If you are wondering how this is a Thankful Thursday (TT) post, all I have to say is that I am thankful for Mike and Nadia. Thankful that I didn’t have to face this sort of heartache in China. Thankful that we have come home and settled into a most wonderful life. Thankful that I can hug them tight each day. But I have been thinking and praying for this woman since I first heard the news on Monday and wanted to share her story.
This week I want to ask you to pray for this family by reading my post. The family is a part of one of my yahoo groups and this past weekend in China the husband went into a diabetic coma and died. They already had their “red book” which is the absolute most important document you are given in China. I have shown it to many of you…it’s the paper that says the child is yours. The mother Sandi just found out that the US Consulate is refusing to issue the visa for her child since the husband died and they want her to refile her 171H with her new marital status. This process can take months in the US and so they are basically telling her that she would have to leave the child. Where would she leave the child? In China’s eyes they have no responsibility since the child is Sandi’s.
I can’t even imagine what it would be like to lose Mike in China and then be told that I couldn’t bring Nadia home because of our government. Yes, I understand that there are rules, but I also understand that there are people coming here every day illegally and this family has done everything by the book and her child should not be denied the chance to come home because her husband died. In the age of mass communication there is no reason that this can’t be taken care of through phone and internet. There is no reason for her to have to leave her child behind to get this paperwork accomplished. As it’s stated below they are making no guarantees that she would even be approved if she re-filed and came home. Then once again – where would that leave Hannah. To China she is now a US Citizen’s child and not their responsibility. They have done their part in finding a home for this child and taking care of all their paperwork. This whole thing is just heartbreaking.
- Edit as of 2:40 PM. Sandi’s family has requested that no one else contact their congressmen. More than 1000 people have called and I think the message on behalf of her has been spread. Please continue to pray that this could move forward and that she can bring Hannah home.
