Best-Selling Author Peter Thomas Senese

Murder and Extreme Violence In Cases Of International Parental Child Abduction: Left Behind Parent Exposito Moreno Murdered in Argentina

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 15:19:00 +0000

Murder and death threats are all part of the reality for left-behind parents who have their child or children abducted by the child's other parent. In cases of international parental child abduction the brutality increases substantially. Tragically, murder covers another case of international parental child abduction.

A left-behind Spanish father was assassinated gangland style in Argentina while in route to legally recover his young daughter, who had previously been internationally kidnapped by her mother. Mr. Domingo Exposito Moreno, age 32 and a resident of Spain's Andalusian town of Fuengirola was shot five times by a hooded gunman while sitting in a car awaiting his attorney's arrival in the southern Argentina's Patagonian City of Comodoro. Domingo Exposito Moreno was a left-behind parent who endured a prolonged four years international child abduction litigation case under the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention. The Argentinian court had ordered he would be able to bring his six-year old daughter home after she had been abducted by her mother and taken from Spain to Argentina. Comodoro is located 1,800 kilometers south of Buenos Aries.

Previous to his murder, Domingo Exposito Moreno had made complained to Argentinian authorities that he had been receiving death threats via social media forums. However, it appears local law enforcement failed to act on his complaints. More than likely law enforcement did not take his concerns seriously and more than likely wrongfully viewed his concerns as a banter commonly associated with divorce and child custody cases as opposed to the reality that his case was in fact a child kidnapping case.

Domingo Exposito Moreno was expected to fly back to Spain from Argentina with his daughter. Now that is not possible. However, an investigation is under way focusing on the child's mother.

Mr. Domingo Exposito Moreno's last Facebook posting was made on May 31st, 2014. He wrote, "Today is 3 months since I have seen you. I miss your kisses, your hugs, your smile. I miss you so much daughter that my life is going out every minute that I know nothing about you. Every night I look at the star and send you a message of love and strength as I look forward to the day we meet again and embrace each other. Know that your Dad is always by your side and you will never be abandoned. I will continue to fight for justice."

The Reality of Murder When A Parent Internationally Abducts A Child

The singular most harmful omission made in the world of international parental child abduction is the downgrade of the horrific act of child abduction that targets both the child and the left-behind parent as a child custody dispute. It is not a child custody dispute. International parental child abduction is kidnapping - and children who are kidnapped by one parent from another are placed in extremely dangerous situations. So too are the targeted left-behind parents as exemplified by the murder of Domingo Exposito Moreno.

There is no question children-victims of parental child abduction are placed into intolerable, highly abusive physical, spiritual, and emotional situations. In fact, in June of 2013, the United States Department of State issued a report stating that children of parental abduction face severe abuse including extreme violence and risk of murder. Truth is filicide: parental child murder is a cruel reality that takes away hundreds of innocent American child-citizens lives each year. Parents murdering their children is not an anomaly. It happens abundantly in each country around the world. Look at India with over 3,000 Honor Killings (really, 'honor'? Seriously?).

In fact, in June, 2013 the Department of Justice issued a report warning that children of parental abduction face extreme violence and possible murder.

Tragically, the risk of murder for child victims of abduction does not end when their physical parental abduction ends. Far from it. In the Fall of 2014 the I CARE Foundation will publish our 2 year study detailing the correlation between suicide and children who previously experienced parental child abduction.

For those stakeholders who are deeply familiar with international parental child abduction, it is commonly understood that Left-Behind Parents are in fact near-equal victims of extreme abuse. And as the fallen life of Mr. Domingo Exposito Moreno demonstrates, threats and acts of murder are realities. In fact, threats of murder are abundant in international parental child abduction cases as the abducting parent and their support system often are willing to do whatever is necessary to put fear and intimidation into the life of the targeted parent.

The fact is the vast majority of child abducting parents are not liberating parents. They are sociopaths who believe that they can use a child's life to cause great harm and destroy the very fabric of the child's other parent. Sadly, some parents believe that if they can't have sole possession of their child, then the other parent should not either. And tragically, that scenario does end with murder.

Left Behind Parents and Death Threats

Several years ago the I CARE Foundation reunited an American parent with their child who had been kidnapped to a dangerous and unstable African country (one of many reunifications we were responsible for dealing with Africa). In this particular case, the left-behind parent (who possessed a court order for the child's return) was told that should they ever enter the country where the child was being wrongfully held, that he and his family would be murdered. He knew the threats were real. As I said - the I CARE Foundation brought the child home. But the threat of murder was real. This father was not alone in fearing for his life.

In fact, threats of murder are a rather consistent theme in international parental child abduction cases.

In another case the I CARE Foundation was involved with, a mother (who possessed a court order for the child's return) had her child abducted to an unstable, politically polarized Middle East country. She too was told that if she attempted to recover her child that she would never leave the country alive. Today, both mother and child are home and excelling, but the death threats were real.

Neither parent I mention above is alone. Truth it, death threats and the realities of murder and extreme violence against both child and targeted parent of abduction are real and rampant.

Of course, left-behind parents face threats outside of having their life permanently taken. For example, in many cases, the abducting parent launches their abduction plan well in advance of their act of kidnapping. Part of their scheme is to bring about false charges such as domestic violence and abuse against the other parent (and this happens amongst men and women near equally: it is gender equal).in order to put the targeted parent in jail (often with intent to leave the country while the child's other parent is detained) while also creating evidence in hope that the inbound court where they abduct the child to will sanction their act of kidnapping (In Hague Convention signatory countries abducting parents will rely on Article 13 b 'the best interest clause' of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention). Truth is, it is not difficult to fabricate a domestic violence claim.

A Message To The Courts And Law Practitioners Who Handle Abduction Cases

When we deal with an international parental child abduction case, the first view we must always keep in mind is that we're not here to determine jurisdiction or custody, but we are here to prevent murder and extreme violence. That's the threshold that every case should begin with. And with this initial step - urgency must always prevail.

This Is Outrageous: 91 of 92 Signatory Countries To The 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention Do Not Report The Number of Outbound Or Inbound Abduction Cases

In my capacity as the Executive Director of the I CARE Foundation, the topic of global abduction statistics often comes up in conversation. The truth is NOBODY knows what the international parental child abduction rate is. NOBODY!

One of the shameful reasons as to why this is the case is because 91 of the 92 signatory countries to the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention DO NOT report the abduction rate. So in this sense, we applaud the United States Department of State and Congress for their continued transparency.

But really, how hard can it possibly be to sit in a room and count the folders of each case application that is filed with a Central Authority? Seriously - each Central Authority knows their own inbound and outbound case load - or at least has the ability of counting each folder file.

And for those of us who understand the operations of the Hague Conference, the Permanent Bureau has created INCADAT (the International Child Abduction Database). However, the vast majority of signatory countries and their Central Authorities do not provide to the Hague details of each case. In essence, they do not report their cases to the Permanent Bureau.

Now - there is no mandate to do so. But really? We're talking about tens of thousands of victims - not thousands - but tens of thousands of child abduction victims kidnapped each year.

If you're wondering why I have stated 'Tens of Thousands' of international cases while no country other than the U.S. is reporting their statistics, it is because of the I CARE Foundation's own research in this area. For example, it is our strong belief that the number of unreported cases of IPCA in the United States is 100% to 125% of the reported cases of abduction due in part to a large population of undocumented immigrants not realizing they have the right to report abduction without fear of deportation, the failure to report abduction cases by targeted parents of children abducted to Non-Hague countries, limited knowledge on who to turn to by left-behind parents, failure of law enforcement to view this act as abduction as opposed to a child custody case, and a sense of hopelessness due to low return rates and high costs associated with international kidnapping recovery. So, in the United States, the 2013 Department of State report to Congress stated there were 1,044 reported outbound cases of parental abduction. Thus, if the unreported cases is only 100% of the reported cases, the U.S. should have had at least 2,100 outbound cases of abduction in 2013.

Consequences Of Not Reporting: The Abduction Pandemic Grows

It is inconceivable that the overwhelming countries that are signatory members of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention do not report the inbound and outbound international parental child abduction rate. It is beyond unacceptable to know that the vast majority of Central Authorities do not uphold their responsibility and update the Hague's INCADAT database.

It is simply not acceptable that the majority of countries are purposefully concealing their international parental child abduction rates. We're not talking about a difficult task: each parent who petitions for legal relief under the Hague Convention alone files a Hague Petition. How hard could it be for each country's Central Authority to count the petitions that are filed by either their own citizens (outbound) or petitioned to them by another Central Authority (Inbound).

The world needs to know just how severe this pandemic is. Failure for the leaders of each Central Authority to begin reporting accurately the number of international child kidnappings is immoral. Failures to report have minimized the severe problem at hand and have greatly marginalized the need for help parents like Domingo Exposito Moreno desperately need as they attempt to protect their innocent children.

Our children need more from us. We can all do better. Let the life of Domingo Exposito Moreno and all those victims of international parental child abduction who have come before Domingo and who will come after him be not only a reminder of the deadly reality of parental child abduction, but let it be a call-to-arms for greater transparency and action to protect our children.

On a personal note, I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to the family of Domingo Exposito Moreno. If anyone is aware of an educational trust being established for his daughter, I welcome any information that may be provided. The email address to write to is: legal@theicarefoundation.org.

On behalf of The I CARE Foundation,

Peter Thomas Senese

AS A REMINDER, IF A CHILD IS TRAVELING ABROAD THIS SUMMER, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU USE THE I CARE FOUNDATION'S INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL CHILD CONSENT FORM

Japan: Latest Member Of The 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 11:08:00 +0000

(January 24^th, 2014)

Today in Tokyo, the Government of Japan approved ratification of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention; a few hours later, the Japanese Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mr. Masaru Tsuji, deposited the instrument of ratification, making Japan the 91^st Contracting State to this important treaty. This significant development reaffirms that diplomatic efforts among the international community, together with the invaluable assistance provided by the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, are working; it also reaffirms that the Hague Child Abduction Convention is the proper mechanism for all governments and families around the world to utilize in order to settle international child abduction disputes.

Japan’s ratification of the Convention comes after long-standing multi-lateral diplomatic efforts combined with global public outcry over Japan’s previous failure to participate in the international child abduction treaty and to offer victimized children and targeted parents of abduction a vehicle to turn to in order to resolve international parental child abduction disputes.

The 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention will enter into force for Japan on April 1^st, 2014. Under Japan’s participation, foreign parents who have previously had a child internationally abducted to Japan are not eligible to file a Hague Application or utilize the treaty. Retroactivity remains a concern for hundreds of left-behind parents still seeking to reunite with their kidnapped children.

The 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention seeks to combat parental child abduction by providing a system of co-operation between Contracting States and a rapid procedure for the return of the child to the country of the child’s habitual residence. Judges overseeing litigation revolving around the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention are not to determine issues of custody as that issue typically falls under the jurisdiction of the courts located in the child’s country of habitual residency.

Japan’s ratification of the convention demonstrates that international diplomacy and education continues to work, while also creating a stronger atmosphere for other countries that are not participants to the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention, such as India, to strongly consider ratification.

In the past, Japan has been considered a ‘black hole’ for international parental child abductors as the overwhelming number of children abducted to Japan by a Japanese national living abroad have not been returned to the child’s country of original jurisdiction.

The vast majority of left-behind parents are fathers residing in Europe and North America. Tragically, the targeted parent often has little or no rights of access or custody to their child once the child lands in Japan due to the country’s antiquated and prejudicial family law policies that tend to grant a child’s mother sole custody of the child while simultaneously removing the child’s father’s access to the child. Japan’s legal system does not recognize the concept of joint-custody.

In May 2013, the Diet had approved Japan’s compliance to the treaty, sending out a clear indicator that the country was steadily moving toward participation. Until today, Japan was the only country in the Group of Eight (G8) that has not affirmed the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention.

The following month (June) Japan’s Parliament enacted a law stipulating domestic implementation procedures for the Hague child abduction treaty.

Japan’s Parliament established procedures requiring the country to create a Central Authority under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry. The Central Authority’s responsibilities include the tasks of locating children who have been abducted and encourage families involved in international parental child abduction claims to settle disputes through consultations.

If the consultations fail, family courts in Tokyo and Osaka specifically trained in 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention matters will decide on matters. The Central Authority will be staffed with legal experts in international private law as well child psychologist and domestic violence counselors. A third Hague Court location could later be added.

Under the terms of Japan’s Parliamentary action in June, 2013 the new law provides grounds forrefusal to return a child if abuse or domestic violence is feared, issues that are expected to draw keen interest in light of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention’s Article 13, a provision that is almost always utilized by parental child abductors regardless of the gender of the abductor.

Child abduction prevention advocates from around the world hope that Japan’s ratification of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention will further push non-Hague countries including India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Philippines, and China (mainland) who are all believed to be actively assessing the Convention with a view to becoming a party to.

Today Japan has taken its place at the table of nations and finally a stand against the atrocity of international parental child abduction and severe abuse against targeted children and their families. As Japan works to uphold the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention we must first and foremost not forget the children who have been abducted to Japan and their left-behind families, many whom successfully advocated for Japan’s ratification of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention.

We invite you to read the official comments shared by The Hague Permanent Bureau concerning diplomacy and Japan’s ratification. Please click here.

(End)

To visit the I CARE Foundation official website, please click here.

Peter Thomas Senese: The I CARE Foundation's Groundbreaking Fight To Stop Child Abduction Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 15:57:00 +0000

Peter Thomas Senese, Executive Director of the I CARE Foundation's Fall 2013 Update

The I CARE Foundation's

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL CHILD CONSENT FORM

IS Quickly Becoming The Most Effective Global Tool Able To

Stop International Parental Child Abduction!

The I CARE Foundation Reports That

100% Of All Children Around The World Who Had Their Parents Reportt Utilizing The I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent Form This Summer

Have All Returned Home!

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BETWEEN 80% -90% OF ALL

INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTIONS OCCUR

WHEN A PARENT WRONGFULLY DETAINS A CHILD ABROAD.

Mr. Christophe Bernosconi, the Secretary General of the Hague Conference on International Private Law: the international tribunal governing international child abduction under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child said the following of the I CARE Foundation and our International Travel Child Consent Form:

"I have had the possibility to look at the travel form and must say that I am impressed: this is the most comprehensive document of its kind that I have seen so far and there is little doubt in my mind that this is a most valuable and important effort to prevent child abduction. I applaud your efforts and wish to congratulate you and your team . . . It is really impressive to see how quickly your international travel child consent form has started to yield practical results and how well you monitor its operation - this really is remarkable."

A Message From Peter Thomas Senese:

In my role as the Executive Director of the I CARE Foundation, I am pleased to share that 100% of all reported cases of children who traveled abroad this summer under the International Travel Child Consent Form have returned to their country of original jurisdiction. This is an increadible achievement since it is strongly estimated that between 80% and 90% of all international parental child abductions occur when a parent wrongfully detains a child abroad under the guise of a family vacation.

Recently the Colorado Bar Association published an extensive 30 page article championing the I CARE Foundation and our International Travel Consent Form. The in-depth analysis includes our extensive legal analysis on how abducting parents legally attempt to sanction cross-border kidnappings under an assortment of articles under the Hague Convention.

I invite you to read a piece that the Colorado Bar Association wrote about the I CARE Foundation and the International Travel Child Consent Form.

Generally speaking, international parental child abudciton occurs during 2 primary seasons: the summer vacation period and Christmas. Depending on what geographic area around the world you are located in, international child abduction is always in high-season.

Today, parents need to be aware that with the Christmas season months away, parents intending to abduct a child abroad will begin carrying-out their plans now. So please be careful (For a list of 'Warning Signs of International Parental Child Abduction' please visit the I CARE Foundation's website).

In the meantime, the I CARE Foundation and our remarkable colleagues around the world will continue our efforts associated with the Special Commission created to report to Secretary General Bernosconi on the utilization of the travel consent form in our effort to create such a form as a mechanical instruement for all children traveling abroad.

Finally, I would like to share that it is strongly expected that the number of reported cases U.S. international parental child abduction cases is expected to sharply fall, incredibly, for the 3rd year in a row after nearly 30 years of growth. To provide some insight, the past decase (excluding 2011 and 2012) had reported sustained outbound abduction growth of approximately 20% + per year. In 2011, the same year the I CARE Foundation commenced our extensive activity, reported cases of abduction declined by 15%. In 2012, there was an additional decline of 16%. We still have a long way to go before we close the books of 2013, especially since one of the 2 major abduction seasons is the Christmas Holiday; however, I am extremely optimistic - based upon the I CARE Foundation's own extensive abduction prevention case-load - that we will see another dramatic decline of abduction when the 2013 statistics are reported.

There is no question there is a lot ahead of us. In fact, just in the past 5 days, the I CARE Foundation stopped international abductions of American children to Russia, Japan, Phillipines, and India, while playing a key role in dozens of ongoing abduction prevention cases around the world.

To read more about the I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent Form and to download a copy of the form, please visit The I CARE Foundation's website.

Kindest regards to all,

Peter Thomas Senese
Executive Director
The I CARE Foundation

When Your With Someone When A Heart Attack Happens: The Importance Of Being Prepared

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 00:13:00 +0000

Have you ever punched a person so hard in their chest that it felt like your hands grabbed their non-beating heart?

I did this week.

It is the 2nd time in my life that I was able to resuscitate someone by hitting them as hard as I possibly could with my two clenched fists clasped together and all of my strength and body weight coming down on the person who's heart has stopped beating.

In itself, I can say there is nothing I have ever experienced that could come even remotely from explaining what it is like to exist in that nano-moment place that is between life and death . . . when you try frantically to create - to feel that thump ... thump .... thump of a heart beat.

Nor can I explain how slow the world moves as your powerful hands strike a mighty blow down onto someone's chest. The powerful force and inertia of your blow wrapping around a person's lifeless heart, energizing it back to life.

This past week one of my closest friends had a severe heart attack while we were together. Fortunately, and with a lot of luck and quick-reaction know-how that included what felt like me putting my hand through his chest to get his heart beating again, my dear and cherished friend who once traveled into the storms of abduction with me when I was Chasing The Cyclone is going to be okay.

God willing, and with time, he will be the same caring, loving, and compassionate goof-ball that he has always been. One thing I have learned in my near 2 decades of friendship and decade of being business partners together is that if anyone has the ability to have a full recovery, it is my dear friend.

And he better, for we sure do have a lot of work to do . . . not to mention several interesting golf courses around the world we have yet to play on that 'we need to'.

Before I go any further, I would like to tell my dear friend this simple message:

I love you. You have been true to me and our friendship for so long. You have been teacher, guide, trouble-maker, warrior, partner, confidant, and most of all friend. Our friendship has covered the globe many times over in our professional work and in what we do to protect children from abduction and kidnapping. And no matter what we faced, we faced so much of it together with a smile and, in your eyes, a sense that all would turn out the way it was suppose to. So as I celebrate you my dear friend ... take the time to heal, but do so knowing that we have lots to do. In the meantime know I am going to have a delicious Portillo's Italian Steak Sandwich to celebrate you shortly. By the way ... did I ever mention how funny you look sleeping wearing that funny little blue hospital robe? We'll as a reminder ... you look ridiculous! Nevertheless, I have seen you in even more ridiculous attire ... even though some of that was to do with bringing a child home ... which is always pretty amazing. Still - you look ridiculous and when we celebrate your birthday in October I intend to fully utilize the photos I have taken of you today snoring away like a big ol' lumberjack!

Now to all of my friends who may read this post, I would like to strongly urge each of you to do yourself and those you love a very big thing: make sure you take CPR and Heart Attack resuscitation classes. And even if your' too busy at least go online and watch some of the educational videos available.

This very well could be the difference between taking photos of someone you love as they cut wood in a deep, peaceful slumber that you will definitely use during that person's next birthday celebration, or, well, saying good-bye.

One final note to my pal: you know ... you really changed our plans for this week! But I am delighted to know that I will complain to you soon enough about that. As for now ... I love you my dear friend.

WATCH THIS VIDEO

Peter Senese - Summer Vacation Schemes and Fraud Primary Reason How Children Are Internationally Kidnapped

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 16:03:00 +0000

Fraud, Scams, and Conspiracy to kidnap a child are abundently displayed during the summer school vacaction period. You see, this is the time of year when parents of children seek to return back to their country of origin after either deciding to separate from their spouse or during divorce.

Yes, child custody disputes can get ugly. But there is something much more at hand - something very dark - when international parental child abduction occurs. You see, a tremendous number of well-respected reports issued by government and non-government agencies alike have all said the same thing: children who are victims of parental kidnapping are used by their taking parent and used as a tool to cause harm to the other parent.

FRAUD, SCAMS, SCHEMES, CONSPIRACY, KIDNAPPING & CHILD ABUSE ARE ALL ON FULL DISPLAY DURING THE SUMMER CHILD ABDUCTION SEASON

International parental child abduction is not just the act of snatching a child from the country they live in and illegally removing them to another country without the other parent's consent or a court order.

