Jan 19, 2010

A Sliver of Good News from Haiti: First Wave of Orphans Begin New Lives in U.S.

Finally, some good news has emerged from the rubble in Haiti:  Clutching toys and books, a group of 53 Haitian orphans landed in Pittsburgh this morning, the first wave to arrive after the United States loosened its policy on visa requirements to expedite adoptions that had already been under way for years.

Unfortunately, the new policy affects only 900 children whom the Haitian government had already identified as orphans, and whom adoption agencies had matched with couples in the United States.  Meanwhile, tens of thousands of children are believed to have been orphaned in the quake, and it’s not clear what’s going to happen to them.  Simply heartbreaking.

I defy you to watch this video of the beautiful children being united with their adoptive parents (and of the orphans sleeping on the ground in Haiti), and not shed a few tears.  For once I’m glad I didn’t have the energy to put on mascara today…