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A happy lucky foundling from China in Australia

A happy lucky foundling from China in Australia

 
English.news.cn   2010-06-01 10:43:06  

Thai children reunite half a world away

Thai children reunite half a world away

By Megan Sprague | Lake Norman Navigator

Two years ago, when Samantha Morris left a Thailand orphanage after being adopted by an American family, her best friend Aaron was left behind.
But now, thanks to two Mooresville families, the children, now 10, have reunited. And they couldn't be happier.
The process of reuniting the pair, however, was a complicated one.
In 2007, Anita and Jay Morris of Mooresville decided to adopt after Anita was hit with what she called "empty nest syndrome."
She was persuaded to adopt by a fellow church goer.
"After talking to Jay, we both felt that this was what God wanted us to do," Anita said.
The couple filed adoption papers through WACAP, or World Association for Children and Parents. Nine months later, they met their new daughter Samantha.
"We just knew as soon as we saw the picture of Samantha that she was our child and we had to go get her," Anita said.
Not long afterward, the Morrises learned of Samantha's best friend, Aaron, who was still at the orphanage. That's when the Morrises told family friends Eric and Tamara Sutton of their experience.
"Always in the back of our mind, we knew we wanted to adopt, and have known it since we got married," Tamara said. "When Anita told us about her experience and about Aaron still being in the orphanage, Eric and I looked at each other and said, OK, we have no money to do this, but let's do it anyway.
"It was just as Anita said, it was like God wanted us to do it and He certainly provided the way."
The challenges in bringing Aaron to the U.S. were many.
The Suttons, who were already putting three children through college, received donations through their church, Peninsula Baptist, and friends and family members. The help came in handy.
In early May, shortly before Aaron's departure from Thailand, the Suttons learned they had to spend another $3,000 for Aaron's plane ticket because "the airline said the ticket we had was no good," Eric said. "God was there, providing for us."
In addition, political unrest that has plagued Thailand for years reared its violent head again recently, which slowed the visa process for the Suttons and their new son.
"The American embassy closed and the government was telling all Americans to evacuate," Eric said. "We were surrounded by razor wire fences, guards with machine guns and there was so much traffic trying to leave town; it was just absolutely crazy."
Seeing Aaron's quick acceptance of his new life made all the complications more than worthwhile.
Eric said he didn't expect Aaron to immediately call him 'Daddy' — which he does — or to have such a big personality. There is at least one adjustment Aaron has had to make, however.
"The first few nights he wouldn't sleep in a bed because he was used to sleeping on the floor, but he likes it now," Eric said.
When Samantha heard that her best friend was coming to America, she immediately had an idea.
"Samantha's favorite gift when she first got here was a bicycle, so she saved all of her allowance for an entire year so she could buy Aaron one," Anita said. "She absolutely would not buy anything else."
Both families said the orphanage from which the children were adopted was nice.
"They were treated extremely well," Anita said, "but they had to transition to a family setting."
Eric said both children are fond of the orphanage's manager and stay in touch with her regularly.
Samantha was shy when she was asked what she likes best about America.
"We know you like having a family who loves you, but what's different? What about the food here?" Jay asked, prompting his daughter.
She wrinkled her nose and said, "I still like Thai food better," as everyone laughed.
Aaron, meanwhile, has taken to saying Eric's favorite phrase, "Ya know what I mean?" with a big grin on his face. He is also teaching Tamara to speak Thai while she teaches him English.
Jay said that even though their adoption story turned out well, it is a very complicated and emotional process.
"There are a lot of forms for the government and we had a lot of work to do in Thailand," he said.
"It is a long process and you have to endure it, but focus on the end result," said Tamara. "I know we just got Aaron, but I am absolutely ready to do this again someday. It was so worth it."
All four parents said they would be happy to speak with anybody in the community who is considering adoption. For more information, e-mail Anita at ja1983@windstream.net

Written Answers Irish Parliament

Written answers

Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Department of Health and Children

Foreign Adoptions

10:00 am

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

Question 193: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the negotiations on a bilateral adoption agreement with Ethiopia; the consultation to date with the Australian authorities on the issue; the implications of her decision on adoptions from Vietnam; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22766/10]

Photo of Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (Minister of State with special responsibility for Children and Young People, Department of Health and Children; Minister of State, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Minister of State, Department of Education and Science; Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Adoption Bill, 2009, is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best interests of the child. Future intercountry adoption arrangements will be governed by the terms of the Adoption Bill 2009 when enacted.

Ireland does not have a bilateral agreement with Ethiopia in respect of adoption. Consideration of this matter is at an early stage. I have recently written to the Minister for Foreign Affairs seeking the assistance of the Embassy in Ethiopia in this regard. There has been no formal consultation on this issue with the Australian authorities. However, I am aware that Australia recently re-opened Ethiopian adoptions following a brief suspension.

