Racism is UGLY!

          I knew it was coming.  I just thought I was prepared.  I have researched transracial adoptions. I’ve read every book, study, magazine article, blog, and the list goes on.  I know we live in a racist world, and I have witnessed racism in all kinds of ways.  I really didn’t want to include this in my blog, but I can’t shake it, and maybe writing this will help me let go of it.  It’s real, that’s for sure.  Well, I lost my cool.  I know that’s not so hard for some of you to believe, but I can get in psycho mode rather quickly when I feel like my kids need to be protected.  It’s a passion or adrenaline rush that’s unexplainable.  Some of you mothers know what I’m talking about.  I can’t rid myself of the anger and the burn coming from the pit of my soul.  For someone to suggest that an innocent child is less of a human being because he/she is black makes me want to SCREAM.  For those of you who think racism doesn’t exist, you are living in a hole.  Racism is real, and it’s ugly.

          This blog has been such a positive experience for me that I really didn’t want to even mention this little blurb of negativity.  All that I will say is that some people can’t understand why we would want to adopt a “black” child.  I won’t get into the details because they really don’t matter.  The bottom line is that many people think they are entitled or better than others or privileged because of the color of their skin.  God led us to Haiti because that country is the poorest country in the world, and it just so happens that the people there are black.  There are thousands of children in Haiti sitting in orphanages, starving, and dying of diseases.  Are you telling me that a human being doesn’t deserve a better opportunity to survive just because he has dark skin?  Ignorance and lack of education are the only excuses I can think of that would make anyone think they are better than anyone else because of their race.  My son/daughter will be black, and he/she is MINE!  I will fight for my child, and I will protect him/her at all costs.  I understand that we will have to deal with racism from now until the end of time.  Bring it on!  It won't be easy, but I will do everything I can to teach my son/daughter to be proud and to be confident.  I want all my kids to know that we're in this together, no mattter what.

          We actually have some very encouraging news.  Our I600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) has been approved.  That’s the form that pre-approves us to bring our son/daughter back into the United States.  The approval letter is called the I-171H letter.  Those forms are very important because adoptions in Haiti are very shaky at the moment.  Haiti is actually trying to clean up the adoption process a bit.  They are adding some adoption laws so they can become part of the Hague Convention, which will be a good thing in the long run.  However, if the president ratifies the Hague Convention before the laws are changed, then the US could refuse to allow its citizens to adopt from there.  My guess is that they do that to pressure the countries to get their laws passed quickly.  In the past, the US has allowed adoption to continue as long as the I600a has been approved.  So, we hope that even if the adoptions are stopped on the US end, we will be allowed to continue.    I know it’s confusing.  I don’t really understand all the ins and outs either.  The arrival of our dossier in Haiti is also a big deal.  We really need to get that submitted by Oct. 31^st because that’s when we think the new adoption laws could go into effect.   The new laws will limit the number of agencies/organizations allowed to work in Haiti, and we don’t know for sure if our agency will even be allowed to process adoptions.  Of course, they think they will be chosen, but no one knows for sure.  Adoption in Haiti is unpredictable, but we knew that from the start. We just have to know that God has this under control and He is working for us at this very moment.  God is good!  Keep the prayers coming!  The next step will be our referral.  Exciting!