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Abbotsford mom stuck in Africa over adoption delay

Kim and Clark Moran have been waiting four weeks to bring son home
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Kim Moran and her son Ayo are currently held up in Ghana in West Africa over a delay in processing paperwork in the final step of his adoption.

An adoption process that should have taken about a week has left an Abbotsford woman stuck in Ghana, West Africa for the last month, with no answers about when she will be able to bring her two-year-old son home.

Kim Moran and her husband, Clark – co-lead pastors at Abbotsford Pentecostal Assembly – travelled to Nigeria and finalized the adoption of their son, Ayo, on Aug. 20 after a three-year process.

They then submitted the final step in Ayo’s citizenship application, complete with all the required supporting documents.

They had to do this in Accra, Ghana because there is no Canadian immigration office in Nigeria.

Kim says they were told by other families going through the adoption process that this final step should take about one week.

Clark returned home on Sept. 21 to go back to work, believing his wife and son wouldn’t be far behind.

It has now been four weeks since they submitted the paperwork, and they have been told that their file hasn’t even been looked at.

“It’s on a pile somewhere … but nobody has opened it, nobody has looked at it, nobody has processed ti still almost a month later,” Kim said in a video posted on Facebook.

In the meantime, Kim, who has multiple sclerosis, is missing out on mandatory regular monitoring required for treatment she underwent last year.

Kim said the couple used a reputable adoption agency and made sure that all their documentation was authenticated.

She said they have tried to get answers from federal authorities in Canada, but no one has been able to get a clear response from the immigration office in Ghana.

“We are not looking for special treatment or to bypass the necessary application review process. We are simply asking that our file be opened so it can be processed,” Kim said in a Facebook post.

A GoFundMe page has been started to help the couple with the expenses they have incurred during this process and possible further delays. (Search “#bringinghomeayo” at gofundme.com.)

Kim said they don’t know what to do next or how much longer they will be in Ghana.

“We just want to come home,” she said.

RELATED: Canada asks Japan to clarify adoption stand

RELATED: Langley MP pledges support for stranded adopting families

View this post on Instagram

Friends. If there is anyone that can lend some help to these wonderful souls, please do. - @clarkmoran @kimberleemoran - Dear Honourable Ahmed Hussen - Minister of Immigration , Refugees and Citizenship, On August 20th we finalized the adoption of our 2 year old son in Ibadan, Nigeria. We used a reputable adoption agency and ensured that all documents were properly authenticated to ensure that there were no unanswered questions for Canadian officers. Shortly after the adoption was finalized we completed and submitted Part 2 of our son’s citizenship application for a adopted child, complete with all required supporting documents. It has now been a month since part 2 of our citizenship application has been submitted and we have been told repeatedly that our file is still in queue and after 4 weeks has still not even been looked at. We have contacted consular services, our MP and tried to get answers from the immigration office, but no one has been able to get a clear answer from the immigration office in Accra. We are not looking for special treatment or to bypass the necessary application review process, we are simply asking that our file be opened so it can be processed. I am currently residing in Accra, Ghana while I wait to hear about our application. My husband had to return to Canada on September 21st and I am now caring for our 2 year son alone. To complicate our situation further I have been battling health challenges and our extended stay has meant that I have been missed the mandatory regular monitoring required for the treatment I underwent last year for multiple sclerosis. Thank you for your heart and efforts to make Canada a safe a welcoming home to people from all over the world. Thank you for making it possible for our son to grow up in our incredible country as soon as possible. Sincerely, Kimberlee Moran @ahmeddhussen @justinpjtrudeau @ctvvancouver @ctvnews @cbcvancouver @cbc @globalbc @globalnews @globeandmail

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Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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