Abduction often takes place when one parent decides to detain a child in a foreign country without the other parent's consent or a court order. This often occurs during high conflict child custody disputes.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT DOJ REPORT, CHILDREN WHO ARE KIDNAPPED BY A PARENT FACE SEVERE PHYSICAL ABUSE AND ARE AT RISK OF MURDER

The reality is that wrongful detention of a child under the rules of the Hague Convention appears to be the most common form of abduction. Parents need to know and understand the risk factors associated with allowing a child to travel abroad and act proactively to protect them.

Often there is extensive deceit and fraud involved at the hands of an abducting parent. This includes never giving any indication to the other parent that their alleged 'family vacation' is in fact an abduction scheme.

Unfortunately, there are many abduction defenses that are implemented as part of an abductor's strategy to have a court sanction their act of kidnapping.

There is no question abduction is complicated. Especially for someone who first experiences the betrayal and fraud associated with abduction.

THE I CARE FOUNDATION'S INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL CHILD CONSENT FORM WAS DESIGNED TO HELP STOP THE CRIMINAL ACT OF CHILD ABDUCTION

Recently, the I CARE Foundation launched a very unique abduction prevention tool: one that has never before been created. It is a universal international travel child consent agreement that was created to remove possible legal defenses associated with an abductor's scheme to wrongfully detain a child abroad.

PARENTS ALLOWING OR REQUIRED TO ALLOW A CHILD TO TRAVEL TO A FORIGN COUNTRY SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER HAVING THE OTHER PARENT SIGN THE I CARE FOUNDATION'S TRAVEL CONSENT FORM. SHOULD THAT PARENT NOT BE WILLING TO DO SO - THIS IS A SERIOUS WARNING SIGN OF PLANNED ABDUCTION.

Please visit the I CARE Foundation to receive a copy of the international travel child consent agreement or to learn more about the criminal act and schemes of parental child abduction.

Kind regards to all,

Peter Thomas Senesehttp://www.stopchildabduction.org/Peter_Thomas_Senese_I_CARE.html

International Travel Child Consent Form For Divorce and Custody Dispute Cases

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:22:00 +0000

I am very pleased to share that on behalf of the I CARE Foundation we have relased the ‘International Child Travel Consent Form’ created to help stop international parental child abduction's associated with the wrongful detention of a child traveling abroad.

This agreement has been created for parents with children that will be travelling abroad.

The release is timely as it allows parents the ability to sign in time for summer vacations as summer is the prominent time for international parental child abductions to occur.

As school ends for the summer vacation, the vast majority of international parental child abduction threats and kidnappings take place. Often, these abductions occur when one parent is able to legally remove a child from their country of origin, and travel abroad - as an example, under the idea of a family vacation to visit relatives. However, and unknown to the child’s other parent, who may or may not be traveling with the scheming parent, there is a deceitful and fraudulent plan to never return back home.

Today the I CARE Foundation released the “International Child Travel Consent Form” that was created to stop international parental child abduction when a parent traveling abroad with their child may consider not returning the child to their country of jurisdiction.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD TRAVEL CONSENT FORM

I have said this many times previously, the key to protecting children at risk of abduction is to prevent their kidnapping. Today the I CARE Foundation is pleased to release our ’The International Child Travel Consent Form’ based upon substantial ‘Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction’ case law.

The travel document is designed to remove an abductor’s defense under acts of wrongful detention and focuses on key issues related to the Hague Convention’s Articles 12, Article 13, and Article 20.

The dedicated work of the I CARE Foundation’s legal advisory board, which includes members of the United States Department of State’s Hague Convention Attorney Network, to create this formidable legal abduction prevention tool bespeaks of the ongoing dedication to stop the criminal and highly abusive act of kidnapping.

The travel document does not simply act as a parent consent form allowing a child to travel abroad but reinforces a child’s return to their country of origin based upon affirmation requirements that remove the majority of an abductor’s legal defenses to remain abroad in connection with Hague law.

The I CARE Foundation’s international travel parental child consent form is a new tool that can be utilized by parents around the world, as well as attorneys who are trying to protect abduction. If a traveling parent refuses to sign the document, then under no circumstance should the other parent or a court permit a child to travel abroad as there is a heightened increase to an abduction threat.”

The I CARE Foundation’s ‘International Child Travel Consent Form’ addresses many of the possible legal defenses an abductor may use in court under Article 12, Article 13, or Article 20 of the Hague Convention.

The ‘International Child Travel Consent Form’ will be available in Spanish, French, German, and Italian in the coming days.

For more information about the ‘International Child Travel Consent Form’ and international parental child abduction please visit The I CARE Foundation official website.

For attorneys interested in obtaining a full legal brief and framework of the travel consent form, please contact mediarelations@stopchildabduction.org.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD TRAVEL CONSENT FORM

Kindest regards to all,

Peter Senese

I CARE Foundation Director

FACSA Foundation Launces SHATTERING THE SILENCE TOUR and DOCUMENTARY FILM PROJECT

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:06:00 +0000

SHATTERING THE SILENCE TOUR AND DOCUMENTARY PROJECT

Issued by:
Connie Lee - FACSA Foundation Founding Director
(Tele. 318.540.4464)
(Email: facsasavethechildren@hotmail.com)
(Website: www.facsafoundation.org)

The Shattering The Silence Tour and Documentary Project, at FACSAFoundation.org, is changing the social stigma of child sexual assault, public policies, conducting current research of community needs and assessment, educating communities on prevention and education of child sexual assault, by hosting free conferences with local advocates; filming a documentary on survivors stories across the nation, the latest healing modalities, and the most effective counseling techniques, with the hundred and fifteen cities Shattering The Silence Tour and Documentary Project, at FACSAFoundation.org.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice 1-3 girls, and 16 boys, will be sexually assaulted before their eighteenth birthday. Statistics are from the 10% of reported accounts, for 90% do not tell. They are silenced by the perpetrator with threats to their lives or the lives of their loved ones; who is usually a dad, mom, uncle, trusted neighbor, friend, or community leader. The children remain silent due to fear of retribution from the perpetrator, or losing their only circle of support and love they have ever known, their family. This becomes their way of life until someone steps in and protects them. According to ChildHelp USA, 5 children die a day due to abuse and neglect.

Today is the day we no longer turn away in indifference. Today is the day we tell our children, we have heard their silent cries in the night and we share their pain. People believe it is easy to turn away because you don’t see it. I say, “This is not true, for you see it every day from the angry and volatile society; which shoots up schools, murders and rapes children; where crimes of petty theft receive more sentencing than the rape of a child; where children are sold into indentured servitude, child porn, or into prostitution. What kind of society have we become, where we stand by and allow such atrocities take place, and not raise our voices to change this?

Where is the OUTRAGE? "Enough Is Enough, We Will Not Be Silent Any Longer!" Join the FACSA Foundation Revolution at FACSAFoundation.org, or any local child advocacy groups!! I pass the baton to you, for you to advocate for our children. The children are counting on you!

Listen To Connie Lee Speak About the

SHATTERING THE SILENCE TOUR

Learn More About The

FACSA Foundation and Connie Lee's Incredible Work

ORION To Take Mankind To The Heavens

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:10:00 +0000

Peter Senese - "ORION's technical advancements has made space travel a reality of mankind's future."

For the first time in a generation, NASA is building a new human spacecraft that will usher in a new era of space exploration. A series of increasingly challenging missions awaits, and this new spacecraft will take us farther than we’ve gone before, including Mars. Named after one of the largest constellations in the night sky and drawing from more than 50 years of spacefl ight research and development, the Orion spacecraft is designed to meet the evolving needs of our nation’s deep space exploration program for decades to come. It will be the safest, most advanced spacecraft ever built, and it will be fl exible and capable enough to take us to a variety of destinations.Orion features dozens of technology advancements and innovations that have been incorporated into the spacecraft’s design. It includes both crew and service modules, a spacecraft adaptor and a revolutionary launch abort system that will signifi cantly increase crew safety. Orion’s unique life support, propulsion, thermal protection and avionics systems in combination with other elements will enable extended duration deep space missions. These systems have been developed to facilitate integration of new technical innovations as they become available in the future.

Orion has been rigorously tested as engineers prepare it for a journey beyond low Earth orbit. A
successful test launch at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico of the vehicle’s launch abort system was completed to verify the escape capability of Orion in the event of emergency on the launch pad. A series of rigorous acoustic and modal tests on the Orion ground test vehicle at Lockheed Martin’s test facilities in Denver validated Orion’s ability to withstand the harsh environments of launch, abort, re-entry and space flight. In order to simulate the fi nal phases of landing, the spacecraft’s parachutes have been proven reliable through a series of tests at the Yuma Army Proving Grounds. In order to simulate Orion’s landing conditions, tests in both the ocean and at NASA’s Hydro Impact Basin have recreated how Orion will behave during its fi nal splashdown in the Pacifi c Ocean. All of these will play a role in the planned uncrewed orbital flight test of Orion in 2014, which will launch the spacecraft 3,000 miles into space in order to reach speeds of more than 20,000 mph before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. This test will provide engineers with invaluable data on Orion’s performance in every phase of launch, re-entry and landing. Following this, further tests of the launch abort system will take place as Orion builds toward its fi rst crewed exploration flights. Orion will utilize advances in propulsion, communications, life support, structural design, navigation and power, drawing from the extensive spacefl ight experience of NASA and its industry partners. With destinations including near-Earth asteroids, our own Moon, the moons of Mars and eventually Mars itself, Orion will carry astronauts into a new era of exploration.

On a personal note, one day ordinary men and women will be able to travel into space. My fascination and desire to participate in that adventure is beyond what any words can express. Fortunately, with each passing day, we get closer to the goal of commercial space flight. With it, I believe our imaginations become more crisp, clear, and capable. So too does our ingenuity. Somehow, and in my opinion, unquestionably, the science of space exploration reaffirms my strong belief in God. And that is the cooliest thing of all.

Kindest wishes to all,

Peter Thomas Senese

What Social Trends And Big Ideas Are Connecting Society Today?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:19:00 +0000

What Are The Big Ideas From

The Atlantic's New York Ideas Conference

The conference is hosted by The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute at the New-York Historical Society, the daylong confab included conversations with some noteworthy trendsetters inlcuding the visionary Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and chef Mario Batali, who's food I have eaten for over 20 years, including when Mario first opened Po on Cornellia Street, and as it turned out, would share grappa many a late nights at Blue Ribbon when any notion of being a celebrity chef was just a seedling.

Discussion of the big ideas included everything from the impact of food blogs and book-jacket design, to high-storage date capability to 3-D manufacturing design.

So what are some of the Big Ideas?

Well, if there was one common word that celebrated the Big Ideas it would be 'DISRUPT'!

Love it!

So here we go ....

1. Fund-raisers are working more like corporations
A panel titled "Disrupting the Old Philanthropy" explored how charitable organizations are taking lessons from the business world to help measure their work and increase its impact. Nancy Mahon, the former executive director of God's Love We Deliver and now the global executive director of the MAC AIDS Fund and a senior vice president at Estée Lauder, spoke about the need for metrics around philanthropic endeavors, such as the sales of a lipstick with a charitable tie-in. "Working in a corporation, I'm a sharper thinker and a better investor."

Panelists Lauren Bush Lauren, C.E.O. and co-founder of FEED Projects, and Jessica Jackley, a venture partner at the Collaborative Fund and co-founder of the micro-lending site Kiva, spoke about how consumers are looking to their employers and the companies they buy from to reflect their values. Jackley spoke of encouraging people to take a more integrated approach to work, investing, and philanthropy: "What really changes the world is not getting corporations to give more, but [changing] how individuals choose to spend their time and their brainpower."

2. People are really excited about 3-D printers
While the technology is not that new, the cost has come down enough that more people can afford them for rapid prototyping and model-making. "I wonder if, when the hammer came out, people were sitting at conferences saying, 'Have you heard about the hammer?'" asked Jessica Banks, co-founder of Rock Paper Robot, a furniture and lighting company.

3. The Internet can help you build an audience—but you have to nurture it constantly
In a conversation with three bloggers who have built significant brands and followings, they all stressed the importance of regular communication. "Blogging is putting out a steady stream of content that an audience can rely on," said Brandon Stanton, a photographer with a Tumblr blog called Humans of New York that has more than 700,000 fans on Facebook. And online content builds relationships that become platforms for other uses. "The Internet is not designed to make you money," he said, but it helps you build a name that can make money in other ways.

4. We're in a time of simple design "We yearn for simplicity in an age where technology has made things more and more complex," said John Maeda, president of the Rhode Island School of Design, in a discussion of art, design, and technology. As computer chips have become both cheaper and more powerful, they get put inside all sorts of things—even simple objects that already perform their functions well, like a spoon.

Simple design can have complicated reasons, though. "Simplicity is an illusion sometimes," said Paola Antonelli, senior curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art. Apple's iPhones and iPads look uncomplicated, but they perform lots of complicated tasks. And they don't adhere to the notion that form follows function—you don't know what they do until you turn them on. In her own work at MoMA, where people are probably encountering her exhibits on the way to see works by Picasso or Matisse, Antonelli said, "I want them to walk into my show and in five minutes something is already deposited." They have learned something about design, whether they realize it or not. "Communication is what I'm after."

5. Consumers want friendly expertise
Mario Batali was the more famous of two people on a food panel, but he spent more time praising his fellow panelist, Deb Perelman, who writes the popular food blog the Smitten Kitchen. "I like the wide-eyed and happy approach to writing about food," Batali said, describing his own approach to books and television, as well as Perelman's. (He also said Jimmy Fallon's upcoming promotion to host of The Tonight Show stems from the fun, snark-free tone of his Late Night show.)

"There are enough people who are telling you you're doing it wrong," Perelman said. "I'm not really interested in that."

6. The most important trend in social media is visual story telling
"In a world where people are overloaded with content, having great imagery to support a story is very important," said Pete Cashmore, founder and C.E.O. of the social-media-obsessed news site Mashable.

7. Social media calls for personal voices
As Cashmore recalled using "we" in product reviews in the early days of Mashable, when he was a one-person staff writing from his bedroom in Scotland, he noted a change in tone: "Now big companies pretend to be smaller companies, because that's cooler."

Now I have one other big idea: I'm going to have a nice omellete with feta cheese and spinach this morning with a fresh squeezed glass of grapefruit juice.

Peter Senese & Carolyn Vlk's Report On Why U.S.Rate Of International Child Abduction Had Dropped By 15%

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:50:00 +0000

United States Statistics Of International Parental Child Abduction

The United States government has stated that the number of reported cases of international parental child abduction has dropped by over 15% during fiscal year 2012, marking the second year in a row that the number of reported cases of outbound child abductions have declined by over 15%. This current trend contradicts the previous 30 years, where outbound abductions continued to signifcantly increase.

THE I CARE FOUNDATION

Report on International Parental Child Abduction Growth

CRISIS IN AMERICA

International Parental Child Abduction Today - 2013

Written By

Carolyn Ann Vlk and Peter Thomas Senese

Issued On February 25th, 2013

INTRODUCTION

United States child-citizens continue to be criminally kidnapped, illegally removed overseas, and wrongfully detained in foreign countries in shocking numbers by their non-custodial parent. The global plague of international parental child abduction significantly continues in America in a similar capacity as it does in the majority of nations abroad. For the first time since the United States signed The Hague Convention in 1981, the U.S. Department of State has reported in two consecutive years that the number of reported outbound cases of American child-citizen abductions has declined.

Specifically, during 2012 there were 799 reported international parental child abduction cases filed with the United States Central Authority representing a total of 1,144 children. Previously, in 2011 there were a total of 941 reported international parental child abduction cases filed with the United States Central Authority, representing a total of 1,367 children.

Thus, the reduction by 142 filed cases represents a decline of 15% of reported abduction cases from 2012 from 2011. During the same reporting period, there were 223 fewer children internationally kidnapped in 2012 from 2011, representing a 16.3% decrease of total children abducted.

Comparatively, there were 1022 reported international parental child abduction cases in 2010 representing 1,492 children. Thus, there has been a reduction of 223 reported abduction cases from 2010 to 2012, representing a total decline of 348 children between the two years. This represents a two year decline from 2010 to 2012 in reported cases by 21.8%, and a 23.3% reduction over the same two year period in the number of children kidnapped.

The decline in the reported number of international parental child abductions of American citizens represents a significant development and bespeaks of the tremendous educational outreach effort by the United States Department of State’s Office of Children’sIssues as well as non-government organizations such as but not limited to the I CARE Foundation and the National Center For Missing And Exploited Children to raise awareness of parental abduction amongst lawyers, judges, law enforcement, and targeted parents to that children may be protected. However, it is important to note that despite a groundbreaking shift in child abduction statistical growth trends previously realized, we strongly affirm that criminal international parental child abduction continues to be a destructive epidemic in the United States and abroad that must be met with new abduction prevention laws and government policies, while significant efforts to educate courts, law enforcement, social workers, and at-risk parents of the many issues of child kidnapping diligently continue.

It is important to note that while the number of ‘reported cases’ of international parental child abduction have declined, the number of ‘unreported cases’ of abduction remains a significant concern for both government agencies and non-government organizations dedicated to preventing abduction. Previously, the I CARE Foundation issued a report that the number of yearly unreported cases of abduction is believed to equal between 100% and 125% of all reported abduction cases. We have no reason to change this forecast. Thus, though there are no measurable statistics on unreported abduction cases, it would be reasonable, though not conclusive, to anticipate that the number of unreported cases of international child abduction have also declined.

While there is much to be pleased about regarding the significant decline in the reported international parental child abduction rate and forecasted decline in unreported cases of abduction, a great concern critically worth noting is that the number of children actually legally returned home after they are kidnapped remains to be estimated at only 10% when considering the total number of reported and unreported cases.

The reality is that children who are internationally abducted do not come home. Sadly, many are lost forever.

One of the major facets of abduction prevention is education, and raising awareness of abduction threats to at-risk parents clearly has demonstrated a clear and measurable impact on the number of reported abduction cases.

Clearly and unquestionably, educational outreach programs directed toward raising international parental child abduction awareness are working! Still, there is a long way to go.

The I CARE Foundation and the organization’s leadership have been actively involved in increasing awareness of child abduction while assisting a large number of parents protect their at-risk children.

One of the I CARE Foundation’s most dynamic and significant educational outreach programs that have had measurable results is the ‘Parent Blogger Educational Outreach Program’. Under the program, highly influential parenting bloggers with a large global readership of followers have written a series of informative educational articles concerning the pandemic of international parental child abduction, including warning signs, risk factors, and actionable steps an at-risk parent may take to prevent abduction. This grassroots effort led primarily by mothers who write and blog to raise awareness has been a tremendous success and has resulted in a significant number of successful child abduction prevention cases to occur. Collectively, the extraordinary participants of the ‘Parent Blogger Educational Outreach Program’ have reached millions of parents, some who may have been directly at risk, or who may have known another parent and child at risk of abduction. In addition, the reach of these incredible parents willing to help protect children at risk of abduction has had a global impact on the prevention of child abduction as blogger participants were located on every continent and the millions of their readers blanketed the globe. Clearly, the effort of these parent writers has made a significant difference in protecting lives, both in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere!

With the recent success of efforts put forth by child advocates everywhere to stop abduction, we are reminded that child abduction is a cruel and dangerous act against a child.

With grave concern we acknowledge that hundreds of young children each year are murdered by theirparents in the United States, and that there is a clear statistical correlation of filicide in nations abroad and abduction similar to reported United States and Canadian government statistics of parental child murder.

As this report cites in detail, international parental child abduction is a severe criminal act of kidnapping committed by a parent against a child and the targeted left behind parent. International parental child abductors commit grave crimes against their child, including the act of abduction as well as the acts of child abuse and neglect.

According to numerous studies and reports including those issued by the United States Department of Justice and Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police, an abductor exhibits significant sociopathic tendencies, and generally does not act in the best interest of a child, but conversely, the act of abduction and the acts after the child-snatching cause both serious short-term and long-term damage that may, on many occasions, be irreversible. Sadly, acts of identity stripping, parental isolation, and removal of the bond between the abducted child and targeted parent speak nothing of the fact that filicide: the act of parental child murder is real. So too, tragically, is the reality that children who have been abducted and who have had their identity stripped during an abduction exhibit an alarming number of characteristics that are exhibited in individuals who commit suicide.

For the majority of child advocates who work tirelessly to protect children, especially advocates who are not in the business of profiting due to the tragedy of a child being kidnapped, what we fight for are lives - children's lives.

In our capacity as directors of the not-for-profit I CARE Foundation, which has successfully assisted reunited numerous internationally kidnapped children with their targeted left-behind parents taken from around the world, while also preventing an exponentially larger number of children from international parental child abduction, we and our colleagues have worked tirelessly at conducting extensive research in the area of child abduction.

