Public Service Announcement on Photolistings and Photos and Ukraine Preselection, Mediation and Pensions UPDATED
Agencies, ministries and prospective parents, don’t break the law or violate a child’s rights. If you are doing good works, you should be able to do it within the bounds of the US and foreign laws.
Many countries do not allow photolistings of potentially adoptable children at all. There are good reasons for this, one of which is to protect the child’s privacy. Another is to prevent the bait-and-switch where prospective parents fall in love with a photo and then the child is no longer “available” after their fees are paid to the agency. This still is happening!
Yet adoption agencies continue to offer photolistings for some countries by offering password-protected waiting lists or they advertise children as being from a certain region of the world. These are the so-called “waiting children, “ which is a term that is a marketing ploy to make you think that the children sit around and wait for YOU to rescue/save them (your desire) when in truth they likely are waiting for their original family to reclaim them (their desire). These agencies may be licensed to place children but they have no qualms about skating on the boundary of legality and taste as placements become “emergencies.”
Going a step further into an inexcusable realm, what we find to be despicable is that adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents feel they have a right to possess AND control the access to information on foreign children, and to “advocate” on their behalf. It violates the rights, dignity and the privacy of these vulnerable children—and it is breaking the law. No adoptive parent or prospective parent should fancy themselves as playing God.
All adoptive parents or prospective parents who are not licensed to place children need to understand that they may be violating advertising laws in their state as well as violating laws that govern social work in their state. Giveaways of value (like iPads, one of the PAP’s common choices) for soliciting adoption fees (and sometimes application fees!) may be violating gaming laws in your state, as well.
For an example, see this link forwarded to us by a reader http://www.becauseyouareloved.blogspot.com/2012/01/5050.html that says “50/50
Wouldn’t it be AMAZING if it RAINED money??? We will be holding a 50/50 fundraiser for the next TWO months !!!
So what is a 50/50 fundraiser?? It is YOUR chance to win MONEY!
The way it works is you donate to the CHIP-IN and leave a message saying you want to be part of the 50/50. The more money raised, the MORE the winner gets!! Wouldn’t it be amazing if you won THOUSANDS of dollars because so many people entered?? All money raised on the CHIP-IN, during the next TWO months (until March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day) will be split with 1 VERY lucky Person!!! So spread the word and get as many people to donate as possible!!
Neither a shared list nor agency list of adoptable children in China means that anyone can take these children’s photos and information, copy them, and distribute them to any stranger on the internet, in their house of worship, or as prayer cards or puzzles or as backdrops to “creative” schemes of calendar contests like one forwarded to us by a reader: http://createarippleeffect.blogspot.com/p/benefit-for-special-need-orphans.html (or any other fund-raising scheme).
Blogging about a child’s medical conditions and putting a time-clock on the child like there is an expiry date if he is aging out of one option (international adoption) is just plain wrong.
Offering special deals on children that are about to “age out” to entice parents who are not trained nor have the money to complete the adoption is not just wrong—it’s dangerous. We have seen people be quickly homestudy-approved for these aging-out situations where the unprepared PAP has less than one month until travel and has less than 20 percent of the fees in hand.
No one who is not a trained adoption professional as well as having been approved by the foreign government should ever think they have the right to a shared list, or think they have the right or ability to screen who gets to sees photolistings and who doesn’t. Agencies should NOT use or allow their lists to be wantonly distributed to clients or potential clients to troll for clients in this manner.
Photos of orphans
This point is especially pertinent for anyone who is sanctimoniously and officiously trampling on the native beliefs of anyone and imposing their own religious beliefs on them in “missionary work.” You do not have the right to be an orphanage tourist and snap unauthorized photos of children, share them with your church or friends, and then seek out to adopt or advocate for them. If you are doing this in a Hague country, you are violating laws and rules that are in place to help protect children. Otherwise, you are just violating their right to privacy and dignity. There are legal channels for children to be eligible for international adoption. Use them or advocate to change the system and/or assist in charitable ways to help, train or provide to the orphanage or the families from whence the children came–don’t take this backdoor shortcut, and don’t you dare assume that your religious belief system somehow entitles you to a superior world view and allows you to “save” children, no matter what their circumstances and what the ethics are of the country from which you are adopting.
If you don’t believe that this is an issue, check out the trouble that the Duchess of York is now in for snapping unauthorized photos of Turkish orphans. This is a current story in the news: Turkish government presses ahead with case against Duchess of York despite extradition doubts
Ukraine
Preselection
You cannot preselect children in Ukraine. Not now. And hopefully not ever.
http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/adoption-procedures.html
“Registering With the DAPRC
Prospective adopting parents must first register with the Department for Adoption and Protection of the Rights of the Child (DAPRC) under the Ministry for Social Policy of Ukraine (see Documentary Requirements below). The DAPRC processes the documents submitted by adopting parents and enters them into their database within twenty working days. Once an application is approved, the prospective adopting parents will receive an invitation to visit the DAPRC. When adopting parents arrive in Ukraine, the DAPRC shows them information about orphans available for international adoption within the parents’ specified age range. DAPRC then issues a letter of referral to allow the prospective parents to visit orphanages to meet and establish contact with a child. Along with the letter of referral, adopting parents will be given their documents, bound, numbered, sealed, and signed by an official in charge of the DAPRC, with a separate sheet specifying the number of pages and the prospective parents’ registration file code.
DAPRC representatives will not meet with prospective adopting parents who arrive in Ukraine without an appointment or on a day other than when they are scheduled for an appointment. For the full list of required documents please click here.
Meeting a Child
The DAPRC, the central adoption authority in Ukraine, maintains the database of adoptable children available for both domestic and intercountry adoptions, and will help you meet and identify an eligible child to adopt. If you are eligible to adopt, and the DAPRC approves your application, you will receive an appointment (invitation) to visit the DAPRC. At this appointment DAPRC officials will show you information about orphans eligible for intercountry adoption, and issue a letter of referral to allow you to visit an orphanage to meet and establish contact with a child, and check his or her medical records.
As of December 1, 2008 the DAPRC will allow only three appointments to each adoptive family to look at the children’s files. If you have not chosen a child after the third appointment, your adoption dossier will be returned to you immediately. You will need to submit a notarized statement to request a second/third appointment with your dossier to the DAPRC and then they officially have ten business days to respond with the date of your second/third appointment. The DAPRC also limits the number of adoption referrals issued to each family to two referrals.
Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs of a particular child and provide a permanent family placement for the referred child.
Pre-Adoption Medical Examination
While meeting a child at the orphanage, you will be shown his/her medical history. If any doubts arise, or if you would like to get more details on the child’s health condition, you may request an additional medical check-up of the child (including blood tests etc.). According to the law, every prospective parent has the right for additional pre-adoption medical examination of the child conducted by a private physician in the presence of the orphanage staff member.
