More Information!

Our agency sent out an e-mail today asking everyone to voice their concerns about the impending changes in adoptions from Guatemala. Our agency will be in on a conference call tomorrow with JCICS (The Joint Council on International Children’s Services) for more information. They will then have a conference call with all of the families in their Guatemalan program on Monday Oct. 1st and give us the most up to date information.

What can you do now to voice your concerns regarding impending changes?
Make six simple phone calls and one email.

1. Call your U.S. Senator.
· You can find your Senators’ phone numbers at http://www.senate.gov
· Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

2. Call your second U.S. Senator.

3. Call your representative to the U.S. House of Representative.
· You can find your representative at http://www.house.gov
· Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

4. Call or fax the Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues
· Their number is 202-736-9130
· Their fax number is 202-736-9080

5. Call or fax UNICEF Headquarter
· Ask to speak with Ann Veneman, Executive Director
· Their number is 212-326-7000 · Their fax number is 212-326-7758

6. Call or fax UNICEF Guatemala
· Ask to speak with Manuel Manrique
· Their number is 011-502-2327-6373
· Their fax number is 011-502-2327.6366

7. Send an email supporting Intercountry Adoption to guatemala5000@jcics.org
· Write briefly or at length · Joint Council will use the cumulative email petition in our advocacy for Intercountry Adoption

When should you call? Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday (October 8th, 9th 10th)
For maximum affect, we are asking you to make these calls within a 72 hour window!

What should you say? Speak from your heart and give them the following information:

- The Guatemalan government has announced that all adoptions with the U.S. will be suspended on January 1 2008.
- Their announcement also indicated that there will be no ‘grandfathering’ of adoptions already in process.
- If children referred to families are not allowed to be adopted, they will languish in institutions or foster care.
- Your office must get involved and sign the CCAI sponsored letters to the President of Guatemala and UNICEF. These letters ask that all adoptions in-process as of January 1 2008 be allowed to be processed to completion under the existing notorial laws.
- Your office should contact the Office of Children’s Issues at the Department of State. Their number is 202-736-9130.

Please also sign this petition that will be sent to the President: http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/petition.html

As more information is available about the fate of adoptions from Guatemala I will keep everyone up to date. We need everyone to help, not just families who are adopting or have adopted, we need anyone who has a voice to express how important it is that adoptions be allowed to continue without interruption. Please, Please, Please, take time out to write and call and be a voice for all of the homeless children of Guatemala, they need our protection.

Thank you once again for your prayers and support during this very difficult and uncertain time!

Love,
Bill, Sharon, and Olivia