Update: Thank you everyone for the info! They did test him for Celiac disease at the Children's Hospital and it was negative. I may try decreasing his gluten intake anyway as he probably is just not used to it. I think they ate primary rice, beans, eggs, bananas, maybe potatoes at the orphanage. I love the goat's milk idea and had never thought of it. He refuses to drink either soy milk or lactose free milk formula. One sip and the sippy cup is thrown to the side!
Our son's gastrointestinal issues are not at all improving. I have put him on probiotics and have him on the Brat Diet (mostly) plus eliminated all dairy products. We have completed three treatments for parasites thus I really hoped that things would get better. However, the last three days he is worse, way worse. He has woken up everyone morning with "blow-outs" and big messes for mom to clean up. They then continue on and off all day. This has been going on for the entire 7 weeks that he has been in our care and probably much longer. I am worried that he is going to end up dehydrated because he is getting more and more picky about what he will drink. At the same time we are worried about his nutrition since he has a growth hormone deficiency. I am fearful that until we get his gastro problems resolved he will never be able to maintain enough nutrition to start producing growth hormone again. I looked at the Pediasure and all the other nutrition drinks and they all have dairy in them so those are not a option. We are following up with his local doc this week, then will see a gastro specialist but I have this sense that they are not going to have any easy or quick answers.
To top off the frustration his doctor signed a letter for my employer saying that he cannot be in childcare yet for various reasons. I turned it into our HR who then took it to the committee who makes decisions about granting pay out of the temporary leave bank. And guess what they denied my application to the leave bank?! They did not feel that his medical issue was significant enough for me to receive pay out of the medical temporary leave bank which I am a member of. What do they think that I am making this up? Not only is he possibly still contagious, but he is malnourished and at risk for anemia and dehydration thus he is on a extremely limited diet. I would really like one of them to come to my house to deal with this and wash the cloth diapers. Yes, cloth diapers despite gastro problems, I know I am crazy but I can't stand the thought of all those disposables sitting in a landfill and we have successfully avoided any diaper rash issues.
Ok. so if anyone has any suggestions as to a diet other then the Brat diet I would be open to anything at this point.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
New Badge for Blog, Getting High Tech!
I created a blog badge. What do you think? It is a bit blurry for some reason but oh well. I think it turned out well for my first attempt. If anyone knows how to add the handy gadget where you can post the html code for others to copy can you drop me the instructions? I don't see it in the blogger gadgets and when I type the code into a text box it shows up as the pic on the blog.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Buy a Raffle Ticket Now for the DRC and Haiti!
Go to this blog for your chance to win a ONE WEEK stay at a condo on the beach in Destin, Florida. The raffle tickets are only $10 and ALL proceeds are being split between a organization in Haiti and a orphanage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The fundraiser ends today so you do not have much time. Their goal is to reach $4,000 and they are only a few hundred dollars short!
http://terryhousehold.blogspot.com/
http://terryhousehold.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Remaining "Almost Adopted" Orphans Blocked from Leaving Haiti
Just received this Press Release from FHG. You can read it to understand the situation. I completely understand that the Haitian government wants to protect children from being exited from the country if they are not true orphans and already in the adoption process. Organizations such as Save the Children and UNICEF who have on multiple occasions posted anti-adoption statements appear to be heavily involved in this situation as well. What I wonder is why increase the regulations for children who already have paperwork processed? I hope that someone is watching the border for children who may be illegally being transported by trucks and boats at night and sold as child slaves. Those are the kids who need protection right now!
Orphans Blocked From Departing Haiti
Undefined Haitian exit procedures halts departure of humanitarian paroled orphans (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) Seventy-nine of the 106 children from Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage, who were granted humanitarian parole, arrived in Florida on Saturday, January 23rd. The Haitian Government has blocked the remaining 27 children, including the adopted son of the For His Glory (FHG) Adoption Outreach President, Kim Harmon, from departing Port-au-Prince. In a surprise announcement, Haitian Prime Minister Bellerive stated that all future cases of humanitarian parole would have to complete an exit process with his office. He has not yet defined this exit process so no action can be taken to bring the remaining children to their adoptive parents in the United States.
The Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage staff announced that they soon would be accepting 30 children orphaned since the January 12th earthquake. Over the past week, the orphanage has received numerous requests to take newly orphaned children. In one instance alone, it was asked to accept 70 orphans. The orphanage and FHG remain firmly committed to the children and the people of Haiti. Pat Flowers, an FHG board member who has been in Haiti this past week consulting with the orphanage staff, agreed, "we must act responsibly in accepting new orphans to ensure that we will have sufficient supplies and facilities to care for these children." Pat explained that not only is each child, who is united with adoptive parents, helped, but much-needed space is opened up at the orphanage to help other children. He added, "The need in Port-au-Prince is great." Kim Harmon reiterated the need to quickly complete the departure process of the remaining 27 children, who have been granted humanitarian parole. She stated "These children have adoptive families waiting to care for them in the United States. The faster we resolve the departure issue, the quicker we will be able to reach out to those unfortunate children in Port-au-Prince who now have no one."
FHG urges adoptive parents, supporters and all those concerned about the welfare of the orphans in Haiti to contact their Congressmen, Senators, Governors and the White House to urge the Secretary of State to quickly resolve this issue with Prime Minister Bellerive. FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. For previous press releases and updates visit http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/.
Orphans Blocked From Departing Haiti
Undefined Haitian exit procedures halts departure of humanitarian paroled orphans (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) Seventy-nine of the 106 children from Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage, who were granted humanitarian parole, arrived in Florida on Saturday, January 23rd. The Haitian Government has blocked the remaining 27 children, including the adopted son of the For His Glory (FHG) Adoption Outreach President, Kim Harmon, from departing Port-au-Prince. In a surprise announcement, Haitian Prime Minister Bellerive stated that all future cases of humanitarian parole would have to complete an exit process with his office. He has not yet defined this exit process so no action can be taken to bring the remaining children to their adoptive parents in the United States.
The Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage staff announced that they soon would be accepting 30 children orphaned since the January 12th earthquake. Over the past week, the orphanage has received numerous requests to take newly orphaned children. In one instance alone, it was asked to accept 70 orphans. The orphanage and FHG remain firmly committed to the children and the people of Haiti. Pat Flowers, an FHG board member who has been in Haiti this past week consulting with the orphanage staff, agreed, "we must act responsibly in accepting new orphans to ensure that we will have sufficient supplies and facilities to care for these children." Pat explained that not only is each child, who is united with adoptive parents, helped, but much-needed space is opened up at the orphanage to help other children. He added, "The need in Port-au-Prince is great." Kim Harmon reiterated the need to quickly complete the departure process of the remaining 27 children, who have been granted humanitarian parole. She stated "These children have adoptive families waiting to care for them in the United States. The faster we resolve the departure issue, the quicker we will be able to reach out to those unfortunate children in Port-au-Prince who now have no one."
FHG urges adoptive parents, supporters and all those concerned about the welfare of the orphans in Haiti to contact their Congressmen, Senators, Governors and the White House to urge the Secretary of State to quickly resolve this issue with Prime Minister Bellerive. FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. For previous press releases and updates visit http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/.
Monday, January 25, 2010
One Month Home
We have been home now for over a month and Leo has been in our custody for over 6 weeks. We have definitely experienced ups and downs as we transition into our new routine. I am not going to sugar coat it because honestly adopting a toddler boy is no easy task. I am so grateful that this is our second adoption experience. There have been many struggles that I was prepared for but there have also been some things that have thrown me for a loop. There are some adoption books out there that try to give names to the different phases that you will go through as you adjust, the honeymoon phase, the transition phase, the testing phase, etc. I am not so sure that it happens that smoothly, it is a whole lot more like a spiral where you make some progress in one area only to fall back a little in another but then to spiral back up again. The hope of course is that you keep moving up and I think we are. So here is the low down on the big subjects that keep coming up when people ask me questions about how we are doing:
Communication: While in Rwanda our son said very little and when he would talk he would whisper. I would right away ask someone what he said in Kinyarwanda and often they would say that what he said did not make sense. I did not think much of it then. Since being home he talks all the time. I am usually able to make out what he wants through his gestures and facial expressions. His brother and sister are not as in tuned to reading his clues and so he tends to do more yelling at them which can be frustrating for everyone. We were a little worried when we had a appointment at the Denver Children's Hospital and the interpreter there said that he just was not making much sense. However he is now learning new English words every day and is spontaneously using about 10-12 English words on a regular basis. My theory is that the kids at the orphanage had a partially made up language.
Medical/Physical: The biggest concern has been loose stools ever since he has been with us, not a single normal one. I will spare the details of what that means. We have treated him with meds three times now for two different parasites and have him on a vitamin with iron. The meds made it worse but even after there has been no improvement. He also tested positive for a actual human growth hormone deficiency. The IAC only picked up on it because when I reported what I thought was his "real" age to the IAC and gave them his growth record from the orphanage they charted it and noticed that he has not been making steady growth in height. He is only at or below the 5th percentile. He was also at the 5th percentile in weight at his last measurement at the orphanage but has already gained a whopping 6 pounds in the last 2 months so he is up to the 25th percentile in weight. We will be following up with a endocrinologist but hope that with improved nutrition he will start producing growth hormone again. We will have to do another stool sample (our 4th!) to see if the nasty parasites are finally gone and we are waiting on his Hep C test result because despite it being negative in Rwanda it came back inconclusive in the US. We are filling him with probiotics and have him on a limited diet in the hopes that his intestinal lining just needs repair. Most likely we will probably be seeing a gastro doc to further investigate the stomach problem. I am worried that untill his digestive problems are taken care of his growth will not improve.