The panel physicians of the Clinic of Oil Industry of Ukraine in Kyiv have expressed their readiness to perform pre-adoption medical examinations. Please check with them directly on their services and fees.
Parents should make every effort to thoroughly understand the medical conditions diagnosed by local physicians. Please be sure the facilitator and/or interpreter you hire are competent to translate and explain complex medical diagnoses. Knowledge of the child’s medical conditions is required for the I-604 interview at U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Parents should verify that medical reports from the orphanage are thorough and reflect all information provided to the Ukrainian court for the hearing.”
Mediation and Commercial Activity
In Ukraine, translated from http://deti.zp.ua/articles/usinovlenie.html
Under the Family Code of Ukraine (2947-14 document, the current editors from 01.01.2004)
Section IV placing children deprived of parental care
Chapter 18 ADOPTION, it says
“Article 216. Prohibition of mediation, commercial activity concerning adoption of children
1. Mediation, commercial activity concerning adoption of children, transfer them to the care, custody or upbringing in a family of citizens of Ukraine, foreigners or stateless persons shall be prohibited”
MEDIATION SHALL BE PROHIBITED. Mediation refers to “effect or convey as an intermediate agent or mechanism.” “Acting through, involving, or dependent on an intervening agency.” Or ”Being in a middle position” otherwise known as advocating. Anyone who does this is intervening in place of DAPRC and the law.
In addition, commercial activity, such as handing wads of hundred dollar bills to facilitators or drivers who act like facilitators/missionaries is PROHIBITED. The language is clear. Commercial activity like giving away electronics to assist in the adoption/transfer of a preselected child to a US family, for instance, can be considered a COMMERCIAL activity AND mediation.
Pension
Another “irregularity” that we are monitoring is the movement of pension money from the child’s account to adoption industry pockets. According to The Family Code of Ukraine
“Article 234. Saving children’s rights, it had to adopt
1. A child adopted, retains the right to pensions and other benefits, as well as compensation for survivors, which it had prior to adoption”
Children have the right to retain any pension attached to the child. So that money should not be going to a facilitator or facility…EVER. What in the world do you think they are DOING with that money?
Stable and Harmonious
“Article 207. The concept of adoption
1. The adoption is the adoption of an adoptive family in his person the rights of the daughter or son, who made the decision of the court, except under Article 282 of the Code.
2. Adoption of the child shall in its best interests to ensure a stable and harmonious conditions of her life.”
Be aware that adopting to save a child by bringing them to the US with intent to disrupt them (often to someone in your network of people who likely don’t qualify for international adoption to begin with) is a felony. It is visa fraud. It not only violates Ukraine law but is not in a child’s best interest. Telling yourself that “it’s just one more break in attachment” is NOT an acceptable attitude.
Know that when you engage in any of these activities, you risk shutting down an entire country. You are also putting future potential adoptees and those in process for coming to the US at risk, too.
Consider yourselves warned.
A List of Back Alley Adoption Schemes
Yes, we just called it that. What else should we call a password-protected blog run by an unlicensed person who solicits on private lists by sharing details of children that they are not authorized to have legally or morally; who “screens” people for access; and who hooks them up with an agency who will get a quick homestudy done? All that is needed is a creepy voice saying, “Hey naïve little PAP, come and look at the children I have. Just give me some information about yourself and have a free look. We have great deals on some too, complete with $$$ to the tune of thousands of dollars.”
When schemes like these happen, there is no regulation, no training, and children end up getting hurt by being disrupted in the US. Often, recently, PAPs go to China to adopt older children and the children refuse to accept being adopted. All kinds of people have made money on those situations, yet what is left behind is trauma for the child and the PAPs. The children, more than anyone else, are the ones that lose. This has no place in world of child welfare.
Feel free to add more scheme links to our comments! We know there are more!
Taiwan http://californiataiwantour.blogspot.com/
Password protected for Special Focus China
http://delilahsdreamadvocacy.webs.com/ which includes a tab for their feature child publicly seen as Gary-$14,475 in Adoption Aid and a tab for Eagles Wing http://eagleswingschina.blogspot.com/ , which is a Chinese orphanage that gets their own marketing tab.
http://advocateforwaitingchildren.blogspot.com/ teamed up with http://www.frontierhorizon.org/ for hosting from Ukraine and has had children from China, Ukraine and Russia on it.
http://littlewondersfindhomes.webs.com/
http://www.wonderfulwaitingkids.com/ — also has a disruption tab
Waiting For their Family – http://www.waitingontheirfamily.webs.com/ When clicking on the comment tab, sometimes you get a message that says that you won a prize-a $1,000 Walmart gift card with an asterisk that participation in the password-protected blog is required.
Others
List of fundraising blogs can be found http://www.cornbreadandchopsticks.blogspot.com/p/fundraising-blogs-way-to-help.html including one that will tithe what people donate to their local church.
This one was forwarded to us by a reader about Ukraine http://hopeforsharon.blogspot.com/2012/01/unexpected-expenses.html and has since gone private.
The excerpt sent to us was “Unexpected expenses
I hate to write this post. We realized this morning that we are short on funds. There are more second trip expenses than we were expecting and the plane tickets are more than we had budgeted for. All total about 3K short. I was not expecting to find out about 5 days before we leave that we are short on funds, and significantly short at that. UGH! I know the extra trips and paperwork took away SEVERAL hundred dollars, but we were not expecting this at all.
I have an adorable toddler dress and a really cute knit viking baby hat. I will post pics ASAP. We will draw for 2 winners when we leave for the second trip. I am so sorry to be asking for help again right now. I have put the FSP button back up. If you could help me spread the word that would be amazing.”
A Family For Everyone – http://afamilyforeveryone.blogspot.com/ -even says what agency the child is with in some ads
Waiting Children – http://www.waitingchildren.blogspot.com/
Joy Doddlebug – http://www.joy-doodlebug.blogspot.com/ -a 12-year-old who is “advocating”.
Loving the Fatherless – http://blog.lovingthefatherless.com/ no password needed.
Sharing Life and Love – http://www.sharinglifeandlove.blogspot.com/ -GWCA waived the orphanage fee AND will PAY the family $4300. Talk about doing *Anything* to get those 5 placed for the 1 healthy referral.
“1/12/12
Zander from Chengdu
Aging out in April
Orphange Fee is WAIVED!!!!
It has just been verified:
There will be NO Orphanage Fee to Adopt Zander!!
