Sunday

As the sun goes down each day I despair that another day has gone by without someone being able to get to the children. And every day the sun rises I am filled with hope that this will be the day they get food water & medical supplies.
Chareyl posted this encouraging news last night

Just got a message from my sweet friend Lindsay here is what she said...............JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH THE LDS CHURCH AIDE DISPATCHER IN DR....THEY ARE AT PETIONVILLE LDS CHURCH RIGHT NOW...THEY HAVE BROUGT IN WATER AND FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE!

I am so grateful for Chareyl & all the other people involved in getting help to the children. They are definitely God sent. Not just in the midst of this ongoing crisis but throughout this whole adoption process so far!
Your help to get these children home is needed. As many of you know JCICS is working with the governments to advocate for adoptive families and get the children home on Humanitarian parole. Adam & I have contacted our congressmen & senators to rally their support. We would appreciate it if you would do that on behalf of all the adoptive families & their waiting children as well. Below is a link that will help you find your congressmen & senators. Also a template for your request. This is urgent. Please help rally to get these kids home !

http://www.house.gov/ - Congress

http://www.senate.gov/ - Senate

http://www.facebook.com/#/pages/Hope-for-Little-Angels-of-Haiti/223557492064?v=app_2347471856 - Our O's facebook page with letter templates (on the Notes tab)
Or, here are the templates if you can't get to facebook page.
Our info:
Adoptive Parents: Christopher & Bambi Estep
Name of Child: Vania
Date of Birth: 6/6/06
Name of Orphanage: Hope For Little Angels of Haiti

Sample Letter to your Congressman and Senators if you don't know someone adopting but want to help

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Yesterday at 6:42pm

Thousands of children in orphanages in Haiti no longer have a roof over their heads, food to eat or clean water to drink. Many of those children are in the adoption process with parents in the United States.

I are aware that USCIS has the authority to issue a humanitarian parole for people without legal documentation to travel to the United States. While granting a humanitarian parole is outside the normal procedures, the United States government has granted them in the past (e.g. Cambodia and Romania).

I am requesting that you contact USCIS on my behalf and request that humanitarian paroles be granted to these children being adopted.

While I realize that the United States seeks to honor the adoption process established in Haiti, I feel that that these children are in dire need and the country of Haiti would be best served by letting these children come to the United States. I feel that Haitian authorities would agree to this if it was proposed. What better way for the United States to help Haiti than to care for Haiti's child that is already so loved by these families.

Sample Letter to your member of Congress or Senators if you know someone adopting a child in Haiti

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Yesterday at 6:41pm

I/We are friends of (name of persons adopting), who are in the process of adopting (name, date of birth, case/file number) who was living at the (name of orphanage) prior to the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

I/We are aware that USCIS has the authority to issue a humanitarian parole for (name of child) to travel to the United States to live with (name of persons adopting) pending final adoption processing in Haiti. While granting a humanitarian parole is outside the normal procedures, the United States government has granted them in the past (e.g. Cambodia and Romania).

While I/we realize that the United States seeks to honor the adoption process established in Haiti, I/we feel that (name of child) and the country of Haiti would be best served by (name of child) being placed with (name of persons adopting), his future mom/dad. I/We feel that Haitian authorities would agree to this if it was proposed. What better way for the United States to help Haiti than to care for Haiti's child that is already so loved by this family.

Sample Letter to your member of Congress and Senators if you are adopting a child in Haiti

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Yesterday at 6:41pm

I/We are in the process of adopting (name, date of birth, case/file number) who was living at the (name of orphanage) prior to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. We began our adoption process (date).

Due to the earthquake, we are painfully aware that the adoption process has come to a complete standstill and there is little hope of it resuming for many years. More importantly, we have no idea whether our child will have food, clean water or even a safe place to live while we wait for the adoption to be completed.

I/We are aware that USCIS has the authority to issue a humanitarian parole for (name of child) to travel to the United States to live with us pending final adoption processing in Haiti. While granting a humanitarian parole is outside the normal procedures, the United States government has granted them in the past (e.g. Cambodia and Romania).

While we realize that the United States seeks to honor the adoption process established in Haiti, we feel that (name of child) and the country of Haiti would be best served by (name of child) being placed with us, his future mom/dad. We feel that Haitian authorities would agree if this was proposed. What better way for the United States to help Haiti than to care for Haiti's child that is already so loved by this family.