but i WANT to get excited! ;)

We are going to Guatemala in June to work at the orphanage of which I am a board member. We have adopted two children from Guatemala and are traveling with 18 other people. I have been in contact today with the Social Worker at the orphanage. He directed me to www.cna.gob.gt for information. He said the information is available in English, but I cannot find it. There is an article today on the reopening of Guatemalan adoptions. Do you know of a way to get this translated?

The article states something about 1000 of the 3000+ cases did not complete the interview process, and "...prosecutors suspect many of the babies in those cases never existed — that Guatemalan baby brokers registered false identities with the council in hopes of matching them later to babies obtained through fraud."

I have never heard this line before.

Thanks for the info! It is encouraging to think that at the very least, the waiting children and their families may FINALLY be united! And if there could be hope that even more families could begin the process again...I have to admit I want to get excited too!
I was a little disappointed however, by the AP' s last paragraph in which they stated that "Previously, potential adoptive parents requested children with certain characteristics." It is these kind of statements that lead people to think negative thoughts about adoption!!
Paragraph or not, I am still happy to think that things could be changing for the better.

Certainly happy for the in-process families,however,I would not reccomend new Gaut adoptions to friends until the U.S. makes stronger regulations and accountability for OUR own agencies that take advantage of the familes willing to adopt.

Has any comment been made from ASG? or anyone in Guatemala

Yes, I want to get excited too!
wishing all others waiting, have to wait no longer, and praying we can adopt again if the need is there

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.

My fears have just been confirmed...

I too, have been in process for a little over 3 years. BM has repeatedly expressed her interest to continue adoption - still no court hearing nor decision. I believe this is going to be the answer to "clearing the pipeline"

I AM SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.

Heartbroken and Devastated,
I am sure the deep agony I feel for you is nothing in comparison to your own agony. I truly have to keep fear away from my heart as I read your post. We, too, have a three year old daughter that is in-process, and we hope she will get to come home. I naively thought that the next six weeks of cleaning house would be getting these last precious children to their forever families, not persecuting them further by denying them the family that waits for them. May God have mercy on their souls.

Heatbroken & Devastated - I am soooo sorry to hear about the judges decsion. I can't even begin to imagine the pain and frustration you are feeling right now. You and all others with in process cases are in my prayers

SO SO Sorry for your loss! My heart is breaking for you!

Seeing Hearbroken and Devasted post just makes me ill. My heart goes out to you!
I have been in the process for over 2 1/2 years. My lawyer told me this week that she hoped to have me out of PGN next week. However, I had to point out to her that next week was the week of Easter and that I had heard nothing happened during that week. She had "forgotten' that it was Easter week. Soooo, now after seeing the post from Hearbroken, I wonder if my file or anyone else's will ever be released.

Hi All,

If you are familiar with Asociacion Luz de la Virgen de Fatima in Guat City please contact me.

Thanks
Chrissy
ndfan1986@yahoo.com

Debbie~I agree with you on the last paragraph. We requested nothing and actually never saw a picture or anything before we met our son.
Heartbroken and Devastated~I am so sorry for your loss. I don't even know where to begin. I am sure all the ideas I have you have already tried. What does your lawyer say?

Dear Heartbroken and Devastated,
Please email me. A friend will give you my email address.
Peace,
Lizzie

Heartbroken,

The new law requires a child that is deemed adoptable and that the first option is for a Guatemalan family. CNA is actually the function that matches the child with a family and can put that child with an international family. You need to meet with CNA in person....not emails, to discuss your child specifically. CNA will get a notice from the court that your child is adoptable. The court does not match the child with a family. You should do this immediately b/c if CNA does not know you are out there they cannot honor your link. You should also contact USE to get a letter sent to CNA that says you have the legal ability to immigrate a child to the US. Attach a copy of your I-171H to this request to adopt guatemala@dhs.gov... you can also contact Yvonn Accuis at DOS DC for help as well. I hope you have a good lawyer who has been handling cases that transit to CNA after court.

Paula, go to the cna site through google search and then click on ¨TRANSLATE THIS PAGE´on the search page.

I wish I didn´t agree with Kevin on this issue, but I am in Guatemala now and everyone I have spoken with does not have high hopes for the pilot program at this point. The CNA may have the best of intentions, but until the family court system is standardized with regards to the abandonment process....there is still a huge problem here. Although I pray there are those to adopt the sibling groups, special needs children and those over seven, I hurt for the babies who are still coming weekly to the hogars I spoke with. Still praying for the best.....but not dancing in the aisle yet.

to Heartbroken..I am so so sorry...there aren't words to describe the depth of empathy and emotion we feel for you and your family! We also feel the fear reading your post as we feel we could be next....I have been posting about being delayed and delayed from the final signatures from minors after going through the MP investigation and it still has not happened after almost 6 weeks now...now I find out they want to re-interview the birthmother because the interviews are outdated and they say it has been too long (gee I wonder who's fault that is) so they claim to have sent an investigator out who " couldn't find her"...yeah right...like I believe that! So, our atty is sending one on Monday after their lovely vacation this week. This is another way to try to get this case at the very least delayed further and the worst...to end. Again...is this how they are clearing out cases ! These are clear human rights violations against these children who have rights to a family and a home. Sadly no one cares in Guatemala because there is no one to go to to report this abuse! I am sick to death of it ! And I am so angry. Please respond if you are pending...and in this boat...I would love to know how many cases there are!

To those who have read and responded to our post, thank you. We were in desperate need of a little empathy, a lot of prayers, and critical legal advice, all of which we have received over the past week. Thank you so much to all! Believe me, we thought more than twice about posting our story knowing that it would be troubling, especially to those in process. Forgive us, but if it helps other families to know to be ever diligent about their cases over the next few weeks and months, and it prevents others from going through what we just did, then it was worth it.

We were like most of you who have in-process cases, holding tight on this three-or-more-year roller coaster ride, but always thinking soon you will get off the ride as a family and finally be able to enjoy the park. When we were told what the judge ruled and were told that we would never again see the precious little girl we have loved for so long, we felt like we had been hit by a Mack truck, and we were only pieces left on the ground. We were totally blind sided. Now with the help of family and friends and even complete strangers who responded to our post, we are starting to pick up the pieces.

If the news was like a Mack truck rolling through our lives, then the advice we received after posting our comment was like a beacon of light seen while on dark waters. Special thanks to Kevin and mp. We are certainly not out of the woods yet, but we now have a starting point. The last week has been frantic and hectic and filled with sleepless nights, but that is much better than having no hope. I will try to post an update soon when we know anything for certain.

We have always supported the changes in the Guatemalan adoption system. We want all adoptive parents to be able to have legitimate, ethical adoptions. Most importantly we want to see a system in Guatemala that protects and promotes the safety and rights of the children and people of Guatemala. And so we have waited. But what has broken our hearts is watching the wheels of change grind on these waiting children for three long years.

I hope everyone in positions of influence and power to make policies and decisions, over these next six weeks, realize what all of us already know deeply in our hearts: They are not simply grandfathered cases, nor in-process cases, or even transition cases. They are not adoptions on hold. THEY ARE CHILDREN!!!

Dear Heartbroken,

That is excellent advice by MB to go to the CNA and advocate for your case. Also, see the website www.guatemala900.org for more information about what you can/should do.

My thoughts are with you.

Hope