Help from JCICS and CCAI on Adoptions

Before you read this, I need to insert a personal tie-in. At the Orphan Summit, I was able to personally meet Tom DiFilipo, who you will read of below. He is the President of the Joint Council on International Children's Services. He, Angel, and I sat and talked about what could be done about the situation in Liberia (and all over the globe, really... it's happening everywhere that countries are being closed to adoptions). I just need you to understand how much it meant to me to have a man who fights everyday for this issue in a very public & political forum, get teary with me as he asked me how I could go see my children in June, knowing that I couldn't bring them home. I love that God puts warriors of every kind in place to fight for his children... even if the warriors don't realize they are doing His work. I was blessed and encouraged by his passion for adoption, and by his heart for the orphan... even my orphans. I continue to pray for this man... that God would use him mightily and strengthen him for this very difficult work.

This just in from Angel;

"I received word from Tom DiFilipo, President of the JCICS (Joint Council on International Children's Services) that he will work with Kathleen Strottman, Director of the CCAI (Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute) to get a letter from U.S. congresspeople to the Liberian government. The letter will encourage the GOL to quickly enact a new adoption law and lift the moratorium. Tom and Kathleen will work with our legislators toward the end of May to get their signatures, so I can take the letter during my trip to Liberia in June.

Here's how you can help, if you have had any contact with a senator or representative who has expressed their willingness to help on this issue in the past year and a half, please email me his/her name and title. (You can call CAS or post on our website if you don't have my email.) I will pass this on to the JCICS and CCAI, so they can specifically request that legislator's signature on the letter. It would also be helpful for you to make one more contact with your legislator and let him/her know that this letter is being drafted, and you would like them to contact the JCICS (Tom DiFilipo) and CCAI (Kathleen Strottman) with their support.

Let's pray that this would be a step in bringing both of our governments together to come up with some real solutions for adoptions that will be in the best interests of the children of Liberia and families. "