Update #2: For those of you who have been e-mailing me and waiting for news, here goes…
I just heard from a couple of people we know in Ch*na and a couple of them have been told by their employers that Sky*pe and another service I was unaware of are being frowned at now. They aren’t banned from it per se, but being discouraged from its use. And that is why most of our usual contacts there were offline. Guess we’ll be using QQ again, which is too bad as I find Sky*pe easier to use. (I know… wah!)
As for Samuel, I heard from the staff member that facilitates the calls and she let me know that it was a miscommunication. She was given the day off and was unable to figure out how to contact us in time to let us know that she wouldn’t be able to be around for the call. She did let me know that Samuel has been cauding them to crack up a lot lately as he is happily showing off his “big muscles” lately. 🙂 Sounds like calls will resume as usual next Sunday night for us. 🙂 WOOOOHOOOO!
Update: Last night the director of his foster home e-mailed me and let me know that she hadn’t heard about a problem with Sky*pe and that she would look into it. She’s not currently there. Also, we were able to Sky*pe with one of Grace’s friends in the city where Grace is from. This morning an e-friend let me know that her daughter had been able to Sky*pe with friends in her hometown as well. All that to say, maybe certain folks are being cautious and maybe this had NOTHING to do with the internet at all. Hoping to hear more today… I also put in a very nice voice mail to our agencies this morning. Now off to my “real” life and the Dr. It would appear I have pink eye. What a strange day! {shaking my head and holding on to hope}
We have been beyond spoiled by Sky*pe. That fabulous free tool has allowed our daughter to keep contact with her friends in her birth country and allowed us to grow a relationship with our son.
And now, by all appearances, that season has ended.
A few days ago, reports that Sky*pe and other non-State controlled video calling in Ch*na were ruled as illegal, send a chill up my spine.
Tonight we waited and waited for our scheduled weekly visit with our son.
All we heard was silence.
No whimsical flower icon.
No smiling Samuel avatar.
No, “Heh-yoh”, in a sweet breathy little voice, microphone clutched in two chubby little hands.
The bucket of toys we had planned to play with him sits here beside me unplayed with.
The story book is unread.
I fully realize that we were spoiled by Sky*pe.
But we’re still crying.
What is Samuel going to think?
Oh please God, send our LOA soon.