The I CARE Foundation’s volunteer activity has included playing key roles in legally reuniting many abducted children, writing and working diligently in the passing of abduction prevention laws and leading in lobbying efforts to have existing policies modified so that the capacity to protect children from kidnapping would be increased, in our creation of a national attorney network of educated lawyers willing and ready to assist at-risk children and their families, in our capacity as researchers and educators to study the global issues of international parental child abduction and publish our findings in a way that may drive policy, and in our efforts to create a grassroots educational awareness movement by working with leading parent bloggers and writers with large followers, who have shared with their audiences the grave issues of abduction.

Though great strides have been made over the past two years, and we hope that the child abduction trend will continue to decline, we do have reason for concern. Our apprehension is due in part due to the reality that though abduction rates have declined in the last known reporting fiscal year of 2012, there remains a glaring failure by the courts and law enforcement to punish international parental child abductors even though the act itself is a federal criminal act that is a known form of child abuse. Without concern to be held accountable for their actions, parents who contemplate or carry out abduction will do so with a sense of immunity. Without holding kidnappers accountable, children at-risk of abduction remain vulnerable.

In addition, it is critical to recognize that chasing parents who attempt to legally reunite with their kidnapped child face incredible difficulties in doing so. The challenges faces are discussed in this report in detail; however, they include but are not limited to failures by nations to uphold international treaties such as the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the outright failure of nations to enter into any international treaty, receiving-country prejudice at the trial court level on legal action taken by a left-behind parent, grave financial challenges faced by a targeted chasing parent, and direct physical dangers faced by a targeted parent if they should attempt to reunite with their abducted child.

Clearly, child abduction prevention advocates are making an impact through an assortment of outreach programs that are raising awareness at the at-risk parent level, the trial lawyer level, and within the courts, as demonstrated by the second consecutive year of abduction rate declines. However, for parents presently attempting to reunite with their kidnapped children, the challenges they face are grave as explained herein.

REPORTED CASES OF INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION

Indisputable, are the actual number of ‘reported’ abduction cases. Estimating the incalculable total number of ‘unreported’ cases is difficult to assess. Despite this inability to concisely determine the total number of cases each year, it appears America and our nation’s children-citizens are plagued by a dangerous criminal epidemic known as ‘International Parental Child Abduction’ that is silently sweeping through our nation. At risk are tens if not hundreds of thousands of our defenseless children who are targeted for abduction each year.

In April of 2009, the annual Report on Compliance with the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction was released. In that publication, Janice L. Jacobs, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs writes, "Unfortunately, current trends reflect a steady increase in the number of international parental child abduction cases and highlight the urgency of redoubling efforts to promote compliance with Convention obligations and encourage additional nations to join the Convention." She also writes, "Very few options exist for parents and children who are victims of parental child abduction." In the 2010 annual report Ms. Jacobs continues to voice concerns over the increasing numbers of our child-citizens who have been wrongfully removed or wrongfully detained.

Similar sentiment has been shared in reports issued by the U.S. Department of State since this time. There is no question that the challenges that parents and children of abduction face are significant.

However, during 2012 there were 799 reported international parental child abduction cases filed with the United States Central Authority representing a total of 1,144 children. Previously, in 2011 there were a total of 941 reported international parental child abduction cases filed with the United States Central Authority, representing a total of 1,367 children. Thus, the reduction by 142 filed cases represents a decline of 15% of reported abduction cases from 2012 from 2011. During the same reporting period, there were 223 fewer children internationally kidnapped in 2012 from 2011, representing a 16.3% decrease of total children abducted. Comparatively, there were 1022 reported international parental child abduction cases in 2010 representing 1,492 children. Thus, there has been a reduction of 223 reported abduction cases from 2010 to 2012, representing a total decline of 348 children between the two years. This represents a two year decline from 2010 to 2012 in reported cases by 21.8%, and a 23.3% reduction over the same two year period in the number of children kidnapped.

UNREPORTED CASES OF INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION

Peter Thomas Senese commented, “The anticipated number of international abductions used as a benchmark and often referred to is inconclusive because the published data does not take into consideration ‘unreported’ cases of international child abduction, population growth, increases in multi-cultural marriages, immigration migration increases to the United States, and economic difficulties many families are facing, which inevitably leads to a break-up of the family unit. More concerning is how the widely distributed and cited surveys used what I believe to be an inadequate number of telephone interviews and appear not to include any law enforcement records. In my view, we as a nation have a serious problem on our hands.”

Carolyn Ann Vlk stated, "Admittedly, something is seriously amiss in our ability to accurately estimate the number of children victimized by the crime of child abduction. In my opinion, utilizing only a random telephone survey, to determine the number of affected children is a process flawed by numerous, serious methodological problems. Additionally, the cooperation and compliance rate in obtaining the return of our citizen children who have been criminally internationally abducted must be drastically improved. The recovery of so few of these children during an entire fiscal year is not and should not be acceptable".

Unfortunately, many internationally abducted children are never returned because their abductions are not reported to authorities. The likelihood is that the vast majority of these types of cases never end with a child’s return. It would be reasonable to conclude that if a targeted parent did not report their child’s abduction, then in all likelihood, that U.S. child-citizen will not be returned to the United States. Due to the number of ‘unreported’ international abduction cases, it is difficult to determine a reasonable return-rate percentage. We recognize the difficulty in attempting to accurately estimate the ‘unreported’ case numbers and believe that it is probable that the number of returns of ‘unreported’ cases is extremely low and essentially immeasurable.

Reasons for ‘unreported’ cases include the financial inability of a Chasing Parent to take legal action since they are responsible to pay for all costs associated with their child’s recovery – even though a child’s international abduction violates state and federal laws such as the International Parental Kidnapping Crimes Act (IPKCA). Furthermore, many parents experience a sense of hopelessness that any recovery efforts will be futile since there are great difficulties associated with bringing a child home, including the possibility of first trying to determine where your child is. Also, the fact is that many nations are not a party of or do not uphold the Hague Convention. Furthermore, there exist substantial prejudices in foreign courts.

The NISMART I study reported that there were a total of 354,000 parental child abductions annually. The NISMART II study stated the total number of parental child abductions decreased to approximately 203,900 children. The truth of the matter is that we really do not know how accurate any of the data is or how large of a problem we actually have on our hands. What we do know is that hundreds of thousands of children are targeted for parental abduction each year, and out of this group, tens of thousands of these instances include planned international parental abductions.

PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION IS A SEVERE FORM OF CHILD ABUSE

According to leading experts who specialize in international parental child abduction, conclusive and unilateral opinion and fact demonstrates that parental child abduction of a targeted child is a cruel, criminal, and severe form of abuse and mistreatment regardless if the child is with one of their (abducting) parents. This includes the illegal act of international abduction, whereas, the child is unexpectedly uprooted from their home, their community, their immediate and extended family, and their country. Sadly, severe short and long-term psychological problems are prevalent for many abduction victims who survive their kidnapping experience. It is commonplace for a child to be emotionally sabotaged, whereas, the abducting parent will try to remove all bonds and attachments the child has with the other parent, thus, removing the child’s right to know the love of the other parent, and keep in tact their own identity. Too many children simply never come home and in certain cases a child’s abduction overseas has led to the death of the abducted child.

A leader in the field of parental child abduction issues, Dr. Dorothy Huntington wrote an article titled Parental Kidnapping: A New Form of Child Abuse. Huntington contends that from the point of view of the child, "child stealing is child abuse." According to Huntington, "in child stealing the children are used as both objects and weapons in the struggle between the parents which leads to the brutalization of the children psychologically, specifically destroying their sense of trust in the world around them."

“Because of the harmful effects on children, parental kidnapping has been characterized as a form of “child abuse" reports Patricia Hoff, Legal Director for the Parental Abduction Training and Dissemination Project, American Bar Association on Children and the Law. Hoff explains, "Abducted children suffer emotionally and sometimes physically at the hands of abductor-parents. Many children are told the other parent is dead or no longer loves them. Uprooted from family and friends, abducted children often are given new names by their abductor-parents and instructed not to reveal their real names or where they lived before." (Hoff, 1997)

Consider that today in Japan, there are approximately 230 American children-citizens who were illegally abducted from United States soil to Japan by one of their parents in violation of U.S. court orders. To date, and for what is believed to be nearly fifty years, Japan – America’s strong ally – has never returned 1 American child who was parentally kidnapped and illegally detained in accordance to United States law. And tragically, the vast majority of the chasing parents left-behind in the wake of their child’s abduction are not permitted to have contact with their child.

EXTREME DIFFICULITES IN RECOVERING AN ABDUCTED CHILD

There are abundant reasons why it is very difficult to have an illegally stolen child returned despite the United States being a signatory of The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. They include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Lack of action in reporting a child’s abduction by a targeted parent left behind; and,

2. Many nations do not comply with or uphold the spirit of the convention (ex, Brazil, Mexico, Germany); and,

3. Many countries have not signed the convention (ex. Japan, China, Russia, and many countries located in the Middle East); and,

4. Chasing Parents may not have an idea what country their child was taken to; and,

5. Chasing Parents are responsible to carry the enormous financial burden associated with their child’s recovery. Many simply do not have the substantial resources needed; and,

6. Many Chasing Parents do not have the knowledge necessary to navigate the difficult and complex legal system of international law, nor do they often know who to turn to and what to do; and,

7. Nationalistic prejudices of court systems located in the ‘inbound’ country, whereas, a court may try to protect the abducting parent if that parent is a citizen of the country where they abducted the child to; and,

8. Cultural differences; and,

9. A Chasing Parent’s fear to attempt to recover their child due to threats from the abducting parent or individuals associated with the abducting parent; and,

10. Lack of cooperation from law enforcement; and,

11. Limited power of the Office of Children’s Issues to intervene on behalf of a U.S. citizen.

REASONS WHY ONE PARENT CRIMINALLY ABDUCTS A CHILD

Studies have demonstrated that an unprecedented number of abductions have occurred where one parent took unilateral action to deprive the other parent of contact with their child. The majority of abducting parents will typically use the child as a tool to cause the targeted parent great pain and suffering. Their intent is simple: to make the other parent suffer as much as possible by depriving that targeted parent with the love and connection to their own child. Nearly every published study on this subject has concluded that an abducting parent has significant, and typically, long-term psychological problems and may in fact be a danger to their child.

We take the time to acknowledge that in certain cases of parental child abduction, a parent claims to have no other choice but to flee the other parent due to serious, grave, and ongoing forms of abuse. We acknowledge that in many abduction defenses found under Article 13 of The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an abducting parent will often claim mental, emotional, and physical abuse by the other parent as part of their defense to sanction their criminal behavior of abduction. However, we must also acknowledge that domestic violence is a very real, measurable, and in many cases, an ongoing crime that has limited law enforcement safety controls. We acknowledge that there are parents who must flee for their and their child’s safety due to failures by law enforcement and courts to protect their safety, combined with a habitual abuser who aims to cause grave hurt to the targeted parent.

In addition, and understandably, family abductions occur at a higher rate during times of heightened stress such as separation or divorce and often involve custody issues and visitation problems. The sad fact is that a large number of marriages, estimated to be between 40% and 50%, in the U.S. end in divorce.

One of the many considerations that factor into the increase in total abductions indicates that economic difficulties in the United States and elsewhere are a measurable factor in the number of increases in separations and divorces. This added stress can lead to a parental cross-border abduction, particularly since we live in a global society, and the number of international relationships has increased dramatically.

While all children can be potential targets of a family abduction, the likelihood increases when that child has a parent with ties to a foreign country. According to the Juvenile and Family Court Journal Vol. 48, No. 2 titled Jurisdiction In Child Custody and Abduction Cases, “Parents who are citizens of another country (or who have dual citizenship with the U.S.) and also have strong ties to their extended family in their country of origin have long been recognized as abduction risks.” This increase in cultural diversity within the U.S. population has created challenges for our existing laws. Many U.S. born children-citizens fall victim to parental abduction when a parents’ union ends.

Across the U.S., states are struggling to address their archaic and outdated laws, and establish additional precautions to better protect their child-citizen population. Unquestionably, it is critical that child abduction prevention laws are passed in each state and upheld by the judiciary and law enforcement. Failure to do so will likely lead to the looming disaster that is already upon us.

Peter Thomas Senese stated, “As a nation, the United States must fight back this sweeping plague by passing child abduction prevention laws and by increasing our judiciary’s level of competency in overseeing and enforcing laws associated with these complex cases of potential or actual international parental child abductions. Critical to judges and lawmakers’ ability to protect our children is the need for immediate research on this subject. The present available information is archaic, and more than likely inaccurate particularly due to the inability to measure 'unreported' cases. The community of child abduction prevention advocates has pointed this out for some time now. What we also need is for the creation and enforcement of well thought out and researched laws along with the upholding of the intent, spirit, and law of the international treaties such as The Hague Convention so we can protect our children and put an end to the spread of this malignant pandemic that has reached our shores.

Florida state representative Darryl Rouson is the lawmaker who championed and sponsored Florida’s landmark Child Abduction Prevention Act (HB 787). The bill was unanimously approved in the Senate and House of Representatives and signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist. Florida's new preventative legislation will take effect on January 1, 2011. Representative Rouson commented, “It is critical for each state to implement laws that will protect the rights of our children-citizens who may face parental child abduction. The misconception that when one parent steals a child from the other parent, that the child is safe, is undeniably inaccurate. It is through prevention laws such as Florida’s Child Abduction Prevention Act that we will be able to prevent this serious crime against our nation’s children from occurring.”

Carolyn Ann Vlk, the child abduction prevention advocate, commented, "Early on in my research on this critical issue I recognized the urgent need for preventative legislation. Thankfully, Florida's legislative body wholeheartedly agreed as evidenced by the unanimous votes. I am thrilled for the added measure of safety this new law will have in protecting the children of my great state. However, I will not be satisfied until all states have child abduction prevention legislation enacted."

IMMIGRATION MIGRATION AND ITS AFFECT ON CHILD ABDUCTION CASES

A report compiled by the renowned Washington based Pew Hispanic Center reports that most immigrant groups are comprised of young families. The likelihood that a child will be born while the parents are present in the U.S. is high. Prior to 2007, data collected on parents of children under 18 only identified one parent, and a second parent could only be identified if they were married to the first parent. Currently, a second parent identifier is considered whether or not the parents are married to each other. The new data more accurately reflects the number of children living in the U.S. with at least one foreign born parent.

In 2008 that meant that 22% of all children in the United States had at least one foreign-born parent. In fact, consider the following statistics compiled by the Center for Immigration Studies in its March 2007 analysis. Immigrants and their U.S. born children under age 18, as a share of population: California - 37.9%, Los Angles County - 50%, New York State - 27.9%, New York City - 46.7% and Florida - 27.9%.

It must be noted that although 31.3% of all immigrants originate from Mexico, other countries have significant entry numbers as well. Included in the March 2007 Current Population Survey (CPS) were statistics indicating that 17.6% of all immigrants were from East/Southeast Asia, 12.5% from Europe, 5.5% from South Asia, 3.5% from the Middle East, and Canada at 1.9%.

Traditionally, states such as California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois and Arizona have had large numbers of immigrants in their population. What is surprising is the trends in migration toward new centers of immigrant growth. The CPS prepared an analysis of states with statistically significant growth in immigrant population between 2000 and 2007. Most notably, Wyoming, which experienced a percentage increase of 180%, Tennessee at 160%, Georgia at 152.1%, and Alabama at 143.6%. The impact of unprecedented increases in immigrant migration is likely to create multiple challenges as states struggle to keep pace with their newest segment of population and their children.

“As a nation of immigrants, it is important to note that as our nation’s population increases due to immigrant migration, so too does the likelihood of increased cross-border child abduction,” Peter Thomas Senese added.

Additionally, it has been well established that illegal aliens do not respond to surveys such as the US Census or the CPS. Because the U.S. government does not have accurate records of arrival and departures for individuals present illegally in the country, their numbers must be estimated, as there is no hard data to draw from. However, indirect means for establishing these figures are used, and they must be viewed with a considerable amount of uncertainty. In 2007 CPS, it was estimated that of the approximately 37.9 million immigrants present in the U.S., nearly 1 in 3 immigrants were present illegally.

It is important to note this segment of our population when discussing child abduction because when a child is born in the U.S. that child automatically is a U.S. citizen. While the available data gives us fairly accurate figures regarding the number of children born in the U.S. as well as those immigrants who are present legally, a number is impossible to compile accurately in relation to the unauthorized resident population.

In regards to children born to illegal immigrants, in the five-year period from 2003 to 2008, that number rose from 2.7 million to 4 million. The report published by the Pew Hispanic Centers reported that nationally the children of illegal immigrants now comprise 1 in 15 elementary and secondary students in the U.S. Additionally, in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Texas more than 1 in every 10 students in those states are the children of illegal immigrants.

Carolyn Ann Vlk, the writer of Florida’s Child Abduction Prevention Act stated, “The ability of state governments to prevent the abduction of children by family members could be drastically improved by comprehensive legislation. While aiming to protect all children, special consideration must be given to those children who may be at increased risk simply by virtue of their parentage. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the resident population of the U.S. projected up to April 22, 2010 estimated that one international migrant enters the U.S. every 36 seconds. International travel has become commonplace and as more cross-cultural relationships develop children are born. A number of these relationships will end and may result in an increased risk of international abduction of the child. Attempting to retrieve a child who has been abducted and possibly hidden internationally is a near impossibility as a multitude of problems surface in cases such as these. Unfortunately, studies have proved 4 of 5 Americans drastically underestimate the threat of a family abduction. Statistically, it is a sobering thought when you become aware of the vast numbers of children that are criminally abducted each year. Preventative laws are a necessity as an immediate remedy to this unconscionable crime.”

DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S OFFICE OF CHILDRENS ISSUES

The Office of Children's Issues has worked diligently to educate at-risk parents of abduction via an assortment of outreach programs. The leadership at OCI has placed a particular emphasis on abduction prevention, which in turn has demonstrated remarkable and measurable results including two consecutive years of significant abduction rate declines.

The Department of State was established to assist parents whose children have been unlawfully removed from the country. The OCI assists the remaining parent and strives to protect those children who have been victimized in these types of cases. Considering thousands of child custody cases are fought across national borders each year, the assistance of the OCI can be invaluable.

Litigating custody, especially across international borders where conflicting orders may exist can be difficult if not impossible. The OCI aims to assist in these cases by enhancing an understanding of the many complex laws, both domestic and international that may be applicable to a particular case.

However, OCI has significant limitations, including the fact that they cannot represent your abducted child in a foreign court. OCI does provide a list of lawyers in foreign countries who at times have worked pro bono on abduction cases. However, there are no obligations by any of these lawyers to take a case, and it is up to each Chasing Parent to work out all arrangements. The reality is that ‘pro bono’ sounds like a nice idea, but it is an unrealistic expectation.

Immediate suggestions that could allow the dedicated staff at OCI to be more helpful include the following:

1. Creating and distributing useful, concise information for chasing parents, law enforcement, and court personnel regarding all areas of IPCA. The use of digital media combined and supported by printed content is critical.

2. The development of an independent website outside of the Department of State’s website. This website must be easy to navigate, include audio and digital feeds, and must be accessible to individuals in various languages.

3. OCI must actively support advocates and lawmakers who are seeking to pass child abduction prevention laws. Support by OCI in this area can increase the visibility of the issues of child abduction while also increasing lawmaker and judiciary awareness.

4. Dissemination of information on the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program.

5. Dissemination of information on the ‘Prevent Departure Program’, and dedicated resources established to assist lawyers and Chasing Parents seeking assistance under this program.

6. Increases in outreach toward documented and un-documented aliens about OCI, and the rights of their U.S. child-citizen.

7. Increase in personnel to support the tremendous workload of the OCI staff.

About the Authors:

Peter Thomas Senese is the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation, a highly respected child abduction prevention advocate and a successful chasing parent in accordance to the rules of international parental child abduction law established under the Hague Convention. Under Peter’s leadership, the I CARE Foundation has assisted reunite many children who have been internationally kidnapped with their left-behind parents while also working tirelessly to prevent the abduction of an exponentially larger number of children. Peter advocated for the passage of the State of Florida’s ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ (CAPA), heavily contributed to raising public awareness of the previously widely underutilized federal child abduction prevention program; specifically, the ‘Prevent Departure Program’ (PDP) that is now more commonly implemented in aiding targeted parents and their child from abduction in certain case scenarios, worked diligently to have ‘Senate Resolution 543 – the International Parental Child Abduction Resolution’ unanimously passed calling for a complete revamping of how the United States government handles abduction. In addition, Peter has spoken as an expert witness before numerous government bodies, including hosting a forum on international parental child abduction at the United Nations at the request of the U.S. Department of State in his capacity as the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation. Peter is the creator/writer/producer of the educational documentary film series ‘Chasing Parents: Racing Into The Storms Of International Parental Child Abduction’, a best-selling author whose upcoming world-wide book release focusing on international parental child abduction and titled ‘Chasing The Cyclone’ has been critically acclaimed as a call-to-arms against child abduction. Peter is the writer of an extensive number of influential articles and essays pertaining to IPCA. He has created and oversees a comprehensive website dedicated to child abduction prevention and good parenting (www.chasingthecyclone.com) where numerous essays and may be found, including the eye-opening report ‘International Parental Child Abduction And Human Trafficking In The Western Hemisphere’ Peter co-authored with Ms. Carolyn Vlk. Dedicated to bringing about new child abduction prevention laws while creating dialogue that may reform certain government programs and protocols so that they may better serve targeted children and their parents, Peter Senese is a strong supporter of The Hague Convention and The Department of State’s Office Of Children’s Issues.

