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Title: Couple hold hope for adopted children
Source:
PNJ
URL Source: http://www.pnj.com/article/20100119 ... hold-hope-for-adopted-children
Published: Jan 19, 2010
Author: Rebekah Allen
Post Date: 2010-01-20 13:50:33 by Prefrontal Vortex
Keywords: None
Views: 104
Comments: 3
Milissa Evans met the little girl she is adopting two years ago on the porch of an orphanage in northern Haiti. "I got down on my knees to talk to her, and I just started weeping," Evans recalled. For the past three years, Milissa, 32, and her husband, Jason, 38, have waited for the highly bureaucratic Haitian government to approve the adoption of Bella, 7, and Elijah, 10. Now the Pensacola couple are concerned about the status of the adoption and the safety of the children since last week's devastating earthquake. The couple — who have two biological sons, Micah, 8 months, and Noah, 3 — have made eight visits to Haiti, and talk on the phone once a month with the children. They send food, toys and clothes as often as they can. The couple have waited patiently as their two adoptive children grow up without them. The adoption was only months away from being finalized, merely awaiting a signature of approval from Haitian officials. A friend called her with the first news about the earthquake. "It just felt just like grief," she said. "I went weak in the knees." Orphanage damaged Bella and Elijah are two of 118 children who stay at Lashbrook Family Ministries in the northern city of Port-de-Paix. The city is about 150 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake and has been damaged by aftershocks. The ministry, which houses an orphanage, school and church, is on its last legs. The church and school have been condemned. The dorm room where Elijah sleeps has a crack that threatens its structural safety. "We have no place else to go," said Cindy Holmes, Lashbrook missions coordinator, located in Indiana. "We'll probably have to move them out to the courtyard and sleep outside." On Monday, the ministry ran out of fuel for the generator and purchased some from the black market at $10 a gallon, Holmes said. The children's meals have been cut from three to two times a day. And as resources dwindle, bus loads of refugees are expected to arrive in the coming days. "I don't think the people in Port-au-Prince realize how bad things are on the outer areas of the country," Holmes said. "Without roads being open almost all of the supplies are halted and there are missions in all of these areas set up to help people. People bringing in aid need to realize that and bring supplies to other areas." Adoption uncertainty The Evanses have been assured their children are safe. But they don't know for how long. They haven't been able to talk to them. And there's no way for them to get into the country to see them. Milissa weeps at the thought of Bella being hungry and Elijah being scared at night during an aftershock. "There are people there with them, but two adults can't hug 50 kids," she said. The couple is concerned with the status of their adoption and are afraid they'll have to start all over again. Jason, who owns a pressure washing business, said they have considered moving there to be with their children and live at the mission. "Our kids are growing up and we can't wait another three years," he said. "I'd much rather be there than here and I can't go another three years." There were about 40 kids from Lashbrook in the adoption process, said Natalie Lewis, stateside adoption coordinator for the ministry. She said across the country there are thousands of children in the adoption process. "Over the past few years adoptions have doubled and tripled out of Haiti," she said. "Interest has grown so much but the adoption process has literally come to a screeching halt, it's like a snail process because of all of these stages the government has added." She said parents typically wait about three years to get their children. Six families with children at Lashbrook had been fully approved and were awaiting visas. Lewis said the U.S. government is making those children a priority and hopes to get them out of the country as soon as possible. But the Evanses will have to wait, she said. Milissa said she wants to be a voice for the parents who are waiting on their children, and are getting no word from the U.S. government. She said she wants to bring awareness that other areas in Haiti are desperate for supplies outside of Port-au-Prince. But mostly she just wants to hold her kids. "I bought this dress," she pauses and cries unable to finish her sentence. "I can't wait to take my daughter shopping. I can't wait for my son to have soccer practice. I just want to give them a normal life."
Poster Comment: Jason, who owns a pressure washing business, said they have considered moving there to be with their children and live at the mission. Now that is a wonderful idea!
Couple hold hope for adopted children
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#1. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#0)
Do you have any theories about what the vehicle is that's being used to essentially lobotomize people in this country? Whatever it is, it's damned effective. I'd really like to know what's causing this so I can avoid it.
Now that's an interesting question. If a rotten tree is blown down in a storm and blocks my normal route, what is the cause of my being late? Was it the tree or -- Sorry about that. It's been too many days since I last bitch-slapped my inner Jew.
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#2. To: Esso (#1)
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