Talking to my sister on the phone last night, she told me about an article on violence in Guatemala she had read in the Globe and Mail, an outstanding Canadian newspaper. The reporter’s interview painted a bleak picture of life in Guatemala through the eyes of gang members in jail, who are still controlling assassinations and arms and drug deals from cell phones in jail. It seems that these people are running the country and not the government.

Guatemala is a country in crisis: extreme poverty, chronic hunger and malnutrition, impunity and horrendous violence are widespread. Does this sound like a good time to halt adoptions?

When interviewed, ... more

With the future of intercountry adoptions from Guatemala in serious jeopardy, it seems that a new “rage” has hit Guatemala: surrogacy for Americans. Yes, there is a company that will find you a Guatemalan woman to carry and give birth to your child.

This is written on their website:

Here at Surrogacy & Fertility Law Center, our goal is to enable those who cannot afford infertility options such as surrogacy, in vitro fertilization (IVF), artificial insemination, ICSI,... more

The Joint Council announced that PGN is no longer processing adoption cases unless they have been approved. Cases must be registered with the new Central Authority (which is not functioning yet) in order for the cases to be completed.

Registration of in process cases must be completed by January 31st, but there is no place to register yet. Most lawyers submitted cases to PGN even if they did not have pre-approval from the embassy, anticipating a kick out, but at least having the cases registered in... more

In a couple weeks, Ella and I will once again take to the skies. If any of you have been following my blog for a while, you’d know that little miss wiggly pants is a frequent flyer. She has taken six plane trips in the last year, the shortest being two hours and the longest fifteen.

And here I am, about to embark on yet another. Okay, there are some changes. Ella is now going to have her own seat – amazing what a few hundred more dollars can do! She turned two in October so it isn’t an option. The other change is that she will probably behave very badly. She doesn’t... more

Last year, the US deported over 16,890 Guatemalans working illegally in the US. Almost everyday a flight headed for Guatemala City filled with people whose dreams and hopes had been dashed. No, they hadn’t been running companies and building successful businesses, or finishing college and getting a great job; they had been working in kitchens, toiling in fields and contributing to the construction industry.

Apparently there are over 12,000,000 illegal immigrants... more

Today is the last day of 2007. This is the last day that adoptions in Guatemala will be processed under the old system. Tragically, this could be the last year of adoptions from Guatemala.

It has been a difficult year to be a blogger for Guatemala. I’ve had a difficult time remaining optimistic about the future of Guatemalan adoptions, and been busy defending adoptions from lies and inaccuracies spread by the media. I’ve also been made even more acutely aware of the corruption that was part of some adoptions, although I don’t believe the majority.

Thousands... more

On November 9th, I blogged about these six beautiful little baby girls waiting to join their forever families in the US; all families that I’ve personally met. To date, the only one on her way home is Isabelle, who will join her family in the US at the beginning of January 2008. Congratulations to her family!

The other little girls are in various stages of the process: Rachel and Isabella have been in PGN for quite a while, and Nola, Sadie and Madeline are not... more

Once in a while you come across a story that moves you right to the core; this is one of them.

The Baron Family of Washington State has three grown biological children and eleven adopted children. Five of the adopted children have disabilities. When you look at the photo (which I can’t post, but you can click the link to see), you see a mini-United Nations that is working well.

The adopted children range in age from nine to eighteen, and hail from Guatemala, Ethiopia... more

This “Love Thursday” is devoted to all the mothers who think they are disorganized, forgetful, ineffective and confused. I know you are out there and can probably relate to the events of my yesterday.

At last my babysitter was available – I hadn’t had a minute away from Ella for two weeks. Showered and dressed, I ran out the door to my hair appointment, arriving at the right time on the wrong day. Not to be deterred by one little mix up, I decided to get some other errands done.

First I darted off to have a blood test that was only six months overdue. Oops, I... more

Recently on a Guatemalan adoption forum I read about an infant with club foot who was available for adoption. Actually the mother was desperately looking for someone to adopt him.

Sadly, in the existing adoption climate he will probably not be adopted and his future is bleak indeed. Without the proper treatment he will not be able to walk or stand on his foot. He will probably live a miserable life, dependent on others to help him get around, and on charity for food and clothing.

One in every 1,000 children born has club foot. The foot is not only turned in but... more