Attachment/Bonding: While in Rwanda he went through a phase of rejecting mom and wanting only dad to hold him. He also did not want to be carried in the Ergo towards the end of our trip however now that we are home he is showing a mild preference to mom since I am home with him and he rides in the Ergo no problem when needed. He still seems to be a little insecure as he will go through phases of wanting to be held all the time and being very demanding. At home he continues to want to be right at my side and will follow me from room to room when I am doing chores. We have not really noticed anything of concern or out of the ordinary for what would be expected the first few months home.
Sleep: This is the biggest challenge at this point. He will lay down easily beside me for a nap but at bedtime he becomes very hypervigilent. He will not stay in his own bed which I expected. In one attempt we put the side back on the crib (currently set up like a toddler bed) and he immediately completed a expert swing out of the crib! In Rwanda, Ethiopia and the first few weeks home he slept in bed with us all night. I then started moving him into his own bed in his sister's room after falling asleep but he started having night terrors and waking up. So now his bed in in our room and I roll him over after he falls asleep. The hope is that he will get more and more used to his bed and develop enough trust that he can eventually fall asleep in his own bed and move him to the other room.
Behaviors: He is definitely a toddler and is demanding in that if he wants something he will yell right away or have a tantrum. He also is fairly active and gets into everything in the house, I mean EVERYTHING. He has put my make-up on, tried washing towels down the toilet, dumped the food out of the fridge, crawls in the dryer and tries to shut himself in. Thankfully we found a special lock for the dryer but it seems that no amount of safety proofing would be enough as he has figured out how to open the cabinet locks. The doorknob covers have helped the most in simply keeping him out of certain rooms. That said he is also very playful and has a good sense of humor. He prefers to play with others and does not like being by himself (a good sign actually). When he does have a trantrum he gets over it quickly and will want to be picked up and comforted.
Similarities between adoption experiences:
Communication: While in Rwanda our son said very little and when he would talk he would whisper. I would right away ask someone what he said in Kinyarwanda and often they would say that what he said did not make sense. I did not think much of it then. Since being home he talks all the time. I am usually able to make out what he wants through his gestures and facial expressions. His brother and sister are not as in tuned to reading his clues and so he tends to do more yelling at them which can be frustrating for everyone. We were a little worried when we had a appointment at the Denver Children's Hospital and the interpreter there said that he just was not making much sense. However he is now learning new English words every day and is spontaneously using about 10-12 English words on a regular basis. My theory is that the kids at the orphanage had a partially made up language.
Medical/Physical: The biggest concern has been loose stools ever since he has been with us, not a single normal one. I will spare the details of what that means. We have treated him with meds three times now for two different parasites and have him on a vitamin with iron. The meds made it worse but even after there has been no improvement. He also tested positive for a actual human growth hormone deficiency. The IAC only picked up on it because when I reported what I thought was his "real" age to the IAC and gave them his growth record from the orphanage they charted it and noticed that he has not been making steady growth in height. He is only at or below the 5th percentile. He was also at the 5th percentile in weight at his last measurement at the orphanage but has already gained a whopping 6 pounds in the last 2 months so he is up to the 25th percentile in weight. We will be following up with a endocrinologist but hope that with improved nutrition he will start producing growth hormone again. We will have to do another stool sample (our 4th!) to see if the nasty parasites are finally gone and we are waiting on his Hep C test result because despite it being negative in Rwanda it came back inconclusive in the US. We are filling him with probiotics and have him on a limited diet in the hopes that his intestinal lining just needs repair. Most likely we will probably be seeing a gastro doc to further investigate the stomach problem. I am worried that untill his digestive problems are taken care of his growth will not improve.
Attachment/Bonding: While in Rwanda he went through a phase of rejecting mom and wanting only dad to hold him. He also did not want to be carried in the Ergo towards the end of our trip however now that we are home he is showing a mild preference to mom since I am home with him and he rides in the Ergo no problem when needed. He still seems to be a little insecure as he will go through phases of wanting to be held all the time and being very demanding. At home he continues to want to be right at my side and will follow me from room to room when I am doing chores. We have not really noticed anything of concern or out of the ordinary for what would be expected the first few months home.
Sleep: This is the biggest challenge at this point. He will lay down easily beside me for a nap but at bedtime he becomes very hypervigilent. He will not stay in his own bed which I expected. In one attempt we put the side back on the crib (currently set up like a toddler bed) and he immediately completed a expert swing out of the crib! In Rwanda, Ethiopia and the first few weeks home he slept in bed with us all night. I then started moving him into his own bed in his sister's room after falling asleep but he started having night terrors and waking up. So now his bed in in our room and I roll him over after he falls asleep. The hope is that he will get more and more used to his bed and develop enough trust that he can eventually fall asleep in his own bed and move him to the other room.
Behaviors: He is definitely a toddler and is demanding in that if he wants something he will yell right away or have a tantrum. He also is fairly active and gets into everything in the house, I mean EVERYTHING. He has put my make-up on, tried washing towels down the toilet, dumped the food out of the fridge, crawls in the dryer and tries to shut himself in. Thankfully we found a special lock for the dryer but it seems that no amount of safety proofing would be enough as he has figured out how to open the cabinet locks. The doorknob covers have helped the most in simply keeping him out of certain rooms. That said he is also very playful and has a good sense of humor. He prefers to play with others and does not like being by himself (a good sign actually). When he does have a trantrum he gets over it quickly and will want to be picked up and comforted.
Similarities between adoption experiences:
- Both went through a phase in country, the first few days in our custody where there was little eye contact, not a lot of activity, very reserved and very few attempts at communication. I suppose we could call this the "afraid because they just gave me to these crazy strangers phase"!
- Both went through a honeymoon phase the first few weeks home, sleeping all night (probably because they were so tired) and overall few behavior problems. Then moved into testing the limits and being afraid to fall asleep on own or to sleep in own bed the first few months home.
- Both began repeating and then spontaneously using English words a few weeks simply from being exposed fully to a new language and without any direct teaching.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Florida and Colorado Homecomings
Update: The CO children arrived safely to the Denver airport on Sunday to very relieved parents!
Great news! All paperwork was completed the end of last week for 82 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage. The children were boarded onto a plane headed for Florida yesterday in two groups. A portion of the children in the first group have parents waiting for them in CO and so they were escorted by medical staff from the Denver Children's Hospital onto Denver. Good for the Children's Hospital to step up and assist! We have received very good care for both of our adopted children from the Denver Children's Hospital outpatient surgery center and International Adoption Clinic so I know that these kids were in great hands. I am so excited for these children and families. One of the reasons that we switched away from the Haiti adoption program was that several years ago they were having a very hard time getting the kids home to the US. I was just to emotionally vulnerable at the time to take the risk. So it is truly a miracle that in the middle of such a tragedy that these children were able to so quickly be placed with their adoptive families, some of them just referred. Here is the actual Press Release:
Orphans Bound for U.S. in Two Groups
Eighty-two orphans will depart Haiti on Saturday (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) All paperwork has been completed for 82 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage and they have clearance to travel to the United States. These 82 children are scheduled to depart Port-au-Prince airport on Saturday, January 23, 2010, at around 11:00 a.m. on an aircraft bound for Florida. Those children with Colorado adoptive parents in this first group, will continue on to Colorado, accompanied by a medical team from the Colorado Children's Hospital. Orphanage staff and representatives of the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG) will continue to work with U.S. Embassy officials for humanitarian parole and travel clearance for the remaining eligible children. FHG hopes that these children will receive their clearance sometime on Saturday, January 23, 2010, with a departure date and time still to be determined. Kim Harmon, President of FHG, wanted to express her gratitude to the staff of the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince for their tireless efforts in processing the paperwork for all the children. Kim reminded adoptive parents and supporters to "continue in steadfast prayer for the children who are traveling tomorrow and for those who remain in Haiti." FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. For previous press releases and updates visit http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/.
Great news! All paperwork was completed the end of last week for 82 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage. The children were boarded onto a plane headed for Florida yesterday in two groups. A portion of the children in the first group have parents waiting for them in CO and so they were escorted by medical staff from the Denver Children's Hospital onto Denver. Good for the Children's Hospital to step up and assist! We have received very good care for both of our adopted children from the Denver Children's Hospital outpatient surgery center and International Adoption Clinic so I know that these kids were in great hands. I am so excited for these children and families. One of the reasons that we switched away from the Haiti adoption program was that several years ago they were having a very hard time getting the kids home to the US. I was just to emotionally vulnerable at the time to take the risk. So it is truly a miracle that in the middle of such a tragedy that these children were able to so quickly be placed with their adoptive families, some of them just referred. Here is the actual Press Release:
Orphans Bound for U.S. in Two Groups
Eighty-two orphans will depart Haiti on Saturday (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) All paperwork has been completed for 82 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage and they have clearance to travel to the United States. These 82 children are scheduled to depart Port-au-Prince airport on Saturday, January 23, 2010, at around 11:00 a.m. on an aircraft bound for Florida. Those children with Colorado adoptive parents in this first group, will continue on to Colorado, accompanied by a medical team from the Colorado Children's Hospital. Orphanage staff and representatives of the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG) will continue to work with U.S. Embassy officials for humanitarian parole and travel clearance for the remaining eligible children. FHG hopes that these children will receive their clearance sometime on Saturday, January 23, 2010, with a departure date and time still to be determined. Kim Harmon, President of FHG, wanted to express her gratitude to the staff of the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince for their tireless efforts in processing the paperwork for all the children. Kim reminded adoptive parents and supporters to "continue in steadfast prayer for the children who are traveling tomorrow and for those who remain in Haiti." FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. For previous press releases and updates visit http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Slow Progress
Here is the latest Press Release from Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God):
A Difficult Day... A Race Against Time
Blocked roads, heat and missing paperwork complicate orphans departure(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) Because of State Department procedural requirements, on the morning of January 21, 2010, 114 children left the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage for the U.S. Embassy. Of the 114 children, 111 were the orphans eligible for humanitarian parole to the United States and three were orphans who have Canadian/Argentinean adoptive parents and may also qualify for evacuation. Eighty-seven toddlers and children traveled in a bus and twenty-seven infants traveled in a van, accompanied by orphanage staff, representatives from the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), and members of the press. Dead bodies, debris and abandoned vehicles in the roads made movement very difficult. Temperatures inside the vehicles became extreme and began to make the younger children sick. After 2 hours of little progress, the difficult decision was made to return to the orphanage.