Carolyn Ann Vlk is a renown child abduction prevention advocate and a Founding Board of Director Member of the I CARE Foundation as well as a member of the Special Advisory Board of the Amber Watch Foundation. Carolyn drafted the landmark State of Florida’s ‘Child Abduction Prevention Act’ that will be enacted on January 1st, 2011. Ms. Vlk was highly influential in raising the public’s awareness on the little-known, highly effective child abduction prevention federal program titled the ‘Prevent Departure Program’ and worked diligently to have ‘Senate Resolution 543 – the International Parental Child Abduction Resolution’ Carolyn is also a writer/producer of the highly educational documentary film series titled ‘Chasing Parents: Racing Into The Storms Of International Parental Child Abduction’, and, is the author of numerous essays and studies on parental child abduction, including the groundbreaking report titled ‘International Parental Child Abduction And Human Trafficking In The Western Hemisphere’ (2010). Carolyn is dedicated to assisting parents and their children who are targets of international child abduction, and is committed to bringing about positive reform and change in law and government protocol that has been established to aid at-risk children. Ms. Vlk is a supporter of The Hague Convention, The Department of State’s Office Of Children’s Issues, and the Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act (UCAPA). Carolyn is a loving and dedicated mother to her children, and fought rigorously to protect her own child who was a target for potential abduction that she went so far as to draft legislation that has now become new law in her home state of Florida.

What Happens When Political Extremist and Religious Zealots Kidnap Children

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:15:00 +0000

There is a significant and growing side of international parental child abduction that makes me shudder at the very notion of kidnapping I am too familiar with: the alarming act of cross-border parental child kidnappings committed by political extremist and religious zealots.

It has taken a while for society to grasp the notion that when one parent illegally removes a child from the child's country of habitual residency, this is a cruel criminal act of kidnapping. And the abducted child is not simply with one of their parents, but instead, is a hostage held by an abductor who generally does not have the child's best interest in mind.

Tragically, and most alarming is the reality that children of abduction are being put into extrarordinarily dangerous situations.

Previously, I have shared the reality that felicide - child murder by a parent - along with suicide amongst child abduction victims is a real issue.

So where does the use of a child come into play amongst political exremeist, social revolutionaries, and religious zealots?

What I am about to share should not be classified as a rare occurance. They are not.

Let this image sit with you for a moment: a young girl is internationally kidnapped by one of her parents: a parent who possesses extreme religious beliefs that all things born from the West are evil, including his daughter. In that parent's religious zealot fever, he thinks that the only way to have penance is to do the unthinkable. Meanwhile, the young girl's mother, frantic at knowing the truth of the monster who took their child, along with knowledge of his intent, seeks any way to rescue a child now taken to a world where women have no rights, and foreign women have even less.

But here is an innocent child now delegated to becoming a sacrafice.

Welcome to the unforgiveable world of international parental child abduction.

Now imagine a young boy abducted to the nation, if you can call it that, in the midst of a bloody civil war in impoverished Africa. The child was taken by his mother, who left him behind, as a bargaining chip in the conflict between two of that nation's leading militant tribes. As bombs exploded and casualties rose, the child is taught to think that his left-behind parent not only did not love him and that he was an evil man; while the brainwashing ordeal unfolded, war's bloodshed continued to fall. And for the father who searched, he knew that returning back to the country his child was held hostage could lead to his immediate death, and further harm to his family that remained in his country of origin.

So here is another innocent child delegated to becoming a pawn in a nation's civil war.

Welcome to the brutal world of international parental child abduction.

A young child just learning how to ride a bicycle is snatched from a Norman Rockwellesque mid-
America town and taken to a nation of zealot fundementalist revolutionaries who preach intolerance for the West. The child is taught to hate the peaceful world he was taken from. Gone is the loving, peaceful, and gentle world he was born and raised in. In its place is a world filled with daily bombings and gunfights, violent protests that lead to deadly stampedes, and an unforgiveable God (the God the kidnapper teaches his child is not a loving God, nor does it represent the kind God taught in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths). As this child lives an inprisoned life terrified by everything around him, his left behind parent knows that entering the world of the brutal abductor in order to find her child if caught means entering a world so brutal, that your imagination's notion of brutal punishment and torture, simply could not conjure the realities that would await her if caught.

Sadly, another defenseless child inprisoned into the worst of nightmares. Except it is his reality.

Welcome to the world where the God worshipped is a God filled with hatred.

And do not think that a child is not at risk of death. They are.

Perhaps this reality is the one singular thing that drives all child abduction prevention advocates the most: the hope to prevent the death of a child either at the hands of their parent abductor, or at their own hands later in life due to the brutal psychological trauma they endured during the time of their abduction. I know my own activism in this arena is greatly due to my desire to help protect children from all forms of harm.

As you can see, the common denominator in the scenarios I presented above is that the child was used as a pawn to advance the abductor's own agenda.

This is something that occurs in every international parental child abduction case.

For the taken child, they are indeed brought into a harsh world that emotionally and spiritually resembles the lonely, wind swept barrier prison known as Alcatraz. Short-term and long-term trauma is real. So too are the challenges the majority of children face going forward.

One of the things that appears to not have been spoken about in the dialogue concerning international parental child abduction is the general view by the abducting parent that life in the country of the child's habiutal residency is one that they often dislike, or in some cases, despise.

In these types of situations, the abductor's (who is nearly always a foreign born national living in another country) resentment toward most things in the country they are residing in prior to the act of kidnapping grows significantly.

Eventually, some of these parents sermonize their view to the child: preaching - and brainwashing - their views to a child is a necessity for all abductors since they need to justify the act of kidnapping to the child under the guise of 'liberation'.

And extreme cases of 'liberators' does exist, creating a potentially greater danger to society than what anyone is talking about.

The question needs to be asked: What are the long-term social risks if a zealot abductor kidnaps a child born in the West, removes that child to a nation of political and religious extremism which the abductor is an active part of, and who evangelizes the messages of hatred and intolerance toward the child's country of previous habitual residency to the point that the child buys into the parent abductor's surmons as 'liberator' that is preached in order to justify the international abduction?

Well, we have a potentially serious problem on our hands.

Make no mistake, all forms of international parental child abduction are severe forms of child abuse. Under no circumstance should child abduction be tolerated. Fortunately, this notion is beginning to take hold by society due to the stewardship of the realities of abduction by concerned parents and advocates alike.

In fact, by raising awareness of international parental child abduction the cross-border kidnapping rate has declined in the United States by 15% per year for two years in a row, after nearly thirty years of steady growth.

So our voices are making a difference in the United States. And unquestionably, the United States Department of States' Office of Childrens Issues has to be given a great deal of credit in their outreach efforts attempting to increase the threat of abduction amongst targeted parents.

Nevertheless, our children remain at great risk. For example, imagine being a mother who living in the United States trying to prevent your daughters from being abducted to Saudi Arabia - a nation where women have essentially no rights. Or a father trying to find your child is Japan or South Korea - nations known to not return abducted children. The realities and hard-truths are disheartening: between the reported and unreported cases on international parental child abduction, it is estimated that only 10% of all kidnapped children ever come home.

In ending this article I would like to share this message: as the summer approaches, now is the time thatwarning signs of abduction are so important. Parents involved in multi-cultural relationships are particularly at risk of abduction. The last thing any parent wants to do is find themselves Chasing The Cyclone of abduction. The best defense against abduction is to educate yourself.
would-be abductors are planning their scheme to illegally snatch their child. Raising awareness of the risk factors and knowing the

One final note: as the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation, I am pleased to share with you that the children I mentioned above in the examples I provided are all now at safely home. Since inception, the I CARE Foundation has assisted a large and growing number of children and their families at risk of abduction. Our work continues.

Click here to read more about The I CARE Foundation.
Click here to read more about Chasing The Cyclone.
Click here to visit the official website of Peter Thomas Senese.

World Autism Awareness Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:40:00 +0000

WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY!

Please show your support and wear BLUE today... World Autism Awareness Day!

I will be wearing BLUE, Lighting It Up Blue, and cheering on all those, including my wonderful friend Jennifer Husson-Cluff, who is participating in an awareness walk later today.

I must say, I have been blessed to have my eyes opened by my dear friend Jen about the issues children and families who are on the spectrum face, but more so, I have been so fortunate to have her son Connor - my little buddy - come into my life. Connor is my Super Hero!

And my family has been so extraordinarily blessed to have Anthony in our lives. He teaches us the value of being gentle - and we are so fortuante for that and him.

Today, please take a moment or two to understand the challenges of autism and show your support for all those who see the world differently. You know . . . greatness and mankind's life's enhancements come from those who see the world differently.

To learn more about autism and being on the spectrum please visit Jen's top rated parenting website www.mom-ology.ca.

Best wishes to all,

Peter Thomas Senese

Cloning Christ: Peter Thomas Senese Best-selling Theological Thriller

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 19:49:00 +0000

A Journey Into Hell - Only To Confirm Heaven's Existence

I remember the day the way a person remembers their deepest secret: Friday, December 7th, 2001.

I had been continuing my work documenting the hoped-for rescue and ongoing recovery efforts taking place at the World Financial Center due to the terrorist attacks on freedom that occurred nearly three months early on that perfect blue-skied morning of September 11th, 2001.

Three months had gone after the attack, and though the 'pit' - Ground Zero was draped in thick layers of floating carbon and ash that ascended past the clouds, the weather had not interfered with the indefatigable first-responders and steel worker efforts that were taking place.

Then December 7th showed up, and with it hail ice balls as big as golf balls that pounded on your body while you tried to balance your feet in the grey sludge of broken-down carbon that could have been just about anything. My mind still shudders at this thought.

It was in the early evening while I was in the middle of the pit that something happened to me that till this day still remains deeply personal. Perhaps one day I will share it, but for now, I will keep it to myself.

Needless to say, what occurred was very difficult for my sensors - my sight, my smell, my taste, my taste - I wish I never experienced what I did.

Literally and figuratively in shock, two friends I was with were smart enough to take me to Trinity Church - one of the oldest and grandest cathedrals in New York - that sits atop the slopping hill of Wall Street.

It was there, and upon entering the church and seeing the symbolic cross of Jesus of Nazareth that I began to rage within. My anger caused me to begin screaming at the crucifix that if God existed, he would not have allowed for the September 11th, 2001 attacks - when I lost 72 friends - to have occurred.

My words were harsh. They were not simply doubting God's existence, how the whole thing - faith - was just one big horrific joke played on humanity.

In the middle of my rage, I remember shouting (with lots of vulgarity) that I simply wanted to go home - and that I no longer wanted to play the role requested on me to record for prosperity the events that were taking place.

In the middle of my rage - I remember feeling something very surreal cloak me.

Now I must say, I was not looking to begin a journey on the road to Damascus. Far from it.

But perhaps in His own way, He had other plans for me.

Moving forward nearly 10 hours, and near 7:00 a.m. that morning, I remember leaving Trinity Church. Yes - I was inside Trinity all night.

What was I doing?

Seated in the second row inside Trinity, I was writing the story that God does exist in each of us - and that our God - is much bigger than one religion.

Whatever you may want to think covered me in the midst of my rage - causing my anger to immediately stop and have my heart open - I know it was God's touch coupled with my belief in each of us.

So I share with you today where and why I wrote CLONING CHRIST. It is a multi-layered theological thriller I am very proud to share with each of you. And in the spirit of the God I worship, please know that 100% of all e-book purchases are donated to the I CARE Foundation in order to assist children at risk.

However you and your family are celebrating this Holy Week, I wish to each of you God's Blessings.

-Peter Thomas Senese -

Click Here to purchase a copy of Cloning Christ on Amazon.

Click Here to purchase a copy of Cloning Christ on BN

*SPECIAL OFFER* Click here to purchase a leather bound collectors edition of Cloning Christ
($25.95 includes shipping).

Pope Frances Named New Pope of Catholic Church. Argentina's Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio Offers New Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:21:00 +0000

Pope Francis Named 266th Pontiff

Just moments ago, Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina, a Jesuit, was named Pope Francis of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

It took less than two days for the 115 Princes of the Church to elect the new Pope, who will now be known as Pope Frances. The Pope is the son of an Italian railway worker who previously was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Considered a progressive thinker of with a progressive outlook, Pope Francis offers a new day of hope for the christian world.

As a proud practicing Catholic, I pray that Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff, may lead our church toward a more transparent, open, connected, and loving church in Christ's name.

It was exactly at 8:10 pm Rome time that the white smoke ascended from St. Peter's Basilica, letting the world and its 1.2 billion practicing Catholics know that a descendant of Peter has been names.

Jean Loui Cardinal Tauran first stepped outside the Vatican window overlooking St. Peter's Square, announcing to the world that a new pope has ascended.

Cardinal Francis became Pope Francis the moment he accepted the election results and selected the name Francis.

He was then led to the Room of Tears where he was fitted with the appropriate vestments and given time to pray privately about the awesome responsibility of leading the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

Pope XXX then returned to the Sistine Chapel where the other 114 cardinals each individually pledge their allegiance to him. After that, the cardinal deacon - Jean Louis Cardinal Tauran - stepped out onto the balcony first to announce "Habemus Papem!" -- We have a pope!

The 115 cardinals took five votes over two days to reach their decision, which required a two-thirds majority and came after a week of intense meetings. The cardinal conclave came on the heels of the surprising resignation of Pope Benedict XVI last month.

Pope Francis replaces Benedict XVI, whose surprise resignation last month prompted the cardinals to initiate a conclave, a Latin phrase meaning "with a key," to pick a new leader for the world's almost 2 billion Catholics.

For more information on His Holy Father, Pope Francis, please read below.

Pope Francis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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His Eminence Jorge Mario Bergoglio SJ
Cardinal-Archbishop of Buenos Aires

See	Buenos Aires
Appointed	3 June 1997 (Coadjutor)
Papacy began	28 February 1998
Predecessor	Antonio Quarracino
Other posts	Cardinal-Priest of S. Roberto Bellarmino Bishop of the Ordinariate for the Faithful of the Eastern Rites in Argentina
Orders
Ordination	13 December 1969 by Ramón José Castellano
Consecration	27 June 1992 by Antonio Quarracino
Created Cardinal	21 February 2001
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Birth name	Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Born	(1936-12-17) 17 December 1936 (age 76) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nationality	Argentinian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires (1992 - 1997) Titular Bishop of Auca (1992 - 1997)
Coat of arms

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ (born December 17, 1936) is an Argentine cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He has served as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires since 1998. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 2001.

[hide]

[edit] Early life

Jorge Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, one of the five children of an Italian railway worker and his wife. After studying at the seminary in Villa Devoto, he entered the Society of Jesus on March 11, 1958. Bergoglio obtained a licentiate in philosophy from the Colegio Máximo San José in San Miguel, and then taught literature and psychology at the Colegio de la Inmaculada in Santa Fe, and the Colegio del Salvador in Buenos Aires. He was ordained to the priesthood on December 13, 1969, by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. He attended the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel, a seminary in San Miguel. Bergoglio attained the position of novice master there and became professor of theology.
Impressed with his leadership skills, the Society of Jesus promoted Bergoglio and he served as provincial for Argentina from 1973 to 1979. He was transferred in 1980 to become the rector of the seminray in San Miguel where had had studied. He served in that capacity until 1986. He completed his doctoral dissertation in Germany and returned to his homeland to serve as confessor and spiritual director in Córdoba.

Styles of Jorge Mario Bergoglio

Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	Buenos Aires

Bergoglio succeeded Cardinal Quarracino on February 28, 1998. He was concurrently named ordinary for Eastern Catholics in Argentina, who lacked their own prelate. Pope John Paul II summoned the newly named archbishop to the consistory of February 21, 2001 in Vatican City and elevated Bergoglio with the papal honors of a cardinal. He was named to the Cardinal-Priest of Saint Robert Bellarmino.

[edit] Cardinal

Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio greets President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, December, 2007.

As cardinal, Bergoglio was appointed to several administrative positions in the Roman Curia. He served on the Congregation of Clergy, Congregation of Divine Worship and Sacraments, Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Congregation of Societies of Apostolic Life. Bergoglio became a member of the Commission on Latin American and the Family Council.
As Cardinal, Bergoglio became known for personal humility, doctrinal conservatism and a commitment to social justice. A simple lifestyle has contributed to his reputation for humility. He lives in a small apartment, rather than in the palatial bishop's residence. He gave up his chauffeured limousine in favor of public transportation, and he reportedly cooks his own meals.
Upon the death of Pope John Paul II, Bergoglio, considered papabile himself, participated in the 2005 papal conclave as a cardinal elector, the conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. A widespread theory says that he was in a tight fight with Ratzinger until he himself adviced crying not to be voted.^[1] Earlier, he had participated in the funeral of Pope John Paul II and acted as a regent alongside the College of Cardinals, governing the Holy See and the Roman Catholic Church during the interregnum sede vacante period. Cardinal Bergoglio remains eligible to participate in conclaves that begin before his 80th birthday on December 17, 2016.
During the 2005 Synod of Bishops, he was elected a member of the Post-Synodal council. Catholic journalist John L. Allen, Jr. reported that Bergoglio was a frontrunner in the 2005 Conclave. An unauthorized diary of uncertain authenticity released in September 2005^[2] confirmed that Bergogolio was the runner-up and main challenger of Cardinal Ratzinger at that conclave. The purported diary of the anonymous cardinal claimed Bergoglio received 40 votes in the third ballot, but fell back to 26 at the fourth and decisive ballot.
On November 8, 2005, Bergoglio was elected President of the Argentine Episcopal Conference for a three-year term (2005–2008) by a large majority of the Argentine bishops, which according to reports confirms his local leadership and the international prestige earned by his alleged performance in the conclave. He was reelected on November 11, 2008.

[edit] Views

[edit] Liberation theology

Bergoglio is an accomplished theologian who distanced himself from liberation theology early in his career. He is thought to be close to Comunione e Liberazione, a conservative lay movement.

[edit] Abortion and euthanasia

Cardinal Bergoglio has invited his clergy and laity to oppose both abortion and euthanasia.^[3]

[edit] Homosexuality

He has affirmed church teaching on homosexuality, though he teaches the importance of respecting individuals who are gay. He strongly opposed legislation introduced in 2010 by the Argentine Government to allow same-sex marriage. In a letter to the monasteries of Buenos Aires, he wrote: "Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God. We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God." He has also insisted that adoption by gays and lesbians is a form of discrimination against children. This position received a rebuke from Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who said the church's tone was reminiscent of "medieval times and the Inquisition".^[4]

[edit] Church and AIDS

Main article: Roman Catholic Church and AIDS

His doctrinal orthodoxy emphasizes Christ's mandate to love: he is well remembered for his 2001 visit to a hospice, in which he washed and kissed the feet of twelve AIDS patients.

[edit] Social justice

He consistently preaches a message of compassion towards the poor, but some^who? observers would like him to place a greater emphasis on issues of social justice. Rather than articulating positions on matters of political economy, Bergoglio prefers to emphasize spirituality and holiness, believing that this will naturally lead to greater concern for the suffering of the poor. He has, however, voiced support for social programs, and publicly challenged free-market policies.

[edit] Relations with the Argentine government

Eliasabeth Hirsh - Hero To Children. How A Best-selling Author Is Changing The World

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:29:00 +0000

Today’s Hero –the remarkable, inspiring author and advocate Elisabeth Hirsh

Okay, I am a true fan of my friend Elisabeth Hirsch for she represents all the good things I believe in: a tremendous parent, incredible storyteller, active advocate, and philanthropist who has used her voice to help enrich the human condition while assisting others who might have lost their sight of life’s magic.

Elisabeth inspires me. And though she may not have realized the magnitude of the words I am now sharing, Elisabeth put a unique fire in me a year ago to fight for children in crisis: that fire leading to the accomplishments of the I CARE Foundation, and the organizations various accomplishments protecting children around the world from abduction.

For those of you who do not know Elisabeth Hirsch, she is best-selling writer who has written a collection of diverse, enjoyable, empowering, and entertaining books under the pen name E.C. Stilson. When she is not writing, raising money for such notable organizations such as Angel Watch, Primary Children’s Hospital, Pregnancy Resources, or the American Diabetes Association, Elisabeth is speaking for and playing a key role in the healing process for families in crisis who have experienced the loss of an infant or young child.

Remarkably, Elisabeth used the hardships that she and her family faced during one extremely challenging period in their life when she lost her young son, Zeke, and acts so others will benefit from her experience.

And as explored in this interview, Elisabeth’s willingness and desire to help others means that she must go back to those incredible storms whenever she comes to help other families in crisis. As a parent who had to search the world over for an abducted child, and as a person who, after finding and safely bringing my child home and becoming a highly visible advocate and activist against abduction and trafficking, I know all too well the challenges of advocacy Elisabeth faces because whenever she comes to the aid of those who may be experiencing infant loss, the fiber of her memories are part of her.

