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Thea Jarvis - Jul 12, 2006 View | Viewers

Categories: Thea's News

First of all allow me to apologise for not having been in touch for a

couple of weeks. Our telephone lines were stolen yet again and we

have been out of communication for the best part of three weeks, I

think. So I was not aware of most of your e-mails until yesterday

when I had a chance to go through them all.

My heart is broken and I am so distressed about the situation with

ICCO. I have been praying most of the night, asking God to help us

and give us a solution to the problem.

I know that Sue from Impilo is doing what she can to minimise the

affects that this calamity will have on our precious parents and

potential parents who are waiting to adopt. She is having meetings

with all kinds of people to find the best solution to the problem.

Let me say, first of all, (and I know that many of you won't like to

hear this so I say it as gently as I can) that authorities are NOT

generally in the habit of closing agencies without good cause. So

from my personal point of view, if ICCO was doing something wrong

enough to warrant closure and something that in the end was not in

the best interests of some children (even if they were not TLC

children) then none of us can or should stand by and allow it to

continue.

I am NOT fully acquainted with the exact accusation levelled against

ICCO, but as you know I have visited them myself and found the whole

set-up rather odd, to say the least. I have heard many, many

stories over the years. But I have lived long enough to know that

it is not wise to pay too much attention to stories. However, I

have also learned that "There is never smoke without a fire".

After all is said and done, we have no choice but to accept this

situation as it stands. There is going to be no quick fix as far as

ICCO is concerned. Indeed, what I hear is that it is unlikely that

they will be operating again. This is very drastic; but at least it

points us into a certain direction … a NEW direction ~ as clearly

there is no way of fixing what seems to be an unfixable situation.

First of all, we need to stand together. We need to remain focussed

on the one undeniable and evergrowing problem: these babies have

NOWHERE else to go! We are rescuing them from destitution by placing

them with families and we need as many families as we can get. What

we don't want to do is get pulled in every kind of direction because

of emotions or because of our personal opinions. We are all bound

by one strong force. We want the best for our babies and our babies

need the wonderful families that Germany can offer.

The situation in South Africa with abandoned children is getting

worse by the hour. It is imperitive that we all keep our minds on

that one important fact. We cannot allow something like this to

cast a shadow on Inter-country adoptions ~ we need to speak with ONE

voice, very clearly, very strongly. If we start fighting amongst

ourselves, it only generates negativity and negativity is never

productive. Please let us hold hands and stay strong together.

TLC has also had our disagreements with Impilo from time to time as

most of you well know. But in this we too will stand firm, and

unite with them to achieve the very best outcome for our babies and

for our German families.

The way forward, as far as I am concerned is to keep the positive

message of Inter-country adoption out there as loudly and clearly as

we can. To say that if there was a mistake, it is tragic; but the

babies of South Africa still need families and we cannot afford for

one agency's weakness to cast a shadow on the beautiful option of

adoption for these babies.

From my part, I am going to make an appointment with the Registrar of

Adoptions in Pretoria myself. She knows me (because I have adopted

14 children) and I frequently have contact with her because of

this. People often say that she is a harsh lady, but truly I have

never found her to be that. She is very kind. And whenever I have

had an occasion to visit her, she never argues against what I have to

say. She nearly always agrees with me.

I feel quite positive that when I tell her the enormous benefits

there are for our babies to be placed into families who have already

adopted one of our children, she will have to concede. And this is

the point that I will push for now. That our parents who are high

up on the waiting list for second babies MUST be accommodated in some

other way, because it is the best thing for the babies who are also

due to be placed.

At least if she agrees to help those families then we will have a

strong foot in the door. I am not sure if I approach her with the

huge challenge of transferring EVERYTHING from ICCO to some other

agency that she will feel happy to make a way for us.

For now, this is my plan of action. I will keep you posted as to

how I fare.

Remember you are my family. I am here to fight for you and help

you. Don't be afraid; I believe God will help us and we will be

successful. But you have to promise me that you are not going to

start quarelling amongst yourselves. That is not wise.

God bless you all, and I will be in touch shortly.

All my love,

THEA

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