After returning the children to the orphanage, staff members returned to the U.S. Embassy and received permission to process the children's paperwork without the children being physically present. Humanitarian paroles for some of the orphans have been completed, however additional documentation was needed for others. The United States Customs and Immigration Service has pledged to work through the night with FHG staff to ensure that all required documentation will be available Friday in sufficient time to allow all 114 orphans to depart Haiti for the United States. Air Transportation from Haiti is being arranged for the evening of January 22, 2010. Kim Harmon, President of FHG, stated she is "overwhelmed and amazed by the dedication and willingness of individuals within the U.S. Government to assist in meeting Friday's deadline." She continued to call for "everyone to pray, especially for the health of the children." FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. For previous press releases and updates visit http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/.
A Difficult Day... A Race Against Time
Blocked roads, heat and missing paperwork complicate orphans departure(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) Because of State Department procedural requirements, on the morning of January 21, 2010, 114 children left the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage for the U.S. Embassy. Of the 114 children, 111 were the orphans eligible for humanitarian parole to the United States and three were orphans who have Canadian/Argentinean adoptive parents and may also qualify for evacuation. Eighty-seven toddlers and children traveled in a bus and twenty-seven infants traveled in a van, accompanied by orphanage staff, representatives from the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), and members of the press. Dead bodies, debris and abandoned vehicles in the roads made movement very difficult. Temperatures inside the vehicles became extreme and began to make the younger children sick. After 2 hours of little progress, the difficult decision was made to return to the orphanage.
After returning the children to the orphanage, staff members returned to the U.S. Embassy and received permission to process the children's paperwork without the children being physically present. Humanitarian paroles for some of the orphans have been completed, however additional documentation was needed for others. The United States Customs and Immigration Service has pledged to work through the night with FHG staff to ensure that all required documentation will be available Friday in sufficient time to allow all 114 orphans to depart Haiti for the United States. Air Transportation from Haiti is being arranged for the evening of January 22, 2010. Kim Harmon, President of FHG, stated she is "overwhelmed and amazed by the dedication and willingness of individuals within the U.S. Government to assist in meeting Friday's deadline." She continued to call for "everyone to pray, especially for the health of the children." FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. For previous press releases and updates visit http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Orphans Turned Away Today
Here is the newest press release regarding the children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage which is the one associated with For His Glory Adoption Outreach. But before you read it you may want to check out this CNN video clip which shows the orphanage and children at "Children of the House of God" at http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/01/20/todd.haiti.vinson.baby.cnn
Orphans Intend to Depart Haiti... AgainConfusing and complicated orphan process delays orphan's departure (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) On January 20, 2010, staff from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage accompanied by representatives from the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), attempted to obtain humanitarian parole from the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince for 133 orphans. The orphanage staff and FHG representatives were turned away because of confusion about photo requirements for each child. Additionally, they were informed that humanitarian parole would only apply to approximately 111 of the 132 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage. These are the orphans who have a "United States qualified referral" dated prior to the earthquake on January 12, 2010.
In accordance with specific instructions received today, orphanage staff and FHG representatives will depart for U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince in the early morning of January 21, 2010, with the 109 children eligible for humanitarian parole. We anticipate they will receive authority to depart Haiti via air by the early afternoon and will provide further information on the actual schedule as soon as we have it. Three of the remaining 24 children are being adopted by parents in Argentina and Canada and are waiting for those countries to announce their evacuation procedures. The remaining 18 children at Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage will remain in Haiti since they have not yet been referred for international adoption. The orphanage receives request each day to accept new orphans, however their ability to accept children orphaned since the earthquake is very limited. Orphanage staff today reported they were out of diapers, low on food and they remained concerned about security at the orphanage.
Kim Harmon, President of FHG, underscored her call "to all who care about these precious children to pray earnestly for their safety and that the complicated humanitarian parole process can be successfully completed tomorrow. We are thankful to the Lord for where He has brought us and for everyone's tireless prayer and work to accomplish His will in bringing these children home soon. We pray that the wait will not be much longer and continue to work to that end."
FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Orphans Intend to Depart Haiti... AgainConfusing and complicated orphan process delays orphan's departure (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) On January 20, 2010, staff from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage accompanied by representatives from the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), attempted to obtain humanitarian parole from the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince for 133 orphans. The orphanage staff and FHG representatives were turned away because of confusion about photo requirements for each child. Additionally, they were informed that humanitarian parole would only apply to approximately 111 of the 132 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage. These are the orphans who have a "United States qualified referral" dated prior to the earthquake on January 12, 2010.
In accordance with specific instructions received today, orphanage staff and FHG representatives will depart for U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince in the early morning of January 21, 2010, with the 109 children eligible for humanitarian parole. We anticipate they will receive authority to depart Haiti via air by the early afternoon and will provide further information on the actual schedule as soon as we have it. Three of the remaining 24 children are being adopted by parents in Argentina and Canada and are waiting for those countries to announce their evacuation procedures. The remaining 18 children at Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage will remain in Haiti since they have not yet been referred for international adoption. The orphanage receives request each day to accept new orphans, however their ability to accept children orphaned since the earthquake is very limited. Orphanage staff today reported they were out of diapers, low on food and they remained concerned about security at the orphanage.
Kim Harmon, President of FHG, underscored her call "to all who care about these precious children to pray earnestly for their safety and that the complicated humanitarian parole process can be successfully completed tomorrow. We are thankful to the Lord for where He has brought us and for everyone's tireless prayer and work to accomplish His will in bringing these children home soon. We pray that the wait will not be much longer and continue to work to that end."
FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
No Help or Protection to Get Orphans to the US Embassy in Haiti!
The following information brings about both joy and extreme concern. I am joyful that the children will be granted visas to the US but very disheartened that the US is providing no assistance to the orphanages to get the children safely to the Embassy and to provide them food and water while waiting. So much fo the press trying to say that things are happening the way they are to ensure the best interests of the children. No the primary concern of the US continues to be the prevention of illegal immigrants from entering our country, even if they are vulnerable orphans. I am not surprised though, I really cannot say that the processing of our own visa paperwork for our son was a smooth procress. Seriously, just imagine these small thirsty and hungry children having to walk to the US Embassy and then wait there for hours to process paperwork only then to get on a plane to a unknown destination! As a mother and psychologist I cannot even begin to explain how very wrong that process is for children who are already experiencing a trauma and likely to present with some form of PTSD symptoms.
