Haitian orphans

if the way were paved for Haitian children to be adopted by U.S. citizens, or given emergency refugee status at the very least, i would gladly open my home to one, or more. i pray they're all safe.
 
There was an article in my local newspaper (Knoxville, TN) - 2 families waiting to adopt from Haiti, one little girl was killed at the orphanage, and the other is okay. The problem they're facing now is that the papers may have been "destroyed" or otherwise lost.
 
Here is link to an organization that our church actively support. Last year our church came up with money to buy land in order to build new facilities. The Mangine family just last year moved their family to Haiti in order to take in more children. If you would like to donate to an organization were all money you give goes to help the children please give. We already sponsor a child at the Haitian children's home. We did receive news that all the families are ok, but struggling to get what is needed.

http://www.haitianchildrenshome.org/haitianhome/
 

There's a news story at the miamiherald.com (/news/broward/breaking-news/story/1425090.html) on Haitian orphans being brought to the US. Looks like it may yet happen. :goodvibes
 
In March 1997 I was in Albania, Europe adopting a 3 year old boy. While I was there a revolution broke out and the Albanian citizens, the military, and parts of the government attempted to overthrow a then corrupt government infrastructure. One minute the country was peaceful, and literally within moments there were riots everywhere, people starting fires, and people shooting machine guns in the air. The courthouse where I adopted my son just 2 days prior was burned to the ground. The airport was closed. I was told there was no way out of the country. I was taken captive at the American Embassy where corrupt Albanian government officials attempted to trade my freedom and the freedom of my newly adopted child in exchange for American Visas for themselves and their family members whose lives were at risk of being assassinated. It was all over CNN. My congressmen got word to a US military ship that was doing training maneuvers off the coast of Italy and to make a very long story short, a secret rescue mission took place where myself, my adopted son, and other Americans were airlifted from the US embassy compound and taken back to their naval ship. My son was given emergency refugee status and I had no problem getting him into the states. If emergency refugee status could be granted to the orphans in Haiti, I believe they could be relocated immediately. It's a complex situation however, because there's a risk that some children are not actually orphans, but merely displaced from their parents in the midst of chaos. To give all those kids refugee status will require tough decisions. It will not be a "win win" situation for everyone. Hopefully the person in charge of that decision will be able to set tradition and bureaucracy aside and do what's best for the kids. My heart goes out to that person.
My adopted son is 16-years-old now and a wonderful young man. I can't imagine life without him. My family would graciously accept a Haitian child or sibling group in need of a family. It would be a bitter-sweet privilege. Unfortunately, because of my previous experience with foreign adoption, I predict government bureaucracy and lack of common sense won't allow it to be so easy. Sadly, children will die as a direct result of that- heartbreaking.
I am a nurse and ironically I work for the government. Even more ironically, my job is to provide nutrition education and food vouchers for families in need. I wish my tie to government provided me a head start to help the Haitian orphans who will die, but it’s just not that simple. If anyone becomes aware of a Haitian child in need of a home, temporary or permanent, my email address is somethingtobelievein at live dot com. And yeah, I know it’s “just not that simple”, but then again sometimes the impossible happens.

Emergency status for one child is one thing. Emergency status for 100's of orphans who's "papers" may now have been lost forever-I don't see it happening. The truth of the matter is under the best circumstances US INS is "slow". I don't see them suddenly granting permission for hundreds "quickly".
 
Possibly. My friend knows the Love A Child orphanage founders and she's done mission trips there herself. They arrange to send kids to the US for medical treatment that often involve lengthy stays.

I applaud you for your generosity of heart in considering this and I'm sure there will be kids who need homes and support temporarily and permanently.
 
From the Haitian Immigration page regarding adopting earthquake victims:

http://adoption.state.gov/news/Haiti.html

"It can be extremely difficult in such circumstances to determine whether children who appear to be orphans truly are eligible for adoption. Children may be temporarily separated from their parents or other family members during a natural disaster or conflict, and their parents may be looking for them. It is not uncommon in an emergency or unsettled situation for parents to send their children out of the area, or for families to become separated during an evacuation. Even when it can be demonstrated that children have indeed lost their parents or have been abandoned, they are often taken in by other relatives in the extended family."
 
I just saw on CNN that the two young women from Pittsburgh and the 150 orphans they had featured in a segment last night were flown safely to PA.

Some of the children were near the very end of the adoption process with families in the US. I was so relieved to hear they were flown out after they reported they were sleeping outside in a courtyard and were starting to run out of food and supplies.

Just wondering if someone had a link to a more recent update.
 
this is NOT true. They are still in haiti and at last update completely out of water. Ginny, the blogger i mentioned, is in contact with their family and confirms all info she posts with them. Her blog is thatschurch.com . She updates as often as possuble, so keep checking there for the most accurate info on the girls and their kids.
I just saw on CNN that the two young women from Pittsburgh and the 150 orphans they had featured in a segment last night were flown safely to PA.

