[mommytoEli]

hey...i'm mommytoEli...i've been the moderator on the Guatemala board the last few months. i have 4 adopted kiddos, 3 via the US foster system and 1 via Guatemala.


Now I am your moderator, too..... First of all, if you need anything, pm me, and i'll do what i can to help. Second of all, let's get this party started. i know there are people here.... let's have some fun!!!!!

I'm guessing this forum is going to start picking up as I notice the country programs beginning to open. sooo......

who's here?

[bblb]

Hello!

My dh and I had been looking into Guatemala adoption, and still are, but are also looking into Panama adoptions as well.

We have just started contacting agencies and getting more information on their Panama program.

I'd love to talk with others who have adopted or are going to be adopting from Panama.

Thanks so much!! We are very, very, excited about becoming parents!

Nice to meet you,

Brandii

[Hopeadopt]

Hello,
I hopped over from the Guatemala forum as I noticed one of the Guatemala agencies does Panama as well. As there are issues with Guatemala, I thought I would learn about Panama as well.
Oh yes, my name is Kate!!

[maggie_va]

I don't know if things have sped up in Panama but in 2004 I looked into that program. At the time, I even moderated a yahoo group for panama adoptions.
Adoptions were very few and far between and lots of false starts and stalling. There also seemed to be no agreement on the process to follow. There was only one agency who had a program that was sucessful at bringing home more than one child during the time I moderated the group.

I know that most agencies have great blurbs on their sites about the Panama program but even now, 3 years later, I would be cautious and ask a lot of questions.

Maggie

[bblb]

Hi Kate

I will PM you about some agencies I've looked into thus far.

If anyone out there has any info on agencies and Panama adoptions, I'd really appreciate a PM as well.

Maggie, thanks for the information.

As excited as we are to become parents, we are taking our time and trying to research as much as possible about all of the countires and their process. We've also looked at domestic adoptions as well.

Thanks so much for this thread!

Have a great day,

Brandii

[hope4two]

Hello,
I am in the beginning stages of researching for a second adoption and would like the names of agencies that work with Panama. And, if anyone has any experience or information to share, I'd love to hear it, too. Feel free to PM me or reply onlist.

Thanks very much for your help!

Frances

[bajj]

Please remember to keep all agency discussion to PM's. Thanks!

[1STTIMEMOM]

I am in Panama right now! We have been working with a private attorney for 4 years! In the meantime we adopted a little girl from Guatemala that is now 3 yrs. old. We are working on a visa for our daughter here in Panama right now. We are so close. We have been granted permission through the courts here for temporary custody so that we can return to the US. The stipulation for us to be granted the final adoption decree is that we have a post-placement visit once we get home after 1 month. Then we will be granted the final decree. They have said that we will not have to return. We are on our 3rd trip right now.

This is definately not an easy country to adopt from. However there is rumor here that they are trying to become more organized with their process. Their was an article in the paper this week that between 2005-2007 there were 200 children considered "adoptable". Only 20 final decrees for adoption were granted. There is definately a need for children to be adopted from here. It just has to take alot of patience, persistence, and trust that it will happen.

Also, Panamanians are given preference. It is difficult to be matched with a baby. Our daughter just turned 3 yrs. old. Yes, we will have two 3 yr. olds! The orphanage that our daughter came from was excellent! They took very good care of her. She has bonded great to us and our daughter. Our only main battle right now is the language barrier, which we are working through fine.

Let me know if you have any questions.

gena

[skippylou00]

Hello we are the Skinners and we are heading to Panama this Sat. May 17 please pray for us.

[lambeausam]

Does anyone know if the process is easier for someone in the US that has Panamanian citzenship?

Sam

[mhpro]

hey skippylou! are you going to panama with an adoption? vacation? humanitarian work?

i'd love to hear about your trip, no matter the reason -- where are you staying? any recommendations of places to visit?

sorry for all the questions. just VERY curious about the country and what is available.

have fun on your trip!
m.