The social worker has cashed her check for our update...scheduled for next week. Today, the agency cashed their last check. The fees to this point are quite low compared to VN's fees at the same beginning point. Korea is about 30% of what Vietnam was this far into it. It will not be a devastating blow if this go poorly...which of course I'm only expecting the best of outcomes!!! (Fingers crossed)
Speaking of money. The state of Colorado did a state wide investigation in May of all Colorado international adoption agencies, which was prompted by numerous complaints. One agency, The Claar Foundation, closed and the director is facing felony charges. The report stated that just about half of the agencies are working in a deficit. The state is considering implementing that agencies could be required to carry an insurance policy to guard against being unable to cover their financial liabilities. This sounds great except that this will cost the agencies money to carry such a policy....money that they obviously don't have or they wouldn't be working in a deficit. Multiple agency closures could be seen if such a practice was put into effect. And again like with VN, authorities are attempting to keep adoptions fair and honest; but it would be the orphans who would be the ultimate victims if agencies close. Agencies support orphanages in addition to providing adoption services. Commonwealth supported numerous orphanages in VN and their other operating countries....those orphanages are now not receiving financial assistance from Commonwealth. The aid that would come to a halt if MULTIPLE agencies close would be detrimental to orphanages who count on that aid. One family from Commonwealth, who are still waiting to bring their son home from VN, is raising money to send to his orphanage for fear that his needs will not be met since Commonwealth is no longer funding the wing in which he is living until the adoption can be finalized.
Where do we find a happy medium? How do we keep a system of checks and balances in this world of adoption? It is obvious that the "majority" of people working for the agencies are doing it more out of a labor of love than to hit it rich. How do you go into their places of business...invade their offices, which are usually understaffed and underpaid...tear apart their documentation and files...put them under the microscope of scrutiny and possible public humiliation, since all state inspection are open to public viewing...threaten them with license suspension...etc. All this to go through after placing hundreds of orphans in a home where without these agencies most of these children would be institutionalized until they were adults at which time they would enter a world they were ill prepared to survive in. A whole lotta thanks for people who have Master's Degrees in some cases and get paid bare minimum to serve the orphans of the world whose own countries are unable to care for them themselves. Let's be careful but let's be a bit kind to those who accept such a job....which most of us would turn down when faced with this being part of our job description.
"Two different lives, Shaped to make yours one....... One became your guiding star, The other became your sun...... The first gave you life, And the second taught you how to live it........ The first gave you a need for love, And the second was there to give it." --MOTHER'S BRIDGE
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