New Dawn New Arrival!

Maria - 3 yrs old
Accepted into New Dawn
December 10, 2009

Dear Friends,                                                                                                                      

I remember it like it was yesterday, not three years ago. Our first visit to Guatemala to visit our son was full of emotion.  I felt immediate gratitude and sadness for his foster family. I knew I could never repay them, or heal the pain they felt at the very sight of us. They loved my son and nurtured him for the first 7 months of his life.  How could I ever repay them?

Then it happened. My son woke up from his nap as I was watching him sleep. He opened his eyes and smiled at me. Me, a man he had seen for the first time just hours before. It was a moment hard to put into words. It was then that he knew that I belonged to him. After a few days with him in my arms, I had to leave him. I have never felt pain like that before. It was then that I realized that the only way to repay his foster family was to love him, and be the best dad I could be. My heart belonged to Guatemala from that moment on, and my family remains committed to helping the children of this great country.

I am writing to you at a very exciting time for the children of Guatemala. As most of you know, the past few years following the suspension of adoptions have been tragic and devastating to thousands of Guatemalan children.  My wife and I quickly realized that our two children actually rescued us and helped us find our 'home.'  Facing the new reality that thousands of Guatemalan orphans are homeless with no place to go is not easy.  Horror stories of babies being abandoned, starving to death and being eaten by wild dogs soon emerged. Without the foster parents and international adoption process, the children suffered.

As an adoptive parent of two Guatemalan angels, I prayed for those children left behind and abandoned by the system.  And soon, some good news came my way.

Approximately one year ago, families began plans to open the New Dawn Orphanage in Guatemala.  EAC heard of this mission and began reaching out to all EAC families for their support in this project.  Finding children a home has always been the sole mission of EAC. This is one reason I felt compelled to write you this letter. During our journey, EAC was completely committed to helping my wife and I navigate our way through the complicated adoption process.  This support formed a family. Not just any family, but my family. And now, our family has gotten bigger. Our New Dawn family will continue to grow and it will take support from all of us to care for these angels.

An orphanage may not be as ideal as a foster family environment, but with all of us working together, the New Dawn will be a great place to live, learn and grow. I ask for your support on behalf of the New Dawn family. The New Dawn family is expected to grow quickly; up to 50 children will call it home. Please consider becoming a monthly sponsor, volunteering your time, and most importantly, giving back to the children of Guatemala.

The six newest members of the New Dawn family have arrived. Shortly after their arrival, on November 20, 2009, the Guatemalan government announced that international adoptions would soon resume under the new law. We remain optimistic that some day we will be able to find our New Dawn children families. But they need you to be their family now.

With that, I ask for your support.

Click here to pledge your support, or send a check to Project Sunshine New Dawn 2700 South Oakland Forest Drive #503 Oakland Park, FL 33309-5642. With your support, we can continue making the New Dawn home a safe and fun place to learn and grow. Help us feed the children, clothe them, and keep them safe and healthy. Most importantly, help us love and comfort them.

Thank you,

Sam and Julie Detwiler
Girard, Ohio

Adopted from Guatemala '06, '07