Plus one agency (GWCA) has agreed to give the family adopting him a $4300 grant to use toward travel!! “
Five of My Own – Waiting Children – http://fiveofmyown.blogspot.com/search/label/WAITING%20CHILDREN Also advertises for adoption agencies and disruptions– no password needed to view information. “Great Wall of China” for those that asked is on the home page.
http://youroutstretchedarm.blogspot.com/ -a lot of information given publicly including gems like “He is normal in all accounts as far as we know” with photos taken by a “friend.” With labels like “dire” indicating that the child is near aging out for international adoption. GWCA agency named in it. Also links to ASIA , Great Wall of China, Lifeline Adoption, Madison Adoption Agency, Small World Adoption and WACAP.
This was forwarded to us by a reader who indicates that the family disrupted from a Ukraine Reece’s Rainbow adoption yet is now advocating for more children AFTER that horrendous experience http://noknots.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-you-have-been-waiting-for.html
This one has children from many countries http://www.lpaadoption.blogspot.com/ and links to Nighlight Christian and Wasatch. Their December 16, 2011 post actually says RUSSIA on it http://www.lpaadoption.blogspot.com/2011/12/even-better-12000-grant.html
http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/01/boys-and-girls-aging-outplease-share.html Many of these Chinese children live with foster parents as do others in the links.
And the ultimate link list to the agencies http://roomforatleastonemore.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/links-to-agency-specific-waiting-children-lists/
On a final note, it is important to point out that this article:
Kokomo family adopts Ukrainian toddler with Down syndrome [Kokomo Tribune 11/26/11 by Daniel Hulman] states that “Ukrainian children have accounted for about 400 of the 600 adoptions Reece’s Rainbow has facilitated.”
We refer our readers to the PUBLIC Yahoo group Truth in Eastern European Adoption TEEA at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TEEA/ for an eye-opening look at these utterly despicable practices in Ukraine and Serbia. More to come…
REFORM Puzzle Pieces
How do private photolistings fit with Hague regulations?
Will any of these agencies or people be sanctioned? Will ANY authority investigate?
Update: Thanks to the commenters for continued posting of the links. We want to add some more links here.
One is from FTIA website for photolistings. (They are the agency that is mired in the Vietnam Bac Lieu Debacle ): Link to photolisting here. It has a case of a child who is “is a stunningly pretty girl that will turn 13 in March of this year. In order to have a family, she will need to be adopted by the time she turns 14 or she will no longer be eligible for adoption. [name redacted by Rally] was found at age 7 and brought to the orphanage. She wasn’t able to tell them her family’s name or address. She is healthy.” A healthy and just so happens “stunningly pretty” girl at age 7 couldn’t give her family’s name? THIS is the type of child that is being advertised as a Special Focus child from China.
Second, Nogreaterjoy blog has upped the ante on the giveaway to nearly $1,000 now! She is gaming/fundraising for some families who don’t have the money yet are “already in country”!!!
http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/
“January 24, 2012
almost $1000 up for grabs!
Okay, friends. God truly is so, so good to care for the orphan. I sit here astounded at how He mobilizes His glorious army when there is a need. It really is true, you know…God calls one family to bring a child home, but He calls all of us to rally in support!
We can ALL do something to ensure that there is one less orphan in the world.
This morning I have two more amazing gift cards to add to this fundraiser to help 18 families who are working hard to bring their precious children home.
[gift cards redacted by Rally]
I have decided to extend the giveaway. You will have until February, 01 to enter.
How do you enter into the drawing for one of these gift cards? Easy! Click on the thumbnails below and read the stories–read about the children these families are rescuing and the urgent need they have for finances to complete their adoptions. Some of them are already in country and many are traveling very soon to adopt their children. Many of these sweet angels have profound special needs and are in desperate need of medical care. Find a family who touches your heart and make a minimum donation of $10 to that family (via the donation button on their blog). Then, come back here and leave me a comment on this post telling me which family you chose to help.
*** Please make sure you leave a comment to be included in the drawing.
Third, the following article is about Reece’s Rainbow Canada program, Eastern European placing country unnamed (of course) Bring Niko Home [The Star Phoenix 1/25/12 by Jenn Sharp], excerpted below:
“For years, Allan and Carol Dowdeswell wanted to adopt a child with special needs. When they applied to the province, they received a form letter saying it would be a two- to five-year wait before they could be approved for a home study, just the first step in the adoption process in Canada. They decided instead to pursue an international adoption and found a two-year-old boy named Nikola in Eastern Europe through an adoption ministry called Reece’s Rainbow. The ministry helps families adopt children with special needs, many of them with Down Syndrome.
As soon as the Dowdeswells saw Niko’s picture, they knew he was right for their family.
“You can never explain fully why one child compels you over another,” says Allan.
Carol spent a week at the orphanage with Niko in November last year and is convinced he is the right child for her family.
The Dowdeswells, who have three biological children aged five, four and one, began the adoption process last May. They have used $20,000 of their savings to bring Niko home. Now, they’re trying to raise the remaining $10,000 through an Internet busking website: www.niko.confidant.ca.
Since Allan is a “closet musician,” he thought he could offer songs for free on the site to encourage people to donate to their cause.
They’ve been promoting the site extensively using social media such as Facebook and Twitter and by offering substantial prizes at different stages in the fundraising for people who share the site within their own social media networks.
“In the end, it’d be good if we can raise as much funds as possible. It would be even better if we can get a lot of people thinking about adoption, international adoption and special needs adoption,” says Allan.”
“Living conditions for Niko and many other orphans in Eastern Europe are far below Canadian standards.
“The orphanage he’s at is probably one of the worst ones, if not the worst in his country,” says Allan.
The orphanage is extremely understaffed as Allan estimates they have 20 workers for 200 children, a situation that can lead to malnutrition and neglect for the orphans.
“There’s been attention drawn to the terrible situation there and the country is moving to make changes,” he adds.
The couple is choosing not to name Niko’s birth country because they don’t want to jeopardize future relationships — both between Niko and his birth parents, and for other international families wishing to adopt from that country.
“In the past, if too much bad publicity comes, it seems like a country will just shut down their international adoption program,” says Carol.
“We don’t want to offend anyone, especially his family,” says Allan. “We share some hard details (about Niko’s life) and people are at fault for it. He was abandoned to this orphanage because he has Down Syndrome. His parents are highly responsible for that — their doctor probably advised them to do that. That’s the culture over there, the accepted thing to do, which is how our country was not long ago.”
[They are protecting Niko’s birthfamily, not Reece’s operation? Yea, right! 
The journalists remain gullible on this issue as the dozens of US articles in 2011 used the same line that clearly is coming from Reece’s or their clients and NOT from research into the actual laws and regulations. It is amazing at how many clients can be brainwashed into thinking that not revealing the country has something to do with offending original families!]