Fortunately, Elisabeth Hirsch has such tremendous strength – a strength she has found because of her strong faith in God, her strong relationship and partnership with her husband, the love of her family, and her courage to find her voice.

It is quite remarkable just how much a person can do when they find their voice. Clearly, Elisabeth Hirsch lives in Uhuru, and somehow, I think Noble Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai is looking down from heaven at Elisabeth with a big smile on her face, knowing that this indefatigable women lives unbowed in her morals, ethics, humility, and kindness – and it all of this – Elisabeth Hirsch makes the world a much, much better place.

Raising four beautiful children with her husband Cade, why running her publishing company Wayman Publishing, Elisabeth came to the aid of the I CARE Foundation this past year and stewarded the message of international parental child abduction prevention. Elisabeth’s help was incredible, as is exemplified by the fact that after nearly 30 years of consistent rocketing growth in the U.S. international parental child abduction rate, the reported rate of abductions dropped by 23% over the past two years – the same period when the I CARE Foundation launched a global abduction awareness and prevention campaign that utilized the tremendous reach of parenting writers such as Elisabeth Hirsh.

Elisabeth Hirsch is a hero to so many, including her family, her friends, and all those she has directly helped; however, Elisa’s work, her spirit, and her willingness to help others in need – and the impact she has made, represents all that mankind aspires to be. She is what ‘Today’s Heroes’ symbolizes – and represents the best in all of us.

It is my privilege to share this interview with my friend and hero, Elisabeth Hirsch.

1. You have written several best sellers under the name E.C. Stilson, including notable titles such as one of the most important books I have ever read, The Golden Sky. Can you share with us a little about this story, and what your purpose was in writing it?

I was nineteen years old, already a pregnant mother and lonely wife, when I found out the child I carried had serious birth defects. I wrote everything down, detailing how my baby died and my marriage fell apart, but through it all I found hope, redemption, and even forgiveness in the most unlikely of places.

A few years later, I reread my own words and found miracles that only hindsight could bring. So many amazing things had happened, showing me God was there, always with me, always guiding me.

I knew others going through hard times could read my story and see the miracles throughout their own trials. And understand that at the end of every storm, there is a golden sky.

2. Why did you choose the name E.C. Stilson to pen under?

My nieces and nephews called me "EC" because "Elisa" was hard to say. I always thought that was fun since my first name starts with an "E" and my husband's begins with a "C." Cade's helped me so much with my memoirs, I wanted the "EC" to represent both of us. "Stilson" is my maiden name, and I used it to honor my dad.

3. During World War II, women in the media such as Jacquelyn Saix (one of television’s first producers) and Mary Walsh Hemingway (one of the first women war correspondents) began to transform who, how, and what news was reported, and how this information was shared. Moving forward nearly 70 years, parenting blog writers are changing the landscape once again on how information is shared and utilized. Which makes the ‘The Crazy Life of a Writing Mom’ irresistible! Can you tell us about this blog and what value do you see in it?

Humor and laughter have more power than most realize. As parents, it's easy to get lost in the stressful circumstances; we forget how much fun life can be. My blog tries to bring that back, by telling silly stories about parenting, potty training, school bullies, etc. My hope is to help people see how any circumstance can be humorous, if looked at differently. A happy parent, who's involved with their children, will most likely raise happy kids.

4. How important of a role do parents who write and share their views and perspectives on the Internet play in directing or cultivating public perception or creating new trends?

Parenting blogs have grown substantially in the last few years. When googling terms, it's amazing how many times I'm directed to parenting blogs. My blog alone has been viewed over 360,000 times. The blogging community has a strong voice, the ability to be heard more easily by so many people--it's phenomenal. These writers' insights and knowledge are guiding others, making them feel less alone in our technologically evolving world.

5. Would you say a mobilized group of parent blog writes has the ability of creating a major impact on an issue or social cause, and if so, can you give a specific?

I think anyone with a strong voice has the opportunity to influence others by standing for what they believe in. Blogging has been a gift to those willing to speak out. With good blog titles and topics, writers now have the capability to be heard. I remember seeing this first-hand when I wrote about my son who died. I went to over 100 other blogs and asked them to join me in a 3-day event where we'd each share stories about our loved ones who have passed on. This event exploded and was everywhere within the following days. That single event jump-started my writing career.
You can see that promo post here:

http://ecwrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/only-50-more-days-until-golden-sky.html

6. It seems to me that it took a certain amount of courage when you found your voice. What would you tell others who struggle to find the courage to find their own voice, and what could they do to alleviate any fear they may have?

It's still hard for me to believe in myself and my voice. Even while being interviewed on the radio, or while talking at signings, I'm still nervous. But then I remember why I started in the first place. What was so important that this journey became worth the fight? That's when I think of my son. I wanted his story out there, something that he'd left behind so he could look down from Heaven and realize I will never forget him. His life was important--it had meaning. That strength keeps me going strong.
We all have stories to tell. The reason we initially started looking for our voices, is the same force that will inspire us to find our way.

7. You are a very humble lady, yet your writing and advocacy has helped so many others. Can you share with us one story of how one of your books helped another?

. . . where to begin. I've been so blessed, and many of the things that have happened to me seem a bit miraculous. The one story that sticks out happened in winter of 2011. I'd just started Wayman Publishing and published "The Golden Sky." It was an emotional time because Cade and I both thought about Zeke's short life. On November 18th, Zeke's birthday, we went to his grave and left "The Golden Sky" there. It was my final way of saying goodbye. I can't describe how that felt. It was very bittersweet. At the time I had a romantic notion that God and Zeke were guiding me. I'd somehow leave the book and then the right person would find it and read it.

Well, it happened! In December I received an amazing email. It started like this:

"Hi, I am sure you do not know me. You see Zeke's grave is right next to my sister's grave."
The email continued, telling me how she'd read my book and now hoped her sister was taking care of Zeke in Heaven! We're still in contact through Facebook. I'm so thankful that she read Zeke's book.

8. Losing a young child is a parent’s biggest fear, and it is something you have not only written about, but you have become a teacher, healer, and friend to so many others who have had to face this issue. What are a few important things that you teach others facing this crisis that can also carry over to others not facing this issue?

Keep Going
Some days it might seem simpler to stop facing our problems. But that's not the easy way out. Giving up and repressing feelings leads to worse problems later on--trust me, I know. Whether you want to be a warrior or a wimp, give yourself time to grieve (and deal with things) so you can eventually find the issue and thus the resolution.

Find the Issue--Find the Resolution
We all go through tough times and grieve in different ways. If we can discover what's truly upsetting us about any situation, then we can discover how to change things. For example, when Zeke died I had the hardest time thinking that he'd never grow up--I'd never get to see him become a man. Why? Was there something I could do to make things better? He'd died and the sadness lingered for years, just causing more pain and hurt. When I identified the problem's root, I realized I could release his book, in that way his memory would live on even if he could not. By Identifying this deep issue, I found a resolution. And it worked!

The loss still hurts sometimes, but I feel much better, as if I've done as much as I can to make a bad situation better somehow.

9. You have helped raise money for such organizations such as Angel Watch, The Pregnancy Resource Center, and Primary Children’s Hospital. Why?

All three of these places helped me and Zeke. The Pregnancy Resource Center encouraged me to continue with the pregnancy. Angel Watch sent counselors to our house. They helped us cope before and after Zeke was born. They also helped Cade and I mend our failing marriage. And Primary Children's, because that's the only home Zeke even knew.

10. When the I CARE Foundation sought your assistance by asking you to lend your voice and help steward the messages about the realities of international parental child abduction, you did not hesitate to do so. Why?

I believe in the I CARE Foundation. They fight for the well-being of children, for the solace and strength of parents who are facing terrible tragedies. I don't know what it's like to face child abduction, but I do know what it's like to lose a son. For these reasons and many more, the I CARE Foundation is close to my heart.

11. During the 2012 fiscal year, outgoing cases of international parental child abduction declined by 15% that originated from the United States because there was an increase in abduction prevention litigation. How important is it that other parent blog writers write about social issues that impact children?

Bloggers have more power than they know. If people would band together and write about this, our voices would be heard--and readers would take action. Think about "The Golden Sky"; if a single book--from a previously unknown other--can become a success from a single blogging launch, then imagine how an event like this could raise abduction prevention awareness!

12. Can you name three of your favorite books?

The Bible--because you can't get better than that.

"Gone With the Wind"--because Scarlett is so real, loathsome and likable--all at the same time.

"The Sum of All Men" in David Farland's Runelords series. He weaves social injustice into a fantasy story that I'll never forget. Imagine a world where people could sell their intellect, beauty, and physical strength. Now imagine that same world, where these attributes can be taken by kings, leaving peasants brainless, ugly and physically marred as long as the omnipotent king lives.

13. I just ordered ‘The Sword of Senack’ – a magical YA adventure story about three siblings trying to find one of their lost siblings. Where did this story originate from, and can you give us a little insight?

When Zeke died, my oldest daughter had a very hard time. She'd ask what death is, and why Zeke never came back. I answered the best I could, but when answers no longer helped, I started telling her an allegory. The story is about a brave boy who takes an underwater adventure. "He had to go," I told my daughter. "It was his destiny." And through that story, my daughter slowly came to terms with her brother's death. Few know of the story's deeper meaning, they just think it's a fun MG fantasy. But it's a special book to me, because it represents how my daughter found healing.

14. You’re a wife, a mother, a writer, a publisher, an activist, and an advocate. What do you do for fun that is . . . well, just for you?

I love hiking. I also enjoy playing my violin in the mountains. This doesn't happen often, but when it does I feel like all of my worries fade--even if only for a moment.

Don't tell my mom, but I'd also like to get into skydiving. I went once and now I can't stop dreaming about doing again--it was UNREAL!

15. The word ‘Uhuru’ means to live in freedom by being and living unbowed in your morals, ethics and principles. How important is it to live in freedom?

Without morals, ethics, principles and freedom of our minds, who are we? If we expect to take life by the reins and truly live, we MUST understand ourselves. That is true freedom, knowing ourselves and having the strength to be who we are. I'm still trying to learn this myself, but I feel as if writing my memoirs has helped me grow more than anticipated.
Living in freedom may be the single most important aspect of living, because being "free" entails so much.

16. As an accomplished writer who has created an impressive, diverse body of work, what three things would you tell inspiring writers?

Make a Goal and Stick to it!
Many writers don't go anywhere because they can't finish a book, or they won't commit to writing consistently. Even if it's just a few minutes a day, if someone wants to be a writer they must take the time to write. Writing needs to be taken seriously. Find time. I get up at 5am just so I can write. If I stop being consistent, my writing will suffer.

Don't Let Anyone Pull You Down
I could probably line a swimming pool with the rejection letters I've received. It's hard hearing criticism from publishers, editors and even friends. But you have to keep going. Yeah, I could swim in the hundreds of rejection letters I've gotten. You know what else I could do? I bet I could make a book using the wonderful letters I've received from people who've read my books and enjoyed them. I've met amazing people. I founded Wayman Publishing. I helped donate thousands of dollars to different organizations. None of that would have happened if I just gave up and swam in my own doubts. Now think of your writing--imagine what you could do!

Find Your Purpose and Hold onto it
Everyone is special. Everyone has something important to offer the world. Once you've found what inspires you to write, keep that close. Just like I wrote in question #6: The reason we initially started looking for our voices, is the same force that will inspire us to find our way.

17. When creating a story, how do you map out the direction you’re going?

Since most books are about 60,000 words long, and I write nearly 2,000 words per chapter, I start by creating 30 chapter titles. These must obey the arc of a good story, with the mid-point and climax carefully placed. I usually think of my resolution and then start my story in the complete opposite place. For example, if my story will end with a confident woman who is financially stable and happy, in the beginning she'll be poor and insecure. Every chapter must describe her growth through subplots etc.

18. What is next for E.C. Stilson?

I'm currently working on "Quest for Larin," the second book in the Mer-son Cycle.

19. What comes to mind from the phrase, ‘Global Citizen’?

I love this concept; it brings such a feeling of unity and hope. This really is a small world. With the way things are going, we're all so easily connected, unique citizens, all equal with the ability to help each other succeed.

20. Can you tell us something funny that happened to you during your life?

I've had so many hilarious things happen to me. But just this morning I talked with a friend about my husband. Cade's fine now, but recently, he was very ill. I had no idea he was actually that sick. I kept saying, "Honey, you need to get out of bed. You'll feel better"
"I can't move," he groaned.
Was he serious? Suddenly I had a flashback of myself being in labor. I breathed through each contraction. My mom and mother-in-law looked worried, praying for me. Then Cade started hyperventilating in the back of the room. Everyone gasped.
I was the one in labor! I didn't have a epidural, thinking I'd save my baby from any drugs. Yet Cade pulled out a damn paper bag, breathing into it, clutching the thing like it held the secrets of life. Then my mother-in-law and MY mother left me as another rolling contraction came. I breathed. Cade breathed. Apparently Cade breathes harder because everyone held his hands and wiped his sweaty forehead! Our families left soon after to get Cade a sandwich--my favorite kind. I couldn't eat, yet he ate the thing, taking big breathes in between each bite. The ketchup from the sandwich kept falling, splashing beautifully onto a napkin on Cade's lap, all during my intense contractions.
"I can't move," Cade groaned again, bringing me back to the present moment.
We went to the hospital. This time Cade rested in the hospital bed while I watched from the sidelines. "You have an infection in your lungs," the doctor said. He had such wild white hair, like Einstein. "Another day and you might have died," he told Cade.
It was my turn to start hyperventilating. I hadn't thought Cade was sick. I'd been so rude! I sat down and breathed hard, trying to ground myself. My mother and mother-in-law instantly ran over to make sure I was okay. They held my hands. They wiped my forehead. . . .
After the doctor left the room, I caught Cade's eyes. He kept staring, wondering why everyone was fawning over me when he was the one in pain.

(End Interview)

As I have gotten older and perhaps a bit more thoughtful, I have often thought about God’s will. In these thoughts, I have come to believe that God so much bigger than any one religion, but the message God shares with all who believe in the Divine’s existence crosses all faiths: be courageous in your life to be kind and compassionate to one another. In doing so, I think we allow the God each of us respectively believes in to come into our heart and guide our life.

When I think of the goodness of having God’s spirit exist on our earthly world, it is rather easy to see the Divine’s presence in the nature of mankind by simply paying attention to my remarkable friend, Elisabeth Hirsch for Elisa, as she is also referred to, is what is right about this world.

On one final note, my life has become enriched over this past year that Elisabeth and I have become friends. I not only have been open to the lessons she teaches by her action, but I have been empowered to share my voice.

Elisabeth Hirsch exemplifies what it is to be a Hero for she has made our world a better place for many.

Be inspired - I invite you to read about ElisabethHirsh and Elisa's publishing company, Wayman Publishing. Click here to purchase any of EC's publications on Amazon.

Your Voice Matters. The Influence Of Parent Blog Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 01:29:00 +0000

I have always been a believer in the capacity for a single voice to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Most always, when positive change takes place, it is due to the reality that someone found their voice.

I invite you to read this incredible, short, article titled 'Finding Your Voice' written by one of the world's most respected parent blog writers, Mom-ology's Jennifer Cluff.

Should you ever wonder just how important one person's voice can be - I urge you to read 'Find Your Voice' - it very well may be one of the most important articles you may ever read.

My kindest regards to all,

Peter Thomas Senese

A Remarkable Hero: Momology Parenting Writer Jennifer Husson Cluff

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 02:14:00 +0000

Jennifer Husson Cluff's Mom-ology Has Been Voted As One Of Canada's Top 5 Parenting Blogs

Over the past few years I have written a series of essays about real-life heroes - incredible individuals who act in kindness and compassion toward others and who inherently, by the nature of their spirits, enhance the lives of those around them. I am fortunate to call each a dear friend. These individuals have made me a better person. They have positively impacted the lives of so many others by direct act or through social activism. Nevertheless, they are what is right about our world.

Jennifer Husson Cluff
Voted One Of Canadas Top 5 Parenting Writers

Needless to say, I feel honored and blessed to have these remarkable heroes in my life for they have not only enriched my own life, but they have profoundly and measurably made our world a better place. It is my privilege to share with you, insight about my dear friend Jennifer Husson Cluff of Ontario, Canada who not only is an active defender and protector of children in crisis as well as children with special needs, but who also is one of the kindest, caring, and compassionate individuals I have ever had the privilege to call 'friend'. It is no wonder why Jennifer Husson Cluff has been awarded the honor of being called one of Canada's top parenting blog writers through her incredible work discussing everyday parenting issues on her Mom-ology website, but also issues revolving around autism and international child abduction and trafficking. From my perspective, Jennifer Husson Cluff is not only one of Canada's top parenting writers, but she is one of the world's most prolific parenting writers because through her writing and social media capability, Jen Husson Cluff has measurably helped save the lives of children in severe crisis.

Before I go any further, let me say this simple thing about heroes: they are ordinary people doing extraordinary things for others during time of need or crisis, and in their act, they seek nothing but to hold the knowledge that they acted in kindness toward another, including individuals they know as well as individuals they may never know. In a hero’s compassionate act, they make the world a better place. And unquestionably, Jennifer Husson Cluff has made the world a better place for others.

Social media has clearly altered the way the world shares information, including a shift away from what may be previously considered traditional media outlets to the more nano-moment overdrive that occurs via social media outlets such as blog sites, Twitter, Facebook, etc., etc. The paradigm of this is a massive world of what may be viewed as dormant voices erupted in the media. The volcano, if you will – the highly intelligent, insightful, connected voices known as parenting blog writers.

Speaking from first-hand experience in my capacity as the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation, I have seen just how influential parenting blog writers are, particularly when they mobilize on a specific issue or cause. Fortunately for many at-risk children and their parents who have been targeted for international parental child abduction, a large and growing number of parenting bloggers decided to share their powerful voices and write about abduction. In doing so, the number of reported cased in the United States declined by 15% during 2012. This was more than a remarkable event. It was a miracle partially created by some extraordinary parents – mostly mothers who parent, who write, who live, who think, who care, and who stood unbowed. Amongst this remarkable group, and defining all of the above, is Jennifer Husson Cluff.

Over the past year, the I CARE Foundation has worked with Jennifer. Whenever we asked for assistance in sharing messages that could possibly help families at risk, not only did she say ‘yes’ to our request, but asked ‘what else can I do to help?’

And help she did!

Jennifer Husson Cluff is my hero. She is what is right about this world. I value her friendship greatly, am inspired deeply by her belief in others, but more than anything, I value her incredible, insightful voice – a voice that always thinks of others while also being assertive, thoughtful, and at times, quite funny. And as a parent – there is not a day that goes by that I am not amazed by just how caring and attentive a parent Jennifer is to her son Connor, who I think is one of the most remarkable young boys I have ever had the privilege of getting to know – in fact, I am blessed that Connor, who sees the world in its purest form – has been willing to share with me from time-to-time his unique, innocent, trusting, and wise perspective about so many things.

The other day, I was discussing with my fellow I CARE Foundation board of director member, attorney Joel Walter the amazing fact that the number of international parental child abduction cases declined by 15%. His words? “The reason why that happened more than anything is because of remarkable women like Jen [Husson Cluff] who answered our plea to help steward the message about abduction. They [the parenting blog writers] played a dramatic role in what was accomplished.”

I couldn’t agree more with Joel’s statement.

In asking Jennifer a list of questions below, I think you will understand just how remarkable a person Jennifer Husson Cluff is. So with great pleasure, I share with you my interview with my hero, Jennifer Husson Cluff.

1. What is Mom-ology?

Mom-ology is a place where I share anything and everything mom-related… or in reality, parenting-related, as I do have some dad readers too. I originally started writing under another blog name and it was specifically about autism. As time went on, I started branching out into more general parenting topics, which allowed Mom-ology to be born. It allowed me to expand what I wanted to write about. It’s a place where I am able to be me and if that benefits someone else as well, that’s fantastic!

2. You have recently been voted one of Canada's Top Parenting Blog Writers. Why write and what topics do you focus on?

My main goal in writing is to write about personal issues that may be of interest to others. Becoming a stay-at-home mom after being in the workforce for almost 15 years was a difficult transition in one sense. Though I love my son more than anything in this world, I thought I lost a part of my identity as a person in the workforce. So in creating Mom-ology, and writing about the things I do, it has allowed me to share my voice with others again.

Outside of sharing life living with autism… the good, the bad and the funny… I am passionate about raising autism awareness. As a special needs parent, I learned very quickly how to advocate for my son. Society has a lot of misconceptions about autism, and to help reduce the amount of discrimination and unfortunately, ignorance, the views of society need to change. My goal is to do what I can to change those views… to make life easier for my son, his friends and anyone else on the spectrum.

