Here is the link to the full video on the Hulu website:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/202472/adopting-haiti
Showing posts with label Adoption Information. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adoption Information. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Watch "Adopting Haiti"
I encourage you to head on over to Hulu.com to watch a documentary free online. The film, titled "Adopting Haiti" features the same orphanage that we served at this summer. The documentary shows footage of Port au Prince after the earthquake and follows the struggles that the children, nannies, and volunteers went through in the weeks following the earthquake. It features the events and actions leading up to the evacuation of the majority of the children who were being cared for at Maison des Enfants de Dieu. I want to point out that, in the film you will see a few children who have disabilities. These children are still living at the orphanage and waiting for a forever family.
Here is the link to the full video on the Hulu website:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/202472/adopting-haiti
Here is the link to the full video on the Hulu website:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/202472/adopting-haiti
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
They Are Waiting.........
Please go to this post at my friends blog and watch the video. It is from the Orphan Sunday website and it left me in tears. Then please come back to read what I have to say.
http://bryanandlauraadoption.blogspot.com/2010/09/it-made-me-cry.html
Are you back with me? O.k. so like me you might have been moved by the video or perhaps you thought jeez it is just a cartoon. The thing is, it really is not just a cartoon, it is real; very, very real. Yes, I am very aware that there are not many adoption programs where you go pick out your child at the orphanage but the kids don't necessarily know that. To them, they are not being chosen for some reason.
There are now a estimated 145 million orphans throughout the world, children who live on the street, children who are raising their little brothers and sisters, children who live in overcrowded orphanages, or if their fortunate enough, children who live in foster care. Proponents of international adoption claim that these numbers are false and inflated, but even if they are, even if the numbers of "true" orphans were 1/8 this amount. That would mean that there are 18 million orphans who don't have a family of their own. I strongly believe that being raised in a family unit is a human right, not a privilege for the chosen few who happen to be born to educated, healthy, and wealthy parents (I mean wealthy by world standards such as living under a roof and having food to eat). I have also read articles written to criticise international adoption claiming that children don't really grow up in orphanages. That orphanages are only temporary living situations for children. Really? Maybe that is the case in some countries were adoption is very popular but what about those other countries?
The reality that I witnessed in Rwanda was that children really do grow up in orphanages. And what about the kids in China and Russia who age out of their orphanage and can no longer be adopted? For these kids living in orphanages throughout the world, this video is very real. My most vivid memory from Rwanda was seeing the faces of the children at the orphanage on our last visit when our son said goodbye to his friends and caregivers. It was heartbreaking when we later learned from our POA that the older children were all asking her when she was going to bring them a mommy and daddy. This happens every day across the world, children are waiting for a family of their own and continue to see their friends leaving. This happened on a extreme level in Haiti when so many orphans were able to come home to their adoptive families in the US after the earthquake but the ones whose adoptions where not where they needed to be or the ones who had not been referred to a family yet, they stayed behind and watched their friends leave. These were not the faces that you saw being greeted at the airport on the news. These children are still waiting for a mommy and a daddy, waiting to no longer be a number and wondering why they have not been chosen.
http://bryanandlauraadoption.blogspot.com/2010/09/it-made-me-cry.html
Are you back with me? O.k. so like me you might have been moved by the video or perhaps you thought jeez it is just a cartoon. The thing is, it really is not just a cartoon, it is real; very, very real. Yes, I am very aware that there are not many adoption programs where you go pick out your child at the orphanage but the kids don't necessarily know that. To them, they are not being chosen for some reason.
There are now a estimated 145 million orphans throughout the world, children who live on the street, children who are raising their little brothers and sisters, children who live in overcrowded orphanages, or if their fortunate enough, children who live in foster care. Proponents of international adoption claim that these numbers are false and inflated, but even if they are, even if the numbers of "true" orphans were 1/8 this amount. That would mean that there are 18 million orphans who don't have a family of their own. I strongly believe that being raised in a family unit is a human right, not a privilege for the chosen few who happen to be born to educated, healthy, and wealthy parents (I mean wealthy by world standards such as living under a roof and having food to eat). I have also read articles written to criticise international adoption claiming that children don't really grow up in orphanages. That orphanages are only temporary living situations for children. Really? Maybe that is the case in some countries were adoption is very popular but what about those other countries?
