Dear friends and family,

What a week it has been.   God has been so good to us.   We have been trying to get everything together to start the process for Cassandra's us adoption papers. Since we are coming to the States November 12th to fulfill adoption requirements, visit family and attend the Missionary Convention, we are pressed for time.
  Last Wednesday, we received the home study which we immediately sent to our new lawyer in the capital.   He got the rest of the documents together.   We usually do not communicate directly with him. Things were not moving  so we picked Tuesday (on Monday morning) to go to the capital to get things off hold.  
 
The lady at the embassy was really nice and helpful.   We thought he had all the documents translated, but that was not understood there.   We have found the lawyers have to meet with the person in charge to determine what documentation is needed.   The only thing we had left to do was translate for the adoption process.   I stayed up till 2 a.m.Wednesday getting all the documents translated since they have to be at the adoption office by Friday morning November 1.

We were really concerned about getting Cassandra´s Honduran passport in time.   In San Pedro, they have certain days for women, men, and children.   If you want a passport you have to get in line at 2 a.m.  That would have been very unsafe for us.  

At first our lawyer did not think he could help us but after explaining the situation more fully he figured out a way to help us.   It took 15 minutes and $$$$ to get the information submitted.   An hour or two later the passport was ready.   This was a big relief.  

When we submitted the documentation for the adoption they gave us all the information on what we needed for the immigrant visa interview for Cassandra.   We are so grateful to our families, Todd Zastrow, FAME, and Representative Dan Burton´s Immigration staff  for working together with us to get everything together quickly.   If we make it back in time for the Missionary Convention it will be because of God's care for us and their help.

This Wednesday, we admitted to the hospital another malnourished baby (13 months old).  When I arrived early this morning, Friday,  to check on Rene Garcia I found out he had pneumonia in both his lungs.   I did not find out what else he had since the staff is overwhelmed.   They are so short on  staff to meet the needs of all the sick children.   The emergency waiting room also is a perfect place for breeding sickness.   At 7:30 a.m. it was 80 degrees in the room  with about the same in humidity or higher.  

  Please pray for Rene that he would not contract anything else and would heal quickly.   Also pray for his mother who is 7 months pregnant and having complications.   I am trying to get her to see a specialist but am overloaded with work.   When Renee is somewhat better, we will take him to the malnutrition clinic where Elvin is for full recovery.   Toby was very impressed with the place when he took Elvin and his mother.   We think both boys will be healthy and back to normal weight if they make it through this program.

Thank you for your prayers and support.
Serving Him in the Merendons
Toby, Amy, and Cassandra