Orphanage in Haiti - Please Pray
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Haitian orphans coming home early to waiting Springs parents
Posted: 01/18/2010 4:19 PM
About 15 Colorado Springs families adopting Haitian orphans may bring their children home months or years earlier than planned.
The Haitian adoption process typically takes 18 months to three years to complete. But with chaos erupting and resources taxed following last Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti, U.S. and Haiti authorities are working to bring adopted children home as early as this week, sources say.
The Haitian government has issued parole visas to most of the Haitian orphans with adoptive families in the U.S. The children need to be transported to the U.S. Embassy in Haiti to be processed by the State Department out of the country, according to a spokesperson for Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.).
The children may be flown to Miami, where adoptive parents will meet them, sources say.
But agencies are having difficulty getting the children to the embassy, Udall's spokeswoman Jennifer Sisk said in a statement today.
"The senator's No. 1 priority is getting the children to a safe location with food, water, and medical supplies. From this location, we can centralize the evacuation by plane and get the children out in a safe, quick and orderly process."
Sue Hedberg, director of Celebrate Children International in Oviedo, Fla., which handles many U.S.-Haitian adoptions, said damaged roads and battered infrastructure are hampering the transportation of the children.
"At this time, we are not sure when the children will be leaving for the U.S.or when they'll arrive," Hedberg said Monday afternoon. "But we expect this to happen very shortly."
Colorado has a disproportionately high number of parents adopting from Haiti. Of the 300 U.S. families adopting Haitian children, about 50 are from Colorado, according to the State Department.
Gregg and Melissa Nowlin of the Springs are adopting 9-year-old Mariah and 11-year-old Swolbee from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage near Port-au-Prince. They thought it would be months before their children would come home.
Today they've been scrambling to get ready for the children by cleaning their house and setting up extra beds.
"It's all pretty exciting," Gregg Nowlin said.
Springs parents Ken and Bev Ellson are trying to come to grips with their emotions about having their Haitian child, 12-year-old Samantha, home within days or weeks. Before the quake, they expected Samantha home by Christmas 2010. In the quake aftermath, they expected an additional six-month wait.
"This is the first I've been able to talk about it without breaking down in tears," Ken Ellson said this afternoon.
Relatives have donated to the Ellsons a day bed and clothes for Samantha, who is at Maison des Enfants, and the Ellsons are shopping for Haitian-type food to help her in the cultural transition.
"We were not expecting this," Ken said, "but we are overjoyed."
Check back for more updates on this story.
I wondered about that Nanny that had the white substance under her nose and tonights ABC World News explained by David Muir on location that so many are looking for minty toothpaste to put under their noses since the smell of death is so very strong. That is just so very sad and tragic and this earthquake is going to affect these kids for the rest of their lives. Since we know fear so well , we know how to pray for their healing that they will be able to lead "normal" lives. That they will get all help they need to be healthy again. And the adults as well
Lord bless them and comfort and sustain them in this trying time..
Lord bless them and comfort and sustain them in this trying time..
Shif:
I saw where some of those children did arrive in Miami and were met by their new Colorado parents.
I also saw pictures of the horrow in Haiti on the news last evening.The need for doctor's and anti-biotics. Everyone can see that.
I know we are all praying.
It does make us take thought about many things.
I'm certainly with you, Jill, in those prayers.
MJ
I saw where some of those children did arrive in Miami and were met by their new Colorado parents.
I also saw pictures of the horrow in Haiti on the news last evening.The need for doctor's and anti-biotics. Everyone can see that.
I know we are all praying.
It does make us take thought about many things.
I'm certainly with you, Jill, in those prayers.
MJ