Hello friends,
So many of you have asked how things are going and when we will get to travel back to Ethiopia to bring home Israel. Jeff and I (Patterson and William, too) are so thankful for your love and support. These are however, very frustrating and unsettling days here. We wake up each morning so hopeful that we will have the clearance email from the Embassy allowing us to come get Israel. Unforunately, it appears that our government has declined into a inexplicable process that may hold up our clearance for weeks or months. Israel's case should be relatively straight-forward but we are now being indefinitely delayed due to the many other complicated cases that the Embassy must review. We have desperately sought political pressure and thank all of you who have helped. Jeff's sister works for a NC congressman and is on the war path to help us. We are humbled and grateful for her love. She can't wait to be Israel's aunt in person!
As you all know, Jeff and I have are not certain the our agency can help us but our faith is the knowledge God is infinitely bigger than red-tape and the governmental inefficiencies. Our specific prayer requests are:
1- patience- we confess that we are angry and discouraged
2-the US Embassy would do the right thing and clear our case immediately
3-Israel be loved and fed each day
4-wisdom- Jeff and I must make daily decisions on who, how and what may help our case.
Again, please know how much your love and support mean to us. We will remain faithful that God has called us to parent Israel but your prayers are truly a source of comfort and strength for us.
Love,
Jeff and Allison