The reality that I witnessed in Rwanda was that children really do grow up in orphanages. And what about the kids in China and Russia who age out of their orphanage and can no longer be adopted? For these kids living in orphanages throughout the world, this video is very real. My most vivid memory from Rwanda was seeing the faces of the children at the orphanage on our last visit when our son said goodbye to his friends and caregivers. It was heartbreaking when we later learned from our POA that the older children were all asking her when she was going to bring them a mommy and daddy. This happens every day across the world, children are waiting for a family of their own and continue to see their friends leaving. This happened on a extreme level in Haiti when so many orphans were able to come home to their adoptive families in the US after the earthquake but the ones whose adoptions where not where they needed to be or the ones who had not been referred to a family yet, they stayed behind and watched their friends leave. These were not the faces that you saw being greeted at the airport on the news. These children are still waiting for a mommy and a daddy, waiting to no longer be a number and wondering why they have not been chosen.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Rwanda Adoption Suspension
Yes it is true, Rwanda has signed the Hague Treaty and as a result they will not be accepting new dossiers after August 31st so that they can develop a new adoption system under the treaty. You can see their official statement at:
http://www.migeprof.gov.rw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=183&Itemid=131
While the initial reaction for me was sadness, this is actually a good thing in that the ultimate goal of becoming a Hague compliant country is that there will be further protections for the children, protection from corruption, stealing and false information. How long it will take for this process to happen and when new adoption applications will be accepted is unknown. I have heard that there is a very large number of dossiers already at the Minister of Gender and Family Promotions office so I am hopeful that these will be processed and the children who we saw at my son's orphanage will soon have their own forever families. Also there may be a few more dossiers able to arrive before the deadline. In order for the dossier to be processed it has to first go through the Rwandan Embassy in DC where a letter of non-objection is issued. It is then sent onto Rwanda. So there are families right now who were so close who are scrambling and getting on airplanes to get those precious documents to DC in time for this to happen. Their lives and the lives of their future children depend on many pieces of paperwork being managed in the nick of time. As far as families who were not that close, from a quick scan of blogs and chat groups it sounds like some are looking into other options and some are thinking about waiting it out for Rwanda adoptions to reopen. I would hope that the adoption agencies would be willing to work with these families and let them transfer over the fees that they have already paid to a different adoption program if that is what the prospective adoptive parents decide to do. As far as waiting it out, it may be a very long wait as ratifying to the Hague Treaty is not a fast process.
http://www.migeprof.gov.rw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=183&Itemid=131
While the initial reaction for me was sadness, this is actually a good thing in that the ultimate goal of becoming a Hague compliant country is that there will be further protections for the children, protection from corruption, stealing and false information. How long it will take for this process to happen and when new adoption applications will be accepted is unknown. I have heard that there is a very large number of dossiers already at the Minister of Gender and Family Promotions office so I am hopeful that these will be processed and the children who we saw at my son's orphanage will soon have their own forever families. Also there may be a few more dossiers able to arrive before the deadline. In order for the dossier to be processed it has to first go through the Rwandan Embassy in DC where a letter of non-objection is issued. It is then sent onto Rwanda. So there are families right now who were so close who are scrambling and getting on airplanes to get those precious documents to DC in time for this to happen. Their lives and the lives of their future children depend on many pieces of paperwork being managed in the nick of time. As far as families who were not that close, from a quick scan of blogs and chat groups it sounds like some are looking into other options and some are thinking about waiting it out for Rwanda adoptions to reopen. I would hope that the adoption agencies would be willing to work with these families and let them transfer over the fees that they have already paid to a different adoption program if that is what the prospective adoptive parents decide to do. As far as waiting it out, it may be a very long wait as ratifying to the Hague Treaty is not a fast process.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Blog about your positive adoption experience on April 15th!!!!!!!!!!
