We have called Bea and had friends in Romania call her sometimes. My husband and I are not exceptionally well off and actually borrowed the $ from the bank for the adoption. We will not be at the convention because we have to work. But it does not mean that we love our daughter any less than those that are able to be there. If at all possible, we will stay in contact with Bea until she is allowed to come home, even if that does not happen until she is grown. We love her; she is a part of our family and WE WILL NOT ABANDON HER. She has already been abandoned once. We will give Bea a good home and a lot of love, support, and guidance. Please help us to bring her home. SAM AND LINDA BUCHANAN, Parents to Bea Gereben Big Spring, Texas 79720 September 11, 2005 The Honorable SAM BROWNBACK, Chairman Washington, DC 20515 DEAR SIRS: Regarding the adoption of the following named children: Alexandra Florina Ursan, adoption registration #6629 (as reported by the U.S. Embassy), dated September 1,2003 Elena Andrada Ursan, adoption registration #6630 (as reported by the U.S. Embassy), dated September 1, 2003 I am an American citizen who currently resides in Zalau, Romania. I first came to Romania on a two-week mission trip in the summer of 2000. In April of 2001, I returned to this country for six months as a volunteer for an American sponsored Romanian foundation and have remained here for over four years. The foundation provides foster care to children, humanitarian aid to needy people, and life skills training to young women exiting orphanages. When I arrived as a volunteer, Alexandra Florina Ursan was almost six months old and was in the care of the foundation. I quickly grew to love her and to provide for her needs on a daily basis. In December of 2001, Alexandra's sister, Elena Andrada, came into the care of the foundation at the age of one week. She also stole my heart immediately. After the girls' parents signed their waiver of parental rights, I knew I wanted to adopt both children and become their legal mother. On August 20, 2002, I submitted a cerere to the Comisia de Protectie a Drepturilor Copilului of Salaj County requesting approval as an adoptive parent. My file, however, was incomplete until April of 2003. On April 21, 2003, I received their approval. On that same day Alexandra Florina Ursan and Elena Andrada Ursan were placed in my personal care for a period of three months. On July 24, 2003, I was approved by the local Comisia Pentru Protectia Copilului to adopt the children. The Comisia Pentru Protectia Copilului forwarded my file along with the children's files to the Autoritatea Nationala Pentru Protectia Copilului si Adoptie in August of 2003. In October of 2003, the Autoritatea Nationala requested further information for my file, which the local Comisia provided. The following month I was told by my social worker that our case was considered an international adoption. I would just have to wait for the new legislation. During this time Alexandra and Andrada remained in my personal care. However, on March 25, 2004, the local Comisia determined that, because of the pending law regarding international adoptions, the children's placement should be changed. The girls were officially placed back into the foster care of the foundation for which I volunteer. I have done as much as possible to help the children learn about their Romanian heritage. I have taken them to cultural events and historical locations, bought books about their country, collected items unique to Romania, enrolled them in a regular kindergarten program, and integrated them into the community. I encouraged them to be bilingual at their early ages. I have tried to instill in them a strong sense of identity. Alexandra is now four years old, and Andrada is three. I am the ONLY mother they have ever known! I am the stability in their lives! Taking them from me and placing them with strangers or, even worse, in an institution would have DEVASTATING consequences! I definitely want to continue with their adoption process. Although I own a house in America, I will live in Romania as long as Alexandra and Andrada remain here. Thank you for your concern. BARBARA GASTON CAVER Prattville, Alabama September 9, 2005 The Honorable SAM BROWNBACK, Chairman The Honorable CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, Co-Chairman Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 234 Ford House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 DEAR SIRS: In September of 2002, we received a referral through Christian World Adoption for a little Romanian boy named Marian Pieleanu. He was 15 months old at the time. His registration number is 18079 / 23.12.02. We are still very interested in adopting this little boy, who is now four years old. The last three years have been an emotional roller coaster for us. During this time, we have prepared our hearts and our home for Marian in so many ways, only to be disappointed, time after time. We thought we would be traveling to bring Marian home within several months after we received our referral for him, so a few months after getting the referral, my sister hosted a "toddler shower" for me, inviting many of my close friends and family members. Marian received beautiful clothes and toys that are still waiting for him. Then, a short time later, my husband and I painted and decorated Marian's bedroom. It still sits empty, waiting for him. Over the last three years, it seemed like every time we planned on visiting him, we would receive word that things looked encouraging for our adoption to begin moving forward, so we put off our plans to visit Marian in Romania, thinking that we would be going over to bring him home soon. But then we would hear that no, nothing was happening now, but maybe next month-or next year. Then the ban on inter-country adoptions was passed and we didn't know if we would ever be able to see him or adopt him. I can't even begin to describe how many tears we have shed over this situation. We think of Marian and pray for him every day. Photos of Marian are in our living room and kitchen. We have given photos of Marian to our parents and other family members as well. We have sent clothes over to Romania for Marian and have also sent photos of us to him with the words mama and tata on the photos, so Marian can look at the these pictures and become familiar with our faces. In addition, we have kept our adoption paperwork up-to-date over the last three years, as our ongoing commitment to adopt this child. Our families and friends ask about Marian and want to know when our adoption of him will be finalized. We know other people who have adopted children from Romania and we