The Belgian Connection

How adoptions started in Belgium

In 1958 Father Delooz, Franciscaner went to the Belgian colony Rwanda, where he got into contact with the White Sisters of Afrika. The Sisters run an orphanages for Mulate children.

Many colonial men had relations with black women. Only ten percent of these children was registered by the fathers. The mulate children were taken into orphanages by the Sisters. It was not obliged by law, but the mothers were forced to give up their children (also if they could well take care of them).

When Rwanda became independent (1961) the Sisters ask Fatehr Delooz to find families in Belgium to  host these children, as they fear these children will be killed during the battle for independence. Because there are not enough Belgian families to host these children, Baroness della Faille, who lives in Paris, offers a castle in Bruges (BE) to host the children there. In exchange, the Baroness asks Father Delooz' cooperation to find Belgian families who would host children from the suburbs of Paris during holidays. Father Delooz agreed to that.

However, many (childless) host families would like to care for these children permanently, but the French children had parents. As a result, Father Delooz explored other sources for adoption. End sixties, he meets Mother Teresa at the house of Baron Coppee (Brussels) and they discuss adoption. Mother Teresa proposes Father Delooz to come to India to make contacts. As a result, the first Indian adoption children arrive around Christmas 1970. At the beginning the children come only from the orphanages of Mother Theresa, but because of *increasing demand* for children, soon contacts are made with other orphanages too.

Father Delooz was involved in setting up Joy Sewers, that still continues adoptions, as well as the organising of holidays for children from Paris.

Some 400 children came from Rwanda to Belgium. Some were adopted, some went to foster families. Research among 31 adults showed that 74% went back to Rwanda when adults. 95% searches for their mother, 23 % for their father. Some find out their mother was killed during the genocide. The reunions did not always have a happy ending, as they no longer spoke the native language, had forgotten their first years, and found it difficult to culturally adapt and to bond with their mothers.