Update 2: More photolistings
(1)Lifeline openly photolists at http://www.chinaswaitingtreasures.com/ . Many include descriptions that seem to downplay the disability-a child with bilateral ear deformity who supposedly can hear just fine; a child with major congenital issues and the “orphanage hasn’t seen any problems” etc.
(2)Another private-run photolisting that credits Reece’s Rainbow and Rainbow Kids for some of the photos http://orphanadvocate.weebly.com/index.html
“The children listed have fictional English names to hide their full identities, but all other details are true to the best of my knowledge. Pictures may only be reproduced for advocacy purposes.”
As if that reproduced picture disclaimer is enforceable at all!
Update 3: Here are some more passed onto us by a reader.
The first one is a new one
http://butbygraceitcouldbeme.blogspot.com/2012/02/cast-of-characters-and-plot-twist-or.html
The second one is a specific post on one that is already listed
http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/02/operation-rescue.html?m=1
It may be hard for our readers to decide which of 99 listings is most bothersome. My vote is for ” 78. Agatha-Canadians Only- Huge Ransom” People only from Canada have to pay a huge ransom? Sorry, I don’t care if that is Christian-speak or not..it has NO PLACE in adoption and is just plain creepy.
I also am tired of terminology such as “death row” when a child becomes ineligible for IA. That is hardly a ‘hopeful” term for fellow Christians to be using and again focuses on adoption as an emergency instead of taking care of the medical and emotional needs of the children.
Update 4: These were sent to us-fundraisers (mostly for aging out children) and 50/50 gaming one
http://pancoast.chipin.com/adopting-our-two-boys
http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/campaign?campaign_id=9678
http://morekids4me.blogspot.com/p/thirty-one-adoption-fundraisers.html
http://www.adoptionbug.com/pofamily
http://justlovecoffee.com/about/beneficiary/Journeytojinbao/
http://www.marykay.com/deirdregarcia/default.aspx
http://www.myonesimplewish.blogspot.com/2012/02/red-thread-charm.html
http://www.mythirtyone.com/AnneLittle/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/320860922713?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649
As well as a January 2012 50/50 gaming fundraiser that appears to have been erased but you can still see some of it here: http://coupaide.com/deal/hudson/ . The adoption also did not go through.
http://ourheartforadoption.blogspot.com/
What used to be there according to our reader:
“A brand new, still in the box, never been used Canon PowerShot A3000 IS Digital Camera
A brand new, still in the box, never been used Canon Selphy CP800 Compact Photo Printer
A box of 36 Postcard Size photo sheets + color ink cartridge for the Selphy CP800
Everything you need to take great pictures on the go and print them at home!! This gift, worth over $200, could be yours for ONLY $1!
For donating $1 through our chip-in, I will enter your name to win this awesome gift. One dollar. A large McD’s sweet tea. Spare change. A candy bar. Just one dollar!
$10 = 10 times.
You get the idea. Each dollar will have your name entered. And each dollar brings us that much closer to having our sweet boy home.
**I’ve added more ways to enter!** From now until February 17th at MIDNIGHT EST, here is how you can enter:
1. For each dollar donated through the ChipIn, your name will be entered once! $5=5 times, and so on!
2. When you make a Thirty-One Purchase through our fundraiser (Peduzzi Family Adoption Fundraiser under “My Events”), your name will be entered FIFTEEN times!
3. For each $50 Restaurant.com gift card purchased through our fundraiser, your name will be entered TEN times!
4. Share, share, share! For each day you share this page, your name will be entered an additional time! You can enter this way once a day for the entire giveaway. Simply post a comment on this post with the link of where you shared!
Slam dunk post. It's about time this was all brought out into the open. I mean, it's IN THE OPEN, but reading through the blogs, especially those with the RR twinge – I shake my head in continued disgust. I detest RR with a passion. I'd like to see that website shut down post-haste.
Elizabeth Case
You cannot preselect a child in the Ukraine prior to arriving? How interesting! Maybe you can guess what group had me believing otherwise.
I agree Anon. RR has rapid followers who refuse to see/understand the problems with it.
I agree with both of you… I almost didn't believe the awfulness of the fundraising post (the cash grab 50/50 fundraiser? A beautiful baby contest o'kids you have NO legal claim to?), until I clicked the links, and, wow, they really are that awful.
Do the authorities know about all this RR hideousness? Why is RR and these appalling PAPs allowed to… Keep doing this?!?
Simon
Simon,
I have no idea why they are allowed to do this. They seem to be hiding behind this "we are a ministry not an agency" excuse and so far that is working.
I don't understand the hatred with your blog. Why do you want to stop people from adopting internationally? Do you hate all orphans, or just ones with special needs? You say it's "appalling" what RR and these blogs do. What do you think of the way these kids are treated in their own countries? You talk about the rights of the orphans and their dignity. Really? Why do you care if people fund raise for their adoptions? What does it hurt you? What do you care if people advocate for these children? What does it hurt you? I'm all for free speech, but are you aware of the "comments" your follower(s) leave on other peoples blogs? Or maybe it's you that leaves them. This was posted by "Jules Smith" on my blog today: " Isnn't illegal to plaster the ugly little mugs of kiddos you have no legal claim to whatsoever? Yes, if the kids are from Ukraine or Bulgaria!! Read all about it!! And no, just bc you think god tells u to do this… Still illegal!! http://reformtalk.blogspot.com/2012/01/public-service-announcement-on.html. " Really? The photo is of MY SON!!!! Even if it wasn't, what makes you think it's OK to insult someones child?? And I make no mention of God telling me to do anything!! I see the words "hideous, disgust, appalling, and awful" in the comments above, and laugh at the irony. I also love how the story of one child's disruption is twisted by you into something awful and horrendous!! Have you read the story?? If you don't like RR or what people do, that's fine, but MYOB!! Who are you to judge?? Lastly, I ask you, What are you doing to help these children? Besides everything in your power to keep them in orphanages, I mean!!
Rally is out for the morning so I will respond to the above post. First, children are our #1 concern at this blog. If they weren't we wouldn't be here. We are concerned about the level of care they receive whether that is in the US, Ukraine or any other country and we are trying to raise the bar to a level of practice that does not hurt children the way the system does now. We would like you to review REFORM Talk's International Adoption Industry 101 Free Course (the link is on our home page) and also go to the TEEA yahoo group we mentioned as a starter. At that group you can read what happened to other adoptive parents and children and have a better idea of what to expect and what to look out for. Believe it or not we also care about the PAPs like yourself. We don't like seeing people get burned, or their money stolen, or finding themselves parenting children they are not fully prepared to parent with few if any post-placement resources. We've seen too many kids get hurt to remain silent. This blog also features multiple articles about positive programs and organizations (some of which we personally support) that help children and we suggest you read those. After reading through these materials we would be happy to address any further questions you have. As for possible readers on our site, we have no control over anyone else's internet activities.