Press Release from For His Glory Adoption Outreach:
Orphans Intend to Depart HaitiOrphans begin procedures to depart Haiti at U.S. Embassy(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) On January 20, 2010, 133 orphans from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage will begin the difficult process outlined by the U.S. Department of State for humanitarian parole and onward transportation to the United States. In accordance with instructions received from the State Department, as relayed by the Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS) at 8 p.m. today, orphans along with orphanage staff members have been instructed to arrive at the U.S. Embassy as early as possible on Wednesday morning. JCICS warned that no food, water or facilities would be available for the children while processing at the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince. JCICS further relayed that orphanage requests to the U.S. Embassy for security and transportation for the children have been denied by the State Department. The U.S. ministry associated with this orphanage, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), was also asked to stop requesting security, transportation or even water at the orphanage location. Following discussions with staff and board members in Port-au-Prince, the difficult decision was made that all 133 children, including approximately 60 children under the age of 3, will begin early in the morning of January 20th to walk the over 2 kilometers to the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince. This decision was made due to the limited staff available and the increasingly dangerous security situation at the orphanage in Port-au-Prince. The staff will carry as much water, food and baby formula as possible with them for the orphans while processing at the U.S. Embassy. JCICS relayed that once processing is completed, the orphans will travel to the United States on "cargo jets to locations that are not often known until an hour or so before the flight leaves." Kim Harmon, President of FHG, acknowledged that "this arrangement is far from ideal for the safety and well-being of the children. We are calling to all who care about these precious children to pray earnestly for their safety tomorrow." FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
JCICS STATEMENT January 19, 2010 8 p.m. est
UPDATE: Haiti It is once again my job to be the barrier of bad news. Another day come and gone and no change. Despite extensive Congressional support and all of your calls to your Members of Congress we have hit roadblock after roadblock. At this point we respectfully ask that you stop contacting your Members of Congress requesting their assistance with obtaining security, transportation, and water for the location. The Department of State has not and apparently will not provide the small assistance that we have requested. Given the current circumstances, at this point we are recommending that someone from each orphanage escort the children who qualify for humanitarian parole or adoption visas to the U.S. Embassy in Port-A-Prince. We recommend that the orphanage staff arrive with the children and any adoption paperwork that has not been destroyed as early as possible in the morning in order to attempt to obtain visas or parole for the children. Please understand that this option may not be considered safe and that the U.S. Embassy did not allow some orphanages onto the premises today. Additionally, please note that it has been reported that there is no food, water or facilities for the children to use while at the Embassy. As noted during our conference call earlier today, these are our recommendations only and should not be used to replace your or your orphanage director's good judgment. It is our understanding that any children processed by USCIS in Port-A-Prince are leaving on U.S. cargo jets to locations that are not often know until a hour or so before the flight leaves. At times children have left Haiti without the knowledge of their adoptive parents. This is currently the worst case scenario for the children's well-being and safety but at the moment there are no other options. As we receive more information we will continue to share it with you. While the situation at the moment is terrible I can only hope that our collective efforts produce some positive news. Despite the roadblocks Joint Council has not given up on the save haven and we continue to advocate for its creation and a more transparent and safe process in uniting these children with their adoptive families. Rebecca
Press Release from For His Glory Adoption Outreach:
Orphans Intend to Depart HaitiOrphans begin procedures to depart Haiti at U.S. Embassy(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) On January 20, 2010, 133 orphans from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage will begin the difficult process outlined by the U.S. Department of State for humanitarian parole and onward transportation to the United States. In accordance with instructions received from the State Department, as relayed by the Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS) at 8 p.m. today, orphans along with orphanage staff members have been instructed to arrive at the U.S. Embassy as early as possible on Wednesday morning. JCICS warned that no food, water or facilities would be available for the children while processing at the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince. JCICS further relayed that orphanage requests to the U.S. Embassy for security and transportation for the children have been denied by the State Department. The U.S. ministry associated with this orphanage, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), was also asked to stop requesting security, transportation or even water at the orphanage location. Following discussions with staff and board members in Port-au-Prince, the difficult decision was made that all 133 children, including approximately 60 children under the age of 3, will begin early in the morning of January 20th to walk the over 2 kilometers to the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince. This decision was made due to the limited staff available and the increasingly dangerous security situation at the orphanage in Port-au-Prince. The staff will carry as much water, food and baby formula as possible with them for the orphans while processing at the U.S. Embassy. JCICS relayed that once processing is completed, the orphans will travel to the United States on "cargo jets to locations that are not often known until an hour or so before the flight leaves." Kim Harmon, President of FHG, acknowledged that "this arrangement is far from ideal for the safety and well-being of the children. We are calling to all who care about these precious children to pray earnestly for their safety tomorrow." FHG is a ministry to the people and children of Haiti. Our ministry is dedicated to fundraising and assisting the orphanage, Maison des Enfants de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
JCICS STATEMENT January 19, 2010 8 p.m. est
UPDATE: Haiti It is once again my job to be the barrier of bad news. Another day come and gone and no change. Despite extensive Congressional support and all of your calls to your Members of Congress we have hit roadblock after roadblock. At this point we respectfully ask that you stop contacting your Members of Congress requesting their assistance with obtaining security, transportation, and water for the location. The Department of State has not and apparently will not provide the small assistance that we have requested. Given the current circumstances, at this point we are recommending that someone from each orphanage escort the children who qualify for humanitarian parole or adoption visas to the U.S. Embassy in Port-A-Prince. We recommend that the orphanage staff arrive with the children and any adoption paperwork that has not been destroyed as early as possible in the morning in order to attempt to obtain visas or parole for the children. Please understand that this option may not be considered safe and that the U.S. Embassy did not allow some orphanages onto the premises today. Additionally, please note that it has been reported that there is no food, water or facilities for the children to use while at the Embassy. As noted during our conference call earlier today, these are our recommendations only and should not be used to replace your or your orphanage director's good judgment. It is our understanding that any children processed by USCIS in Port-A-Prince are leaving on U.S. cargo jets to locations that are not often know until a hour or so before the flight leaves. At times children have left Haiti without the knowledge of their adoptive parents. This is currently the worst case scenario for the children's well-being and safety but at the moment there are no other options. As we receive more information we will continue to share it with you. While the situation at the moment is terrible I can only hope that our collective efforts produce some positive news. Despite the roadblocks Joint Council has not given up on the save haven and we continue to advocate for its creation and a more transparent and safe process in uniting these children with their adoptive families. Rebecca
BRESMA Children Evacuated
Yes it is true a plane carrying 53 orphans from BRESMA orphanage escorted by the Governor of Pennsylvania has landed in Pittsburgh. The children will be taken to the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital for evaluation and then placed in foster homes until they can be placed with their adoptive families in the US once the adoptions are final. It is my understanding that there may also be a possibility for the adoptive parents to take custody of their children when they themselves become licensed foster parents. This process however varies by state and can be a lengthy one as the training required goes beyond what is typically required for a standard adoption approval. So anyways here are some links to articles with the good news. Even Fox News has covered the story, although they specifically pointed out that the US has only given the o.k. for Haitian orphans who meet the criteria as orphans prior to the earthquake and were either close to their adoptions being completed or already matched with prospective adoptive parents.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011901538.html
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/19/dozens-haitian-orphans-traveling-adoptions/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100119/ap_on_re_us/us_haiti_orphans_pittsburgh
It is important for everyone to remember however that this was only one orphanage and there are many others still working with the appropriate officials to make this happen. The BRESMA orphanage is run by a young woman from Pennsylvania with the help of her even younger sister. They are a amazing duo and I believe it was their connections and swift appeals over the Internet which drew them the needed media attention to make this happen. Bringing a plane load of orphans into the US prior to their adoptions being finalized is no easy task. The US has made is very clear that they will return any Haitian Earthquake evacuees who are not granted official humanitarian visas. One of the most overwhelming aspects of both of our adoptions was dealing with the US immigration services. They require multiple applications, fingerprints, and processing fees close to $1,000 for one child. I also remember how long it took us to get through customs at the Denver airport with one child whose adoption had been finalized, I cannot imagine passing through customs in Florida with 52 orphans! For all of these reasons it is a miracle in itself that so many officials were able to work together to make this happen for these children. But again more are waiting as For His Glory Adoption Outreach is still sending out appeals for help. Here is one that I received this morning:
Greetings! We need you all to act again on behalf of all our children. Currently, we have two families from Argentina and one from Canada adopting. Our governments are not cooperating and working together to get all our kids out, they are dragging their feet. We are going to start losing babies due to dehydration if we do not evacuate these children quickly to the U.S. and then process them here. We do not have time for a one by one assessment of the state of their adoption process and issuance of visas prior to evacuation. Please, begin contacting your governors and continue to pressure your senators and congressmen to get a plan in place, quickly, to evacuate the children to the U.S. The Argentinean and Canadian Governments could then work with the U.S. to bring their children home from the U.S. Time is of the essence. This is not going to look good for the U.S., the State Department, the other world governments or the United Nations if our children, who survived the earthquake, begin to perish because the governments and agencies would not work together to quickly evacuate all the children in the orphanages. This needs to be a united effort. PLEASE CALL YOUR GOVERNORS, SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE. We have confirmed reports that Governor Ed Rendell form Pennsylvania went to Haiti and has brought back 54 children to Pennsylvania from an orphanage. If this can happen for them, it needs to happen for all the orphans that are suffering in orphanages with little supplies, starting to experience diarrhea and sicknesses due to the conditions.PLEASE ACT NOW ON BEHALF OF OUR BABIES AND CHILDREN. Thank you,Kim Harmon,President
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011901538.html
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/19/dozens-haitian-orphans-traveling-adoptions/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100119/ap_on_re_us/us_haiti_orphans_pittsburgh
It is important for everyone to remember however that this was only one orphanage and there are many others still working with the appropriate officials to make this happen. The BRESMA orphanage is run by a young woman from Pennsylvania with the help of her even younger sister. They are a amazing duo and I believe it was their connections and swift appeals over the Internet which drew them the needed media attention to make this happen. Bringing a plane load of orphans into the US prior to their adoptions being finalized is no easy task. The US has made is very clear that they will return any Haitian Earthquake evacuees who are not granted official humanitarian visas. One of the most overwhelming aspects of both of our adoptions was dealing with the US immigration services. They require multiple applications, fingerprints, and processing fees close to $1,000 for one child. I also remember how long it took us to get through customs at the Denver airport with one child whose adoption had been finalized, I cannot imagine passing through customs in Florida with 52 orphans! For all of these reasons it is a miracle in itself that so many officials were able to work together to make this happen for these children. But again more are waiting as For His Glory Adoption Outreach is still sending out appeals for help. Here is one that I received this morning:
Greetings! We need you all to act again on behalf of all our children. Currently, we have two families from Argentina and one from Canada adopting. Our governments are not cooperating and working together to get all our kids out, they are dragging their feet. We are going to start losing babies due to dehydration if we do not evacuate these children quickly to the U.S. and then process them here. We do not have time for a one by one assessment of the state of their adoption process and issuance of visas prior to evacuation. Please, begin contacting your governors and continue to pressure your senators and congressmen to get a plan in place, quickly, to evacuate the children to the U.S. The Argentinean and Canadian Governments could then work with the U.S. to bring their children home from the U.S. Time is of the essence. This is not going to look good for the U.S., the State Department, the other world governments or the United Nations if our children, who survived the earthquake, begin to perish because the governments and agencies would not work together to quickly evacuate all the children in the orphanages. This needs to be a united effort. PLEASE CALL YOUR GOVERNORS, SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE. We have confirmed reports that Governor Ed Rendell form Pennsylvania went to Haiti and has brought back 54 children to Pennsylvania from an orphanage. If this can happen for them, it needs to happen for all the orphans that are suffering in orphanages with little supplies, starting to experience diarrhea and sicknesses due to the conditions.PLEASE ACT NOW ON BEHALF OF OUR BABIES AND CHILDREN. Thank you,Kim Harmon,President
Monday, January 18, 2010
Challenging Thoughts on MLK Day
When I made the decision to adopt children from countries in Africa I was not color blind. I knew that raising African American children in a Caucasian family would sometimes be a challenge. I knew that my children would at points in their lives be judged by the color of their skin. We live in a fairly conservative community and it is not at all rare for us to walk into a store or a restaurant and get full blown and obvious stares from people (usually younger or older white men).
