Comments on: Question: Who set all this up? http://www.getreligion.org/2010/02/question-who-set-all-this-up/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=question-who-set-all-this-up "The press . . . just doesn't get religion." -- William Schneider Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:04:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: tmatt http://www.getreligion.org/2010/02/question-who-set-all-this-up/comment-page-1/#comment-159811 tmatt Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:19:50 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=26132#comment-159811 A tragic update from the TIMES. It seems that the paperwork snafus are now shutting down all kinds of Haiti relief efforts -- secular and sacred. Once again, not the complexity of the details about what is happening on the ground. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/world/americas/09airlift.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=print A tragic update from the TIMES.

It seems that the paperwork snafus are now shutting down all kinds of Haiti relief efforts — secular and sacred.

Once again, not the complexity of the details about what is happening on the ground.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/world/americas/09airlift.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=print

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Ira Rifkin http://www.getreligion.org/2010/02/question-who-set-all-this-up/comment-page-1/#comment-159803 Ira Rifkin Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:04:30 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=26132#comment-159803 Thompson's story also mentions the Foyer of Zion orphanage, which comes off better than the Foyer of Patience orphanage only by a few degrees of hell. She says this about Foyer of Zion: "The director, Marjorie Mardy, said that the center was financed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that several members from the United States had rushed to Port-au-Prince after the earthquake to take home children who had been in the adoption process for more than two years. "Most of the children, however, were in legal limbo, she said. Their parents had not given up custody, nor had they any clear plans for bringing the children home. Many children had been dropped off at the orphanage without any documents providing their names, ages or need for specialized care, which Ms. Mardy acknowledges she is unable to provide. "There was a baby so frail and shriveled she was clearly sick, but Ms. Mardy said she had not been able to take her for tests. A toddler who seemed lethargic and unresponsive had been running a low-grade fever since arriving at the orphanage after the earthquake. But she had not been taken to a doctor." Pretty bad, yet there's no comment from any LDS authority confirming this or explaining why their facility is only marginally better than the horrific lead example. Why? Seems to me a more egregious journalistic oversight than the imprecise but not incorrect usage of "American Baptists" that drew so much attention here. Thompson’s story also mentions the Foyer of Zion orphanage, which comes off better than the Foyer of Patience orphanage only by a few degrees of hell.

She says this about Foyer of Zion:

“The director, Marjorie Mardy, said that the center was financed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that several members from the United States had rushed to Port-au-Prince after the earthquake to take home children who had been in the adoption process for more than two years.

“Most of the children, however, were in legal limbo, she said. Their parents had not given up custody, nor had they any clear plans for bringing the children home. Many children had been dropped off at the orphanage without any documents providing their names, ages or need for specialized care, which Ms. Mardy acknowledges she is unable to provide.

“There was a baby so frail and shriveled she was clearly sick, but Ms. Mardy said she had not been able to take her for tests. A toddler who seemed lethargic and unresponsive had been running a low-grade fever since arriving at the orphanage after the earthquake. But she had not been taken to a doctor.”

Pretty bad, yet there’s no comment from any LDS authority confirming this or explaining why their facility is only marginally better than the horrific lead example. Why?

Seems to me a more egregious journalistic oversight than the imprecise but not incorrect usage of “American Baptists” that drew so much attention here.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: phil http://www.getreligion.org/2010/02/question-who-set-all-this-up/comment-page-1/#comment-159801 phil Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:16:45 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=26132#comment-159801 From the countless articles I've read, I believe there were no prior or permanent counterparts 'on the ground' in Haiti. Just people they met along the way in their search for orphans. One was a Haitian preacher from Georgia they ran into at the border going into Haiti, but who left before them. Another one was a young Haitian, who was himself raised at an orphanage in Calebasse and translated for them. http://www.theledger.com/article/20100205/NEWS/2055057/1410?p=2&tc=pg Yet on the other hand, to convince the Catholic Diocese in Puerto Plata DR, who reluctantly agreed to rent them 45 rooms for 6 months, Silsby claimed they ”urgently needed shelter for children from an organization called Friends of the Orphans which New Life Childrens' Refuge (Silsby's group) was supporting.”. http://www.puertoplatahabla.com/articles.php?art_id=3866&start=1 Friends of The Orphans is a legitimate organization, but their name has not come up in connection with Silsby's mission. Meanwhile we know that they knocked on several orphanages' doors only to be turned down. Also striking is the fact that their first lawyer, Edwin Coq (who does not speak English), was hired by their attorney in the Dominican Republic, and not by anyone in Haiti. Why the Dominican connection? I am afraid Ms Silby suffers from mythomania, willing to make up any story to fulfill her dream of a creating an orphanage on the North Coast of the D.R. (and apparently one in Idaho as well). I don't want to speculate on the motivations behind that dream. Fortunately the new lawyer who was appointed today does speak English, has traveled extensively, seems very respected, and I am confident this sad adventure will soon end for the 9 (or 8?) members of the 'mission' who were accidentally part of this train wreck. From the countless articles I’ve read, I believe there were no prior or permanent counterparts ‘on the ground’ in Haiti. Just people they met along the way in their search for orphans.
One was a Haitian preacher from Georgia they ran into at the border going into Haiti, but who left before them. Another one was a young Haitian, who was himself raised at an orphanage in Calebasse and translated for them.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20100205/NEWS/2055057/1410?p=2&tc=pg

