Ugly American Parents Put Family In Harm's Way

[SeaSaltCaramel]

I saw this posted by a friend on Facebook. It's about an American family, with likely connections to NGJ, who traveled with their 4 and 7 year olds to Ghana to adopt a set of 3 siblings. The parents have been falsely accused of child trafficking and now they are in jail while their two biological kids and the 3 adopted kids are in an orphanage. The US Gov't isn't moving fast enough and everyone is all up in arms.

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/06/very-urgent-prayer-request.html

My issues are:

1. they took their 2 young kids into a dangerous country

2. Ghana isn't a part of the Hague Adoption Convention

3. a 10minute search told me that being falsely accused of child trafficking happens in Ghana

4. the parents didn't seem to realize that being US citizens means nothing in a foreign country (remember Amanda Knox?)

Information on Ghana:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1124.html

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=ghana

This just makes me mad at the parents and sad for the kids.

[smores]

I was coming over to post this earlier and got sidetracked. I feel the same way about this and am glad I'm not alone. If I said anything to the gazillions of people I know posting about it on facebook, I'd be attacked for it... sigh.

[ThisOlGirl]

This comment made me a little suspicious:

Important: The family has asked now that people NOT contact government offices or media outlets at this time! Things on the ground are in the works, and at this time all the want is prayer.

[smores]

I'm starting to suspect they may be trying to bribe officials to get them out, with that comment. It seemed suspicious to me, too.

[Koala]

This comment made me a little suspicious:

If I was locked up in a foreign country, I'd want everyone and their mother to know it. Maybe I'm just being overly suspicious.

I agree that this is very suspicious. I am wondering if they've got something they're afraid will come out once their names hit the media.

Are they associated with NGJ ministries?

[Koala]

This comment made me a little suspicious:

If I was locked up in a foreign country, I'd want everyone and their mother to know it. Maybe I'm just being overly suspicious.

I agree that this is very suspicious. I am wondering if they've got something they're afraid will come out once their names hit the media.

Are they associated with NGJ ministries?

[Sola]

This comment made me a little suspicious:

If I was locked up in a foreign country, I'd want everyone and their mother to know it. Maybe I'm just being overly suspicious.

I can see their point. Thing is there are people out there who still think that when America comes calling, the country called upon drops everything and says, 'Yes, sir?'.

That isn't the real world.

Having people contact various authorities in Ghana and the US might just piss the Ghanaian authorities off. Justice works very slowly, and even more slowly in the developing world. Hassling the Ghanaian authorities might not help, it actually might hinder things. The best that people can do right now is have relatives get over there to collect the birth children, sad as it may be the best thing to do would be to leave the adopted ones there until the whole mess is sorted out, and also to get them the best representation that Ghana has. Child Trafficking is a very serious thing and it needs to be investigated properly. It might be that the family have either on purpose or inadvertently, cut corners in the adoption. It's happened before and there have been some serious bad press over American/International adoptions lately what with Haiti and Russia. Many governments are now cracking down on it and making it a very difficult and convoluted process. If this family have been in touch with a less that reputable representative in Ghana (and again, they could have been duped), then the authorities would step in if they found out.

It sucks and I do feel for the family, though if anything I think they have been stupid to take their kids there in the first place and why the fuck can't they adopt domestically. It's not as though the US care system hasn't got any kids in need of homes.

[valsa]

2. Ghana isn't a part of the Hague Adoption Convention

This, in and of itself, means little. Russia is also a non-Hague country and it's a very stable program. On the other hand, IIRC, Guatemala was a Hague country and so rife with corruption that it had to close down.

ETA: Also, why are they "ugly" American parents?

[Witsec7]

Here's some folks in the Ukraine asking for prayers for them.

http://www.gco4life.com/

I would write an update about our day here, in Ukraine, but it seems so insignificant to what this adoptive family, in Ghana, is going through right now.

Please take a minute to read this and pray for this family. I got this recently from No Greater Joy Mom's Blog.

Body of Christ, I come to you tonight begging for your prayers.

I got an urgent prayer request passed on to me from a friend tonight. This is too urgent NOT to share! This family so desperately needs us, the church, to intercede on their behalf. They need us to RISE UP and pray without ceasing! They are fellow adoptive parents trying to adopt a sibling group of FOUR children from Ghana. Unfortunately, things have gone horribly wrong and tonight they are in prison in Ghana--falsely accused of child trafficking! They are separated from the children they are trying to adopt AND their beautiful biological children who are so little. I simply cannot even imagine!

"There is a family in Ghana right now that has been arrested on (unfounded) charges of child trafficking. The family's 6 children (2 bio & 4 newly adopted) have been rendered to the care of a government orphanage while the parents sit in a jail cell in Accra! The bio kids are only 4 & 7 and do not speak the languages of Ghana. The family had their court paperwork with them and the children were all still removed from their parents! PLEASE PRAY for this family!!! The parents' names are Christine & Sol. The US Embassy in Ghana has stated that nothing will be done until Monday, even though there are American born minors affected! PLEASE PRAY for God to intercede and redeem this family! Thank you.