And so it has happened again that a negative side of adoption has taken the limelight of the media. I was really sad to see one comment in particular in response to the story on CNN in which a person stated that this was just another example of how nothing good comes out of adoption. My initial reaction was extreme anger in the form of: "Are you kidding me, does this particular person really live in a shell and only believes what they see on the media!", "Do they really think that children are better off living their lives in a orphanage?", "Do they really believe that every internationally adopted child is a irreversable psychological mess?" And then it ocurred to me that I am part of a very special community, a community of families with adopted children who are THRIVING. And of course the average American does not see this, so we NEED to tell them!
The Joint Council on International Children's Services has in response started a campaign called "We are the Truth". They are asking several things from families. This is relevant to ALL internationally adoptive families. So first and foremost JCICS is asking people to sign a petition requesting that adoptions from Russia to the USA not be banned. Secondly, they are calling for April 15th to be adoption blogger day. Blog or post on Facebook your own positive adoption story or the story of somone else who you know. We can make a difference by spreading the word and making this message strong and clear! There are other requests that JCICS has specific to families who have adopted from Russia. For more info go to:
http://www.jcics.org/Russia.htm
The Joint Council on International Children's Services has in response started a campaign called "We are the Truth". They are asking several things from families. This is relevant to ALL internationally adoptive families. So first and foremost JCICS is asking people to sign a petition requesting that adoptions from Russia to the USA not be banned. Secondly, they are calling for April 15th to be adoption blogger day. Blog or post on Facebook your own positive adoption story or the story of somone else who you know. We can make a difference by spreading the word and making this message strong and clear! There are other requests that JCICS has specific to families who have adopted from Russia. For more info go to:
http://www.jcics.org/Russia.htm
Sunday, April 11, 2010
NCFA's Response to Adopted Russia Boy Being Abandoned by USA Mom
Reposted from NCFA: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2010
MEDIA ADVISORY
NCFA Reacts to News of Adopted Child Returned to Russia:
Adoption Advocates Condemn the Act but Pledge Support to Intercountry Adoption
Today, Russian news sources are reporting that a seven-year old boy, adopted in 2009 by an American adoptive parent from Tennessee, was placed unaccompanied on an airplane bound for Moscow. Reportedly, the child bore a note stating that he was being returned and the adoption voided. The child's abandonment in Russia has been internationally criticized and now threatens the future of intercountry adoption between Russia and the United States. Senior Russian officials, including Minster of Foreign Affairs, Sergey V. Lavrov, are calling for a suspension of adoptions to the United States pending the implementation of reform measures to prevent such acts.
The National Council For Adoption has confirmed that local law enforcement officials in Tennessee are investigating and charges against Nancy Hansen, the adoptive mother, are being considered.
"Child abandonment of any kind is reprehensible," says Chuck Johnson, acting CEO of the National Council For Adoption. "The actions of this mother are especially troubling because an already vulnerable, innocent child has been further victimized."
Reacting to Russian officials' demands for a moratorium on intercountry adoptions, Johnson continues, "This news sends a false picture of intercountry adoption that now jeopardizes the lives of other children. If the reports are true, Ms. Hanson made a terrible, inexplicable decision. Fortunately, this single act does not represent intercountry adoption as a whole, or the commitment that American parents make to their children. Clearly, justice must be served, but a moratorium on adoptions would only hurt more children."
Although more than 60,000 Russian orphans have received loving families through adoption in the United States, this event follows other tragic outcomes of children adopted from Russia. While the majority of internationally adopted orphans end up doing very well, adopting formerly institutionalized children is not without its challenges. Many of these children suffer physical and emotional challenges as a result of the shortcomings often found with institutional care.
NCFA restates its firm position that all prospective adoptive families must be thoroughly screened and prepared for the realities of parenting a post-institutionalized child. According to Johnson, "Due to the efforts of American and Russian governments, as well as the professionals in the adoption communities of both countries, the process of preparing prospective adoptive families pursuing international adoption and supporting those families after the adoption has improved significantly in the past decade. However, when something like this happens, it makes professionals re-examine further what they can do to prevent such actions. We pledge to work with the Russian adoption community to enhance protections for children and support services to the families that adopt them."
