RUMORS NO MORE

Today the US Department of State has issued an alert for Ethiopia adoptions.  Click here to read this alert.  I have posted the text below:

Government of Ethiopia Plans Major Slow-Down in Adoption Processing

March 9, 2011

Citing the need to work on quality and focus on more important strategic issues, the Government of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) will reduce to a maximum of five the number of adoption cases it processes per day, effective March 10, 2011. Under Ethiopian adoption procedures, MOWCYA approves every match between prospective adoptive parents and an Ethiopian child before that case can be forwarded for a court hearing. The U.S. Embassy is working with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to learn more about this change in procedures. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Given MOWCYA's current caseload, the U.S. Embassy anticipates that this change could result in an overall decline in case processing of some 90 percent. If this change is implemented as proposed, we expect, that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays. It is not clear if this change in procedures would have any significant impact on cases in which MOWCYA has already approved matches. 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?!?!?

1.  SIGN THE PETITION!  Click HERE and join the more than 13 thousand orphan advocates who have signed this petition in the last 24 hours.  This petition will go to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi.  Feel free to pass this link along to others!  The goal is to have 250,000 signatures by Monday!

2.  CONTINUE (or START) PRAYING!  Not just our child or children, but for ALL of the children in Ethiopia who are without a family!  And for the birth families who have become victims of corrupt practices.  May God find an answer to resolve 


3.  GO TO: Joint Council on International Children Services WEBSITE!   Read the articles under NEWS & UPDATES to remain informed of the latest news regarding this issue.


4.  SHARE!  Pass this information on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, your BLOG!  Help Call to Action your family, friends, church, etc.  Anyone who has a heart for adoption can become an advocate in any of the above ways!


There has been reported evidence in SOME CASES of unscrupulous operators tricking Ethiopian parents to give up their children, then falsifying documents in order claim a part of the large fees involved in inter country adoptions.  My college and fellow adoptive friend, Karen, puts it so well......

"We can point to family after family, and child after child, who have been blessed beyond belief with the gift of adoption.  And yet ... if even one child is taken from their family by force or by trick or by payment, can we justify the trajedy of a few for the benefit of many?  No - we cannot!  Should adoption from Ethiopia come to a screeching halt?  No - definitely not!  So the speculation swirls and the debate rages."

Please join in praying over these children as the meetings to resolve this continue throughout the week(s).  May God protect them from such evil, wicked operators.  May God also help bring them home to the families HE has planned for them to be a part of, from the very beginning!  Please pray for the hearts of families adopting from Ethiopia, as we are.  Families who really only want what is BEST for our own children as well as the other 4 to 5 million orphans in Ethiopia.......to be brought HOME in the most ethical and efficient way possible.  May God's will be done.


Here are a few other sites I trust for updates and perspective:
http://betheanswerforchildren.wordpress.com/
http://blog.beliefnet.com/redletters/2011/03/ethiopia-adoption-cuts-rumors-human-rights.html