I continue to pray for some movement for the Guatemalan 900. I hope that in this instance, the PL is correct.

Oh, please let it be true!!! Continuing to pray for the outs! We need somewhere to list them. I for one want to hear about every one of them... Hoping for hundreds of PGN outs!!!
Steph
Mother to two Guatemalan Princes

It is amazing that every time PGN has disappointed I always hold out that THIS TIME it will REALLY happen for those families waiting to be united. I am hopeful that they come thru and do what is right. PLEASE be true for once!

praying this gets more kiddos home! It would be great if it was all those stuck in process but we have to have continued faith and if takes just one at a time we are headed in the right direction. Crossing my fingers for all of you stuck in this and we have not forgotten you. If we need to do another call to action - let me know and I'm on it!

Chrissy

Oh my goodness, praying this is true and an answer for some of our still wiating families!!!! Come on PGN, hold true to your word this time!

This is great news for those in PGN if it is true. Of course, I assume that "legal issues" referes to those of us involved with the raided hogars are not included.

I do wonder...the article talks about 150 - 200 children. Only that many involved? What about the other 600 / 700 children?

Thinking positive thoughts that this is the answer to prayers for all those waiting.

Gabe,

A lot of us were pushed out of the PGN system by the added birthmother interviews. For instance, though our would-be child's birthmother came to the city twice for interviews, they lost a file once, had to redo again, and she is now incommunicado due to a new relationship and safety concerns. I have heard similar stories from others being pushed out of PGN and into the new CNA system.

Well we can certainly hope and pray that this is true...I am still going down on the 18th...and plan to go to PGN. If by some miracle our case is approved between now and then...then it will be a visit w/ my son to celebrate...if not, I pray it will do some good. I also pray for all cases as the 200# mentioned in that article falls well short of the cases still out there...which is just tragic.

I am praying that this will prove true. When this happens (being positive here), please post your outs so we can all celebrate with you. Praying...

Oh I hope and pray that this is true!

For all of you long timers out there---please please know that you are not forgotten. We think of you and pray for you. We will feel restless until all of the grandfathered children are with their forever families.

Peace,
Lizzie
Proud Mama to Anarosa y Migdalia

Case with NO "legal issues" - well what does that mean? My case was sent to MP because of an orphanage raid in May 2008 at the time my case was sitting on PGN Directors desk for signature. So I my concern is "real or unsubstantiated" legal issues.

I hope that this is true. I would love for the forums to be up and running so we can see the OUTS as they happen. Those still waiting are in my thoughts and prayers! Now may they be answered.....

i, too, would love to hear about each and every one. this is promising news! finally!

OT-but since the forum is down can anyone give me a translation? This is the website for CNA-looks like they made an announcement in regard to Haiti but if you scroll down - some other communication was released and have no idea what it says. Anyone give me an idea what the commuciations are refering to? Thanks!

