[CarmJoeMom]

My husband and I were talking this morning, once again, about adopting and he asked me what was happening with all the children now that Guatemala is closed. I know those of you in process are hopefully (God willing) getting your children home, but what about those that did't meet the deadlines and didn't get referred out in time, or those born today or tomorrow....what happens to them??? Are foster moms and orphanages overflowing, or maybe not yet, but in another months time will they be? Are birthmoms not giving up as many babies because of this? What are the agencies saying as I'm sure they would know from speaking with the attorneys, etc.

I just feel so frustrated myself, and I can't begin to imagine how those in process are feeling. My heart sincerely breaks for each and every one of you. Happy Mother's Day from one Mom to another!

[karen nickols]

but I know my attorney has told us that he has had to turn moms away.

[isabella123]

I think about this a lot too. Does anyone know?

[lou0728]

There has been a HUGE number of babies just left at the hospital. My attorney is constantly asked to take babies, but he can't. There have been reports of babies left on the street and found dead. There's no telling what is going on outside of the city. I'm sure that the majority of the birthmoms are trying their best to care for their children, but unfortunately we know that many of them can't afford food for themselves, much less for their children..... I am praying SO HARD that adoptions reopen soon.

[jules17]

This question keeps me up at night...

[ej-momtobe]

Some people speculate that many women were getting pregnant on purpose, because they get paid to relinquish (even though that is illegal). If that was broadly the case than part of the problem should solve itself, and there would be less because these women would stop doing that.

Some people speculate that many women were talked into relinquishing (possibly influenced by $), and they were not initially seeking out this option. In those cases I guess the bmom would raise the child, perhaps in grave poverty, as she would have if she had never met the 'buscadora'.

But I' sure there are a lot of cases where the bmom is looking for an alternative to raising her child because she is just not able to do it. Will they find a relative that is willing to help out? Will the kids be forced onto the street at an early age to fend for themselves? Will the kids die an early death because there are no viable options to raise them in a healthy environment? Will the Guat government step up to helping (unlikely)? Will aid organizations be able to help? (maybe some). I was in El Salvador a few years after they shut down for IA, and the number of small children roaming the streets of San Salvador, begging, eating out of trash cans, and up to no good was astounding. I can't help but think that GC will look like that in a few years. Very sad.

[pkbear]

I spoke with the director of the private orphanage my daughter came from, and she said that she has not been able to accept new children since adoptions closed in December. She relies on the $$ from adoptive parents to keep the place running, so she doesn't have enough resources to care for any new babies. She is very disheartened by this and by the fact that she is also having to lay off more and more staff as the pending adoptions get completed.

The whole situation is so very sad. To think that giving your child in adoption is not even an option anymore for these women - women, I might add, who are either dramatically uneducated about birth control, or who couldn't afford it anyway.

I can't even imagine being in a leadership position in a place like this where SO much needs to be fixed. The problems will take generations to mend. In the meantime, stopping adoptions is certainly not going to help.

[STEPHANIE1975]

We just got back from our pick up of our son. The night before we left we met with our attourney and we asked the same question. This was dishearting. She said that the foter moms will be no more and that the babies will be placed in foster homes. She also said she does not see Guatemala opening adoptions in the near futrue.

[JosieWales]

Originally Posted by lou0728

There has been a HUGE number of babies just left at the hospital. My attorney is constantly asked to take babies, but he can't. There have been reports of babies left on the street and found dead. There's no telling what is going on outside of the city.

I have no words for this.

[dana3262]

that saddens me to my core - i completely agree, there are no words.

[Quesita]

I have been thinking about this as well. In much of the world, children are born into poverty and desperation. I’ve lived and worked in Latin America, and I have seen many street kids, and children living on the margins of society.

My daughter’s birthmom is a street vendor. She is one of those women who sells trinkets in the street to passing cars and people on the sidewalk. I imagine that if Liana had not been put up for adoption, she would have spent the first part of her life on her mother’s back as she made sales in the street. Now that Liana is mobile, and charismatic and chatty, I imagine she would have been taught to beg. I imagine that she would work beside her mother on the street, with a dirty face and a big smile and an outstretched hand. I imagine that she would receive miniscule little coins, those fractions of a quetzal, in her tiny hand from those who did not buy trinkets, but who took pity on her, or were enchanted by her charm. That is, if she had survived the rotovirus that caused her hospitalization when she was so young…the hospitalization that was paid for through my attorney fees.

Other children would be learning to work in fields as young as two or three. Still others would be abandoned, to die or fend for themselves. Those from large extended families might stay home in the care of a grandmother until they were old enough to find factory work at 5 or 7 or 10 years old. Few would learn to read. Many would succumb to dysentery or some other easily curable disease. Some would travel with their parents and cross borders illegally and live on the fringe of a foreign society, always an outcast. Some would manage to go to school, and a small percentage would succeed against insurmountable odds.

This is not the reality just in Guatemala. It is the reality in much of Latin America, Africa, and much of Asia. It is the reality of a large percentage of the world’s population.

[mvoss6]

This is all so sad and a complete lose lose situation.

[susy...patience]

part of what I was going to say.....you have said it so well I have nothing more to add.

Originally Posted by Quesita

I have been thinking about this as well. In much of the world, children are born into poverty and desperation. I’ve lived and worked in Latin America, and I have seen many street kids, and children living on the margins of society.

My daughter’s birthmom is a street vendor. She is one of those women who sells trinkets in the street to passing cars and people on the sidewalk. I imagine that if Liana had not been put up for adoption, she would have spent the first part of her life on her mother’s back as she made sales in the street. Now that Liana is mobile, and charismatic and chatty, I imagine she would have been taught to beg. I imagine that she would work beside her mother on the street, with a dirty face and a big smile and an outstretched hand. I imagine that she would receive miniscule little coins, those fractions of a quetzal, in her tiny hand from those who did not buy trinkets, but who took pity on her, or were enchanted by her charm. That is, if she had survived the rotovirus that caused her hospitalization when she was so young…the hospitalization that was paid for through my attorney fees.

Other children would be learning to work in fields as young as two or three. Still others would be abandoned, to die or fend for themselves. Those from large extended families might stay home in the care of a grandmother until they were old enough to find factory work at 5 or 7 or 10 years old. Few would learn to read. Many would succumb to dysentery or some other easily curable disease. Some would travel with their parents and cross borders illegally and live on the fringe of a foreign society, always an outcast. Some would manage to go to school, and a small percentage would succeed against insurmountable odds.

This is not the reality just in Guatemala. It is the reality in much of Latin America, Africa, and much of Asia. It is the reality of a large percentage of the world’s population.

[MimiAgain]

She said that the foter moms will be no more and that the babies will be placed in foster homes

Stephanie,

what did you mean by this phrase, is there or is there not going to be foster moms/foster homes...sorry, I don't understand
thanks
Mimi

[adoptnky]

Our attorney is in the process of starting an orphanage to care for these children. I'm so proud of her, and look forward to supporting her efforts.

I know that there are other orphanages that are looking for support out there.

Kim