2 Feb 2010
UNICEF – A Call to Action
I could go on for hours and hours and hours about how many people from literally all over the world are working together to care for the people in Haiti. Here are just a few of them:
- Two weeks ago, just moments after Dixie got off CNN saying that GLA had 2 days worth of water, I got a call on my cell phone (in Michigan) from a lady in Jamaica. She saw Dixie on CNN, heard the story and has a friend in Haiti who has a water truck. She needed directions to the orphanage and the next morning a water truck showed up courtesy of the friend of hers.
- Last week Saturday, GLA was caring for a seriously ill 7 month old boy who needed to be transferred to the hospital for a blood transfusion. The problem was that he would die without oxygen and none of GLA’s oxygen equipment was portable. Guess how they got him to the hospital? With the help of a FRENCH team.
So why do I bring those up? Because I have a heavy heart today about things that are happening. Because UNICEF appears to be the only organization that we’re aware of that is currently working in Haiti that isn’t working for the good of the children and the families that have suffered so much in this tragedy. Let me explain:
- I’ve heard from a variety of friends that I have “on the ground” that all of the children who are being discharged from clinics, hospitals, the USS Comfort and places like that are being gathered up and taken to tent cities where they are living in poor conditions and not receiving adequate attention and care.
- There are people who want to provide for these children but aren’t being allowed to. Why? So that UNICEF can say that they are in charge? It boggles the mind.
- UNICEF claims they are doing this to avoid child trafficking. They are totally missing the point.
THE CHILDREN OF HAITI NEED YOUR HELP AND THEY NEED IT NOW!
We need everyone who reads this to do a couple of things:
1. Post a Link to it on your Facebook, Twitter and any other places that you can.
2. E-mail all of your friends, family, co-workers and ask them to spread the word as well.
3. Contact your congressional offices, Senators offices, local media, governor’s office and any other media people to spread the word.
What points do we want to get across?
Here are 4 talking points:
- There are orphanages like God’s Littlest Angels who are waiting and able to take care of the wounded and displaced children and UNICEF isn’t allowing them to. The Dutch, Haitian, US and Canadian governments worked very hard at getting the orphaned children who already had forever families waiting for them out of the country and home to their families. Why? 2 reasons – 1) To keep those kids safe but also 2) to create space in the orphanages to care for the children who are suffering because of this earthquake.
- UNICEF appears to feel that it’s better for these displaced children to stay in tent cities in the badly damaged areas in Port rather than in orphanages that have food, water, medical care, a decent structure and paid professional caregivers waiting to give them love, attention and care. Ask the media and the governmental offices, what’s the sense in that?
- We at God’s Littlest Angels Orphanage know that adoptions are closed for the time being. We are prepared to and plan on devoting significant resources to helping reunite those who have living family members with their family members. God’s Littlest Angels has and will dedicate the resources that it takes to make sure the kids are well cared for and that all governmental rules are followed in all countries involved.
- We need UNICEF and the US and Canadian Governments to change this policy immediately and get these children out of tent cities and into adequate facilities like GLA. Not next week, not Friday, TODAY.
It is not an overstatement to say that some of the children in these tent cities are at a much greater risk of disease and infections, some of which could be fatal, due to the careless, thoughtless and selfish behaviors of the people at UNICEF and that needs to change NOW.
Thank you for spreading the word and pressuring those who need to make changes.
Tom Vanderwell
thanks for the update tom. we’ll be sending this on to our friends today.
faith
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:28 ampermalink
thanks for keeping us updated. We will send this out to friends and family today.
Myndi
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:40 ampermalink
Tom, it breaks my heart that these children aren’t receiving the love and care they so desperately need right now, but how can UNICEF ensure that all available orphanages are as honest as GLA? I imagine it’s still very volatile and chaotic, so I just wonder what the solution or best practice would be to get kids into beds in reputable orphanages and within a trusted circle of folks who ALL have their best interests at heart. I’m in no way arguing on behalf of UNICEF here, but I just wonder what sort of system you envision that can be immediately applied.
