Thursday, July 10, 2014

When Pictures Lie


     They say pictures can speak 1000 words…. Sadly they can represent lies too.   I’ve learned the hard way how easily people can be deceived.  I’m still saddened by those who do not believe it’s “right” to have a blog that speaks out against someone but I disagree.  In the past 10 months or so since we started this blog we have received numerous emails from others in Heather’s past who have very similar stories of deceit, fraud, lies and manipulation.  This information was never put out there because many of these wounded people felt isolated, like they were the only ones affected.  Others felt (feel) like it may not be Christ-like to put this information out there.  Those of us who have worked hard on this blog have done so not for revenge or to be hateful but to protect people.  Had we all been individually fighting this battle I’m not sure we would have been able to do this but collectively we have the strength and ability to do whatever we can to warn others so no one else has to go through the pain we have all endured.  It’s hard to even try to express the pain and mental anguish I have endured this past year as I’ve had to re-do and re-pay for most of my adoption, but really, I’m one of the lucky ones.  I’m one of the moms who will bring her children home.  There are others who that will never happen for and they continue to grieve and mourn the loss of their child(ren) and the dream of what their family would have been.

     Since this all started last year Heather fled Haiti, has refused to resign from the adoption agency, Voice of the Orphan, or remove herself from the 501c3 board, Room for Grace, where she continues to funnel donations to a now “closed” crèche (orphanage).  There are hundreds of thousands of unaccounted for dollars unless you count the word of Heather because that is the only accounting evidence she, Tim Rowe or Michelle See has provided for most of the money that has been sent to Haiti the past 2 years, including about $200k of an almost $300k donation given in the fall.


    Of the $280k+ single donation given in the fall, VOTO used about $85k to refund adoptions.  It’s interesting that these were adoptions that had been paid in full but were either never processed or the kids were unadoptable (and never should have been matched with any adopting families).  So if they needed their $12k per child refunded and VOTO took care of that, where is the original $12k per child these parents paid in?  In addition to that another $85k-ish was sent to Haiti to “pay off debt”.  There have been no receipts provided to any of the staff to support this “claim” she made when verifying where the funds were used.  Another $100k was put away somewhere for the future of Giving Hope Rescue mission but despite multiple attempts from the donor and other families who have supported the 501c3 (which has to provide financial accountability to it’s donors) NO ONE has been given any evidence that this money is being used for anything other than funding Heather Elyse’s personal life and needs. 


     Sadly, she continues to accept donations from those who do not know better (we have been contacted several times by donors who find our blog online and have automatic donations deducted from their accounts) in addition to actually traveling to churches to ask for support.  Below is a screenshot from Heather Elyse’s blog where she continues to promote her “rescue mission” in Haiti in which the government of Haiti has removed the remaining children and forbidden them from completing adoptions.  Despite what Heather claims, her crèche is NOT approved and Haiti has released a public notice which addresses donations for unregistered or unapproved children’s homes:

 States that the Central Authority does not prohibit the development of humanitarian, national and international solidarity towards children’s homes.  However all donors must ensure that these children’s homes are registered and authorized to operate by IBESR for the current fiscal year.  Any cooperation shall be specified and reported to IBESR which promotes and encourages partnership spirit, mutual support and cooperation among children’s homes. “

     Here are just a few of the real stories about the “boutique crèche” and the reality of the children she is posting that supposedly represent her work in Haiti.    If you have recently, or are currently, financially supporting Heather Elyse, Voice of the Orphan, Room for Grace or Giving Hope Rescue Mission or any other project promoted by Heather Elyse please know that despite her claims to be “the most transparent and ethical” person there is no accountability outside of those 3 people and little to no evidence to support many of the claims to where the hundreds of thousands of dollars has gone.  You don't have to believe us.  Ask Heather, Michelle or Tim yourself for evidence of financial accountability and make sure it is verified by someone other than just her because she has and will create false documents.  
 
Look at the faces here and know that just because someone posts pretty pictures and claims to be ethical and pure, it doesn’t mean they are.