Guatemala 5000 Initiative

The situation is Guatemala right now is a complicated mess wrapped up in power, politics, and money. Rumors, notices, and warnings from the United States government change constantly. It's a very volatile time and I have almost become numb to it.

Guatemala is in the process of changing its adoption laws and made a statement that in-process cases that did not complete by 12/31/07 would not be honored under their current laws. The U.S. Department of State issued a statement warning in-process parents that they and their children may be "out of luck". They then updated their statement to say that they would encourage Guatemalan officials to abide by the laws that were in place when the in-process families started.

I feel that the the United States government should support its citizens in the contracts they enter into and encourage all parties to abide by the laws governing the process when it was initiated - no retroactive enforcements. That's basically what is being threatened.

There is the potential for bad things to happen, which is why I chose the reputable adoption agency that I am working with. They may not get Gabriella home the quickest, but they are one of the most ethical agencies that I found while doing my research. It is a possibility that if this is not resolved, Gabriella's adoption may take even longer to process or could come to a complete halt altogether. What happens to Gabriella if adoptions stop completely; no one really knows. Guatemala does not have an infrastructure like we do here in the United States such as foster care and welfare. I am paying for her foster care, formula, diapers and medical visits through my adoption agency. There is a potential for a terrible outcome, but I am keeping faith and asking for the prayers and support of my friends and family.

What can you do to help?

Sign the online petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/petition.html

And support the Guatemala 5000 initiative from the Joint Council on International Children's Services: http://www.jcics.org/Guatemala5000.htm