The following is an excerpt from the Annual Message to the
National Legislature by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf:
The gross mismanagement of the adoption program (which aims
primarily at placing orphans in homes in the United States), by both
Liberian and U.S. personnel in the concerned NGO is the subject of a
report by a Special Committee which I appointed for this purpose.
Essentially, we have discovered that many of the children in these
orphanages are not in fact orphans but children taken from their
living parents on the promise of support and a good life in America.
Moreover, we found that young children were being sexually abused
at some of these orphanages, while others including officials of
government, have used the program to extort money from potential
adopters. We have thus suspended the adoption program until laws,
policies and proper guidelines have been established and we have
asked our concerned friends and partners in the United States to be
patient as we try to correct the serious malpractices which exist. We
expect the National Social Welfare Policy and National Adoption Act
which will be submitted to you during the course of the year, will
provide guidance and prevent such abuses in the future.
Addy’s Hope wants to commend Madam President and applaud her
for her efforts to protect the children of Liberia. We stand behind
her decision and have offered her our assistance in assuring that
the children of Liberia are protected both before and after
adoptions occur. Madam President has accepted that offer, and
HollyAnn Petree, our Executive Director, will be traveling to Liberia
in February to meet with legislatures and committees. We trust
that Madam President will see that all involved work swiftly to ratify
the adoption law and policy so that safe adoptions may resume in
the next few months.
This is devastating news for adoptive parents with children in
process. To those families, we extend our empathy as this means a
longer wait time. However the goal of Addy’s Hope has always
been and will remain to help children who are helpless. Because
of this goal, we understand the need for such drastic measures as
has been done by Madam President.
While we wait for National Social Welfare Policy and National
Adoption Act to take place, we will be in a financial strain. Prices in
Liberia have risen just as they have here in the US. Our goal will
be to continue to care for all the children in the home (both
adoptable and non-adoptable) as well as keep our entire staff. To
excess any of our staff would mean taking the income of a family
away. In a country with an unemployment rate of 85%, the second
highest in the world according to world ranking sources, we do not
want to be a part of the problem, but a part of the solution.
The way you can help is to sponsor a child that does not already
have an adoptive family. You can also sponsor a nanny’s salary for
one month or more. All of these things will help us to enable all the
Liberian people, not just the children who are being adopted, to
have a brighter future! That is our goal!
If you would like to make a cash contribution to support a child or
worker, please contact our Executive Director, HollyAnn Petree at
hollyann@addyshope.com with “support” in the subject line.
We also ask that you would be praying for this situation. Pray for
the children who know they have American parents trying to come
get them. Pray for the parents that are devastated by this news as
it means that they will wait longer for their children. And most
importantly pray for the officials in Liberia who will be writing the
adoption law and new policy. Pray that God’s people will be on this
committee so that the best interest of the children and not
individuals will be protected. And finally, pray for Madam President
and her staff. This is just one of many issues she must deal with on
a daily basis as she tries to rid her country of “Public Enemy
Number One” as her administration calls corruption and rebuild the
native land of these children.
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