Namaste SOS: January 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Home At Last

I flew into Seattle -1-11-11. All I can say is there's no place like HOME! We are so happy to be back in the USA at long last. Coming through US Immigration was slow, but all his paperwork was in order and Pukar is now a US Citizen! A long, arduous road, but a very happy ending.

However, since over 50 families are still fighting to bring their children home, please consider signing our two petitions:

Support Pipeline Families

They Wait Nepal

Namaste.

Friday, January 7, 2011

VISA ISSUED

This is indeed a truly happy day. I received my Visa for Pukar today at the US Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal at a little after 2:00pm. I walked out the doors with my son and caught a taxi home to put those documents in a safe place. We really are coming home. USA, here we come!!!

Feels like a miracle. Thank you to EVERYONE who supported us on this journey. I am so grateful and could never have pulled this off without the amazing help I received throughout this process. It took a community to bring this child home. It truly did. Namaste.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

CHILD QUALIFIES AS AN ORPHAN

On Dec. 30th, I received news that my child, who previously was "not clearly approvable" is now, after submitting of my further evidence, qualifies as an orphan. This deems him adoptable and qualifies him for a Visa. I now have a final interview at which time they may find new evidence that would allow them to deny me a Visa. But if not, he will receive a Visa and we will be allowed to return home at last. This interview is scheduled for January 5th at 3:30pm at the US Embassy in Kathmandu.

About Nepal's Orphans and This Blog-Site

The continuation of this blog is to bring awareness and aid to the children and women of Nepal. I also want my child to be active in his culture as a way to understand where he came from, as well as be involved in helping his own country and people.

The status of women is low in the Nepali society, contributing to frequent abuse and abandonment of wives and children. More complicated reasons for abandonment of children include being unwed, the caste system, poverty, the lack of a social system, unequal access to education, and religion. There are no social services and the per capita income of the average household is less than $350 a year.

With adoptions halted, and orphanages either closed or full to capacity, there is nowhere for these abandoned children to go. Some live on the street, many others die.

I have never personally been to a country where the need is so great. With a total population of 28 million people, Nepal is home to approximately one million orphans.