U.S. Department of State officials are in talks with Russia to avert a full shutdown of adoptions.
Johnson concludes, "Isolated instances like this are horrible, but in no way should prevent thousands of children from having families through intercountry adoption
April 9, 2010
MEDIA ADVISORY
NCFA Reacts to News of Adopted Child Returned to Russia:
Adoption Advocates Condemn the Act but Pledge Support to Intercountry Adoption
Today, Russian news sources are reporting that a seven-year old boy, adopted in 2009 by an American adoptive parent from Tennessee, was placed unaccompanied on an airplane bound for Moscow. Reportedly, the child bore a note stating that he was being returned and the adoption voided. The child's abandonment in Russia has been internationally criticized and now threatens the future of intercountry adoption between Russia and the United States. Senior Russian officials, including Minster of Foreign Affairs, Sergey V. Lavrov, are calling for a suspension of adoptions to the United States pending the implementation of reform measures to prevent such acts.
The National Council For Adoption has confirmed that local law enforcement officials in Tennessee are investigating and charges against Nancy Hansen, the adoptive mother, are being considered.
"Child abandonment of any kind is reprehensible," says Chuck Johnson, acting CEO of the National Council For Adoption. "The actions of this mother are especially troubling because an already vulnerable, innocent child has been further victimized."
Reacting to Russian officials' demands for a moratorium on intercountry adoptions, Johnson continues, "This news sends a false picture of intercountry adoption that now jeopardizes the lives of other children. If the reports are true, Ms. Hanson made a terrible, inexplicable decision. Fortunately, this single act does not represent intercountry adoption as a whole, or the commitment that American parents make to their children. Clearly, justice must be served, but a moratorium on adoptions would only hurt more children."
Although more than 60,000 Russian orphans have received loving families through adoption in the United States, this event follows other tragic outcomes of children adopted from Russia. While the majority of internationally adopted orphans end up doing very well, adopting formerly institutionalized children is not without its challenges. Many of these children suffer physical and emotional challenges as a result of the shortcomings often found with institutional care.
NCFA restates its firm position that all prospective adoptive families must be thoroughly screened and prepared for the realities of parenting a post-institutionalized child. According to Johnson, "Due to the efforts of American and Russian governments, as well as the professionals in the adoption communities of both countries, the process of preparing prospective adoptive families pursuing international adoption and supporting those families after the adoption has improved significantly in the past decade. However, when something like this happens, it makes professionals re-examine further what they can do to prevent such actions. We pledge to work with the Russian adoption community to enhance protections for children and support services to the families that adopt them."
U.S. Department of State officials are in talks with Russia to avert a full shutdown of adoptions.
Johnson concludes, "Isolated instances like this are horrible, but in no way should prevent thousands of children from having families through intercountry adoption
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/.
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/.
Friday, January 15, 2010
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."
Friday, October 2, 2009
Bad for the Today Show!
Not sure if any of you have heard, read, or seen this story. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33089578/ns/today-parenting_and_family
It is about a adoptive mother who had 5 biological children then adopted a infant from South America, then relinquished her rights to the boy after only 18 months. In the Today Show interview she says that "It went both ways." In other words the child was not bonding with her.
So as a adoptive mother AND a child mental health professional here are my immediate thoughts:
1)How can you possibly blame a infant for not bonding with you?
2) You just cannot parent a adoptive child the same as your biological child.
3) Did she miss the education piece that adoption is not easy and not all roses?
4) What part of her did not understand that adoption is permanent, as in forever. She did not give away her biological children now did she?
5) Maybe adopting a 6th child when your husband is gone for long periods in the military is not such a good idea.
6) What was her reason for adopting anyways? That one question can often answer a lot when problems arise.
