Considering International Adoption?

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international adoption, adopting a child from Haiti, Haiti adoption agencies

International adoption is a wonderfully compassionate way to grow your family! At Building Arizona Families, our international team focuses on Haiti adoptions. Why should you consider adopting a child from Haiti? There are several really good reasons!

The Benefits of Adopting a Child From Haiti

First, in terms of international adoption, international travel to meet and bond with the child is a requirement. In some instances, more than one visit is required. Haiti is very close, just off the coast of Florida, so the required travel is not as rigorous or expensive as traveling to countries much further away.

Secondly, adopting a child from Haiti gives each child a future they would not have had otherwise. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Of the approximately 7.5 million people living there, about 75% live below the Haiti poverty level. Hope to change that is dim, as the unemployment level is at approximately 60%, and literacy is approximately 55%. Many families simply cannot afford to provide adequate nutrition, medicine, and education to their children. Malnutrition or disease kills approximately one in five Haitiian children. Decimated by hurricanes, the grim situation has become more serious in the past few years as the rebuilding process is slow.  As you can see, adopting a child from Haiti could mean the difference between life and death. If you are considering international adoption, we hope you will give serious consideration to Haiti.

Approved Haiti Adoption Agencies Are Limited

The Haitian government does not work with every adoption agency. They are required to be internationally accredited and abide by Haitian adoption regulations. When dealing with the orphanages and the Haitian government, Building Arizona Families has a long standing, positive relationship that will be highly beneficial in the international adoption process. In reviewing Haitian adoption agencies, it is important to ensure that the agency is Hague accredited (Building Arizona Families is), and that they are an approved Haiti adoption agency by the Haitian government.

Building Arizona Families Specializes in Haiti Adoptions

Building Arizona Families is grateful that you are considering international adoption and grateful for the time you have taken to find out more information about adopting a child from Haiti. We would love to visit with you further about how you can change a child’s life forever. We offer onsite seminars that answer all of your questions, as well as online seminars. Additionally, we invite you to call us at 623-692-4424 or e-mail us. We would be happy to set up a private meeting and answer any questions you have, or personally take you through the online seminar. You can also find more information about the types of adoption, the child adoption process, and adoption cost on our website HERE.

Are you a United States Citizen Considering International Adoption?

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Are you a United States citizen considering international adoption? International adoption in the United States is governed by the Department of State and is considered one of their highest priorities. The United States entered into the Hague Convention in 2008. The Hague Convention is an international agreement that establishes international standards of practices for intercountry adoptions. The Convention therefore applies to all international adoptions by U.S. citizens from other countries.

U.S. CITIZENS MUST USE A HAGUE ACCREDITED ADOPTION AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION FROM HAGUE CONVENTION COUNTRIES

United States citizens desiring to adopt children internationally from Hague Convention countries are required by law to work with a Hague accredited adoption agency. A Hague accredited adoption agency is one that carries out responsibilities for ethical adoption under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Additionally, working with a Hague accredited adoption agency helps provide additional protection for children, adoptive parents, and birth parents. As a matter of fact, the Preamble to the Hague Adoption Convention reads, “Recognizing that the child…should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love, and understanding.”

INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION HAITI

Building Arizona Families is proud to be a Hague accredited adoption agency. Additionally, we are one of a select few accredited adoption agencies that have been chosen by Haiti to provide international adoption Haiti services. There are literally thousands of vulnerable children in Haiti that currently live in creches (orphanages) who continue to pray for loving, forever families. The urgency of adopting children from Haiti is that the country is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has experienced multiple national disasters, and has few resources to meet the needs of their large orphan population. Please consider international adoption of Haiti children who deserve a bright future. For more information about Haiti adoptions, see additional information on our website HERE.  You can also reach out directly to Lisa Peterson, Haiti Adoption Program Manager at 623-692-4424 or through e-mail HERE.

Wondering About Haitian Adoption Requirements?

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Children's photo of Haitian adoption requirements Adopting a baby or an older child from Haiti is a wonderful way to grow your forever family! It provides a future for a precious child who otherwise would have very little possibility of living a prosperous life.  Below is some information that you need to know about Haitian adoption requirements.

Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere and has had additional substantial negative impacts from recent hurricanes. Children living in Haitian orphanages desperately need loving families to open their hearts and homes to them.

Haitian Adoption Requirements Include Several Restrictions

It you are interested in adopting a child from Haiti, it is important to know that the Haitian government has determined Haitian adoption requirements. They include age, marital status, and income to name a few of the requirements. Age restrictions include one parent being at least 30 years old, but not over the age of 50. Additionally, parents must be at least 14 years older than the adopted child.

Couples adopting a child from Haiti must be married at least five years or have five years of cohabitation.   Single women who meet the age requirements are also welcome to adopt children from Haiti. Additionally, there is no restriction on the number of biological and adopted children a family has as long as the family is able to financially provide for the newly adopted child.

Providing Criminal History and Medical History Are Haitian Adoption Requirements

Another requirement is that families adopting a baby from Haiti may not have a criminal history. From a medical history perspective, adoptive families must not have a past or current diagnosis of a life-threatening or communicable disease. Additionally, they can not have any other medical condition that negatively impacts their ability to parent, including significant mental health issues or substance abuse challenges. Adoptive families are also required to undergo a psychological evaluation.

Building Arizona Families offers informative adoption seminars on adopting a child from Haiti. For more information on the process of adopting a child from Haiti and to find out about upcoming adoption seminars, please call or e-mail Lisa Peterson, Haiti Adoption Program Manager. She would be happy to any additional questions you might have. You can e-mail HERE, or call her at 623-692-4424.   We also offer informational seminars online, and have helpful information on our website HERE. Building Arizona Families is looking forward to serving you on your joyous forever family journey!

Adopting a Child From Haiti Creates a Bright Future!

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Do you want to build your forever family with a child or children who face a dismal future without your safe home and loving care? Please consider adopting a child from Haiti.  As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, there are thousands of Haitian children living in orphanages that urgently need loving, safe forever families where they can have a bright future. Could that be you? Haiti adoption is not a simple process, but changing a child’s life forever is certainly worth it!

The Haitian government provides the guidelines on who is eligible to adopt.  Adopting a child from Haiti requires the parent to be at least 21 years older than the child. Married couples are required to be between 30 and 49 years of age and to have been married at least five years. There is no marriage requirement, but single people must be between the ages of 35 and 49 years old. Additionally, anyone with a criminal history is not eligible to adopt. A Haiti adoption can take between 24 – 30 months to complete with several steps in between.

The process of adopting a child from Haiti includes pre-adoptive training, building a dossier of required documentation, child matching, visiting/bonding with your prospective adoptive child, US Embassy paperwork, and then waiting for approvals. Building Arizona Families, a licensed, non-profit, Hague accredited adoption agency is one of just a handful of adoption agencies that has the privilege of serving Haitian children. We have Haiti adoption specialists who will walk beside you through the process of a Haiti adoption.

Building Arizona Families offers informative adoption seminars on adopting a child from Haiti. For more information on the process of adopting a child from Haiti and to find out about upcoming adoption seminars, please call or e-mail so that we can answer any additional questions you might have. You can e-mail us HERE, or call 623.936.4729.   We also offer informational seminars online, and have helpful information on our website HERE. Building Arizona Families is looking forward to serving you on your joyous forever family journey!

Urgent Need for International Adoption of Haitian Children

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international adoption from Haiti

The need to adopt Haiti children is urgent when considering just how many orphans there are in Haiti.  The numbers range considerably concerning just how many orphans there are in Haiti because gathering accurate data in an underdeveloped country can be challenging at best. An average would be over 30,000 children in a country of approx. 8 million. Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere, and the orphanages in Haiti are private, running primarily on donations to care for the children.

The Haitian children are beautiful. Their culture is warm and welcoming. And these children deserve to be safe, loved, and to have a bright future.

Building Arizona Families (BAF) is proud of the International Adoption program that focuses on finding forever families for Haitian children. BAF is one of just over two dozen Hague accredited adoption agencies that are permitted by the Haitian government to facilitate adoption of Haitian orphans. BAF has strong relationships with the government and with reputable orphanages (called crèches in Haiti).

