Dear friends, families and supporters,
Allow me to introduce myself. I am Melodie Kejr (pronounced "care") and I grew up as a missionary kid here in Liberia and the Ivory Coast. My relationship with Acres of Hope began in 2005 when I met Patty in Liberia during my summer internship for college. After graduating in 2006 I worked for Acres of Hope in Liberia for a year and a half. Since then I have lived in the US, had a few other jobs, moved back to Liberia, and most recently, got married! My husband Kevin and I are back in Liberia and I just began work again for AOH as the Interim Country Director while Eric Sewa is on sabbatical. Eric is finishing up his master's degree and preparing to defend his thesis, so with my availability and Eric's schedule, it has worked out well for me to take this job during this time.
Things have changed so much over the years I have been connected with Acres of Hope. In 2006 there was one orphanage with about 40 kids. In 2007 we opened another facility and had nearly 100 kids. Later in 2007, we opened a third facility for special needs children. At our peak we had around 125 children between the three facilities and a few foster homes. Many desperately needy children were saved during this time and it was my privilege to have been a part of that process. Things began to slow down in 2008 and finally, in January of 2009, adoptions were suspended. I was devastated at this news and believed with all my heart that adoptions would reopen before too long. Well, "too long" has passed and there is still a moratorium on adoptions. Thankfully, children with adoption decrees completed before the moratorium and those with special needs are still being allowed to be adopted. Meanwhile, many children have been caught in limbo in various orphanages and foster homes around the country.
My work with Acres of Hope is fueled by my passion to find the best homes for the various children in our care. I will do my very best to get those who are allowed to travel home to their families. But this is only a portion of the children in our care. Additionally, the government of Liberia is establishing new requirements for orphanages and is altering their criteria for children they deem in need of alternative care (this includes those they believe are in need of adoption). Together with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Acres of Hope will be going through each of our cases to determine what the potential future will be for each of our children that do not have special needs or adoption decrees. Patty and I will be available to discuss your concerns and the future of our children, but the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is responsible for the final decision on each child.
We still have no idea when the suspension on international adoption will be lifted. There have been many rumors over the past 15 months, but despite all the good and the bad we've heard, things still remain essentially the same. However, we recently learned that the government of Liberia anticipates the new adoption laws will require an organization be a member of the Hague International Convention on Adoption before it can practice adoptions. Presently, all agencies will have to evaluate the Hague Accreditation requirements and begin the long process that will be involved. If you are a family who has been waiting a long time to be placed with a child or if you are matched to a child who does not have an adoption decree, we encourage you to contact the home office, Patty, or me to discuss what the best next step will be for your situation in light of these new developments.
As we consider all that has happened over the last year and a half, and where we are today, it is easy to feel disappointed, disheartened and even angry. Yet God is sovereign through all of this and if we seek Him with sincere hearts, he will show us what the next step is during this difficult time. Above all we need to remember that God truly does have the best interest of every Liberian child in mind, even when we feel the thing that was in their best interest may not happen anymore.
I pray God's blessing on each one of you as you walk through this time and encourage you to contact me with any needs or concerns.
In Christ,
Melodie Kejr
(The picture above is me with the Smith girls who just made it home to Canada!!!)
