Adoptions From Guatemala Getting Tougher

U.S. Families Have Looked To Guatemala Because Of Lax Oversight, But Rules Are Changing

(CBS)  In her mind, Tracy Hartig already sees a baby's fingers touching her first book. She sees a nursery, not a guest room. And in the pictures from Guatemala, she sees her daughter Amelia, not a stranger up for adoption.

"When you see her face you can't help but just fall in love right away," she says.

"How attached are you?" asks CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella

"Extremely, extremely," Hartig says. "She's part of our lives."

The Hartigs are among some 3,700 U.S. families in the process of adopting children from Guatemala, who are now unsure if they'll get a child because of a sudden change in the rules.

It is a change spear-headed by Guatemalan President Oscar Berger who has ordered a halt to adoptions January first.

"The system was completely unregulated," says Tom Difilipo of the Joint Council on International Children's Services. "The fees were uncapped, no one really knows how many foster parents are out there, how many orphanages."

Lax regulation is one of the reasons adoption agencies have seen interest in Guatemalan babies skyrocket.

While other countries tighten their guidelines - South Korea won't consider single parents, China even dictates how much a parent can weigh - the Guatemalan government has little oversight and virtually no rules.

The country is second only to China in the number of children going to U.S. families today - a number that has nearly doubled in the past four years to more than 4,000.

"There are going to be some families that Guatemala was their only option," says Hayley Wilmes of Commonwealth Adoptions.

It's not clear what the new rules will be or whether couples like the Hartigs who've already started the process will have to follow them.

The Hartigs have spent nearly $30,000 on this adoption, but it's not the money they worry about, it's the little girl.

"What will happen to her?" Hartig wonders. "What will be her fate if she isn't able to come home? Where's she going to go? Who's going to take care of her?"

Questions they hope they'll never have to answer.

[cattlefarm6]

Now as for CBS, I agree with everyone. I forgot to stand in the Adotption''s are easy line, because nothing about this adoption has been easy. I have friends adopting from other countriesincluding the US(They are also led by God they are not selfish, stupid or greedy) and no other country has a process like Guatemala. Two DNA tests, months in family , court and then many months in the review a process. I would explain a little better, but since according to sharmcedar I am to "stupid" I really shouldnt try.
Every System has problems and yes thing could be better, but when You have 400,000 children born in Guat. and 60,000 are born in extreme poverty and only 1/12 are adopted. I think the better would be on the side of adoption and not to let these children continue to die! regardless of what country,they are God''s children.

[cattlefarm6]

I certainly appreciate everyones comments, espcially those of you who begin to judge me for my choices.

First, I have never felt like I have a "right to a child". as brianbwb stated. Thank for trying to tap into my feeling. I am very blessed to have three biological children, and even more blessed by God to be adopting another child from Guatemala. All of my children have come from God and I thank him every day for his blessings.
Taking care of the orphans is what God commands us to do. Taking that leap of faith is not by any means easy. But we are doing what God has told us to do. We are adopting because that is what God commanded us to do. He has directed every single step of this process from the when, to the where.

Skully, I am very confused on where exactly in the bible you got your information. None of us came from this country. All of us came from God.People in need are people in need regardless of where they live. There is no where in the bible that is says stay in your own back yard. Now it does say go out in to the world.(The world not just the United States) We are called to help all people regardless of where they are.Some are called to help in the United States some are called other places. See that is God''s work. He spread''s us out so there are missionaries everywhere. Agian I will say we are adopting from Guatemala because this is where God lead us and for no other reason.

[guatemommy]

When I watch that video and hear there are 3,700 cases in process that may not get to bring their babies home, it feels like it doesn''t apply to me. But the sad truth is, I am one of those 3,700 cases. We have already visited our daughter in Guatemala, have taken out a home equity loan to fund our adoption, and are completely and utterly attached emotionally to our baby girl. We have a nursery ready for her, a closet filled with clothes, and she has 2 big brothers, a mommy, daddy, and grandparents who are ready to love her. To not bring her home would be crushing for our family.

I do believe that CBS needs to do their homework, however. The title is completely offensive - Guatemala is anything but lax in the process. There are many many hoops to jump through and the process can be very long and hard. Babies and birth parents go through a family court system and undergo 2 DNA tests. In addition, our case files are closely scrutinized by the US Embassy AND in Guatemala''s PGN. Many families get "kicked out" for unrelevant reasons and have to start over in PGN. Many adoptions take between 9-18 months to complete, and some even longer. Meanwhile, babies are growing up without their forever families.

I encourage you to visit www.5000orphans.com or www.guatadopt.com to learn more.