The family's blog is here.

You can also meet them here:

Here is the link to the family page, link broken

/themoghadamsjourneytoafrica.blogspot.com/

[valsa]

It sucks and I do feel for the family, though if anything I think they have been stupid to take their kids there in the first place and why the fuck can't they adopt domestically. It's not as though the US care system hasn't got any kids in need of homes.

Why is this question only asked of people adopting internationally? Why isn't it asked of every person who is trying to have a biological child, since the logic would be the same?

There are pros and cons to both domestic and international adoption. Try researching them yourself before asking stupid questions they've probably heard a dozen times before.

[Sola]

Because the logic isn't the same. Adoption isn't the same as having a biological child. I know that I could not adopt, the sentiment is there as I wish I could, but I know I could not do that.

And yes I know the pros and cons so please don't accuse of me of asking stupid questions. There are many, many instances of fundie and fundie-lite families who are pushing for adoption of children from developing world countries and it sure as hell isn't to help those countries. It's to score brownie points with the sky daddy and Christianise the heathens.

Bless your heart.

[Bloo]

Personally, I think that a lot of these ultra-fundie Jesus people like to adopt children that very obviously do not look like them, because it makes it easy to recognize that they are adopted. I mean, in their (well, some of them anyway) view, what's the point of having an adopted child if people can't look at the kid, know it's adopted, and think better of you for being oh so Christian? Also I would imagine in international adoptions a couple is much more likely to find young children given up simply for poverty and not forcibly surrendered due to drugs or abuse. I don't know all that much about adoption, though, so I could be wrong.

Something about this case tells me that these people weren't all above board with the adoption, though.

[Witsec7]

One thing I did notice that there has been a sharp increase in donations to Sol and Christine's adoption fund, with donors mentioning they've heard of their troubles in Ghana.

Edited to add NoGreaterJoyMom announced that the family has been released.

[SeaSaltCaramel]

This, in and of itself, means little. Russia is also a non-Hague country and it's a very stable program. On the other hand, IIRC, Guatemala was a Hague country and so rife with corruption that it had to close down.

ETA: Also, why are they "ugly" American parents?

I'm looking at it from all angles. If I'm going to spend anywhere from $10K to $40K on an international adoption, I'm going to do my best to research the heck out of the country I plan on adopting from. I think if a country is part of the HAC, it will definitely be considered over a country that is not. As you stated, Guatemala's adoption process had to be closed due to corruption. I would think that there would be information uncovered regarding the corruption when researching. The HAC is there for the benefit of all parties involved, and I believe that a country being a part of it does hold merit.

I think the parents are being "ugly Americans" because they knowingly took their young children into a dangerous country known for preying on foreigners and are shocked when the US gov doesn't drop everything to run to their aid.

[twin2]

There are many, many instances of fundie and fundie-lite families who are pushing for adoption of children from developing world countries and it sure as hell isn't to help those countries. It's to score brownie points with the sky daddy and Christianise the heathens.

I'm to lazy to go dig it up, but when Kendal made her blog post about perusing and adoption (not sure if it was domestic or international) her reason for doing it was "well my husband and I are pro-life, so if we are going to talk the talk we better walk the walk." Mind you this is the same women who after the birth of her fourth had a post about crying in the bathroom because she was overwhelmed. The same women who considers "heart training" more important than education. The same women who was annoyed at allllllll the paperwork they had to fill out for said adoption. The same women who doesn't care if her homeschooling has to slip to have more blessings (it is not like she is raising brain surgeons after all). Not sure any of it is about helping kids at all.

[valsa]

Because the logic isn't the same. Adoption isn't the same as having a biological child. I know that I could not adopt, the sentiment is there as I wish I could, but I know I could not do that.

And yes I know the pros and cons so please don't accuse of me of asking stupid questions. There are many, many instances of fundie and fundie-lite families who are pushing for adoption of children from developing world countries and it sure as hell isn't to help those countries. It's to score brownie points with the sky daddy and Christianise the heathens.

Bless your heart.

Adoption may not be the same as having a biological child but your logic for why people shouldn't adopt internationally was "It's not as though the US care system hasn't got any kids in need of homes". That fact remains just as true if you are trying to bring a child into your home biologically as it is with adoption. Your question remains stupid but bless you too, for asking it.

[valsa]

I'm looking at it from all angles. If I'm going to spend anywhere from $10K to $40K on an international adoption, I'm going to do my best to research the heck out of the country I plan on adopting from. I think if a country is part of the HAC, it will definitely be considered over a country that is not. As you stated, Guatemala's adoption process had to be closed due to corruption. I would think that there would be information uncovered regarding the corruption when researching. The HAC is there for the benefit of all parties involved, and I believe that a country being a part of it does hold merit.