So maybe I am being to hard on her, maybe I would feel differently if I was her therapist. But it should not be about her, she will be fine, it should be about the child! O.k. so maybe it was best for the child to go to a new home where he could actually get the love and care that he needs rather then be messed up for the rest of his life. But come on, adoption is FOREVER. No child is perfect and we don't just give them away when there are problems (or at least in healthy functioning families we don't). So what irritates me most about this story are the statements made by Today Show Correspondent Natalie Morales. http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/10/01/2083993.aspx?p=1
Here is what she says:
"No matter how you feel about Anita's decision to terminate her adoption, her story is one almost every mother can relate to on some level. That’s because this is not necessarily about terminating an adoption as it is a story of a woman coming to terms with her emotions and accepting the fact she couldn't be the kind of mom she thought she would be to her adopted child. As much as we all like to think we can do it all, we’ve all had that humbling moment – or many humbling moments -- when we must recognize our own limitations. When was the last time you felt like you weren't a good enough parent? How often have you asked if you are doing the right thing, whether in loving or disciplining your child?"
Are you kidding me Natalie?! Yeah we all have those moments, there is no perfect parent and way to much is expected out of us as mothers in the US. But come on, I can in no way relate to Anita's story because she did not just question her parenting ability, she also blamed the child for not bonding with her and then gave him away. Gave away a child who already had come to her with loss and grief and trauma. I can sympathize with birth parents who relinquish their children for adoption as infants because they know they cannot provide what the child needs. They are making a selfless and loving decision. But to be a middle-class mother who has 5 birth children, then adopt a child because you think you can save the world and have a big family at the same time and do it on your own since your husband is in the military. Then you give the kid back when it is not the dream that you thought it would be? Nope I cannot related to Anita's story, not as a birth mother, not as a adoptive mother, not as a Marriage and Family Therapist, and not as a Psychologist.
Just a warning, if you do go to the Today Show link, the comments made by some people are out right negative and nasty towards adopted children. One of the first comments is about how a person thinks that a certain set of children should never have been permitted to be adopted. Wow, maybe she should never have been permitted to grow up with a family in a home? Uhg, I should just stop now.
Natalie Morales is now at the top of my list for worst correspondent.
It is about a adoptive mother who had 5 biological children then adopted a infant from South America, then relinquished her rights to the boy after only 18 months. In the Today Show interview she says that "It went both ways." In other words the child was not bonding with her.
So as a adoptive mother AND a child mental health professional here are my immediate thoughts:
1)How can you possibly blame a infant for not bonding with you?
2) You just cannot parent a adoptive child the same as your biological child.
3) Did she miss the education piece that adoption is not easy and not all roses?
4) What part of her did not understand that adoption is permanent, as in forever. She did not give away her biological children now did she?
5) Maybe adopting a 6th child when your husband is gone for long periods in the military is not such a good idea.
6) What was her reason for adopting anyways? That one question can often answer a lot when problems arise.
So maybe I am being to hard on her, maybe I would feel differently if I was her therapist. But it should not be about her, she will be fine, it should be about the child! O.k. so maybe it was best for the child to go to a new home where he could actually get the love and care that he needs rather then be messed up for the rest of his life. But come on, adoption is FOREVER. No child is perfect and we don't just give them away when there are problems (or at least in healthy functioning families we don't). So what irritates me most about this story are the statements made by Today Show Correspondent Natalie Morales. http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/10/01/2083993.aspx?p=1
Here is what she says:
"No matter how you feel about Anita's decision to terminate her adoption, her story is one almost every mother can relate to on some level. That’s because this is not necessarily about terminating an adoption as it is a story of a woman coming to terms with her emotions and accepting the fact she couldn't be the kind of mom she thought she would be to her adopted child. As much as we all like to think we can do it all, we’ve all had that humbling moment – or many humbling moments -- when we must recognize our own limitations. When was the last time you felt like you weren't a good enough parent? How often have you asked if you are doing the right thing, whether in loving or disciplining your child?"