[guatmom2007]

I forgot to mention that I just brought my beautiful 7-month old baby girl home from Guatemala last week. She is our fourth child, and our first adopted one. I wish every single family that is still in process a successful and speedy end to their journey.

International adoption is probably the hardest thing that I have ever gone through. God bless all those families and children that are still waiting to be united with their forever families.

[kellyamp]

Shame on scully152, sharncedar, & brianwb. I am currently adopting from Guatemala and not because I can''t make my own. I have two of my own children and would like to give a home to a child that needs one. I started off trying to adopt a child from US foster care but was actually told by children''s services not to do that because my own children were too young and wouldn''t be able to defend themselves from an adoptive child that would have behavioral problems and would most likely be violent. Also, there is a social welfare system in the US that is providing for children here, while in third world countries there is not and children are left to take care of themselves. Homeless people here live better than most people in third world countries. Until you have gone and seen what is outside this country, what millions of children around the world have to live in while we spend $5 on a cup of coffee, $40 to have our nails painted, $100 for a stupid pair of shoes, then you can just shut your mouth. We are all a part if this entire world and people living in other countries deserve a chance for life just as Americans do. 1 in every 4 kids in Guatemala dies before they are 5 years old. How dare you put down people that want to love children regardless of where they are from or why they are adopting them. Get educated before you make stupid comments!!!

[noidsrleft]

I am truly offended with the title of this article. We did not pursue an adoption from Guatemala because of "lax oversight." We chose Guatemala because of their highly regarded fostercare system, which is, in our opinion, much better than the orphanage setting of other countries. Shame on CBS for making such an awful assumption.

As for the "charity begins at home" comments - I applaud all of you who have adopted domestically - and I certainly hope that you have adopted domestically, or else you have no right to judge the actions of others.

[kpaul63]

It is truly sad to hear such a lack of compassion here. My family is trying to adopt from Guatemala, and we are fairly typical. My wife and I are infertile. We decided to adopt, and looked into domestic adoption first.

The majority of US orphans are in the foster system, which is not adoption-friendly. The kids are also likely to have suffered severe emotional trauma. Thus, we decided to adopt an infant. The idea that "there are plenty of kids that need homes in the US" doesn''t apply to infants. The wait time can be long and stressful.

Most domestic infant adoptions are "open" (a good thing) which means you have to go through a process where a series of birth mothers evaluate you as a potential adoptive family. Once you are "matched" the birth mom can change her mind at any point - even for a time after you have the baby at home! If this happens then you have to start the process all over. Because of all this, we decided to go international.

We chose Guatemala because it''s children are in foster care (instead of orphanages) - NOT because "lax oversight", which is frankly insulting. Our adoption agency appears to be reputable, honest, and committed to the welfare of the children in Guatemala. The US has standards that ensure that only actual birth-mothers place babies for adoption, and they have 4 separate opportunities to change their mind. The system in Guatemala can and will be improved, but it isn''t remotely as bad as is often portrayed in the press, which thrives on controversy.

[annia1233]

I wanted to adopt a child. I looked for a country to adopt from and looked into domestic ones. I realized that the amount of money was tremendous. Now see this. Having a family and a mother and family to call yours is vital and it decides your future, your place in this planet, will define your person and will determine if y will call yourself orphan and rejected or belong to some group. These people are making big bucks off the future, such a delicate future, the life and destiny of these children. They are NOT doing a good thing, they are eating and living a plenty life out of the misery of a child. If a person do not pay, the child will not go to a family. That child will grow and stop being commercially worthy (people want new borns) that child that could have gone to an eager family don''t because that family had no money to pay to those tht have thaat child. The child IS a property, a slave that is sold to that that pays the most. That is what adoption from another country IS.
See if you were one of those children and your time was passing (you are turning almos 2 or three years old and being marketable no more) you will not be adopted, would you want any family to take you for no money at all if there was one available? It is your future, your life, the have a family or being an orphan. What say you?

[brianbwb-2009]

To scully,

The reason people buy babies is because they cannot make their own, for whatever reason yet they feel as if they have some "right" to a child, and either don''t have the qualifications, money, or patience for an American adoption. It suggests that they probably wouldn''t make good parents anyway, as they feel that their own wishes are important enough to skirt legal, financial, or time requirements.

And the "give a loving home to a child" excuse also doesn''t wash, it sounds like an SPCA adopt-a-pet sales gimmick, because, as you said, there are plenty of American babies that need homes.

Your position is not as unreasonable as you might suppose...

[scully152]

My opinion on adoption is not a very popular one, nor very PC. I think there are PLENTY of children in the USA that NEED a home. Adopt from your own country. Take care of your own first before going outside of your country to help someone. My opnion is certainly not a popular one but it is still mine.