Cautiously optimistic

You may have heard by now that we attended a 'creditors meeting' today. For me it was a very emotional experience and i have to admit - that for the first time i am feeling some hope that our adoption may continue. There are alot of hurdle's that need to be jumped to make it all work - but I think it might just be possible. These hurdles include co-ordintaion of the trustees, the ON Gov't and the families - its a big job. Its going to take time.
Of coarse we are guarding our hearts and do not look forward to more disappointment. But we know that miracles can happen. I believe its a small miracle that things have turned out so well already. Please don't take our 'cautiously optimistic' attitude as negativity. We are doing the best we can to remain positive in this situation. We feel that we will give the process some time and then decide how we will proceed.
I want to thank you all again for your calls, emails, cards, gifts, words of encouragement and your prayers. Please continue to pray for us - our hearts are still very tender.
Below is the article on the meeting from the KW Record.


KITCHENER—Affected families were buoyed Thursday by a plan to try to restructure a bankrupt Cambridge adoption agency under new management.
If successful, it would mean hundreds of clients from across Canada will still be able to adopt children from overseas after investing months of time and up to $20,000 in the process.
Would-be parents were devastated when Kids Link International Adoption Agency, which operated as Imagine Adoption, collapsed July 14.
But they left a Kitchener meeting in good spirits after about 200 creditors voted unanimously to pursue a restructuring effort outlined by bankruptcy trustees from BDO Dunwoody.
“I’ve never seen so many people in one room agree on something so quickly,” said Ingrid Phaneuf, of Etobicoke, who is trying to adopt a child from Ethiopia. “It was fantastic.”
A group of about six people with the required expertise have come forward to possibly take over the non-profit agency. The plan would require approval from the provincial government, which licenses international adoption organizations.
Bankruptcy trustee Susan Taves said the plan will be explored and developed over the next two to four weeks to see if it can work.
“I think it’s really probable – a high percentage of success here,” she said after the three-hour meeting.
Companies, church groups, individuals and affected families have contacted trustees with offers to help salvage the agency.
“This is a really unique file,” Taves said. “In 20 years of doing this work, I’ve never had people call and say they’ll give money to keep an organization going.”
Families have so far filed claims nearing $3 million. Imagine has just $500,000 in cash, plus about $150,000 in accounts receivable and office equipment.
The collapse affected about 415 families, including more than 200 in Ontario.
Bankruptcy trustees are working with government officials to complete about 40 adoptions, mostly from Ethiopia, that had reached the stage where families were matched with children.
The remaining 375 clients were at various stages of the process and stand to benefit most if the agency is saved under new management and a new board of directors.
Nine families hoping to adopt from Ghana are in a particularly tough spot after an orphanage there was closed over concerns children had been improperly taken from their parents.
Jesse and Jeanette Martin of Elora had been matched with twin, eight-month-old girls before all adoptions from the orphanage were suspended.
“To us, these are our girls,” said Jeanette, showing photos of the children. “We won’t give up. We can’t give up.”
Waterloo Regional Police are conducting a fraud investigation after two directors of Imagine alleged senior staff earning six-figure salaries used corporate credit cards to make more than $300,000 in questionable purchases.
Included were trips, home renovations and a horse and saddle.
There was no sign at the meeting of Susan Hayhow, the former executive director of Imagine and two related organizations, Global Reach Children Fund and Saint Anne Adoption Agency.
Those agencies are also caught up in the Imagine bankruptcy because money moved among accounts for all three organizations.