Guatemalan Adoptions: How You Can Help

Ever since Katie was is in Guatemala with Eliot, I have been very interested in the process of adoption in that country. What has seemed to be a simple process for the most part, has turned into a very scary situation for many families in the process of adopting from Guatemala. The U.S. Department of State has declared that in-process adoptions will not be grandfathered into the new system, which is scheduled to take effect January 1. What that means is that these families who have been living with their children, fostering their children, parenting their children - regardless of how long they've been doing so or how close they are to going home - could be denied the right to finalize their adoption.

This more than breaks my heart.
At the moment, I don't know personally anyone in Guatemala.
But I know people who have come home from Guatemala.
And I know Katie's friends.
And I know adoptive parents of all sorts.

These ARE their children!

Imagine that your child was taken from you because of a paper trail technicality. Imagine that you are a fully functional, loving family and YOUR government decides you can't be that child's parents anymore. This isn't what we've come to expect. Not here - not in the United States.

But there are some things you can do.

You can take political action.
You can call or write your senators.
You can write to the Department of State.
And you can sign an online petition stating that you find this unacceptable.

Here are the links to Cheri's blog. She has all of the details under the post titled

DOS Warns Adoptions End Jan 1st

There are also sample letters and an online petition for you to sign as well.

Please help.
Someone else would do it for you.

And remember to pray for them.
Thanks for being people committed to caring for these children and their families.