More complications

Tuesday, August 31, 2004 (AdoptionNews) - We learned today that Sierra Leone is going to require a court appearance by the adoptive parents before they'll grant an adoption decree. This is really frustrating, because our decree, etc. was supposedly complete an entire year ago, and delays and delays and more unknown delays have brought us to this point and a new requirement.

11 Comments

• Tamra: Oh I can't believe that!!! How frustrating!!! I'll keep you in my prayers. (commented on 9/1/2004 12:46:02 AM)
• Lorie: I am so sorry you are wrapped up in this too, I was so hoping you had been given a visa apt. by now. We too are being told we may need to travel, hope to know more soon. If you would like to email me privately my email is dl3swift@aol.com. We have emailed in the past, however my server crashed and I lost all the saved addresses. Lorie, mommy to 6, 2 bio, 1 Vietnamese, 1 Guatemalan, 2 waiting in Sierra Leone. (commented on 9/2/2004 12:27:19 AM)
• Tracy: I'm so sorry to hear about the setback. I know your 3 children at home are from Latin America. Kidsave.org has a program in Latin America. Kids available for adoption come and spend 6 weeks with families. In excess of 90% of the kids end up getting adopted. We hosted an 8 y/o boy last year. I thought you might be interested in researching the website and maybe hosting at some point. Miracles do happen. P.S. Thanks for all the digital camera advice (commented on 9/3/2004 1:12:05 PM)
• Kelly Jo: I was pleased to see your journal! We have twin boys in Sierra Leone waiting for us. I had just gotten my dossier ready to send to Georgia, when she got a hold of me with the bad news. Alhassan and Alusine (soon to be Dylan and Josiah) were born 11-18-03. With this whole mess now, Georgia can't send our info there until you and the others who are in "limbo" now get taken care of. So frustrating! Everything was moving so quickly. God spoke to my husband and told him he wanted us to adopt on May 30th of this summer. 2 days later I found Dylan & Josiah. I honestly just have this really icky feeling. It would be different if all our paperwork was there and we were just waiting. Now I wonder if we will ever get there at all! Did you get a reference sheet from Family Network? Rebecca D. from New York was very helpful on the phone, and she said she and her sister had put together some info on traveling there and tips for those who would go next. her email is gate84@hotmail.com if you would like to request it. Most of my contact thus far has been with Georgia's assistant, Patti, because we are in Minnesota. I have only talked to Georgia twice. Please continue to post any new info you find out-you may get it before me! Thanks! And good luck! I am praying this whole mess gets figured out! I pray that getting their laws and so forth all straightened out will eventually make the process go smoother! I read your journal about all that has to be done in the process. I didn't even know all that! I am just doing whatever they tell me to do next! (commented on 9/10/2004 9:04:05 PM)
• Helen: Wow is it interesting to read all of this. My husband and I are also adopting twins through The Family Network from Sierra Leone. As Kelly Jo stated, I have an "icky feeling" about the time frame. This is very difficult. Also, we have been told we were waiting to adopt a certain set of twins, then that changed a couple of times. What's going on? My husband and I are Christians, too. Maybe we could all set aside a day of the week to pray (and fast?) about the process and the precious little ones!I'd love to hear from Krista or Kelly Jo. My email is hcoll10672@yahoo.com (commented on 9/10/2004 10:24:51 PM)
• Crystal Briden: Hello to you all! I was both encouraged and discouraged to read your journal on the internet. My Husband and I are also in the process of adopting from Sierra Leone. I am sick over the time frame issue. We are going through Angels Haven Outreach in southern California. We have a little Girl we are waiting for , Sarah, she is 17 months. I would appreciate an email from anyone who can help give us any insite. We are christians as well and we have two biological children at home as well. We really felt called by God to this area of the world. Now, I am discouraged though to read what has happend to the La Rocque family. My email is crystalbriden@hotmail.com, thanks for any information or encouragement- In Christ- Crystal Briden (commented on 9/12/2004 4:08:15 PM)
• Marvel: The reason why adoptive parents are expected in court before a decree is issed is, recently it was discovered that a lot of kids were illegally sold to adoptive parents and not legally adopted. Sierra Leone has to make sure that these kids are going to the right people and not used as slaves. I understand it can be frustrating, but please remember the welfare of these kids always comes first. (commented on 9/15/2004 12:17:19 AM)
