"We are aware of your accusations..."

Almost three years ago I read a book called Not For Sale by David Batstone and I was exposed to an underground crime scene that only satan himself could invent . I belong to a Wesleyan church. Many years ago the Wesleyan church was on the forefront of anti-slavery in the US. Now, I am proud to say, that the Wesleyan church is on the forefront of anti-modern day slavery- anti-human trafficking. I was very moved by the information I read in Batstone's book. I began reading more on the subject of exposing the truth of modern day human trafficking and started taking a second look at the items I was purchasing in stores; making sure what I purchased was not made by companies known for using forced labor. I still cannot eat a Hershey bar with the same pleasure as I used to. My chocolate consumption has dramatically been reduced!



After learning more about anti-trafficking, even attending a local conference on it which included our local police department, I sat down with a friend, my pastor's wife, at my kitchen table soon after Naomi was born. I remember explaining to her that I had been feeling like God was telling me there was something around the corner for me. I really didn't know what that meant and I was curious if it was something that would involve me more into the anti-trafficking cause. As it turns out what was around the corner was Evelyn Bultu! The silent voice that I heard telling me that something big was around the corner in my life and the heart tug I had toward the anti-human trafficking movement was real and strong. So, during our lovely paperwork, paperwork, paperwork stage of the adoption I started to wonder if this was the way God wanted me involved in anti-trafficking. Our family would be removing one life from the risks of human slavery, sex trade, forced labor, etc. This was not the reason we started the adoption process, but it was a positive consequence of it.



So, in October of 2011 when our family was unlucky enough to have Evelyn's paperwork submitted to the US Embassy, along with 65 others, during the time that the Office of Children's Issues decided to make a political statement to Ethiopia, I was more than frustrated and shocked. I had by this point heard about the anti-international adoption sentiment that was owned by the US Department of State/US Embassy. Sure, they do not say that in public. But all you have to do is look at their record and read the lies they post in "alerts". At some point in our struggle to bring Evelyn home I realized that the very thing that was so dear to me, being in the know and trying to stop human trafficking, was the very thing that was keeping my daughter from me. I was caught in the middle of what many think to be a political scheme by UNICEF and the DOS to stop US adoptions to Ethiopia and they were erroneously using words like "recruitment", "trafficking", and "fraud" to describe adoptions in Ethiopia. The problem is they don't have proof. If they do they are keeping it from everyone. So, here was my family in the middle of this adoption and my own government was trying to make ours and many other adoptions (they still are by the way) look suspicious. Gut wrenching let me tell you. Isn't it just like satan to twist something so good like anti-trafficking causes and agendas into a political agenda and consequently a nightmare for our family?



Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you were unfairly placed in and you had absolutely no control over on your own to get out of it? If you answered yes, then I'll do you one better. Have you ever had your daughter held from you by your own government and the only way you could get her was to hire a lawyer and wait broken hearted for 5 months to bring her home? And have you ever proven that a branch of your government wronged you (likely because you were a little too vocal about their errors) and no one who has any power will do anything about it? Well that is my reality. I have told everyone I can tell what happened to us. I know many other families have done the same. Yet, no one from the Office of Children's Issues has admitted their wrong doing or even at least apologized for it. They even sent my Congressman a letter because Dan Burton rocks the house and continues to inquire about this situation for our family. But, the letter the DOS sent Congressman Burton did not even address how our lawyer proved that the Consular officer either lied or was so incompetent in our I-600 Petition that she made devastating errors for our family. The letter just had more lies and more cover-ups. No apologies, no recognition of the questions of how they thought they could get away with what they had done, nothing, just evading questions. Oh how I wish our family was the only family this has happened to. But, there are countless families that were abused by the US Embassy and continue to be.

I had the opportunity to ask this question at a USCIS stakeholder's meeting where people from US Embassy and Office of Children's Issues/DOS were present,

“Conversations with US Embassy staff by adoptive parents over the past three months have revealed that certain staff members have a clear and distinct prejudice that may disqualify them from performing their investigative roles appropriately. Specifically, some appear to believe that adoption is a form of baby stealing, or at a minimum, that ‘all US adoption agencies are stealing babies.’ This belief persisted despite the lack of evidence to support it, and is otherwise not rational. However, such beliefs prejudice the gathering of evidence and investigative work, as the individual or individuals appear to be seeking to “prove” foul play even if it does not exist, rather than simply detect foul play if it exists. All individuals are entitled to their beliefs. However, they are not entitled to rewrite the Immigration and Nationality Act, nor are they entitled to corrupt the process. Has an evaluation been done of the Embassy staff to determine their psychological readiness to perform their jobs professionally and objectively? If adoptive parents complain or report unethical and unprofessional behavior by US Government officials, what assurances do we have that we or more specifically, our children won’t be punished?”

Susan Jacobs, Special Advisor International Children's Issues, introduced herself for the first time, despite other DOS and USCIS official introductions that were held at the initiation of the conference call. In response to my question, Susan Jacobs stated, "This is Susan Jacobs and we are aware of your accusations and find them to be baseless." That was it. I am just a US citizen; a taxpayer. She thinks she doesn't owe me or anyone else any explanations. I received no answers to the questions that I asked. They are held accountable by no one. Did you know that? The DOS is not elected; they are appointed. They have no boss per say.



