A Family Asking for Help

I received the below email from friends of mine that are adopting the sweetest little girl, Karla, from Guatemala. They have experienced an incredible high when they first saw their daughter's picture for the first time and now they are faced with the same horror that thousands of other adoptive families are facing - the potential that Karla may never find her way to their home. I beg you to all help in any way that you can even if all that you can offer all these families and children at this time is prayers.

From Jennifer and Jason:

On Wednesday Oct. 3 Guatemalan congress passed the Ortega Law to regulate adoptions after January 1st. This means as the bill currently stands, all adoptions not completed by December 31 will stop. Those cases may, or may not, be allowed to complete under the new requirements of the new system, which will take months (some say years) to implement.

Since I have no hope left (and I believe rightfully so) that our process will be completed before December 31, this means it will affect us.

The only hope for in-process cases like ours is that next week the Guatemalan Congress will debate possible amendments to the bill. The grandfather clause, which would allow in-process cases to be completed under the system in which they started, is one of the amendments to be discussed.

This is why you and everyone you know NEED to take part in the "call to action" I mentioned last week. I have attached the directions for what you can do. I know it will take some time but Jason and I (and 4,999 other families) will really appreciate the help. If you have difficulties with any of the websites, etc. let me know. I will help you.

We're at the end of our ropes and just want this whole nightmare to be over.

THANK YOU in advance for your help. Don't hesitate to email or call if you have questions about what to do next week to help. Also, if you have time today and won't have time next Mon-Wed., do it today! HELP

Jennifer


Help With Guatemalan Adoptions and Bringing Home our Precious Baby Karla

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!


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

2. Call your second U.S. Senator.
Will be listed on website given above

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

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. This affects 5,000 US families! 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 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. The birthparents for these children have already relinquished their parental rights. As a result, they currently have no family and the 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

There are also sample letters on the following website: http://www.sunflowersandladybugs.com/blog.asp?ID=545
Scroll down to “sample letters.” Above the sample letters are other things you can do like 1) contacting the DOS Guatemalan Adoption Desk 2) contacting DOS person in charge 3) Call, email, or write the President of the United States. These are extra things recommended by others online but not by our agency. I plan to do them but you don’t have to.

For more information about what is going on in Guatemala go to JCICS, GuateAdopt, or the ADA websites.


Thank you!!!