We were informed by our agency of a new development with adoptions in Guatemala. The current president of Guatemala issued a new protocol trying to enact a new set of rules and regulations with adoptions in Guatemala. Though we do not know all that this will entail right now we know that it looks like it could be a threat to completing these adoptions any time soon. We would love if you would join us in going to the bellow e-mail addresses and e-mailing your congressmen. Pres. Bush is going to Guatemala in a week and we are hoping that if we put enough pressure on our government that in turn this will come up at the meeting between the two presidents. This is the letter that they sent us...
Dear Prospective Adoptive Families:
We want to inform you that the Protocol of Good Practices (or the Manual of Good Practices - we will use these interchangeably) was announced yesterday by the President of Guatemala’s office. It was announced, in part, so that Guatemala would have other “rules” in place until Hague compliant legislation can be passed by Congress. The Asociacion Defensores de la Adopcion (Association in Defense of Adoption, or ADA), a group of adoption attorneys fighting to keep adoption open, was present at the announcement. Below is their take on the situation.
Presentation of Protocol of Good Practices per the ADA (03/02/07)
http://www.adaguatemala.org/English/news/2007/03/the_presentation_of_the_protoc.html
The Protocol of Good Practices is a set of “rules” made by the president’s office which could significantly change the adoption process. It is really not a workable set of rules and Guatemala has no funds to put the Protocol into place. It should be noted that as in the U.S., the Guatemalan president is not permitted to make laws, only the Congress can do so. Therefore what the Guatemalan president’s office has done goes against the Guatemalan Constitution. Tenets within the Protocol are also against their Constitution. The adoption attorneys in Guatemala are fighting this Protocol and will be filing many challenges, but it will take time in which to do so.
Yesterday, after this announcement was made, we spoke to the Guatemalan contacts. There is speculation that the Protocol will not go into effect for at least another three weeks. It has also been speculated that it is not the Protocol’s intention to end adoptions in process, and if a family’s Power of Attorney is registered before the Protocol goes into effect, that they will be able to continue in the adoption process. This is something we cannot confirm at this time, but if true, we do expect significant delays in the process at least. We are in the process of coming up with a plan to get families’ Powers of Attorney to Guatemala as quickly as possible, if they are not yet there and those families wish to continue.
It was made very clear to us by the Guatemalan contacts that we (the adoption attorneys, the agencies, and the adoptive families) need to work together to put down this unconstitutional Protocol. They are asking that everyone send letters to their Congresspersons and to the President of the U.S. urging them to pressure the Guatemalan government to “repeal” the Protocol of Good Practices as it is unconstitutional, and to allow cases in progress to move through the system without delay. Note that anyone can write to their Congresspersons or to the President of the U.S. (i.e., previous adoptive parents, family, friends, etc.). We as the adoption community need to make it clear to our government and to the Guatemalan government that we will not sit by and let the president’s office make unconstitutional decrees that affect potentially thousands of Guatemalan children.
See the link below on how to send letters to your Congresspersons and the President of the U.S. There was a call to action posted on GuatAdopt’s website:
http://www.guatadopt.com/archives/000577.html#000577
There are many, many rumors flying around, and it is difficult to determine at this time what is correct, and what is just rumor. What is contained in this letter is essentially what we know right now. We will let you know as soon as we have additional information.
We have had a few days to process this news and though we are uncertain with what this means with Mateo and Ellie and our bringing them home we are certain of one thing. The adoption process can change minute by minute but our God does not change. His character does not bend when challenges come our way and he is faithful to bring about his purposes. We are trusting not in the things we can see right now but in our unseen God who holds all things in his hand. This is an opportunity to trust him and to praise him even when our hearts are heavy. Please join us in petitioning to our father on behalf or these orphans and contact those who may be able to have a voice on their behalf. Thank you for your support and prayers.
Scott and Laura