Yet on the other hand, to convince the Catholic Diocese in Puerto Plata DR, who reluctantly agreed to rent them 45 rooms for 6 months, Silsby claimed they ”urgently needed shelter for children from an organization called Friends of the Orphans which New Life Childrens’ Refuge (Silsby’s group) was supporting.”.
http://www.puertoplatahabla.com/articles.php?art_id=3866&start=1

Friends of The Orphans is a legitimate organization, but their name has not come up in connection with Silsby’s mission. Meanwhile we know that they knocked on several orphanages’ doors only to be turned down.

Also striking is the fact that their first lawyer, Edwin Coq (who does not speak English), was hired by their attorney in the Dominican Republic, and not by anyone in Haiti. Why the Dominican connection?

I am afraid Ms Silby suffers from mythomania, willing to make up any story to fulfill her dream of a creating an orphanage on the North Coast of the D.R. (and apparently one in Idaho as well). I don’t want to speculate on the motivations behind that dream.

Fortunately the new lawyer who was appointed today does speak English, has traveled extensively, seems very respected, and I am confident this sad adventure will soon end for the 9 (or 8?) members of the ‘mission’ who were accidentally part of this train wreck.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Peter http://www.getreligion.org/2010/02/question-who-set-all-this-up/comment-page-1/#comment-159800 Peter Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:49:36 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=26132#comment-159800 Does it really matter who their contact was on the ground? They Florida-based minister who was allegedly their contact in Haiti has essentially disappeared. But isn't the issue whether these people were so naive--if, in fact, it was naivete--that they trusted someone on the ground they barely knew? Or did they have much ulterior motives? Or were they calling the shots from the beginning. Does it really matter who their contact was on the ground? They Florida-based minister who was allegedly their contact in Haiti has essentially disappeared.

But isn’t the issue whether these people were so naive—if, in fact, it was naivete—that they trusted someone on the ground they barely knew? Or did they have much ulterior motives? Or were they calling the shots from the beginning.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Julia http://www.getreligion.org/2010/02/question-who-set-all-this-up/comment-page-1/#comment-159791 Julia Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:48:28 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=26132#comment-159791 I'd like to know something about the laws on the books in Haiti regarding abandoned, lost and orphaned children. Surely, most of these children have relatives of some kind -what are their rights? What are the guardianship regulations; what office is in charge of policing "orphanages"? I read in a report somewhere that the original lawyer for the Idaho group wanted money from them for bribing officials. Is that true? Is so, good for them to publicly talk about it. I’d like to know something about the laws on the books in Haiti regarding abandoned, lost and orphaned children.
Surely, most of these children have relatives of some kind -what are their rights? What are the guardianship regulations; what office is in charge of policing “orphanages”?

I read in a report somewhere that the original lawyer for the Idaho group wanted money from them for bribing officials. Is that true? Is so, good for them to publicly talk about it.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Teresa http://www.getreligion.org/2010/02/question-who-set-all-this-up/comment-page-1/#comment-159790 Teresa Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:56:25 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=26132#comment-159790 Some other questions that warrant asking are WHERE did Laura Silsby get the idea in the first place to open up this "orphanage"? Did it morph from her idea to open up a children's home in Kuna, Idaho after that plan fell through? And WHERE did the idea come from to develope and open up the multi-million dollar facility in Kuna? Was there a gifted, oratorical charismatic director of ANOTHER children's home in the U.S. that she wanted to follow the model of? If THESE questions could be answered, I'm confident another whole can of worms would be opened here. Some other questions that warrant asking are WHERE did Laura Silsby get the idea in the first place to open up this “orphanage”? Did it morph from her idea to open up a children’s home in Kuna, Idaho after that plan fell through? And WHERE did the idea come from to develope and open up the multi-million dollar facility in Kuna? Was there a gifted, oratorical charismatic director of ANOTHER children’s home in the U.S. that she wanted to follow the model of? If THESE questions could be answered, I’m confident another whole can of worms would be opened here.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]>