Thanks, Reformatina.
Kellan's Momma, to be clear no blog author on this site made any comments to your blog. We have no control or idea about who posts on anyone else's blog or where they initially linked to us from. There are other blogs that link to our posts as well.
In addition to our concern for the children's care and unknowing PAPs placing themselves into dangerous and/or unprepared situations, we are deeply concerned with the actions of the industry and would like to prevent further shutdowns as ALL shutdowns have been caused by industry actions, not the myth of the big, bad UNICEF.
Do special needs children need better care? Yes. Do they need international adoptive homes? Maybe. Each child, special needs or not, should be assessed individually for their need-can they be placed back with their original family with social assistance?, domestically adopted? or are they in a position to be transitioned to adulthood in their native country? Those are the questions that should be asked for each child.
Adoption–severance of tie to the original family–is NEVER an emergency. Proper care, nutrition and medicine may be an emergency.
Don't mix up the issue of providing care with the issue of the actions of the adoption industry. No ministry leader is a God. Be careful to whom you pledge obedience to.I can't even use the phrase "The ends justifying the means" here because in some cases where children are placed in unprepared homes, the ends are horrendous–see our How Could You? Archives for details.
Kellan's momma: The kids you've posted photos of and are "advocating" for (mentally setting aside the privacy/dignity any kid, every single person, deserves and is entitled to considerations) — how do you know these children are legally available for adoption? What if the kid isn't and is listed by (hypothetically) paperwork-related mistake? Unintentional error on the part of some faceless bureaucrat.
Now imagine, just imagine, someone got a picture of YOUR child. That someone innocently, mistakenly has come to believe that your kiddo is available for adoption. Imagine this misguided but incredibly well-intentioned person takes it upon themselves to plaster pictures if YOUR kid all over the internet, to blog about how desperately they need a good home, how "easy" they feel it would be to care for a kid, YOUR kid, with a certain medical condition.
Now imagine it's three months later. You stumbled upon the kind hearted, well intentioned blogger's website, contact them to explain that it's YOUR not and never was available for adoption kid he has been advocating for. The blogger takes it down immediately and apologizes profusely.
How do YOU feel about YOUR child's photos and medical info being out there, on the Internet, forever???
Anon–I suppose your theory could indeed happen, as maybe it did to you. If I post a photo of my child on the internet, which I do, there's a risk I'm assuming that someone, anyone, can take that photo and do heaven knows what with it. IF what you are describing has happened, the cases have to be few and far between. I have followed many blogs and many adoptive parents journeys and never once heard this scenario. If it happened, that is really too bad. But does that one bad outweigh 1,000 good? I think not. You of course are entitled to your own opinion.
Kellan’s momma: I’m not so sure that is the case. Google + 3 minutes of time to search came up with the following RR kiddos who were photolisted but not legally available for international adoption.
Several kiddos have birth parents that regularly visit them… and PAPs who pray that LIVING BIRTH PARENTS who REGULARLY VISIT their would-be CHILD in an orphanage stop visiting them. It’s beyond heartbreaking.
Nathaniel was photolisted on RR but never available for adoption. Though I do have to question the ethics of a PAP who complains that her would-be child’s birth mom often visits, i.e. living birth parents is why he cannot be adopted:
savenathaniel.blogspot.com/2011/10/we-are-devastated.html
Dima was photolisted before he was legally available for adoption:
findingmartin.blogspot.com/2011/09/courageous-in-worst-of-times_21.html
The fun part is the family actually went to Russia to adopt him and PRAYED his birth family would not show up to claim him:
findingmartin.blogspot.com/2011/10/court-date.html
Yana was never legally available for adoption AND the agency took/kept a ton of this family’s money:
savinganangel.blogspot.com/2011/05/moving-forward.html
savinganangel.blogspot.com/2011/04/making-decisions.html
Ianna too (look on the left of the blog and scroll down)
myianna.blogspot.com/
“Mayah” was ever legally available for adoption either (kinds in Ukraine under age 5 cannot be adopted, unless their special need is on the special needs list:
hopeforsharon.blogspot.com
Anonymous, thank you for those links and bringing this aspect into the conversation. It looks like many of the children were not deemed eligible for adoption yet. Family preservation should have been made available to the living parents who visited the orphanage. That this is being done in God's name is despicable, immoral and unethical!
Kellan's mom, this is Crabbina.
Thank you for posting. However, the fact that you've read a lot of blogs and "never heard" of the kind of corruption we know about doesn't mean the corruption isn't happening. Hard, ugly, horrible information is out there and easily findable as Anonymous just showed us. It's out there if you spend the time looking for it and digging for the truth which may not make you happy as it punctures the myths of your "Forever Family" and "Gotcha Day." My bet is that the blogs you read are all from people who have a similar mind-set to you – who only see the positives in IA (and there are many) while denying the negatives (and there are many). I mean, really, how extensive is YOUR experience with the dark side of adoption? How many people who've had problem adoptions have you spoken to? Have you researched what REALLY goes on in the Ukraine and elsewhere or just swallowed the lies and bull**** that agencies spew out like lava?
And are you saying that it's okay to be corrupt if only a few cases slip through while all the rest are legit? What if it was YOUR baby who'd been stolen or coerced away from you, and you were that 1 out of 1000, as you put it? I don't think you'd be posting quite the same way as you did.
One last point, as Rally said, for any American family to literally pray for another family to relinquish a beloved child in order to fulfill THEIR wants and THEIR desires is one of the most disgusting and selfish things I think a human being can do. It is the most un-Godly and un-Christian sentiment possible. If these are the kind of people adopting from the Ukraine, I have no hope that the process could ever be ethical.
Oh my. Worse and worse. Here’s a Facebook group with photolistings of kids who may not be available for adoption (international or otherwise) in Ukraine. Where photolisting is illegal… and the site is also PRESENTLY soliciting funds via this website or googling “let’s save maxim”:
Facebook.com/pages/emmitt-marat-and-elizaveta-need-families/156073341121770
The Truth in Easter European Adoption listserv posted a description too. Please note that the author is herself the director of an adoption agency (but the info's nonetheless important, so am passing it along):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TEEA/message/1369
There has just GOT to be someone, somewhere, this can be reported
Found another RR family blog with photos of a not legally adoptable child "Chelsea" at darrenandkaren.blogspot.com, if you scroll to posts on Dec12/11 and Dec15/11.
