Monday, October 29, 2012

'Chasing The Cyclone's Peter Thomas Senese and The I CARE Foundation Has Helped Protect Dozens Of Targeted Children


Chasing The Cyclone
by
Peter Thomas Senese
 
I am pleased to share my deeply inspired novel Chasing The Cyclone continues to have a significant impact on a large and growing number of children and targeted parents of international abduction.  In fact, the natural progress of events beginning from the initial e-book publication of Chasing The Cyclone led to the creation of the not-for profit I CARE Foundation I am the Founding Director of.  I am happy to share that through the efforts of the I CARE Foundation dozens of children who have either been internationally kidnapped or who have been targeted for international abduction have either been safely reunited with their families or were actually protected from abduction, and remain safely home.

This is a fairly significant statement when considering that the foundation's volunteer reunification efforts represents a  sizeable percentage of all American children coming home (our efforts to reuntie children kidnapped to America are also noteworthy). 

With 100,000 to 125,000 American children and nearly 20,000 Canadian children expected to be internationally kidnapped over the next 10 years, the success of Chasing The Cyclone and the I CARE Foundation is tempered by the reality that there is a long way to go. This notion is underscored by the reality that only 10% of all internationally kidnapped children come home. Think about it for a moment: three professional baseball stadiums filled with defenseless children - all disappearing.  The majority of children will never come home. Some simply can't: they are gone forever.

And this sentiment is not a piece of fiction: it is reality.  And it sucks. And it is worth standing up and fighting for.
Best-Selling Author
Peter Thomas Senese 
I think for any author, the biggest goal when writing any book is to have an impact on your intended audience.  The financial success of a book is obviously important; however, the desire to influence others is the real desire.

And with dozens of children either rescued or protected from abduction thus far, combined with the many initiatives the I CARE Foundation has under way that will further help others, I am pleased with Chasing The Cyclone's impact thus far. 
 
The American Flag
and
U.S. Senate Citation
Having seen first-hand the horrors of abduction, I am committed to continuing fighting this fight.  Fortunately, governments from around the world are taking notice of the I CARE Foundation's work - which means we're making a difference. 

In fact, it was a tremendous honor and humbling experience to receive this majestic American Flag flown over the United States Capitol Building at the request of the Senate in appreciation for my volunteer work and support of the I CARE Foundation. 

From Left to Right
Chris Morris, Eugene Pothy &
I CARE Founder Peter Thomas Senese
Additionally, last month I had the opportunity to participate in the United State's Department of State's 'International Visitor Leadership Program' at the United State's Mission to the United Nations concerning the foundation's advanced work in child abduction and human trafficking prevention.  It was a great honor, particularly when considering some of the incredible global leaders who have previously participated in the program. 

Unquestionably, the publication of 'Chasing The Cyclone' has helped many parents and children new laws have been passed, new policies implemented, and new legislation that could help stop abduction and trafficking is on the horizon - and children are home. 

My financial commitment to the I CARE Foundation and support of the organization's efforts to help children remains steadfast as shared by I CARE Board Member, Hague Convention Attorney Network member and highly respect attorney Joel Walter in a very kind article he shared on his website. In fact, I have donated 100% of all of my various novel's proceeds over the past year to the I CARE Foundation: it is a commitment I intend to continue.
 
Being able to assist the I CARE Foundation has been a responsibility of mine that in truth has been a privilege to uphold.   But truth is, nearly seven years ago I never even knew the collective words international parental child abduction were.  Nor did I realize that I was one of a surging number of individuals who were not familiar with this vonocular.  And quite frankly, at that time, most individuals in society did not realize the severity of this crime or what a chasing parent will go through to safely bring home their child.  Nor did they realize that sociopathic tendancies of an abusive abductor, who, not only would kidnap a child, but would attempt to slander and defame the targted other parent because international law has established a loophole known as the 'Abductors Defense' (Hague Convention: Article 13) that know targeted parent is immune from.

