Meeting with Sen. Elect John Hoeven's Chief of Staff

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At 7 am, Wednesday Dec. 15th, my 18-year-old son, Timothy, and I headed out to Bismarck to meet with Sen. Elect Hoeven’s Chief of Staff, Don Larson at 11 am. Although the sky was cloudy, the roads were clear. About half way into the trip, I became a little concerned as light flurries began. But the weather report indicated things should get better, so we kept going. From there, the roads varied between light snow-pack and wet. About an hour later, as I topped a slight hill, the bright red brake lights of a semi truck confronted me. Stepping on my brakes, our car began to slide on slick black ice. Pumping and counter turning, it began to fishtail. Not wanting to go into a spin, I avoided the semi and let us skid into the ditch.

Timothy says he’s just glad he wasn’t the one that was driving.

About a half mile ahead of us, a mini-van had spun out of control and flipped. To avoid hitting it, a semi jack-knifed and blocked the road. A second semi managed to stop, and that’s the one we came up behind.

I got out of our tiny Saturn, which was deep in snow and now pointing back east, and went to the road to wave the cars coming up the hill to slow down. Several drivers, seeing the wreck ahead of them, thought traffic would be stuck there for a couple hours. I have to admire North Dakota response. The police and a sanding dump truck took only minutes to arrive. The dump truck immediately assisted in moving the semi and managed to get it off the road. A path was cleared for traffic to move in less than fifteen minutes. It was amazing.

Unfortunately, we, the only car in the ditch, weren’t among the vehicles leaving.

By the time we were pulled out, it was too late to make the meeting. But I had called by quarter to and made arrangements for a conference call the next day.

So what of all the prayers people were praying for us concerning the meeting that day? Timothy and I are fine. The car is fine. Considering we could have ended up a fixture on the rear of a semi, that’s answer to prayer.

And – prior to the call the next day, I had a chance to relax and go over in my mind what I wanted to say… what I wanted Senator Hoeven to gain from this meeting.

I began by introducing myself and giving him my background as the wife and mother of enrolled members of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

I stated the issue concerning us, and then said, “While the Indian Child Welfare Act is embraced by tribal government, it has hurt many multi-racial children and families across the United States.”

I then quoted from a parent letter, told him a couple stories, and went on from there. I had talking points in front of me, and was able to go point by point quickly and easily. No stuttering, no flusters. Mr. Larson was attentive and kind.  The call went very well. I followed up with an email to him, thanking him for the call and attaching additional information for him, including our legislative draft.

Hmmm… Maybe I should do all our meetings by conference call…


Thanks so much for your support!

To help spread the word - Please also share these important links:


Letters from Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html


Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/fbCAICW.org


Home Website: http://www.caicw.org


Cause page: http://www.causes.com/causes/537834


TWITTER: http://twitter.com/CAICW


EMAIL: writeus@caicw.org

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A Mom Wrote: "They just took my baby after 3 years...her sobbing is forever etched in my soul."

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From Lisa Morris
Administrator
Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW)


CAICW Friends;

An adoptive mother made her first contact with CAICW on Facebook about 1am Saturday morning, November 20, only hours after she had lost her little girl...

"They just took my baby after 3 years...her sobbing is forever etched in my soul. She wanted us to save her and we couldn't..devastated."

She then wrote to friends:

"Please sign this petition..the despair on her face pushes me to help destroy this law. She didn't want to go and was looking for us to protect her and we couldn't...I can't remember ever feeling so worthless."

Saturday, November 20th, was National Adoption Day. On this day, a small girl, denied the right to be adopted by the only mother she'd ever known, spent the first day in her memory in foster care, frightened and alone amongst strangers. She was denied the right to be adopted solely because of her heritage. In America, having even a small bit of Indian heritage can mean not having the same rights and opportunities for adoption that other children receive.

Saturday, November 20th, was also her adoptive mother's birthday. Her mother wrote on Facebook, thanking her friends for their love and prayers, and said that the best gift was people signing the petition.

We will be taking the petition with us when visiting Congress in DC at the end of January. The purpose of the Petition is to show Congressmen that people are concerned about this law and want it changed to reflect the best interest of children, not government expediency. We want to the rights of parents and children respected. We encourage families that have been affected by ICWA to join us.

If you aren't able to join us in DC, I urge everyone to obtain the legislative drafts we have available and talk to as many of your US Senators and Representatives and you can, as well as you legislators on the State level. We need to be pushing our representatives on both the federal and state levels to pass protective legislation for these children. No more pretending that what they have decided to do with children of heritage is acceptable or even constitutionally legal.

