Kendra Scott Haiti Fundraiser

UPDATE: The order form for this event is now available (see below)! If you do not live in the Austin area or you will not be able to make it to this Kendra Scott location at the time of this event, browse online and email the attached order form to hilary@childrenofallnations.com by Monday, August 14th!

Click here to fill out the event order form!

Save the Date!

On August 15th our agency will be teaming up with Kendra Scott for a fundraiser to benefit one of our Haiti Orphan Care projects!

The Cause

This orphan care project is very near and dear to our hearts, as the money raised will go towards helping three incredible brothers (The G-Triplets!) in Haiti find their Forever Family. We have been advocating for these three brothers for many years, yet sadly the costs associated with processing three children’s adoptions at one time have caused an unfortunate roadblock for many interested families. Without this obstacle, it’s very likely that they would have already found their family.

Throughout our time advocating for the G-Triplets, several members of our staff have had the opportunity to meet them. We have also heard from several families who met them while traveling to Haiti, and everyone says the exact same thing — these boys are INCREDIBLE!

The three boys told our reps in Haiti that they’re all best friends who dream of becoming teachers or pastors when they grow up. By working together we can bring them one step closer to having a family of their own so that one day this dream can come true. This is our chance to make a difference in their lives!

The Event – Kendra Gives Back

This event will be taking place on August 15th from 6pm-8pm CST at the Kendra Scott located at 1400 S. Congress Avenue, Suite A-170, Austin, TX 78704. During this time, 20% of all proceeds will go towards helping the G-Triplets come home. If you’re interested in participating, all you have to do is stop in and make a purchase!

Live somewhere other than Austin? No problem! Browse online and email the order form below to hilary@childrenofallnations.com by Monday, August 14th and your order will be processed at the time of the event.

Kendra Scott Order Form: Event Pre-Order Form

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Bear Sighting – A Father’s Journey to Latvia

I play Ice Hockey almost every day of the week, I wished for a son who shared my love of the sport and Latvia ended up delivering more than I could ever imagine.

I remember waking up at 4am to meet the in-country social worker in the lobby of my hotel.  It was her that was going to take me on the long 5 hour drive from Riga to meet Maksims in an orphanage directly east, only 10 miles off the Russian boarder.  I remember the icy road narrowing as we left the city toward the countryside into a small two-lane highway lined with trees so covered in snow they were about to snap.    It was the middle of January in the coldest place I had ever been on a journey of a lifetime.   I was speechless but filled with excitement of finding my son.

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Photos:  On the way to the orphanage, the views, the road!

I had read about Boy #23 on the ministry of children’s waiting list and inquired about him, asked for a photo which ultimately lead to me asking to be matched to him.  A match that allowed me to be invited to the country to meet Boy #23, Maksims.  This orphanage was so remote that I later learned that they do very few adoptions per year, sometimes only one.  In fact the day we showed up at our scheduled time to meet Maksims they didn’t actually think we’d show up so they didn’t prepare Maksims or keep him out of school that day.  We waited while the director of the orphanage checked my paperwork, my passport and called for Maksims to return from school to meet a visitor.  Latvian’s are very formal, very proud and very direct.

The time had come for me to actually meet Maksims, a Russian speaking 7 year old boy that had no idea why I was there.  I quickly learned that the orphanage children know, are taught or find out that America is the “golden ticket”.  This close to the border it’s common for children and adults to speak Russian and Latvian however they speak very little English.  I was always with my attorney or social worker assigned to me by CAN while in Latvia and both speak English as act as translator.  We sat in the orphanage director’s office looking out at the snow covered fields that led to snow covered forests waiting for Maksims to arrive.   The orphanage was only a few years old and the facility was welcoming, painted a happy color of yellow on the outside and arcitectually a great design where modern meets traditional.  I remember thinking, “This looks like an ivy league dorm”.  For some reason it gave me great comfort to know that the children were in a place of warmth, love and security.

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Photos:  The orpahage

The door opened slowly and he came in, head down but smiling, timid and shy,  he just found out that someone from America was here to meet him.  It was his day!  I have to stop to tell you that whenever a car pulls up at the orphanage and strangers get out their is a frenzied excitment that follows.  Children from all over the inside of the orphanage press their faces in the windows to see who it is, and wonder, “are they here for me?”  To experience this sight is one of the most sad, humbeling and moving moments of my journey as they are “the waiting children”.  It made me proud that I had gotten to this point, confirming my choice to adopt a waiting child with special needs. I wanted to change the life course of a child, forever.  I had found out on the ride that they wanted me to be very careful if I should decide to select Maksims.  My attorney who did not make the long 5 hour ride had seen Maksims in a hospital once near Latvia and said he may have more issues than I would want to deal with.  It sounds harsh but it’s their job to make sure it’s a good fit for both sides.  Since she had witnessed Maksims first hand I was even more causious  than normal.  During our visit he seemed fine.  Since my attorney was not there I had no idea what she was speaking about, this kid was fantastic.

Bear 7

Photos:  On the left was taken the day I met my son in the orpahnage on January 23rd 2012. The photo on the right is what he looked like in July of 2012 just six months later, as an American.