Are you kidding me Natalie?! Yeah we all have those moments, there is no perfect parent and way to much is expected out of us as mothers in the US. But come on, I can in no way relate to Anita's story because she did not just question her parenting ability, she also blamed the child for not bonding with her and then gave him away. Gave away a child who already had come to her with loss and grief and trauma. I can sympathize with birth parents who relinquish their children for adoption as infants because they know they cannot provide what the child needs. They are making a selfless and loving decision. But to be a middle-class mother who has 5 birth children, then adopt a child because you think you can save the world and have a big family at the same time and do it on your own since your husband is in the military. Then you give the kid back when it is not the dream that you thought it would be? Nope I cannot related to Anita's story, not as a birth mother, not as a adoptive mother, not as a Marriage and Family Therapist, and not as a Psychologist.
Just a warning, if you do go to the Today Show link, the comments made by some people are out right negative and nasty towards adopted children. One of the first comments is about how a person thinks that a certain set of children should never have been permitted to be adopted. Wow, maybe she should never have been permitted to grow up with a family in a home? Uhg, I should just stop now.
Natalie Morales is now at the top of my list for worst correspondent.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Common Sense Prevails
Well every once in awhile common sense prevails in the world of adoption rules, regulations, and recommendations. Recently some very outdated regulations regarding the medical testing and treatment for young children being adopted who may test positive for TB were updated. Here is the info, with a link to a link.
http://www.jcics.org/Build%20Families%20Not%20Barriers.htm
http://www.jcics.org/Build%20Families%20Not%20Barriers.htm
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Stand Up for Orphans!!!!!!!
I was appalled to see the movie trailer for the new Warner Brothers movie titled "Orphan". The catch phrase for the movie goes something like "There is something wrong with Esther" and of course it is a horror movie. There are enough negative portrayals of orphaned and adopted children out there and I am tired of it. It seems that every time Adoption Awareness Month rolls around some news station features real stories of older adopted children with adjustment and attachment problems, and of course the adoptive parents always claim that they had no idea what they were getting into. Then there are the movies and books, and this new one is just ridiculous, even titled "Orphan". What about all the thousands of positive adoption stories of children of all ages and sizes and ethnicity's? So if you care go the following website: http://www.orphansdeservebetter.org/ The Orphans Deserve Better Initiative is sponsored by the Christian Alliance for Orphans (http://www.christianalliancefororphans.org/). You can sign a petition to send a message to Warner Brothers, tell your own positive adoption story and find ways to get involved. What are you waiting for?Here are some facts as copied from the website:
U.N. estimate of the number of orphans in the world today: 145 million
Number of children in the foster care system in the United States: Approximately 500,000
Number of children in the foster care system waiting to be adopted: Approximately 130,000
Number of caring adults it takes to make a lasting impact in the life of an orphan: 1
The fears fanned by the movie Orphan reflect natural concerns many parents have regarding the long-term impact of adoption. How will adopted kids turn out? How would adoption affect our family? Adopted children and their futures vary as much as biological children do. But studies show definitively that the fears stoked by a movie like Orphan are not supported by the data. In fact, the opposite is most often true.
- An expansive 1994 study by the Search Institute comparing adopted teens to other teens found that:
Adopted teens scored higher on indicators of well-being such as school performance, friendships, volunteerism, self-esteem and optimism.
Adopted teens scored lower on indicators of high-risk behavior such as depression, alcohol use, vandalism, and police trouble.
Compared to their non-adopted siblings, adopted teens showed no significant difference in their perception of similarities between themselves and adoptive parents in terms of interests.
Children adopted trans racially showed no differences in terms of identity formation and self-esteem, attachment to parents, or psychological health.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
MIGEPROF Republic of Rwanda Website
The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in the Republic of Rwanda has done a nice job of putting together a informative website where you can stay updated on news related to the hard work of MIGEPROF as well as obtain important information regarding laws and procedures. The web address is: http://www.migeprof.gov.rw/
This week they also posted the "Guidelines on International Adoption" which can be located at: http://www.migeprof.gov.rw/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=64&Itemid=136
I am personally, really impressed with the work that MIGEPROF is doing and the gains that Rwanda has made in the equality of women. They have more female members on their Parliament than any other country!
