Post Earthquake Haiti Adoption
After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, many people have longed to help in any way possible. Organizations such as the Red Cross, World Vision, and many others are some of the ways people have reached out to help the survivors and their families. Some people have wanted to take their efforts to the next level and adopt children that may have been orphaned as a result of the earthquake.
There are some important facts to know about Haiti adoption. You simply can’t go to Haiti, visit an orphanage and adopt a child because there was a natural disaster. According to the Department of State’s Intercountry Adoption website, just because a child is in an orphanage doesn’t mean he is without a family. He may have been placed in the orphanage due to poverty which does NOT make him without family. In addition, the process of locating a child’s family and extended family after a natural disaster can be quiet lengthy.
The adoption process confirms that a child has been legally declared available for adoption. There are parents in the process of adopting from Haiti, who started the process long before the earthquake. It is misleading to think you can just board a plane and adopt a child ahead of those who have been in the process for years.
Ask yourself these questions: Do I want to adopt because that’s what our family was planning to do, or have decided to pursue? Or, am I completely overwhelmed with the horrible devastation and want to help in some way? If it’s the latter, there are organizations that you can donate to, including the American Red Cross.
If you are truly interested in adoption, you should start interviewing adoption agencies and decide on what type of adoption you want to pursue. It’s not something that should be taken into lightly no matter how much you want to help during a time of crises. It’s a lifelong decision, and should be given the time and dedication as such.
For the latest offical information on the status of Haiti adoptions, please visit the Department of State's Intercountry Adoption website at: https://adoption.state.gov.
There are some important facts to know about Haiti adoption. You simply can’t go to Haiti, visit an orphanage and adopt a child because there was a natural disaster. According to the Department of State’s Intercountry Adoption website, just because a child is in an orphanage doesn’t mean he is without a family. He may have been placed in the orphanage due to poverty which does NOT make him without family. In addition, the process of locating a child’s family and extended family after a natural disaster can be quiet lengthy.
The adoption process confirms that a child has been legally declared available for adoption. There are parents in the process of adopting from Haiti, who started the process long before the earthquake. It is misleading to think you can just board a plane and adopt a child ahead of those who have been in the process for years.
Ask yourself these questions: Do I want to adopt because that’s what our family was planning to do, or have decided to pursue? Or, am I completely overwhelmed with the horrible devastation and want to help in some way? If it’s the latter, there are organizations that you can donate to, including the American Red Cross.
If you are truly interested in adoption, you should start interviewing adoption agencies and decide on what type of adoption you want to pursue. It’s not something that should be taken into lightly no matter how much you want to help during a time of crises. It’s a lifelong decision, and should be given the time and dedication as such.
For the latest offical information on the status of Haiti adoptions, please visit the Department of State's Intercountry Adoption website at: https://adoption.state.gov.
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