Depressing News

I found out Sept 6th that the wait time has been increased to 18-24 months for a referral. Since I'm only 2½ months into the wait period this DOES effect me. Since I'm 2½ months in, my wait will actually be 15½-21½ from now plus my 4-6 month wait to travel. Worst case scenario is a referral around the end of June 2009 and travel around the end of 2009. Best case scenario is a referral around the end of December 2008 and travel around the end of April 2009. SUCKS!!!!! I spoke with my case worker this week about switching countries and what my options in Vietnam were. Basically, I have no options in Vietnam except to accept a waiting child/special needs. That means that I am willing to accept a Hepatitis-B+ or C+ child. I have talked to some people regarding Hep-B, but I want to talk to more and a doctor who has extensive knowledge. Right now, with what I know, I am leaning towards getting on the WC/SN list, but I could change my mind. I was considering switching to Kazakhstan, but the more I learned to more I knew it wasn't for me. One of the draw backs is that you receive a blind referral. This means all the country tells you is that you have a child and that is it. No picture, no medical history, no nothing. You travel to this country knowing nothing then you meet your child, spend time with him/her in the orphanage and then come home WITHOUT your child. That is the second draw back. In about a month I would go back to pick up my child. I just don't think I could do that. If I definitely decide to be put on the WC/SN list it still doesn't guarantee that I will move up too much faster, but it will be faster than staying where I am. I'm #93 and we have had NO healthy referrals in the month of September. No one really knows why this is happening which is incomprehensible to me. I would think the staff in Vietnam would have SOME clue as to WHY we aren't receiving children to place for adoption.

There was a big stink this week on my chat group about another agency getting 42 referrals of healthy babies this month. CHI says that is unheard of since there aren't that many babies in a single orphanage. So, the conversation went on about ethical practices v. unethical practices and that Vietnam and the US knows it is happening, but they can't 100% prove it and if they could it might effect adoptions across the board. Now, I think that if ANYONE can prove that a particular agency is participating in unethical adoption that THAT agency should be kicked out of the program NEVER to be allowed in again and that their referrals be given to the other agencies. ONLY IN A PERFECT WORLD. CHI is currently trying to convince two additional Provinces in Vietnam to participate in international adoption which would yield about 10 more babies a year. I hope that they can close that deal SOON! Apparently there are several Provinces in Vietnam that do not take part in international adoption and it is up to the US agencies and the Vietnam government to convince them that it is in the orphanage and the children's best interest to "jump on the band wagon" so to speak.

Anyhoo...That is my horrible news of the week.