Who knew that during the time I was Chasing The Cyclone, the promise I made to the God I worship would lead to my volunteer advocacy for children, with the result being the I CARE Foundation and all that the organization has achieved.                                     


THE I CARE FOUNDATION
From the seed that is Chasing The Cyclone, this is a sampling of the things that have been accomplished:
                                                                 

1. The creation of the 501-C-3 Not-for-profit ‘International Child Abduction Research & Enlightenment’ Foundation' (I CARE Foundation
)  that was established to and has successfully rescued numerous internationally kidnapped children while conducting advanced research in the area of IPCA in order advocate for the creation of new laws that will protect children from international kidnapping.

2. Under the I CARE Foundation’s leadership, we have built a large national pro bono network of lawyers willing to assist parents who are targeted to have a child internationally kidnapped or who have had a child abducted while also launching a successful and ongoing recruitment campaign for lawyers to join the United States Department of State's Hague Convention Attorney Network; and,

3. Overseeing the legal rescue and reunification of numerous internationally kidnapped children; and,

4. Provided necessary resources required for numerous lawyers and targeted parents who were trying to prevent their child from being internationally abducted (see 'Senese Creates Arsenal Of Tools To Help Lawyers and Targeted Parents'); and,

5. Board Member Carolyn Vlk wrote the legislation for the State of Florida's Child Abduction Prevention Act while Board Member Peter Thomas Senese orchestrated lobbying efforts that led to the unanimous passage of the CAPA legislation into now effective law; and,

6. Successfully advocated for the federal implementation of the 'Prevent Departure Program' to be used as a tool to stop international parental child abduction; and,

7. Writer and advocate behind legislative initiatives to prevent international child abduction by modifying the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative; and,

8. Writer and advocate behind legislative initiatives to prevent international child abduction by modifying the Prevent Departure Program II; and,

9. The co-authoring and creation and FREE publication of the extensive 'The World Turned Upside Down' open-tablet E-book resource guide on IPCA; and,

10. The creation and production of the FREE ongoing educations documentary film on IPCA titled 'Chasing Parents: Racing Into the Storms of IPCA; and,

11. The co-authoring of the extensive research report titled 'Crisis In America: IPCAToday'; and,

12. The co-authoring of the extensive research report titled 'International Child Abduction and Human Trafficking In The Western Hemisphere'; and,

13. The creation of one of the most informative websites on IPCA; and,

14. The ongoing efforts to create additional federal laws that evolve around child abduction prevention.

15. The stout support and advocacy that led to the passage of on line impersonation laws such as those passed in the states of California and New York.

16. I have used significant book publication revenue to finance the recovery of internationally kidnapped children.

17. Upcoming I CARE Foundation sponsored educational legal training seminars for lawyers in the area of IPCA.

18.  A large and growing grass-roots effort to educate parents about the risks ofIPCA and child trafficking.

19.  A promise to continue my efforts to educate society about the issues of IPCA, use my resources whenever possible to assist others, and to work toward the passage of new laws that will protect children, as demonstrated in the sworn testimonials of my conduct.

20.  Recently participated in the U.S. Department of State's United State's Mission's International Global Visitor Leadership Program at the Untied Nations
All from a book called 'Chasing The Cyclone' that was inspired by the time in my life I was required to chase into the storms of abduction.

One final note, and this is personally extremely important to me to share.  Before I raised my voice and tried to make a difference in the fight against IPCA, there were, as there are today other wonderful advocates who have fought so hard to protect children by raising their voice, using their resources to fight a good fight, and to pass new laws that will protect children.  I recognize and applaud each of these individuals who make up the community of child advocates who are dedicated to protecting children.

For more on me, Peter Thomas Senese, I invite you to visit my official website and the offical website of Chasing The Cyclone.  For more on my writing or to purchase any of my publications, please visit Amazon or BN.  Click here to read an interview I really enjoyed that was conducted by top parenting site Mom-ology.