I have also become a bit of an advocate trying to help raise awareness about international parental child abduction (IPCA). About a year ago, I was introduced to this world that I didn’t know existed. I was an outsider looking in… and I can sure say, I didn’t like what I saw. I have been incredibly lucky to be able to assist the I CARE Foundation in any way I can, as they fight to bring about changes in the laws that are necessary to protect innocent children from the abuse and cruel world that is IPCA.

3. You are a fierce advocate of children with special needs. What benefits, if any, has social media had in furthering society's understanding of children who are on the autism spectrum?

Thank you for saying that Peter - it means an awful lot coming from you. As you are aware, education is the key for any type of advocacy. In my opinion, social media has been a huge benefit as we try to raise awareness and help change the way society looks at children or adults on the autism spectrum.

Social media has allowed many causes and advocacy programs to reach people that they would have never been able to years ago. There are bloggers out there advocating and raising awareness for autism, as well as organizations such as Autism Speaks, and the information and reach is unbelievable. For example, April 2nd has been recognized as World Autism Awareness Day and a big part of this day is Autism Speaks’ campaign called ‘Light It Up Blue’. Businesses, organizations and individuals from all around the world recognize and participate in this event. It’s something small but it shows that social media is making a difference and getting the word out there. It allows us to share with society and to help people understand. Many times people’s reactions are based on fear of the unknown, but those fears can be reduced simply sharing information and educating society. I like to think that one day my son will live in a world that will accept him for who he is and part of that will be due to the work that advocates are doing today… but we still have a long way to go.

4. You have stewarded the message of international parental child abduction prevention, and have directly played important roles in helping prevent children from being internationally abducted. How would you describe parental child abduction and how relevant is this in society today?

I would say any parent’s worst nightmare would be to have their child abducted. Making it worse would be to know that it was the other parent doing the abducting! It’s hard to imagine that a parent could do that to their child! Aren’t parents supposed to love and care for their children? I know many of you feel the same way as I do and just can’t fathom the idea. However, it happens… and it happens a lot!

International parental child abduction is a form of child abuse… there is no other way to describe it. The short-term and long-term effects on these innocent children are severe. Not only is the child subjected to parental alienation, but studies show there is an increased risk of being murdered by the abducting parent (filicide) and data indicating victims of IPCA are also at a higher risk of suicide.

If you look at the statistics you will see how relevant this is in society today. There may be as many as 20,000 Canadian children and 125,000 American children internationally abducted by one parent from the other over the next ten years. Of those numbers, only about 10% of these children will ever come home!

As a parent, protect yourself and protect your child… I encourage you to take a few minutes and educate yourself about the WARNING SIGNS of IPCA. The easiest and best way to protect these children is to stop IPCA before it happens!

5. You use your blog to educate others about a host of important topics relevant to society today. What would be two of your biggest success stories on how your blog writing has helped another?

One of the things that I love about blogging is hearing from readers. My favorite story by far would be when I was contacted by a mom here in Canada, after reading an article about international parental child abduction that was shared on Mom-ology. This mom discovered that her three children were at risk of being taken to Saudi Arabia by their father. Thankfully the I CARE Foundation was able to ensure that these children remained in Canada where they were safe. I will ALWAYS remember that day… being a part of ensuring these children were safe… that was truly an amazing feeling!

I have had ‘autism parents’ contact me looking for support for their struggles that mainly revolve around dealing with school issues. Most recently, a parent emailed me after their child was forced into a supposed ‘seclusion room’ at school. Many parents are unaware of their rights in these types of situations and even more are afraid to upset the school and the officials. Helping parents to understand their rights and assisting to ensure they are able to access the resources and support that they need is extremely important. In this case it was to protect a child’s safety… to preserve a child’s dignity… and help a parent to realize they need to be the voice for their child and stand up for what they believe is right.

6. How socially influential are parenting blog writers and mom bloggers in particular?

I wish I could remember where I read this, but it was research stating that in 2012 there were 4.2 million ‘mom bloggers’ in North America. Now each of those mom bloggers have a passion that they write about… it may be fashion, food or fighting for a cause… whatever it is, in those numbers, they carry a lot of weight in the social world. Many parenting bloggers are stay at home moms and we use our blogs to share our voice and with the accessibility of the internet we are able to share our message with more people than ever before. I read parenting blogs from all around the world… I don’t go to buy a newspaper anymore… I use the internet to see what is going on in the world.

7. You have been blog writing for a little more than a year, yet in your first year as a blogger you have become considered one of the most important parenting blog writers. Are there any lessons that you can share with other parents who are or may be considering creating a blog?

Mom-ology was not my first blog but it is the first one that I have actually stuck with and made into something that I am proud of. I struggled a lot trying to ‘find my groove’ so to speak. I can’t say exactly what it was, but everything just fell into place. I write about what I love. I wouldn’t be able to do it any other way. I proved that to myself many times over!! I like to think I’m heading down the right path now though because I sure love what I do.

In my opinion, you need to write about what you know… write about what you love! I think with blogging, you have to do it because you enjoy it. If you put too many expectations on yourself you will probably lose interest. Deciding what you want from your blog is also an important step. Do you want it to be a ‘diary’ that you can share with family and friends, or do you have a bigger goal in mind…making an income? Advocating for a cause? Most of all have fun!

8. I would like to play a little word game. What comes to mind when I say, "Finding Your Voice?"

Funny you should ask this question, seeing as it comes up so much in our conversations!

I believe that your ‘voice’ is who you are… your mind, your heart and your spirit. When you ‘find your voice’ you find who you are truly meant to be and what is your ‘gift’, so to speak. There is a passion inside everyone and the challenge is to find it, but when you do, you will know. I guess for myself, I found my voice after I started Mom-ology. It’s been an incredible journey!

9. How has social media changed the landscape of society?

Social media has made some pretty great changes in the world. If you look at the way we interact with each other there are some definite pros and cons. Social media allows us to stay in contact with friends and family like we never could before, but I also think there is a downside to that in that we have lost some of the social skills that used to exist in society. People sit in the same room with each other and converse via text messages rather than a good old conversation. I must admit that I find that funny when I see it happen. The definition of ‘friends’ has pretty much been redefined due to Facebook. How many of your friends on Facebook are really friends? But if you look at the area of social activism, the changes are amazing! Gone are the days of having a small group on individuals trying to fight for a cause...locally. Today, social media allows people to connect on a global scale which only benefits the area of education and raising awareness. Think about the decline in parental abductions. This information is going out over the internet through the I CARE Foundation and bloggers. Parents are finding out about IPCA and the risks through social media. Children's lives are being protected because of social media! I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty impressive!

10. Three books that have changed your life?

OK, this is really going to show where my life is today! I don't have a lot of free time to read so when I do, most of my focus goes into learning about autism. The first two books are written by individuals on the autism spectrum and each has taught me so much about my son.

Chasing the Cyclone... well, that's kind of a given. Now certainly one of my favorite books, it has impacted my life in so many positive ways... as has the author!!

1. Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin

2. Look Me In the Eye by John Elder Robison

3. Chasing The Cyclone by Peter Thomas Senese

11. Your son has a golden retriever named Ollie. How important is Ollie to your family?

As a companion, a helper, a best friend and member of our family, Ollie is our son’s autism service dog. Quite simply, he brings peace back to our lives as he is our extra set of eyes and ears. He has the amazing ability to make a young boy’s tears disappear by sharing a little nuzzle, or a comforting lick on the cheek, and those tears are replaced with sounds of laughter. Things like providing a warm snuggle at night, Ollie helps our son to feel safe and comforted so that he is able to sleep. A simple cuddle can help reduce anxiety and assists with self-regulation (those things we all take for granted) which makes those daily routines more bearable. If you were to ask what the best thing about having Ollie is, our son’s reply would be, and has been, ‘He is my best friend’.

We have had Ollie for almost 4 years and he has made such an enormous change in our lives. He has a big job but he does it so well! As you can probably tell by all that, Ollie is an extremely important member of our family and we are truly blessed to have him!

12. International Parental Child Abduction rates declined for the second year in a row in the United States. How significant of a role would you say parenting blog writers played in raising social awareness so at-risk parents can protect their children?

First off, I am thrilled at this news. When you shared this information the other day it was, as you know, a reality check for me. As a blogger, you don’t generally see the effect that you have on things like social awareness. If you are blogging about healthy eating, you don’t see how your efforts change people’s health specifically… you have to trust that what you are doing is making a difference.

In the case of parental child abduction, getting the word out on a global scale is beneficial for all. With bloggers having access to the internet and the followers through social media sites, it is easy to get messages out on a massive scale. I guess you could say that the numbers speak for themselves. Though standing up for what you believe in on your own is better than not doing anything at all, I think it takes a strong team to really make a difference. The efforts of the I CARE Foundation and the parenting bloggers that have been working with them are making a difference! I am proud to be a part of that!

13. Who or what inspires you?

That’s an easy one… my biggest inspiration is, of course, my son.

14. What should others know about you and your writing?

One of my favorite phrases is 'Live… Laugh… Love'. There are sure a lot of different ways you can interpret that phrase, but any way you look at it, it’s a great way to live! If I could give everyone the ability to at least laugh each day I would. Laughter is the best medicine… it doesn’t take batteries… and best of all, it’s free!

I would love it if people would stop by and check out Mom-ology… and of course let me know that you stopped by!

15. What would you like to tell anyone who thinks that their voice doesn't matter or who thinks that they can't make a difference in their own life or the lives of others?

Never let anyone tell you that your voice doesn't matter because it does! Even one voice can make a difference. It took me a while to realize that, but thanks to a pretty good friend... namely Peter Thomas Senese... I am able to see that now. If I can make a difference, so can you!

(End Interview Questions)

There are people in this world that make the world a better place by simply existing, and Jennifer Husson Cluff sure is one of them. Extremely intelligent, humble, considerate to others, a dedicated parent who has found her voice and who has used her voice for the greater good of others, she is what is right about this world.

While it sit here thinking about how I would like to end this interview, I have immediately found myself reflecting upon the time when Jen and I first met. With a smile on my face, I remember after our first conversation how intelligent and caring she is. But I also remember thinking to myself, "She really doesn't realize just how capable she is, nor how important her incredible insight is." Well, I can't say how amazing of an experience it has personally been to see first-hand as Jennifer Husson Cluff, one of Canada's Top 5 Parenting writers . . . has found her voice. Undeniably, the world is a better place . . . and my life has been enriched in ways I could never possibly explain.

And Jennifer, should you ever read this - I want you to know you are a true hero in my eyes.

Kindest wishes to all -

Peter Thomas Senese

Author, Filmmaker, Advocate, and Believer In Miracles

Founding Director - The I CARE Foundation

Peter Thomas Senese: Producing New Feature Documentary Film On Child Abduction

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:45:00 +0000

Last night I was working on the documentary film 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children when I began to nostalgically think about the past few years that I have spent as an activist voluntarily providing resources and time to help fight international parental child abduciton and human trafficking.

What I realized most was that in the face of the dark clouds of international parental child abduction that exist in the United States, Canada and abroad, the light of hope has begun to make its way through the darkness.

A few significant events come to mind.

Immediately, I think about how a grassroots effort led by caring parents, including some of the most prolific parenting blog writers, has raised awareness of child abduction warning signs, risks, and necessary actions an at-risk parent can take if they believe their child is targeted for abduction. There is no question that these incredible social media savvy writers have made a giant difference in the fight to protect children.

As some of you may know, a little over a month ago a large number of young girls who were previously enslaved into the sex world of human trafficking in Central America were rescued, freed, reunited with their families, and are presently receiving the necessary care that one day make them whole again. Obviously, there are no words that can ever express the horror these children faced; however, the road they will journey on will be one filled with the support and care they need so that God willing, they will find the magic that does exist in life.

With respect to these young children, heavy consideration has been put into whether the film footage that was taken during their recovery should be used in the film '150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children' due to the severity of what they had to endure, amongst other considerations. This was not an easy issue to wrestle with; however, after speaking at length with numerous advocates, many who are highly informative freedom fighters, we have decided to include the majority of the film footage in the feature documentary as the film coverage included some incredible, intense, spirited, and provocative film important to share with the world. There is no question that the world really needs to know what goes on first-hand in the world of child trafficking - the brutality of it - and why we must do what is necessary to stop it. In case you are wondering, the film will be extremely conscious and respectful of each child and their family's privacy, safety, and road to recovery. We will never show a child's face nor identify who they are or where they are from. What the viewer will see is the actual planning and eventual rescues that took place.

Obviously, it is not easy to celebrate the rescue of any child who is trafficked because they should have never been kidnapped to begin with. Yes, there is a silver lining that has come from their rescue outside of the incredible act that each child is safe and free, and that is that a monstrous network was smashed. That is not to say that another network of traffickers will not emerge, but those individuals who 'ran' young girls from country to country in Central America will never be able to touch another child. Thus, many other children who may have been preyed upon by these monsters will never be touched by them. And fortunately, law enforcement has increased their efforts in light of what occurred to destroy any other networks that exist.

God willing, inclusion of these events in '150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children' will keep pressure on the international community to continue strong efforts to protect young children, mostly young girls in Central and South America (and boys in China), when the full details of what occurred and what occurs is shared. On this note, there are no words that can ever express the gratitude of the heroic efforts put forth by some of the most amazing men and women I know who acted with sheer heroism to rescue these children nor the physicians and support teams who continue to provide critical care to them. You are all what is right about this world.

On a separate note, I am thrilled to share that reported cases of international parental child abduction has declined in the United States by 15%. from 2011 to 2012. This is tremendous news, particularly since there was a previous 15% decline in reported IPCA cases from 2010 to 2011. After 30 years of sustained increased of reported cases of international parental child abduction in the United States, we are moving in the right direction - but make no mistake, no child should ever be abducted, and every kidnapped child must be brought home!

Kind regards to all,

Peter Thomas Senese
Founding Director
The I CARE Foundation
Author
Chasing The Cyclone

Peter Thomas Senese's CHASING THE CYCLONE - How A Novel Has Helped Protect Children

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 01:34:00 +0000

A Special Message From Peter Thomas Senese On

The U.S. Decline Of International Child Abduction Cases

Looking back at the past few years, I have to admit that I am very pleased with how my novel Chasing The Cyclone has helped raise awareness on the issues of child abduciton, and how, through its publication, the I CARE Foundation was eventually created. For those of you who are not familiar witth the I CARE Foundation, the non-profit organization I am the Founding Director of has helped protect a large and growing number of children around the world who are at risk of abduction.

I am very pleased to share that the number of reported United States outbound cases of international parental child abduciton (IPCA) have declined for a second year in a row, as shared in an extensive report issued by the I CARE Foundation titled 'Crisis In America - 2013' (co-authored by Peter Thomas Senese, Carolyn Vlk, and Joel S. Walter, Esq.).

Despite key factors that have led to increases in risk factors associated with IPCA such as global citizenship mobility, U.S. abduction rates have dropped from what was previously forcasted as a +22% to a +40% yearly growth rate to an average decline of 15% per year over the past two reporting years.

This is a remarkable series of events, and credit must be given and shared with those who have worked so hard to stop abduction.

Personally, I beleive that there is no organization that deserves more credit than the United States Department of State's Office of Children's Issues (OCI). The leadership of OCI is made up of some of the most caring individuals in the world who dedicate their lives to helping families at risk of abduction. Speaking from first-hand experience as a volunteer advocate who spends a significant part of my life fighting for children at risk of abduction, I can tell you that fighting this fight is not easy: which makes it even that more remarkable to think about the incredible committment displayed by many individuals at OCI. With attention to the decline in reported cases of abduction, significant credit must be given to OCI and its leadership, who continued with an assortment of educational public outreach programs created to help families in crisis. Clearly, their effort is making a difference.

Outreach and education has been the primary catalyst behind the decline in abductions, and undeniably, the work of a select group of organizations, foundations, and individuals have made a sizeable difference in preventing abduction. Unilaterally, the work of child abduction prevention advocates have been able to not only educate families in crisis of abduction, but organizations such as the I CARE Foundation have assisted parents by providing legal counsel during court abduction prevention proceedings. Undeniably, stewarding the public message of abduction risk has made a measurable difference, and the tireless work of these non-government organizations have made a difference. In addition, the vehicles used to reach parents have increased. The books, articles, and reports written and published have mattered. The educational documentary films have made a differene, as too have the creation of several educational websites.

In reflection, the power of social media and global connectivity via the Internet has allowed communities dealing with IPCA to form and grow. These communities have become visible and made a difference to many. And they continue to grow.

Another aspect of why IPCA rates have fallen is that after 30 years since the United States became a member of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Parental Child Abduction (1981), courts and judges charged with overseeing abduction risk are finally beginning to understand the gravity of the situation at hand, and their own limited authority once a child is illegally removed.

From the I CARE Foundation's perspexctive, and keeping in mind that many of our lawyers have worked impressively to educate the courts and judges on the many issues of IPCA. On a personal level, I have voluntarily provided expert testimony before numerous courts in my capacity as the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation at the request of counsel. In fact, at the request of the United States Department of State, the I CARE Foundation hosted a conference where I had the opportunity to speak at the United Nations as part of the Department of State's 'Global Leadership Visitor Program'. It has been deeply rewarding to know that the I CARE Foundation's efforts have also included rescuing numerous kidnapped and trafficketed children.

Finally, I must say that the incredible effort of a series of parenting bloggers who wrote extensively about IPCA reached millions of other parents, some of who were at risk of having a child abducted. Made aware of their own circumstances (many parents never consider the possibility of IPCA), these at-risk parents were able to act to protect their children - something I know first hand because the I CARE Foundation assisted numerous families in crisis who turned to the foundation for assistance after reading an article posted by a parent blog writer. Remarkably, these amazing parents, all not having any direct association with IPCA, made a major contribution and help protect children.

Are we moving in the right direction? Yes. However, it would be a major mistake to think that we can put our guard down and not push further to remove abduction risk. Clearly there is a great deal to be done on all fronts, including the abduction prevention side, and, equally, on the international compliance side once a child is kidnapped. Sadly, it is anticipated that the total number of children returned home after they are abducted, when including reported and unreported cases of abduction (as defined in the report below), is less than 10%. Which means that approxiamately 90% of all kidnapped children never come home. And the dangers of IPCA are real, and include severe abuse that has led to parental child murder and post-abduction suicide by kidnapped victims. And that is why we must continue to fight against abduction. Afterall, a child's life sure is worth fighting for.

I offer to you the report 'Crisis In America - 2013' (written by Carolyn Ann Vlk, Joel Walter, and Peter Thomas Senese). Carolyn and Joel are two of the hardest working child advocates on the planet. The I CARE Foundation is very fortunate to have their leadership.

Click here to read the report 'Crisis In America -2013'.

Kindest regards to all,

Peter Thomas Senese

Peter Thomas Senese Prepares Groundbreaking Film On International Parental Child Abduction and Trafficking

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:51:00 +0000

I am very pleased to confirm that I will be producing on behalf of the I CARE Foundation and Pacifica an upcoming feature documentary film 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children focuses on the cataclysmic growth of international parental child kidnapping in the United States, Canada and abroad. The film will dissect why the hideous crimes against innocent children has reached pandemic levels that have claimed so many lives and what can be done to prevent abduction, while also offering solutions that should be implemented that can help current child-victims of cross-border kidnapping.

The film's title 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children originates from a widely distributed and cited study titled Crisis In America written by renown child advocate Carolyn Vlk (a member of the Board of Directors of the I CARE Foundation, and a member of the Special Advisory Board of the Amber Watch Foundation) and myself. 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children is the average weighted forecast of that takes into consideration how many children living in The United States, Canada, and Mexico are anticipated to actually be internationally parentally kidnapped over the next ten years.

The film will bring viewers into several intriguing parental child abduction cases, through the legal system available to targeted parents and children, the psychological trauma of kidnapping and its affects, and eventually above a microscope looking at the government agencies and their existing policies responsible for protecting children. Paramount to the film's direction is the intent to offer new solutions to a serious social problem that in the United States alone is expected to cost the American economy over Six Billion dollars over the next decade.

150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children will also focus on how children of both parental and stranger-abductions are easily removed from one nation's border to another under existing policies in North America, and particularly in Europe.

The I CARE Foundation and several of it's Board of Director members have been studying key aspects of international parental child abduction for some time. 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children will include substantial data and information based upon these unique and groundbreaking studies. Studies and information, I might add, that I fully expect will change the landscape of abduction prevention. Which is, by virtue, the mission of the I CARE Foundation.

And of course, I am thrilled to once again be working and writing with Carolyn Vlk, who is one of the brightest and most knowledgeable persons concerning abduction that I know. In the past, Carolyn Vlk and I produced the important educational documentary film series Chasing Parents: Racing Into The Storms of Child Abduction that has come to benefit many targeted parents from around the world, as well as our publication of the most up-to-date resource guide on child abduction prevention and reunification titled The World Turned Upside Down. For those of you who do not know Ms. Vlk, she has quite an impressive history fighting for children, including being a board member of the I CARE Foundation and a member of the Special Advisory Board of the Amber Watch Foundation.