Issues relating to intercountry adoption from Vietnam are treated on their own merits and are unaffected by consideration of matters related to adoption from Ethiopia.

Photo of Tom HayesTom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

Question 194: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding persons who were approved for adoption from Vietnam and who are awaiting outstanding reports to have their cases processed; the number of reports still outstanding; when these families and children will be able to complete the adoption; the status of the bilateral agreement between Vietnam and Ireland regarding foreign adoption; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22773/10]

Photo of Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (Minister of State with special responsibility for Children and Young People, Department of Health and Children; Minister of State, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Minister of State, Department of Education and Science; Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

It remains my intention to assist 20 named applicants to complete intercountry adoptions in respect of children from Vietnam on an exceptional basis and insofar as it is practicable in law. In communicating the decision to suspend the bilateral negotiations the Irish Government asked the Vietnamese Government whether it will be possible to proceed with these adoptions. The Vietnamese response was not definitive. The Government is attempting to put in place a mechanism in respect of these 20 applicants that safeguards against recent concerns raised in relation to intercountry adoption in Vietnam.

The Government decided to suspend indefinitely negotiations on a new bilateral intercountry adoption agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This will have the effect of suspending intercountry adoption from Vietnam until such time as the Adoption Bill, 2009 has been enacted and Ireland and Vietnam have both ratified the provisions of the Hague Convention. The Adoption Bill, 2009 is currently at Report stage and I hope will complete its passage through both Houses shortly thereafter.

Nieuwsbrief Annie juni 2010

Nieuwsbrief Annie juni 2010

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Dear Partners,

Just a few days ago, 15  3 year olds, faces shining with great joy came onto my office me. There was great excitement in the air, and they all at once wanted to tell me what they had been doing for their school trip that day.
They went to the fire station, and the fire engines were as big as the whole world. After that they went to the bus station and went into the buses, and the buses were very big too. My goodness when one is 3 years old and you look at such big things, it is something to talk about.
AND after that chicken and chips at Mega Bite with a cool drink. Little tummies were very full.
I just enjoyed seeing them so very happy.

We had an other very amusing thing happened. Every six month the dentist comes to Kondanani to check the children's teeth, if anything has to be done we take them to the surgery for treatment.
Last week, 6 of the small ones had to be taken to the surgery. After the treatment there is always something special, after all the dentist is not the nicest place to go, so we have to make it a bit of an outing. That means going out for lunch. Once again to Mega Bite, there are not to many choices in Malawi.
After eating and drinking they had to go to the toilet. These are little once who have never in their lives been to a public toilet or see a grown up man wee.
So, little Tom 4 years old and very inquisitive, stood there next to a man who was doing the same as he. He was fascinated, stopped, stood next to the man bent over and watch the man in action. The man never blinked an eye lid and Tom is still talking about the man and whatever goes with it, not suitable for this newsletter.!!!!
All this was watched by the father of one of our missionaries who are visiting and helping us. We had such a laugh about it.

Our Obert who is 11, decided that eating was not quite the thing to get involved in. It became quite obvious that there was something wrong and we decided to investigate. Well, we soon found out that he was the slowest of the slowest eaters and was being teased by the other children because of it, this was so stressful to him that he decided that, rather than be nagged by the house mother and be teased by his brothers in the house, he would give his food away.
For the last couple of weeks he has been having his meals in my house and of course I can't resist the temptation to spoil him with all sorts of extra goodies.
Obert goes back home bragging about all the nice things mummy gives him and he gets teased again because the others are jealous.
He went back to his own house this morning, I hope he eats, the others have been warned not to tease him, but Obert may just want to go back to me for his meals, and start a little game. Just imagine having 150 children to take care off.
We really need God's Wisdom every day.

Our Isaac, who he is 7, began to have real problems with his eyes. We visited the specialist on several occasions hoping that something could be done for him.
When a mucus was forming on the eye ball the specialist did a biopsy. He was found to have a tumor behind his eye and it could not be saved. We were really sad about that, I cried but he himself never shed a tear.
The eye has been removed and he will get a glass eye very soon believe he needs a new one every year. 
It amazed me how quickly he got over the operation. He is a brilliant student at school at it has not in the least affected his school work. Of course the other children try to tease him being a one eyed man, but he laughs it off. Great to see so much self confidence.

Do you remember my last newsletter, I mentioned little Hannah and her split lip. Well she is a beautiful girl now after the operation. She will have to have an other one when she is about 5, but she looks so much better and is a very pretty girl with a very beautiful smile.