I was asked to bring a present for the boy as an “ice breaker” and I had decided based on his age that a small $7 Lego car would fit into my suitcase, I even brough a gift bag all the way from the USA to wrap it in.  He loved it and we sat there building it and playing with it together for over an hour.  He was so determined to put that car together thorough the visual directions to show me he could do it.  The pride he had when he finished was a smile ear to ear.  We made a game of rolling it back and forth, came up with rules like if you hit an extra piece (not used in the car) while rolling it to one another then the other person got the piece.  Remember we could only communicate with smiles, made up sign language which we really laugh about today.   It’s hard to describe but we connected in such a way, making rules for a game, totally understanding each other, we had nothing to worry about.  I knew without a doubt,  this was my son, he called me Papa from that day on.  Even the orphan director was impressed with our skills to communicate.   My in-country social worker the attorney had sent me with became nervous since the attorney was certain I would not select Maksims based off what she knew.   I was sure.  I did not see anything even close to what she saw and had heard about of this boy.

An few hours later we arrived at the Orphan Judge chambers with Maksims, my social worker and the orphan director to plead our case that I wanted to take the boy into my custody for the next 3 weeks while the courts checked in on us in Riga.  We made great progress with the judge, she agreed to “think about it” overnight and asked us to come back in 2 days.  I was the first single male to adopt from the country and they needed time to process the thought, ask their team opinions and deliberate on the case.  Lucky for me I had taken a small photo album to Latvia to show extra photos of me, grand-papa, my sister, the house, the children’s bedroom, the dog, my friends, basically my life in 30 or so photos.  I highly suggest doing this to anyone on this journey, Maksims could not stop looking at the photos the entire 3 weeks we were there.  In fact we added photos of him and I to the book so he became part of the photo story and part of the family.

It was a long 2 day break, several hundred miles back and forth from Riga to the orphange but our day in Orphan court was here.  We arrived at the orphanage, sat in the same office as before, delivered cookies and sweets to the director (a custom of courtesy) and chatted before going to see the orphan judge over the region.  This time my attorney came with me since she had not “officially” met the boy I wanted to adopt, the boy that was a troubled soul and perhaps more than I could deal with.  She was stunned, regretful and saddened that she had given me so much information.  It was not the same boy  she had seen and since Maksims is not a common name in Latvia, she was mistaken.  We each learned 2 different lessons that day, for me it was follow your heart.  I know she was just trying to protect me but I can’t tell you how many times on that long ride to the orphanage I that I thought, “should we stop”, or “what do I know, she’s a smart attorney.”  I felt bad for the attorney, she felt even worse but I did feel protected and that I had someone watching out for me.  His real profile from the Latvian website on waiting children was not very good so it was very possible that he could have been a poor choice.  Below is the profile that lead me to want to meet what eventually became my son, a professional would also have the same opinion as my attorney.  It’s a profile of what many consider much more extreme than “mild delays”.  Ironically the high F scores would have scared most off just reading the profile however at the time I had no idea what they meant.   After the inquiry I received a photo and asked to be matched and the country agreed to match us.

#23. Boy born on February 7, 2004:

  • boy has brown eyes and light brown hair. Child is friendly, open, hardworking, helpful, responsible, responsive, is not aggressive, but sometimes has a lack of self control, is emotionally labile, can be rude, but in general he doesn’t engage in arguments, conflicts, but sometimes can be stubborn. In September 2010 he started to study in the 1st grade of the local elementary school, school results are good, he can read, write, count, but still he has learning problems and it is possible that he will need to be educated following the special program. Boy has difficulties to concentrate for very long time, he is hardworking and loves taking part in different activities, but because of his unstable attention and low capacity to concentrate quickly looses the interest and starts to disturb others. Boy loves singing, watching TV (cartoons) and enjoys playing with others. Boy often is ailing (cold, rhinitis, etc.). His development, as well as his weight and height, doesn’t correspond to the normal of the age, at the moment it corresponds to the 4 years old child;
  • there is no information about pregnancy and prenatal development of the child;
  • medical diagnosis – delay of physical development, behavior troubles in the early childhood;
  • diagnosis of psychiatrist – light cognitive troubles without somatic troubles (F 06.70), mixed specific learning troubles (F 81.3), troubles of activity and attention (F 90.0), hyperkinetic troubles (F 90.1);
  • further treatment – anemia treatment;
  • by a court judgment, the mother has been deprived from custody rights in January 2009, mother is alcohol abused, she did not provide the appropriate living conditions for their children. Mother has never visited child, she has never shown interest in his current well being and in his future, the oldest sister has visited him once;
  • child has one adult sister, the decision of the orphan’s court on separation of the children in case of adoption has been made.

The orphan judge agreed and even commented that we look alike, we had won them over.  The man that physically removed Maksims from his home was on the panel.  I’ll never forget him, Maksims was the first child he had to remove from a home and he held a special place in his heart since he saw what the journey the child had been through.  Maksims was 3 at that time  of removal, left alone in a home to fend for himself for several days repeatedly.  His mother, an alcoholic and unable to care for her children, had become a common story you may hear over and over.  This man saved my son’s life, he saw our connection over the course of my stay and advocated for the pairing and several months later showed up in court to make sure the final verdict was granted in the major court.   I’m still in contact with the office of the orphan judge that first gave me custody, sending them photos and updates.  Now and then I’ll receive a message back in broken typed English that they love the photos, they love that he’s happy and can see it in his eyes.