Finally - CAICW needs financial support. Please help us to:

* Stay in Contact with Families,
* Publish the Newsletter,
* Research Case Law,
* Update & maintain the CAICW.org Website,
* Develop a legal Defense Fund,
* Continue to Educate Federal and State Officials,
* Educate the Community through Facebook and Twitter,
* Speak to and Connect with family-oriented Organizations

All Children need to feel safe. Help CAICW to Advocate, Educate, Assist, & Defend.

http://www.caicw.org/pleasedonate.html



- Please see these sites for more information, and please share these important links:


Sign the Petition: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/559?m=1a237008


Read Letters from Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html


How You Can Help: http://www.caicw.org/HowYouHelp.html

CAICW Facebook 'Cause' page: (Advocacy, Petition, support for families) http://www.causes.com/causes/537834


The “Fund Attorney Retainers for 10 Families” Drive began on National Adoption Day, November 20, 2010 ~ and ends on December 31, 2010.~ The Fund website can be found through FirstGiving.com at ~ http://www.firstgiving.com/caicw/Event/AdoptionRetainerFund


Follow CAICW on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/CAICW


Join CAICW on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fbCAICW.org


EMAIL: writeus@caicw.org


Thank you all for your prayers and support -

Lisa Morris
Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW)
PO Box 253
Hillsboro, ND 58045

CAICW - Christian Evangelism and Ministry - Gal. 2:10, “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."

"They just took my baby after 3 years...her sobbing is forever etched in my soul."

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Friends of a family that lost their 3-yr-old to the ICWA law Friday night are signing and sharing CAICW's online petition to rescind the Indian Child Welfare Act. CAICW has gotten dozens of new signatures in the last 24 hours.

The adoptive mother had made her first contact with CAICW on Facebook about 1am Saturday morning, only hours after she had lost her little girl....

"They just took my baby after 3 years...her sobbing is forever etched in my soul. She wanted us to save her and we couldn't..devastated."

She then wrote to friends:

"Please sign this petition..the despair on her face pushes me to help destroy this law. She didn't want to go and was looking for us to protect her and we couldn't...I can't remember ever feeling so worthless."

Saturday, November 20th, was National Adoption Day. On this day, a small girl, denied the right to be adopted by the only mother she'd ever known, spent the first day in her memory in foster care, frightened and alone amongst strangers. She was denied the right to be adopted solely because of her heritage. In America, having even a small bit of Indian heritage can mean not having the same rights and opportunities for adoption that other children receive.

Saturday, November 20th, was also her adoptive mother's birthday. Her mother wrote on Facebook, thanking her friends for their love and prayers, and said that the best gift was people signing the petition.

I am so glad that CAICW happened to get that petition up just before her birthday. Maybe it helped give her small hope - something she can do to fight back - on a day she describes as the worst in her life.

I pray - pray - that CAICW can somehow be used to help. I pray for God's miraculous intervention right now, even though things seem impossible. Please pray with me. Thanks -

- Please see these sites for more information, and please share these important links:

Sign the Petition: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/559?m=1a237008


Read Letters from Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html

ICWA Case Law: http://www.caicw.org/caselaw.html


CAICW Facebook 'Cause' page: (Advocacy, Petition, support for families) http://www.causes.com/causes/537834

The “Fund Attorney Retainers for 10 Families” Drive began on National Adoption Day, November 20, 2010 ~ and ends on December 31, 2010.~ The Fund website can be found through FirstGiving.com at ~ http://www.firstgiving.com/caicw/Event/AdoptionRetainerFund

Follow CAICW on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/CAICW


EMAIL: writeus@caicw.org

CAICW - Christian Evangelism and Ministry - Gal. 2:10, “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."

Fighting ICWA? Petition~Draft Legislation~MissionFish~FaceBook!

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The Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW) is an advocate for children and families hurt by the Indian Child Welfare Act, an example of misguided federal Indian policy.

There are Four things you can do today to help:


First, if you haven't already, sign the petition on CAICW's Cause page.  http://www.causes.com/causes/537834 

CAICW will be taking it with to DC in January, and it will help show Congressmen that this is an important issue to many!


Second, donate through MissionFish whenever you use Ebay.  The Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare is Registered with MissionFish - a service through Ebay that helps nonprofits fundraise while buying and selling on ~ eBay.  Sellers can give part of their proceeds to a favorite nonprofit, and nonprofits can raise funds by selling on eBay too. Direct donations from eBay users can also be given through a 'Donate Now' feature, which lets anyone with a PayPal account donate right away without buying or selling anything.
http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=39005


Third, CAICW is sending out a snail mail newsletter this week. It includes anonymous excerpts from four letters families have written, information about the DC trip, a paper copy of the petition for you to share with non-internet friends, and potential draft legislation to share with your newly elected state legislators. If you would like a copy, please contact CAICW with your snail address. writeus@caicw.org

Fourth, Look for Draft legislation that you can bring to your State Legislator for the next session on the CAICW website: caicw.org ~ and bring it to them!  Hurry; they are putting together their plans for legislation right now!

Finally - for more information and to connect with other families who are struggling against ICWA, visit the CAICW FaceBook ‘Page:’  http://facebook.com/fbCAICW.org  


Thank you so much for your support! God Bless you!
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Families: Hurt by ICWA?

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Families: Hurt by ICWA? Connect with other families through CAICW on Facebook and discuss, encourage, share insights, case law, names of possible attorney's, and pray for each other. Join Facebook to start connecting with Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare.

"The Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare is committed to seek God's guidance in defending the rights of the poor and needy, as instructed in Proverbs 31:8-9."

