Archive for children’s rights
The Guatemala900 Marches on Washington DC
Posted by: | CommentsToday, May 6th, 2010, the Guatemala900 marched on Washington DC to, once again, to bring awareness to our elected officials of the plight of the more than 600 children left behind in Guatemala after adoptions closed almost 2 1/2 years ago. The children left behind were not new adoption cases but children who have adoptive parents and who had been promised to be “grandfathered” into the old adoption system and allowed to finish their adoptions. That did not happen and children have been left in institutions, foster care and some families do not even know where their children are. Many are not allowed to see their children. This is a tragedy and has gone on far too long. These children are being use as political pawns and treated as criminals. We must bring an awareness to not only the United States government but to the Guatemalan government as well. These children must be allowed to go home. What is happening is cruel to not only the children but their families as well. These families have been living a nightmare.
Take a look at the grief on the faces of these families. Take a moment to sign the petition to First Ladies, Michelle Obama and Sandra Torres Colom, MOTHER’S DAY PETITION TO THE FIRST LADIES
For further information on the Guatemala900 What an awesome group of people! Committed and truly dedicated to seeing everyone of these kids get home. All of us at Semillas de Amor send you a huge thank you for you kindness, compassion and never forgetting the kids.
The photos below were taken by Gary Cooper, Futuro de los Niños, at the Washington DC march today.
Washington DC March for the Guatemala900 Kids!
Posted by: | CommentsMark your calendars for May 6th in Washington DC! There are over 500 children, who were suppose to be covered under the grandfather clause and allowed to go home with their adoptive parents, still left in Guatemala. Many children have US visas, many children have their adoptions finalized and still they wait, institutionalized. These children were promised by both the United States and Guatemalan governments that their adoptions would be completed. And now, over two years later, lots of unfulfilled promises, children’s precious years robbed from them by government bureaucracies, families have been emotionally and financially devastated. The Guatemala900 is serious, we want the children to go home to their families now. Please join us in the march to help the children get home. Semillas de Amor is home to 16 of the 500+ children. If you can’t attend the march, please contact the Guatemala900 website below and see what you can do to help these children be heard. The only voices they have are yours.
Free Range Kids
Posted by: | CommentsTrying to get my “real” work done while I am at the children’s village is nearly impossible. My real work is mainly trying to find donations to keep the kids fed, clothed and educated. No easy task. However, watching the kids playing, outside my office window, makes me want to be out there with them. So most fundraising is done when I am home and while at the children’s village I get to play. I couldn’t resist bringing my camera while I hung out with the kids.
There are photos of Ruby. Ruby is our new dog. We found Ruby running in the streets, almost hit by cars, and just terrified. She was living outside, near the entrance to the farm where I live for a few weeks. The farm manager told the security to get rid of her. The security guards told me, knowing that I would probably not say no, so she became our new dog. We let her settle in at our house before bringing her to meet the kids at the children’s village. Ruby was a terrified dog and so afraid of everyone. This has been her first week at the children’s village, spending the day, and has done well. I explained to the kids that someone had been very mean to her, which made her very afraid of people, and then threw her out. Sadly most of our kids can relate. I have been so amazed by how kind the kids are to Ruby. They move slowly with her, know that she is nervous and pet her gently. The children have learned a true lesson in kindness.
We also sampled lettuce from our garden today. We have lots of different kinds of lettuce and all ready to eat. I didn’t realize, when I bought the lettuce plants, that what I had purchased was not what most people plant here. No iceberg lettuce in the garden, but lots of baby lettuce, the fancy stuff you guys in the States pay a small fortune for. Lucky for our kids we can grow our veggies cheaply and have fresh vegetables every day. Our next food move will be eggs, but have to build the chicken coop first and then buy some chickens.
Enjoy the kids!
