Hi!
I wanted to give a short update before I leave for the USA tomorrow, Wednesday.
I will be in Colorado for our GLA Fundraiser. It takes place on August 24, so I'll be busy helping to get last minute details finished.
Léa LaPointe will be in Haiti doing the adoption paperwork and LaDawn Penner has returned to GLA for a month to help while I'm out of country. Laurie, Molly and Joyce will also be here, so things should run smoothly. John, I, and the boys will return on August 31. I will be in touch via email every day, so if there are any problems that need my attention the staff can reach me easily.
While out in the USA, we will be working to get a newsletter printed and put together. We probably won't get it mailed until after the fundraiser, but you should receive it around the first of September.
EDUCATION
It is that time of the year when children are lining up in our driveway applying for assistance with school tuition! Last year, 296 children went to school through GLA's sponsorship program at a cost of $50,000 USD! Unfortunately, we did not receive that much in donations last year. That is why we had to make a hard decision that unless enough donations came in for education, some children will not be re-enrolled in the program again.
We hate to see any child not attend school, but the mission cannot afford to pay that sort of money out of our charity fund. Please can you take the time to sit down and send a small donation to help put a child in school?
Chris Davies arrives the first week of September and one of his jobs will be helping to set up and organize the sponsorship program. We have not had the staff or time in the past to send out photos and information on the sponsored children. It will not be a sponsorship program like a large organization such as Compassion or Save the Children can do. That is not our primary work here in Haiti nor do we have the staff that you need for a program of that size! We want to send you a photo and information at the beginning of the school year and then once or twice during the year, we'll give you updates.
To sponsor a child for the whole year will cost $240 USD. For just $20 per month, you can have the satisfaction of helping a child attend school and learn to read and write. These children will just sit at home, if you don't help.
Please help educate a child......
ADOPTION
The adoption news out of Haiti, as always, is nothing but confusion and rumors! I try not to panic when something is reported because so many times nothing happens after we hear a rumor or things change before something can take place!
Many of you will remember back when President Aristide left in 2004 and Mr. Cadet became director of IBESR. For 2 years, we fought with IBESR about the law of 1974 and we went through a period where Mr. Cadet would not accept any dossiers that did not meet those requirements of the law of '74. Then Mr. Cadet started being more lenient with dossiers and the law of '74 was not strictly followed.
Now, here again, Commissioner Gassant in Parquet is demanding that IBESR follow the law instead of balancing what is best for the child along with the law. I truly do not believe he is against adoptions, it is just that he cannot see anything except the law. I think they realize that the law is out of date and needs to be changed, but until it is changed, he is insisting that the old law is followed. Now of course even in the Parquet, he told us exceptions would be made for couples who are infertile. So as you can see, even in the Parquet, there is confusion!
The new law is ready to go into chambers at the Senate. I was told yesterday that it hasn't gone but it is ready. Then it will be studied, voted on, and hopefully passed. I think our lawyer's estimate of it being voted on by October of this year may be too optimistic! We'll just have to wait and see.
I have to tell you that I have a peace about all of this. Having lived in Haiti 16 years, I have gone through so many highs and lows with adoptions that it is difficult to see the changes that are taking place today as lasting very long. There are other things going on with Parquet that makes me think maybe things will possibly change in a few months.
So, for right now, if there are any problems with Parquet's rejection of a dossier, we will fight to get it passed. We will ask for a Presidential Dispensation if needed. We will do everything that we can do, because this is not right. God has chosen each of these parents for these children and we will do all we can too see them together!
Have courage and faith and do not get discouraged!
And life goes on in Haiti....
Dixie Bickel, RN
God's Littlest Angels
Orphanage Director
www.glahaiti.org
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