Anon-I went to each of your links, and I'll tell you what I find despicable, immoral and unethical is a child laying in an orphanage with extreme hydrocephalus and NO medical care for this easily treatable condition! How can you look at him and HOPE he isn't adopted? His birth family isn't coming to take him home, don't be naive! Yes, it would be great if they could/would, but let's face reality, ain't gonna happen! This same thing happens in the US, child is abandoned at birth, in foster care, mother comes back thinking she wants the baby, then leaves again, then back and forth so the poor child has no idea who her mommy is! Where do we as society draw the line? You either take your child home and care for him/her properly, or you give that child a chance to have a life, a family, with someone who wants him or her. There are sad stories yes. I'm sure children get listed that aren't truly available and that sucks, but all these children listed have one thing in common, they live in an orphanage! You would have people believe that agencies go around randomly photographing children, making up info on them, then trying to get people to adopt them! Do you really think that a parent has the right to institutionalize their child, and just because they "visit" them, the child should never be adopted into a real home? Parents don't "visit" their children. Yes, family preservation should be made available to these families as a first attempt, are you helping with this? Are you trying to make a difference for them?
Crabbina-just because you choose to see only the negative doesn't mean thats all that there is. I have a completely open and non judgmental mind. I read these blogs, and I fail to see the ugly horrible-ness of them, other than those children now lay hopelessly lost in institutions. That's what these adopting families see too. They are not condeming or blaming anyone. Are you saying these children are stolen or coerced out of their families homes? Kidnapped? Or are they living in orphanages and mental institutions? Big difference. The vast majority of families would much rather see these kids go HOME with their birth family, but when that's not going to happen, they pray they are able to give the child that home and family! There nothing un-Godly or Christian about that. I think it's disgusting to leave a child lay in an orphage just because they have special needs.
The one thing in common with these blogs that I do find very interesting? Jules orKaylee or whatever this/these nasty, ugly-comment leaving troll calls themself/ves! You can have your own opinions, but to "spew" them out onto other peoples blogs, especially insulting the child, is un-Christian, despicable, and unethical! Do what you feel you need to do to make a difference, but don't intenionally hurt others in the process!
This blogger is campaigning to get Igor and Jacob (who are not legally available for international adoption) photolisted on Reece's Rainbow and has LOTS of photos. If you scroll through her archives, there are many other not initially available for international adoption she managed to get listed on RR — Molly, Little Andrey and Big Andrry among others. Tons of photos too.
http://ambassadoroflove.blogspot.com/2012/01/find-my-family-friday-igor-and-jacob.html
There children are all in Ukraine, where photilisting is illegal. (for all anybody knows, these kiddos may well have birth family members who have not relinquished their rights and who regularly visit these children).
This blogger volunteered in an orphanage last fall and is ALSO lobbying to have 5-6 not legally available for adoption photolisted on RR:
http://blogging4theleastofthese.blogspot.com/
As far as I am concerned, this is illegal (in Ukraine), unethical and all the worse for being done in (and with no doubt great intentions) in the name of the lord. Heartbreaking. So so so wrong. Someone, somewhere, should put a stop to these RR people. Soon!!!
This is Crabbina again – Kellan's mom, you seem to think that just because we at Rally feel it's crucial to expose adoption-related wrongdoing that we don't feel for children who are most vulnerable and needy. It is precisely because of these children that we do what we do.
But we can never sanction illegal acts in the "name of the children." PAPs, APs, and most especially adoption agencies who go ahead and break laws and permit corruption and trafficking to flourish as long as it gets the kids out are the very people who get countries shut down and make it impossible for legitimate adoptions to take place by ethical agencies.
No matter how ill or how needy any specific child, do you think it is okay to break the law to "save" this child? Would you help an illegal adoption to take place? Would you be willing to go to jail for it? Because this is the heart of the issue and you need to come clean on it.
Thank you.
Kellan's mom, it does appear from your comments that you are ok with breaking the law to save a child. That is very short-term thinking. Parents with disabled children in these countries use orphanages as their social service. I don't know why that you can't wrap your head around that fact. Maybe because you have bought into the false marketing that there are 170 million orphans. There ARE 2 million children in the WORLD-yes just 2 million-that live in orphanages, but most have immediate or extended families. There are few day care options and social service options so orphanages were the staple in these countries for providing services. That is rapidly changing in many countries as day care and group home and private NGO-funded social service options are cropping up everywhere.
The 30K that people spend to "save" one child-can you imagine how many could be "saved" locally with that money-placed into domestic homes and given proper nutrition and medical care-do you EVER question WHY it costs 30 to 40K for these disabled child placements?
Getting back to the short-term breaking of the law, does it matter to you that the short-term law breaking WILL shut down Ukraine? You DO know that the US Embassy and Ukrainian officials are aware of these activities, don't you? That they are waiting for it to be politically expedient for them to shut things down or do you somehow think that you or Reece's are SO SMART and SAVVY that all of this public photolistings will continue forever? What happens to all of these kids when IA is shut permanently? Do you think that they will let you into the country and help the kids after breaking laws? You do not see the long-term at all here. The underlying problem of not having enough social services and daycare needs to be solved.
I find it disgusting that you assume that poor people with disabled children aren't really "parents" if they do the ONE thing they are able to do for their child-place them at the ONE place that will take care of them-an orphanage. Talk about hatred! It is with that hatred that you are unable to comprehend the big picture which we are showing.
Stumbled upon the post of a(nother) PAP proactively lobbying to have a not legally available for adoption child called Sasha listed on RR. Said child lives in Ukraine… Where all photolistings are illegal.
There are links to some horrible adoption-themed fundraising merchandise too:
http://allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com/2012/01/day-8-call-to-action.html?m=1
Thanks for the addition! We have added three more situations in an update
Yet another spectacularly distasteful 50-50 fundraiser by a pap who fell in love with a SN kid who may not even be eligible for adoption. There's an excellent chance the 50 50 fundraiser is illegal too!!!
Myjourneyoftheheart.blogspot.com (post dated march 6, 2012).
Reece’s Rainbow Ukraine facilitator Serge appears to be telling PAPs that 1) RR’s photolistings are NOT illegal and incorrectly quoting text from the Gov of Ukraine’s website to support this view and 2) RR’s encouraging PAPs to pre-select a Ukrainian child to adopt is also NOT illegal.
So very, very wrong that an adoption agency/ministry continues to provide blatantly false info to PAPs… and that PAPs are willing to believe it, when a two-second google search or 5 min phone call to the Ukrainian embassy would set them straight.
