- The quota is 10% lower than it was last year.
- ESWS has already begun slowing down the number of referrals they distribute to US agencies despite the fact that there are many hundreds of children in care. This is to ensure, going forward long-term, that eventually the wait to travel will decrease. This change, however, will not have an effect on families currently with matches or even those matched within the next year.
- Accordingly, the new WAIT TO TRAVEL for any ESWS family matched and whose paperwork went to ESWS after December 1, 2010, is now up to 14 months. ESWS anticipates that if December families cannot travel in 2011, they will be processed through the Ministry right away in January of 2012 along with January 2011 (acceptance paperwork to Korea) families and then be able to travel in February of 2012.
Up to 14 months waiting for your child to come home - this is AFTER being matched and officially accepting (paperwork is sent to Korea) a referral for a child. It is just devastating news and I have been so sad for all those affected. I remember well when we were on the receiving end of such news. I am not sure how many readers I have that have been affected, but please leave me a comment if I can be praying for you.
I am also incredibly sad for the 100's of children in care who may never have forever families due to the decrease in referrals. It is my hope and prayer that the Church in Korea will rise above the stigma of adoption and begin welcoming these children into their families.
With an October ATK (acceptance to Korea), we will travel this year. However, I am unsure of whether our wait time is going to increase. Last year the cutoff to travel was April 1st; those families accepting in April didn't travel until February of this year. But rather than submitting the maximum number of EPs for approval at a time, ESWS spread out EP submissions throughout the rest of 2010 so that the last travel call occurred in December. We are up to August 2010 ATKs for EP submissions (they are waiting for approval). That only leaves September, October, and November ATKs remaining for travel in 2011. If they try to spread us out throughout the rest of 2011, there is simply no way for there not to be an increase in the projected "up to 11 months" wait time. I am taking a wait and see approach. There were a lot of acceptances in September 2010. If at the next EP submission, ESWS breaks the month up into smaller groups for submission, that will be a pretty good indicator of what they intend to do. I am hoping they break with past patterns and allow us all to travel, even if it means there are no families traveling in November or December.
I know the Lord's timing is perfect and so I am resting in that knowledge. It is all out of my control - we will travel when we travel.
12 comments:
It is devastating news for so many families. This quota is ridiculous. If they are doing it to try to increase domestic adoption, it is simply the wrong approach. I would love to see the churches in Korea not only step up to promote adoption, but also to embrace the single mothers who would love to parent their children--but for the stigma they face in Korean society.
Elizabeth, I completely agree with you. If the churches extended the love of Christ to single mothers, there would be much less need for adoption, domestically or internationally, in the first place.
My heart has just been breaking since I heard the news for the families that will be waiting so long for their children to come home. And I can't even begin to describe how heartbreaking it is to think about children who many never have a family due to the quota. It just makes me ill to think about it.
Thank you for praying for us Eastern families caught in this wait. I know I (and everyone else) really appreciate your prayers.
gosh, i am so sorry about this news. i will be praying your time to go pick up joshua wont be extended (HUG)
We are at the back of that line, since our paperwork went to Korea about 2 weeks ago. Our son will be 3, probably 3 1/2, before he comes home. I don't understand the quotas; if they felt quotas were the way to go, it seems they should put the quotas on referrals, not on EPs. That way at least people wouldn't be matched and then waiting, waiting, waiting. We matched with our son last August and then started the paperwork. So our time frame between deciding to adopt him and getting him home...probably 18 months' time!!
This whole situation is devastating. Praying for you and for everyone who got this drastic news.
Becky, thank you for your prayers for all of us affected by the quota. You have been a true encouragement! I really hope that your wait time is not affected by this!
Becky, this news made me physically ill. Something needs to change. This quota business is ridiculous! I can't believe the wait is now 14 months!!! Praying for those families and those babies who will have so much more time attaching to foster families before meeting their forever families.
Elizabeth - those are some great ideas!
Hi! Just wanted to say thank you for your prayers. My husband and I are at #4 on the waiting list with our agency and just received this news. We are sooo bummed! I'm hoping and praying for a miracle for all of us waiting!
Thank you so much for all of your prayers! We are a mid-November referral with a Dec. 9th ATK. We are so very sad at the thought of waiting some more. I rest in knowing that God knows this and I seek my comfort in Him...but I could definitely use lots of prayers!!
Hi All
I am trying to win $5000.00 grant for Eastern please help by voting for Deb's dream here is the link we have 500 votes alreadly but we need many more, if you can send to all your friends.
With Thanks
Deb Finkel [ Mothers Mission to Korea see ESWS website}
You can check it out and help make it come true by voting for it here: http://bit.ly/lXGprG - The dream with the most votes at the end of the month will be awarded a $5,000 grant.
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