I have learned to ignore it, but I often wonder what is going on in their heads? The reason I bring this up is that I am very conscious of teaching all of my children not only about Ethiopian and Rwandan culture but also African American history. I believe that their identities depend on it and then they can make the choices that they need to make when they are ready.
So today we attended a MLK celebration organized by the University of Northern Colorado. It was moving and thought provoking but what was missing was a large number of people. We live in a community highly affected by racial tension, primarily targeted at the growing Mexican American population and we also have a growing number of refugees from various African countries now competing between minority groups for jobs. The tension is sometimes obvious but to often the racial divides are hidden or ignored by those of us who live comfortable white middle class lives.
Is this why there were so few people there? I think the messages and progress that Dr. King made are still very relevant today. Not only do I dream that my own children will someday not be judged by the color of their skin but I also dream of a world in which people are not hated and persecuted for all the other things that define us. Research has proven that we do not choose all of these things, they choose us, by the families that we are born (or adopted) into and the genetics that we are unwillingly handed. When I took my first class in my masters counseling program on multicultural counseling I was openly asked to identify one of my own prejudices and to write about it. That was not easy but it was the first step to teaching myself and developing tolerance. This would be a really great activity for MLK day, to identify a prejudice that you still carry and to research and learn and work towards tolerance and acceptance. Just something to think about.
On another note, I am pleased to see that some of the orphans in process of being adopted from Haiti have already arrived to the US on humanitarian visas or their cases are in process. Tonight while watching the local Denver 9 News they featured a family from Loveland, CO who was in Florida and just last night received custody of their two children from Haiti. If anyone in CO knows their contact info, drop me a line as I am trying to connect with as many Northern CO interracial adoptive families as possible. You can see a separate video from CNN with a update on children being moved out of BRESMA orphanage at http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/01/17/tuchman.haiti.orphans.cnn
I don't think the same little girl that they speak of in this video as going to CO is the same child who I saw on the local news.
I have learned to ignore it, but I often wonder what is going on in their heads? The reason I bring this up is that I am very conscious of teaching all of my children not only about Ethiopian and Rwandan culture but also African American history. I believe that their identities depend on it and then they can make the choices that they need to make when they are ready.
So today we attended a MLK celebration organized by the University of Northern Colorado. It was moving and thought provoking but what was missing was a large number of people. We live in a community highly affected by racial tension, primarily targeted at the growing Mexican American population and we also have a growing number of refugees from various African countries now competing between minority groups for jobs. The tension is sometimes obvious but to often the racial divides are hidden or ignored by those of us who live comfortable white middle class lives.
Is this why there were so few people there? I think the messages and progress that Dr. King made are still very relevant today. Not only do I dream that my own children will someday not be judged by the color of their skin but I also dream of a world in which people are not hated and persecuted for all the other things that define us. Research has proven that we do not choose all of these things, they choose us, by the families that we are born (or adopted) into and the genetics that we are unwillingly handed. When I took my first class in my masters counseling program on multicultural counseling I was openly asked to identify one of my own prejudices and to write about it. That was not easy but it was the first step to teaching myself and developing tolerance. This would be a really great activity for MLK day, to identify a prejudice that you still carry and to research and learn and work towards tolerance and acceptance. Just something to think about.
On another note, I am pleased to see that some of the orphans in process of being adopted from Haiti have already arrived to the US on humanitarian visas or their cases are in process. Tonight while watching the local Denver 9 News they featured a family from Loveland, CO who was in Florida and just last night received custody of their two children from Haiti. If anyone in CO knows their contact info, drop me a line as I am trying to connect with as many Northern CO interracial adoptive families as possible. You can see a separate video from CNN with a update on children being moved out of BRESMA orphanage at http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/01/17/tuchman.haiti.orphans.cnn
I don't think the same little girl that they speak of in this video as going to CO is the same child who I saw on the local news.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Link to Info on BRESMA Orphanage
Here is the link with valid information to follow what is happening with BRESMA orphanage. The other orphanage that has been highlighted in CNN articles.
http://thatschurch.com/
http://thatschurch.com/
Progress and Call to Action from For His Glory Adoption Outreach
Here are two condensed versions of updates that I received from For His Glory Adoption Outreach. Remember that during at time of crisis in a country any new international adoptions are halted so that they can ensure that children are able to be reunited with any existing birth families. If you want to understand the reason why further, there is a good article posted on Rainbow Kids, click here to read: http://rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=687
Thus the children that they are speaking of here and trying to get to the US are children who were already matched with adoptive families and in the process of being adopted.
"Greetings! At this time we need everyone to PLEASE contact your congressmen and senators. The only thing we need to evacuate the children in the orphanage to the U.S. is approval from the State Department and the President of Haiti. Everything else in place to be able to evacuate - the only thing keeping our kids in Port-au-Prince is this permission. We have babies with diarrhea who will dehydrate quickly and we need to get the kids out. Please, get on the phone now, and start calling. Ask your senators to contact the State Department to get this approval as soon as possible. Thank you, Kim Harmon, President For His Glory"
"Greetings! We just received word this evening from Frankise that the orphanage has 30 UN soldiers issuing medical care to our sick babies! Praise the Lord! We have also received aid today from the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. We have Pat and Tanya in the Dominican Republic. We are working to get Tanya, a physician, to the airport in Port-au-Prince to be there when the time for evacuation occurs so that she can be with our children. Please pray that we can do this. Please pray for our staff, for Pierre and his family, Frankise, Kiki, and our birth families. Once our children are evacuated, For His Glory still exists, and we will then turn our focus, for the time being, to humanitarian aid, particularly to our staff, our birth families and our neighbors.Announcements are forthcoming as to the next steps in getting our children evacuated and to the U.S."
Thus the children that they are speaking of here and trying to get to the US are children who were already matched with adoptive families and in the process of being adopted.
"Greetings! At this time we need everyone to PLEASE contact your congressmen and senators. The only thing we need to evacuate the children in the orphanage to the U.S. is approval from the State Department and the President of Haiti. Everything else in place to be able to evacuate - the only thing keeping our kids in Port-au-Prince is this permission. We have babies with diarrhea who will dehydrate quickly and we need to get the kids out. Please, get on the phone now, and start calling. Ask your senators to contact the State Department to get this approval as soon as possible. Thank you, Kim Harmon, President For His Glory"
"Greetings! We just received word this evening from Frankise that the orphanage has 30 UN soldiers issuing medical care to our sick babies! Praise the Lord! We have also received aid today from the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. We have Pat and Tanya in the Dominican Republic. We are working to get Tanya, a physician, to the airport in Port-au-Prince to be there when the time for evacuation occurs so that she can be with our children. Please pray that we can do this. Please pray for our staff, for Pierre and his family, Frankise, Kiki, and our birth families. Once our children are evacuated, For His Glory still exists, and we will then turn our focus, for the time being, to humanitarian aid, particularly to our staff, our birth families and our neighbors.Announcements are forthcoming as to the next steps in getting our children evacuated and to the U.S."
Saturday, January 16, 2010
New Desperate Haiti Orphanage Call for Help
O.k. I realize that I may be overwheleming my readers with all the posts about Haiti but it is overwhelming and the need continues to be urgent. One different decision and I would be one of those adoptive parents right now, glued to the televevision and the telephone trying to learn anything I can about my adoptive child and how to get him or her home. But that does not really matter how close the situation is to me, what matters is that there are children living in desperate situations and no help is arriving. If I could go volunteer right now I would but I cannot leave Leo at this time so there is little I can do other then donate money, offer up psychological consulation services from home and keep posting to spread the word.
So here is the update that I received this morning from "For His Glory Adoption Outreach"
URGENT CALL FOR PRAYER
We received word from Pierre this morning that the situation in the orphanage is becoming dire. We would like to ask EVERYONE that receives this to use this information to get on your knees before our Lord and ask Him to provide.We have one nanny that is deceased and the orphanage needs her body to be removed. The orphanage has no drinkable water.In addition they need:formula for babiesmedicinesIV fluids (one child is currently on an IV)charcoal to cookdieselcash to buy supplies if they find them. They are running out of cash and there are no banks open to get cash, so it needs to be delivered by someone already on the ground or by helicopter. Others are beginning to rob them of what supplies they do have. There are helicopters flying over the orphanage and they have made a sign on the roof that says they are an orphanage and need help. The staff is also working to get together all the paperwork for each child that has an adoptive family in a way that it can be attached to their body if there is an opportunity to evacuate. For His Glory is doing everything we can on this end to contact people who may be able to help. Please pray. Currently, that is the best thing you can do to help. Kim is doing everything she can, and respectfully requests that adoptive families do not call her at this time. We realize this is a very difficult time, however she needs her phone and time available to do everything she can to make contacts to try to help the children and staff at the orphanage. We will give you any updates we have as soon as they are available.
Trusting in Him,For His Glory
I am praying and begging please Lord bring help to all the orphanages in Haiti, lead the helicopters to their locations and drop them the much needed supplies. These are the most innocent and vulnerable of victims and even without injury a already malnurished and fragile infant will not last long under these conditions. Also I am begging the US Department of State to permit the Haitian orphans who are in process of being adopted to be granted emergency visas so that they can be flown to the US and joined with their adoptive parents. That would then open up room at the orphanages for children in need who have been seperated from their families during the earthquake. Even without medical injury these children are at risk of medical illness due to contaminated water and the psychological risks are unmeasurable at this time. We know that a child who has previous trauma, neglect, or loss is much more likely to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after a crisis. Well that includes the majority of the children in Haiti who were already living in desperate situations. Please everyone stand up fors compassion, mercy and justice to the children of Haiti!