Tracy
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:48 ampermalink
I understand the concern that children might be adopted when they aren’t true orphans. So why doesn’t UNICEF register the children (document any known history, photograph, collect DNA samples) and then place the children in appropriate facilities until their status is determined? Personally, I think that UNICEF is claiming to protect the kids from trafficking while using those same kids for their own financial gain.
Cheryl
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:10 pmpermalink
I posted this on my blog today!
http://www.centssaved.com/2010/02/unicef-call-to-action-please-read.html
Andrea
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:18 pmpermalink
Thanks for the update…I passed this along today. I am also working on a fundraiser to raise some money for your relief efforts! I hope if we all work together, with God’s blessings we can keep these children safe!
Elizabeth
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:00 pmpermalink
Unbelievable. After I called my senators and congressman, I called UNICEF directly. They hung up on me!!! The lady I spoke with said, “You are not starting a telephone campaign, are you? You would call me in the middle of all this to talk to me?” Then she hung up. She did not even wait to hear what I had to say.
Jill Thaxton
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:28 pmpermalink
StumbleUpon is a good feature too. Vote thumbs up!
cyndi
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:29 pmpermalink
Oh Tom I can hear you!!!
:(:(
This is UNICEF’s way………….
I will forward!
diane
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:51 pmpermalink
Thanks for the information, Tom. I’ve been following GLA’s web-site the past three weeks and value the information you all have. I contacted my senators, congressmen and the US Ambassador to Haiti. I also forwarded the information to my entire contact list and posted it on Facebook. It is the least I can do and I feel we CAN make a difference.
Sonya
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:51 pmpermalink
I wish I was in Haiti so I could gather the children my arms and protect them all. Realistically speaking though, I am so thankful that there are places like GLA there to help, protect and serve the needs of the children on a daily basis. As hard as it to see the needs of many not being met I pray that the hearts of those in Haiti helping are true. I will pass this message on and continue to pray for everyone there. Please keep us posted. Blessings! ~J
Jaime
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:51 pmpermalink
Posted this to all of our friends. Not what should be happening to these poor children who have been through enough! Thanks for keeping us updated.
Stefanie
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:08 pmpermalink
Thanks for all the up to date information. I truly appreciate the hard work you guys are all doing for the children.
I updated my FB and posted on my blog to get the message accross.
Sylvie Cormier
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:18 pmpermalink
Thank you for this information. Without you Im sure many of us would never know this of UNICEF I will pass this on to everyone in my contacts and post on my website and facebook. Bless you all.
Scotia Garden
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:23 pmpermalink
I’ve contacted my representatives and posted a notice on my facebook page, Christian World Adoption, and UNICEF’s facebook page!
http://www.facebook.com/unicef
They will probably remove it but I don’t care!
I’ll tell everyone!
I’m posting it on minihuskies.net, my site and from now on, a portion of our puppy sales will help support GLA!
Bree
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:28 pmpermalink
tom, i have been trying to contact UNICEF in New York through email and phone-they are not responding-next I will contact the connecticut senators as well as the us ambassador to Haiti..this is unjust! I will continue to “be the voice for these children”as Dixie says!
katherine and john baez
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:48 pmpermalink
Maybe we should show them the pictures of the orphanage and pcis of our children there. Plus the dozens of volunteers that see how great GLA is…! Our children were so well cared for at GLA..what to do?.
lori carpenter
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:37 pmpermalink
AMEN!!!!UNICEF has done this time and time again in a crisis and if they would just think logically, this is only hurting the orphans, not helping them. We do have some knowledge of this as we have 11 adopted children,some from the U.S. and some adopted internationally.We will pass this on to all we know.Prayer is more powerful than UNICEF so lets ALL PRAY!!!!
Don and Pam Buttry
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:12 pmpermalink
I contacted two people from UNICEF via email this morning and I got one response from Christopher de Bono: “Thanks for your email. What you are hearing is absolute nonsense.” My friend’s sister and family have two boys there, waiting to come home. I’m furious!
Beth
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:17 ampermalink
I’ll write to our IL. Congressmen today and post a link on facebook.
Carol & Bob Dornon
February 3rd, 2010 at 11:16 ampermalink