"Keep the Crime Watch Live"

Yesterday, a woman representing "Women Against Crime" visited my neighborhood soliciting funds to keep airing the late night radio show "Crime Watch" on Truth FM. This show was being sponsored by the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) whose commitment will end in September. However, instead of letting this important conduit for reporting crime disappear from the airwaves, Liberian Woman have taken on this noble mission to "Keep the Crime Watch Live".

This radio show is Liberia's 911 Call for Help emergency response system. According to an online article "Cell phones Transforming Liberia", the main objective of Crime Watch is to alert "police of on the spot night time crime scenes through the use of cell phones." This show also informs emergency response teams of patients needing urgent medical attention from cell phone callers. Many lives have been saved by this collaboration of this late night radio show and its "huge listening audience" call in reports This program alerts the proper authorities of medical emergencies who than deploy ambulances to transport patients to the nearest medical center.


The Crime Watch radio show also serves as Liberia's Amber Alert for children who have been abducted. This was the case recently when a child was mysteriously kidnapped on August 18 at the Special Project School Community in Gardnersville (suburb of Monrovia). It is believed that the child was kidnapped by an armed robber who fled to a nearby swamp. The authorities were alerted when a man, claiming to be hiding in his bathroom at the time of the abduction, called into Truth FM's Crime Watch radio show to report the crime. The Emergency Response Unit of the Liberia National Police responded to the call, but sadly this child remains missing. In meantime, a human rights lawyer Cllr. Dempster Brown has been advocating for this child by calling on the newly appointed "Justice Minister, Christiana Tarr, to ensure that the reported disappearance is thoroughly investigated."

In appreciating the efforts of these concerned women of Liberia, I offered to write this post in supporting their campaign to "Keep the Crime Watch Live." Call TruthFM information line at +231 (6) 777 961 to learn more about the program or to report a crime. More information will be coming soon about Women Against Crime.

Connecting Liberia and United States of American (Puzzle Activity Included)

On August 24, Liberia celebrated its Flag Day, and many businesses and government agencies closed to recognize this national holiday. This was a day for Liberians to display proudly their flag either on their house or car similar to how U.S. citizens honor their Flag Day on June 14. The flags of these two countries are a clear indicator in how Liberia and the United States of America are connected.

Just by looking at these two flags one can quickly notice how they are similar to one another. They both share the same color theme that for the U.S. Flag is symbolic: Red represents Hardiness and Valor, White represents Purity and Innocence, and Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice (The History of American Flag). They both, however, differ on the number of stars and stripes. The single star on the Liberia Flag represents one nation--Lone Star-- whereas the 50 stars on the U.S. Flag represents the 50 states that joined one nation. The 11 stripes on the Liberia Flag represents the 11 signers of their Declaration of Independence whereas the 13 stripes on the U.S. Flag represents the first 13 colonies that started this nation (The History of American Flag and Hyman).

These two nations also share a common reason in why they declared independence that involves Great Britain and taxation. Additionally, these two nations declared their independence in the same month though separated by 71 years and 22 days.

The 13 original colonies of British North America were governed and protected by Great Britain until a stalemate was reached over the argument of taxation. In 1765, two years after the French and Indian War, the British parliament decided to redress the massive war debts they accrued during this conflict also known as the Seven Years' War. The colonists saw this as an act of tyranny--taxation without representation--and also as unconstitutional, because the British Constitution was not framed and adopted at specific time. Instead it was amassed by laws, judicial decisions, customs and other constitutional type documents such as the Magna Carta. Therefore, in 1775 after ten years of arguments the colonist began their Revolutionary War against Great Britain leading to the adoption of their Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 (The Constitution, 6-8).

Liberia was founded in 1822 as a colony of the United States of America, and for over 20 years it was governed by the American Colonization Society (ACS). However, this new colony struggled to exist since the ACS was financially constrained, so Liberia relied on its revenue from trading with foreign markets. In 1938, Liberia became a commonwealth and adopted a new constitution to govern all the merged settlements. This commonwealth for the next eight years received most of its revenue from charging custom duties on indigenous traders and British merchants. However, this angered the British government and they refused to recognize Liberia's sovereignty for levying taxes, because this colony was governed by the ACS, a private organization. Therefore, ensuring their right for survival Liberia adopted and signed their Declaration of Independence on July 26, 1847. Thus giving them full taxing authority by which Britain was the first to recognize this new country (History of Liberia).

