How you can help:

1. DONATE: Jenny, a friend of mine has set up a paypal button on her blog (the link is to the right) and is going to make sure any money that is donated will go directly towards feeding the kids, paying the Ethiopian staff who are STILL WORKING despite being laid off, and families who have to now stay in Ethiopia for MONTHS versus the 2 weeks they saved up for. I can't even imagine how stressful that would be!

2. Sign this petition:

This petition is to try and make sure families that have active files waiting for referrals will be able to continue on in their wait with either another agency or the Ministry. Can you imagine having to start over after waiting over a year for your referral? Plus there are babies in the transition house right now that were waiting to be referred. If this doesn't happen they will go back to the orphanage they came from.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/SaveOurDreamofAdoptingInternatio/index.html
(at the end it asks you for a donation but you can just hit continue)

3. WRITE:

Write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney asking that he issue emergency visas to those children who have been legally adopted and are waiting for their travel docs. Make sure you say in your letter that you are copying the Citizenship and Immigration critic, Maurizio Bevilacqua, and Leader of the Opposition, Michael Ignatieff. Then send a copy to Mr Bevilacqua and Mr Ignatieff with a cover letter asking that they follow up with the Minister. Details are below (Parliamentary mail is the same for all MPs.).

Parliamentary address:

House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Honorable Jason Kenney:

kennej@parl.gc.ca

Hill Office:

325 East Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Shocked, horrified and incredibly sad.

I hadn't checked in on my yahoo adoption group online in awhile and when I opened up the screen today I was horrified to read that the adoption agency we used to bring Moses home (Imagine adoption) has declared bankruptcy. They've obviously not gone bankrupt overnight but yet all that is there is a note on the website and absolutely no statement or letter to any families. They aren't answering their phone and the rumour is out that they will make a statement on Wednesday.

I am so angry but most of all I am so so sad for all the families affected by this (around 400+). Families with referrals for children don't know who or how they will be represented in the courts. Families still waiting for referrals now have to start from scratch. Families who have referrals and thankfully have passed court now have to anxiously pray that the Canadian government will issue the travel visa. And of course, everyone who had recently signed up or paid fees but were waiting for a referral will probably not be getting their money back.

I can't imagine being so close to getting the call that they have matched you with a child and now finding out that it's gone. Some people have waited over a year for a referral, and many of these families do not have the money to start over again with another agency. Many of these families have had miscarriage after miscarriage or have even switched out of the China program in the hopes that Ethiopia will be able to make them a family faster. My heart just breaks.

I do want to say that we don't have all the details yet. And I know that there are people at IA that are good people. Our caseworker was amazing and she truly cared for Moses and helped us through the process. But obviously there is something going on. It makes me even more angry that they are a Christian agency claiming to put the children first. Well, currently we have heard from families in Ethiopiea right now picking up their children that the staff their have only 3 days left of food to feed the babies and kids. The staff aren't being paid, but many of them are working anyways to care for all the children they have bonded with.

I don't know what else to say. When I get more information I will share it here. But I thought I would write something before it hits the media tomorrow morning.

Please pray for the families whose dreams of family have been shattered. Pray that their friends and family will be generous enough to give them the money they need to start another adoption, or for the families who have to travel to Ethiopia themselves to sort out the visa issue. Pray that they will not only get a travel visa but also have the financial means to be able to stay there until everything is complete. They may have to stay for several months and that is not easy as I'm sure you can imagine.

I am feeling even more lucky today as I realize this could've been us.

Why does international adoption have to be so hard? What is a news report like this going to do for the face of adoption in Ethiopia? What will it mean for the millions of orphans?

Go congratulate Nicky and family!!!

They finally passed court today!!!!!!!!!! The link to their blog is at the side and you can see a beautiful slideshow that will most likely leave you in tears. Their twin girls are officially their daughters. I'm so happy for them!

What is so exciting about adopting older kids is that on the day you pass court they find out about you. So today these little girls are finding out that they are being adopted by a family in BC and that they will have a forever family. Can you imagine what they are thinking today? Oh... it just makes me cry. They are opening gifts from their parents and seeing their faces for the first time. Kinda like their own referral day!!!

Even if you've never left a comment before, go do it now!!!

Congratulations Nicky and J.