So here is the update that I received this morning from "For His Glory Adoption Outreach"
URGENT CALL FOR PRAYER
We received word from Pierre this morning that the situation in the orphanage is becoming dire. We would like to ask EVERYONE that receives this to use this information to get on your knees before our Lord and ask Him to provide.We have one nanny that is deceased and the orphanage needs her body to be removed. The orphanage has no drinkable water.In addition they need:formula for babiesmedicinesIV fluids (one child is currently on an IV)charcoal to cookdieselcash to buy supplies if they find them. They are running out of cash and there are no banks open to get cash, so it needs to be delivered by someone already on the ground or by helicopter. Others are beginning to rob them of what supplies they do have. There are helicopters flying over the orphanage and they have made a sign on the roof that says they are an orphanage and need help. The staff is also working to get together all the paperwork for each child that has an adoptive family in a way that it can be attached to their body if there is an opportunity to evacuate. For His Glory is doing everything we can on this end to contact people who may be able to help. Please pray. Currently, that is the best thing you can do to help. Kim is doing everything she can, and respectfully requests that adoptive families do not call her at this time. We realize this is a very difficult time, however she needs her phone and time available to do everything she can to make contacts to try to help the children and staff at the orphanage. We will give you any updates we have as soon as they are available.
Trusting in Him,For His Glory
I am praying and begging please Lord bring help to all the orphanages in Haiti, lead the helicopters to their locations and drop them the much needed supplies. These are the most innocent and vulnerable of victims and even without injury a already malnurished and fragile infant will not last long under these conditions. Also I am begging the US Department of State to permit the Haitian orphans who are in process of being adopted to be granted emergency visas so that they can be flown to the US and joined with their adoptive parents. That would then open up room at the orphanages for children in need who have been seperated from their families during the earthquake. Even without medical injury these children are at risk of medical illness due to contaminated water and the psychological risks are unmeasurable at this time. We know that a child who has previous trauma, neglect, or loss is much more likely to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after a crisis. Well that includes the majority of the children in Haiti who were already living in desperate situations. Please everyone stand up fors compassion, mercy and justice to the children of Haiti!
Friday, January 15, 2010
CNN Articles: Haitian Kids in Adoption Process
Here is a link to a CNN article that talks directly about the orphans in Haiti who were close to having their adoptions finalized and their families who are anxiously awaiting news. It talks about BRESMA orphanage and two women who work their. This is the same orphanage that one of our local agencies work with and the message at the end of my last post was the one from one of the sisters working at BRESMA.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/15/haiti.orphan.adoptions/index.html?hpt=C1
And here is a article that addresses the current call to governments to assist in developing a plan to bring home to their adoptive parents, the children who were already in the adoption process and close to receiving their final documents. This article addresses a interview with the director from God's Littlest Angels, one of the orphanages that I have followed and who is associated with Bethany Adoption Agency.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/15/haiti.orphanage/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/15/haiti.orphan.adoptions/index.html?hpt=C1
And here is a article that addresses the current call to governments to assist in developing a plan to bring home to their adoptive parents, the children who were already in the adoption process and close to receiving their final documents. This article addresses a interview with the director from God's Littlest Angels, one of the orphanages that I have followed and who is associated with Bethany Adoption Agency.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/15/haiti.orphanage/index.html
Message from JCICS
Joint Council Announcement - Haiti
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Sometimes it is more than one can bear. Living in abject poverty. Living in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Living with no mother, no father. And now this.Yesterday, while the good people of Haiti were literally digging themselves out of the rubble, Joint Council and the members of our Haiti Caucus humbly met with a sense of despair, urgency, concern and resolve. Our phones rang off the hook with offers of help, with questions about the children and orphanages. Emails came in with more questions and more offers of help and financial assistance.How To HelpWhile Joint Council always accepts and appreciates contributions, we are asking all those who wish to make a contribution to please make that donation to those organizations who provide direct services to the children of Haiti. Below is a list of those Joint Council Member Organizations who have active and substantial programs in Haiti and who have the ability to make your donation provide direct assistance in Haiti.As you have seen on the news, most of Haiti has been impacted by the earthquake including orphanages, schools and medical clinics that serve orphaned children. The organizations listed below are able and willing to provide temporary assistance and to rebuild for long-term service to orphans and vulnerable families. We again urge everyone to make a contribution of any size. If you do choose to make a contribution to Joint Council, please know that your donation will be used to fund our efforts to coordinate emergency relief efforts. AdoptionsOur hearts go out to the children and families of Haiti and to those American families who are adopting. We understand your concern and fear during this time of uncertainty. And here is were Joint Council can help.While Joint Council does not provide direct services such as housing, clean water and nutrition during emergencies, we can help in other ways. We are preparing a database of adoptive families and the children whom they are adopting with a goal of providing you with the status and location of the children. More information will be published on this effort in the coming days.Joint Council is also working with the U.S. government to determine the impact of the devastation on the adoption process. Given that the coming days will be rightly focused on rescue efforts, it will take days if not weeks to fully assess the impact on adoptions and develop a plan to move forward with specific cases. Information on the adoption process will be published within the next few weeks.Adoption During EmergenciesAll credible organizations recognize and agree that new adoption cases, including new referrals, are not appropriate in a time of crisis or national emergency. Initiating new adoptions at this time could open the door to corruption and abuse of children. Every effort must be made to identify and find family members for children who are separated or displaced as a result of the earthquake.Joint Council understands the natural tendency to offer a loving family for children who may be newly orphaned, however we urge all adoption service providers and potential adoptive families to refrain from inquiring or attempting to start a new adoption.
All of us at Joint Council and our Member Organizations are working diligently and ask for your support of the children and families of Haiti.
Kentucky Adoption Services Information and Donations, click here http://www.kentuckyadoptionservices.org/ . Kentucky Adoption Services is providing medical assistance, food and clean water. Their team of 10 physicians will transport 2 planeloads of food and water. Donations for food and water are urgently needed. Their emergency relief efforts are in partnership with BRESMA Orphanage and Child Care Center.
Adoption-Link Information and Donations, click here http://www.adoption-link.org/ . Adoption-Link is providing emergency relief through their Haitian partnerships with The Foundation Enfant Jesus and also the Village of Vision. Adoption-Link works with the Foundation Enfant Jesus in Haiti with a focus on finding families for children with HIV through their Chance by Choice program. Their program with The Foundation Infant Jesus finds families for children including family preservation through strong community development programs.
Bethany Christian Services Blog and Donations, click here http://www.bethany.org/blogs/bethanyblog.nsf/Archive?OpenView&Type=Day&Key=2010-1-13.BCS is collaborating with Haitian local and national organizations in order to assist with earthquake relief. In Haiti, BCS currently provides child sponsorship programs, and is piloting a program to teach women a trade, allowing them to provide for their families, hopefully with the result that the family remains intact.
Carolina Adoption Services Information and Donations, click here. http://www.carolinaadoption.org/Carolina Adoption Services is focusing their emergency relief on housing, food and water for the children who have lost their orphanage. Carolina Adoption Services currently works in Tabarre, approximately 10 miles outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Carolina Adoption Services reports that the staff and children of the orphanage are unharmed, but that damage was sustained to the buildings themselves.
Celebrate Children International Information and Donations, click here. http://www.celebratechildren.org/ Celebrate Children is providing humanitarian relief and mission trips including medical teams and rebuilding projects. Celebrate Children International provides adoption services, humanitarian aid and medical services to families, children and orphans in Haiti.
Holt International Children’s Services Information and Donations, click herehttp://www.holtinternational.org/ . Holt International Children’s Services is working to ensure the safety and health of the children who live in Holt villages and are opening their doors to children in the surrounding area who have no homes to return to. Holt is using everything the have to make sure children are safe.Holt International has been providing services to orphaned children and at-risk families since 2004. Holt currently operates the Holt Fontana Village orphanage, which cares for children who have been orphaned or abandoned.
And I received this from our daughter's post-placement agency. They have a Haiti adoption program through their partner Kentucky Adoption Services:
Dear Friends and Families,
I am sure that you are all aware of the recent tragedies that have struck Haiti. At Adoption Alliance we are greatly concerned with the health and well-being of children all over the world. However, at this time our concerns for the children in Haiti are especially grave. Our networking Haiti adoption program with Kentucky Adoption Services allows us as a child placement agency to place Haitian children in adoptive family homes in Colorado. The orphanage group in Port-Au-Prince (Bresma) that we network with was home to approximately 170 children. All of the children are currently alive and accounted for, but they are in dire need of help. This is a snippet from a recent message from the head caretaker of the baby house which holds 30 babies (10 of which are matched with Colorado families):
"Our house is falling in two. We are living in the yard with no food and no water. We won't be able to keep the babies alive for very long as the water is contaminated. We know its crazy but can everyone come together and help us? This is our only hope -only private planes allowed so we can get water and food. The kids are almost American and have families in the U.S. Can't get through on the phone. Sending this from a stranger's blackberry."