I think the parents are being "ugly Americans" because they knowingly took their young children into a dangerous country known for preying on foreigners and are shocked when the US gov doesn't drop everything to run to their aid.

While I agree that whether a country is a Hague country does warrent consideration, the implication in the original post was that if an adoption takes place in a non-Hague country, it is automatically suspicious.

[sage]

Stories like this make me want to throw things, especially the aftermath. "Thank God and Jesus for moving mountains!" Hey, asshats, how about thanking the diplomatic individuals that busted ass to spring you from jail????

[SeaSaltCaramel]

While I agree that whether a country is a Hague country does warrent consideration, the implication in the original post was that if an adoption takes place in a non-Hague country, it is automatically suspicious.

I see what you're saying. I guess I should clarify that a non-Hague country doesn't make it automatically suspicious, rather it offers fewer safeguards meant to protect the adopting parents and the adopted children.

[SeaSaltCaramel]

Stories like this make me want to throw things, especially the aftermath. "Thank God and Jesus for moving mountains!" Hey, asshats, how about thanking the diplomatic individuals that busted ass to spring you from jail????

THIS! Also, all the people donating money that helped pay the bail. The bio kids are not even in their custody. They are in the custody of the American Embassy in Ghana. The parents are allowed to be with them there, but they have a long way to go considering the adopted kids are still at the orphanage.

It really is a ridiculous situation.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

I saw this posted by a friend on Facebook. It's about an American family, with likely connections to NGJ, who traveled with their 4 and 7 year olds to Ghana to adopt a set of 3 siblings. The parents have been falsely accused of child trafficking and now they are in jail while their two biological kids and the 3 adopted kids are in an orphanage. The US Gov't isn't moving fast enough and everyone is all up in arms.

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/06/ ... quest.html

My issues are:

1. they took their 2 young kids into a dangerous country

2. Ghana isn't a part of the Hague Adoption Convention

3. a 10minute search told me that being falsely accused of child trafficking happens in Ghana

4. the parents didn't seem to realize that being US citizens means nothing in a foreign country (remember Amanda Knox?)

QFT. Closely related to my beef with long-term missionaries. These parents probably prayed that "god would protect them." He didn't, but they're probably too think to see their dumbassery, and will think this is all some kind of spiritual growth lesson. :x

[sage]

QFT. Closely related to my beef with long-term missionaries. These parents probably prayed that "god would protect them." He didn't, but they're probably too think to see their dumbassery, and will think this is all some kind of spiritual growth lesson. :x

Oh my monkey, this!

DH is going to Israel in September for work, and we both thought: "How awesome! Israel! Local cuisine, culture, the opportunity to travel to Egypt, and all we have to do is pay my airfare!"

Then we both had some brain cell growth and realized that as neat as it would be, we have minor children, and quite frankly, having BOTH parents in a rather unstable area of the world... yeah, probably not smart, so I am staying home with the kiddos and hoping that should something horribly hinky happen, the global extraction team DH's work relies on does its job and DOES IT WELL.

Yeah, risk assessment. We can haz it.

Fundies? They seem to be blind to the realities of the world, especially the fact that there are many countries that aren't fans of Americans these days. :oops:

[JesusFightClub]

Stories like this make me want to throw things, especially the aftermath. "Thank God and Jesus for moving mountains!" Hey, asshats, how about thanking the diplomatic individuals that busted ass to spring you from jail????

QFT

[BlueChair]

I'm going to have to disagree with Ghana being a dangerous country. It is a stable West African nation, and while there are some regionally specific hot spots to take note of, that doesn't mean the country as a whole is unsafe. The State Department travel advisories list specific places/events to avoid in just about every county. It warns to be vigilant of terrorist attacks in the UK and also says to avoid demonstrations there just as in Ghana. The page for Canada warns U.S. visitors of the risk for violent crime and potential gun violence. So yeah, I don't think the State Dept has yet to find a "safe" country when it comes to their travel information pages.

Of course you need to use your common sense and not flash your money or fancy western cameras around because you will be more of a target for robberies, but I would also say that in regards to the U.S. metropolitan area I come from.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

Oh my monkey, this!

DH is going to Israel in September for work, and we both thought: "How awesome! Israel! Local cuisine, culture, the opportunity to travel to Egypt, and all we have to do is pay my airfare!"

Then we both had some brain cell growth and realized that as neat as it would be, we have minor children, and quite frankly, having BOTH parents in a rather unstable area of the world... yeah, probably not smart, so I am staying home with the kiddos and hoping that should something horribly hinky happen, the global extraction team DH's work relies on does its job and DOES IT WELL.

Yeah, risk assessment. We can haz it.

Fundies? They seem to be blind to the realities of the world, especially the fact that there are many countries that aren't fans of Americans these days. :oops:

Thank you for making a decision that sucks for you, but is best for your children. :clap: