Dear Editor,
“We do not need to know the beginning of a child’s story to change the ending,” someone said. One writer put it like this, “The world may not change if you adopt a child, but for that child their world will change.” Adoption can be a complicated and emotional process for every family member involved. Therefore, I am writing this letter today to plead for the future of my niece. I’m begging the relevant authorities to intervene in this case and help my niece. After adopting two children in America, fostering 50 and raising three biological children, I didn’t want to adopt another child. It wasn’t until I saw her life history that I felt compelled to help her. Here is what I saw.
By the time she was five years old, she was physically, sexually and emotionally abused. She never had a chance. From the minute she entered this world, she entered a world full of terror. Age five, she lost her biological father and her mother had several nervous breakdowns. Age 10, she became her mother’s caregiver. While she was still in her mother’s womb and before she took her first breath, she was physically abused every time her biological father physically abused her mother. A number of times, she witnessed her mother being physically abused by her stepfather.
For years, she endured a terrible life at home. She wasn’t safe in her own home. She bounced around from family to family, homes to homes, schools to schools and communities to communities. She was a nomad. During the early years of her life, she lived with her parents. After her step father assaulted her, she went to live with her aunt for a time. After some time, she returned to live with her mother and stepfather. Less than a year later, she went back to live with her aunt where she remained for a number of years. After my wife and I repatriated to Guyana, she came to live with us.
Having gone through so much, my wife wanted to give her a stable life. So she decided to adopt her. I went with my wife, my niece and her mother to the Child Protection Service. My niece was happy and excited that she was being adopted and getting to live in a stable home. Then, it all fell apart. We were hit by a bombshell. We received bad news. Because my wife and I are American’s citizens, we were not able to adopt her. My niece was devastated. She lost all hope for a better life. She felt rejected and disappointed. She felt unworthy, unloved and alone.
CPS provided me with this information: On June 1, 2019, the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (The Hague Adoption Convention, or Convention) went into effect in Guyana. Guyana is now a party to the Hague Adoption Convention. However, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has determined that it will not be able to process intercountry adoptions from Guyana initiated on or after June 1, 2019, because Guyana has not yet passed implementing legislation giving authority to the designated central authority to carry out its responsibilities under the Convention.
Simply put, because my wife and I are American citizens, if we adopt the child, she would automatically become a permanent resident of America. If my wife and I renounce our American citizenship then maybe we may be able to adopt her. The unintended consequences of this immoral law led to undue stress on our family, and ultimately, left my niece depressed, desperate and vulnerable. I found the law disappointing and disheartening. How in this 21st century such a law can be in effect? Whoever came up with this horrible law is cold and heartless. Why must this child suffer because of this immoral and ungodly law? We want help adopting our niece, because every child deserves a home and love. Therefore, I’m calling on the government of Guyana and the U.S State Department to hurry up and pass legislation so my niece can be adopted.
Sincerely,
(Name and Address Provided)