www.cna.gob.gt

I am one of the families that got grandfathered in...what a joke when you really think about it. Weren't we assured our case would be processed like the old process before CNA was in charge? That was far from the truth. I am one of the cases still in process. Our birthmother had to be interviewed twice..PGN asked that since our child was born into a single parent family that we redo her birth certificate which meant changing our whole adoption portfolio that included the child's name since now they wanted to see two last names. I have been reporting this matter to the US government agencies and everyone else I know in an authority role. Adoption is about getting a child to a permanent family as soon as possible...changing a birth certificate when in the end we will be changing the child's birth certificate again because she will be adopted just doesn't seem like a fair system to be dealing with. Our adoption has never been about a stolen child or fraud which the US and Guatemala has been under suspicion of. Our adoption has been about paperwork and unnecessary politics. I can't believe I am in an adoption for a third year now and they added a Minor's steps and holding files for 600 to 700 families and I still have no idea when my adoption will be finalized!!! I just think it is a disgrace that these children's rights are being violated. Our case got previos after previos for problems with the birth certificate change which is something their own government created. I wonder how many other cases are out there like mine?? Again our file was never about a fraud or corrupt adoption. It is just ludicrous the way they process adoptions. Until they get a smoother system down I wouldn't want any US citizens to adopt from Guatemala. I wouln't want anyone to go through this pain like my family has had to endure!!! It has been torture for my family to go through this adoption with all the delays and steps thrown in. We were all supposed to be processed the old way. Our adoption was clearly processed as we went along and things were constantly thrown into the process. Our poor child is being held back by her own country. In some ways I wish our adoption would have been fradulent then we would have had closure...right now we have just been sick about it. And the agencies ask the families to keep paying. I understand some of the better agencies do not go to the families so this creates another issue whether families can continue from a monetary prospective. It is just a big mess what is going on with the grandfathered adoptions. I started to report my case to the authorites because I don't feel my adoption was handled legally from the start...asking us to change a legal birth certificate thus creating previos and delays because they asked us to do this meanwhile years are going by and just when you think you are getting closer then PGN decides to recreate processes so now your file is sent someplace else. It is just insanity. Adoption is about helping a child that needs a loving home...not about being in process for years and sending a file around in circles and letting powerful officials keep delaying the files until they feel your file is the way it needs to be. Everyone still in process like my case needs to report it to their government. These childs rights are truly being victimized. This is not at all legal!!! How children can be kept in a process for years and this is acceptable is beyond anything I can comprehend!!!!

Amen Karen mom!! I am in the same boat and totally agree!
I did talk to Lisa at PGN today. She said the President was at PGN last week telling them to get the cases released. Hence...the article in the newspaper down there. I can only hope that this time they will LISTEN!!!

Chrissy and others- The post that you are talking about on the CNA website: http://www.cna.gob.gt/portal/index.html

(Located under the note for Guatemalans who have expressed a desire to adopt Haitian orphans)...

Is the letter from Hans van Loon, Secretary General of the Hague. It is a congratulatory letter to the CNA on their efforts to impliment and initiate the pilot program with Hague requirements.

There is NOTHING about nor information for those families currently involved in ICA.

The letter continues to commend their (CNA) efforts for family reunification, for counseling domestic Guatemalan families to know the rights of biological families to educate their children and keep their children and not confide that adoption is what is best for their child.

They congratulate the CNA for their efforts to promote domestic adoption and only advocate for ICA when all other efforts have been met.

They wish for a very successful 2010.

Thanks Marie! Wishing it had some news on the pending cases - but hopefully adoptions in any form are and will continue in a positive direction. As for the cases in PGN - and the pres. telling them to release the files - keeping my fingers crossed!

I am hoping this is true but I don't trust anyone involved in any part of adoptions in Guatemala. I was approved with my son exactly 2 weeks before they closed adoptions in Dec. 2007 and I have been following what has been going on since then. I think and strongly believe that the whole thing is so corrupt and money motivated and anyone who is involved in anyway should rot in hell. These kids should have all been with there families a long time ago.

"the note for Guatemalans that have expressed a desire to adopt Haitian orphans" Huh?!?!?!?!?

I have not heard of any files being released or any movement. I personally called PGN this week and was told they did not know where my file was and could I call back later...I wish I could believe in the six weeks!!! Has anyone heard of any movement???

I know of a family who are bringing their daughter home this week. I'm really can't say any more, but...yes, there is *some* movement.

When I called PGN yesterday I was told that the "report" was done but had not been delivered to the "lawyer in charge" of the Minor's Department. That person then needs to sign off on my file and then it goes to the Attorney General. I was again told to call back next week. I am not holding my breath....

I know what you mean Terri! If I held my breath I would be dead by now...I just can't believe how long this is all taken...These kids should have been home months ago. It is really a disgrace that nothing can be done to quicken the process. Then you hear once a report is received that everything needs to be reviewed all over again....now really...how many times can a file be reviewed????