Some of the children were near the very end of the adoption process with families in the US. I was so relieved to hear they were flown out after they reported they were sleeping outside in a courtyard and were starting to run out of food and supplies.

Just wondering if someone had a link to a more recent update.
 
What A sad state of affairs that our goverment will let countless children most likely die cuase of redtape.:sad2:
There is so many that will take these children with the means to provide A better life and yet our goverment will sit on there hands and do nothing...:furious:
I wish so bad I could do something about this.But the way this country is ran we can only sit,watch and cry!!!!!!!!!
 
I just feel SO strongly about these children needing us!

Keep the ideas/thoughts coming.

Terri

As the foster Mom to a baby that needed a place of safety and love, I can assure you that there are many, many babies and children that need help NOW. The thing is, they are right around the corner and right in our communities. If you and your husband have a heart that wants to respond to this crisis by opening your home to a child in desperate need, consider fostering someone in desperate need right here at home.

In the meantime, perhaps doors will be opened for these poor Haitian orphans for Americans to help. But I'll bet it would take some time.
Best wishes and keep discussing it with your DH. :hug:
 
OP here, thank you all for keeping this post alive. I keep praying for these children, and hoping that the redtape can be cut or ducked under or something! Saphire, I completely understand where you are coming from (I've been a teacher for umpteen years, and have seen it all, good, bad, and otherwise), but feel that people need to follow their hearts in these matters. IMHO, It's wonderful when ANY child gets a home, no matter their country of origin! I've emailed the Catholic organization that's getting all the publicity in Florida for Operation Pedro Pan with a running list of people in my area/family who I KNOW would be willing to help out with fostering, if not adopting.

Let's keep the good vibes going!!

Terri
 
As the foster Mom to a baby that needed a place of safety and love, I can assure you that there are many, many babies and children that need help NOW. The thing is, they are right around the corner and right in our communities. If you and your husband have a heart that wants to respond to this crisis by opening your home to a child in desperate need, consider fostering someone in desperate need right here at home.

In the meantime, perhaps doors will be opened for these poor Haitian orphans for Americans to help. But I'll bet it would take some time.
Best wishes and keep discussing it with your DH. :hug:

I very seriously considered fostering children in my home state, unfortunately the "red tape" is sickening. There are hours upon hours of classes, requiring lots of time off from work (mind you I seem to be doing okay raising my own). The state agency that places children is not required to tell you about their history so you could get a violent child and not know it, putting other children in your home at risk. I finally abandoned the idea.

I would temporarily take a child from Haiti, I would hope that they could be reunited with their fmaily but right now in those conditions, the kids need to get out. But, yes, if possible they should go home to their families. My doors will be open should the opportunity present itself.
 
I very seriously considered fostering children in my home state, unfortunately the "red tape" is sickening. There are hours upon hours of classes, requiring lots of time off from work (mind you I seem to be doing okay raising my own). The state agency that places children is not required to tell you about their history so you could get a violent child and not know it, putting other children in your home at risk. I finally abandoned the idea.

I would temporarily take a child from Haiti, I would hope that they could be reunited with their fmaily but right now in those conditions, the kids need to get out. But, yes, if possible they should go home to their families. My doors will be open should the opportunity present itself.

We looked into it, too - we also ended up walking away. The government makes it too difficult to help - maybe because of the checks :confused3. We offered to do it for free - we don't need the money - but were told that that wasn't the way it worked.

So we help in other ways...
 
I very seriously considered fostering children in my home state, unfortunately the "red tape" is sickening. There are hours upon hours of classes, requiring lots of time off from work (mind you I seem to be doing okay raising my own). The state agency that places children is not required to tell you about their history so you could get a violent child and not know it, putting other children in your home at risk. I finally abandoned the idea.

I would temporarily take a child from Haiti, I would hope that they could be reunited with their fmaily but right now in those conditions, the kids need to get out. But, yes, if possible they should go home to their families. My doors will be open should the opportunity present itself.

We looked into it, too - we also ended up walking away. The government makes it too difficult to help - maybe because of the checks :confused3. We offered to do it for free - we don't need the money - but were told that that wasn't the way it worked.

So we help in other ways...

Maybe you guys need to move here. LOL! DH and I just got licensed for Foster/Adopt through Orange County. Yes, there are 6 weeks of classes but they are in the evening, 1 day a week. Then it's just some paperwork, a few interviews, and home inspection. I had heard what a daunting task it's supposed to be and it was no big deal at all. Sorry it didn't work out for you. :guilty: To be fair, I have heard that ours is not the norm; not even for CA.

I did give my info. to the potential "Pierre Pan" people, just in case they do bring orphans over and there is any way we can help.
 












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