We went back to Riga for our 2 weeks of living as a family with the Latvian courts checking in on us, making reports and meeting with the attorney.  It all sounds complicated but the attorney and in-country social worker arranged everything.  I just had to be ready to have company that was scheduled or be picked up in the lobby of our hotel when asked. He began calling me Papa immediately and felt totally comfortable with me as his dad.  The time passed quickly and Riga is a wonderful city to be “lost” in.  We stayed in Old Town Riga and you can walk easily everywhere and enjoy sight seeing through the 750 year old city with cobble stone streets.   It did take me some time to get used to the cold, seemingly unfriendly nature of the Latvian people however I was happier than ever before and in one of the most visually beautiful cities in the world.   During this bonding time we went to the grocery store, clothing store, museum, circus, parks and doctors getting check ups.   Looking back at the time its a wonderful memory and a perfect process for the bonding period.  Ultimately I was granted the approval to take Maksims back to the USA.

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Photos:  My father took me to the circus every year so I wanted to do the same for Bear, our first outing in Riga. We did lots of shopping at the local stores and sometimes we just had “kid” fun blowing bubbles.

During the stay in Riga I had changed his name to Bear and moved the Maksims to the middle name. I wanted him to have a name I picked to celebrate his American life and honor his Latvian/Russian name as the middle.  It was easier since he didn’t speak English and worked out just fine, he embraced his new name and for the first week or so I called him Bear Maksims, later dropping the Maksims.  I picked Bear after hearing the story of what he went through, his lineage is Russian, his birth parents are suspected to be Russian and the Bear is a sign of Russia’s pride,  strength, power and endurance.   The Russian national hockey team often uses the skating bear as a symbol for their team, it was a perfect fit and he was starting to blossom as a kid.

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Photos:  The name Bear, A new dog “Finn” and learning to swim.

Once in America we spent the next several weeks visiting doctors, trying to find out what the profile said were the issues.  Doctor after doctor we visited, nothing seemed to be out of the normal.  Bear’s  pediatrician has 2 boys near the same age, both on the small side and similar behaviors.  It was comforting to know that he was checking out to not have anything severely wrong or what had been implied.  Even non verbal IQ test was given to provide a baseline of where he was in the learning process and his capabilities.  I finally stopped going to the doctors offices when my pediatrician said, there is nothing wrong with this boy, he’s on the small side of normal, no learning disabilities and everything seems fine, stop coming!  I had hired a private tutor for him to study and catch up on the basics, we arrived in America on Valentines day so the school year would be out shortly in June and this time would allow us to play “catch up” on his education and socialization.  He was tutored a few times a week for school.  His love of sports was soon uncovered as he watched Papa play Ice Hockey and shortly after several games asked if he could play hockey too. Of course I said yes and hired him a private hockey coach to start.  Today he has 4 private hockey coaches, loves the game as much as I do and we share the love of the sport, it’s in his blood.

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Photos:  The Latvian took to the ice like his Papa, hockey is in his blood.

With summer coming to an end, school looming in the near future and a boy who could now carry a conversation in English, we were all set.  Since Bear turned 8 in February he was supposed to go into third grade a battle was beginning with the public school system.  He needed to be in 2nd grade from all accounts from the experts but the system said due to his age he should be in 3rd, a battle I eventually won.  I had desperately wanted him to attend my private church school however the more I researched the situation the more I had to accept that the public school system was more equipped to handle “English as a second language” and I decided to put him into the local public school.  I was devastated but realized that it was the best decision I could have made.  This was about what would be best for him vs. what I thought about the public schools, which ended up to be wrong.  Even today I’m thankful I made that decision, he thrived, got attention and experts with adopted children and his growth excelled.   Don’t get me wrong, there were challenges at first.  He didn’t know how to behave in a classroom situation but shortly learned.   I was strict and didn’t tolerate bad reports, bad behavior but wanted him to know what the expectations were in school.  I think you could say that we both learned a lot early on in our school days of the 2nd grade.  He entered the 2nd grade in August of 2012 and he started to blossom as a young boy, the speed at which he was learning was amazing, even to the teacher.  I always believed that to be a teacher you have to love the art of teaching, love children and boy-o-boy did we get lucky!  Ms. H was the perfect choice for Bear’s first teacher, a young 2nd grade teacher who loved exactly what she wanted to do,  which was teach.  There were rough patches, several daily reports of “yellow faces” which meant, not so good but early on in the process the “green smily faces” were praised with great joy.  A few months later we were getting green smiley faces every day. His test scores were on par with his grade, for the most part he was a normal 2nd grader, and happy. This is a boy who just a few months ago could not speak the language, not write and had not been taught how to act in a classroom.  In December we celebrated him being awarded student of the month for his grade.  And yes, I’m one of those parents who proudly put the bumper sticker on their car that says, My Kid Is Student Of The Month!

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Photos:  Halloween at school as Huckleberry Finn then at night a Power Ranger with Papa.  Later Bear told me I had my mask upside down!  We can’t forget about soccer in the summertime.

There are highs and lows of the process, you will need to be strong.  I honestly could write a book, I never get tired of telling the story. There are so many facets of the story I have not gone into but I think the basics are covered. If you’ve read this far you must be ready to start your journey. You will have so much to talk about. When I arrived in Latvia for the first time I created “Bear Sightings:” for the start of my Facebook entries that always were attached to a photo for my family and closest of friends to follow and support us.  Everyone close to me knew what we were doing all along the way. Even today I still start all my Facebook posts as “Bear Sightings:” so everyone knows what to expect, a story about an amazing kid that changed my life.  There are times you will remember forever, like at Christmas when he received a letter from Santa confirming that Santa knew where his house was located and he received his request for toys and game plus something for Papa.  Bear said, “he finally found me for the first time”, we celebrated what Bear considers his first Christmas.  Seeing an under weight, neglected boy become a confident, athletic, well mannered playful boy who can’t sit still in church  … well there are no words that can give you the emotions you will have during the journey.   We live today as a happy family and I recently entered back into the Latvian “waiting children” program to find 2 more “special needs” brothers for Bear to be the eldest sibling in our family. We play more ice hockey than I’d like to admit to and cherish the moments each day brings us. If you are lucky, you will get assigned to an amazing domestic social worker like I did.  They are the unsung heroes that fight for these children everyday. She made the difference in my decision to get back into the Latvian program with CAN and find more sons.  For us, the journey continues.

