My friend Paula and MeHi everyone, I am posting this blog entry to ask for your help. I received the following email from my very good friend, Paula who has been waiting to adopt from China for 2 1/2 years. We need your help in helping the USCIS make a right decision.
I signed the petition for myself and husband and contacted all of our representatives and emailed the joint council and USCIS all in about 10 minutes. So Please take the time and do this too and forward it to all who can help. IT DOES MATTER. You can be active in helping to bring a child home sooner rather than later or not at all. Let's be the hands and feet of Jesus and be doers. I don't mean to sound harsh but I am passionate and I think this is a perfect opportunity for the church to change policy. I have posted a link to the left to make it easier for you.
Note to fellow bloggers and email forwarders:
Please feel free to copy and forward! We can make a difference!
FROM PAULA:
Hey everyone! Nathan and I are emailing you this info and asking for your quick help with something. We recently received some info from our social worker at Bethany Adoption Services. In May of this year some changes were made about how a family could adopt internationally. Because our paperwork was sent to China in May 2006 we were "grandfathered in" and would not be affected by the changes. Now however, the US Immigration Dept is saying that all adopting families in the US must abide by the new rules. IF Immigration is allowed to change this ruling then it would cost the adopting families a great financial burden and it could cost some families to "lose their place in the line" for adopting and instead of being close to going to get their baby in China, the families would be made to go to the end of the line. Many of these families have been waiting close to three years already (we have been waiting almost 2 1/2 years! YIKES!)
There is an organization called Joint Council that is working very hard to keep the families before May 2008 grandfathered in the adoption process. They have a petition that you can sign to show support for keeping the rules for the pre-May 2008 families. Nathan and I would like you to sign the petition for us and for our sweet little girl in China. I am forwarding the email (see below) from our social worker (Leah).
In her message you will see "5 Ways You Can Help". Click on that link and it will lead you to the petition and just follow the directions it gives you.
I hope all this makes sense. Thanks for helping us get to our little girl. The petition is to be sent to Congressional leaders on October 18, so if you can sign it very soon that would be great.
Love to you all, Nathan and Paula
----- Original Message -----
From: lmcrae@bethany.org
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 3:29 PM
Subject: Call to action part II
The letter to the families that I sent out references the Joint Council website. On Joint Council's website are the "5 Ways You Can Help" page detailing how families can help. Please click on the link above or visit Joint Council's website at http://www.jcics.org./I600A.htm
The e-mail addresses families can send a message of support to are also listed on this web page. They are:
mark@ccainstitute.org and advocate@jcics.org
Although some families are not affected by this issue we encourage all who are willing to participate to do so.
Leah McRae
Bethany Christian Services
318 Erin Dr.
Knoxville, Tn. 37919
(865) 588-5283
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