MORE Good News :)

Today Jacky got on a plane headed for the States and will be landing in North Carolina in just a little while. He'll get to have surgery soon! It'll be a long road for him, as they will most likely resect his jaw and we don't know if he'll be able to talk or eat again, but to him it's worth it to take these risks rather than living in misery and pain at his home in Haiti. I have to admit that up until the last moment, I was holding my breath waiting for one last thing to come up to delay things, but he got out just fine. Praise God!

On the way to bringing Jacky to the airport, Steven, his mother and I were dropped off at the embassy for Steven's visa appointment. I've said before that I thought we were pretty well prepared, but considering how his last visa application went, I really had no idea what to expect and didn't stop praying. After the embassy officer looked through Steven's new papers (he was already familiar with Steven's old papers), he called us up and actually complimented us on having everything so well put together this time. He did want one more paper, but I explained how something else covered that requirement and he was satisfied with that and granted us the visa after about 2 minutes of talking! When I asked him if we could pick up the visa today, he said he didn't know if it was possible because they close so early, but he'd put it in the pile to be printed.

With the pick-up slip for Steven's passport with the visa printed in it, we headed over to the Haitian social services office to get started with proceedings there. (We need their approval to take minors out of the country.) This is the office that has historically taken about 3 days and has shown some horrible heartlessness -- they even told the Bustins that the baby they'd been working with who had hydrocephalus should just be put outside to die. They normally would never start proceedings without a visa, but since my friend that was with us said he had a friend there, we went anyway. Walking into the office was like going to a family get-together, EVERYONE there knew my friend and were so happy to see him. They cooed over Steven and showed compassion about his myelomengiocele. I didn't have half the papers they asked for, nor did we have Steven's visa or passport, but they went ahead and processed our papers and said all we need to bring tomorrow is copies of the visa and passport, as well as two pictures of me (as I'll be taking Steven out). We don't know for sure, but this seems like a done deal!

After the IBESR, we made the hour-long treck back to the embassy. As with Jacky, Steven's visa wasn't there when we walked in, but the same officer was willing to make a call to get it printed, and went to pick it up himself a few minutes after closing!

All in all, this week has been just amazingly blessed by God! He clearly went before us and paved the way, making the impossible happen.

Steven's mother, Janise, will be heading back to her home tomorrow morning. Overall she's held up really well throughout everything. She's seemed happy this week and was even glad when we got Steven's visa today, but tonight she's been crying a bit and taking it hard that she will have to give up her son in order to for him to have what he needs. I really can't blame her for this, I know I'd be crying if it was my child. She has every picture I ever took of Steven in an album as well as a frame to put her favorite one in. She also has a picture of the family who will be caring for Steven over the next months. We'll be communicating from time to time to let her know how Steven's doing and hopefully can send pictures. Hopefully this will help, but how do you make it easier for a mom to give up her child?

Anyway, that's the update for today. As always, thanks for your prayers!