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Sometimes it is more than one can bear. Living in abject poverty. Living in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Living with no mother, no father. And now this.Yesterday, while the good people of Haiti were literally digging themselves out of the rubble, Joint Council and the members of our Haiti Caucus humbly met with a sense of despair, urgency, concern and resolve. Our phones rang off the hook with offers of help, with questions about the children and orphanages. Emails came in with more questions and more offers of help and financial assistance.How To HelpWhile Joint Council always accepts and appreciates contributions, we are asking all those who wish to make a contribution to please make that donation to those organizations who provide direct services to the children of Haiti. Below is a list of those Joint Council Member Organizations who have active and substantial programs in Haiti and who have the ability to make your donation provide direct assistance in Haiti.As you have seen on the news, most of Haiti has been impacted by the earthquake including orphanages, schools and medical clinics that serve orphaned children. The organizations listed below are able and willing to provide temporary assistance and to rebuild for long-term service to orphans and vulnerable families. We again urge everyone to make a contribution of any size. If you do choose to make a contribution to Joint Council, please know that your donation will be used to fund our efforts to coordinate emergency relief efforts. AdoptionsOur hearts go out to the children and families of Haiti and to those American families who are adopting. We understand your concern and fear during this time of uncertainty. And here is were Joint Council can help.While Joint Council does not provide direct services such as housing, clean water and nutrition during emergencies, we can help in other ways. We are preparing a database of adoptive families and the children whom they are adopting with a goal of providing you with the status and location of the children. More information will be published on this effort in the coming days.Joint Council is also working with the U.S. government to determine the impact of the devastation on the adoption process. Given that the coming days will be rightly focused on rescue efforts, it will take days if not weeks to fully assess the impact on adoptions and develop a plan to move forward with specific cases. Information on the adoption process will be published within the next few weeks.Adoption During EmergenciesAll credible organizations recognize and agree that new adoption cases, including new referrals, are not appropriate in a time of crisis or national emergency. Initiating new adoptions at this time could open the door to corruption and abuse of children. Every effort must be made to identify and find family members for children who are separated or displaced as a result of the earthquake.Joint Council understands the natural tendency to offer a loving family for children who may be newly orphaned, however we urge all adoption service providers and potential adoptive families to refrain from inquiring or attempting to start a new adoption.
All of us at Joint Council and our Member Organizations are working diligently and ask for your support of the children and families of Haiti.
Kentucky Adoption Services Information and Donations, click here http://www.kentuckyadoptionservices.org/ . Kentucky Adoption Services is providing medical assistance, food and clean water. Their team of 10 physicians will transport 2 planeloads of food and water. Donations for food and water are urgently needed. Their emergency relief efforts are in partnership with BRESMA Orphanage and Child Care Center.
Adoption-Link Information and Donations, click here http://www.adoption-link.org/ . Adoption-Link is providing emergency relief through their Haitian partnerships with The Foundation Enfant Jesus and also the Village of Vision. Adoption-Link works with the Foundation Enfant Jesus in Haiti with a focus on finding families for children with HIV through their Chance by Choice program. Their program with The Foundation Infant Jesus finds families for children including family preservation through strong community development programs.
Bethany Christian Services Blog and Donations, click here http://www.bethany.org/blogs/bethanyblog.nsf/Archive?OpenView&Type=Day&Key=2010-1-13.BCS is collaborating with Haitian local and national organizations in order to assist with earthquake relief. In Haiti, BCS currently provides child sponsorship programs, and is piloting a program to teach women a trade, allowing them to provide for their families, hopefully with the result that the family remains intact.
Carolina Adoption Services Information and Donations, click here. http://www.carolinaadoption.org/Carolina Adoption Services is focusing their emergency relief on housing, food and water for the children who have lost their orphanage. Carolina Adoption Services currently works in Tabarre, approximately 10 miles outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Carolina Adoption Services reports that the staff and children of the orphanage are unharmed, but that damage was sustained to the buildings themselves.
Celebrate Children International Information and Donations, click here. http://www.celebratechildren.org/ Celebrate Children is providing humanitarian relief and mission trips including medical teams and rebuilding projects. Celebrate Children International provides adoption services, humanitarian aid and medical services to families, children and orphans in Haiti.
Holt International Children’s Services Information and Donations, click herehttp://www.holtinternational.org/ . Holt International Children’s Services is working to ensure the safety and health of the children who live in Holt villages and are opening their doors to children in the surrounding area who have no homes to return to. Holt is using everything the have to make sure children are safe.Holt International has been providing services to orphaned children and at-risk families since 2004. Holt currently operates the Holt Fontana Village orphanage, which cares for children who have been orphaned or abandoned.
And I received this from our daughter's post-placement agency. They have a Haiti adoption program through their partner Kentucky Adoption Services:
Dear Friends and Families,
I am sure that you are all aware of the recent tragedies that have struck Haiti. At Adoption Alliance we are greatly concerned with the health and well-being of children all over the world. However, at this time our concerns for the children in Haiti are especially grave. Our networking Haiti adoption program with Kentucky Adoption Services allows us as a child placement agency to place Haitian children in adoptive family homes in Colorado. The orphanage group in Port-Au-Prince (Bresma) that we network with was home to approximately 170 children. All of the children are currently alive and accounted for, but they are in dire need of help. This is a snippet from a recent message from the head caretaker of the baby house which holds 30 babies (10 of which are matched with Colorado families):
"Our house is falling in two. We are living in the yard with no food and no water. We won't be able to keep the babies alive for very long as the water is contaminated. We know its crazy but can everyone come together and help us? This is our only hope -only private planes allowed so we can get water and food. The kids are almost American and have families in the U.S. Can't get through on the phone. Sending this from a stranger's blackberry."
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Legitmate Ways to Help in Haiti
I continue to follow the news on Haiti and am praying for the hundreds of adoptive families who have children their, many who have watched these children grow for the last 1,2 or even 3 years as they complete the adoption process in Haiti. Praying for the many, many US citizens of Haitian descent who have family and friends in Haiti. Praying for the vulnerable in Haiti, the disabled, the medically fragile, the children that they may receive immediate assistance. And most of all I am hoping that the aide organizations in Haiti do the right thing. Unfortunately Haiti is a country filled with corruption and I am sure that there will be people who pray on the donations of others to their own benefit. I received two emails today from very legitimate organizations that we have supported in Rwanda and Ethiopia. These are not organizations that typically provided crisis intervention but organizations that are well known and very experienced in providing long term and sustainable assistance to third world countries. The second email from Charity Water includes links to their reccomended relief efforts. So I am reposting the emails here:
Dear Kari,Heifer International is issuing an emergency appeal for funds to help families in Haiti recover and restore their lives following yesterday’s catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake. “Heifer is by no means a traditional first responder,” said Steve Denne, Heifer’s chief operating officer, “but we have projects and partner families in Haiti who likely have lost everything, and now with this devastation, the need is even greater than before. This appeal will help us help our current families begin to rebuild their lives, and provide the chance to help even more families recover from this devastating blow.”
The massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti was the strongest to hit the country in 200 years. Heifer has worked in Haiti for 10 years, currently supporting 16 projects with more than 16,000 families and several farmer associations. Our projects are scattered around the country and range from training in sustainable farming and crop diversity to gifts of livestock, seeds, trees and grains to training in nutrition, aquaculture and fish production.
Give today to help rebuild lives in Haiti. “It’s essential that we prepare to follow the important work of first responders,” said Denne. “While they provide emergency food, medical care and aid, we offer our hopes and prayers for the victims and the families, but at the same time, we must prepare for the next wave of help -- giving people the tools and the ongoing help to rebuild their lives and their livelihoods.”
Give today to help rebuild lives in Haiti. “It’s essential that we prepare to follow the important work of first responders,” said Denne. “While they provide emergency food, medical care and aid, we offer our hopes and prayers for the victims and the families, but at the same time, we must prepare for the next wave of help -- giving people the tools and the ongoing help to rebuild their lives and their livelihoods.”
Heifer International has seven employees in Haiti. At the time of this writing, there has been little contact with Heifer staff or partners in Haiti, though efforts continue. “Our thoughts are with them, and we are preparing to respond with the most appropriate and most needed help we can,” said Denne. “This is a country that even in the best of times faces hardships most of us cannot imagine.”“We, all of us, have an obligation -- a duty -- to help any way we can.”
Funds raised in this appeal will be used in the recovery and rebuilding effort in Haiti in the wake of the earthquake. Any funds that exceed the level needed to provide relief in this rebuilding effort will go toward the disaster relief fund and for the entire mission of Heifer International.
Funds raised in this appeal will be used in the recovery and rebuilding effort in Haiti in the wake of the earthquake. Any funds that exceed the level needed to provide relief in this rebuilding effort will go toward the disaster relief fund and for the entire mission of Heifer International.
Link to Heifer website: https://secure.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.5720617/apps/ka/sd/donorcustom.asp?msource=EB7A090001&auid=5806986&kntaw4132=CDB818A92A63486EBA406617B0A061ADSincerely, Ashley MichaelHeifer InternationalSincerely
From Charity Water: Two ways to help Haiti.We've all heard the devastating news -- Haiti was struck yesterday by one of its worst natural disasters in the last 200 years.
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake shocked Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas on Tuesday just before 5 p.m., collapsing buildings and cutting water and electricity services. At least 3 million people have been affected.
charity: water is not a disaster relief organization. However, both of our implementing field partners in Haiti have immediately responded to the situation on the ground. We have full confidence in their work.
Today, we're asking that you contribute straight to their relief efforts, which include more than just water. A donation to Partners in Health and/or Concern Worldwide will provide emergency medical care, food, shelter, medicine, blankets and clean drinking water to those suffering from the quake's destruction.
