Keep it going!!!!

After last weeks statement by the US DOS, many in the adoption community rallied for the US to not turn it's back on families already in process. Were you like me, saying "Oh yea I'll send an email, and make a few phone calls, I'll get to it right away, after I finish up breakfast. Or after I finish the laundry."

Yes I admit it, I was a slacker, but I made those phone calls today. I sent the emails, and yes I signed the petitions. Who is with me in the procrastination group. Well us slowpokes can make a difference too.

We can keep the pressure on!!! Call today or tomorrow, and let your US senator know that 5000 Children, future US citizens, might not be able to come home to their forever families. Drop your representative to the House of Representatives a line. Inform him or her of the plan President Berger has to put an end to adoptions when he knows his country, even with Unicef's money, does not have the means to house, cloth, and feed these precious children. Children who have families and homes and rooms waiting for them.

Don't let the US DOS just issue a statement, saying "The U.S. government is asking the Government of Guatemala to allow such cases, now pending, to proceed to completion without additional requirements." The US needs to demand that Guatemala allow these cases to complete the adoption.

So here is what you can do to help.

1. Call your U.S. Senator.· You can find your Senators’ phone numbers at www.senate.gov· Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

2. Email Gerry Fuller at fullergw@state.gov and let him know how you feel about this.

3. Call your representative to the U.S. House of Representative.· You can find your representative at www.house.gov· Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

4. Call or fax UNICEF Headquarters· Ask to speak with Ann Veneman, Executive Director· Their number is 212-326-7000· Their fax number is 212-326-7758

5. Call or fax UNICEF Guatemala· Ask to speak with Manuel Manrique· Their number is 011-502-2327-6373· Their fax number is 011-502-2327.6366 Please note that calls and faxes to Guatemala are international calls.

7. Send and email supporting Intercountry Adoption to guatemala5000@jcics.org· Write briefly or at length· Joint Council will use the cumulative email petition in our advocacy for Intercountry Adoption.

At the very least please sign these two petitions

Here are the links:
http://www.petitiononline.com/41203gm/petition.html
http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/petition.html

Let's all promise to call or send an email at least once a week until this is resolved.