Promise of a New Beginning

 Dania, then 5, Adolfo, 6, and Sofia, 8, arrived at an orphanage in Honduras.  All were malnourished and the oldest brother showed signs of delayed motor skills, including impaired language development.  Sadly, no one ever came to visit the boys.

The Orphan Institute’s Child Defender Team assumed responsibility for the brothers.  With no visitors and limited biographical information, social workers sought to identify parents or other known relatives.  Regrettably, none were found.  

Speaking on behalf of the children, a lawyer from the Orphan Institute represented the brothers throughout the legal proceedings within the juvenile court.  A judge declared these children abandoned, a necessary first step to legally providing a child with the opportunity to leave the orphanage and become part of a family.

The children's files were now complete.  THREE YEARS after arriving to IHNFA, the brothers’ cases were submitted to the IHNFA adoption department.

ONE YEAR LATER, the government approved a foreign family to adopt all three brothers, Dania, now 9, Adolfo, 10, and Sofia, 12.  The adoptive family arrived in Honduras only to find after their first week there, the biological parents came forward requesting an appeal to the judge’s decision of declaring these brothers abandoned.    

Although this was the first time in four years the biological parents had inquired of their children, the government asked the Orphan Institute to evaluate if reunification with the birth family was possible before the adoption would proceed.  

After extensive investigative research on behalf of the Orphan Institute’s social workers, the parents were found.  Sadly, they lived in deplorable conditions unable to care or provide for themselves let alone their children.  The parents had no place to live and demonstrated an inability to communicate coherently or effectively.  Those living nearby identified the father as one who consumed excessive amounts of alcohol and used illegal drugs.  He often searched the nearby landfill for plastics and cans to sell as a source of income.  In addition to the three boys at IHNFA, the mother had two little girls in her care both under the age of 2 along with two additional boys older than Sofia, now 12, whose whereabouts were unknown.  Generous strangers would often provide food for the two young babies, whose bottles were visibly attracting flies and bodies in need of adequate clothing.

Upon completion of the investigation, the information was provided to IHNFA, recommending the best interest for these brothers would be care provided from a family who could provide food, clothing, shelter as well as foster their overall social and developmental well-being.  Further, the findings shared additional children were at risk necessitating further action.  

The courts received a copy of the findings as well, and agreed with the Orphan Institute; the adoption of the three brothers should proceed.

The Orphan Institute works to ensure the unique circumstances surrounding the life of every child are examined with his or her best interest in mind.  Admittedly, the process can be long and trying.  Long and trying for the children, especially, as childhoods are lost waiting for someone to speak on their behalf.

(Please Note:  The children's real name has been changed to protect his/her privacy.)