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Photos Top Row:  First floor of the house lit up at Christmas time so Santa could find us, it’s referred to as

THE HOUSE OF HUCKLEBERRY.  A King in the Church pageant.

Photos Bottom Row: A letter from Santa and Christmas morning with Papa.

Adopting families always ask me for any advice or words of wisdom.  I would have to say the following:   1) Don’t wait until you have all the money  completely saved   2) Follow your heart but make sure you are listening to what it is really saying   3) It’s okay to say “no” to a match, even if you’ve met the child and it just doesn’t feel right        4) Take tons of photos, especially together   5) Share and write about your story

Huck

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Photos Top Row:  On the porch after church & a long day at practice

Photos Bottom Row:  Father and son on a “set”, 3 generations of hockey players (myself, Bear and Grand-Papa)

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Update from Haiti

The First Few Days…

The past few days I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of one on one with several children, but one child in particular is a 2 month old baby. Yes, 2 months old. Her story is incredibly devastating but unfortunately that is most of their stories. As I held her the other day and rocked her to sleep I couldn’t help but to look into her eyes and wonder about her life before she arrived at the orphanage. So small and completely dependent on others and now completely dependent on strangers. However, all of these children become dependent on strangers.

I try my best when I am here to take as many kids aside as I can and spend one on one time with them whether that be blowing bubbles, coloring, rocking on the porch or singing songs. Even if I won’t be here long term I think it is so important for these children to have time to feel important, loved and special.

Today, I taught one of the toddlers how to blow bubbles and the excitement on her face left me without words. Prior to this she was pretty expressionless and I really could not seem to figure her out. But this was a totally new experience for her and she was having the time of her life. Her little dimples, white teeth, and bright eyes lit up the room with every bubble she blew. I honestly could have sat in the office with her for hours doing this because it was truly priceless.

I think we all strive to find our calling, to fulfill our purpose and to truly discover what our passion is. Sometimes it takes a while to find your way and discover where you fit in this massive world though. But when I am here, here in Haiti, I know this is where I belong.

Hilary Clemons, Haiti Adoption Specialist

Reality of an Orphanage

I have had a blog post similar to the one I am about to write but I am hopeful that the following information may help families, individuals, volunteer teams, etc really understand what an orphanage in another country is actually like and how your involvement truly can impact these children’s lives.

The kids are amazing. But, honestly amazing does not even begin to describe them. They are so resilient, full of joy and so smart. Most of the children hope to have a family in America and because of that they work extremely hard to learn English or at least enough to help communicate with their families when they come. They are so selfless.. Several times you will see the older children helping with the younger children by providing redirection, helping the nannies care for the babies, or simply entertaining the younger children. It is one big family unit. They ALL want your attention, hugs and affection. Now, that can be overwhelming for someone who has never traveled to an orphanage in another country because the amount of children that run up to you, pull on you and beg for you to pick them up is not only overwhelming but heartbreaking. You also might hear a lot of the children yelling “blan” when you enter a room or walk up to an orphanage which means white in creole.    Also, unless an orphanage has stateside help they are making it through everyday life by meeting the bare minimum and by meeting the bare mimimum they are surviving and actually doing very well for themselves. But, the bare minimum in another country looks very different than the bare minimum you might see in the states.

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My journey in Haiti on my own has been a totally different experience than the first time here. I had to be more confident, totally independent and have a lot of faith in myself to succeed. But, the thing that kept me going was walking into the orphanage on day one and the kids actually remembering me… it felt as if I had never left. Immediately calling my name, giving me hugs, and holding my hand; I was home. Everyday I made a point to go to every room and say hello to all of the children because they ALL are important, kind and smart. Through this I continued to build rapport with the children and got to know some new kiddos along the way. A lot of things happened on this trip for my personal growth and the growth of the adoption program.

As I left Haiti I was accompanied by several little friends from the orphanage and other children screamed my name as I got in the car. It was hard. The hardest of hard and I could not help but to cry. For a second I contemplated just loosing my passport…

The work here is extremely difficult and it is never finished but being able to truly connect with these children is what keeps me going and honestly I think it may keep them going too. Half of my heart is always in Haiti and like I told the kids, “this is not goodbye this is just see you later.”

Till next time Haiti. ❤️??

Resources

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Zoya’s Journey – A Bulgarian Adoption Story

blessed

 Zoya’s Journey” tells the story of one family’s adoption from Bulgaria. A little over a year after they began their adoption process, two loving parents found their daughter, Zoya, on Bulgaria’s Waiting Child listing. And so their adventure began!…

If you’re interested in learning more about Children of All Nations’ Bulgaria Waiting Child adoption program, visit our Bulgaria webpage or contact our adoption specialists today!

