Orphans in Haiti

I've received calls from friends and family asking if I'm going to pursue adoption from Haiti, given the children orphaned because of the earthquake. There is information on the 'net that the U.S. has lightened the red tape on Haitian adoptions.

That, sadly, is incorrect.

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State announced what they term a "humanitarian parole policy". To quote the announcement: ". . . allowing orphaned children from Haiti to enter the U.S. temporarily on an individual basis to ensure that they receive the care they need - as part of the U.S. government's ongoing support of international recovery efforts after the earthquake."

Unfortunately, the earthquake has created more orphaned children and created an even greater barrier to adopting from Haiti. With national and local governments in disarray and the physical damage to the towns and cities it is almost impossible to determine the status of the children. They may have been temporarily separated from parents, or there is extended family to contact who may take on care of the child.

The net result for potential parents is that adoption from Haiti just became that much more difficult. It is heartbreaking to see and heartbreaking to acknowledge.

m

I wish I’d known then what I know now

What I thought/ knew then – Wait to submit my paperwork until after I finished at Otterbein. There’s too much on my plate at once and I might make mistakes. A delay of a few months is no big deal.


What I know now – Those few extra months are really a few extra years.




Update from the CCAA – Parents with dossiers registered on or before April 3, 2006 have been matched to children.

Hey, my dossier date is August 10, 2006! That’s only four months left! Right?! Right?

Wrong. That could be another year.

Or two.

Maybe even three.

See, I really wish I’d known then what I know now.

m

P.S. - Yes, yes, shoulda, woulda, coulda. Everything in its time. Blah, blah, blah. I am truly not a patient person.