March 2006 China Program Update-Email from AFC

Dear Waiting Families,

Although we have not yet received our latest batch of referrals this month, we wanted to update you on a few things we are sure you will find of interest. We all understand how difficult the waiting time can be for families, so please always feel free to call or email us with any questions or concerns that might come up while you wait.

Referrals
The wait time from log in date to referral is now a pproximately 10 months. Referrals for dossiers logged in May, 2005 have been delayed as a result of the very high numbers of dossiers logged in at the CCAA that month. Previous months normally were split into two batches, however, it now seems that May may be split into as many as four batches for referrals. This has never happened before so it is difficult for us to predict how long it will take for CCAA to complete the month of May or how it will effect the following months, but we will continue to update you as we receive information or updates from CCAA. We know how disappointing these delays can be, especially for families who began the process thinking the wait was only 6 or 7 months, but we want to reassure you that there is no problem with your referral, CCAA is just trying to adjust to the overwheming amount of dossiers they received last spring. Hopefully our next email to you will be announcing the receipt of our next batch of referrals. Until then, try to stay positive, and know your little girls will be matched to you very soon.

Alliance welcomed home seven families in February and two families in March. Everyone is happy to be home and doing very well. Congratulations!

March 8, 2006, is our LID!

We received our email today with our official LID. Below is the email from Lin Jing:

Dear Alliance Families,
Good news! The China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) has informed us that your dossier was logged in to their system on March 8, 2006. The current wait time from log in date (LID) to receipt of referral is about 10 months. In your group, there are 6 families whose dossiers went over at the same time. It is likely that your referrals will arrive at the same time and that you may end up traveling together:

• Brian and Sanna- Litchfield, CT
• Thomas and Thecla- Monroe, NY
• Geno and Melanie- Brockton, MA
• Joseph and Erika- Hingham, MA
• Andrew and Trena- Sudbury, MA
• Deborah and Justin- Berlin, MA