During the 20th and 21st centuries both countries experienced changes in their landscapes. The U.S. expanded westward from its 13 colonies to 50 states when Hawaii was last admitted in 1959 (Hawaii). Liberia, on the other hand, had some border disputes with the neighboring British and French Colonies until 1892 when its boundaries were officially established (Liberia). Additionally, Liberia as colony was first divided into three provinces--Western, Central and Eastern; however, these eventually split into counties with the first five being created in 1800's and eight more in the 1900's. These thirteen counties remained the primary administrative divisions until two counties split creating two new ones in 2000 and 2001 respectively (Liberia-Wikipedia).

This post closes with an activity--Discover the 15 Counties of Liberia--that can be shared with the family by clicking the link below and printing it. This activity includes Word Search and Crossword puzzles, and blank outlined map for locating the counties that can also be colored by the kids. Some of you may find this activity simple while others may find it a challenge. Those of you who find this difficult, the internet is the best resource to search for the answers. The answers will be posted on September 5, 2009. Good Luck and Have Fun!

Discover the 15 Counties of Liberia (LiberiaCounties.pdf)

Works Cited

The Constitution of the United States with the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of the Confederation. Introduction by R. B. Bernstein. Barnes and Noble Inc., 2002.

Hawaii. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 28 Aug. 2009 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/257332/Hawaii

The History of the American Flag. USA Flag Site. 2006. 28 August 2009 http://www.usa-flag-site.org/history.shtml

History of Liberia: A Time Line: 1820-1847, 1847-1871. The Library of Congress: American Memory. 12 March 1998. 28 August 2009 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/libhtml/liberia.html#fcr

Hyman, Lester S. United States Policy Towards Liberia, 1822-2003: Unintended Consequences? Africana Homestead Legacy Publishers, 2005.

Liberia. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 28 August 2009 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/339254/Liberia.

Liberia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 2009. 29 August 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberia

Three words not to live by: “This is Africa”

Africa is known as “the cradle of civilization,” and yet it is forever epitomized as the “dark continent.” It is a continent in which its people have been subjugated to colonialism, human trafficking, civil or ethnic wars, and extreme poverty. It is a vast preserve of fauna and flora that covers an abundant reserve of precious minerals, and the battleground among non-African nations seeking to extract its rich resources. So, why is that anytime something unusual or bad happens on this continent you hear the utterance “This is Africa” or in its shorten version “TIA”?

Often in life we can overly use a word or saying that eventually becomes our mantra. It is through this repetition that we become conditioned to it and learn to accept it as our realty. This seems to be the case in Africa, because anytime something goes wrong, someone automatically says “This is Africa!” And it also seems that these three words are a contagious disease, because non-Africans are saying them too.

This urgent need to say “This is Africa” when problems occur, reminded me of something that I heard during a Connecting with Africa Conference: “Western or Indigenous Democracy: What is the Choice for Africa?” held in Minnesota in August 2008. Professor Tamrad Tademe of St. Cloud State University/Minnesota, who is also an Ethiopian, commented “that most Africans are on the defensive that when anytime something happens in Africa we feel compelled to apologize.” He further commented by saying that Western nations ask Africans “what is wrong with Africa.” Professor Tademe responded “what is wrong is Africans have a damaged mindset from colonialism and racism.” And he followed it with this quote “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed” by Stephen Bantu Biko, an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s who was later killed.

I see these three words as a means to oppress minds. This is why this non-African has grown tired of it, and anytime I hear it being uttered I just cringe. So now when I hear someone use it to justify an incident, I kindly ask the person to stop saying it and explain that it is not a very good excuse for what occurred. I feel compelled to caution people in using this saying, because it can constrain their minds from seeing that things can be better or different. This is why I encourage and challenge Liberians not to accept the status quo by saying these three words. I hope Liberians can create a new saying that promotes positive change and embraces a better future.

Since June, I have heard similar notions about the need for changing mindsets from two Liberians, who are also clergymen, as they shared some profound insights at various events. In listening to these two clergymen, it became quite clear that they too believe Liberians should not accept their current situation, but to strive for something better. The next two paragraphs give insight to what these two Liberian men were trying to convey to their audiences.

On June 5, 2009, I attended a special presentation by the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission called “Reconciliation Healing” that featured the Rwandan Genocide Survivor Immaculee Ilibagiza as the keynote speaker. During this program, Monsignor Andrew Karnley of the Catholic Diocese of Monrovia got up to share this story: “Two men were looking out of the window of their prison cell. When asked what they saw, one man said he could only see mud and the other man said he could see stars.” Monsignor Karnley analyzed this story and said, “Currently most Liberians see mud and only a few see stars, so it is my hope that all Liberians can start seeing stars.”

On August 16, 2009, I attended the second anniversary of the World Harvest Church in New Georgia Estate of Monrovia. Reverend Claudius Deah of Mission Bethel Ministries was invited as the guest pastor for this special occasion. Before starting his sermon he took a moment to illustrate the difference between “satisfaction” and “dissatisfaction.” He commented that satisfaction is when we accept things as they are and dissatisfaction is when we know there is still room for improvement. So he concluded that it is better not to be blinded by satisfaction, but continue to be dissatisfied while seeking improvement.

