As you know, we recently returned
from Congo. We went with one main goal -
we wanted to audit the paperwork trail and see how we could organize and
be more efficient in the adoption process in country. During this review process, we determined it
was necessary to have more adoption attorneys involved with your cases in
Congo. We wanted attorneys who had successfully
completed adoptions from the Congo, prior to the exit letter suspension by the
DGM. It was imperative that these
individuals be responsive to our requests, the requests of you (the families), and
the needs of the children. We spoke with
orphanages, US Embassy personnel, personnel from other country embassies, and
Tribunal Chiefs to receive references on successful attorneys.
After an exhaustive search, we are
happy to announce we have hired four (4) additional attorneys in Congo. Each attorney fits the criteria we were
searching for, and will fill a specific role in the process. This will be very beneficial for all families
involved in EAC’s Congo program.
In addition to securing additional
attorneys, we also have secured our very own Foster Care facility. During our previous visit, it became apparent
we were in need for more space for the children. After looking at 8 different houses, we
settled on a very nice home (see photos below) for the children and staff. It is a very large, contemporary, house with
5 large bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. The
home also features large great room play areas, a big yard with a 10 foot
privacy wall, including a secured gated entry.
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| Main entry to the New Foster Care facility |
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| One of the large great rooms |
When renting in Kinshasa, you rent
the “home”, and the rent does not include all the necessities such as kitchen
appliances, water tank (and pump), a generator (power goes out frequently in
Congo). For those of you who watch House
Hunters International, you’ll know what we are talking about! The things we take for granted here in the US
when renting a home are quite different in other parts of the world. We have spoken with many of you about the
home, and many of you have asked if there is anything you can assist us in
providing for the home. Thank you! We have already purchased 21 mattresses,
plastic chairs, tables, bowls, plates, etc. We also bought a sound system for music (it can also be connected to the
TV we hope to purchase). Below is a list
of items we are need of, either through donations or funding:
Crib sheets
Full size sheets fitted for bunk
beds
TV
DVD’s and CD’s
Any used iPads, Tablets, or laptops
Children’s clothes
Medicine
Air Conditioners
Air Filter Systems
An additional refrigerator
And now to address the question
regarding the DGM Exit Letter suspension, as many of you know if you attended
the Department of State and USCIS conference call, DGM has stated the ban may
last through September. We have heard
varying time frames, with some suggesting the upcoming Congo delegations visit
to the U.S. will have a big impact on the ban being lifted sooner than
September. In the meantime, we will
continue to work hard on adoption cases and caring for your children in our
facility.
We are heading back to Congo in a
couple of weeks and will update you on the goals for our trip very soon. We thank you for your concerns, support and
patience during these times.
