A Prayer on the Wind: Days are Creeping, Hearts are Hopeful

Friday, September 3, 2010

Days are Creeping, Hearts are Hopeful

Faces of Nepal

Things might be creeping along a bit while I am in the 'waiting for the investigation' phase of this process. Yesterday morning my forms were in Dubai, and since I didn't hear from anyone today, I can only assume that they will be delivered to the Embassy in Kathmandu on Monday. I don't think it could have happened much faster so I feel good about that.

I found out my fingerprint appointment is all the way over in Spokane!!! Apparently the computer assigns a random time, date and location based on your zip code. I got tossed half-way across the state! So I have gotten something called an INFOPASS, which will allow me access to the Yakima USCIS Office where I can, in person only, request for a change of location or date. I am hoping that if I drive all the way to Yakima they will be able to accommodate me and just take my fingerprints, but sometimes things don't work quite that way.

On an upside I received a beautiful, inspirational letter from a friend who completed her adoption from Nepal a few years ago. Her boy is thriving and they get together with other families who have also adopted from Nepal once a year for a big 'festival' (camp-out). Yay for the little things that can make each day a bit sweeter.

2 comments:

MBSeptember 5, 2010 at 8:56 PM
Jenni,
You may want to take a look at this link - it came as a Google Alert. Senators are fighting across the county.
http://klobuchar.senate.gov/newsreleases_detail.cfm?id=327476&
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JenniSeptember 5, 2010 at 11:39 PM
Thank you to the Brown's for sending me this great link, and for forging the trail in Nepal, as well as keeping me (and LOTS of others) informed as to how things are happening in real time. I appreciate your sharing and the outpouring of support from your tribe. Namaste.
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THE US GOVT WAS WRONG TO SHUT DOWN ADOPTIONS. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

There were 55 families stuck in the Nepal Pipeline because the US Government had 'suspicions' of 'fraud' and 'serious irregularites' based on a poorly conducted 82-day investigation of 62 orphan cases. That's 1 1/2 days per case. Their findings are rampant with errors, cultural insensitivities and blatant incompetence.

IN THE END, EVERY CHILD WAS ABLE TO GO HOME WITH THEIR FAMILY BECAUSE NOT A SINGLE SHRED OF FRAUD WAS FOUND. NOTHING. ZERO.

THE US WAS WRONG.

Children spent an average of 200 extra days languishing in orphanages, and cost families an average of 25K extra dollars for no good reason.

Both Ends Burning, a non-profit international adoption advocacy group has published an investigative report based on a the findings in an extensive review of the 55 investigations US parents were forced to make to prove the orphan status of their children. They studied over 3,000 pages that were compiled by lawyers and private investigators. Their discoveries are shocking. See the full report by cutting a pasting this link: https://bothendsburning.org/help-out/current-initiatives/re-open-nepal/

On June 6, 2014 we travelled to Washington DC along with many other families and Both Ends Burning to meet with our Senators and Congressman and women. Help us keep the momentum by signing our petition: http://www.petition2congress.com/15574/lift-suspension-adoptions-from-nepal/

We are asking our Senators and Representatives to follow-up with these actions:

1. Sponsor a Congressional Resolution to open re-open Nepal for international adoptions

2. Call for a Congressional Hearing to Investigate the closure of Nepal

3. Enter a floor speech on behalf of us and our children to correct the record

Read the blog notes dated June 13, 2014 to see all the videos, news coverage and links to the report. There is also links to the news below in "Jenni in the News".

ABOUT NEPAL:

The status of women is low in the Nepali society, contributing to frequent abuse and abandonment of wives and children. More complicated reasons for abandonment of children include being unwed, the caste system, poverty, the lack of a social system, unequal access to education, and religion. There are no social services and the per capita income of the average household is less than $350 a year.

With adoptions halted, and orphanages either closed or full to capacity, there is nowhere for these abandoned children to go. Some live on the street, many others die.

I have travelled extensively all over the world but never been to a country where the need is so great. With a total population of 28 million people, Nepal is home to approximately one million orphans.