These two clergymen have offered something else for Liberians to consider then those three tiresome, overused words. So, I will leave this post hoping Liberians continue reaching for the stars and striving for improving their lives and nation.

Weep No More

I wanted to share a website of a case that I have been following about five Liberian sisters who were adopted in 2005. These girls have experienced all sorts of atrocities by their adoptive parents and their biological adult children from Oklahoma. Three of the individuals have been charged with felony abuse while another has been charged with misdemeanor abuse. Their case is pending in the court. Due to concerns with how this case was being investigated the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) took an interest in January according to an article printed in the Fairview Republican (January 19, 2009).

Currently, only one sister has been removed from this house while the other four remain with this family. Weep No More, a non-profit foundation has donated its site (www.weepnomore.org) to save these four girls from their abusive home. "Weep No More is a foundation established to encourage tax deductible donations through gifts of art. These donations are forwarded to various non profit organizations for the benefit of abused and under privileged children - helping children to weep no more, Rev. 5:4-6."

This site contains some graphical and disturbing information about what has happened to these girls by these four individuals, so be prepared as you navigate through the pages.

What happens to the child when adoption fails?

Do we truly value all children regardless of their situation or condition? For several years, I have pondered this question listening to the highly publicized debate of pro-life versus pro-choice, and wondered why there is no public attention for the large number of children that have been aborted from human society. Well, recently I have noticed that this form of abortion is occurring more and more with children whose adoptions have been disrupted. In these cases, the children are being rejected because of violent behavioral problems—typically labeled as “Reactive Attachment Disorder”—from often untreated emotional traumas. These abandoned children, who are usually older and from another ethnicity or nation, are placed into the already overburdened U.S. foster care system; or as for intercountry adoption, they are returned to their home country with no proper system to ensure they are safe or properly cared for.

I write this post to share about a growing problem that is occurring without any real oversight or monitoring system to track the number of adoptions that have been disrupted and to ensure that the children’s basic human rights are being met. This post will focus on the question “What happens to the child when adoptions fails?” by using a factual story to illustrate how an already traumatized Liberian child was harmed more from his disruptive adoption. However, before I begin with the purpose of this post, I wanted to share my experience with adoptions that has caused me to write about this very important issue.

Since an early age, I have seen and experienced the dark side of adoption too many times. As a child, I discovered how two preschool brothers went from a physically abusive home to emotionally neglectful one. They were adopted to a childless couple, who later were able to bore two children of their own. After the birth of their biological children, these two brothers were often locked outside and I can remember hearing them knock on the door of their house asking “Mom, can I come in now.” The oldest brother, who seemed to suffer the most trauma, finally relieved his pain by committing suicide in his mid-twenties.

As an adult, I witnessed the emotional pain of an adoptee identity crisis from the person that I had committed almost 20 years of my life to. He had to live with the fact that he was adopted twice during his first nine days of life, because the first adoptive family rejected him for not fitting into their community. This rejection was mostly because he is part Native America. He was further stigmatized with adoption when he was denied the right to obtain his actual birth certificate or even see his adoption records to learn more about his natural parents [1].

Since 2005, I have observed and experienced the ugly side of intercountry adoption out of Liberia. This country is part of a long list of developing war-torn and impoverished nations that have been vulnerable to proven abusive adoption practices causing too many children to suffer in this often unregulated multi-billion dollar industry. In fact, Liberia imposed a moratorium on intercountry adoptions on January 26, 2009 due to allegations of mismanagement and corruption. This countrywide ban will be in effect until a new national law [2]—The Child Act—is approved by the government for intercountry adoptions, and also the ratification of international laws such as The Hague on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption and Optional Protocol to Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OP-CRC).

I could go on and on about the broader issues of intercountry adoption from the ongoing research I have conducted since July 2008. However, this post is focusing on how children are adversely affected by adoption failures. This is a concern that needs attention from all those involved with adoption, because it is a reality for children who have experienced disruption. This post is not intended as anti-adoption forum, but instead is centered on what is best for these sadly forgotten and forsaken children.

To better understand the impact that a disruptive adoption has on a child, I will begin with an actual story of now teenage Liberian boy who was not only a casualty of the Liberia’s civil war, but also a casualty of intercountry adoption. I have chosen to omit any identifying information, because the attention here is on what can be done to solve this ever growing problem. Then I will end this post with some analysis of why this problem is happening and how it goes unnoticed.

A Liberian Boy: a casualty of the war and a casualty of adoption.