Any word for those still waiting?? We are praying you all have good news to report soon! Still not giving up on your children coming home...you are not alone! Michele (mom)

We have been going through the process for three years, and in Sept. 09 we were told that our case would be processed. However, with the new pilot program, our case just came to a halt, and now we are being told that we may be thrown into that and we may have a 20% chance of getting our child. I know that we aren't the only family in this situation, but it's just a shame that the children are being denied good homes.

Any news? I am on the edge of my seat waiting to hear of the big release list! I am hoping someone can start a thread of those who finally get their "purple" (as we called it in 2008). Come on PGN clean off your desks!!! We are in need of some colors in grandfather cases ...purple, orange, and pink...
To those waiting, I continue to think you and your journey. Hope to hear great news soon!!!! Stephanie (Gabe)

My update is I am looking to terminate our adoption. I just can no longer be apart of such a mess!!! Meanwhile the kids continue to suffer...maybe if enough parents and lawyers got together and turned our files over then PGN can figure out what to do with the remaining kids. I do not agree how they keep playing on everyone's emotions. I feel every crime has been commited with our adoption! Since no one is willing to help us what other solution is there? What will PGN do with the remaining 200 files in process if we turn them over? I am done with it...This was to be a second adoption and I never felt so much grief and pain. When did adopting a child become such a horrible thing. My first adoption was done in ten months and went smoothly...that was a process that truly believed in finding good homes for the children. What is going on with Guatemala and the remaining files is a crime!!! They are now asking for things to be done three and four times...I am bailing out...Good Luck to the rest of you.. and Good Luck Guatemala having more children in the streets with no one able to afford to care for them...Again what a real mess!!!!

My apologies for having missed some comments on this that just got posted...

Kevin
Guatadopt.com

Well...I went down to Guat as I indicated on the 18th and met w/ the Director of Minors on the 19th. Showed her pictures of my son at 4 days old and 3.4 days old...cried, told her everything we had been doing to parent our son and support him all this time.She said the MP report was in and complete and there was nothing left to do but prepare a document to sign and to send the file up for final signature at PGN. This was to be done on Monday the 22nd. She was called out on an "emergency" allegedly the whole week of the 22nd and did not return to the office until the 26th. At which time I was told to check back on the 2nd. On the 2nd I was told to check back today....she keeps stating she will do it. There is no excuse, no reason. At one point, the very nice woman who always takes my calls said that she is afraid she will go to jail if everything is not right before she signs it. I told her that I am tired of hearing this....she reviewed it two weeks ago and said it was correct. BUT I will never give up. We are so close and this child will come home!!! Oh...and also when I was there...I did go up to the PGN director's office. He was not in, but his assistant said there is a list of many fils that are slated for release once this final MP report is received. They do plan to have these files release, at least that is what they are saying. I am hanging in there and will call continuously if I have to. Will keep you posted...But I pray for everyone who is struggling or needs encouragement.....I think many of us are close...so try to hang in there ! And I pray for all of us struggling no matter what your individual situation...this is a very painful journey and my heart goes out to you all !

Karen, I feel very sorry for you. I know this must have been a heatbreaking decision. Our two adoptions were similar to your first experience in that they took about ten months.

You asked "what will PGN do if we drop our cases". I have a quess. They will say your adoption was in process to be completed as various errors were being corrected and missing information was being gathered. Then for some reason you lost interest in the adoption and abandoned your case. They won't take the blame and I don't believe the fate of the child is a priority to them.

This has always been primarily about ending international adoptions. They are trying to wear down AP's and they are suceeding.

Karen Mom, I'm so sorry to hear this news. It is criminal what they are doing to children and families. I cannot begin to imagine the pain this has caused you--I found it difficult to wait the brief time our adoption took a couple of years ago. Cannot imagine how awful this must be. Praying for you and other families still in process and of course the children.

