First, a bit of news:
A delegation from the MOSAVY (that will be the Central Authority in Cambodia) will be at the Holt picnic in Los Angeles this Saturday.
Families would be welcome to come and bring their children from Cambodia.
For more info: http://www.holtintl.org/picnics/
I think this is such great news and a wonderful opportunity. Ever since the shutdown the U.S. has said things can not reopen until Cambodia implements better laws and procedures that will prevent corruption and fraud and protect the children. And for the longest time I’ve heard that a law is “pending” in Cambodia but it can’t ever get the priority to actually get voted into law. I really hope that this MOSAVY delegation coming here means they are starting to come around and perhaps really make the effort needed to pass and implement a good adoption law. And I think if families with Cambodian kids go to the picnic and meet the officials it could make a real impact on them - put faces to the legislation and show them what a wonderful thing international adoption can be for kids who truly need families. (and while there was some corruption in Cambodian adoptions, there were also many many true orphans who needed families - and there still are.) So, if you’re a Cambodian-adoptive family and you live in Southern California, or you feel like a road trip this weekend, please head over to the Holt picnic!! (for that matter, if you just have Cambodia in your heart or wish you could adopt from there, I’m sure you’d be welcome too.)
And now for a little shopping fun…
My friend CC at This Good… shared this link last week and it’s so great I just have to pass it on. It’s for an online store called Lotus Jayne started by a Cam-adoptive mom that sells fair-trade handicrafts from Cambodia. “…working only with ethical suppliers who were helping disadvantaged Cambodians create their traditional handicrafts while earning a sustainable living wage in their home communities.” Besides being a great cause, the products are wonderful. I just bought my step-mom the recycled paper bead necklace (a gift she will totally appreciate because she is ALL about recycling and loves fair-trade things too!) and don’t tell R~ but I got her two of these adorable mice for her birthday:
Aren’t they SO cute?!! They have a bunch of other cute stuffed guys and toys, you have to go check them all out.
And then, the other thing I wanted to tell you about are these Hug Me! Dolls.
We actually got R~ one at heritage camp last summer, but this site has three different dolls to choose from, an Apsara, a farmer, and a student. R~ has the farmer and just loves her. (that’s the doll she clung to in her sleep a few months back.) I bet she’d get a real kick out of having the other dolls too. I’m just thrilled there are so many great choices for good, authentic Cambodian toys, too often it seems like everything is geared for the China-adopt community and it’s so hard to find things for my SE Asian kids.
And, that’s all I’ve got. Now I have to go back to packing and cleaning and otherwise running around like a crazy woman getting ready for our big house-hunting trip this weekend! Wish us luck!!