This is a story about a preteen boy who was adopted from Liberia in 2007 to a U.S. family and how his adoption was disrupted within six months of bringing him home to the U.S. This boy was born into a nation experiencing a brutal civil war that lasted 14 years until it finally ended in 2003.

During Liberia’s civil war, a child’s chance for survival was grim at best because access to food, medicine and safety were often not assessable. And for this particular boy, his life tragically came close to being a “killed” statistic of Liberia’s war. It was on one fateful day, this then baby boy was seriously wounded when a bullet fired from a gun rapidly propelled towards him before piercing through his still developing skull and brain. This bullet remained lodged in his head because the medical services were no longer capable of performing such a delicate surgery. It was a miracle that this boy survived at all, and to even walk and talk after experiencing such a life-threatening and life-altering injury.

Since the war collapsed Liberia’s medical care system, it was hard for anyone to evaluate the extent of his injuries relating to his physical, mental and emotional state; however, there were a few noticeable differences that became apparent while others were yet to be revealed. Physically, one side of his body the muscles had slightly atrophied. Mentally, there were signs that his learning development would be delayed or limited. Emotionally, at first he appeared as a quiet and reserved boy, but later many hidden traumas would soon rise to the surface and occasionally erupt into a fiery volcano.

As the nation began to sort out the devastation after its civil war completely destroyed the infrastructure leaving many Liberians in extreme poverty, this boy’s chances for survival were still critical. His father’s [3] post-war impoverished condition left him unable to provide or care for a son with special needs. This father was likely overwhelmed with worry for his son’s welfare and despair for there was no hope for his future. However, he would soon find relief when he learned about adoption. His son was eventually placed with a U.S. family that seemed eager and willing to help this special boy.

After completing the in-country paperwork and court documentation, it was now time for this boy to be united with his new family. The adoptive father arrived alone in Liberia July 2007, to complete his new son’s travel visa before bringing him home to the rest of the eagerly waiting U.S. family. The first moments that the parent and child meet one another are filled with both excitement and anxiety. And like so many other new adoptive parents, this father was overjoyed with emotion as it became clear that this was his new son.

For the next two weeks while the travel visa was being processed, this new father-son bond had time to become more cohesive. It was during this time that the adoptive father could also assess his adopted son’s condition. This adoptive father, who was fully aware of his son’s injury, would share his reasons for adopting this boy by saying to the likes that “God placed it in my heart to adopt and help this child.” He also openly talked about having his new son evaluated by surgeons to see if the bullet could be removed and some resources to help him overcome his developmental issues. He seemed ready to face the many challenges—known and unknown—for this physically and emotionally traumatized child as he and his adopted son prepared to embark on their journey home to the U.S.

Sometime after arriving to the U.S., this boy was evaluated and found to be eligible to receive the reparative surgery that successfully removed the bullet from his head. From this moment, it seemed that this child’s tragic past was over and a new life was about to begin. Nevertheless, on one tragic day this boy would become grievously agitated and subsequently threatened the life of his family and his own. It is unknown if this occurred more than once, or if this was caused by probable brain damage and emotional trauma from his injury. Regardless of these unknowns, the family was ready to disrupt his adoption within six months of receiving him.

At first there were attempts to readopt him to other adoptive families of Liberian children in the U.S., but they were unsuccessful. So instead of putting him into the U.S. foster care system, he was returned to Liberia in late 2008 or early 2009. Currently, he is living at the compound of the agency that placed him for adoption, and the environment there is not conducive to living in a caring home with loving and nurturing parents. Additionally, he is not receiving any emotional counseling to overcome what is most likely post traumatic stress syndrome.

His future is unknown and his chance for re-adoption is unlikely with Liberia’s moratorium still in place. However, even when that is lifted the outlook of him being placed with a new family is highly doubtful due to two reasons. First, there is a growing trend of older Liberian adoptees' being returned to Liberia or placed in U.S. foster care because the parents could not cope with the child's disruptive behavior. Secondly, adoptive parents in their blog posts are advising others not to adopt older Liberian children, because they are struggling with their adopted child’s emotional outbursts that can turn violent or behavioral problems that include lying and stealing.

It is very likely that his father is aware of his return, and yet it is unknown why this child is not living with him. It seems after everything this boy has been through that his only hope is to be reunited with his natural father. Also, his father could receive financial assistance to care for his son through child support payments, because the adoptive family is still obligated to this child, regardless of the disruption.

Disruptions: why they occur and why they are unreported.

