> U.S. Department of State
>
> CA/OCS/PRI
>
> Adoption Regulations Docket Room, SA-29
>
> 2201 C Street, NW.
>
> Washington, DC 20520
>
> December 01, 2003
>
> Re: The effect of the Hague Regulations on international adoption
> */*Docket number State/AR-0l/96
>
> To Whom It May Concern:

My husband and I have been married for almost nine years now. We have
always desired to have what most American couples have\...freedom to
make our own decisions, a warm place to live, food on our table, jobs
that provide the necessities of life\...and children. In our lives
together, we accomplished most everything on our list, but for reasons I
will not go into, the Lord saw fit for us not to have biological
children. Our hearts and dreams were crushed\...until we met the
wonderful people at Lifeline Children\'s Services.

> We started with their domestic adoption program and began the waiting
> process.

Because America is a country that provides the needed help for single
parent homes, the need for adoptive couples is not as great as it used
to be. This speaks volumes for our

> country. We are indeed blessed to live where we can depend on our
> government to help us raise our families. However, it also leaves
> those of us who cannot have biological
>
> children with a great void in our hearts\...the desire to have
> families of our own.
>
> Then we learned of Lifeline\'s program with Ukraine. In 11 short
> months, we accomplished mountains of paperwork (required by Ukraine),
> were checked by the FBI, ABI, DHR etc. and finally granted permission
> to adopt our children. After much prayer and financial investments, we
> were whisked to the other side of the world, only to return two and
> one half weeks later with the most beautiful little boy and girl we
> ever laid our eyes upon. Our Christian American dream had come true!
> And NONE of this would have been possible without Lifeline Children\'s
> Services.
>
> My husband and I totally agree that limits must be set in order to
> prevent children from becoming a commodity and innocent couples from
> being exploited. But consideration must also be taken that we not
> create mandates that will prevent good, honest, law abiding agencies
> from being able to help the couples that come to them. When a couple
> approaches an adoption agency, for the most part, it is only after
> much prayer and attempts to conceive. For many, it is their last
> chance to have a family. PLEASE keep families like us in consideration
> when making the laws by which agencies must abide. We believe in
> everyone being accountable for their actions. We also believe in not
> making things considerably more difficult than necessary.
>
> While in Ukraine, we daily experienced obstacles dealing with
> government delays that were not necessary. We commented most every day
> how wonderful it was to live in a country where adoption was supported
> and there were people and agencies who did their best to HELP you in
> your journey. Please do not push America back into the dark ages that
> some other countries find themselves in. Help other couples make their
> dreams come true. Pass legislation that promotes new families and does
> not deter them. Please carefully consider the changes to the Hague
> proposal that the directors of Lifeline are presenting to you. Most of
> all, please PRA Y before you make any decision that involves the
> creation of a new family unit. Think of it from my point of view for a
> moment.
>
> My son, who is Ukrainian by birth and now American by the grace of the
> Lord, may one day grow up to cure cancer, encourage world peace, or
> one day be the President of this
>
> great nation. What if legislation had been passed that financially
> prevented me being able to go to Ukraine this fall and adopt him?
> Instead of being what God had ordained, he spent his days rocking back
> and forth in an orphanage only to grow up, be sent to the
>
> streets or maybe starve to death before he learned to walk. Instead,
> he is a healthy, happy, beautiful little boy who is well on his way to
> making all his dreams come true.
>
> Thank you for listening to just one person\'s story. I know of many
> other couples whose stories you may never hear, but are a lot like
> mine. And there are MANY couples out there who can have the same happy
> ending ours has\...if given the chance.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Candace W. Hughes
>
> Jemison, Alabama