The Auldridges

Jeph and Heidi have written a very nice blog posting about God’s adoption and make some parallels to our current process of adopting a little girl from Panama. Go read it!

And as long as we’re on the subject, I’ll go ahead and write an update on our process. Shari got an email from the agency a few weeks ago and sent it to many of you. For those who didn’t see it, I’ll go ahead and quote it so you know where we are in the process:

Dear Shari,

Your dossier was sent to Panama on January 6, 2006 and was delivered to the DNA about two weeks later. You will be asked to carry your dossier to Panama when you travel, until then please keep it in a safe place so you can find it intact when your time comes.

At this time you are waiting for a referral. As far as Faith families go there is only one family ahead of you in line for referral. I wish I could give you a timeframe when you could expect a referral but with Panama we never really know when a child appropriate for your family will become available. Our history tells us most families receive a referral approx 10-12 months after their dossier arrives in Panama. Please remember this is an average and each situation is different.

The process in Panama follows typically unfolds in this way - When a child has been identified for your family Panama will send Faith a photo or two of a child with modest information about the child. We will ask you to look at the photos to see if you think this child will be an appropriate match for your family. Due to the wide variety of ethnic groups in Panama the government wants to be certain you agree to the general appearance of a child. If you say yes you agree to the child the termination of parental rights will be accomplished and a temporary custody hearing will be scheduled. The termination of parental rights can take a number of months depending on the court the child’s file is assigned to. The temporary custody hearing will follow the termination of parental rights process. Approx two - three weeks after the temporary custody hearing you will travel to Panama to receive your child. In most cases families travel approx 6 months after receiving a photo of a specific child. This time frame will vary depending on the court and the specific circumstances regarding this child’s case.

The Panamanian Courts have the right to issue your family a completed adoption or a temporary custody order. In most cases Panama issues a temporary custody order. In this case the courts have the right to request your family return to Panama a few months after you receive your child to finalize the adoption in the Panamanian courts. They often want to observe how your child has bonded to your family and to see with their own eyes that the child is doing well. This second trip is only a short court meeting and you would be in Panama for approx 2-3 days. Not all courts are exercising this right but some families have been asked to return to Panama so I want you to be prepared for this possibility.

I hope this information helps you prepare for referral and the process in Panama.

Warm regards, Jill