This story illustrates how disruptive adoption can fail children and also cause them additional harm. Unfortunately, many preteen and teenage children from developing and post-war nations have similar stories. Many of these children have unforeseen trauma-related anxieties from experiencing war, being institutionalized or separated from their birth parents. If these children are not given proper mental health care for their emotional wounds, they express their anxiety in violent rages either by verbal threats or physical assault. Many times the adoptive parents are unprepared or incapable to tend to their children’s emotional needs, and this is how children are placed in foster care or returned to their birth nation. And in some notable cases, these traumatized children have been violently abused or murdered by their adoptive parents who were unable to cope with their emotional problems [4].

In the U.S. there have been over 200 reported cases of children adopted domestically or internationally that were abused or killed by their adoptive parents. The children who survived this violence have suffered from physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and deprivation. Also, from these recorded cases, several of the children were homeschooled and this helped hide the abuse from the authorities [5].

Unfortunately, children adopted from other nations have experienced the brutality of war, the cruelty of poverty and the travesty of being institutionalized. Adding to these devastating traumas, the adopted children must also adapt to a new culture, language or religion. Most of these children are not properly evaluated or treated by a mental health expert. Instead these children are often diagnosed or labeled by so-called attachment therapists [6] or their adoptive parents as suffering from “Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD),” because the child is unable to bond with the parent. It is usually when this child-parent bond fails that the adoption ends in disruption, and RAD is used as the primary excuse. However, according to the following definition from the Mayo Clinic, it is unlikely that most of these children have suffered from RAD since it is deemed a “rare” condition:

Reactive attachment disorder is a rare but serious condition in which infants and young children don't establish healthy bonds with parents or caregivers.

A child with reactive attachment disorder is typically neglected, abused, or moved multiple times from one caregiver to another. Because the child's basic needs for comfort, affection and nurturing aren't met, he or she never establishes loving and caring attachments with others. This may permanently alter the child's growing brain and hurt their ability to establish future relationships.

Reactive attachment disorder is a lifelong condition, but with treatment children can develop more stable and healthy relationships with caregivers and others. Safe and proven treatments for reactive attachment disorder include psychological counseling and parent or caregiver education.

What is most startling is that many of these disruptions occur under the radar. Currently, there is no universal tracking or monitoring system to determine how many children have experienced failed adoptions and where they are placed. Also, there is no system that ensures these children are receiving the quality care they deserve and the necessary counseling or therapy to treat their mental health issues causing their displacement. This lack of an oversight mechanism has caused many children to become lost in the system and eventually forgotten. For right now many children are being processed through underground networks in attempt to re-adopt them without going through proper or legal channels [7]. These attempts to cover up the disruptions are often from the efforts of adoptive parents or placement agencies who are avoiding to disclose this unfavorable fact. This is probably how so many children adopted outside the U.S. are put on planes and returned to their birth nations to languish in uncertainty.

There are some organizations that provide help for distressed adoptive parents and adopted children. They can find solace from a few adoption disruption resource providers that can help with counseling, re-adoption, disruption prevention, and respite care for the children or parents. However, these providers either specialize in children with special needs, up to age three, certain nationalities and various states [8]. This is why there needs to be a global system that helps children of all ages and from all nations with or without special needs, that oversees all aspects of the pre- and post-disruption process to guarantee the rights of the child.

As the issue of disruptive adoption continues to go unmonitored, there has been little attention given to this real concern in the many online forums or blogs of adoption advocacy groups who seek to gain from this highly profitable industry. However, there are several adult adoptees, adoptive parents, birth parents and concerned individuals or groups who are advocating ethical adoption reforms to protect children from being further harmed by abusive and fraudulent practices or traumatized by failed adoptions.

These ethical reforms need to ensure that these forgotten children are not returned to uncaring institutions; are not lost in an overstretched foster care system; are not roaming homeless on the streets; are not locked away in juvenile detention centers or work camps; are not being over medicated for hyperactivity or labeled with a learning disability; are not being exploited for prostitution and as child laborers; are not growing up in physically, emotionally and sexually abusive homes; and are not taking their own lives because they can no longer stand the pain of being invisible.

However, for this Liberian boy and so many other adopted children, there are no reforms that will ensure their rights are protected after disruption or guarantee their emotional and physical needs are met. Therefore there is an urgency to explore and examine this issue to create ethical policies that recognize these often forgotten and forsaken children. As a global community, we must prevent these children from being aborted from society or devalued as “damaged beyond repair” or “too difficult to manage.” Instead, we must attend to their mental health care needs to ease their suffering from overwhelming emotional traumas. By ensuring that all children are valued as precious living humans, we can guarantee their undeniable right to be recognized, loved and protected.

