How many Orphans are stranded?

Letter from friend outlining current situation


INITIAL EMAIL

l just got back from Guatemala.........a few days ago...
Do you know anyone that will help w/ this situation .. or that at least that could shed light on it ?
GG

l believe l have seen the making of a coming orphan tsunami here in Guatemala yesterday(02/13/08)....
The change in the laws here that have effectively shut down the 15 adoptions(95% of which were to USA families) that were happening here per day.
There is an entire segment of the economy that is based on these $30,000-40,000 USA adoptions..and many people will be cut off when the law goes into effect TONIGHT !
The net results will be neglected babies, abandoned babies, illegal adoptions by non-screened families and babies that will be sold into the sex trade....since that will become their "highest paying" customers for these little lives...
Officials told me today about the 4000 registered babies that are waiting for their adoptions to go through...and an estimated 2000-12000 unregistered babies.....BUT BECAUSE THIS "INDUSTRY" HAS BEEN UNREGULATED no one could even tell me where the registered babies were right now...
You can't imagine what it felt like when l stood there in that 20' x 35' room w/ the 22 paperwork processors sitting at 2 oval tables and the 4000 files of babies, each represented by 4 thin sheets of paper, w/ a 2" x 2" color photo stapled to the top right, front corner......knowing that there was just 24 hours left before all adoptions would be stopped....at least for now.
l got the creeps when l walked outside and mingled w/ the 30 assorted people that have making a nice living on adoptions that were waiting for their "paperwork" to be processed...many were complaining of how the govt's new law was hurting THEM...
But worse is the fear of what will happen to those kids that have been waiting that don't make the "Cut-off"..when the $$ flow stops...in the next few days....especially the 1000's that no one officially knows about.

Who can we tell? Please help me get this story out......
What organizations can come down and help....to rescue these kids that used to be worth $30,000-40,000, but have just lost their legal value?
These kids can't defend themselves... they can't speak up...and now waiting parents can't even take them home.

l am not blaming the new Govt....the situation was out of control...they had to do something...l am convinced that their efforts are 100% sincere....but they need HELP !!!
Greg Garrett