Isabella, Nola, Sadie, Rachel, Madeline, and Isabelle

Photo: Ella a few days before we arrived in Guatemala to bring her home forever. The wait seemed eternal.

Beautiful names and equally beautiful faces. These are six baby girls waiting in Guatemala to be brought home to their forever families, families I’m fortunate to know personally.

With so much controversy about Guatemalan adoptions, the individuals involved are often obscured under the rhetoric. Each of these little girls, and thousands of more children are moving through the precarious Guatemalan adoption process right now.

And who are the PAPs (prospective adopting parents) of these little maidens? Well, if you believed everything you read in the newspaper, or saw on TV or read on the internet, you might be inclined to think that they are all rich people who are adopting from a poor country with little interest in the heritage of their children. After all, who but the rich could afford a $30,000 adoption?

But, like most of what you read about Guatemalan adoptions, there are huge inaccuracies and exaggerations. These parents are not among the richest 2% of the country; on the contrary they have cashed in their retirement plans, taken out loans or second mortgages, worked thousands of extra hours, borrowed from family, and held fund raisers in order to pay for the adoption.

They are parents devoted to the children they have at home, and eager to expand their families with a child from Guatemala. With the exception of one, all the families have already adopted from Guatemala. Lucky me, I’ve met those children – some in Guatemala during my visit trip and others at our agency’s picnics. Some live a long way away, but thanks to emails we keep in touch. I have no doubt that the little girls I’ve named are coming home to fabulous families.

The parents of these children aren’t sleeping too well these days as politicians play chess with the future of their children. They hold their children in their hearts until they can hold them in their arms, and live with daily anxiety and worry.

Adoption awareness month is a good time to get the facts straight and challenge the lies about Guatemalan adoption that are disseminated by the media. It is also a good time to stop and think of the wonderful people who are enlarging their families through Guatemalan adoption. Bless you all.

Photo Credit: Lisa S.

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