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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-04-07, Page 21i'1/ r 3 k dit acts ssro Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, April 7 , 1999 235-3141 Page 21 Guatemalan baby a welcome gift to local family By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF USBORNE TWP. — For Mery and Teresa Hern, frustration over adopting from within Canada has led them to look abroad — five times. The Heins' most recent addition to the family Is 15 -month-old Justin, who was born in Guatemala. But where the Heins found Justin is not the only interesting part of this story, it's how they found him. While she was waiting to adopt a fifth child, Teresa decided to search the Internet. She eventually found a site where she learned three boys from Guatemala were available for adoption. Teresa says she was skeptical because she knew the fee to adopt a child would be- too expensive. In fact, the fee for Justin was $5,000, but the Herns were able to adopt him for $500 because the Guatemalan lawyer handling the case was worried that, at five months, Justin was getting too old for adoption. Mo children in Guatemala, Teresa explains, are already adopted by the .time they, are about four months old. Since the Herns then knew they could afford the adoption fees; the process was put in motion and the adoption papers were ready in June. While everything was going forward without a hitch,. Teresa says there was a minor hurdle when Justin's birth -,mother decided*+ wanted him back. Whilethe mother' eventually changed her mind, Teresa says it was a stressful time. "I just about had a heart attack," she says, adding that with foreign adoptions things can go wrong right up until .the adoptive parents have taken the child out of his or her birth country. During the adoption process, Teresa says waiting to get Justin was an anxious time for her because there are many people involved such as lawyers, who can delay the process or even change their minds about letting the adoption happen. "It's totally out of your control," she says of waiting for the adoption to go through. When the Herns went to Guatemala in November to bring Justin home, though, Teresa says everything went smoothly. Justin had been living in a foster home and, while the home had cement floors and bars on the windows, Teresa says he was in good care and healthy. Many people in Guatemala aren't so lucky, though. "It's so sad there," Teresa explains. "The people have nothing," and there are many child beggars on the streets. She also says there is a large division between the rich and the poor in Guatemala. She describes the country as noisy and polluted, Once home;. Justin joined his new brothers and sisters, all of whom have been adopted: Eric, from Romania, is almost nine ars old; Courtney, six years old, ,ad Alex five, are from Guatemala; and Samantha, five., was adopted from Romania. All four are stu- dents at Usborne Central. The Herns adopted outside of Canada because, according to Teresa, it's too dif- ficult to adopt from within Canada. On a waiting list for nine years, the Herns sim- ply couldn't wait for a child any longer, leading to their adoption of Eric in 1991. She said Canadian social workers want Canadians to adopt other Canadian chil- dren because there are many who need homes, but Teresa says the process was s}�lyking-toa long..._ _ Although they are young, Teresa's chil- dren — with the obvious exception of 15 - month -old Justin — know they are adopted and know where they•are from. She said all the children talk about when they'll be able to visit their birth coun- tries. "We think it would be great," Teresa says of taking her children back to Romania and Guatemala. While Teresa says the children are too young to have any identity problems or "issues" about being adopted, she says the family belongs to a. support group which will help the children if they have any problems about being adopted. Although the Herns now have five chil- Fifteen-month-old Justin, born in Guatemala, is the latest addition to Usborne Township's Hern family. Justin is the fifth child the Herns have adopted from a for- eign country. Pictured beside Justin are Eric, left, and Courtney. Seated in front are Samantha and Alex. dren, Teresa says she would "love to adopt again", but financially it's not real- ly possible. After her ,exciting, discovery on the Internet, Teresa "loves computers" and says "if you can find a son on the 'Net, you can find anything." She says she wants to get the word out to other people interested in adopting that more and more countries are open- ing themselves up to foreign adoptions. A lot of Chinese babies have recently been adopted in Canada, she adds. Teresa, is also willing to help anyone with ques- tions about adoption, but she cautions each country has different adoption poli- cies and laws. Ross Lamont selected Liberal candidate for new riding LUCKNOW - Liberals from Exeter to Saugeen Shores in the newly -formed provincial riding of Huron -Bruce, gathered on March 24 to select a candidate to represent the party in a yet -uncalled election. Close to 350 voting members selected Ross Lamont of Port Elgin as their candidate. He was challenged for the nomination by Joan Van den Broeck of Goderich. Lamont has a long involvement in party politics. He is immediate past president of .the Ontario Liberal Party, was chairman of provincial Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty's leadership campaign, and campaign manager for Murray Elston in 1990 and 1987. "We have a big job ahead of us," Lamont told supporters in his acceptance speech, saying the election can be won "street by street, riding by riding." He urged them to get out and work "to put either Helen or Barb on the unemployment roles." Huron MPP Helen Johns and Bruce MPP Barb Fisher are vying for the Progressive Conservative nomination in the newly -formed riding which consolidates their previous ridings, that they have held since 1995. That nomina- tion meeting is scheduled for April 17 at Blyth The New Democratic Party nominated Tony McQuail of West Wawanosh at a nomination meeting earlier this winter in Goderich. RallyTroops The candidates' speeches centred on themes that will certainly predominate the election campaign in Huron - Bruce: health care, education and agriculture. Lamont said there is a crisis in health care, education and agriculture today, all created by Ontario Premier Mike Harris and his "handful of backroom strategists." "Mike Harris does not understand or appreciate local health care...The Tories are moving quickly into a two- tier health system," Lamont predicted. He pointed to a recent pledge by the premier to spend $375 million to hire 10,000 nurses iti the province; many of them the same nurses Harris got rid of several years ago, doling out $400 million in severance pay. On the topic of education, he said the Conservatives have taken millions of dollars out of the system, along with local decision- making powers, all the while stepping up per- sonal attacks on teachers. "Do not be fooled, the Tories are not improving education." Agricultural issues get short shrift from the Conservatives too, Lamont claimed, with mil- lions of dollars being cut from the agriculture budget. In fact, the word 'farm' cannot be found in the Common Sense Revolution, the Conservative manifesto' that was pivotal to the party's 1995 election win. • On a topic near and dear to the residents of Bruce' County, Lamont, manager of opera- tional business planning at the Bruce Nuclear Power Development, said the future of Ontario Hydro will have an impact on riding residents. The Conservatives promised a balanced budget in their first term, Lamont continued, but will not be able to deliver. "Do not believe he (Harris) will keep his promises this time." Ross Lamont "The Tories will fight hard and dirty (in the coming election). Liberals must put- forward an alternative." Lamont urged those present to uphold the tradition in Huron and Bruce counties of sending Liberals -- Murray Gaunt, Jack Riddell, Murray Elston and Eddie Sargent -- to Queen's Park. Rescue Mission In her speech to the voting members, Van den Broeck, a former board of education trustee and chairman and Children's Aid Society volunteer, likened the coming election to a "rescue mission", rescuing the people of Ontario from the policies of the Progressive Conservative government. Van den Broeck said decision making must be returned to the Legislature, calling today's Ontario an 'oligarchy'. Governments consult before making deci- sions, Van den Broeck noted. "You can't put politics ahead of people." She too pointed to crises in health, public education and agriculture. "My goals and aspirations are rooted right here," she pledged. "I will work with you and for you to ensure our rural voice is heard at Queen's Park." Prior to the March 24 nomination, two candidates withdrew from the race. Dave Scott, mayor of Seaforth and newspaper editor, announced he would not seek the nomination as the employer said it constituted a conflict of interest. Grey Township Deputy Reeve Alvin McLellan . also withdrew from the race.