Notes:

[1] Confidentiality and Seal Records. “Anonymity and new birth certificates were both consistent with matching, which set out to make new families “as if” they had been made naturally. Confidentiality was converted into secrecy only after World War II. Secrecy meant that even adult adoptees, to their great surprise and frustration, could not obtain information about their births and backgrounds. The intentions behind confidentiality were benevolent, but sealed records created an oppressive adoption closet. Even though sealed records were recent inventions, rather than enduring features of adoption history, they were largely responsible for the adoption reform movement that gathered steam in the 1970s.” The Adoption History Project.

[2] Liberia has been operating with no adoption law pertaining to international adoptions. The government has been using an archaic law, an article within the Domestic Relations Act, for domestic adoptions and it was lacking clear oversight and regulation of the process.

[3] The mother’s fate is unknown.

[4] New adoption death alarms Russian. In this 2005 BBC News article, it cites how 14 adopted children have been murdered abroad and mandates the need for adoptive parents to “undergo mandatory parenting courses and psychological testing.” This comes after another reported case of a 2-year-old Russian girl being killed by her adoptive U.S. mother. BBC News 15 Jul 2005. According to the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) at least 12 Russian children have been killed by U.S. adoptive parents.

[5] Pound Pup Legacy, an advocacy for child safety within the foster care and adoption system, has compiled all known cases of children who have been abused or killed by their adoptive parents.

[6] According to the American Psychological Association, the terms ‘attachment disorder,’ ‘attachment problems’ and ‘attachment therapy’ are increasingly being used; but have no clear, specific, or consensus definitions (APSAC, 2). Though attachment therapy is a young and diverse field, the benefits and risks of many attachment related treatments remain scientifically undetermined. Controversies have arisen over certain attachment therapy techniques such as “rebirthing” or other types of coercive restraining methods have been implicated in several child deaths and other harmful effects (APSAC, 3). According to proponents, attachment disordered children crave power, control and authority, are dishonest, and have ulterior motives for ostensibly normal social behaviors (APSAC, 6). They are labeled within some treatment or parent communities as simply “RAD’s,” “RAD-kids” or “RADishes.” Thus, the conceptual focus for understanding the child’s behavior emphasizes the child’s individual internal pathology and past caregivers, rather than current parent-child relationships or current environment (APSAC, 7). Report of the Apsac/Apa Division 37 Task Force On Attachment Therapy, Reactive Attachment Disorder and Attachment Problems 2006.

[7] Underground Network moves children from home to home. This 2006 USA Today article investigates the issue of Tennessee couple running an underground network for a disrupted adoptions and also being charged with abuse of their own adopted children. Ronald Federici, a neuropsychologist in Alexandria, Va., and author of Help for the Hopeless Children who has adopted seven children was cited saying "Dump and run — it happens all the time." says Ronald Federici, a neuropsychologist in Alexandria, Va., and author of Help for the Hopeless Children who has adopted seven children…. He says there are hundreds of e-mail chat rooms in which people who adopted children are trying to find new homes for them outside the public system…. "They don't want to sell the kids. They just want to get rid of them," he says, explaining the children may have health problems the adoptive parents never expected. "It's not the merchandise they bought." He says many of these parents are looking for the cheapest and fastest placement. USA Today 18 Jan 2006 by Wendy Koch.

[8] The Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) website lists eight adoption disruption resources offering a range of services.

Liberia’s Endangered Free Pediatric Healthcare Facilities

Since July 16, 2009, I have visited Island Pediatric Hospital in Duala three times to attend to the needs of a special child who was sexually assaulted. This hospital located in the northern community of Monrovia provides free healthcare services to children for burns, sexual assault, treatment of regional diseases, and other major or minor medical care needs. It is one of two pediatric and obstetrics specialized hospitals within the Monrovia area that are operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). These lifesaving facilities are endangered of closing their doors to impoverished children as MSF will cease their commitment at the end of 2009. MSF had announced early 2008 that they will transfer the responsibility to the Liberia government at the end of 2009.

Is this post-war, financially strapped government ready for such a task while it continues to struggle in providing sustainable services to over two-thirds of its population living in extreme poverty? Well, the answer is doubtful on whether they can provide the same level of care or even keep the doors open for the next few years.

MSF, an international disaster emergency relief non-governmental organization, has operated in Liberia since 1990. It has been providing healthcare services during the civil war and the first stage of the post-war recovery process. MSF/Belgium (MSF-B) has “supported Island hospital since late 2002, first as an annex to the public Redemption Hospital and from March 2006, as a private children’s hospital. Also in Monrovia, MSF-B supports two primary health clinics in New Kru Town and Clara Town (both in Monrovia on Bushrod Island) which provide vaccinations, family planning, ante and post natal care, 24 hour delivery rooms and medical care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Spain/Switzerland supports the pediatric ward at Benson Hospital in Monrovia and also provides maternity care and obstetric surgery as well as treatment for survivors of sexual violence at the hospital. In Saclapea in Nimba County, MSF supports a health centre providing both outpatient and inpatient services (Speech).”

