As my teen daughter would say, I have had a very bad day. It started two weeks ago when Guatemala government raided our orphanage at 10pm and terrified the children and searched everything. When searching Pedro's office they asked about the money he keeps in a lock box. He told them it was the budget money for the month. He told them the truth. They said no it is not, it is money you made from selling the children for sexual purposes. Then they told us we feed the children pig food because we feed them fruits and veggies. Then they told us we needed to buy white sheets and blue coverlets so the beds matched and that is was criminally wrong for Aura [5] to have climbed into bed with Monica [ 7] and her sister. So we tried to change some of the things like adding much more meat to the diet and renting another house to spread the kids out more. They also interviewed every child who could talk 5 times in the last month asking didn't they want to go home to their families. The kids all said no thank you, we want to stay here and no we are not being abused, we love it here. Well yesterday morning at 6 am they bombarded us again and this time took all the children. Took them one month before they finished the school year. They will have to repeat this year. And made up ridiculous allegations of illegal adoptions and sexual abuse. We have done two adoptions in the 5 years we have operated. This charge seems to have stemmed from a missing file on one adoption. The sexual stuff is made up. I would bet my last dollar that my staff would never sexually abuse a child.
This is the 5th or 6th orphanage we know of that has had this same thing happen. The charges are always the same. The orphanages have all just recently bought land and built new buildings. There is talk that maybe the government wants to conviscate it. We have hired an attorney and will fight to get the kids back, but if we win we will be the first.
Well that's it.

Tonight I am writing to let everyone know that our precious Lydia died this morning. She choked during her morning feeding, the bomberos were called, but she died later at the hospital. The hospital doctor said given her cerebral palsy, fetal alcoholism and severe malnourishment, there was nothing anyone could have done. Lydia came to us last May weighing 8 pounds at 3 years of age. She gained 6 pounds during her stay with us.My staff is very upset and Olympia who received the body from the hospital and has dressed her for the funeral tomorrow is crying. My two teens here at home who had spent many hours holding and rocking Lydia are crying. I go between depression and joy that Lydia's spirit has been released from such a difficult body and that she is now free to move about at will. I would like to thank everyone on this list who spent time rocking, holding and loving Lydia and making her last 4 months in this life so much more loved than her first 3 years.
Anyone who would like to contribute to her coffin, flowers and candles, it would be much appreciated.
Vicki
http://www.safehomesforchildren.org/