**sigh**
I am assuming the “adoption interference” to which the PAP refers is the July 1 post from theadoptionspotlight.wordpress.comwrote that they’d sent letters to USCIS, Russian and Ukrainian adoption authorities that RR PAPs were allegedly illegally pre-selecting allegedly illegally photolisted children on Reece’s Rainbow.
I’ve no idea if letters really did get sent, but I sure hope so… someone really, really needs to stop RR’s horribly unethical and totally illegal behavior… Made all the worse by well-intentioned PAPs who really, truly believe they’re doing the right thing because they’ve got God On Their Side. ** shudder**
http://6littlehogelands.blogspot.ca/2012/07/photo-listings-and-trolls.html?m=0
Photolisting. This is a hot word going around the adoption world right now. Some countries allow photos of children to be circulated in hopes a family will see a child and feel an instant connection. I know this feeling as I had it when I saw my girls. Other countries do not allow it. Some think that photolisting intrudes on their privacy. That is why we don’t mention V’s real name or her country.
I, as well as dozens of other adopting parents, have had some trolls complain about us putting up pictures of the children on our blogs. They have said that it is illegal. They have also actively tried to interrupt and prevent our adoptions. Let me repeat that for you-They have actively tried to interrupt and prevent our adoption and the adoptions of dozens of other families. It will not work because we are doing nothing wrong. But it shows the type of people we have been dealing with.
So, here is an answer to the questions about the legality of photo listing from our facilitator in the girl’s country:
Recently there have been discussions on-line and in forums about the use of photo-listing to help **** orphans find a family. Some people are falsely claiming that it is against *** law to photo list children waiting to be adopted. They refer to Resolution # 905 from October 2008 as their basis. If they read and translate this entire resolution clearly, before making such claims, they would see that public advocacy for the adoption of orphans waiting to be adopted is actually encouraged, provided that the child’s name and location are protected.
Please, read below directly from **** Law, Resolution 905, paragraphs 46 and 47:
Пункт 46:
З метою заохочення громадян до усиновлення повідомлення про дітей можуть розміщуватися в засобах масової інформації, на офіційних веб-сайтах районних держадміністрацій, виконавчих органів міських, районних у містах рад, обласних держадміністрацій та Департаменту.
Paragraph 46:
In order to encourage citizens for adoption information about children may be posted in mass media, on official web-sites of district state administrations, executive organs of city/district in the cities/regional state administrations and the ***.
Пункт 47: Інформація про дітей, яка розміщується відповідно до п. 46 цього Порядку, може містити фотокартку дитини, відомості про її імя, вік, форму влаштування (без зазначення назви та адреси закладу, в якому перебуває дитина, прізвища, імені, по батькові, адреси прийомних батьків, батьків-вихователів, опікунів, піклувальників), наявність братів, сестер, їх вік та форму влаштування, особливі потреби дитини, а також контактні телефони та адресу служби у справах дітей, Департаменту, де можна отримати направлення для знайомства з дитиною.
Paragraph 47:
Information about children which is posted in accordance to paragraph 47 of this Resolution about procedure of adoption may include photo of the child, information like name, age, status (without name and address of establishment where the child is living, name and last name and address of foster parents, guardians, custodians, caregivers), presence of siblings, their age and status, special needs of the child, as well as contact telephone numbers and address of Children Service, the *** where it is possible to get referral for meeting with the child.
There is no misinterpretation possible of our law, which clearly PROMOTES careful advocacy for children who need adoptive families. There is no distinction between **** (domestic) or foreign adoptive families. There are many **** websites and ministries which do this, as well as foreign organizations. I have spoken to several **** attorneys, as well as the Prosecutor General, about this situation, and they all confirm that **** law promotes open advocacy for orphan children as long as their identifying information and location are protected.
Photo-listing is a very effective way to serve the orphans of ****. The children are posted in a general way, not at the request of a potential adoptive family (which IS illegal), but to help find a family for those children who are waiting. According to Privacy Law, publishing of “legal information” of the child is prohibited. “Legal information” of the child is considered to be court decree about termination of parental rights, social security number, etc. and/or other personal documents of the child including reason of abandonment, place of birth, etc. You will never see such detailed information in any photo listing, newspaper, etc. This is only available to the parents at their official appointment with the ***. Eligibility of the child, age, needs, medical information, personality are all legal and encouraged for permanent placement for the child.
In ***, the referral or “hold” on a child is only official once a dossier has been submitted/approved and parents have traveled for their appointment with the ***. There is no guarantee that you’ll 100% adopt this child because this child continues to be available for adoption, because anyone before you can come and legally adopt this child. . Every family wanting to adopt a child makes a written request to the *** to adopt this specific child (called CSP). The *** supports the implementation of this law fully by allowing families to request specific children (who meet the current criteria permitted, some special needs and over 5, with expansion of special needs list coming soon). If it was illegal to preselect children, the *** would never accept your petition and approve your adoption case. In the last 3 years, our facilitation team alone has processed more than 400 orphans in this exact manner. The *** cooperates fully for families requesting special needs, older children, and those met from legal hosting programs. Photo-listing of special needs kids has resulted in HUNDREDS of orphans to find families, which in previous 5 years (before 2006), very few were adopted in the old way of blind referral. The *** and **** officials recognize the value and effectiveness of photo listing, many of them find their families which would have not been possible on blind appointments.
We filled out the above mentioned papers called “Child Specific Petitions” and filed them with the government agency in our girl’s country. If we could not preidentify a child there would be no document such as a CSP.
In addition, V is not just a picture. I have held her hand. My arms have been wrapped around her. I have heard her voice and she has heard mine. I have cupped her sweet chin in the palm of my hand and told her she is beautiful. I have seen her dance and sing and laugh.
We are going to this country in hopes to adopt her because she is a real person that we have met and fallen in love with. She is our daughter’s best friend. Our girls lived together in extremely close quarters for years. So, just because they are not blood relatives does not mean they are not sisters.
We have gone to this country. We have adopted a child with FAS and HIV who is thriving. We know the risks, the hardships, the stresses involved in special needs adoption. We know that every time is different and that we are by no means experts. But we also know that the risks and difficulties are worth it.
I hope this clears some things up for the trolls who are so clearly very concerned about the best interests of the world’s orphans (did the sarcasm come across enough there?). We will continue to do what we are doing and working to get to this sweet girl as fast as we possibly can while working within the laws of our country and hers.