The MSF facilities provide 80% of the pediatric healthcare in Monrovia. Island and Benson Pediatric Hospitals admit nearly 1,500 children per month and with their two clinics, they administer care to over 13,000 patients per month. In 2007, for instance, Island Hospital admitted 12,655 patients, an increase rate of more than 100% to the previous year. This demands for free inpatient medical care is much greater than the supply of available beds. Since 2007, the two hospitals have increased the number of beds to a combine total of 181; however, the occupancy rate is at 125% (Speech).

The free services provided by MSF hospitals for Monrovia’s growing impoverished community have saved numerous lives and ensured the physical and mental care of traumatized victims. In fact, during 2008, MSF recorded 11,700 first visits for natal care with 8,340 pregnant women test for HIV and 326 tested positive; 3,909 babies were delivered with no maternal death[1]; 9,100 first visits for family planning; 22,000 children were immunized for Pentavalent[2] vaccination; and 770 sexual assault victims received medical care and trauma counseling (Liberia). These statistics only give a small glimpse of the need for free healthcare services to children and pregnant women who are unable to afford medical care by government-owned or private-owned hospitals.

From my three visits to Island Pediatric Hospital I have witnessed attentive and quality care for children of all ages. The one concern that did not appear in the statistics above is the number of children who have been severely burned. As I have waited in the hallways of this hospital I have been overwhelmed by the number of small children who have first degree burns covering most of their bodies. During my last visit on August 7, one preschool-age boy, whose face was badly burned and his two small hands were wrapped in badges most likely missing fingers, came over to me to say “Hi.” As I held back my tears looking at this sweet boy’s face, I extended my greeting to him, and he smiled as he walked away. There is more to be shared about these special children about the cause for their burns, but that will be in later post.

It was during my last visit in August that I asked some of the staff at Island Hospital if the government was ready to take over the responsibility for their hospital. Their response was no. Their only hope right now is that government negotiates an extension to MSF’s commitment. So, if the government is unable to provide the same level of financial support as MSF, these remaining hospitals are in danger of having their doors forever closed putting more children lives at risk.

Liberia is a nation that is slowly recovering from a destructive 14-year of war, and one of the main casualties was its medical care facilities. So by losing these two pediatric hospitals that have provided free quality medical care to children living in extreme poverty would be a major catastrophe. From my own personal experience at Island Hospital, I would hate to see this place shut down because of inadequate support. Unfortunately, the fate of these endangered facilities is unknown. Therefore, I have written this post to alert those who are concerned with Liberia and the future well-being of its children in hopes that these two hospitals can be removed from the endangered list.

Notes:

[1] According to the Liberia Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2007 it showed that there has been an increase to the already unacceptably high maternal mortality rate during period of 1987 to 2007. The rate in 1987 was 578 per 100,000 live births compared to 774 in 2000 and 994 in 2007. The rate in 2000 is estimated to be higher based on the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s inpatient mortality statistics showing 1,370 per 100,000 births (Liberia’s Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals 2008).

[2] Pentavalent is a multi-dose vaccine consisting of the following 5 vaccines: Diphtheria, Tetanus Toxoid, Pertussis, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus Influenza (Hib).

Works Cited:

Liberia: UNMIL Humanitarian Situation Report No. 163. United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). 11 Apr 2009. 17 Jul 2009. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/pslg-7r4j2p?opendocument

Liberia’s Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals 2008. United Nations Development Fund and Republic of Liberia. 2008. 09 Jun 2009. www.lr.undp.org/documents/.../liberia-mdg-report-2008-small.pdf

Speech for President Ellen Johnson Serleaf’s visit. The Analyst. 22 Mar 2008. 17 Jul 2009. http://www.analystliberia.com/msf_speech_for_ellen_visit_mar24_08.html

"Judge Gently"

There are times when we need to be reminded of the finer points of humanity and humility when it comes to judging another person. There are times judgments are necessary, but we cannot forget that the person who judges is not above criticism for their own behavior or actions. Therefore, we need to be sensitive to not judge a person too harshly, because we may not be aware of what caused that person to stumble.

I found this poem "Judge Gently" in May 2008 and it is something that I reread from time-to-time as a reminder about what it means to be human. I also found the message in the fifth stanza to be very important, because we can judge someone too quick without taking in account that we also have acted or behaved inappropriately.

Judge Gently
Unknown Author

Pray, don't find fault with the man that limps
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load.

There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt
Though hidden away from view.
Or the burden he bears placed on your back
Might cause you to stumble too.

