I was so hoping to update our blog and share that we had received Ana’s birth certificate, but that is not the case. Ana’s birth certificate is stuck (along with 21 other babies from Hannah’s Hope) in the Mixco civil registry right outside of Guatemala City. Our attorney was called to civil registry again on Monday because “all the files were ready”. When she went to pick them up, they told her that she needed to go speak with the mayor about the situation. Quite surprised by this, she did what they had told her, only to find, that he too, is part of the problem. What makes it even worse, is that all this time, they thought that he was helping them work through this situation, only to find out today, that he, too, is involved in the corruption. The update we received today simply asked all 22 families to contact everyone they know to pray through this situation. Our legal team has contacted just about everyone they can think of to plea for help with this situation, but there does not seem to be anyone who can control what this civil registry does. The concern is that even though these children legally belong to U.S. families, after January 1st there may be a whole new process by which birth certificates are issued. This could be why they are holding them – simply to prolong the process. It is frustrating, because Mixco birth certificates ARE being issued, but attorneys are having to “pay” for them – an unethical practice which we are pleased that our agency does not participate in.
So… we are asking for some extra special prayers during this time. Because of the holidays and this unforeseen situation, it looks like it will be at least February before we are able to travel to pick up Ana (providing her birth certificate is issued sometime in January). We are asking specifically that SOMEONE in civil registry will have a softened heart towards these babies and release their files so that they can be issued passports and Visas to come home.
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