2 weeks ago I received an email from a correspondent with the New York Times. She received my name from a very influential pro-adoption organization. I did not get back to her until late that night and she never contacted me again. She wanted to know if I was willing to share my story. I wrote her back and told her I was willing, but that my story had already circulated; that I have many other families' contact information with stories as bad as mine or worse. I contacted those families and got their permission to offer contacts to her, but the correspondent never contacted me again. Then today I read this article from the Wall Street Journal. I work on a pediatric brain injury unit where many of the stories are reported on in the media. I have talked with enough families to know you cannot believe what you read in the newspaper or hear on T.V. news. But, it doesn't matter. None of us remember that when we are watching a sensational story. Maybe the Office of Children's Issues reached out to the Wall Street Journal and to the New York Times to get their propaganda out there, but it looks like only the Wall Street Journal took the bait. The article is attached to this blog for your reference.



I am very connected to many adoptive families right now. I cannot say that I know the most about adoptions to Ethiopia, but I can say that I know so many stories about what the US Embassy (Office Of Children's Issues-DOS) has done and is still doing to families. Families write to me and ask for guidance or ask to join in the fight and I have the privilege of entering into a very private place in their lives by reading their stories. Just this week I read another story and I looked at Todd and asked, "How am I supposed to cope with this? I know so much and I see the suffering of the families and the total lies by the US Embassy. How is one person to handle all of this?" Please don't write me and tell me that these things are not on my shoulders, that they are on God's shoulders. I get that. Really, I do know this. But, it is very difficult at times and I just needed to sound it out to my husband. So, when I read articles like the one you are getting ready to read and I see the lies by certain people quoted in the article I get steam coming out of places other than my ears. It's not pretty. And there are other consequences too.



Tonight at the missions dinner at church we had a speaker that is the founder of World Hope. This is not the first time I have heard her speak. Unbeknownst to her, she has been very influential to me. She started World Hope AFTER all her children were raised and out of the house. Todd and I love talking about what we may get the privilege of doing when the kids are grown, God willing. In fact, I even contacted her office during our horrific fight to bring Evelyn home and would have spoken with her, but she was out of town at the time. I was directed to the assistant at World Hope and asked if there was any information on human trafficking in the adoption arena in Ethiopia. I wanted facts. This woman did some research and eventually got back with me. She said after looking around and talking to others in the anti-human trafficking organization she said there was absolutely no information out there that there was a problem with child trafficking in international adoption in Ethiopia. Now, just for the record I want you to know I'm not so naive to think that there is no criminal activity in international adoption, even in Ethiopia. But, it is so uncommon that no one has any proof of it. It is not widespread like the DOS would like you to believe. In my opinion it is no more common to find crooks in adoptions in Ethiopia than finding crooks in the US adoption arena. Just watch the news!



Back to the missions dinner. I was really looking forward to hearing this founder of World Hope speak again tonight. However, I have to be honest, and admit that now I have very cynical reactions when I hear someone talk about human trafficking. Anymore I almost cringe when I hear the term "human trafficking". That is painful for me to admit and painful for me to realize. My government has made a mockery of that term. They have turned it into a political move, a piece in their game; the means to their end which is to close international adoptions to the US. How will they do that? The same way they did it with Vietnam. They will continue getting their journalist friends to write these lies in their articles so that people like you will read them, get on their band-wagon, and gain all the public support they need to close this country to adoptions. That is a consequence of this fight I am in that I am asking the Lord to sort out in me.



On one hand my spiritual life has awoken from a little rest or break it was in. Right now I am so expectant for God to move and work. I want to know Him more than ever. I want what I do to please and honor Him. I want to make sure that every day I continue this fight that I am doing it for Him and for no other reason. But on the other hand I am broken hearted over a love loss between what I thought my government was and what I have experienced it to really be. I feel like I'm living in a movie with Mel Gibson where I am a lunatic to the world reporting that my government is in conspiracy. My family has prayed over my three young nephews who all served and one still is serving for our country. Were they serving so that people in the DOS could lie and do wrong and make US citizens who are adopting their children suffer? It's an exhausting place to be right now, but I am on my knees more than ever.



As you read this article I want you to look for how many times the correspondent contradicts her own information. I want you to look for how many times she writes that the evidence is not there. And I want you to remember that poverty in the US, real harsh poverty in the US, does not even compare to the general scene I saw in Ethiopia. That country is all beauty to me. That country has so much to be proud of and my daughter will be back to visit as many times as we can afford it. But, we as Americans will not be able to comprehend what this kind of poverty is until we see it for ourselves. I also want you to ask yourself with an estimated 5 million orphans who is buying more? I cannot say that the middle man does not exist. I know no one with a personal story of this, but I cannot say for sure it does not exist. I would be dumb to make a statement like that as there are middlemen in US adoptions all over the news. But, we are still looking for the proof of it.



In the US a woman can make an adoption plan for her child for many reasons and be applauded for it. She could make the decision because she is young. She could make the decision because she has many other children. She could make the decision because she has a mental illness or because she is living in poverty. She could make the decision because she wants to finish her college career. She is usually applauded for her decision. But, the US Embassy in Ethiopia/Office of Children's Issues does not feel it is any Ethiopian parent's right to relinquish or abandon their children.



The two thoughts I want to leave you with are these; 1. There are many family sponsorship programs happening in Ethiopia where you can financially support an at risk family and keep the children from becoming orphans. So, if you are an adoptive parent who really feels that your child was not a true orphan when they were placed in your home, why would you not investigate this further, and for all that is good on earth, place your child back with their birth family and support them financially so they can remain an intact family? 2. The enemy of international adoptions is not Susan Jacobs. It isn't the Vice Consular who mis-handled our daughter's documents. It isn't even the middle men in Ethiopia. The real enemy of international adoptions is satan.



http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304811304577368243366708110.html?mod=WSJ_World_LeadStory