Day 1 Travel - Dinner Plans

Arrived at airport in Guatemala City. Waited indefinitely for the hotel shuttle to arrive. Eventually gave up and took a taxi. Spoke with many people about what their perceptions were in terms of the orphans and the adoption process. Most people, three of the four people I spoke to at first, seemed to think that it was business as usual that the adoption agencies were still able to help or get the babies adopted to the United States, but then I spoke to a fellow who said he works at the hotel and that there was an American woman from New York who has been down here three or four times and unable to get the child out of foster care. That apparently is perhaps where the challenge will be finding these many foster care homes that may or may not be registered with the government and that may be also where, as they run out of money, their lives could be significantly more difficult. So I had spoken to four or five people at length just as the point of view of the man in the street and encouraged that it doesn't appear to be as immediately disastrous as we were concerned about, but that the long-term situation does need significant assistance and guidance. E-mails have been pouring in from friends in the states and I think there will be many people that we can speak to, but I ultimately think that it is the foster care system that could be the focus of our research. They call it Casas Hogar. So, we will get together with Florie and Emilio tonight for dinner and get the ground running in the morning. Thanks for your prayers and interest.