Orphans First Prayer Requests Aug.9th, 02
ADOPTIONS - ROMANIA
I had recently mentioned that 53 orphans were denied visas to the
USA where they were supposed to attend a camp this summer for the purpose
of meeting future potential parents. In other words, the door to their
future family was closed without any apparent reason, and without
considering the children's deep needs. This sad event could result in
other children also losing their chance of being adopted. I am pasting
below the E mail sent to me by Joyce Schaller, mother or adopted Russian
boy Artur, which explains this situation in her own words. If you can do
anything to help, by contacting your local congressman or other
authorities, please do so. And please pray.
Continue praying for adoptions of Andrei & Lida, & Valery to be
finalized. Pray for more Christians to adopt.
ORPHANS FIRST at large (India, Russia, Ukraine Albania, Morocco and several
other African countries, Romania, France.....)
No new updates. Keep praying for each situation as mentioned in
previous E mails (growth, protection, for the children back in the streets
in India, for our growing orphanage in S. India, for expansion of works in
Africa, for adoption of the children in Ukraine, for building and funds in
Russia etc.).
HURTING CHILDREN
Continue praying for the hurting children everywhere. Some days, I
hear so many stories or brutalized little ones, it seems incredible.
France is apparently the number one country to abandon animals. I fear
that the numbers of abandoned and brutalized children here is following
that same pattern. A country without God cannot know how to love their
children. Please don't let up praying for needy children and for God's
justice to be shown towards those who hurt them.
HOMEFRONT Missions & personal
A trained teacher-missionary is praying about coming to be our
son's homeschool tutor and participate in mission life here in France.
Please pray for God's total guidance and provision for her financial
support.
Pray for souls as we continue using summertime as a major
evangelistic thrust. This weekend, as well as several major outreaches in
France, we'll be taking a group to Italy to soulwin.
Thanking you for your compassion,
Janey L. DeMeo
Founder/director of Orphans First, freelance writer.
ORPHANS FIRST website: http://www.OrphansFirst.org/
E mail: janey@...
Subscribe to the free weekly Orphans First prayer list:
http://WeLoveGod.org/digests/orphansfirst/
----------Forwarded Message-----------------
E mail from Joyce Schaller to Janey DeMeo
Janey: International Family Services found Valery a family---but here is
the latest information about my work with Orphans that perhaps you can help
with.<
On May 28, 2002 International Family Services (our adoption agency)
contacted my husband, David and I about coordinating a summer camp program
for Romanian orphans ages 4-15. We agreed to do it! The program is called
Project Hope! Anyway, I found families and Grace4 Kids in Fredericksburg,
Virginia agreed to do the summer camp for the children that was set to
include field trips to Washington, DC, The National ZOO etc. Well,
everything was going as planned until the US Consul General at the US
Embassy in Bucharest DENIED THE CHILDREN THE VISA THEY NEEDED TO ATTEND
CAMP IN THE UNITED STATES! In short, the man, Mr. Jay Thomas Smith at the
US Embassy not only devestated the children who were looking to attend camp
and PERHAPS meet their Forever Family, but he destroyed the hopes and
expectations of the families waiting for these children!!!! I have been
working tirelessly along with the families and DIane Arrowood to reverse
this situation by getting Virginia Senator Allen, Governor Mark Warner, and
Congress people JoANN Davis and Gary Forbes to intervene with the US State
Department. So, far no one within the US State Department seems willing to
ask US Consul General Mr. Jay Thomas Smith to reverse his decision and
allow the kids to come!
There are 2 primary reasons that US Consul Mr. Jay Thomas Smith has denied
these children camp and what could be their ONLY opportunity to find
forever families:
1. He does not consider their orphanage home a "stable situation" as
required by regualtion 214B. My response is that although an orphanage is
not the idea situation for any child, it is not as though the children will
be turned out on the street upon their return.
2. Because there is the possibility that families MAY; decide to adopt the
children, he feels they have applied for a tourist visa in error and that
what the kids really need is an immigration visa. This shows a complete
IGNORANCE as to the steps involved in an international adoption. It is
simply not possible for the children to LEGALLY BE ADOPTED during their
brief camp stay in America! SO, the possibility of a later adoption has no
bearing on their tourist visa.!
Anyway, if you could please put this OUTRAGEOUS situation on your website I
know it can help! Anyone who wants to let US Consul General Jay Thomas
Smith know about how they feel should contact him at the US Embassy in
Bucharest! Also, US Ambassador Mr. Michael Guest (The American Ambassador
to Romania) refuses to intervene in this situation for the children or the
American Families who are waiting for them! Also, the Assistant Secretary
of State, Mr. George Lannon (who is second only to Mr. Colin Powell) has
told Congresswoman JoANN Davis that he would call US Consul Jay Thomas
Smith about the visas for the children, but has either failed to do so, or
did not get any results, which is shocking in itself!
Joyce Schaller
To: Joyce Schaller <JOYCESCHALLER@...><
Janey L. DeMeo
Founder/director of Orphans First, freelance writer.
ORPHANS FIRST website: http://www.OrphansFirst.org/
E mail: janey@...
Subscribe to the free weekly Orphans First prayer list:
http://WeLoveGod.org/digests/orphansfirst/
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