[BEBE]

I have seen two disturbing doc. on crime in Guatemala recently. One is called "Killers Paradise" and is about the 2,000 unsolved murders of women in Guatemala City (in the past few years).

The second one was about all of the unsolved crime in Guatemala (not just against women.) I think it was called "Deal with the Devil" or something to that affect.

These two shows are very sad, they also talk about the children living on the street. The images of the murder victims are very graphic and disturbing. I guess this hits so close to home for us, because our Gotcha Day translater was murdered. We found this out last spring. So now when we watch our video of that day it is bittersweet, knowing what happened to him.

Just wondering if anyone else saw this. I know "Killers Paradise" was aired again last night. This channel was the DOC channel on our satillite.

[mommytoEli]

i didn't see these, but it is stories like these, and stories like josi's that make me thank God eli came home safely. when people talk about all of the street children, i get so freaking mad at unicef all over again. there are REAL orphans in guatemala. real orphans with no foster homes, no orphanage, no family, no healthcare, no food, and now no hope. and i will not let anyone for one second tell me these kids are still better off in guatemala in this situation than they are in an adoptive home in another country.

[BEBE]

Thats exactly what I was thinking as I watched this. I am so sad for all of the children left behind, and I am sad for the birth families and foster families that have lost loved ones and or have been victims of violent crime. It seems that they women are especialy easy targets (as it is in most places).

Just a really sad story.

Yeah Unicef makes me sick. Where are they while there are children/young teens sleeping on the side walk and starving on the streets??? The street kids were saying they join gangs to survive living alone on the streets.

So big deal Unicef, (you give a portion of sales for a bag of pampers) you provide a few vaccines for the third World. The damage you have done to the adoption world, far outweighs the good. Just my opinion on UNICEF

[Devora]

So big deal Unicef, (you give a portion of sales for a bag of pampers) you provide a few vaccines for the third World.

I understand criticisms and concerns re: UNICEF's policies and actions in Guatemala re: international adoption. However, please, let's not reduce their work to "a few vaccines".

In Guatemala alone UNICEF provides:
* approximately $8 million/year in ongoing relief

* has done extensive work in the areas of water, sanitation, housing, removal of land mines, health promotion, health care, and day care for children

* Following Hurricane Stan (which killed approximately 2,000 Guatemalans) UNICEF was one of the first agencies there. In the first days alone they provided $3.6 million in relief. This included 290,000 rehydration salts, 128,000 antibiotics, nutrition for children and nursing mothers, shelter with a specific emphasis on separated children, and mobilization of 400 teachers who were provided specific training on how to support children living in the shelters. They allocated an additional $3.6 million in ongoing hurricane relief for water and sanitation, basic health services, nutrition, and child protection.

Some of our children would not be alive today if it wasn't for UNICEF's work in Guatemala. Their parents would have died before our children were born or our children would have died before we brought them home due to rampant disease.

I have my own concerns over the adoption policies and actions. But being critical in that area doesn't mean we have to disregard all of the valuable work they do.

[becky]

It is such a horrible and tragic situation. I thank the Lord every day that my little one was able to come here and live in safety and security...but my heart breaks for all the little ones who will never have that chance.

[w8ting4Thomas]

My husband saw the one about all of the women who have been killed. This is why he is VERY opposed to me going a mission trip there this spring.

[ndv101]

I would like to know how I can find more info on these

[carlyincali]

Unicef's work, although good, is not enough. There are not enough Guatemalan people that are willing to adopt babies and children. There is simply not enough money in that country.

So we have children growing up on the streets and in the city dump who feel no love and do not get their needs met from a very early age. They are then feral children who grow up and heartlessly murder people and don't think twice about it. A gange becomes the closest to a family that they will ever get.

I just read another story this morning about someone's 19yo son getting murdered in Guatemala by a gang.

[Amber76]

Originally Posted by carlyincali

Unicef's work, although good, is not enough. There are not enough Guatemalan people that are willing to adopt babies and children. There is simply not enough money in that country.

So we have children growing up on the streets and in the city dump who feel no love and do not get their needs met from a very early age. They are then feral children who grow up and heartlessly murder people and don't think twice about it. A gange becomes the closest to a family that they will ever get.

I just read another story this morning about someone's 19yo son getting murdered in Guatemala by a gang.

UNICEF just isn't, and probably can't, do all that needs to be done in Guatemala. Those kids and babies need families, and the system needs to make it easier, not harder or impossible, for them to find families. Gangs are a scary thing, and kids join them because it is sometimes either join them or be killed by them. What a horrible choice for kids who are along and scared!

I pray somehow that adoptions can begin again to help at least some of those children find homes. I also pray that the government really can find a way for Guatemalan families to be able to adopt and care for some of those kids as well-I know our daughter's fostermom would love to adopt a little girl, but her financial status would never allow it to happen with the 3 boys she already has.