Oh Karen, I am sorry that Guatemalan politics have brought you to this point. I am sure there are many right there with you....I wish I could say or do something that would bring your child home, but the truth is if it were me still waiting with literally no end in sight...I would most like bail too. PGN closing down in May 2008 almost sent me over the edge...I can't imagine what it must be like to be waiting with such uncertainity now 2 years later. So very sad for all the children who do not have a voice.

Sorry to hear about your decision Karen. I was in your shoes last fall...I was so ready to throw in the towel. But I was convinced by my lawyer and agency to continue. I "only needed 2 more signatures". I STILL only need 2 more signatures!!! This is my 1 adoption and will be my last. I am financially and emotionally drained.
The lady I talked to at PGN on Thurs. said that the lawyer in charge of the Minor's Department was reviewing my file that day and everything was looking good. I am supposed to call back tomorrow to see if she signed off on it to release it back to PGN for the final signature. Unfortunantly I don't trust what anyone says anymore so I will only believe it when I see it.

Karen, I really do understand we have been in process for five years now; very hard and very heartbreaking. Terri we are also in minors court waiting on judges decision signature to go back to pgn; could you possibly email me that info. so I can call and bug them as well we have to stick together. Thanks

Wendy...I don't have your email address so here is the PGN number: 011-502-2424-8787. Ask for ext. 2011 or for Sonja in the Minor's Department. It is hard to get through but keep trying. Good Luck!
I was just told today from my lawyer that my file had been released from there and is back at PGN for hopefully the final signature.

Karen - Please try to hold on a little longer for the child's sake. Things seem to be moving... on the guatemala900 yahoo group page several AP's have reported that their files are getting out of minor's & PGN...I've been so heart-broken during these past 3 years over the sense-less delays but I refuse to give up...please try to hang in there with me. See Terri's email with the contact information for PGN & keep calling them...!

Ok...the 6 weeks have gone by...WHERE ARE THE PGN OUTS?

Still thinking of all the children stuck in PGN...

Gabe, I've been thinking the SAME thing. I haven't heard of anyone getting out of PGN in a long long long time, let alone recently. I still try to hold on to hope but it gets difficult.

update: Well...I went to PGN on 2/19/2010 and was promised by the Director of Minor's that the file would be signed on the following Monday 2/22/2010 and moved up to PGN and here we still sit. Between myself and out atty's....she continues to tell us two days, next tuesday, next thursday, whatever...to get rid of whoever she is talking to at the time. And now it has been 5 weeks since I was there. There is no recourse I am told but to file an Amparo in another court which will take God only knows how long with God only knows what result. She has told all of us there are no issues with the file and the MP report is there. So there is no reason for it not to be signed and moved back up to PGN for final review. I cannot get anyone to help. No one. I am physically worn out and sick. I am mentally drained and emotionally sad to my core. I will never give up, but am literally down to just praying every day because I don't know what else to do. I have pressured every political person I can think of and then some. If anyone has any ideas...I welcome them.

Dear Beyond Frustrated and all of those still waiting. I have no ideas...I wish I did...but sending cyberhugs to you. This is so insane and so unfair.

My heart breaks for you! I can only imagine how painful this is! Surely there will be a huge break out in PGN soon!! My prayers are with you...Keep us up dated.

We have an in-process case in Guatemala. Today after a three year wait and constant struggles, endless court dates, and different courts, the newest judge decided we can no longer adopt the little girl we have, over the last three years of her life, held, fell in love with, and waited anxiously every month for pictures and updates and phone calls. Her DNA tests were fine, the birth mother testified of her intent for the baby to be adopted many times, and all the paperwork was in order. The Children's Court judge ruled our adoption should go through. Then back in PGN there was a problem with her birth certificate. Our case became "under investigation" for an error in the birth certificate (which is a problem I know other families have) and possibly an error in the hospital record as well (which may be related to the error in the birth certificate). He ruled she is adoptable for an in-country adoption, but not for an international adoption!!!