Resources

– Learn More About Bulgaria Adoption
– Contact a Bulgaria Adoption Specialist

– Visit the Waiting Child Photo Listing

November 6, 2013 – The Journey Continues!!

First off, I would like to THANK everyone for all their thoughts and prayers through this wonderful journey!! Amy and I started this process over 14 months ago and God has blessed us all the way through the journey!!

Here is a little history of our journey:  For many years Amy and I have wanted to adopt once our two boys, Stephen and Coen, were a little older.  We have heard the call that we are to provide a home for orphaned children.  We contemplated domestic and international adoption, and then after I went on two trips to India, I saw the need.  After prayer, God led us to adopt from Bulgaria.  Amy and I decided that we would like to adopt a child(ren) between the age of three years old and younger than Coen.  We would also consider adopting a sibling group.  In February, we received the “Waiting Child” list from our adoption agency (Children of All Nations – CAN).  The Waiting Child is a list of children that are either a sibling group, getting close to ageing out of adoption, and/or have special needs.  We reviewed the list and it only contained two Bulgarian profiles.  The first was for three great looking brothers, but two of them were older than our boys and we wanted Stephen and Coen to be the older siblings.  The second profile was for an almost 9 year old girl.  We read through her profile and as we read we started to feel that indescribable feeling like she is the one.  She had been in the orphanages since she was very young and is socially behind.  We continued to review all we could and that is when Amy said the words I will never forget….”Sounds like she needs a teacher for a Mommy!”  That is when it felt right! 

Thursday, November 7, 2013 – Packed…(I hope)

Amy and I stayed up past 1 am getting things packed.  Not only did we need to make sure we are all set to go and have all we need, we needed to ensure the boys are packed to stay with grandparents.  To add to the headache, Coen has a science project due before our return so we needed to help him finish his science board.

Today, I have been finishing up the packing and running errands.  I finally found some small gifts to give to the care givers at the orphanage.  That took the bulk of my morning as I drove from store to store to gift shop to gift shop and no luck.  Then right when I was about to give up, I thought “what about the Living Desert Zoo gift shop?!”  So I gave it a shot and found what I was looking for!

We already bought the other 14 children in the orphanage something small, like glow in the dark bracelets, coloring books and colors.  We also bought friendship bracelets for them to make.

As soon as Amy gets done teaching today, we will get the boys delivered to Mamaw and Papaw’s house and we will start our long drive to Dallas.

Amy needs extra prayer as she is sick (sore throat, achy, headache…..).  She did make it to the doctor yesterday and was able to get antibiotics.  We have also loaded up with Emergen-C and Airbourne.

Not sure if I will get a chance to update until getting to Bulgaria Saturday afternoon.  The time difference is nine hours so timing will be off as well.

God Bless!!

Sunday, November 10, 2013 – Sofia Site Seeing

SSISToday was a great day! First off, our travels were as smooth as could be!  Thanks for all the prayers for safe and uneventful travels.  Every flight left on time and our luggage was some of the first on the carousel.  Then Bulgarian customs was non-existent as we only had to state why we were here, got our stamp, and on out the door we went.  Right outside the door was our interpreters Ivan and driver Martin were there to greet us.

Since we arrived in Sofia on Saturday and we cannot go meet “Z’ until Monday, Ivan and Martin asked if they could take us to the Rila Monestary near Sofia.  We said yes and I am so glad we did!!  Both Ivan and Martin are super nice and are somewhat Bulgarian historians.  It was gorgeous!!  It is in the mountains so we got to see the fall colors and beautiful scenery.  The monestary was unbelievable!!  Bulgaria is so rich in history!  It was so hard to fathom some of the articles in the museum with dates in the first century (of course the history of Bulgaria, or the territory has BC history).  The monastery temple itself was just amazing.  Every square inch is painted, inside and out!  The details are beautiful!!

Monday, November 11, 2013 – Our Meeting with ‘Z’

Today, November 11 (Veterans Day), was a glorious day and will be remembered by Amy and I forever!!  Once again, thank you everyone that has prayed for our journey and for “Z.”  Amy and I had nervous anxiety going into today.  Before leaving for Gavril Genova, the AMOR agents Moya and Ivan let us know that Z was excited about the meeting, but we still had some nervous feelings, but we also knew God was blessing this adoption (but we are human and let our own emotions get in the way).  We got to the orphanage and met the head master and “Z’s” social worker.  After answering some questions, “Z” was brought to the room.

There are no words that can describe how awesome it was.  For me, it ranked up there with marrying Amy, and the birth of our two sons!  It was glorious!!

The day was awesome!  After a very pleasant tour of the monastery and gaining more knowledge of the rich history, we headed into the village and met the director of social services as she wanted to meet us.  We also got to meet the owners of “The Guest House,” a hotel, restaurant and place where they make and trade carpets (rugs).  After touring a museum nearby, we went and were hosted in their restaurant.  To say the least, Amy and I have been treated with royalty the entire time here.  We had the most pleasant lunch.  The food was great and the company was awesome!  The director of social services said that “Z” is very fortunate!  Illia Dimitrov, the owner of the Guest House was an awesome host and fed us good.  But that is not all; it just kept getting better and better! Illia, then asked if Amy would like to see how the carpet’s are made.  So we went into the next room and Amy received a quick lesson and was then asked to sit down and give it a try.  Amy learned that it is a tough job!!  But, wait there is more…….Illia then pulled out a very small rug (see photo) and started to explain the meaning of the design.  He said that it represents a Wing.  The wing is to provide protection (like a bird protects its young.  It also depicts a cross when looked at a different angle – I have pictures on my phone that depict it better).  He then proceeded to hand it to Amy and said he would be honored for us to have this rug!  He too was blessing our adoption of “Z!”  Not sure if it is custom here in Bulgaria, but I gave him a big hug!!  We will cherish this rug forever!!

