I remember this show I used to watch when I was a kid.  A gnu (that’s a type of animal, pronounced gu-new, in case you’re wondering) hosted the “news” portion of the puppet show.  He would always say “No gnus is good gnews.”  Today I have to agree. 

Kayla spoke with our attorney’s office this morning only to find out that the magistrate now and suddenly wants the death certificate of Cohen’s birth mother before he will release the adoption papers or Cohen’s birth certificate.  Without those papers Kayla cannot get Cohen a Peruvian passport.  Without his passport Kayla cannot start to work on Cohen’s visa at the U.S. Embassy. 

As such, Kayla is going to return to Arequipa.  She has been staying in Lima the past two weeks hoping the paperwork, which the judge assured us over a month ago, would be released so she could begin the visa process.  When she returns to Arequipa she and the kids will have no bed to sleep on, no couch to sit on, no oven or stove to cook with, because she sold or gave away everything before leaving.  We were hoping for the best.  The best has eluded us.

While in Lima Kayla and the kids faced their share of challenges and they still have a few more coming.  Having a place to stay became a problem, but we appreciate Bill & Lena Shrader and Phyllis Rose for doing what they could to accommodate them.  Now, as Kayla and the kids rest in a hotel for a few days I pray they will overcome the frustration of being set back by recent events.  Even tougher for us all is that I can do so little to help them during this time. 

To add to the stress Cohen is more and more confused every day.  While in Lima he spent the first few days walking around the house where they were staying trying to find me.  He knows I’m in California, and as far as he was concerned so was he.  Now I can only imagine that during the flight back to Arqequipa he’ll again think he’s coming home to me.  He’s young and will survive this.  Even so, I know it’s got to be tough, just as it is on Meghan, who tells me daily how much she misses me and wishes we were all together again.

That’s the news for now.  As things change and we realize more progress I’ll keep you all updated.  Please pray for us all as we continue to live in the state of the unknown.