CAICW, Christian Ministry as well as Family Advocacy, is interested in the total well-being of the individual and Family. CAICW is the only national organization advocating for families who have lost or are at risk of losing children due to misapplied and sometimes illegal application of Indian Law.

- CAICW has been advocating for families affected by the Indian law since 2004.
- Children have been removed from safe, loving homes and been placed into dangerous situations.
- Indian and non-Indian families have felt threatened by tribal government. Some have had to mortgage homes and endure lengthy legal processes to protect their children.
- Equal opportunities for adoption, safety and stability are not available to children of all heritages.
- The Constitutional right of parents to make life choices for their children, for children of Indian heritage to associate freely, and for children of Indian heritage to enjoy Equal Protection has in many cases been denied.


Please share these links with others:


Letters from Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html


Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/fbCAICW.org


Home Website: http://www.caicw.org/


Cause page - http://www.causes.com/causes/537834


TWITTER: http://twitter.com/CAICW


EMAIL: writeus@caicw.org.

Hurting from ICWA? Help now on Facebook - CAICW

Follow CAICW on Twitter

Though proponents of the ICWA argue that the act has safeguards to prevent misuse, scores of multi-racial children have been hurt by misapplication of the Indian Child Welfare Act. These children and their families need encouragement, prayer, and legal help. The biggest way for all of us to help these families is to spread the letters posted on caicw.org (http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html) and let the rest of America know what is going on.

Please help us by sharing the cause!


CAICW is the only National organization advocating for families faced with loss of their children do to what amounts to a racial law. Our advocacy is both Judicial and Legislative as well as being a prayer resource for the families and a shoulder to cry on.

I’d like to encourage families to come to CAICW's facebook page, where they can connect with other families and discuss, encourage, share insights, share case law, share names of possible attorney's, and pray for each other.

If you know families hurt by ICWA, please share this.


We are also currently organizing a trip to DC for January, 2011 where we will meet with Gary Bauer of the American Values org, Dr. William Allen, the former Chair of the US Commission on Civil Rights, Senator Tom Coburn's staff, and many more, to let them know of the problem, advocate for the families, and discuss initiatives that will protect these children. Join US!


Thanks so much for your support!



To help spread the word - Please also share these important links:


Letters from Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html


Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/fbCAICW.org


Home Website: http://www.caicw.org


Cause page: http://www.causes.com/causes/537834


TWITTER: http://twitter.com/CAICW


EMAIL: writeus@caicw.org
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FaceBook Cause - Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare

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Please join the CAICW Cause as we work to support, encourage and protect children. Educating others about how the Indian Child Wefare Act is hurting families is vital.

Simply passing the links on to others helps - because the more people that know - the more help we will eventually be able to get. And most people don't know. When they read the stories, they are shocked to learn this type of thing is happening to children in the US.

And that's the biggest need for us to begin with  - that other's learn what is happening.

http://www.causes.com/causes/537834
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Facebook ICWA Discussion Page and Cause -

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We have now set up a Facebook Page for the Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare as well as a "Cause."

Harmful Indian Law affecting children and Families in both USA and Canada - Read the letters from birth parents, grandparents, foster families, pre-adoptive families concerning their multi-racial children who are being negatively affected by the sometimes illegal misapplication of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).

Though proponents of the ICWA argue that the act has safeguards to prevent misuse, scores of multi-racial children are being negatively affected by application of ICWA. Across America, children that have never been near a reservation nor involved in tribal customs are routinely being removed from homes they love and placed with strangers chosen by tribes.

As most of our friends know - my husband Roland and I began CAICW org prior to his passing in 2004. For several years now, as we have moved from Alberta to Montana to North Dakota, and as I have been dealing with the raising of several teenagers on my own, I have been unable to give CAICW my full attention. However, we have continued to receive many letters from families in need of help and the board and I have attempted to support and encourage them as best we can with what little we had.

Now we are organizing a lobbying trip to DC in January, where we will meet with Gary Bauer of the American Values or, Dr. William Allen, the former Chair of the US Commission on Civil Rights, Senator Tom Coburn's staff, and many more.

Please read the stories of various families at http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html.   If you have time to help me update letters - as well as the website itself - please let me know.

1. Jn 3:16 - God so Loved the World, that he gave his only begotten son..that all might live. Jn 14:1-14 Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life...

2. CAICW: Christian Ministry as well as Family Advocacy, is interested in the total well-being of the individual and Family.

3. CAICW: only nat'l org advocating for families who have lost or are at risk of losing children due to misapplied and sometimes illegal Indian Law.


Letters from Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html


Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christian-Alliance-for-Indian-Child-Welfare/105558148606


Home Website: http://www.caicw.org


Facebook "Cause:" http://www.causes.com/causes/537834



CAICW - Christian Evangelism and Ministry - Gal. 2:10, “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."
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Facebook Group Fighting ICWA

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A new Group on Facebook is talking about the Indian Child Welfare Act and how it is hurting children and families. Drop in to read family stories and support them in their fight to protect the children in their care.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christian-Alliance-for-Indian-Child-Welfare/105558148606

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