Wanted: A Bundle of Joy

To HoustonVol
Many Americans have tried to adopt for years, only to have each match fall through. I am shocked that any parent, especially an adoptive parent, would call any internationally adopted child a reject. Makes me wonder how you even qualified to become a parent.

It's a big joke - anyone who has adopted in China knows it's just another example of their many human rights violations. It's all about the cash and dumping helpless - often mentally and physically - abused kids in the arms of suckered Americans. The problems only start when the kids get back to the U.S. The only good thing is that, at least, their out of China where they would have wound up as streetsweepers.

I am an adoptive mother of 5 children adopted internationally and have been actively involved in the adoption community for a good many years. I can tell you without a doubt that less children are being adopted because of the U.S. signing the Hague. The Hague policies are NOT child friendly. The goal of the hague is to keep children in their country -- and where will these precious souls live and reside? ON the streets and if they are lucky they will get a chance to live out their lives in an overcrowded and abusive orphanage. That is no life!
It breaks my heart that the U.S. is allowing the U.N and other global policies affect our choices. Americans are big hearted and more than anything wish to offer loving homes to these children.
It makes me ill to think how many nations have closed down their doors to adoptions because of the Hague.
China is not "prospering" as you write. That is melarkey. Children languish in orphanages and they are over crowded. This is simply a lie.
By the way since you appear to be an expert on adoption -- please tell us all how many children have you adopted and how many orphanages have you visited?
It blows my mind away how you journalists can report on something you know NOTHING about.

-Shannon Gibney- which children exactly are up for ADOPTION still live with families? Those that do (FYI) are usually in foster care homes, and are often not well cared for. Most overseas orphaned children live in drafty, horribly underfunded orphanages. I know of a couple who wanted to adopt a child from India, who desperately needed surgery. The Indian government was interfering because they were ???untouchable??? and felt that since they were born into that cast, they should stay where they were???and two years later still were not able to get that child help, or finish their adoption. One friend I know adopted from Russia, and the kids (the entire orphanage) had to share ten thread bare coasts if they wanted to venture outside in winter. Often they have little food, live in intolerable conditions and are over crowded. Many Chinese orphans live in squalor. Another friend I know adopted their daughter from an existence where her clothes, never being changed, had adhered to her skin. I agree, if there are happy, healthy homes for these children to live in, then keep them there--however that is hardly ever the case. Should the children suffer just to say they 'grew up' in their own communities? Or should they be allowed to move to WHEREVER love and care can be found? Many of these governments are afraid now, as they've been allowing their cast off children to be adopted by the US, and they are slowing up now, not because they have a better solution, but because they hate America.