Our Adoption Lingo

AWAA = America World Adoption Agency.  This is the agency we are using for our adoption placement.

DOSSIER = A collection of documents about our family comprised of birth & marriage records, medical history, financial status, employment status, background checks, our personal history, photo pages, etc.  Basically our life on paper.  Ours was about 1/2" thick.

DTE = Dossier to Ethiopia.  This is the date we officially have our paperwork in Ethiopia, placing us on the waiting list for the referral of a child.

"THE LIST" = America World Adoption Agency doesn't publish a list or tell us where we are in the waiting game.  However, the waiting families keep a list on our Yahoo Group support page.  It is only an estimation since not all families in the America World Ethiopia program are active on the Yahoo Group.

REFERRAL = When our adoption agency matches our family profile and child request with a child from the orphanage or transition home where they are living.

TRANSITION HOME = AWAA has a relationship with several orphanages in Ethiopia.  While the children are awaiting clearance for adoption (established orphan status and deemed adoptable), they are moved into the the transition home where AWAA's staff cares for the children's daily needs as well as giving them medical & psychological care. This is where the children wait to be referred to a family.

MOWCYA = "Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs"  They have to write a recommendation letter after the birth family interview.  Then the court will process and adoptive family's case.

COURTThe court date will be issued once MOWCYA sends the recommendation letter.  Just like in the US, Ethiopia's family court will process our adoption case - we have to be present for these adoption proceedings.  

EMBASSY = Once our family passes court and our adoption is complete in Ethiopia, the US Embassy will then process our child for his visa and passport.  Once we have those documents, we can bring him home.

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