Our trip to Bulgaria has been such a blessing!!  “Z” is a true gift from God and we are so proud to be able to be her Mommo and Daddy!!  I cannot wait for the rest of our family and friends to see our little spark plug of a daughter!! She is amazing!  And by the way….She rules the moment and is very strong willed!  I have also figured out why I hear “daughters have their fathers wrapped around their fingers.”  That is for sure! “Z” has me whipped already!!  Funny story about our drive back to the orphanage:  Her social worker, Sonia, was teasing her with the bear we bought her saying it was hers and not “Z’s” and they were having fun with the gag.  “Z” then said, “that is ok, Daddy will get me another one.”  Yep, I am pretty sure I would as she has already won my heart.  On that note, watch out boys, she is a Daddy’s girl and I will protect her how ever I can!!!!  Don’t get me wrong though, she is a Mommo’s girl too!  I love to watch Amy and “Z” together!  It is so cool to watch Amy and her walk, holding hands.  Amy is so good with her! There is already a special bond between them!!

Tomorrow will bring another day with “Z” but until then, Obicham te, “Z”!!!!!![/su_expand]

Wednesday, November 13, 2013 – Day 3 with ‘Z’

D3Today was our third day to spend with “Z.”  Again, “Z” was very excited to see us when we arrived at the orphanage.  We looked into all our options on how to spend the day and decided not to do so much of the tourist stuff (though we have enjoyed doing that with “Z”).  We started the day by just staying at the orphanage and played a game similar to the board game, Sorry.  During the game we are trying to work with her on her counting and we can see she does pretty good as long as she/we stay focused.  It is also helping Amy and I learn basic Bulgarian such as counting (though Amy is always correcting me).  After playing the game we broke out the friendship bracelet supplies to teach her how to make one.  Thank you Mamaw for buying these as they were a hit with “Z” and look like they will be for the rest of the children as well.  “Z” made multiple braclets and gave one to her caregiver, Sonia.  “Z” also wore about three or four of them throughout the day.  But I sure do love the one she made for me (see photo below).  Pretty sure I willl be wearing mine for a long time!

Thursday, November 14, 2013 – Day 4 with ‘Z’

D4Today was our fourth with “Z” and as with our previous days, we are gaining more insight with her.  We went to another monastery today, the Klisurski Monastery of St. Cyril and St. Methodius.  On the way to the monastery we had to pass through Berkovitsa, the birthplace for “Z.”  When asked if “Z” was ok with going through her birthplace, she was somewhat reluctant as she pretty much stated she does not care about Berkovitsa because that is where her biological mother lives.  But she agreed to go since Mommo and Daddy were with her.  “Z” asked if I could pick her up and hold her and I did so the entire time before leaving for the monastery.  I may have pinched a nerve in my neck sleeping last night, but there is no way I am going to deny my precious daughter!  I held her tight!.  We all jumped in the vehicle and headed towards Berkovitsa and the monastery.  The entire way, she held our hands.

At the monastery, we toured the courtyard and made our way to the temple.  As with all the monasteries we visited, they sell items to raise funds.  We asked Ivan what we should get “Z” as we felt like we should get her something from the monastery near her birthplace.  So Ivan asked the nun what she felt would be a nice gift.  She asked her name and we told her and she stated that her name means “To Live,” in which she said….”like the resurrection.”  That sent chills down my spine.  “Z” was not inclined to be near the place she was born as she was abandoned (death) but now God has brought her with Amy and I to give her a new life.  How cool is that!!  God Is Good!!

Friday, November 15, 2013 – Day 5 with ‘Z’

 

I decided to post about our last visit with “Z.”

We arrived at the orphanage around 10 am and we did our usual go through the photo album.  I love how she opens to the first page and gives the picture of Amy and I a kiss.  She says Mommo, and gives Amy’s picture a kiss, then says Daddy, and then kisses my picture.  It is so cute!  We are also glad that each page is protected with a plastic sleeve as some of the pictures would have kiss marks all over them.  She also likes to pull out the origami heart Stephen made for her that says he loves her.  She holds it to her cheek and says “Aaahhh!”

We then played our usual games, Sorry and Memory.

There were two different counselors at the orphanage today and they were very nice.  They gave us their blessings and one said they will pray that our process will be swift and that we will be re-united with Z fast.

Then 11:20am arrived and it was time to start saying goodbye.  You could tell “Z” was more somber, but as I mentioned yesterday, she has been in the orphanage all her life (9 years) and she knows the routine.  She grabbed our hands as we walked to the door.  I then picked her up and held her.  She gave Amy and I our kisses, we told each other we loved each other, and we gave her our promise we will return as soon as we could to take her home!  I held Z as long as I could…..until they said it was time to go!  We walked towards the car, turned back and gave our final waves goodbye………and drove off towards Sofia.  Amy and I stayed strong, but I can tell you we were missing her before we got a block away!  Sure wish we could hold her for a little longer!!

Sunday, November 17, 2013 – Time to come home.

We have had a wonderful trip! God truly blessed us with a beautiful daughter!  It is now time to head home. We miss Stephen and Coen so much and can’t wait to see them!