Don't sneer at the man who's down today
Unless you have felt the blow
That caused his fall or felt the shame
That only the fallen know.

You may be strong but still the blows
That was his if dealt to you
In the selfsame way, at the selfsame time
Might cause you to stagger too.

Don't be too harsh with the man that sins
Or pelt him with word or stone
Unless you are sure - yea, doubly sure -
That you have no sins of your own.

For you know, perhaps,
If the tempter's voice should whisper as soft to you
As it did to him when he went astray
It might cause you to falter too.

Creating a Culture of Love for Liberia’s Children

For too long, many Liberian children have been subjugated to the culture of poverty, and their chances of breaking free from this vicious cycle is dependent on love. Looking back to Liberia’s founding in 1822, many generations of children have suffered the prejudicial cruelty from social stratification. Moving forward to 1979 and for the next 24 years, Liberia’s defenseless young ones were brutally victimized by the atrocities committed from one civil crisis after another. Looking at 2009 and beyond, Liberia’s most vital renewable resource continues to be at risk of the social ills of this post-war traumatized nation. Therefore, the fate of Liberia’s children in escaping the clutches of poverty depends on the genuine commitment and determination of individuals and organizations working collectively to create the culture of love.

Liberia has been plagued by numerous systemic illnesses caused by poverty and war. These social diseases have hindered this nation’s recovery process leaving Liberian children vulnerable to undue suffering. These children are in danger of being prey to sexual predators. These children have learned from a generation of war to confront issues or solve problems with violence. These children are encouraged through peer pressure that teenage pregnancy is fashionable. These children are compelled to be street sellers to help support their families who are unable to subsist on $1 (USD) a day. These children are lured into marriage before age 18 as means of survival for them and/or the families. These children receive limited to no education in a tuition-based learning environment that is strapped for funds and trained teachers. The children of Liberia deserve to be protected from these chronic diseases that can be eradicated through the curing power of love.

We cannot generalize that these social calamities are solely based on African culture, tribal customs or Liberian parental care, because these same problems have afflicted children in both developed and developing nations. We can fault the parents for some of these issues; however, they too have been traumatized by 14 years of civil war and victimized by extreme poverty conditions that has been aggravated with the recent global financial crisis. The sad reality is that most Liberians (including the children) have not had proper trauma counseling from a trained mental health practitioner.

In fact, in a 2008 article “Liberia: Mental health problems breed violence” posted on IRIN News illustrated how the lack of this necessary detraumatization counseling has left many people struggling to cope in everyday life. This article is about how the only psychiatrist, Dr. Benjamin Harris, in the nation is overwhelmed with helping over three million Liberians recover from their emotional wounds. In fact, the demand for patient counseling is greater than the supply of trained trauma counselors. Notably, the civil war ended in 2003; however, an emotional war in the minds of many Liberians wages on.

Sadly, many Liberians, they have tried to numb this emotional pain by self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, and substance abuse is becoming a concern with the children. Liberia might have more than their share of drinking establishments, but access and use to illegal drugs is a growing problem. In the past year, Liberia is seeing an increase of drug trafficking by international and domestic suppliers. In fact, West African nations have become the transit route for large quantities of cocaine from Latin America en route to Europe. At a local level, cannabis production has increased as Liberian farmers have found selling marijuana and hashish more profitable than growing food crops. As it stands now, Liberians can purchase cocaine for about $5 (USD) and marijuana for less than 50 cents (USD) within the capital, Monrovia, according to Liberia’s substance abuse prevention policy.

How can a nation rebuild from the war’s destruction without providing the very much needed mental health counseling of its people, especially the children? Clearly, detraumatizing a nation does not happen in a vacuum. This is something that will take a great deal of time and effort by those involved. However, whatever can be done to help Liberians overcome their emotional wounds will ultimately ensure the children live healthier and safer lives.

It would seem that the needs of Liberia’s children are priority, because one can see many signboards for international non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and religious organizations that are based here for various capacity building initiatives. However, there needs to be more attention with the quality and quantity of mental health care providers in Liberia. Because rehabilitating this nation cannot be limited to rebuilding structures and systems, it must involve the hearts and minds of the people. These humanitarian groups and any concerned individuals can collectively work on bringing in more licensed mental health practitioners that can counsel patients and train Liberian health workers to become trauma counselors, because therapy for some people may take years.

Liberians, like so many other people in world, want the best for their children. However, the tragedies that have befallen this nation from experiencing 14 years of war have left many parents and children in crises. There is an urgent need to nurture and develop Liberian children through unconditional love, because they represent almost 50% of the population, and they are the promise of this nation’s future. So it is befitting for all those concerned to come together to create a culture of love to heal, protect and mentor the children of Liberia in becoming the nation’s brightest stars.