I birthed my first child in australia in 1978 at the salvation army hospital at windsor i opted for drug free natural child birth she came out into my arms and the doctor called it a miracle i think so too as at the age of 24 i felt like the only woman who had ever given birth….a beautiful little girl came out of my body……..shame they didnt give her to me her mother after i birthed her……bfa written on my medical records which means baby for adoption…….oh no she wasnt for adoption she was meant to be with me her mother……paps came into that hospital picked her up and took her home with them…..i named her kelly anne…..i found her 18 years later living with a couple of course married calling them mum and dad…..they applied for the job made application to adopt a child of the female sex theyjust waited until i birthed the child…..i left the hospital babyless so they could have a baby…..childless they were my child was used to fill in their needs for a child…..what about my babies need for me her mother……and my need for her totally robbed of myfirst newborn baby because of adoption……200,000 neworn babies were not given to their mothers after we birthed them in hospitals in australia……we didnt get our precious children because of the couples applying to adopt……human beings are not commodoties that can be bought and sold…..no one can buy their own children……i birthed my own children….no parent is able to give away their child they are not ours to give away they are born to us and are our rresponsibility to raise…..if she was given to me and i was given access to my newborn baby there wouldnt have been a problem….if she was given to me she would have been taken home by me i have proved she was stolen and her name was changed and she was given a birth certificate to match as if born to them….yep i am her mother and i have all the evidence of fraudulent birth certificate……her original one which names me as her mother is stamped NOT TO BE USED FOR OFFICIAL PURPOSES…….I WILL MAKE IT OFFICIAL NO ONE STEALS MY FIRST BABY AND GETS AWAY WITH IT…..SHE IS 34 NOW SHE IS THE SAME PERSON I BIRTHED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO SHE MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME AND SHE MAY BE AN ADULT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CANT BE CHANGED THE FACT THAT I AM HER MOTHER…..SIMPLY BECAUSE I BIRTHED HER……THEY WOULDNT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE HER WITHOUT ME I BIRTHED THAT LITTLE GIRL AND SOME WOMAN TOOK MY PLACE AS HER MOTHER…..WHERE WAS THE NEED FOR HER TO BE ADOPTED THERE WAS NO NEED FOR IT AT ALL….I AM HER MUM I AM ALIVE SHE WASNT AN ORPHAN SHE WAS DENIED ME HER MOTHER THE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED FOR THOSE BABIES ARE TO BLAME ITS BECAUSE OF THEM WE LOST OUR CHILDREN……CRIMINAL ASSAULT ON MOTHERS BY REMOVING OUR CHILDREN AND FORCING OUR CHILDREN TO LIVE IN HOMES WHERE THERE WERE COUPLES MARRIED CHILDLESS……WE WERE UNMARRIED MOTHERS BUT WE WERE MOTHERS…..WHO BIRTHED OUR CHILDREN……APPARANTLY OUR CHILDREN NEEDED A FATHER SO THEY PLACED THEM IN HOMES WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE A FATHER AND OF COURSE HIS PARTNER JUST HAPPENED TO BE CHILDLESS…..TO TAKE A BABY FROM THEIR MOTHER JUST SO THEY COULD HAVEA CHILD…..WAS INSANITY…..TO RENDER THE MOTHER CHILDLESS…..WE WERE THE ONES LEFT CHILDLESS WE LOST OUR CHILDREN TO THEM THOSE COUPLES UNABLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN……I WAS ABLE TO HAVE MY OWN CHILDREN I BIRTHED FOUR GIRLS IN TOTAL I NOW HAVE THREE LIVING AS ONE OF MY CHILDREN DIED AT THE AGE OF FIVE OF CANCER IN 1990 on the 20th december….i am so glad i wanted another one after she passed over and at the age of 39 was successful and birthed another little girl in 1993….i didnt adopt any children i didnt want anyone elses children…. i only wanted my own……someone said i didnt want my first baby….rubbish…..i did so shes mine anyways yep they stole her changed her name and altered the birth records its a criminal offence its called kidnapping…..hope they are charged with the offence cause they took her from me her mother…….NO EXCUSE….NONE
Julie, thank you for sharing your story with us. It was a cruel practice that happened and sadly we see that practice in places today.
We are very sorry to hear what happened to you and your first child and your child that passed away. We hope that you can find a way to reconnect with your first child. Best regards, Rally
The State Department published a little piece on what US citizens can do in response to adoption scams/fraud a few days ago:
“The Department of State is aware of a growing number of adoption scams in which individuals are offering to match prospective adoptive parents with a child who is allegedly available for intercountry adoption. In Hague Adoption Convention countries, matching is done by the Central Authority, another public authority, and in some cases, by accredited bodies, but not by private individuals. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents should refer to the relevant country information sheet and fully understand that country’s adoption requirements before sending money to any individual in connection with adopting a child, especially if correspondence with that individual is limited to e-mail.”
http://adoption.state.gov/about_us/scams_and_fraud.php
Reece’s Rainbow has aaaallllll kinds of lovely photolistings for kids in Hague countries like Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania plus, as of this summer, Ukraine.
So many violations of the law, so little time:
Rebecca Jenks illegally pre-selected TWO unrelated Latvian girls with DS who were illegally photolisted on RR 7 months ago:
https://www.facebook.com/BringingHomeAnAngel
Denise Davis is going for her lil Bulgarian beauty:
http://anadoptionmadeinheaven.blogspot.com/2014/04/we-are-happy-to-announce-that-we-are.html
And yet again, she’s taken that blog down!
What do you want to bet that she pops up again under a new domain name, hoping to scam unwary donors who don’t know of the medical neglect which led to Gennie Davis’s death?
Here’s the new Denise Davis blog:
http://bringinghomealittleangel.blogspot.com
She only has $155 toward the $15,000 she needs people to give her in order to complete her new adoption– but she spends nearly $30 getting clothes that she estimates will fit “Carrie Ann” when she THINKS they’ll bring her “home”.
I can’t decide if she’s delusional or if that’s a cold-blooded fundraising ploy. “Hurry up and give us money so we can be fully funded, or these little clothes won’t get worn!”
And Reece’s Rainbow has apparently decided to open an FSP page for this adoption. Heaven help us all– and especially Carrie Ann.
The propriatary view she has of that child is creepy. She calls the adoption fees a “ransom.” She clearly considers “Carrie Ann” HERS already, despite the fact that they haven'[t even gotten their paper work in to homeland security yet.
Terrie,
The entire photolisting thing is creepy! The first time I saw one was a ringbinder in the local public library of waiting foster kids, and I thought “It’s like a catalog of kids!”
I’ve since realized that was precisely what it was: Its purpose was displaying “wares” to interested potential buyers. Photolisting websites are just the 21st century version.
Adoption Ministry advocates even admit this in a roundabout way, when they insist that photolisting sites need to remain up, because they help browsers “discern” that God wants them to adopt a specific kid. Er… no; that’s not God, that’s the power of advertising.