We invite you to consider if you might be able to adopt Haiti children. The children are generally healthy, vary in age range, and there are sibling groups available for adoption as well.

If you are unable to adopt Haiti children yourself, we encourage you to share this information with your friends, family, church, co-workers, etc. Together we can make sure that these precious Haitian children have loving, safe families and bright futures. Please download the Haiti adoption kit as well. It provides basic information on eligibility, requirements, processes, and costs of adopting a child from Haiti.

CLICK HERE for more info and to download our complimentary info kit.

What is the Urgency to Adopt a Child from Haiti?

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Poor african kidThe numbers range considerably concerning just how many orphans there are in Haiti. Gathering accurate data in an underdeveloped country can be challenging at best. An average would be over 30,000 children in a country of approx. 8 million. Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere, and the orphanages in Haiti are private, running primarily on donations to care for the children.

The Haitian children are beautiful. Their culture is warm and welcoming. And these children deserve to be safe, loved, and to have a bright future.

Building Arizona Families (BAF) is proud of the International Adoption program that focuses on finding forever families for Haitian children. BAF is one of just over two dozen Hague accredited adoption agencies that are permitted by the Haitian government to facilitate adoption of Haitian orphans. BAF has strong relationships with the government and with reputable orphanages (called crèches in Haiti).

We invite you to consider adopting a vulnerable child from Haiti. The children are generally healthy, vary in age range, and there are sibling groups available for adoption as well.

If you are unable to adopt yourself, we encourage you to share this information with your friends, family, church, co-workers, etc. Together we can make sure that these precious Haitian children have loving, safe families and bright futures. Please download the Haiti adoption kit as well. It provides basic information on eligibility, requirements, processes, and costs of adopting a child from Haiti.

CLICK HERE for more info and to download our complimentary info kit.

International Adoption is Like Saving Starfish

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IMG_0198The International Adoption Story of One Family

by G. Fisher

Our story is unique; yours probably is too. We all have different reasons for why we choose international child adoption. While I could bore you with details, I won’t. So instead, let me leave it like this:

I felt God telling me to save a starfish.

You see, starfish are such beautiful creatures. They are shaped so perfectly like something that brings so many people joy. They have purpose even though it appears that perhaps they don’t. They can break. In fact, they are often broken by the unfortunate circumstances of predators coming their way. They sometimes wash up on the shore and are left for dead unless a rogue wave or someone else reaches down and tosses them back into the water. The crazy thing is that even though starfish are the ones that need saving, just by simply existing, they are making the world a more beautiful place.

My daughter is a starfish. She is a beautiful creature. She was made perfectly and brings joy to so many people. She has a purpose even though I don’t yet know what that is. She was broken by the socioeconomic system that she was born into. Lack of employment and empty tummies made her life more difficult. Had the social system not made a way for her, she too would be left for dead until we came along to throw her back into the water where she can thrive. The crazy thing is that even though she is the one who​ needed saving, just by simply existing, she has made our world a more beautiful place.

International Adoption is Like Saving Starfish

Do you see the relationship? International child adoption isn’t cheap, easy, or without frustration, but it most definitely matters. Building Arizona Families makes a challenging international adoption process as easy as possible.  I could tell you that everything has been rainbows and fairy tales, but that would be a lie. While I could dwell on all the negative things or the challenges, I choose not to live there. Yes, the tantrums after homecoming were horrible, but the snuggles and bedtime kisses are better. Yes, the language barrier is frustrating, but the success of watching her verbally communicate with her siblings for the first time is sweeter. Yes, the constantly second guessing every parenting decision you have ever made is annoying, but watching my child walk confidently into her own class at school without me is bliss.

Do you feel God or some greater power telling you to save a starfish? If you do: dive deep to find out how far you are willing to go to put your starfish back into the water. And when you do, savor every good, bad, and ugly memory. Even the most broken starfish can heal with a whole lot of love.

Building Arizona Families Specializes in International Adoptions from Haiti

In cooperation with the Haitian government, Building Arizona Families will help you find a precious Haitian child to join your forever family.  We will manage the process for you to insure that  Haitian adoption requirements are met.  If you are interested in international adoption from Haiti, contact Lisa Peterson at 623-692-4424 or Lisa@buildingarizonafamilies.com