Learn more and contribute to Concern Worldwide here >http://www.concernusa.org/Public/News.aspx?Id=790
Learn more and contribute to Partners in Health here >https://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/haiti_earthquake?source=charitywater
Learn more and contribute to Partners in Health here >https://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/haiti_earthquake?source=charitywater
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Port-au-Prince Earthquake
I was so saddened to hear of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince. To see such devastation hit the poorest country in the western hemisphere is heartbreaking. When we started our adoption journey many years ago we first looked into adoption from Haiti. We switched countries during our homestudy because at that time there were many children who had been legally adopted by US parents but the families were having a difficult time getting the children out of the country and into the US. There is still a huge need for adoptive families in Haiti because the adoptions are taking so long. Once a child is referred it takes a average of 20-24 months for the adoption to be completed and for the child to come home. This results in a heavy burden on the orphanages as they cannot take in new children when they do not have space. There are two orphanages in particular who I have followed, they are For His Glory Adoption Outreach forhisgloryoutreach.org and God's Littlest Angels glahaiti.org/home. As soon as I heard the news I checked their websites and thankfully the children are all o.k. The first orphanage did sustain damage to their building and injuries to at least two adults. If you want to help just go to their websites for more information.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Ethiopia Pics: Return to Addis Ababa!
Tensae after getting her hair braided (and extensions put in!) in the shopping district by our guesthouse. Check out the donkeys in the background.
A ancient eucalyptus tree planted by Emperor Menelik II at his palace in Mountain Entoto. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Entoto I LOVE this picture!
Family pic on the roof of our guesthouse (Yebsabi, http://www.yebsabi.com/index.php) at sunset.
Ethiopian coffee ceromony at the Hilton hotel.
Holy Trinity Cathedral (http://wapedia.mobi/en/Holy_Trinity_Cathedral_(Addis_Ababa)
A ancient eucalyptus tree planted by Emperor Menelik II at his palace in Mountain Entoto. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Entoto I LOVE this picture!
Family pic on the roof of our guesthouse (Yebsabi, http://www.yebsabi.com/index.php) at sunset.
Ethiopian coffee ceromony at the Hilton hotel.
Holy Trinity Cathedral (http://wapedia.mobi/en/Holy_Trinity_Cathedral_(Addis_Ababa)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Rwanda Pictures: Around Kigali
Mom and Leo in the courtyard at Chez Lando Hotel
Monkey enjoying somone's banana after they went back to the buffet at "Afrika Bytes". At the same lunch a hawk swooped in and grabbed food off somone's plate as they were walking to their table. You just can't beat that kind of entertainment at lunch!
Pretending we are Gorilla watching at the Rwanda Natural History Museum at the Kandt House (http://www.museum.gov.rw/2_museums/kigali/kandt_house/pages_html/intro/page_intro.htm
View from the backyard at the Kandt House (only reason to go there, the museum is small and no text in English). Kandt was a explorer who was credited for discovering the source of the Nile. His home would have (and still really is compared to what is around it) been a mansion at the time.
Kigali airport, you can see my two little tourists taking one last picture before leaving Rwanda. Little did we know that we would spend 6 hours waiting at the airport to leave!
Monkey enjoying somone's banana after they went back to the buffet at "Afrika Bytes". At the same lunch a hawk swooped in and grabbed food off somone's plate as they were walking to their table. You just can't beat that kind of entertainment at lunch!
Pretending we are Gorilla watching at the Rwanda Natural History Museum at the Kandt House (http://www.museum.gov.rw/2_museums/kigali/kandt_house/pages_html/intro/page_intro.htm
View from the backyard at the Kandt House (only reason to go there, the museum is small and no text in English). Kandt was a explorer who was credited for discovering the source of the Nile. His home would have (and still really is compared to what is around it) been a mansion at the time. 
Kigali airport, you can see my two little tourists taking one last picture before leaving Rwanda. Little did we know that we would spend 6 hours waiting at the airport to leave!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Rwanda Pics: Mini Safari at Akagera
Visiting the Akagera National Park was a highlight of our time in Rwanda. I wish that we could have spent more time there and that we would have arranged to take a vehicle that you can stand up in and look out of. It is safe to get out of the car around the giraffes but since they were standing right by the water buffalo getting out of the van was not a option. I still need to crop and edit the pics but here is a preview since who knows when I will have time to edit all my pictures!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Must Read Medical Information
If you are adopting a child from any country in Africa this is a must read article. When you are done you will probably know more then your child's doctor. At least that was the case for us with our daughter from Ethiopia and now we are going through round two of trying to make the doctors understand just how disturbing my son's recurrent loose stools are and what tests we still need to have done to explore all options. I am also trying to argue the point that maybe it would not hurt to go ahead and treat for some things given the risk of latent issues that may not be showing up on stool samples. Apparently there just are not that many kids around adopted from African countries, even with the continued surge in Ethiopian adoptions so your doc may need a little help. The specific parasite that we finally identified in our daughter almost a year after she had been home, because we would not accept her very high eosinophil levels in her bloodwork, is quoted right in the article as something to look for.
"Parasites commonly found in the water and food in orphanages include Giardia, tapeworm, roundworm, pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis), Cryptosporidium parvum, Entamoeba histolytica, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, and Dientamoeba fragilis. Eosinophilia (increased numbers of Eosinophils in the blood count) can be related to parasitic infection, but it is related to many other medical conditions i.e. asthma, allergy. If issues persist despite negative tests or after treatment, the doctor should look for some of the parasites that don't easily show up in stool, esp. Strongyloides, Schistosomiasis, and Filariasis."
We however had to drive all the way to the Denver Children's Hospital to get the correct test completed. O.k. enough venting. The article was written by Dr. Jane Aronson, the "orphan doctor" and founder of the World Orphans Foundation, who also just received the Glamour Woman of the Year Award. Anyways while it is written specific to Ethiopian adopted kids, the information is similarly relevant to any child adopted from another African country. Here you go, happy reading: http://www.orphandoctor.com/medical/regional/ethiopia/index.html
Oh yeah, if you want to know just what a child's stinky stool is like, just come on over to my house.
"Parasites commonly found in the water and food in orphanages include Giardia, tapeworm, roundworm, pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis), Cryptosporidium parvum, Entamoeba histolytica, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, and Dientamoeba fragilis. Eosinophilia (increased numbers of Eosinophils in the blood count) can be related to parasitic infection, but it is related to many other medical conditions i.e. asthma, allergy. If issues persist despite negative tests or after treatment, the doctor should look for some of the parasites that don't easily show up in stool, esp. Strongyloides, Schistosomiasis, and Filariasis."
We however had to drive all the way to the Denver Children's Hospital to get the correct test completed. O.k. enough venting. The article was written by Dr. Jane Aronson, the "orphan doctor" and founder of the World Orphans Foundation, who also just received the Glamour Woman of the Year Award. Anyways while it is written specific to Ethiopian adopted kids, the information is similarly relevant to any child adopted from another African country. Here you go, happy reading: http://www.orphandoctor.com/medical/regional/ethiopia/index.html
Oh yeah, if you want to know just what a child's stinky stool is like, just come on over to my house.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Holiday and Birthday Recap
We have been home for 12 days and during that time we have celebrated Christmas, my 35th birthday, New Year's Eve, and Kwanza (today). All this while making two visits for Leo to the doctor and battling severe jet lag. The adjustment to the time change was way harder then I would have ever imagined. It took a full week to get our bodies back into the sleep cycle appropriate for our time zone. As far as the doctor's visits we are still awaiting the results of a lovely stool sample to try and find out why Leo's BMs are so bad that they clear the entire house. Then the little guy came down with a case of mild croup on the 27th, the night of my birthday. Neither of my other kidos have ever had croup but thanks to hearing stories from other moms, I was able to recognize the seal sounding cough and 103 temperature and knew what to do at 1am. All the holiday activities combined with family being in town has made it a bit challenging to get a nap schedule going. But our new little man is adjusting very well. He is funny, energetic, loving, and talkative (in Kinyarwanda) and he seems to have a special talent for dancing and smiling.
Amongst all this excitement I have been trying to accept the fact that I am now 35 years old. For many women who I have counseled in the past turning 30 or 35 was a really hard stage for them. It is all to easy for me to focus on all the things that I should have accomplished by now. I should have a bigger house, I should not still be commuting to work, I should live in a nicer city, bla, bla, bla. So I have tried instead to do a mental check-in of where I am really at in my life. I guess I have accomplished more then I give myself credit for. I managed my way through BS, MS, and PhD programs in psychology and I have the whopping school loans to prove it! I have obtained a successful career with a decent paycheck. I have presented at professional conferences and been involved in professional organizations. I have vacationed throughout the US, Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico and have traveled to Africa twice. But my most important accomplishments are that I have been married to my best friend for 10 years and I am a mother to three amazing children. Every single one of my children are a miracle. My son, the only pregnancy out of 6 to survive to childbirth. My daughter, who has completely recovered from severe malnutrition and devastating loss. And my newest son, who you would never know spent the last two years pf his young life in a orphanage. Their talent and resilience are my best Christmas and Birthday presents, and my best inspiration to keep expanding my boundaries well into the next 50 years.
Amongst all this excitement I have been trying to accept the fact that I am now 35 years old. For many women who I have counseled in the past turning 30 or 35 was a really hard stage for them. It is all to easy for me to focus on all the things that I should have accomplished by now. I should have a bigger house, I should not still be commuting to work, I should live in a nicer city, bla, bla, bla. So I have tried instead to do a mental check-in of where I am really at in my life. I guess I have accomplished more then I give myself credit for. I managed my way through BS, MS, and PhD programs in psychology and I have the whopping school loans to prove it! I have obtained a successful career with a decent paycheck. I have presented at professional conferences and been involved in professional organizations. I have vacationed throughout the US, Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico and have traveled to Africa twice. But my most important accomplishments are that I have been married to my best friend for 10 years and I am a mother to three amazing children. Every single one of my children are a miracle. My son, the only pregnancy out of 6 to survive to childbirth. My daughter, who has completely recovered from severe malnutrition and devastating loss. And my newest son, who you would never know spent the last two years pf his young life in a orphanage. Their talent and resilience are my best Christmas and Birthday presents, and my best inspiration to keep expanding my boundaries well into the next 50 years.
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