• Crystal: To Marvel, This is very true and we are aware of the circumstances surrounding child trafficking in Sierra Leone. We too believe the welfare of the children comes first.Itis dreadful to think of the conditions they are in at present. When you find out a child is to be a member of your family you want to have them home and care for them as a family member. Many of these children are dying of Cholera and surviving on rice . So I am sure you can appreciate the La Rocque's frustration and longing to have their twin daughters at home with them. I'm sure theparents adoting from Sierra Leone would agree that we do have the best intrest of the children at heart. Otherwise we wouldn't go through this process to begin with. As far the MAPS- (Maine Adoption Placement services) and the orphanage in Sierra Leone "help a needy child international" the two men that ran that orphanage did not have parental consent to place these children up for adoption. In the midst of destitution and desperation the parents allowed their children to be "adopted"by foster families. These children were than adopted without parental consent. I am unaware of anything regarding the children being sold as slaves. I believe MAPS knows exactly were the children are and is working to correct a horrifying situation for both sets of parents and the children. I don't think any of us have a problem appearing in court for our children. I speak for my husband and myself when I say we would do anything we can to bring our little girl home. -Crystal (commented on 9/15/2004 10:59:07 AM)
• Marvel: To Crystal, when kids are abucted from their parents and illegally sold to other people it is very tragic. You are unaware of any of them being sold as child servants because you do not know anything about sierra leonean kids. When kids as young as 3 are given away to strangers without their parents consent, they might be subjected to abuse from these so -called "adopted" parents.While i don't blame "adopted parents", because they don't usually know the circumstances under which these kids are adopted, the government of sierra leone has an obligation to support and protect these kids. I 'd rather have them eat rice everyday like i did in sierra leone, than be snatched from my POOR parents. PS:RICE IS THE STAPLE OF SIERRA LEONE, so we don't have any problems eating rice everyday. I do sympathize with the La Rocques, but everyone invovled should just try to be patient. Sierra Leone is not a unique case. Most countries require parents who intend to adopt to be present. So why question Sierra Leone? (commented on 9/15/2004 3:33:05 PM)
• Crystal: To Marvel, Thanks for your insight and information. Crystal (commented on 9/17/2004 11:08:36 AM)
• Krista LaRocque: Hello Marvel and Crystal and those interested in this "thread", I wanted to write in immediately and guarantee that our cases have nothing to do with the illegal adoptions that occured several years back. Especially since our agency did not even have a Sierra Leone program until recently. But I was waiting because I suspected our orphanage was under review. I did not want to come back and eat my words! While we have the utmost faith in our agency, one can never be sure in an international adoption whether they are getting "the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth". As suspected our orphanage was under review, and passed with flying colors. No children had been taken from their parents or requested to be placed for adoption. All children placed have indeed been orphaned by their birthmothers and willingly placed by their existing family members in hopes they WILL be adopted. The relatives ARE aware these children will enter the US if they are adopted. This is what we were told in the beginning and what we held to be the truth. Sierra Leone has confirmed that. Who don't knows if this will now mean we can "move forward with all haste!", but we should be able to move somewhere! Finally! This is an enormous relief for us and our agency. I will now be able to rest better and prepare better for the time when Sennah and Mayeteh will be home. So, while I cannot speak to the other difficulties right now affecting other agencies, it has been confirmed this shouldn't affect the outcome of our adoption, but very possibly the wait. Also, we do not regret having to travel to Sierra Leone for the travelling sake. Both David and I would willingly and whole heartedly go if it weren't for our other children here at home. My youngest suffers from separation anxiety if i leave him at a birthday party and we have always planned that I would not travel to help ease that during the indefinate time David is needed to bring Sennah and Mayeteh home. If I need to travel I will, and will welcome the opportunity to see the birthland of our beloved daughters. However, it will cause a lot of stress for my other chilren and, as a mother, I cannot help but be concerned about that! Well, this has turned out longer than expected and is probably still not exactly how I meant to say what I am saying! (commented on 9/17/2004 9:17:25 PM)

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