The twins are also doing very well and have put on kilos. Both of them are walking now, their muscles will develop properly and there will be no more signs of the severe malnutrition they had suffered before they came.
It is so special to be able to be a blessing to these children, we did not have to leave them in the condition they were in.

Madalitso is 7, he was left abandoned at the Trade Fair grounds in Blantyre just after birth. A child like that will never be able to go and trace his family.
He was the only abandoned child we had, the others have all been adopted.
A great family from the USA are now adopting him, this is so special and I am so grateful. They have 5 of their own and the last born is a boy of the same age as Madalitso. He will now have a real family and a daddy and mummy.
We have already been to court and are awaiting for the final adoption order. Things are a bit slow, but we are expecting it any day and he will fly off to America.
The other children think it is amazing that he is going to America, and fly in a jet as they call it. 

We had the official opening of our new baby home "Caring Hands" last Wednesday. Our little once spend the first 3 years of their lives there and than move onto a home were they live as a family with their house mother, nanny and cleaning lady. 
I was amazed as to how many people were in attendance as it was a real last minute effort.
Press Trust ( a Malawian organization) sponsored 50% and God TV the other 50% of the building, representatives of Press Trust were present. 
TV Malawi, 2 radio stations and various news paper journalists were present and did interviews and filming.
I had to make a speech and all I wanted to do is cry, but I managed to compose myself.
It is a great building, beautiful for our children, and we give God all the Glory for enabling us to bring up our children ion such good facilities

The Rory Alec Clinic is now empty and is waiting for the next project.
A few month ago I invited the Heads of the Community Based Organizations (CBO's) for lunch, there are nine in our area. I really wanted to hear from them what was happening at grass root level. We live in a paradise in the middle of poverty, it is important not to forget what is happening around us.
After lunch I asked them if we could go with them into the villages and see their work. 
What we noticed while going into the villages was that, many of the men and women on Anti Retroviral drugs, these are the HIV positive people, were, although still alive, not healthy at all, in fact there was a lot of suffering in spite of the medication.
The reasons being that they are so poor and can't afford food that will help them to get on top of their condition and get them strong enough to go and get a job and earn a living.
This situation would not leave my mind and I really believe that there was a reason for that, my Heavenly Father had a plan and He uses people to fulfil His Plan.
The Rory Alec clinic will become a malnutrition clinic for adults who are on ARV's and still malnourished. It will be the first in the country, there always has to be a first.
It won't be an easy task, we are talking about village people who don't even know how to use a toilet, but it will be such a blessing to see them walk out after about 8 weeks well and healthy, able to find a job.
It is going to be an expensive exercise to begin with, and on going, but then we know Who our Source is.
We work for the big company called "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" ( Unlimited). 
We are looking forward to the challenge ahead.

Thank you for being part of this work, thank you for blessing our children and helping us to take care of them.
The newspaper called Kondanani an "Exceptional Children's Village", you my friends are part of that.

Yours in His Service,

Annie Chikhwaza.


Kenya updates - remains closed

Kenya Updates
These country updates bring you the most current and up-to-date information from our program coordinators. One way of keeping you informed of what is going on in the country.

June 2010
Our Kenya program remains closed to new applicants, as Carolina Adoption Services can only work with families who obtained immigration approval prior to April 1, 2008 (when the Hague Treaty was implemented by the US). We are hopeful that this will change at some point and we can once again open our program to families interested in adopting from this beautiful country.

Members of the ll Melegrano Network

Members of the network

 

 

Il Melograno Network is formed by representatives of the international civil society who, having once experienced institutionalisation or taking children into their families for care, have actively committed themselves to policies supporting children:


FAMILY GROUPS/ASSOCIATIONS

Response from the Attorney-General's Department to questions from ABC News Online

Response from the Attorney-General's Department to questions from ABC News Online

Why did the Government suspend Ethiopian adoptions?

On 18 November 2009, the Attorney-General suspended the Ethiopia-Australia inter-country adoption program due to concerns Australia could no longer conduct inter-country adoptions in Ethiopia in a manner consistent with its obligations under the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Inter-country Adoption. A key reason for the suspension was concerns about the apparent linking of referrals of children to the program with the provision of financial/material assistance to individual orphanages.

What was the outcome of the Government's trip to Ethiopia?

An Australian delegation travelled to Ethiopia from 17-24 January 2010 to discuss the suspension and investigate options for the future of the Ethiopia-Australia inter-country adoption program.

Oeganda - adoption exploitation

Land: Oeganda
Thema: Uitbuiting

 


                In het Iganga-district geven we aan 5.500 kinderen voorlichting over hun rechten. Ook bieden we onderwijs en juridische bijstand aan kinderen met HIV/aids en hun families.                


