kudos to the govt.

This isn't something you hear very often, but the govt. needs to be commended. I'm sitting here watching Anderson Cooper in Haiti, and I realized that just 3 weeks after the earthquake, Avena was flown to America. This happened because of the governments of both countries. For all the red tape and govt. corruption you hear about (and know about!) it took a multitude of agencies from both governments to make this happen.
Our government decided to give humanitarian visas to all kids that were in process of adoption before the earthquake. They set up a registration protocol and my adoption agency, Holt International (Awesome agency!) submitted all the paperwork in the proper format. Pulled some all nighters. Once the paper work was approved by our government, it went to Haiti. (not sure of the details here). Monsour Masse, who runs the Holt Fontana Village, walked the paperwork to the Hiatian Embassy. It was submitted on Thursday, 1/28/10. It was completed on Monday, 2/1/10. How often does that happen? This includes the Haitian government visually seeing each and every kid before they get on the plane. Then travel arrangements were made with the military, and the kids were transported to Miami.

At that point, US Immigration had to process each child's paperwork at the airport. The kids are then relocated to a group home, where they are fed, washed, loved and played with - say what you want about social services - they stepped up. While the kids are sleeping the agency in charge of refugee status worked through the night to process their paperwork, the goal being all the kids done by 5pm, cuz then another plane load comes in. All this while dealing with children who don't speak english and are traumatized, and adoptive parents from all over the country who are traumatized!

So many people, in both countries, worked nonstop for the care and safety of these children. And to think it took days, rather than the normal years it takes. Amazing.

I also need to tell a story here...
There was an orphanage in Haiti, not sure if they suffered damage from the earthquake or not, that had 17 American parents fly down to help with the children. The orphanage director, 17 parents, and 39 children stayed at the Haitian Embassy for five days. (I may have some of the details messed up here, but the numbers are close if not accurate.) So finally they get their papers approved. The director, the 17 parents and 39 children get their travel papers. No wait. 1 eight year old boy's paperwork isn't complete. Everyone else has travel papers. And they have to go. This 1 boy has to stay. His two sibling are going. The orphanage director is going. Everyone else is going. And they do. They leave. He is left at the Embassy. The marines take him under their wing. They do not let him out of their site. They take him by the hand and take him where ever they go. Until his paperwork goes through and he comes to Miami with our kids. And he is king of the plane cuz he is with the marines - the only kid allowed to walk around! And he is immediately united with his adoptive parents and the paperwork is done at the door! He went home that very night!

Tear jerker, right?

I am crying as I am typing.

But that is a touching story about someone who is being taken care of right now. Someone who made it out and will be okay. Think of all the kids and parents who are living in the tent cities in Haiti. Just saw that 95% of all displaced persons do not have access to latrines.