DISCUSSION OF ADOPTION IN HAITI

From discussion on Bob Corbett's Haiti discussion forum in 1996.

4 Feb 1996

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

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05 Feb 96

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.

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5 Feb 96

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

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6 Feb 1996

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
Voice: (604) 372-2486

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hello

or 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

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