Het verhaal van Peter
Nog net kind en dan al weg bij zijn moeder. Peter is slechts 16 maanden oud als zijn vader hem komt opeisen voor familiebezoek. Twee weken zou hij wegblijven, maar hij komt niet terug. Als zijn moeder naar hem vraagt, zegt de vader dat Peter voortaan bij zijn tante woont. Niet veel later overlijdt de vader. Weer probeert zijn moeder Peter terug naar huis te halen, zonder succes. De tante houdt haar aan het lijntje. Peter’s moeder probeert hem te bezoeken, maar krijgt haar kind niet te zien. Als de tante vertelt dat ze hem voor een operatie naar Duitsland heeft gestuurd, gaat de moeder naar de politie. Haar kind mag zonder haar toestemming Oeganda immers niet uit. Bij haar ondervraging geeft de tante toe dat ze haar kind voor adoptie heeft afgestaan. Waarschijnlijk heeft ze hem verkocht. Hij woont in Jinja, in het oosten van Oeganda. Peter’s moeder krijgt van de politie het advies de adoptie aan te vechten. Maar ze heeft geen geld voor een advocaat. Gelukkig krijgt ze juridische bijstand via het project van FIDA-Uganda. De rechtszaak is maandenlang voorpaginanieuws in Oeganda. Peter’s moeder wordt in het gelijk gesteld: de jongen had nooit mogen worden afgestaan zonder toestemming van de nog levende ouder. De adoptie wordt onmiddellijk ongedaan gemaakt. De nu zevenjarige Peter is eindelijk weer thuis.

 

This is Lumos: Brand Refresh

This is Lumos: Brand Refresh

Lumos, the international children’s charity founded by J.K. Rowling engaged Global Natives to do a top to bottom brand refresh in advance of a major moment in the spotlight. That moment occurred last month, when the eBook version of The Tales of Beetle the Bard (a lateral book to the Harry Potter series) went on sale on Pottermore, with proceeds benefitting Lumos.

In the past months, we worked hand in hand with Lumos’ CEO and her amazing staff, both at their London HQ and in the field,to redefine how Lumos tells its story and engages the public with it. This was primarily accomplished as a result of a comprehensive process in which we deconstructed the brand via staff interviews and field research. Their work is so powerful, so important, but also complicated, and hard to immediately grasp given its breadth and depth. Thus, the initial focus of our work was entirely new branding and messaging. Once that was locked in, they put it to use… in a lot of places!

We’re proud to say that the finished products of the months’ long process speak for themselves. To tell their story across platforms, at eye level, to a multitude of demographics, we created:

A new website for Lumos that looks like anything but a standard charity website, with the emphasis placed on ongoing and dynamic storytelling. A major thanks to our friends at Public Society in Brooklyn for their help with design and development.

The Baby Business

U.S. couples adopting from abroad often think they’re helping vulnerable children. The reality is more complex–and poorly regulated.


 

When Katie and Calvin Bradshaw adopted three young sisters from Ethiopia in 2006, they believed they were saving AIDS orphans from a life of poverty or near-certain prostitution. But after learning English, the girls told their new parents that they believed the adoption agency, Christian World Adoption, had paid their birthfather for them. The girls said they had expected to return to their extended Ethiopian family, who were middle-class by local standards, as both CBS News and Australia’s ABC News reported. The Bradshaws were rightly horrified. (Today, the two younger girls are still with them, while the oldest daughter lives with Katie Bradshaw’s mother; in a lengthy response to the CBS News report, Christian World Adoption said it had no contact with the girls’ birth family).

I’ve heard a string of similar tales from families in Italy, Canada, Austria, and other Western countries adopting from Ethiopia, the current hot adoption source. In the past five years, Ethiopia’s adoptions to the United States alone have expanded exponentially: Americans adopted 442 Ethiopian children in 2005, and 2,277 in 2009, ranking Ethiopia right behind China as a source for our international adoptions. The combination of skyrocketing numbers and troubling stories suggests that Ethiopia has become the latest country beset by an all-too-common problem: a poor country in which unscrupulous middlemen are sometimes buying, defrauding, coercing, or even kidnapping children away from their families to be sold into international adoption.

Most nations’ adoption programs are relatively clean. But during some periods, in some countries–Cambodia between 1997 and 2002, for instance, or Vietnam between 2005 and 2009–evidence from government, newspaper, and NGO investigations strongly suggests that many international adoptions involved fraud. Serious problems have also been documented in such countries as Liberia, Nepal, the Marshall Islands, Peru, Samoa, and most notably, Guatemala, whose processes were so riddled with corruption that it was finally closed to adoption in 2009, after 10 years during which Americans adopted more than 30,000 of its children, in some years bringing home an astonishing one of every 100 babies born there.