Certainly everyone at this site can imagine how stunned and heartbroken we are for our case to be closed by a another judge forever, and to know we will never bring our little girl home. We know people were summoned to testify to help clear up the confusion but we don't know if they did. We know the judge was on vacation for awhile and this is what happened to us. We almost feel as though he grew tired of a case with a minute detail not being clarified by the appropriate people.

If there is now pressure on the judges to "clear house" in six weeks, how many babies will they be throwing out with the bath water!? How many innocent children and families will suffer over the next six weeks? For the sake of the children who need homes, I want to see Guatemala open its doors again. In hindsight, I think it would be better to open the doors and still have in-process cases, than to have the in-process children and families pay the price we just did. No one will tell us what will happen to the little girl we love, and anything we see or hear is not good. The children of the in-process cases have suffered enough through no fault of their own and to pay this high of a price, to be lost forever is unimaginable.

We would greatly appreciate any legal advice out there. Our minds are reeling and we are still in shock. We just can't accept this cruel of an end. Please help us if you can.

Heartbroken and Devestated:
Oh my! I have no words of legal advice for you, but I am truly sorry for all you have endured. It has been such a difficult journey and you are right--the little girl is the one to suffer. I don't understand, however, how a child can be available for domestic/in-country adoption but not for international adoption. Did you get a reason for that?

Beyond Frustrated: any news on the release of your file from the Minor's Section?

To Heartbroken : This info was printed on the guatemala900.org site & may be helpful for your case: (see the part about filing an ampara/appeal to a higher court):
The Guatemala 900 grandfathered adoption cases are by law supposed to completed under the pre-2008 laws in which they started. We know of many cases that appear to have been halted illegally or are immediately endangered because the grandfathering laws are not being adhered to. The instructions below are specifically aimed to help families with these cases, but all Guatemala 900 families should really be following these instructions at this point as well.

• Contact your US Congressperson and make them aware of the situation. Ask them to contact the Guatemalan Embassy in Washington DC and urgently request that this action be reviewed, 202-745-4953, counselor@guatemala-embassy.org. Also ask your representatives to contact Kay Anske at the US Embassy in Guatemala with the same information - her email is AnskeKL@state.gov . They may also reach her at 011-502-2326-4581 .

• Contact your US Senators and ask them to do the same…

• Contact the US State Department and make them aware of the situation, AskCI@state.gov and 1-888-407-4747.

• Personally contact US Consul General Kay Anske at the Guatemalan Embassy in Guatemala City. Her email is AnskeKL@state.gov. You may also reach her at 011-502-2326-4581.

• Most importantly, have your lawyer in Guatemala on top of your case. For those cases who have had a ruling by a court, it is possible that if appropriate your lawyer will file an emergency appeal (amparo).. This will cause your case to be taken to a higher court for review. Filing an amparo is a time sensitive matter so it is of upmost importance to address this immediately. If you do not know who your Guatemalan lawyer is or are unhappy with their performance, there are other quality attorneys which can help. Please contact the Guatemala 900 at info@guatemala900.org if you require assistance.

• You are always welcome to contact the Guatemala 900 at info@guatemala900.org with questions or to report the status of your case.

Dear a different Karen: the status of our case is that now The director of Minors has put our case into investigation and requested a SECOND birthmother interview. We completed the first one by the deadline and apparently that is not good enough and is now outdated. This in my opinion, is completely due to how long they take to do everything, but hey, who am I ? I find this to be complete harrassment of this poor mother and a complete violation of the grandfathered status, but this doesn't matter to anyone either. I have done everything suggested by Linn in the previous post and cannot get the attention of our local political people to stand up for us. I have emailed the State department and get the standard email response which indicates they are quite busy with Haitian adoptions right now. I am still waiting for a response from Kay Anske. I started a petition to Congress that I have posted on my facebook and have sent to everyone I know and have generated almost 1,000 letters to congress, the house and the president...as well as local officials....but who knows if these are truly effective. We are doing everything we can think of. I keep asking myself, when is enough enough ? We keep praying for all cases in the same boat....we are all at their mercy right now.