As a storyteller deeply familiar with the world of child abduction, it is my personal hope that this film will not only raise awareness of parental abduction so targeted parents may act to protect their families, but it is my aspiration to also provide keen social insight into the horrors that exist so our lawmakers will move on new laws and policies that will help protect children in a similar manner that we accomplished through passage of Senate Resolution 543, the State of Florida's Child Abduction Prevention Law, the State of New York's and the State of California's criminal Cyber-Impersonation and Cyber-bullying laws, and the implementation of the highly effective abduction prevention tool - the federal Prevent Departure Program by the Department State in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security.

150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children will be released during the late Spring - early Summer, 2013.

Similar to all projects associated with my work as a child advocate and steward raising awareness of child abduction, the 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children film is personally funded through charitable donations from my business holdings.

For those of you interested in learning more about abduction and my writing, may I suggest you read my critically acclaimed novel Chasing The Cyclone - and remember, 100% of all my proceeds from sales of all my books are presently donated to the I CARE Foundation, which sure has created more than a few miracles for children.

Attorney Joel Walter, who is a member of the I CARE Foundation's board of directors and one of the best litigators I know, and who, over the course of many years, has represented many professional athletes and entertainers, and who is intimately involved in the upcoming production recently wrote, "The research on abduction the I CARE Foundation has and continues to conduct is critical to the fight to save children of kidnapping. In Mr. Senese's upcoming 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children film, the work of the I CARE Foundation will act as the story's rudder, guiding the narrative into a solution-oriented universal message. On a personal note, I continue to be flawed at the deep committment of Mr. Senese, including using a tremendous amount of his personal resources, in our fight to help families in crisis. As a critically acclaimed storyteller and one of the most committed and published child advocates around, combined with the data drawn from the I CARE Foundation's research, we expect 150,000 Internationally Kidnapped Children to become a socially important and influencial film. We are excited to begin production. All the resources required are in place, and the story we're about to tell will shock the world."

If you are a parent who has been or is presently targeted to have your child internationally abducted, or if you have been previously abducted and would like share your story, or provide insight into abduction and trafficking, please contact Maria at at the I CARE Foundation.

Peter Thomas Senese: The I CARE Foundation's Year In Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:25:00 +0000

The I CARE Foundation's 2012 Year In Review

What began with a personal promise I made during the time I was Chasing The Cyclone of international child abduction to one day make a difference for children and their families targeted for severe abuse in the form of the inhumane act of international parental child kidnapping (IPCA) came to reality in 2012 with the commencement of the non-profit International Child Abduction Research & Enlightenment Foundations, Inc's (the I CARE Foundation) extensive, measurable operations working to prevent abduction and trafficking, and along the way, becoming heroes to children by creating more than a few miracles.

In reflection of all the positive things the I CARE Foundation has accomplished, the reality is that IPCA is spreading rapidly, hundreds of thousands of children each year are targeted for cross-border kidnapping each year, the majority of children who are abducted never come home, and tragically the vast majority of all children of abduction face serious short-term and long-term problems, including the threat of filicide (parental child-murder) and post-abduction suicide. These conditions prevail despite IPCA being a criminal act of kidnapping in accordance to federal laws. To put it mildly, we must do more. Considerably more. Still, the I CARE Foundation's first full year of operations has had a significant positive impact on many as shared below. And on this note, I would like to express on behalf of the foundation my sincere thanks to all the incredible individuals who assisted in our stewardship and organizational mission.

It is not easy to think about nor write about a young child being murdered, nor is it easy to think about an emotionally battered and abused adult who was once a child-victim of abduction committing suicide because of post-abduction side effects, but it is a reality, and undeniably, it is a reality of IPCA.

International parental child abduction is simply not a criminal act of kidnapping and abuse, but a malicious act that could lead to a targeted child victim's death. IPCA's malignant tentacles target's innocence's life.

I know I speak for everyone at the I CARE Foundation when I say fighting to protect that innocent child is worth everything. And that includes the occasion threats and attacks received by kidnappers.

In my capacity as the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation, I and the foundation's directors, advisers, friends, and supporters join other advocates and organizations who act as steward-advocates sharing the message that IPCA is a serious, highly abusive, and inhumane crime against innocent children that leads to the destruction of life.

Reality is that each American and Canadian citizen is only three degrees of separation from knowing a child who has been kidnapped.

How big of an epidemic is it?

Consider this: in the United States it is measurably forecast that there will be between 100,000 and 125,000 American children internationally kidnapped by one parent from another. In Canada this number ranges from 15,000 to 20,000 children. Mexico is expected to see approximately 45,000 to 60,000 children abducted. That's between 160,000 and 205,000 innocent children in North America who will be criminally abducted abroad, and who are at risk of a fate of no-return.

The number of children being returned to their country of original jurisdiction - their home - is glaringly low and is measurably forecast at roughly 10%. The 10% return number could actually be considerably lower because, in contrast to the U.S. Department of State's reported return numbers, the I CARE Foundation contests that the DOS numbers are extraordinarily inaccurate with respect to the overall picture of IPCA because their reported cases of abduction and reported return numbers do not consider the number of unreported cases of abduction, nor the reality that there is a projected 0% return of abducted children who are not reported to the DOS's Office of Children's Issues. With respect to unreported cases of IPCA, the extensive, highly distributed report written by Carolyn Vlk and me titled 'Crisis In America' measurably forecasts the number of unreported cases of IPCA in America appear to range from 100% to 125% of all reported cases of IPCA to the DOS. Due to the immigration influx in Canada, unreported cases of IPCA appear to be on par with the U.S. forecast.

Similar to North America, European and South American IPCA is dramatically on the rise and appears to be on par with North America.

In addition, in Asia cases of child abduction and human trafficking remain a glaring and unthinkable issue as exemplified by China's outrageous reality of child slavery and trafficking in that country as illustrated by the December 24th, 2012 arrest of 355 traffickers, including a large number of police officers who ran child abduction rings in that country. In fact, over the past 3 years China has reunited over 50,000 trafficked children with their parents. An impressive reunification number at first glance, but in truth one that pales in comparison to the number of children brought into the dark world of abduction and slavery. China is not alone, as this problem is widespread in most Asian countries.

Speaking of Asia, Japan, one of the West's biggest trading partners and allies remains a black hole of international parental child abduction. Here is the reality of the West's biggest alley: children who are abducted to Japan by a Japanese national do not ever come home. And today, there are hundreds of American and Canadian children who are illegally held in Japan by a parent who has kidnapped them.

With keen eyes focused on how we may protect children from a nightmarish fate of IPCA, the I CARE Foundation has launched a series of research studies and legislative initiatives, while voluntarily working where possible to help families in crisis.

What Needs To Be Done

Several noticeable issues going into 2013 need to be prioritized. They include but are not limited to:

Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction inbound member-state signatories need to adhere to the spirit of the international treaty and act to expeditiously decide on litigation concerning the return of the child.
Courts in signatory member-states must act fairly and without bias so the international treaty is upheld.
Judges in courts all over the world who preside over IPCA cases must be well-trained on all matters of IPCA, including the reality that abduction is a severe and abusive crime against a child that enables an abductor to further abuse a child during the time litigation brought by a targeted parent occurs. Furthermore, courts and their judges must act to counter-balance any stall tactics implemented by an abductor or their legal counsel as such activity is often implemented to strategically financially break the chasing parent due to the extreme cost chasing parents face when trying to reunite with their kidnapped child. Of course, the courts must enforce the universally recognized notion amongst signatory nations that IPCA is extreme abuse, and extreme abuse is not in the best interest of any child.
Sanctions by Hague member-nations against non-complying Hague member-nations must simply not be discussed but enacted. The collateral damage of innocent children in lieu of other foreign policy issues should not be acceptable under any circumstance.
The international community must continue to put diplomatic pressure on non-Hague signatories to become complying parties to the convention. This includes countries such as Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, and Russia (most countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East are not members of the Hague Convention).
New state and federal laws (in Canada, provincial and national laws) geared toward child abduction and child trafficking must be created and upheld by both law enforcement and courts.
In the United States, the Senate passed SR 543, which resolved that the American government and all agencies charged with a role in preventing or reuniting internationally kidnapped children use all legal remedies available to them under law to help children, including consideration of criminal prosecution of abductors and those who have aided or abetted in a kidnappers activity. It is imperative that individuals who conspire to or actually abduct or aid in an abduction of a child are prosecuted.
IPCA is a criminal act of kidnapping under the International Kidnapping Crimes Act. The act of kidnapping of any form is an inhumane act. Kidnappers who flee to another country must be extradited back to the country where the abduction took place. Thus, it is critical that new agreements are created between many countries that allow for extradition of parents who kidnap, which unfortunately does not exist today.
Parents everywhere must be aware that IPCA is real, growing, and could potentially impact their lives, particularly in an ever-growing multi-cultural global society where individuals from different nations create relationships that result in the birth of a child, and, the prevalence of divorce in society.
Hague Central Authorities and government agencies in each member-state need to have their operation's reviewed and clearly provided with greater resources necessary to support the much-needed expansion of operations required by families in crisis of abduction. On December 14th, 2013 by virtue of U.S. Senate Resolution 543, Congress called for a full review of the U.S. Office of Children's Issues (OCI) , which has oversight for all reported cases of inbound and outbound IPCA in the United States. Undeniably, as both knowledge and understanding of the severity and danger of IPCA has increased, and, as the number of IPCA cases has also dramatically increased, the Department of State's Office of Children's Issues that Congress created when it affirmed to annex the Hague Convention faces exponentially more severe, diverse, and a greater number of international kidnapping cases entering into and exiting the United States. OCI must be completely overhauled to keep up with the crisis in America that is IPCA.
Continued research in the area of IPCA must be conducted.
Child abduction prevention measures must be created, implemented and upheld at both the local and national level.

Clearly, there are many serious challenges ahead of us as a global-nation of concerned global-citizen advocates of children.

The work of every individual associated with the I CARE Foundation is done on a volunteer basis. In addition, the foundation is solely funded by the organization's board of directors and members of our advisory board in accordance to our non-profit organization's by-laws.

On a personal level, it is both my privilege and honor to have been able to provide much-needed resources to the I CARE Foundation, including but surely not limited to donating 100% of revenue I earned to the foundation as a best-selling author of geopolitical thrillers.

When I look back at my own personal journey racing into the storms of international parental child kidnapping, and my life as an author, I am pleased that writing Chasing The Cyclone has led to the creation of the I CARE Foundation and the many miracles that have been created when a group of individuals act selflessly, in kindness, and act by standing up for what is right: and in this case what is right in trying our best to help protect children.

As a writer, I am humbled that my work writing the deeply inspired story that is Chasing The Cyclone has been called by others in the media as 'Creating Miracles Through A Book'.

There is no question there is a great amount of work that needs to be done to help children of IPCA. We are reminded each day of the great need to educate, reform, and assist where we can. The accomplishments of the I CARE Foundation drive us to build upon what we have achieved, while reminding us that there is a whole lot of work ahead of us on the horizon. The following is a partial list of the I CARE Foundation's 2012 achievements.

The Accomplishments Of The I CARE Foundation

The I CARE Foundation has significantly assisted families in crisis who are located around the world and who are dealing with abduction, including playing key roles in the legal rescue and reunification of many internationally kidnapped children, including children abducted to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, South America, and North America.
The I CARE Foundation has significantly assisted numerous targeted parents prevent the criminal abduction of their child or children, while creating legal precedents in numerous courts during litigation in hope and anticipation that other children and families will be protected.
The I CARE Foundation launched a successful national campaign to build an attorney network of lawyers willing to assist at-risk of abducted children, including an extensive campaign to assist recruit the U.S. Department of State build the 'Hague Convention Attorney Network'.
The I CARE Foundation launched or participated in numerous legislative initiatives geared to protect children including advocating for the support of Senate Resolution 543, as well as working diligently on new laws and policy modifications associated to modifying the existing Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and, creating a Secondary Prevent Departure Program applicable for individuals who possess U.S. Citizenship.
The I CARE Foundation launched a national campaign of international parental child abduction awareness in order to raise awareness amongst parents.
The I CARE Foundation continued to ensure use of the Prevent Departure Program to aid at-risk parents of abduction.
The I CARE Foundation continues to build an international case law data base IPCA cases.
The I CARE Foundation continues to conduct significant research and publish our findings connected with IPCA on a wide area of topics.
The I CARE Foundation participated in the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program held at the United Nations.
The I CARE Foundation's internal fund-raising activity has ensured strong and progressive advocacy for 2013.

The I CARE Foundation's accomplishments have been made possible because a group of individuals cared enough to attempt to make a difference in the lives of others.

I will be the first to admit that despite the many dozens of families who we have successfully assisted by either reuniting them with their abducted child or by assisting in preventing their child's abduction, the reality is that there are many individuals and families we have attempted to assist but have not yet been able to achieve what we have hoped for. The truth is the complexity of IPCA is significant.

Overall, the key to stopping child abduction, child slavery, child trafficking, and child abuse is to prevent any and all of it from happening in the first place.

The reality is that when it comes to IPCA, children who are stolen should never be viewed as being with their other parent, but instead they must be viewed as being held by a kidnapper who, as stated by numerous government agencies including the U.S. Department of Justice as likely a person who has serious and dangerous sociopathic tendencies.

Of particular note, the I CARE Foundation assisted numerous families in crisis because a group of incredible parenting writers/bloggers got involved and helped raise awareness. On behalf of the foundation's board and advisory board, I would like to express my sincere thanks and deep appreciation. The reality is the information shared will reach many more parents than any of us know, and more than likely will help many families we will never know or meet. Still, you made a difference and in this, you made the world a better place.

The parents who have had a child kidnapped face undue and incredible hardship. Few parents of abduction are reunited with their children. However, the tide is turning, and advocates such as those associated with the I CARE Foundation and elsewhere are committed to this change.

For those of you who have been reunited with your child, I hope that you do not walk away from this fight for children of abduction. It is in your wisdom that you will be able to help those who continue to chase.

And for those parents who still chase the cyclone of abduction, never give up hope and alwasy embrace your faith. Know patience, and never think your child does not know you love them no matter how severe the parental alienation is because even though your child is a hostage of abduction, they are made of you. And as I said, the mountain of abduction is moving because parents who care are mobilizing, governments are realizing the inhumanity of IPCA and acting, and society as a whole is realizing that IPCA is a severe and dangerous act of kidnapping.

2012 was a very good first year for the I CARE Foundation organizationally. We will be expanding our operations significantly, continue our dedicated efforts to conduct research and guide legislation and new policy that may protect children, assist families in crisis as much as possible, and continue our stewardship of raising social awarenss of IPCA in hope children and their parents will be protected.

To all of you who supported the I CARE Foundation's activity, and to all of you who we have worked with, or who we may work with in the future, we wish you great success in all of your endeavors in the coming 2013 New Year.

On behalf of everyone here at the I CARE Foundation, I wish you God's Blessings for a Happy, Healthy, and Peaceful 2013 New Year.

Sincerely,

Peter Thomas Senese
Founding Director
The I CARE Foundation

What To Do If Your Chld Was Internationally Abducted During Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:10:00 +0000

During the Christmas Holiday Season many children are internationally abducted in accordance to international law because they are illegally and wrongfully detained in a foreign country without one of the child's parent's permission.

If this has happened to you and your child, you must first realize that the abduction was a well-planned scheme orchestrated by lies, deceit, and assistance by others, more thank likely the abductors friends and family members in the inbound country your child is presently being wrongfully detained. In addition, there is the possibility that the abductor also received assistance from other family and friends in the country of original jurisdiction (your home country) where the child lived.

Now, before I go any further, I will say this: you need to pay attention to every detail and keep records of everything that transpires.

If you are presently in a foreign country where your child is presently being detained and you have no access to your child because the abductor has cut off ties with you, I reiterate that you must be very careful and remind yourself that you and your child were targets of a well-planned scheme. You must seek immediate assistance from a local lawyer familiar with family law matters in that country, and, you must seek assistance available to you under the rules of law, including the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

For a list of countries who are signatory members of the Hague Convention, please click here.

Regardless if your child was illegally detained in a foreign country with or without you being in that country, there are critical steps that I suggest you must do, as outlined below.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS NOT TO WASTE TIME.

THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT ANY COMMUNICATIONS MADE BY THE ABDUCTOR MORE THAN LIKELY WILL BE USED TO EITHER HURT YOU OR TRY TO SHOW THAT YOU HAD OR HAVE CONSENTED TO THAT PERSON'S 'RELOCATION', AS THEY TRY TO SUGGEST YOU SANCTIONED THEIR NO-RETURN. THUS BE VERY CAREFUL!

When you believe that your child or children have been abducted by either their other parent or a non-stranger, you must remember that time is a precious commodity you do not have.

You must act efficiently, thoughtfully, and purposefully with respect to all efforts that you are about to put forth in recovering your child. Of utmost importance is the fact that you need to know everything that everyone involved in your child’s recovery is doing. Critically, you must stay calm, stay alert, immediately contact law enforcement, and immediately contact a lawyer familiar with family custody law.

1. Never give up HOPE that you will find your child or children no matter how long and difficult the road you have to journey on is.

2. URGENTLY, if you are a citizen of the The United States, immediately contact the United States Department of State – Office of Children’s Issues. They can be reached at 202-736-9090 or at 888.407.4747. If you are presently in the foreign country that your child was illegally detained, then immediately contact the United States embassy in that country, and schedule an emergency appointment seeking their assistance.

If you are from Canada, contact the Justice Legal Services in Ottawa at 613.996.1300 or 613.992.6300. If you are presently in the foreign country that your child was illegally detained, then immediately contact the Canadian embassy in that country, and schedule an emergency appointment seeking their assistance.

3. If your child's habitual residence was in the United States, immediately contact the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-The-Lost).

If your child's habitual residency is Canada, contact The Missing Children Society of Canada (800.661.6160).

4. IMMEDIATELY contact your local police and your local branch of the FBI (in Canada, the RCMP) and share with them all the details that support your belief that your child’s abduction is imminent or in progress.

Do not wait to file your police report!

Make sure you have as much evidence to support your claim as possible, including any witnesses that can support your claims. While sharing this information with the police, make sure that you file a missing child report immediately.

This report is important as it allows the police to place a description of the child who is missing on the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, (and in Canada the Canadian Police Information Centre {CPIC} computer system) so all police forces in the United States (and likewise, in Canada) will know the child is missing.

The police should notify border crossing and all ferry, rail, airport facilities. If there is any hesitancy on their part to do so, under all circumstances demand that all border crossing locations and transportation companies (ferry services, airlines, etc.) are notified, and that all travel manifests are immediately reviewed. If you suspect parental or non-stranger abduction, provide the police with a photo of the suspected abductor, an address, telephone number and any other pertinent information about that person.

In addition, so long as you have a custody order decree from the courts, law enforcement can seek to press charges of aiding and abetting against any individual who may have assisted the abductor with their kidnapping scheme. Recently, Senate Resolution 543 (SR543) that was unanimously passed in the Senate on December 14th, 2012 resolved that our nation and all applicable agencies involved in child abduction prevention and reunification do whatever they can to assist a targeted child. This means that under the reach of criminal law, and if there is enough evidence to support a case of aiding and abetting, a criminal complaint must be filed with the authorities.

5. In all scenarios, it is strongly advised that you hire a lawyer familiar with international child abduction. It is critical that emergency legal applications are made to the court of jurisdiction that request for the court to issue to you the following:

A) Temporary Full Custody of your child or children.

B) A Return Order for your children demanding that the other parent return them to the court of jurisdiction by a specified date.

In addition, laws in many states give judges authority to issue a 'pickup' order for the child to prevent an imminent abduction or harm to the child. Pickup orders go by different names, including 'warrant to take physical custody of a child' and 'warrant in lieu of a writ of habeas corpus'.

6. The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), in effect in most states, provides an emergency ex parte proceeding for getting a law enforcement directed pickup order (in conjunction with a custody enforcement order) when abductions or serious physical harm to a child is imminent. If the requirements are met, a judge should issue an order directing law enforcement to pick up the child and to serve notice of the custody enforcement proceedings.

7. If you believe your child's safety is in danger, and you have credible evidence that your partner is intending to imminently take your child and abduct to another country - file an emergency ex parte motion in court immediately, and make sure you or your lawyer notify your local law enforcement that you are filing an emergency motion before the court.

8. When possible, you and/or someone you trust should stay in close physical proximity of the child. Consider hiring a seasoned private investigator to monitor the movements of your spouse and child.

9. STAY CALM. Contact neighbors, friends, spouse, siblings and anyone who may know where your child may be. Invite a friend or acquaintance with a "calm" manner to be with you.

10. Conduct a telephone search. Call family, friends and relatives who may wish to help. Encourage them to use their telephones to make inquiry calls so your line will remain free for incoming calls. If you have to leave the house, have an answering machine on the line or have a friend or neighbor take incoming calls.

11. Have friends and relatives conduct a basic land search of the neighborhood area while you are making a police report. With family and friends, try to recall the present and past few days of family situations and activities (a recent argument or disciplinary action could be the reason for hiding).

