a1038: Old list discussion of adoption

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Folks, I was hunting for some material for the person who wrote in
recently and I came across the discussion below from the list in
1996.

I am sending this to the non-list member who asked, but am also running
it for the current list's information.

Bob Corbett

================


Subject: Adopting in Haiti: Glaser needs advice


Date: Sun, 4 Feb 1996 18:16:42 -0500 (EST)
From: Tony Glaser <glaseran@musc.edu>

I wonder if you or anyone else in the group may have some words of advice;
my wife (she is Haitian-American) and I (British, but consider the
Caribbean my home; both of us are US residents) are contemplating (no more
than that at present) adopting a child, and wonder how difficult or
otherwise it is to do so in Haiti. We would want to do everything properly
and legally -- does anyone have any suggestions, knowledge, experiences?

Tony Glaser

------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 05 Feb 96 11:48:40 est
From: Saint-Vil, Jean <jes@nserc.ca>

     There is a link, accessible through the UHHP (Haiti in our
     Hearts) that has some information on adopting from Haiti. Its
     direct adress is:

     http://silver.ucs.indiana.edu/~rmerlick/adoption.html

     A personal comment on adoption from Haiti: I recently met a young
     lady who was adopted by a French-Canadian couple. She has a lot
     of love, respect and admiration for her adoptive parents however,
     she now feels a strong thirst to fill the (Haitian) cultural void
     resulting from her displacement. She is now learning creole with
     help from my fiancee and she wants to go to Haiti...looking for
     herself. Fortunately, her adoptive parents appear to be
     supportive.

     I am no expert, but I feel that couples considering adopting a
     Haitian child should keep the child positively
     culturally-informed throughout their development (especially,
     considering Haiti's bad press ills). If the child must be taken
     out of Haiti, it is perhaps important to strive not to take Haiti
     out of the child.

     Good luck kanmarad! pa bliye: Lafanmi se lavi!

     J.A.

========================================

Date: Mon, 5 Feb 96 16:22 CST
From: Grafft@amrf-po.pmeh.uiowa.edu

     My wife and I have adopted children from Haiti, Korea, and the US. We
     firmly believe that it is vital to keep the children as aware of
their
     roots as possible. We have Haitian and Korean art in our home, take
     part in cultural programs in the community, and frequently eat the
     foods of their native lands. In no way do we feel that we can
     completely make up for their lost cultural experiences growing up in
     their birth country. However, as the children get older and become
     more aware and interested, we will encourage them to study their
birth
     country and assist them with travel. Last summer, two of our Korean
     sons (ages 13 and 15), traveled to Korea to tour and experience the
     country. While there, they met older half siblings and were able to
     better understand why they were placed for adoption. We strongly urge
     trips of this nature, although meeting with relatives can be a rather
     traumatic experience. Our Haitian children are a little to young to
     have the same type of experience although we will be making plans to
     take them when they reach the late pre-teen and eary teen years. I
     have traveled to Haiti 3 times with other children and feel these
     years are probably the most appropriate. In an ideal arrangement, all
     children would be raised by loving birth parents. We all know this is
     not always possible. If the children are adopted and moved from their
     birth country, as frequent contact as possible is very important for
     them to have a strong sense of "who they are."
     LaMar Grafft

=============================================
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 1996 21:17:07 -0800
From: Blake or Cheryl Weatherhead <knight@netshop.net>

     We adopted two girls from Haiti, ages 9 months and 2 years in April
95.
Although we live in Canada, the organization we went through has an
American
branch.  It's called the Fondation pour les Enfants d' Haiti.  It is run
by
Gladys Sylvestre, a Haitian-American who lives in Port-au-Prince.  You can
reach her at H.H.C. c/o M.F.I.Box 15665 West Palm Beach Florida, 33416.
Her
phone # in Haiti is 46-5056.  Just write and ask for information re
adoption.  Hope this helps, and best of luck.  Our two girls are the
greatest gift we've ever received!

Cheryl Weatherhead


Blake A. Weatherhead
Kamloops,B.C.,Canada
E-mail: knight@netshop.net
Voice:  (604) 372-2486
=============================================
Date: 07 Feb 96 22:36:23 EST
From: Marilyn C. Barns <73633.2077@compuserve.com>

I believe if you check the adoption services and genealogy boards, you
will find
the "need to know your roots" a human need, not a Haitian, Korean or
Romanian
need.  I have an interest in genealogy and have taken note of this "need
to
know" even in adoptees in their birth town or state.

Just an observation.
=====================================
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 96 3:00:13 EST
From: Yolanda A. Cadet <s0035261@hawkmail.monmouth.edu>


hello
for several days now i have read all about the couple who want to adopt
haitian children  , if i am not mistaken one person said they child goes
to
haiti to visit  that is all well in good but i have notice that the
children
that are adopted out of their culture tend to look down on ppl from their
culture. they seem not to want to accept the good and the bad of their
culture i have meet several children (now adults) who were adopted by
non-haitian parent tand they have  major complex about themselves, their
ppl
and their country . i realized that these kids would be for lack of a
better
word (better off) but at what cost to the country and it heritage?
yoli