We Need Your Help!

All families currently adopting from Guatemala need your help. A dire situation has recently been announced. We have been aware that Guatemala may be closing its doors to adoptions to the US but the agreement had remained that all in process cases would be grandfathered in. This week the announcement was made that beginning January 1, 2008, all new cases as well as cases that are in progress will not be permitted to continue to completion. This means that over 5,000 families and children will never be able to be united. We are staying confident that this will not affect us, that William will be home before the end of the year. There are many friends of ours that are in the process who may suffer horrible consequences.

What can you do? I am copying in the letter that was just sent to us from our agency that tells you what you can do and the best time to do it. If you are not able to contact anyone on the suggested days, please contact them when you can.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. I will post this again closer to the dates when your action is needed.



Dear Friends,

Guatemalan President Oscar Berger has announced plans to suspend all intercountry adoption with American families on January 1 2008. Joint Council strongly opposes such a suspension and asks for your support in our efforts to ensure that all children retain the right to permanency through Intercountry Adoption.

President Berger's plans also call for the suspension of adoptions currently in-process. Such a suspension would be extremely detrimental to the children referred to adoptive parents. If President Berger's plan is actually implemented, up to 5,000 will unnecessarily remain in foster care or orphanages indefinitely.

This situation represents a pending crisis for the adoptive families who have lovingly chosen to provide permanency, safety and love to a child in need and most importantly a crisis for 5,000 children of Guatemala.

What can you do? Make six simple phone calls and one email.

1. Call your U.S. Senator.
· You can find your Senators' phone numbers at www.senate.gov
· Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

2. Call your second U.S. Senator.

3. Call your representative to the U.S. House of Representative.
· You can find your representative at www.house.gov
· Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff


4. Call or fax the Department of State's Office of Children's Issues
· Their number is 202-736-9130
· Their fax number is 202-736-9080
5. Call or fax UNICEF Headquarter
· Ask to speak with Ann Veneman, Executive Director
· Their number is 212-326-7000
· Their fax number is 212-326-7758
6. Call or fax UNICEF Guatemala
· Ask to speak with Manuel Manrique
· Their number is 011-502-2327-6373
· Their fax number is 011-502-2327.6366
7. Send and email supporting Intercountry Adoption to guatemala5000@jcics.org
· Write briefly or at length
· Joint Council will use the cumulative email petition in our advocacy for Intercountry Adoption


When should you call? Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday (October 8th, 9th 10th)

· For maximum affect, we are asking you to make these calls within a 72 hour window!


What should you say? Speak from your heart and give them the following information.
· The Guatemalan government has announced that all adoptions with the U.S. will be suspended on January 1 2008.
· Their announcement also indicated that there will be no 'grandfathering' of adoptions already in process.
· If children referred to families are not allowed to be adopted, they will languish in institutions or foster care.
· Your office must get involved and sign the CCAI sponsored letters to the President of Guatemala and UNICEF. These letters ask that all adoptions in-process as of January 1 2008 be allowed to processed to completion under the existing notorial laws.
· Your office should contact the Office of Children's Issues at the Department of State. Their number is 202-736-9130.

Can you explain the problem behind the pending crisis? Here is some additional information.
· Guatemalan President Oscar Berger has announced plans to effectively stop all adoptions into the United States including those children who have already been referred to adoptive parents
· Over 5,000 children have been referred
· The birthparents for these children have already relinquished their parental rights. As a result, they currently have no family and the Berger suspension will result in these children having no prospect for a permanent, safe and loving family
· The government of Guatemala currently does not have the finances or facilities to even provide housing for these 5,000 children
· The Berger plan is a crisis waiting to happen



Best Wishes,

Tom

Thomas J DiFilipo
President
+1-703-535-8045
www.jcics.org