12. Provide the police with the information in your prepared Identification Kit. This kit should include updates clear photographs, foot and fingerprints, birth certificate, medical history, passport, dental records, X-rays, child's name and description including location of scars, birthmarks and any other identifiable data (glasses, braces, earrings, etc.). A videotape or a recent home video of the child may be made specifically for the kit. Try to keep a mental note of what your child is wearing each day.

13. Conduct a complete physical search of your area. Organize a search party of friends and relatives to search areas such as, child's route home from school, community center, friend’s houses, favorite hang-out etc. Be on the lookout for articles of clothing, toys, books other personal belongings scattered on the ground. If found, do not disturb. Contact a police officer immediately.

14. Leave someone at home at all times to answer the telephone in case your child calls.

15. Continue to keep the telephone lines FREE at all times.

16. Continue your search even if there are no immediate results. Follow up for updates on the case by contacting the investigating police officer and the provincial searching agency who registered your child.

17. Solicit media support such as radio, television, local publications and newspapers only at the advice of the police and searching agency involved with the case. Be mindful that once your spouse has illegally taken your child and is on the run, they essentially will act like a fugitive (in many cases they are due to arrest warrants issued by the local court). Typically, a person running from law enforcement is willing to take risks that they might otherwise not be inclined to take under more normal circumstances. These risks can be very concerning, and could potentially place the child as well as the abducting parent in grave and dangerous situations. So, before you solicit help from the media, weigh out the opinions and advice of law enforcement, your lawyer, and your private investigators, if you have hired for these services.

18. Distribute a photograph of the missing child as well as your spouse or ex-spouse who has taken your child.

19. Keep a detailed diary of people and agencies you have contacted and steps you have already taken. Logging the events limits the duplication of efforts and allows a review of inquiries.

20. As I said earlier, hire a local lawyer familiar with local and international child custody law and have your attorney appear before your local court immediately. Share with the court the details of your child’s abduction and all other relevant information to allow the judge to understand the seriousness of the matter. It is critical that you are honest, open, and credible before the court. In simple terms: do not lie, do not fabricate anything, and do not give the court any reason to question your credibility. Tell the good, the bad, and the ugly. Request that the court grant you sole full custody and sole full guardianship of your child or children if you do not already have it. Also request that the court direct your spouse to immediately return with the child to the place of original jurisdiction (if he or she has a lawyer in the jurisdiction, you should be able to serve that person [have your lawyer check on matters of service]. Request that the court issue a ‘pick-up’ order directing police officers to assist you in finding and returning your child to you.

21. If you know your child has been taken to another country, contact the United Stated Department of State – Office Of Children’s Issues and immediately file a Hague Application for the wrongful international abduction and retention of your child.

22. Make sure you monitor all bank accounts and remove all assets that are in joint-tenancy into your sole name.

23. If you are the primary holder on any assets and credit cards, immediately remove your spouse’s name on every account.

24. Immediately contact your credit card companies and put a security alert on all of your credit cards. This will direct the credit card company to request that you show proper identification to the merchant during each time you use a credit card, or, in the event of electronic on line transactions, a representative from the credit card company’s security department will be required to contact you in order to authorize the transaction. Also, make sure you put two password questions and answers (not one – but two), on your bank and credit card accounts in order to prevent having anyone else other than you access your money.

25. Contact all credit reporting agencies and request that you are immediately notified of any credit inquiries, remarks, or additional accounts. Make sure that each agency issues a security alert, directing each requesting credit company to seek additional verifying information that any inquiries or applications made to their company were made by you.

26. Monitor all cell phones of your spouse, and, if possible, have all cell phones, emails, and any other communication devices monitored.

27. Check with your spouse’s friends, family, and acquaintances and see if they were aware of any information that might lead you to locate your child. Typically, a person who is standoffish, might have known of the abductor’s plans, or, has already been influenced by that person, and will be of little help to you. If that occurs, immediately report this to law enforcement investigating the abduction. If the police chose to interview that person, and they lie to law enforcement, they can be criminally charged with a crime.

28. Check in your child or children’s rooms for any hints or clues as to where they might have been taken.

29. Check your ex-spouse or spouse’s personal items for any clues as to where they might have taken your child.

30. If your ex-spouse or spouse has family that live in a foreign country, hire the services of a private investigator in that country to immediately follow your ex-spouse or spouse’s parents and other family members in order to determine where the child has been taken and is located. This very well may be the best set of dollars you will spend. Remember, any recovery actions cannot be taken until your child’s location is known. In many international parental child abduction cases, the abducting parent chooses to go underground with the child, and develops behavior similar to a fugitive on the run (they are fugitives). Typically, they have a support network in place, and the abduction has been carefully planned and enabled through the assistance of family members and friends. Finding and knowing where your child was taken to is the most important action once you know the child has been removed from the country of habitual residency. Without knowing what country your child is in – you cannot file a Hague Application … and you will be spinning your wheels endlessly trying to find out where your child is. One final note on this subject: according to the provisions in The Hague, there exists language that essentially enables a Hague judge overseeing the case to allow for a child to stay with the abducting parent if the abducting parent is able to prove to the court that returning the child to the country of origin would be detrimental to the child’s best interest. One of the techniques commonly used in a Hague defense is to demonstrate that the child or children have adjusted and desires to live in the country they were wrongfully and illegally taken to. In certain situations, a judge may believe that the child or children have settled into their ‘new life’, and that uprooting them would be harmful, and not in the child’s best interest. So – it is critically important for a Chasing Parent to know where the child was taken to as soon as possible and immediately file for the child’s return under the protocols of The Hague Convention.

31. If your child is taken to another country, consult heavily with a lawyer in your local jurisdiction familiar with The Hague Convention, and, make sure you hire a lawyer familiar with The rules of The Hague Convention in the jurisdiction you know your child was taken to.

32. Become familiar with the laws and customs of the country that your child has been taken to.

33. Consult with The National Center For Missing And Exploited Children, the governing agency who acts as The Hague Signatory for your country (in The United States, the U.S. State Department acts as the official Hague representative for The United States Government) and the International Child Abduction Research and Enlightenment Foundation (the I CARE Foundation).

34. Try to keep yourself physically active, eat a healthy diet, and rest on a regular basis.

35. Never give up Hope that you will be reunited with your child.

36. Remember, you must know everything that everyone involved with your child’s recovery is doing. Do not be concerned about any or your actions other than one: finding your child. In essence – do whatever you have to do in order to protect your child – but remember, your actions must not place your child in any harm’s way. That is why it is important for you to consult with the experts – but remember – you must know everything – including as much as possible on family law, and the rules of The Hague Convention.

37. Allow and trust in The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Hague Courts do work!

38. If your child or children have been issued a passport and you have access to it, make sure you hold it and secure it in a safe place. If your child has not been issued a passport, then immediately contact the agency overseeing passport issuances, and appraise them of the present situation. Typically, law enforcement or an officer from the State Department’s Office of Children’s Issues overseeing your Hague Application will do this as well.

39. In the event that your child does not have a passport from the country they habitually lived in, and no passport has been requested or issued by your local government, then make sure that law enforcement contact the local embassy of the country your spouse was originally from, and inform them of the litigation taking place.

40. One of the most important things you can do in the early stages of an international child abduction is to establish friendly contact with the relatives and friends of the other parent, both in your country and abroad. The fastest and most effective way to resolve international child abductions is for the abducting parent to return the child voluntarily. While there may be good reasons for you to believe that this approach won’t work, it is important that the effort be made.

41. Make sure you have a cell phone with you at all times, that it is fully charged, that you keep a charged back-up battery, and a back-up phone charger.

42. If you are traveling abroad to search for your child, make sure you send yourself back-up ‘emergency’ money via Western Union (Western Union is reliable, serves most locations around the world, and funds can be accessed immediately).

43. The 'Prevent Departure Program' is a very affective tool to prevent alien residents physically in the United States from leaving the country either with or without a child. The program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security and was initially created to aide in our the country's national security interests post 911. Essentially and under the purposes of child abduction, an individual would not be able to depart from the United States. For more information on this program, please visit information on this website listed under 'Prevent Departure Program' or click on the following link:

44. Trust yourself.

45. Contact the I CARE Foundation.

46. For more information please visit the Department of State's Office Of Children's Issues at http://travel.state.gov/abduction/emergencies/emergencies_3845.html

47. Remember, the abductor has been well advised and aided about how to get away with their abduction. They will try to do whatever they can to have it appear that either you are a horrible, dangerous person, and/or that you consented to their travel abroad with intent to relocate. Thus, be very careful of what the abductor communicates with you, and be very leary that any suggestion to have a family member of the abductor mediate an agreement between the two of you in genuine: there is a very good chance it is not.

48. In the United States, it is illegal to operate or hire a recovery agents who essentially reabduct a child taken in another country. It is strongly advised that you follow the rules of law and remember that recovery agents are very costly, you as a client have limited way of validating their activity or expense, and that generally, snatching a child places the child in harms way. Follow the rules of law and trust the courts.

49. Critically, you must be aware that if you are in a foreign country where your child was taken, the other side will do essentially whatever is possible in order for them to remain there, including making false child abuse or police reports against you. One of the most common techniques used for both men and women abductors is for the abductor to make a police report that you threatened their life and that they are concerned about their and the child's safety. This enables them to get a restraining order against you while also laying out ground for an Article 13 Defense of the Hague Convention.

50. It is beyond important that you remember that the abductor committed the crime of kidnapping. Surely, the abductor was aware of their action and legal issues. And it did not matter. They still carried out there plan. And if you are on foreign soil, you should be very cautious that the abductor has been well advised, and knows that it is critical for their abduction defense to make the child abuse or criminal complaint against you. Sadly, many abductors act as predators by luring the partner to the foreign country during Christmas so that they could make criminal complaints against that person while they are there. Be very careful - and seek assistance from your country's embassy.

51. Mobilize your assets.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION:

When it comes to International Parental Child Abduction, there are a few things that are important to realize.

1. From 2012 -2022, it is anticipated that there could be as many as 100,000 to 125,000 international parental child abductions originating from the United States, and as many as 17,500 cases originating from Canada.

2. Unreported cases of abduction are anticiapted to at least equal the number of reported cases of abduction, and it is beleived that this number could be as high as 150% of reported cases. As an example, in 2010, there ere 1,634 reported cases of IPCA in the United States. Thus, it could be expected that the number of unreported cases of abduction ranged from 1, 634 to 2,451, and that the total number of cases of international parental child abduciton was anywhere from 3,264 - 4,085 cases.

3. Growth of IPCA cases is at least 20% per year.

4. It is forcast that only roughly 10% of all children (reported and unreported) illegally kidnapped come home.

5. International Parentla Child Abduction is a federal crime.

6. Loopholes in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative may have a serious negative impact on IPCA and human trafficking in the United States.

7. The Prevent Departure Program needs to be modified to allow the screening of high-risk child abductors who possess rights of United States citizenship.

Peter Thomas Senese: Reflections On The I CARE Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:31:00 +0000

It has been a little over a year that the I CARE Foundation began our formal operations working toward trying to dramatically reduce the number of children who are fallen victims of the crimes of international parental child abduction or child trafficking.

The I CARE Foundation has had success on many levels, including reuniting numerous internationally kidnapped children with their parents while also preventing an even greater number of abductions from occurring. Due to the nature and sensitivity of many of the cases we are involved in, we are mindful not to discuss any role we play or our involvement even after a child is returned because children of abduction, sadly, are considered high-risk targets for an attempted second abduction.

Nevertheless, I know I speak on behalf of the I CARE Foundation's entire board of directors when I say that we always keep in mind the wonderful words shared with us by many of the parents who we have assisted. Their words of thanks and appreciation move us deeply while reminding each of us how important our work is.

But our work protecting children is not simply found in successfully assisting the many dozens of families we have over this past year. And before I go any further, I will be the first to say that reuniting children of abduction or preventing a child's international abduction is not easy: the laws are not helpful, the scheming parents seem to have a hidden playbook on how to abduct, countries often do not uphold international law, and the financial costs of recovery or prevention is incredible: thus, there are times when despite our capabilities, our efforts may not result in a recovery or prevention of abduction.

Fortunately, there have been many successes, while remaining committed to those we seek to help.

However, our primary mission is to conduct research in the area of international parental child abduciton and child trafficking, publish and widely disperse our findings, and then use our data to help drive new policies and laws that will help protect children.

You know, one person's voice really can make a difference. And humbly, it was during the time that I was 'Chasing The Cyclone' of international parental child abduction that I thought one day I would use my skills and capability as a best-selling author to help other parents and children facing a world of abduction that does not make any sense: the world of international parental child abduction. Fortunately, I had a starting point that would allow me to set the wheels of advocacy in motion because I had a platform to stand on: you see, it took a great deal of everything, but I was able to reuntie with my child despite unthinkable hardships and challenges, and in doing so, I also learned a great deal about child abduction.

Using my skills as a writer, I then wrote the deeply personal fiction novel 'Chasing The Cyclone' that was overwhelmingly inspired by my life's experiences that book critics have praised. I am very proud of 'Chasing The Cyclone' because, as it has been properly stated in the press, it is a book that creates miracles.

Now you might be asking yourself how does a book create miracles? To begin, the knowledge shared with other targeted parents has helped many reunite with their children or helped them protect their kids.

In addition, I have donated 100% of all of my various books proceeds and ancillary income to the I CARE Foundation, including 100% of my revenue generated from all e-book sales of 'Chasing The Cyclone' (hardcover will be released in early 2013: 4.8 Star Rating: 40+ Reviews) to the I CARE Foundation. Fortunately, I have been blessed to be able to make several important donations to the foundation that has unquestionably rescued and protected many children.

As for the I CARE Foundation, some of our successes include but are not limited to:

1. Reuniting numerous abducted children with their families.

2. Assisting in the prevention of the international kidnapping of many targeted children.

3. Conducting and publishing important research in the area of child abduction.

4. Using our research findings to either drive or initiate new laws and policies geared to protect children and their families.

5. Creating a nation-wide attorney network of lawyers capable of assisting families in crisis due to actual or potential abduction.

6. Launching a successful campaign seekign attorneys to join the U.S. Department of State's Hague Convention Attorney Network.

There are no words that I could ever use to explain the heart-felt joy I feel knowing that so many children have been assisted because of the I CARE Foundation's work. Nor could there ever been words that could mirror the hurt I feel when I come to learn of a parent and child's suffering due to abduction. It is what drives all of us to make a difference.

In little over a year, the I CARE Foundation's accomplishments have had a positive social impact. It was an honor to participate in the United States Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program at the United Nations. It was an honor to accept a magnificent American Flag that was flown over the United States Capitol in my honor, and I sure am looking forward to traveling the the Hague and visiting the Peace Palace in the early part of 2013.

When I look out at the number of lives the I CARE Foundation has knowingly touched, and consider the number of individuals we will have a positive impact for that we will never know or meet, the writer inside of me smiles because I know without my desire to write 'Chasing The Cyclone' the I would not have sought to create the foundation. Clearly, the power of books and writing are alive and well. And I am thrilled to know that the foundation's operations, board of directors, advisory board, and international reach and presence will be expanding in 2013.

On a personal note, and outside of the joy I feel knowing of the children we have helped, it has been richly rewarding to develop friendships with some truly remarkable, loving parents who it is my honor to call 'friend'.

In the spirit of friendship, I know that 2013 is really going to the the Year of the Child.

On a final note, please remember, Christmas is Child Abduction Season. Educate yourself so that you and your family can have a Happy Christmas. And as for me: I will continue to stand up to kidnappers of children . . .

Peter Thomas Senese

Founding Director

I CARE Foundation

How Each Of Us Can Help Stop Gun Violence: Sign MAYOR BLOOMBERG'S DEMAND A PLAN Petition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:17:00 +0000

The overwhelming sadness and concern our nation feels in the aftermath of the tragedy of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy that took place in Newton, Connecticut should be equally measured by all individuals with intolerance of a lack of gun control and ammunition laws that will protect against the insanity of these unthinkable, incomprehensible events from happening again.

As we mourn the murder of the 20 young, innocent children, the taking of life of 6 defenseless educators, and the deadly assault of a mother who died at the hands of her child who she spent her life trying to help - as we grieve for the families who have suffered due to this mass murder - and as we recall the many innocent lives who were victims of murder by firearms, we must create a widespread and sweeping plan that will be directed at significantly lowering the 48,000 American citizens who are expected to be murdered by a gun during the upcoming next four years of President Obama's presidency.

The I CARE Foundation supports New York City Mayor Bloomberg and the scores of hundred's of mayors from around the nation who support the I DEMAND A PLAN and the MAYORS AGAINST ILLEGAL GUNS. We thank and support Hizzoner's commitment to limit ease and access to guns because guns are the instrument that people use to kill.

It is unthinkable that nearly 48,000 American children will be murdered by a gun over the next 4 years.

It is unthinkable that nearly 125,000 American children will be murdered by a gun over the next 10 years.

It is incomprehensible to accept that the entire population of cities such as Simi Valley, Hartford, Ann Arbor, Flint, Cedar Rapids, East Los Angeles, Topeka, Stamford, Vallejo, or Springfield have less than the total expected number of murdered American's over the next ten years by the bullet of a gun.

It is unacceptable to think that the expected number of gun-related murders is equal to three entire professional baseball stadiums filled with cheering fans dying due to some cataclysmic event.

As we mourn all those who lost their life in Newton, Connecticut and as we remember the murder victims everywhere - not just those innocent lives who lost their life due to a mass-targeting - but everyone - the I CARE Foundation Demands a Plan.

We support all new laws that will prohibit the sale or possession of assault rifles.

We support all new laws that will prohibit the sale of all ammunitions designed to take human life, including bullets designed to pierce body armor.

We support all new laws and measures that will protect law enforcement officers in their line of duty.

We support new federal initiatives that would utilize technology to ensure that a firearm cannot be used unless the fingerprints of the user match the license use of the specific firearm.

We support the I DEMAND A PLAN initiative because, as child advocates fighting day-in and day-out to protect innocent children from international kidnapping and trafficking, we seek to celebrate life and each person's right to pursue happiness.

We can't imagine that it would take the immediate loss in totality of every individual living in a mid-sized American city such as those mentioned above for our nation's leaders to act.

Senator Feinstein

We support California Senator Feinstein's plan to reintroduce legislation to ban assault weapons. We take the honorable Senator's words optimistically when she said that, "“I’m going to introduce in the Senate and the same bill will be introduced in the House, a bill to ban assault weapons. It will ban the sale, the transfer, the importation and the possession. Not retroactively but prospectively. And it will ban the same for big clips, drums or strips of more than 10 bullets. So there will be a bill. We’ve been working on it now for a year.”

Senator Schumer

We take note that New York State Senator Charles Schumer that Congress "Could get something done," but only if the paradigm of the debate shifts. He said gun control advocates on the left must acknowledge that the Second Amendment allows the right to bear arms and that the right must stop engendering fear in gun owners that the gun control advocates want to take away all guns.

Schumer said his proposals would not interfere with the Second Amendment but would offer protections. He proposes a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, a limit to the size of clips available for purchase and restrictions placed on the mentally unstable from obtaining guns.

We take note with hopeful optimism that the words "These tragedies must end," and that "We can't tolerate this anymore" spoken by President Obama will lead to a sweeping plan.

We acknowledge that the House of Representatives has year-after-year passed legislation that banned assault weapons; however, we also acknowledge that the Senate has been gridlocked.

President Obama

We urge all Senators to stop the gridlock and get something done. We can't imagine anyone would need a semi-automatic, high velocity AR-15 Bushmaster assault rifle that is capable of letting out 30 rounds?

In honor of the memory of all who have lost their lives while being mindful of all our responsibilities to prevent the murder of more innocent lives, the I CARE Foundation is in support of the I DEMAND A PLAN Campaign and asks everyone to sign the petition urging our lawmakers to create and pass a sweeping plan that will significantly reduce the expected 125,000 Americans that will lose their life over the next 10 years on American soil by a bullet.

The I CARE Foundation

Finally, we take particular note that our society faces challenges when it comes to aiding and assisting individuals who suffer from neurological and mental health challenges, particularly individuals who, upon age of adulthood, fall out of social service support. We recognize that this issue, similar to gun control, is complex. Yet, in the dialogue of what tragically occurred in Newton, we believe it necessary that this issue is brought to light.

Our hearts are very heavy today, as they have been for the past few days due to the losses that have occurred. Little said or done can ever bring back the lives of the innocent lives that were lost. However, we can demonstrate our caring and true intent by creating new laws and policies that will stop the violence of guns.

The Board of Directors and the Special Advisory Board of the I CARE Foundation urges everyone to please sign the I DEMAND A PLAN petition and support all initiatives that will address gun control laws.

As Hizzoner Mayor Bloomberg correctly said, "Words alone cannot heal our nation, only action can."

On Behalf of the I CARE Foundation

- Peter Thomas Senese -
Founding Director

http://www.demandaplan.org/

The Senese Family Gets Ready For Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 23:12:00 +0000

My family has some seriously talented musicians in it. Here is a video of Jacqueline, Madeline, Nicholas, and Tyler ... doing there thing!