Russia moves to shut down all adoptions to America

[Guest]

There is an advancing bill in Russia to completely stop all adoptions to families in the United States. Russian anti-U.S. adoption bill advances, goes to Putin for signing - CNN.com

This is an issue that personally hits very close to home. Some of our dearest friends have adopted a little boy with Down Syndrome from a Russian orphanage. His family, like so many of children with imperfections or disabilities, abandoned him. He is lucky to be in a baby home where they have given him love, care, and enough food. But at 3 or 4 years old, they move them to adult mental institutions, where they are left to fend for themselves, fed barely enough to survive, and deprived of basic hygiene and mostly, humane love. It is a bleak and miserable existence for them; but Russia doesn't see the value in these people and so they warehouse them away until they die.

The problem for our friends and their son is that, while he is technically legally theirs, he isn't home yet. They've been to court, the judge has signed the papers. But they were in the middle of a mandatory 30-day waiting period when all of this happened this week. The 30 days is to give the birth family a chance to appeal. The ones who abandoned him as an infant. They know he has an extra chromosome, but they don't know that he is vibrant, intelligent, feisty, and adoring of his new daddy (and mommy of course, but he is a daddy's boy for sure).

If you would like to say an extra prayer for the P family, they could use it, as could other families in their situation. The Department of State is fighting for them today and needs God in their corner. If you would like to sign a petition, one can be found here: Voice of the Child Petition I don't know how much value Vladmir Putin would put on a petition signed mostly by US citizens, but it helped me feel better to put my name to it.

[Just_A_Guy]

Last I heard, a few weeks ago, Putin was on record as opposing the measure. Fingers crossed . . .

[pam]

He signed it.

Russia's Putin signs anti-U.S. adoption bill - CNN.com

[Guest]

He signed it. Those who are all or part way through the process may or may not be able to take their children home, depending on how their specific region interprets the law. So that is hopeful. My friends know that the judge who signed the adoption papers there wants them to take their son home. Another beam of hope is an amendment that someone from Putin's party is expected to propose, saying that special needs adoptions will still be allowed. So we continue to pray.

[volgadon]

Does anyone know why this bill was proposed and ratified? As much as I am for adoption (and Eastern European orphanages tend to be hell on earth), there are some valid concerns, which the USA has addressed.

[LilyBelle00]

Some very good friends of mine just brought their little boy home from Russia a few months ago. So thankful that they got him out.

Fingers crossed for your friends, Eowyn.

[prisonchaplain]

Does anyone know why this bill was proposed and ratified? As much as I am for adoption (and Eastern European orphanages tend to be hell on earth), there are some valid concerns, which the USA has addressed.

The U.S. Congress recently passed a law having to do with the death of a Russia-critic. It appears that Russia had him killed, and so Congress passed a specific law effecting the finances of those deemed to have been involved. Russia took this as a human rights criticism and unwarranted U.S. involvement in U.S. affairs. The ban on U.S. adoptions was a pretty open act of legislative retribution.

[Guest]

A quick update on our friends. . .

Becky has been in Russia almost a month fighting for the boy who is legally theirs. It's been a crazy roller coaster ride. Even though this law has gone through and the ombudsman over the whole thing once said that Americans only wanted their children for labor and organs, he became an advocate for those in our friends' position and seems to have had a change of heart. Through a series of miracles, Becky took physical custody of their son today. Hopefully now the exit paperwork (passport and etc.) will go through without incident, and they'll be home later in the week. Praise God.

[Guest DeborahC]

I don't want to make anyone mad, but aren't there children in America who need homes? Why are people going to Russia????

[Guest]

The child my friends are adopting has Down Syndrome. Any children in Russia who are not "perfect" are often abandoned to orphanages that don't have enough funding, and barely kept alive, let alone thriving. Her new son is 4 years old. If she had not adopted him, he'd have been sent to an adult mental institution. Most children with disabilities are tossed away like this and most of those die in those institution of disease or malnutrition.

Also, American adoption is not that easy and carries a lot of emotional risk because the laws allow birth parents to reclaim their children much more easily than many foreign adoptions. That's just one reason that American adoption is problematic.

[Backroads]

I see where Deborah is coming from, but now that I've learned more about adoption, it seems the "Check out my foreign child" syndrome isn't as common as people just finding international or local adoption best for their circumstances. Seems there really isn't one that's necessarily easier.

[Guest]

As for our friends, they have one birth son with Down Syndrome who is a joy to them. They learned about Reece's Rainbow Adoption Ministry|Down Syndrome Adoption Ministry|Reece's Rainbow Adoption Ministry and found their newly adopted son there.

People are very quick to judge them on the premise that we should be "taking care of our own". . . but a child is a child, they all need homes, and most people don't understand everything that goes into the decision.

[Guest DeborahC]

Well, I'm not judging anyone, I'm just asking a question. I think anyone who adopts is doing a good thing. My ex and his wife have adopted 3 sisters (who otherwise would have been split up and put in separate homes) and a baby boy. I absolutely support them. I just know there are children here in America who need homes and wonder what keeps people from adopting locally???

[Guest]

Again, it's not as simple as all that and is higher risk than many foreign adoptions.

[Jenamarie]

As a friend of mine who adopted twice from Ethiopia put it: "Because that's where my children were."

I agree with Backroads, a kid is a kid is a kid, and ALL are deserving of homes.

[Guest]

I have friends who tried to adopt domestically for 10 years and it never worked out for them.

These friends in Russia right now (different couple) weren't even looking to adopt, necessarily. They have 3 children by birth. But they saw this little boy on Reeces Rainbow's site and both of them were drawn to him, independent of each other. I've seen videos of their visits with him and it's amazing how his personality fits with the rest of their children. He is theirs and was always meant to be, I'm convinced of it.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Eowyn

[Backroads]

Well, I'm not judging anyone, I'm just asking a question. I think anyone who adopts is doing a good thing. My ex and his wife have adopted 3 sisters (who otherwise would have been split up and put in separate homes) and a baby boy. I absolutely support them. I just know there are children here in America who need homes and wonder what keeps people from adopting locally???

Apparently lots of beaurocracy, from what I understand!

The ideal situation, it seems, is to already be in a relationship with the birth parents. You know them, they know you, you get a lawyer, a few more steps, you're done... but when going through an agency, a lot gets in the way.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Backroads

[Bini]

Hadn't heard about this. Positive vibes to all the families.

I was adopted from Southeast Asia back in the early 80's. I have learned that my adoption wouldn't have been possible without the help of Orrin Hatch. I feel very blessed to be where I am. Anyway, although DH and I have a blood child, we are seriously contemplating in adopting a child from the Philippines. Since I have dual citizenship, the adoption process would be in our favour, as opposed to if DH and I were both non-Filipino.