I am so impressed with the multitude of avenues people are utilizing to spread information about the possible crisis in Guatemalan adoptions. Emails, phone calls, faxes and letters are being sent to the DOS, Presidents (Bush & Berger), senators and congressmen, newspapers, embassies and even to famous personalities like Oprah.

Petitions are going around (sign here), but according to a friend with connections to the government, letters are much more effective; must be something about an old fashioned piece of paper and thousands of envelopes filling a mailbox that brings it home to the people in power. No problem, right? We can stuff envelopes and lick stamps.

The Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) is organizing a comprehensive response called “The Guatemala 5000 initiative” in an effort to have Guatemala roll back the date the Hague Convention will go into force. This will include letters to Condoleezza Rice, President Berger, and the executive director of UNICEF. They will then post on their website a call to action followed by a series of letters to the 187 members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Petitions will be available for signing as well. To read more about this click here where you will find more phone numbers, addresses and contact information.

Guadadopt posted links for sample letters to send.

There is a lot for us to do. Numbers speak to elected officials. Guatemala is sensitive to U.S. political pressure. Put all that together and maybe we can turn Guatemala’s decision around.

In my mind are the faces of thousands of children that need to come home to loving families. Let’s do everything we can to make that happen.


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