!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 2/26/20: Hi, all! We are pleased to say that we are now very approximately 75% through the Home Study. Also, we have now passed $15,500 in total funds raised, including $4,035 from this GoFundMe page. Bless you!
Love,
Ben and Cate (and Blair!)
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 2/14/20: We are happy to say that we are now halfway through the Home Study. We also have now officially passed the $15,000 mark raised from all sources, including $3,935 from this GoFundMe page. As always, Thank you so much!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 2/6/20: We have now passed the $10,000 mark raised from all sources, including this GoFundMe page and all other sources. Thank you for your prayers, love, and support. We have also now officially started the Home Study process.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 1/25/20: We have now raised a total of over $9,600 through all sources. From the bottom of our hearts, Thank You for your continued support. Check back here very soon for more updates on how the overall process is going!
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 10/29/19: We have now raised a total of $8,000 through all sources. Still a long way to go on this journey, but we are SO grateful for everybody's help in making it this far. Thank you for your support, including your prayers. Our adoption fundraiser garage sale in September/October was a big success. It ended up spanning 3 weekends, in part because of every kind of weather in the book, and also because once it's all set up... why not keep it going?
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 8/25/19: We want to extent a huge Thank You to our friends and family who have given so far. Even if you have considered giving, or simply visited this page to keep up-to-date with our situation, or said a prayer on our behalf, we greatly appreciate you. We have now raised a total of $5,900 from all sources, including this GoFundMe page, as well as Paypal and checks. We are pleased to say that we are only $650 away from reaching the next big milestone which will allow us to start the home study. Thank you for your considering helping us reach this next big goal and milestone! Any amount is so greatly helpful and appreciated.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE! 8/18/19: We have received word from Bethany Christian Services that our formal application has been approved. Thus far, we have raised a total of $5,050 from all sources, including this GoFundMe page, as well as Paypal and checks. It is your generosity that has allowed us to arrive at this point in the adoption process, and we are extremely grateful to those who have helped us in this life-changing journey.
We are not certain yet what country the Lord is planning for us at this point in the process, but the possibilities are becoming clearer, and they include Colombia, China, and several European nations.
Please continue to pray for the child this very day that the Lord has in store for us.
-----------------------------------------
Here is our original post for you to see:
Dear Friends and Family,
Twelve years ago, God set us out on a journey as husband and wife. During that time, we have grown to love one another and Christ more every day. Today, we would like to include you on our next journey…our journey to adoption.
After much prayer and conversation, we together came to realize that God has placed the call of adoption on our hearts. So when God places a burden on your heart, the only thing you can do is take action.
The verse that spoke to us specifically was James 1: 26-27: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in the affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” As Christians we are called to support adoption, because we ourselves are adopted through Christ. So, we have followed God’s lead and will for our lives and have decided to adopt our first child.
We are in the initial stages of our adoption journey. At this time we have chosen an adoption agency and are saving money to begin the homestudy process. Unfortunately, the process of adoption requires that we step out on faith and be stretched in ways that are out of our comfort zone. We are so thankful that we have the means to provide for a child’s daily needs, but the reality is there is a substantial amount of money needed to bring this child home. Would you be willing to enter into this journey with us? Whether you feel led to help us financially or through your prayers and encouragement, it all means the world to us!
This letter has been one of much prayer and thought. Honestly, this may be the hardest thing that God has ever told us to do. We have struggled with the thought of asking you to support us. But, we also know that God uses his people for his purposes. We would be honored to know that you helped us bring our child home and knowing that this one child will have the opportunity of growing up in a Christian home. We are humbly on our knees before God, knowing that he will do great things through our faith in him.
As we continue throughout this process, we will keep you updated through letters and emails, so you can follow us on our complete journey to bringing home our child.
Thank you so much for your prayers and your support. No words could ever express our gratitude for your love for our family.
Love,
Ben and Cate (and Blair!)
Organizer
Benjamin Bryan
Organizer
Waukee, IA