On our trip we met and gained a daughter.  We also gained friends. Ivan (pronounced Eevon) was such a great guide and Bulgarian host! He was and is instrumental in our adoption process. Ivan has become family. Below is a picture of Ivan and his girl friend at dinner last night.

Please pray for smooth and safe travels. We have a very fast connection in London and we just found out one ticket is standby (girl at counter acted like it should be no big deal). We should be home Monday afternoon.

God Bless you all!

 

Friday, November 22, 2013 – The Little Things……

 

Amy and I were so glad to get home and see Stephen and Coen as we missed them so much and they are our pride and joys and we LOVE them with our whole heart!  It was nice to walk in and get giant hugs from both of them!  Again, we thank our parents for watching them while we were gone.It has now been a week since we last saw “Z” and it has been tough without her.    Since being home, we have shared additional stories with our family about our time in Bulgaria.  I can tell you…Amy and I keep remembering our time with “Z” and it is the little things that we miss.We miss………………..

when she would reach out to hold our hands
when she would roll her eyes, tilt her head and then shake her head with a sassy attitude
when she would kiss our cheek
soup……her favorite food was soup.  Now every time we see a bowl of soup or a can of soup, I can hear her say “soupa”
Orange juice……she would drink a bottle of Cappy orange juice with every meal (Cappy, is Minute Maid).
Her infectious smile!
Her contagious laugh!
Her hugs!
Her never ending jabber box…….And remember, we were told she did not speak much at all, but when we showed up, she could not stop.  God Is Good!!

Saturday, February 8, 2014 – Adoption Update

Well it has been quite some time since I last posted to the blog.  For the most part, it is because Amy and I have been in wait mode.  However, the process has been in motion since we returned from Bulgaria back in November.As soon as we returned from Bulgaria, Amy and I completed the I-800 application.  This process was estimated to take 30 days, and almost to the date, we received the I-800 approval in the mail around Christmas time.  Then the National Visa Center (NVC) letter came in the mail about 10 days later.  We now had all the information necessary to complete the visa application (DS-260).  The DS-260 was then submitted and within a week we received notification from Children of All Nations, our adoption agency, that the US Embassy in Bulgaria received all our documents.  The next step was for our Bulgarian representative, AMOR, to make an appointment with the embassy for an interview on our behalf.  AMOR was successful at scheduling an interview quickly and afterwards, heard the interview went well.  The very next day, the embassy provided to AMOR our article 5 letter.  The AMOR then took our file, including the article 5 letter and had it translated and legalized.  On January 30th or 31st, the AMOR submitted our documentation to the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice.That brings us to today….As of now, we are waiting for the judge to make a final ruling on our adoption!  This process generally takes one month, but it is dependent on the judge and his/her schedule.  So it could be sooner, or it could be longer.  The most important thing is that it is in God’s hands and we are nearing the end of our wait!We sure miss “Z”!!  We cannot wait to hold her again and bring her home to her forever family!!  I look at her picture(s) daily and am so excited to squeeze her in my arms and hold her tight!!  Obicham Te “Z”!!!

Saturday, March 8, 2014 – Loving and Missing our Z

 

It has been 16 weeks since we last saw “Z” and we sure miss her!  The adoption can seem like an endless process, but we know the adoption is in God’s hands and He has His perfect plan.  In our last blog post, I shared that our file was given to the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice on January 31st to review our adoption.  This process takes approximately 30 days.  What we did not realize at the time is that after the Judge reviews the file and turns it to the court, it may take a couple of weeks to set a court date and that date may be 4 to 6 weeks later than that.  Again though, the adoption is in God’s hand and He knew Amy is completing her Masters in Education and completing her dossier.  Therefore, God is allowing her to focus on her studies before our next trip.  Amy should have her dossier submitted and Masters completed by the end of March.  She will be so relieved to have this behind her!!  Based on time lines, there is the possibility our court date will be set around Easter.  While, we do not have a court date, nor know if Easter will be the approximate date, but I received chills when I looked at the calendar and saw Easter.  If you remember, or have read past blogs, our fourth day with Z, we toured the Klisurski Monastery of St. Cyril and St. Methodius.  While there, we wanted to get a small present for Z as this monastery was near her birth place of Berkovitsa.  When we asked what would be a nice gift from the monastery, the nun stated that Z’s name represented “To Live,” like the resurrection.  How cool is that!

Our precious Z turned 10 on March 6.  We hope she had a blessed birthday!!  On her birthday, the Judge turned our file (Agreement to adopt Z) over to the courts.  Now we just wait the week or two to get a court date.  Once we have the date, we can plan our travel!!  YAYYYYYYYYY!!

Sunday, April 13, 2014 – It Is Time!LOVE

First, I am sorry for the delay in updating our blog.  We have been waiting for final approvals and confirmations.  Now, Amy, myself and the boys can say…”It is time!”

On March 28th, Amy and I received the Bulgarian court’s approval to adopt Z (Soon, we will be able to use her name).  After approval, we only had to wait a week for the approval to be officially filed into the system.  The next steps have been to prepare our trip to Sofia to finalize the adoption.  With Easter and other Bulgarian holidays, we had to wait until May to travel.

I am so happy to say we have bought our airline tickets to leave the States on May 6th, and get to Sofia on May 7th.  We then will go get Z from the orphanage and she will be with us the rest of our lives!!!!!!  That is just so amazing to say!!

