Orphan Sunday & An Adoption Update

Happy National Adoption Awareness Month! I have been meaning to post about November's special title all month now, and today is a great day to do so. You see, today--November 8, 2009-- is Orphan Sunday, a day to raise awareness about the 147 million orphans in this world. Earlier today, a Facebook friend posted the following as her status: "Today is National Orphan Sunday. Please pray for the 147 million orphans in the world who are waiting for their forever families. Also pray for the families considering adoption. Over one third of Americans seriously consider adoption, but only 2% actually adopt. Every orphan needs a forever family."

Please, consider what God would have you do to "defend the cause of the fatherless" (Isaiah 1:17). I realize that adoption is not for everyone, but everyone can can do something to help--two examples would be making a donation (of any amount) to a worthy organization that works with orphans or praying for orphans and their caregivers. Thanks in advance!

For more information, feel free to check out the following sites:

• http://www.showhope.org/
• http://www.bethany.org/
• http://www.hopefororphans.org/

And please watch this video about Orphan Sunday. (FYI, it's the one I posted on my FB profile.)
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In other adoption news, Tanna and I were fingerprinted (again) on October 27th. This fingerprinting took place at the USCIS office in Atlanta. We were thankful that our appointment time fell on a date and time that was not too inconvenient for either of us. YAY! We had been advised that we should do everything we can to make whatever appointment time--received via a notification in the U.S. Mail--was given to us.

It was a very rainy morning when we arrived at the USCIS office. Tanna met me over there, and we headed in the building. I had read that no cell phones or cameras were allowed, so we put those in Tanna's car before going to the door, where we were met by a security officer. I had my purse and a small bag with me, in addition to our umbrella. The umbrella was allowed inside (in the entryway only), but no other belongings--just your person and your paperwork. Tanna ran my purse and bag back to his car and put them in the trunk. Whew!

Once inside, we completed some paperwork and received a number. We had to wait a short amount of time before our numbers were called to approach the fingerprinting area. I am sorry to say that I was not a good fingerprint person. :o( The lady who was doing my fingerprinting--and who was as patient as she could be--kept telling me to relax my fingers and not to press down ... and even to look at the wall. LOL! I really was trying to cooperate, but it is difficult to relax and loosen your fingers and not press down or think about it when you are right there and someone is telling you to do these things. Maybe it is just me, though. Bless that lady's heart--I think she finally got some prints that would work. She sure earned her paycheck that day. Wherever you are, Fingerprint Lady, I apologize (again). Thanks for your patience with me; I really was trying to cooperate. :o)

Later, I asked Tanna about his fingerprinting experience. (We didn't get to talk much after we left--it was raining too hard and he had to get back to work.) Anyway, he did not have the trouble I did. I asked him if he heard the lady talking to me, telling me to do all these things. "Mrs. Lim, relax your fingers. ... Relax your fingers, Mrs. Lim. ... Don't press down. ... Please look away. ... Look at the wall. ... Don't press down." When he realized it was me the lady was talking to, he about died laughing. He thought she had been fingerprinting another lady at the office that morning who didn't have the best English and had asked us a few questions about the wording on her paperwork, etc. LOL! Sorry to embarrass you, Honey!

And I was worried that Tanna would be the one causing problems that morning. Ha!