Kevin,

The version of someone in the PGN is that after the US Embassy people left, the Attorney General had a meeting with Victor Hugo Barrios Barahona and the lawyers who review the adoption cases and ordered them to work faster and release the files as soon as possible. We hope that this is true and that we will see a lot of approvals very soon.
Susana Luarca, ADA

Hey, here's a thought. If the Director would quit kicking every case out for stupid things, their staff might actually be able to clear some cases and get some babies home to their family. How does he not understand that? When case after case after case is kicked out multiple times for issues that really shouldn't matter, of course it's going to tie up the staff. Nobody wants fraudulent cases getting through but come on. Lord help us all.

Personally I wasn't expecting much to come out of the meeting since the embassy has no power over PGN. I have noticed that previos are being issued much quicker so they can be fixed rather than waiting 6 weeks for a signature.
I sure hope Mr. Barrios can trust his staff who have reviewed cases and signed off on them so that he doesn't think he needs to do the same as well. Perhaps he can get some of those approved cases off of his desk and not feel so overwhelmed with the case load.
Just my .02 $

Carrie
In and out of PGN since May 8th.

How long has it been taking after passport issuance to get pink slip?????Thanks

I sure hope somebody gets faster KO's because of this. We've been in 3 months tomorrow with no KO yet...

It's very frustrating. Either the case is able to be approved and should be, or it has problems and somebody should say so, so it can be fixed. I just want my little boy home.

I met with my attorney in Guat on 7/20 who advised that families held up in pgn for longer than 3 weeks should write their US Senators and ask for their assistance. I keep hearing that the US Embassy has nothing over the PGN but he said there were instances where the Embassy pressured PGN due to US Inquiries about cases.

We just got out of PGN. Our case was signed by the reviewer within a week of entering, but not signed by the director for another six weeks. It is not the reviewers that need to get busy.

Hi everyone. I just thought I would email and shed a little light on all of you waiting in PGN. Although I am in an investigation right now, I decided to go visit our little girl this past week. Well it was an extreme eye opener to actually go down there and "see" what has been going on.

I met at least 7 couples in my hotel on take home trips!! And that was just at my hotel. There were soooo many people there with babies in their hands and each has a story, but things seem to be moving. My case is just waiting on the PGN investigations dept to write up and sign the report for me to get back into the regular PGN process. Also our agency just had 2 families released out of PGN this past week and one was a tribunal case!!
So I just wanted all of you who read and have negative comments, to ease up, tell yourselves that you will get your child soon, the power of the mind is an awesome tool. I told myself over and over again on my way down to meet my daughter I would get good news on my case. And I did, not only have they done the investigation, and are just waiting for the report, but I got to meet my daughters birthmother because she was with my facilitator at PGN for the investigation on our case when my daughter was being dropped off!! Wow what a great gift that was.

So even though I am still stuck in PGN and even though I have no control over what will happen I will keep telling myself I will be out soon, and let me tell you I just know I will. Prayers for all of us!!

Monica

Monica; I so agree w/ you - I think everyone should try to keep their heads held high which I know first hand is sometimes a hard thing to do, but I feel that the more negativity that the officials down there hear or see, the more troubles it causes for us families that await their homecoming of their children....
So keep your heads held high & have faith that the flood gates shall someday open up, believe & know that our babies will be coming home!!!

Thank you Monica, for the upbeat message. I too agree that it is important to keep a positive focus. Staying focused on anger and negativity makes this all harder and must at some level make the Director in G. feel as if we are some sort of "enemy." We want to seem like a positive and loving resource for needy babies in his country, not demanding and entitled Americans, "buyhing" babies. Our family has waited over 2 years now for our baby because of a very sad error which caused us to lose a set a twins a year ago and now and we have been waiting since Oct for another baby. It is really hard and anger is such an easy response. Monica reminds me that anger is not our best response.

Monica and others in the investigation section of PGN, How long was your investigation. Our agency told us on July 12th that the only thing to be done to complete the investigation was travel to the bm's hometown and verify that her bc was legit. That made it sound like we were getting close. Just curious what the time frames are running for those whose cases are being investigated.
Thanks! Amy

Thanks Monica, I have justed started to feel positive again for the first time in months. We have been in investigation since March 15, 2006. We were told a month ago that they were just waiting to have report done too and our agency hopes that will be completed sometime in August and then off to PGN. Praying all our babies some home soon!

Susana,

As always thank you for keeping us up to date and informed! We appreciate your time and efforts.

I do hope that things do improve in the pgn... for the sake of the children.

Blessings,
Gloria
Mom to 5 Guatemalan blessings

Amy,
I have been in investigations since around that same time. My investigation is still not over. But they had to interview the bm again for a reason on my babies bc, they said the dr that signed it was not a legitamiteperson to sign, so they have since found her to be legal and I am just waiting for them to write up a report and the head of investigations is supposed to sign it. That is all I know until then I am at kinda a stall till they tell me I am back in the normal PGN process.

I am extremeley optimistic since I was just down there and I saw first hand all the babies going home!! It was truley amazing and I believe wholeheartedly that this mess is soon to be over with and we will all get our babies home really soon!! Tell yourself a timeframe and BELIEVE in it. It will happen!! Trust me on this!! Positive only makes for good things. So good luck to all of us and we will ALL be out soon!!

Monica

I've followed the reports on Victor Hugo Barrios and his activities in office since he took over in April. I have also heard that many people have waiting in the pile on his desks for many weeks being the reviewers recommendation for approval. I am also shocked at his supposed order to the reviewers to get busy as it is my calculations (according to listservs and the like) that he has taken 3 week long vacations since taking office only 4 months ago. I venture to guess that the reviewers do not get such luxury benefits. So please, Senor Barrios, lead by example!

When I was just down in Guatemala there were articles in the paper how inefficent the government is they especially mentioned Barrios and showed a picture of him. Why take the job! These poor children want to be adopted who is he to make there decision???

A couple I know have been in PGN for 22 weeks now, waiting for the director's signature. They are have been down twice to visit, but have no idea when they may be able to get their child, to bring him home. Very frustrating.

Can some one clarify something for me Is the embassy open tomorrow Wed. Aug 16th . rumar has it is was closed on Tuesday then Someone said something about it being closed today and than I heard it was also going to be closed tomorrow.... And when your waiting for PINK< OPEN embassy means there may be some hope for us tomorrow. Can some one whom may know if the emabassy is indeed open tomorrow could you please either emainl me personnally or ill check back at this post in a bit thank you
Sheila Mom to Kaeden

Shiela:

According to the embassy's website they were only closed yesterday(August 15). I hope this makes you feel better and I pray for a speedy pink for you.

Kelly

They were closed Monday and Tuesday for Holiday......I know that for a fact!

The embassy seems to have issues also. I am still waiting for a pink slip I finally had to call my Congresswoman. Does anyone in Guatemala know how to do there job?????????? This whole thing stinks. Nothing at all has gone smoothly imagine if I would have been in minors or did not have my paperwork correct...... This is not an easy road.

Rocker, how long have you been waiting for the pink slip, of course, after you were out of PGN? We just got out of PGN last Friday and families keep telling us that it will take three or four weeks for the pink slip. Please let me know! I hope you will ge it very soon.