We leave for Latvia on July 8th. We actually have business in Sweden for the first few days and then will travel by an overnight ferry across the Baltic Sea, arriving in Riga on July 12th. Our two youngest daughters are going with us. Our first court date is on July 13. The adoption attorney will pick us up and take us to get Raimonds. We will go to court together. At this first hearing we hopefully will be awarded “care giving” of Raimonds. He will live with us in an apartment in the capital city of Riga. We will be visited by social workers several times over the course of two weeks. On July 27th we will have our second court hearing where the court will determine if we are a good family for Raimonds and he for us. If the court rules in our favor, we will be allowed to bring Raimonds home to the US with us. We will have one day to get his paper work in order for his travel to the US. We will leave Latvia on July 29th and return to Atlanta on July 31st.
Due to the length of time we were required to be in Latvia, we felt it was important for our daughters to go with us. Lydia and Olivia are 17 and 13 years old. We thought it would be more fun for Raimonds to have his potential sisters along as well as a great time of bonding for us all as a family.
We have seen God’s hand in all of our travel arrangements. Housing and eating was going to be quite costly. We were told hotels were about $150- 175/night. With our court dates 14 days apart it meant a 16 day stay at the least, putting the cost of our lodging alone at over $2400. However we were told of a Christian lady there that has a heart for these orphans and who wants to help the adoptive families traveling to Latvia. She found us a 2 bedroom apartment in Riga for $590 for the entire time we are there!!! It has a full kitchen and is in walking distance of fresh food markets. So we will be able to prepare much of our own food.
We are looking forward to this time together with Raimonds and our girls. Please pray for safe travels, continued favor and for God to prepare Raimonds heart to receive Him. We have been told to expect the unexpected but we would covet your prayers for a stress free trip and that all would go according to plans but the grace and wisdom to handle whatever may come our way!!!
Thank you for the love and support you have shown our family through this very exciting venture in our lives.
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