Urgent!!! Please Help Us Who are/have Adopted from Russia!

[Lynda-PA]

I am copying a letter I received today from another adoptive parent that includes links where you can sign petitions for the upcoming meeting between Bush and Putnin. Please sign these petitions. Things in Russia have been largely at a standstill. Only around 1% of children in Russian orphanages are adopted internationally (can you believe it's that small a number?), yet there are people in Russia that want international adoptions to stop. Please help both the children who will benefit by finding a family and those of us desperate to provide that family by signing these petitions. It will only take a minute or two! Thanks so much!!! Oh, the petitions go off line on Wednesday, so please do this right away, and feel free to copy the letter and pass it on to whoever you know who will participate! Thanks again!
Lynda

>Борисовна Рыбчинская <galinahih@inbox.ru>,"Galina" <yuri@rybski.msk.ru>
>Subject: Fw:from Alyona Moscow Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 12:33:50 +0300
>
>
>-----
>
>
>Parents of Russian Children and waiting parents
>
>I have posted two petitions as adjuncts to the letter writing campaigns
>that are being undertaken this week my a number of agencies with major
>programs in Russia. The goal is to urge President Putin to take positive
>action supporting international adoptions in Russia, and to have President
>Bush raise the issue at a forthcoming meeting.
>
>
> >A group of accredited agencies with large programs in Russia has been
> >working to oppose recent anti-international adoption developments in
> >Russia. After considerable debate, we have launched a letter writing
> >campaign among families who have adopted Russian children, and hope you
> >will encourage your families to join in. The purpose of this effort is
>to
> >raise awareness among US and Russian leaders about the difficulties and
> >delays we are experiencing as we try to help Russian orphans find
> >homes. Since Presidents Putin and Bush will be meeting later this
month,
> >we have a small window of opportunity to bring our issues to the
> >table. We are concerned not only about the lack of accreditation and
the
> >significant slowdown in the issuance of databank release letters, but
>also
> >the threatened call for a bilateral treaty between the US and
> >Russia. Because the US is so invested in the implementation of the
Hague
> >Convention, a call for a bilateral treaty could be the kiss of death to
> >our Russia programs.
>
>If you have been asked by your agency to sign such a letter/petition ,
>please do. If you have not been given such an opportunity , you may sign
>a petition to President Bush
>at http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/...ionalAdoption/
>and a petition to President
>Putin at
>http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/...ionalAdoption/ . They
>will all end up at the same place. Please sign both of them.
>
>Despite the questions on the form, only your name and city/state will be
>recorded and will be used for no other purposes.
>
>This petition will go off line at the end of Wednesday, Feb. 9. so please
>do not delay. Please participate for the good of the children and the
>future of adoptions in Russia.
>

Thanks again!
Lynda

[BC-Tracik]

Lynda,
I just talked to my social worker about this today, her DD is from Russia and we have stayed in touch over adoption advocacy issues.

Thanks for posting this information, I will go sign both petitions immediately

[foelschg]

I signed too...

Gail

[Darci]

I signed them too...I know how important it is to have the whole adoption community standing behind you when things like this happens - hope it helps!

[CarolineM]

I signed too and will forward it too. Sending prayers that Russia continues to be an open program for years to come!

Caroline

[Lynda-PA]

Thanks everyone! I really want our girls to share the same country of origin if possible. I have such visions of taking them both back to enjoy the rich heritage there - like visiting the Bolshoi Ballet and the Kremlin. DH feels confident it's all going to work out - there are too many kids there for them to be ignored. I hope he's right. We're also figuring that adoptive families make a fairly significant contribution to the economy when we are there, so hopefully all the factors will work in favor to keep the programs open. I just hope it won't take too long so we can get our new little one home and settled so they won't be too far apart in age......

Thanks again!
Lynda

[Andee]

Done. Thanks for the opportunity!!

Andee

[capeach]

I've signed both!

[murph851]

Signed them both. Hope it helps.

Marian

[MIliyMoy]

I have also signed both