Important Updates for Acres of Hope Families

16 July 2008

Dear Families and Friends of Acres of Hope,

We are pleased to announce to you that we are opening a new office on the East Coast later this month!  Rachel Wilson, our Adoption Consultant, and her family are relocating to Wilmington, North Carolina, where she will continue her work for Acres of Hope.  Rachel's husband, Aaron, who has been our Administrative Director, is returning to the field of science and technology development with another employer.  Dave Reto is taking over Aaron's responsibilities as the new Administrator at the Main Office.

The Main Office will be open as usual Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM (Central).  All questions regarding humanitarian projects, accounts, billing, and financial donations should be directed to Dave at the Main Office (specific questions regarding African adoptions and adoption paperwork should be directed to the Adoption Consultant at the East Coast Office, see below).  In addition, all adoption paperwork, adoption fees, and financial donations should be directed to this location at 29525 Four Corners Store Rd, Mason, WI 54856-2054, phone: 715.765.4118, fax: 715.765.4119, or aoh.savinglives@gmail.com .  Patty Anglin may also be reached at the Main Office when she is in the US.

The new East Coast Office will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9 AM to 12 noon (Eastern) and Tuesday and Thursday 6 PM to 9:30 PM (Eastern), effective July 28, 2008.  Rachel, our Adoption Consultant, will continue to answer all questions regarding the international adoption program and specific cases, serving as an information conduit between adopting families and Acres of Hope Liberia.  Rachel can be reached at 715.861.1095 or aoh.rae@gmail.com .

Please continue to send physical humanitarian donations and adoption post-placement reports to Terri at the West Coast Office.  Terri can be reached at 360.855.0618, aoh.terri@gmail.com , or Acres of Hope-West, 602 Sterling St., Sedro Wooley, WA 98284.  As a former missionary to Liberia and adoptive parent as well, Terri is a wealth of information about Liberia and adoptive parenting in general.

We appreciate your patience and grace while we all get settled in to the new arrangements. Our entire US staff, as well as the entire staff of Acres of Hope Liberia, look forward to continued partnership with you to bring hope and real change to the hopeless of Liberia.

Blessings,

Patty Anglin

1 July 2008 

Well, June has come and gone and so far, we do not have a new adoption policy in Liberia.  The legislators are staying in session until they reach resolution on the policy and, of course, we will let you know when we know. 

Things continue to run smoothly, however, under the old policy.  In fact, we have seen 11 cases come through court in the last month, plus we received 8 passports.  In addition, 3 children came home in June and several families are planning travel for July.

Even though the new policy has not yet been published, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in cooperation with the court, is resuming its work on case histories.  This is a positive development and we are pleased to see progress in the cases we are handling.

Because the legislators have stayed in session far beyond their normal break in order to work on the new policy, they will not be able to attend the Festival of Hope as scheduled for July 19.  Therefore, we are postponing the Festival until the fall.  More information will be coming out soon.  Please keep an eye on the Newsflash for details.

Finally, please note that the offices of AOH will be closed in observance of the Federal holiday on July 4 th .  The offices will reopen at 9 AM Central time Monday, July 7 th .

Faith and hope, 
Rachel

East Coast Office (Opening July 28, 2008!)

West Coast Office