Response To The National

I've had several people ask my response to The National on Friday night.

I definitely have some feedback. I absolutely watched every second of it. PVR-ed it. Protected it on the PVR even. I will watch it again and scrutinize it perhaps even a bit more.

However, at the risk of offending anyone I don't feel it is my place to post my sentiments about the program. Even on our blog. That could be misinterpreted as hypocritical.

What I will say is...

...we researched our facilitator before choosing. We went with the one we felt made us most comfortable - as we all do when having to make this choice. For us, the facilitator we decided upon made the most amount of sense for us...and we stick by that decision 100%. Zero regrets. They passed inspections with Excellence and their Exec Dir travels there frequently. On top of all this, Imagine is partnered with an organization seeking to keep, educate, and offer wings to hundreds of Ethiopian children. They are offered a sort of freedom within their own country. This is remarkable.

...I believe MOWA and the Ethiopian Government have been proactive in trying to eliminate some of what is going on. Hence new, tighter court procedures. Not sayin' I like these new procedures, just sayin' they are likely going to help with some of the concerns.

...I am disappointed that these families felt they had to go to a national broadcasting station to get their stories out. I wonder if they feel this will help them come to terms with their questions. I wonder if anything or nothing has changed - and if this media coverage actually did anything other than help vent their anger. Or, if it just raised a bunch of red flags all over adoptive communities as well as within the Ethiopian adoptive/orphanage communities.

...I am even more disappointed that CBC aired this potentially extremely harmful program.

...I would be happy to reply in more detail if you wish, via email.