Category - Haiti

9
Apr

MLJ Adoptions Can Assist with Relative Adoptions from Haiti!

Some families seeking to adopt from Haiti enter the international adoption process hoping to adopt a child born to a relative. We call these adoptions, relative adoptions. This can be for a variety of reasons, including the death of a loved one in Haiti or the natural parents decide they cannot provide for the child ...
10
Jan

A Look Back: Haiti’s 2010 Earthquake

It’s hard to believe that it has been seven-plus years since Haiti’s devastating earthquake. But it has; on January 12, 2010, a catastrophic earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck 25 kilometers outside of Haiti’s capital city of Port Au Prince. An estimated 100,000 people died, and 3,000,000 more were affected. Haiti was already the ...
18
Sep

Families Needed to Adopt from Haiti!

Following Haiti’s violent earthquake in January 2010, a massive outpouring followed of prospective adoptive families reaching out to adoption agencies seeking information on how to help by adopting Haiti’s orphaned children. The phone calls were non-stop, and the switchboards could not handle the numbers of calls coming in. So many families wanted to adopt from ...
13
Mar

A Tale of Three Crèches

In Haiti, most children eligible for adoption live in crèches, or orphanages. Crèches may be funded privately or publicly, but a crèche must be approved by IBESR, the Haitian government body that oversees international adoption. From what I have observed, crèches take on the “identities” of their funders and directors; for this reason they can ...
30
Jan

What Kinds of Foods Can I Expect to See in Haiti?

In June, I was fortunate to go to Haiti, one of our partner countries which comprises the western third of the island of Hispaniola. It is a relatively small country with large mountain ranges, open plains, some virgin forests and, of course, the beautiful waters of the Caribbean Sea. Many of our clients often ask ...
23
Jan

What Happens After We Receive a Referral from Haiti?

Receiving a referral is no doubt one of the most anticipated milestones during the adoption process! For families adopting from Haiti we have provided a snapshot of what happens once you are matched with a child. Identifying and Referring the Children – In Haiti, the Central Authority in the country, Institut du Bien Etre Social ...
16
Jan

Taking a Drive Through Haiti

Parents adopting from Haiti often ask us what it will be like when they arrive in their child’s native country. They want to know what to expect, what to prepare for and what to bring to make their trip more meaningful. One of our families actually asked if we could shoot a video while driving through ...
9
Jan

Why Should You Adopt from Haiti?

When considering which country best suits your family for international adoption, there are several factors to consider. Is your family eligible to adopt from that country? If you don’t qualify now (due to your age or the length of your marriage,) are you willing to wait? What age children are legally free for international adoption ...
28
Nov

Adopting from Haiti – A 2016 Program Update!

This past year has contained a lot of excitement for MLJ Adoptions’ families adopting from Haiti! The program officially opened in 2013, but there have been some setbacks along the way. When Haiti officially joined the Hague Convention in April 2014, the implementation of new regulations caused a slowdown for families waiting to receive referrals and ...
22
Nov

First Children Arrive Home from Haiti!

MLJ is happy to share that our first two adoptive families have completed their adoptions from Haiti and brought their children home!  This is a milestone for these families, as well as for MLJ as an agency. We could not be happier! Adoption from Haiti by U.S. families has been popular for many years in ...
6
Sep

A Recent Trip to the US Embassy in Haiti

I recently returned from a trip to Haiti. Many ask what we do as an agency when we travel internationally. Always on the agenda are trips to orphanages, or as in the case in Haiti, we visited three different crèches. Touring crèches allow us to not only visit and play with the children but also ...
3
Mar

Now Accepting Families into our Haiti Adoption Program!

Last year was a big year for our families adopting from Haiti! Haiti limits the number of dossiers that each agency is able to submit each month, we have limited the number of families we invite into our program, but we are excited to announce that we now have 10 spots available for interested families!
1
Feb

What is the Role of a Central Authority in a Hague Convention Country?

Prospective adoptive parents have a lot of questions. As an agency, we enjoy answering each and every one. How do we know our adoption will be ethical? What steps are in place to ensure my child is adoptable? How often do you travel to the countries?   These questions are even more common when the ...
23
Nov

My First Visit to an Orphanage

I had the opportunity to travel to Haiti recently. I was excited, nervous, stressed and many other emotions in the five days leading up to my trip. There was a last minute change in plans because my boss was supposed to go on the trip, but wasn’t able to go so she sent me in ...
18
Nov

The Power of Each Story

If you’ve ever been to an orphanage/crèche/hogar/children’s home to visit or serve, you’ve undoubtedly had the feeling I hope to describe. There will be one child (sometimes a few) from each trip who leave the country with you, not physically, but in your heart. Once you have seen the yearning for a family in a ...
28
Oct

MLJ Adoptions’ Staff Travels to Haiti

We have previously shared about how Haiti’s transition to the Hague Convention has changed the adoption process. This September, two members of our MLJ Adoptions team, Jen Gavin and Nicole Skellenger, traveled to Haiti to meet with adoption professionals in country, visit crèches and meet with the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. One highlight of the ...
2
Sep

Haiti Joined the Hague Convention: What Does That Mean?

In April 2014, Haiti became the latest country to join the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-Country Adoption (the Hague Convention). Eighty-eight countries are members of the Hague Convention, which “is an international agreement to establish safeguards to ensure that intercountry adoptions take place in the best interest ...
22
Jun

MLJ Adoptions Receives Referral from Haiti!

MLJ Adoptions is thrilled to announce that one of our families adopting from Haiti received their referral this week of a two year old boy!  For adoptive parents, waiting for a potential match is one of the hardest aspects of international adoption.  MLJ Adoptions happily celebrates with this family and looks forward to walking along ...
16
Apr

Celebrities Draw Attention to Poverty Stricken Nations

I will admit that one of my vices is reading celebrity magazines.  I am sure I am not the only one considering circulation ratings and the population of worldwide audiences.  Sometimes I do come across an interesting article that touches home.  I love reading about famous personalities who are using their celebrity to further a ...
27
Jan

Families Interested in Adopting from Africa Find Options in Haiti

We have been in contact with several families over this last month interested in adopting from Haiti, which is wonderful! There is such great need in Haiti and we are in a fortunate position to have openings for new families in our Haiti program. We are finding that families are drawn to the Haiti program for ...
12
Jan

Spots Available for Families Interested in Adopting from Haiti

If you are interested in adopting from Haiti, there are still openings in MLJ Adoptions’ Haiti International Adoption Program. We have not yet had to limit the number of families accepted into the program for a variety of reasons, and, at this time, dossiers are able to be submitted to Haiti immediately upon completion. This is ...
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