Here is a discussion post written by our executive director, Tripp Baltz, to a respondent who called international adoption a "last-ditch" effort for orphans. The Both Ends Burning Campaign is going to continue to confront people who devalue adoption as an option for orphaned children. 

I must strenuously object to your characterization of international adoption as a “last-ditch” resort. The last resorts are homelessness, child slavery, and being locked away in substandard institutions, a fate facing too many of the world’s orphaned children. Five decades of social science have established that when children grow up in orphanages they face higher risks of death, disease, malnutrition, and psychological and developmental damage. There is no greater basic human right than a child’s right to grow up in a family. While every effort must be made to reunite children with birth and extended families, many institutionalized children are already confirmed double orphans in need of families yesterday. And while it would be great if they could be adopted in their nation or origin, unrealistic hoping and waiting for that to happen — especially in countries that have no system for domestic adoption or where conditions of poverty, famine, disease and war are so great they do not present a favorable environment for children — condemns more and more children to life without a family. Although adoption is not the solution for all orphans, for many of the world’s parent-less children, it is the only shot they will have at growing up in a loving family — even UNICEF acknowledges that. Shutting down countries to adoption means many more millions of children will waste away their childhood in prison-like facilities, or, worse, on the street, and is akin to shutting down a country’s roads because one driver ran a red light. Confront abuse and corruption head-on, don’t make the children suffer for it. It’s not their fault. Surely we adults can design a system that gets children into loving families ASAP — if not their blood family, a loving adoptive family. You insult tens of thousands of loving families around the world when you refer to them as a “last-ditch resort.” Want proof? Ask an adoptee if they are happy (the tiny number of exceptions aside), then go live for 24 hours in an orphanage in Haiti.

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Here is a terrific video of a recent appearance by Craig and Quinn on WNBC in New York:

http://76.12.213.3/videos/news/haiti-adoption-story.html

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The Both Ends Burning Campaign supports the efforts of Guatemala 900, an effort to bring home hundreds of waiting children who are in limbo because adoption law changed in Guatemala on Jan. 1, 2008. These children have been adopted by American families but cannot come home because of the change in the law. Most of who are living in institutions. Numerous studies have displayed the negative impact of continued institutionalization on children’s development. To learn more, go to http://guatemala900.org/wp/?page_id=70 and call for "Due Process Now" for these waiting children.

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The Both Ends Burning Campaign is now an official signatory to the International Adoption Policy Statement, which calls for international adoption to be "an integral part of a comprehensive strategy to address the problems of unparented children." See the full statement at http://www.adoptionpolicy.org/statement.html

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The recent stories of the Idaho missionaries in Haiti and the mother who returned her adopted boy to Russia have placed international adoption in a negative light.

But Craig's story speaks even more forcefully to adoption's life-changing benefits and the ability of international adoption to find loving families for children.

In his book Both Ends Burning: My Story of Adopting Three Children From Haiti, Craig describes the empty feeling he had in retirement after a successful business career. At an orphanage outside Port-au-Prince, Craig met Amelec, Esperancia, and Quinn, and the encounter changed their lives forever.

"I wrote this book to persuade others to consider international adoption, and to tell people that adoption is a favorable way to serve children in need of loving families," Craig said.

Craig and his wife Kathi adopted their three Haitian-born children in 2006, and soon thereafter formed the Chances for Children Foundation, which supports a crèche in Haiti and has placed more than 100 orphaned children with loving families.

Now Craig has turned his attention to a new campaign designed to spread the word about the transformative power of international adoption for children and families, and to call attention to a growing crisis in international adoption.

Craig launched the Both Ends Burning Campaign May 25 as a foundation dedicated to reforming international adoption and confronting serious problems in the system.

"In the last few years, international adoptions have declined dramatically, although there are more children than ever in need of homes," said Craig. "If something isn't done, adoption will disappear as an option for the world's orphaned children."

Relentless bureaucracies and skyrocketing costs are choking the international adoption system and creating new generations of children growing up without families, Craig said. "Meanwhile the public is unaware the problem even exists," he said.
 
Because of that, Craig said, Both Ends Burning will be a social movement to bring about positive change. "If we get enough people behind us, we can reform the system and bring more children into loving families," he said. "All it takes to change the world is the dedication and perseverance of people who care."

The campaign's goal is to create a movement to promote a more streamlined and more affordable international adoption process. The effort will be a grassroots, multifaceted information campaign involving public events, film projects, political activities, and more.

One of the first fronts in the campaign will be a petition drive to urge government officials and multinational organizations to dedicate themselves to a new, improved process of international adoption.

"If leaders say they believe in the best interests of children, then let's hold them accountable to that promise," Craig said. "Let's transform the current system so it does, in fact, serve children. With the help of concerned citizens, the Both Ends Burning Campaign will accomplish its vision of a world where all children are in loving families and have the opportunity to reach their dreams." 

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To the Chances for Children Community:
 
It is going on four years since Kathi and I started Chances For Children. In that time we have had the privilege to work with exceptional people like you who are dedicated to the cause, and together our efforts have radically improved the lives of children and families. While the experience has not been easy, it has been magical, and we are profoundly grateful for the support you have given us.

I want to share with you an exciting announcement. We have started a new foundation called the Both Ends Burning Campaign to respond to a growing crisis in international adoption. In the last few years, international adoptions have declined dramatically, although there are more children than ever in need of homes. If something isn't done, adoption will disappear as an option for the world's orphaned children.

Relentless bureaucracies and skyrocketing expenses are choking the international adoption system and creating new generations of children growing up without families. Meanwhile the public is unaware the problem even exists.

We launched the campaign to call attention to this tragedy and to spread the word that international adoption is indeed a favorable way to serve the needs of children. We are building a social movement to effect positive change. If we get enough people behind us, we can reform the system and bring more children into loving families.

We know you are dedicated to children. Your support of Chances for Children has been a critical element of the organization's success in Haiti. Now together let us turn our attention to the needs of orphaned children around the globe. All it takes to change the world is the dedication and perseverance of people who care.

Our immediate goal is to create a movement to promote a more streamlined and more affordable international adoption process. The campaign will involve a grass-roots, multifaceted effort using social media, traditional media, political activities, fundraising, public events, and more. Our long-term goal is to bring more children to families who will love them, nurture them, and help them develop to their full potential.

Chances for Children will continue to facilitate adoptions, and is expanding its mission to play a role in community development and renewal in Haiti. In its brief history it has achieved astounding results because people shared in our commitment to children, and now its influence and impact in Haiti are growing with your continued backing. 

Kathi will continue to run Chances For Children as she has the last four years. Meanwhile I am taking responsibility for starting and running the BEB Campaign. I urge you to become part of this critical effort. Visit our web site at http://www.bothendsburning.org. Under the "Get Involved" link you will soon have the opportunity to sign a petition to urge government officials and multinational organizations to reform and renew the process of international adoption. If leaders say they believe in the best interests of children, then let's hold them accountable to that promise -- let's transform the current system so it does, in fact, serve children.

Please also go to our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Both-Ends-Burning/323398090196 and become a fan. Tell your friends to become fans as well. Follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/BEBCampaign). Join us in creating a movement for change -- we need your helping in spreading the word about the campaign.

Our success will be fueled by engagement and funding, and we hope you will be energetically involved with us on both fronts. The funds we generate will dictate the width of the net we can cast to promote this cause.

With your help, the Both Ends Burning Campaign will accomplish its vision of a world where all children are in loving families and have the opportunity to reach their dreams.

Thanks,

Craig Juntunen

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