I met Emily, Michael and Leeza the week that I picked up Owen. Here is her interview from today:
http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2012-12-28/Russian-bill-banning-US-adoptions-devastates-SWFL-families-#.UN4yC6Vj7ww
I met Jessica and Jonas when I was on my way back from my first trip to Russia to meet Owen in July. Jonas is such a beautiful little guy. It has been a pleasure to watch him blossom in his family's love.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Russian-adoption-ban-hits-close-to-home-for-Michigan-family/-/1719418/17939596/-/4iwtjs/-/index.html
Jaime Vanchura is a mom I met in one of my online groups. Their family is planning on adopting a baby boy with down symndrome from Russia.
http://www.abc12.com/story/20436409/midland-family-may-not-get-to-adopat-a-1-year-old-from-russia
This list goes on... to include a friend that has completed court... she was waiting out the 30 days... she is supposed to pick her beautiful little boy up in 2 weeks... now what?!?!? The list goes on and on... nobody saw this coming. I did hear at some point that there is may be hope for those children with medical needs... but it may just be a rumor... but I still have hope.. I sincerely hope...
Russia is stating they want more access to orphans once in the USA... what would they like? I will give it to them if one more can come home... We are already required to do post placement reports... that include medical updates, photographs, visits with social workers... but I will do more. I personally took the e-mail address of the baby home director and plan to keep her updated on Owen's growth and development. She was surprised at my willingness. But I do this for Elina's baby home as well... they love our children. So, yes we as parents can do that... we can communicate with the people that cared for our children. Just because their caregivers couldn't show the love of a family doesn't mean they weren't the family our children knew. We can show them the love that we pour into their little countrymen... the lights that begin to burn brightly within our children.
My heart hurts for the injustice.... over a political game... a backlash that was intended to show their power. Instead it showed their cruelty. I of course would prefer to see no child be available for adoption... for each country to have an overabundance of adoptive parents. But they do not have a plan... they did this out of spite... they have approximately 18,000 adoptive parents for the 740,000 children in the system. What about the children? Please President Putin, don't let them become adults within the system, age out and get sent out onto the streets when we barely see our children as young adults able to handle driving a car on their own let alone being on their own.
I hate to say it, but this is precisely why, when we talked about it last summer, I told you I would never go to Russia for an adoption. Among other reasons, I have always felt that the program there was too volatile and could be changed, halted, or ended at the drop of a hat for political power plays. It is incredibly sad and unfair to Russian orphans and the families who wish to adopt them, but I feel such issues will continue to be part of IA from Russia if there is any to be at all.
ReplyDeleteSeveral things to keep in mind:
ReplyDelete1) Russian officials are entitled to have access to Russian-born kids adopted by American parents since they hold dual USA-Russian citizenship until age 18.
2) the folks whose adoptions have passed court but not completed the 30 day waiting period are still in process. Yes, in process. The adoptions not yet completed until AFTER the 30 days are up, so Russia's within its rights to not grant ANY adoption that's still in process. It'd be awful for the families who were nearly finished... but the law is the law.
3) the USA has already violated the new adoption treaty that came into force on nov 1 by denying Russian officials consular access to an abused Russian born boy in Florida called maxim Babayev:
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_23/US-failing-to-honour-adoption-agreements-exclusive-interview-with-Russian-diplomat/
Is it ok for the US to violate an international treaty (first! When its been in force for only a few weeks!)? But evil on the part of Russia to be disinclined to keep up its end of said treaty in response?
4) Russia's making genuine, good faith efforts to improve its child welfare system which should be applauded. Are the reforms happening as fast as anyone would like? No. But neither are the desperately needed reforms of the USA foster care system either. You can find lots of great details here:
http://www.reformtalk.net/2012/12/27/reform-talk-response-to-proposed-russian-ban-on-us-adoptions/
It's a heartbreaking situations for the families in the process of adopting and I'm praying they'll be completed.