Revisiting 'Finding Fernanda'

I actually felt that way while I was in my adoption process, five years ago. I mean, there was always a lot of bad press and periodically there would be an article about this very thing, written by someone with no clue, implying that none of us actually care whether our kids were stolen or purchased on the black market. It used to make my blood boil, but I kind of got used to the idea that this undertone is always going to be out there. The other day someone on a homeschooling forum (not a fringe member) posted a photo from Reese's Rainbow of a girl, apparently from Latin America, who has Down syndrome. She was outraged by the fact that the cost to adopt this child was noted as around $20K and by the notation that multiple unrelated children could be adopted at once. She said "is this an industry?!" and made a couple very negative comments about Reese's Rainbow before people like me chimed in and provided a little balancing perspective. Later that night, she requested that her post be deleted. So this is always going to be out there. Before I ever started my Guatemalan adoption, I read a very negative article/report and realized that my daughters are likely to read the same report someday. I think we just have to be prepared with quick but strong assurances if the subject comes up. I plan to say that I had heard of rare but real corruption and was therefore careful to get documentation of A, B, and C during my kids' process so I can be confident their process was legit. Beyond that, I just won't engage. The world is full of conspiracy theories, after all. As for this book, I will not be reading it and I would tend to give it as little attention as possible, lest I spark the interest of those who otherwise would not have noticed it.

Good points. I'll hold out hope though that someone will tell 'the whole' story... understaffed orphanages at capacity, children found abandoned, families living in the dump... and the pathetically little done about it.

Any AP has to accept corruption in adoption happens. That it happened in Guatemala - Tom De Filipio (sp?) from JCICS even admitted it on camera and admitted to the concern when any developing country gets flooded with adoption agencies that isn't set up to deal with it, that corruption can become part of it. Corruption happened right here in the USA during MY era (and since then). If you are willing to deny it - you allow it to flourish. And no, my adoption wasn't tainted but many adoptions from my era were - should we just sweep it all under the carpet? That is why transparency, education, awareness, investigations into what you are told is necessary - so your child doesn't have to wonder. Kind regards,Dickons

I read it and found it interesting, as we were scammed on our first referral. I think the lawyer had offered a sibling set of two children to multiple families to collect the referral fee several times over. Then we were told the grandmother decided to raise them. I later found out they were adopted by someone else. So I found the book interesting to see what other types of corruption were going on. I wouldn't worry about the book making us adoptive parents look bad because I don't think it's ever going to make the NY Times Bestseller list. It has a limited readership. But it does have a National Enquirer sensationalism edge - probably to net a bigger audience. All of us adoptive parents know we did the right thing and there is no changing that. I think the fraud claims will always be swirling around. The other day I was at the playground talking to a Mexican woman. She asked about my son and then whispered about kidnappings and babies being sold for adoptions or body parts. Ugh - the rumors travel fast. Probably because they're more interesting than saying caring families adopted many impoverished and unwanted children.