Hello All, this is Nicky’s sister, Ena. I am posting for Nicky because, as you know from Jrock’s post, she is currently en route to Ethiopia with our Mum.
First of all, thank you to all for your heartfelt thoughts and prayers (atheist or otherwise ;~D ). They are very much appreciated. Nicky and Jrock’s family are all a little shell-shocked at the moment, to say the least. Just a few days ago we were celebrating finally getting through court, and thank goodness they did!
Nicky and Jrock are both holding up remarkably well. Those of you who know them know that Nicky’s first instinct was to leap to action…which is why she will be the first among many to arrive in Ethiopia to claim her daughters. Jrock is being…well, a rock! Where Nicky is action in the face of chaos, Jrock is the calm in the eye of her storm.
Secondly, the real reason I am posting. Nicky would probably articulate this much more clearly than I, but here we go…
As many of you will have seen, the first of many articles around the Imagine fiasco has hit the web: the Globe and Mail came out with it this morning. If you haven’t seen it, here is a link:
While the article speaks to the monetary loss that many couples are facing in the wake of Imagine’s bankruptcy announcement, it does little to speak to the emotional loss of those couples in the pre-referral and referral stages of adoption. Our hearts go out to all of you.
It also fails to speak to the situation that families that have passed court now find themselves in. Nicky is lucky, in many ways. She can stay in Ethiopia as long as is necessary for Sugar & Spice to get their citizenship documents. Obviously this isn’t preferable, as it is hard both financially and emotionally for everyone involved. Jrock doesn’t know when he will be able to meet his daughters, and Nicky is essentially going to be a single mom in a foreign country! But many families will risk losing jobs the longer they have to stay in Ethiopia, as well as dealing with the rest of this. And from what I understand, it isn’t just families adopting from Ethiopia that are affected, either.
While I know that many of you are as shell-shocked as we are, or dealing with the possibility of an incredible loss, I want to urge all of you to follow Nicky’s lead and take action. Please write to your MP, Canadian Immigration, and whoever else you can think of to urge the government to support these families by ensuring a speedy process for those who have been through court. We are asking that in the wake of this devastating announcement by Imagine, they issue emergency passports and visas to all of the children who have been through the court process. This would allow families to minimize the long-term impacts, both financially and emotionally, of this chaotic time. I am also urging the government to put priority on these cases in the citizenship process in order to minimize the wait for families wishing to bring their children home and have this all put behind them.
These children are already vulnerable and have experienced great loss. Allow them to come home as quickly as possible to start building their new lives with their loving parents.
Tags: adoption Canada Ethiopia citizenship and immigration, bankruptcy imagine adoption
July 14th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
What a good idea!–Just finished my letter to Laurie Hawn, my MP in Edmonton Centre!
Hoping for a positive outcome in all of this!
July 14th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Rest assured, I have written my MP and hope to meet with her soon. Best of luck to you both.
July 14th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Just a quick note…….I don’t think Nicky will be alone
there. My friend Karen is also on her way to pick up her
son. I think there will be a group of them. My prayers
are that the children in the transition home will soon be in
the arms of loving parents.
Marianne Bailey, Hamilton Ontario
July 14th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Thanks to everyone who is writing a letter! I’ve also sent mine to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney.
Thanks Again!
Ena
July 14th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Thanks for giving me something productive to do at a time when I feel so lost and so sad…
July 14th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Hi Nicky and JRock,
I am on it! Writing immedately. So sorry to hear about this. Let me know if I can help in any other way. Prayers are also on their way - lots of them.
Barb (RRU)
July 14th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
I will be writing Stockwell Day tonight…. prayers coming until they’re all back home here in Canada!
July 14th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Okay, I have written and will post my letter here, in case anyone wants to copy/paste to their MLA/MP….
======================================================================
I am writing to you from my home in the south Okanagan, and I am urgently requesting your support with respect to the dozens upon
dozens of families currently in turmoil (financially and emotionally) due to the recent bankruptcy filing of Imagine Adoptions. While I am
nothing more than a concerned citizen, I know there are families who have “passed court” and were awaiting travel notice to pick up
their children… and who’ve now been told their children are in limbo, in Canadian transition homes in Addis Ababa wherein their financial
accounts have been frozen and they may not be fed or taken care of to the standard of care they deserve. I know of a local (Okanagan)
family in which the mother-to-be is now enroute to her daughters in Addis Ababa to make sure they are cared for until the fiasco can
be sorted out and the citizenship papers finalized. Meanwhile, her husband and father-to-be remains at home trying to provide the financial
means to bring this adoption to a close… all the while worrying about his wife being a single mother in a foreign, third-world country.
I am urging you to please help expidite the citizenship legalities so these families can bring their beautiful children home. And for the families who never got to the “court” stage, I am urging financial help. They have invested tens of thousands of dollars, and years, into their dreams of building a family, and are now empty-armed.
July 15th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Thanks Kari for attaching your letter
Thanks Ena for getting everyone started - it’s a terrible feeling to sit here and have to read about your sister and all the other families going through this terrible time. You’ve inspired us to get writing.
To Jrock and Nicky - I just moved to Kelowna and came across your blog tonight as I was searching for info about Imagine - My husband and I adopted our daughter from Kids Link in Aug.2007. She is now almost 2 1/2 . I can’t imagine what you are going through - but my thoughts are with you Nicky as you strive to do everything to bring your little girls home.
I will write my letter the moment I leave your blog and will be asking all my friends and family to do the same. You need the government’s support.
Take care and be safe.
Leah
July 15th, 2009 at 9:40 am
taking action…typing right away!!
safe travels mama!!
by the way, I find your mama bear, leaping into action so inspiring!!
xo
jenn
July 15th, 2009 at 10:25 am
JRock & Ena..
Found the cutest necklace on Etsy and totally thought of Nicky:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listi.....d=25075864
Beyond cute.
Still hoping for things to work out! C’monnn, MPs!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Venessa, that is SO cute! I adore adore adore Etsy… and I agree, this would be beyond perfect for Nicky!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Here is another http://www.etsy.com/view_listi.....d=15568203
July 15th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Thanks, everyone. Thanks especially to Kari for posting her letter - mine was a little personal and specific to post on the net. (It mentioned the girls’ real names, etc.)
I think it’s wonderful how everyone, regardless of the chaos their own lives are in right now, are pitching in to help. Thank you thank you thank you.
As I’m writing this, Nicky and Mum should have arrived in Addis. We all are waiting with baited breath to hear some news. Of course, it’s evening in Ethiopia, so they may not be able to go get the girls until tomorrow. So we wait…
I love the necklaces! I may have to get my big sis a congratulatory gift. ;~D
Thanks again, everyone, for the letter writing and all of the support and positive comments. I may not know you all, but my thoughts are with everyone who has a link to the situation, especially those waiting to hear what will become of their families…
Cheers
Ena
July 15th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Oh- if some of you are wondering why your comments haven’t been displayed…
I don’t know how to edit the comments on this, and some of you accidentally mentioned Nicky’s real name. Feel free to re-comment using ‘Nicky’, and I’ll be very happy to post it!
Thanks
Ena