‘Stuck’ no more: Daughter brought home from Guatemala

http://fox4kc.com/2013/08/15/stuck-no-more-daughter-brought-home-from-guatemala/

Posted on: 10:37 pm, August 15, 2013, by Abby Eden

LONE JACK, Mo. — A more than four-year struggle to reunite a metro family is over.  That family, the Embreys, were on FOX 4 in April.  They shared their challenges surrounding an issue that many families in the U.S. are facing — having an adoptive child in a foreign country.

Now they share their happy ending. Smiling face to face across the kitchen table, it doesn’t seem real to the sisters who just a few months ago were sitting screen to screen and worlds apart.

Four months ago we introduced you to the Embrey family who for four and a half years struggled to get their adoptive daughter, and Cindy’s biological sister, Caterin into the United States. Due to a change in international adoption policy and other hold-ups, they were forced to be apart.

“All we needed was a passport for 4.5 years,” Dawn Embrey said.

But they wouldn’t give up.

“Keep the faith,” Dorsey Embrey said.

So Dawn and Dorsey Embrey found an attorney who recommended they and about 20 other families go to Washington D.C. and demand attention.

“I thought this is kind of a wasted trip, but turns out it wasn’t and I was wrong,” Dorsey explained.

The Embreys say Senator Roy Blunt and his staff helped push the issue with the Guatemalan government, and not long after that their years-long wait was over.

“I think it was still shock.  It just didn’t seem real,” Dawn said.

Caterin got her passport and left Guatemala for good with her family.

“I feel happy that she’s home, and I just want to thank you to all of my friends all the friends that prayed for us, and all the family, it’s been big for us, so thank you,” Cindy said.

While the Embreys are happy and relieved, there are other families still waiting for their kids in Guatemala.

“I know how they feel because when other kids come home, you’re ‘yay’ for your friend, but inside is that pain, it’s that little pain you have because you’re thinking why couldn’t it have been my turn?” Dawn explained.

15 year-old Cindy and 13-year-old Caterin are thrilled to be living together again, although Cindy says she’s adjusting to sharing her room and wardrobe with a sister!

The Embreys say legislation is being written to prevent future international adoptions from being so difficult