This week they also posted the "Guidelines on International Adoption" which can be located at: http://www.migeprof.gov.rw/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=64&Itemid=136
I am personally, really impressed with the work that MIGEPROF is doing and the gains that Rwanda has made in the equality of women. They have more female members on their Parliament than any other country!
Friday, April 3, 2009
A Voice of Reason
So I have been somewhat following the Madonna international adoption controvery as she attempts to adopt a second child from Malawi. Because I am not aware of all the details, and neither are the media, I am going to refrain from judging her. I will say however that it is imperative that adoptive families follow and respect the rules, regulation, and culture from any country that they are adoptiong from. Unfortunately these issue are what Madonna is being questioned on and as a bi-product the media is again presenting international adoption, as a whole, as a controversial process. I think this is very unfortunate because you just cannot compare any single adoption situation to another, yet alone any country's processes to another. I am the first to say that I fully understand that adoption is not the answer to to solving any single country's orphan crisis, but no one can deny that, there are in fact countless, children throughout the world growing up in orphanages and this is not in the best interest of the child. I also believe that families who adopt should be doing so for the "right" reasons, should be fully educated about adoption, be committed to teaching their adopted child/ren about their home country, and understand the complexities of becoming a interacial family. So back to my original intent of this post; I received a CNN news notice today of a short article in which Mellissa Fay Greene, author and mother of 5 adopted children, was interviewed about her thoughts on the issue. In summary it is REALLY nice to see a "voice of reason" being interviewed for once. You can read the article here:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/04/03/madonna.reaction.adoption.malawi/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/04/03/madonna.reaction.adoption.malawi/index.html
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Why International Adoption?
My husband and I have been married for ten years in May. While we have faced our share of challenges and disagreements one thing we have always agreed on is how to parent our children and that we wanted to adopt even if we had biological children of our own. In the miraculous year of 2000 our eldest son was born, however we experienced the loss of multiple miscarriages in the years before and after. So we decided to put our adoption plan into place sooner rather then later. When we joyfully announced our plans to adopt a child from Ethiopia here is a sample of some of the questions that I received:
Are you sure you want to adopt? I am sure you can have another child of your own?
Why wouldn't you adopt a child in the US, there are plenty of orphans here?
Why Ethiopia, just because it is something different?
Are you sure the child will not have HIV?
Hmm, I answered these questions as nicely as I could, but now that I have some experience with this I probably would not be as nice. First of all, "Why the heck would anyone not want to adopt a child in need of a home?". There are millions of orphans in this world and EVERY child deserves a forever family. For some reason people seemed to get caught up on the idea that a adopted child is not the parent's "real child". I have to say that the amount of love I feel for my daughter is no less then what I feel for my son. She is in every way "my child". As far as the international versus domestic question, this is a very personal decision. For various reasons we felt drawn to international adoption. Again once we decided to adopt internationally the choice of which country is also a very personal one. Each country has differences in the amount of time that a family waits to receive a referral and travel to their child, differences in the paperwork required, the fees to be funded, and level of care that the children receive in country, and the requirements of the country for whether parents are even eligible or not to adopt from that country.
I did my research and we decided that Ethiopia was the best fit for our first adoption. Orphans come into care in Ethiopia for various reasons. Both of the child's parents may be deceased or one parent may be living and unable to provide for the basic needs of the child. What I know for sure from our experience in Ethiopia is that they love their children dearly and no child is handed over to a orphanage by his or her family without it being the last resort. Adoption from Ethiopia is no longer "unusual" as one person had asked me. In 2008 1,724 children were adopted from Ethiopia into the US and this does not include the number of children going into homes in European countries. Unfortunately international adoption is not perfect and as country programs grow the challenge of ensuring ethical practices will increase. This is probably a whole new topic for another day. What I do know is that there are no easy solutions on how to correct the situation that results in millions of orphans in the first place. I am the first to admit that adoption is not the answer to the world's "orphan crisis". Yet there continues to be a enormous need for willing adoptive parents, particularly those who would be open to a child with special needs, a sibling group or a older child.
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