plan to introduce Marian to these other Romanian children when he joins our family. Mike's sister and her husband adopted a little boy, Joseph, from Romania. He is now five years old. Also, friends of ours adopted twin boys from Romania who are now six years old. We love Marian and we are looking forward to the day when we can bring him home with us so he can be a part of our family forever. Sincerely, BRENDA AND MICHAEL CERKEZ The Honorable SAM BROWNBACK, Chairman September 14, 2005 The Honorable CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, Co-Chairman Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 234 Ford House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 DEAR SIRS: It is with great hope and gratitude that I write this letter to the Helsinki Commission. I am a pending family still waiting to complete the adoption of a Romanian girl. My daughter, Ionela Marzea, just had her ninth birthday. We met in the Summer 2000 when I traveled to Romania for the first time on a volunteer vacation. I worked for three weeks in a hospital clinic for at-risk children-babies abandoned at birth or shortly thereafter. Ionela was abandoned there without a birth certificate or any official document that relinquished custody by her biological parents who to this day have never even attempted to visit their child. She represents the thousands of uncounted, dispossessed children-another underreported condition in Romania. I have returned seven more times to visit Ionela. I also write and/or call her regularly. Our relationship is well documented by eight trip journals and more than 100 pages of correspondence. It took 21⁄2 years to issue a birth certificate, investigate her birth family and complete Ionela's abandonment trial. Meanwhile I helped to start a foundation that supports foster care in Romania. Bridge of Love provides financial support, family counseling and therapies to post institutionalized children. We moved Ionela into one of our foster homes in 2001. At last declared legally abandoned and available for adoption in early 2003, our files were accepted by the Romanian Adoption Committee (RAC). Ionela's age (six years by then) qualified us as an exception case under the moratorium imposed by that time. Yet we waited another 18 months to receive final approval to complete the adoption by former Prime Minister Nastase. Rather than the long hoped for approval, I received a letter from Gabriela Coman stating that our case had been suspended as a result of new legislation now in place restricting international adoptions to parents of second degree relation to a child. I am Ionela's godmother, sponsor and advocate. However, I will not stop until I become her forever mother and give her the permanent family she deserves. Sincerely, IRENE COSTELLO Brookline, Massachusetts The Honorable SAM BROWNBACK, Chairman September 11, 2005 The Honorable CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, Co-Chairman Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 234 Ford House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 DEAR SIRS: We are a waiting family for a little boy named Robert Balan. We were first introduced to Robert in October 2002. He, at 6 months old, was abandoned, living with a foster family and was available for adoption. We happily agreed to give this sweet little boy a permanent home. At that time, we were told by our adoption agency, New Hope Christian Services in Concord, NH, that there was a moratorium on adoptions but it would be settled soon. We began our wait for Robert, falling more in love with him with videos and pictures. At this point, what happened next is well known. We still consider ourselves waiting parents because we have come to love this little boy very much. Still, we have not had any word about him for over two years. We wanted to visit him and "sponsor" him (meaning, supporting him with clothes, toys necessities), but were told by our agency that would not be possible. We have held onto hope that the pending cases would one day be resolved and that Robert would be able to join us and that he would have a permanent home. We still hope the Romanian government can find a way to resolve this, for all the children who have been left behind. We thank you for your time in considering this letter. BONNIE DIBENEDETTO The Honorable SAM BROWNBACK, Chairman The Honorable CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, Co-Chairman Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 234 Ford House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 DEAR SIRS: Our name is James and Jamie Fankhauser. We started our adoption process in Romania in January 2001. We were told on Father's Day of that year that there was a moratorium for one year in Romania. If we would wait, that we would get the little boy picked for us. We are still waiting. His name is Nicholae Bolocan. He is currently in Foster Care in Romania. We have visited the family several times. He knows us well. He tells us, "I wait for you." During our wait, we continue to make trips to see him but also we have started a non-for-profit organization called City on the Hill for Gaesti, Romania. Our vision is to restore the village he was brought to when he was abandoned. We have raised thousands of dollars for the local orphanage and pediatric hospital. We also support a local pastor there in Gaesti. One thing we believe that wait has shown for our family, is the committment we have to Romania and this child and his heritage. It is not just the love on one beautiful boy but for his people. Please consider releasing our case. We have been waiting almost five years. His foster family would love to see him adopted but us. Again, our work will continue in his country so that he will have a solid foundation of who he is as a Romanian. Thank you for any consideration and effort on our behalf. Sincerely, JAMES AND JAMIE FANKHAUSER Kouts, Indiana September 11, 2005 The Honorable SAM BROWNBACK, Chairman The Honorable CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, Co-Chairman Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 234 Ford House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 DEAR SIRS: My husband asked me to send you an email giving you some background on the little girl that we have been waiting for to become an official part of our family. I say official because she has been a part of our family for almost 2 years now in our hearts and in our daily conversations-she just isn't physically here with us yet. We are hoping you can help us with that part. To start. it all began back in January of 2004. Both my husband and I had talked about adopting for a couple of years prior |