We must be in Sofia for ten days to complete all the necessary steps to finalize the adoption and the steps to allow her into the US.  While I am not sure of all we have to do, we are confident our agency in Bulgaria will guide us all the way.  We have also rented a two bedroom apartment in Sofia for our time there.  We cannot wait to start bonding and being the loving and caring parents Z has always deserved!

Thursday, May 8, 2014 – The Start of A New Chapter

Start of a newMay 6, 2014 seemed like it would never get here, and then the next thing we knew, it was upon us and we had to get prepared for the next step in our journey.  We got the boys over to my parents late on the 5th and then we went home to finalize our preparations.  I do thank God for the wake up call the next morning as we needed to leave town early and I apparently turned the alarm off instead of getting up when we originally planned.  However, we did get on the road on time…..at 3:45am.  Our drive to Dallas was smooth (Amy got some rest and I managed to stay awake the whole way).  25 hours after jumping in the car, we were at the Sofia airport picking up our luggage.  Besides the happiness to see all our luggage arrive with us, it was so awesome to have to bring additional luggage; A suitcase with Zoya’s clothes and toys.  We then met up with our translator, Ivan, and our driver, Dimo, and headed to our rented apartment.  After settling in, Amy and I took advantage of some quiet time and caught up on some necessary rest!!

…..That leads us to the next chapter of our lives!!

Thursday, May 8:  Ivan and Dimo picked us up from our apartment at 7:30am and we headed to the village of Gavril Genovo.  After our 2 1/2 hour drive, we made the familiar turn down the road to Zoya’s orphanage.  The butterflies really started to hit Amy and I as we headed through the gate and towards the door.  That is when we see Zoya in the front window and we could see her familiar smile!!  The door opened and out came Zoya…….A big hug erased all the butterflies!  We finally have Zoya in our arms again!!

Sunday, May 11, 2014 – The Learning Curve!

learning

Amy and I are now finishing our 4th day being Zoya’s parents and while it has been a very blessed time, both Zoya and us have had a some adjusting to do.  First, there is the language barrier.  Amy has been doing a fairly good job retaining some words and phrases to help in communicating.  I have been limited to a few words here and there, and Zoya just laughs at my attempts.  Something else…Just as I had to learn in India, head nodding is opposite of what us Americans understand.  Up and Down means “No,” and side to side means “Yes.”  Again, Zoya laughs at my attempts to understand this difference.
Each day Zoya is learning more and more of what she can get away with, but the testing is continuous.  When we must get onto her, she just laughs at us until she realizes the seriousness of our tone and face.  All in all, I think we are being effective in teaching her that we are in charge as parents.

Friday, May 16, 2014 – It Is Final!

finalOn May 15, Amy and I went to the US Embassy in Sofia for our Interview to get Zoya’s Visa to enter the U.S. approved.  As soon as the interview was complete, we were told her visa would be ready the next day.  As of abo

ut 4pm Sofia time, May 16, Zoya’s passport included her Visa and was picked up at the US Embassy.  About an hour later we met up with Maya, our Bulgarian adoption representative, who had Zoya’s passport and we had a celebretory dinner.  At the dinner, we received all the final documents regarding Zoya!  Our adoption is complete!  PRAISE GOD!!!!!

Monday, May 26, 2014 – Homecoming

HomecomingAmy, Zoya and I left our apartment in Sofia on May 17, at 5am (Friday, May 16, 8pm MST). Twenty-eight hours later, midnight in Carlsbad, we arrived at our house, Zoya’s forever home!

Now let me summarize our 28 hours of travel:  All three of us did not get a full night of sleep before our early morning rise.  Zoya was over excited and Amy and I were making sure all our bags were packed and ready to go.  Our 4am wakeup came quick.  Though Zoya should have been tired, she was up and ready to go.  She repeated over and over that we were headed to America and she would see Stephen and Coen.  When I say repeated, I mean repeated hundreds of times!!  It was so cool.  Maya and Ivan picked us up right at 5am and we headed to the Sofia airport.  The airport was packed and of course the kiosks were having issue, but after several hiccups of getting in the system, we were checked in.  Now it was time to say goodbye to Maya and Ivan.  Again, we were so ready to come home, but it is always hard to say goodbye to friends.  We then proceeded through security and passport check.  The passport check was our first time to show proof that Zoya was our adopted child.  All went well and we were so glad Maya showed us step by step process of what all the passport checks will need to see and what immigration in the states would need to process Zoya.  

Monday, September 22, 2014 – A Blessed 4 Months!!

blessedHello!! I apologize for the delay in updating the blog.  Our entire family has had a busy summer….you know; regular life and adopting a beautiful daughter and all! HAHAAll and all we have had a very busy summer.  As soon as we returned from Bulgaria, we were in full swing of baseball and did not finish the season until mid-July.  Then it was time to take some time off for a family vacation.  Then next thing we knew Amy and all three kids were back in school (Amy teaching and the kids learning).Enough with the excuse of a busy summer!  You all want to hear how Zoya is adjusting to being a Hollis.Where to start……oh yeah, from the end of the last blog.Our friends and family threw a shower for Zoya and it was a beautiful day!  It was such a pleasure to see all the love and support for Zoya’s new beginning.  She loved all the attention!  She received many gifts of toys and decorations for her room.  She would open a new gift and ask, “Ha Зоя?” (pronounced nă Zoya, and translated “for Zoya?”).  You could see the excitement in her face when we would tell her yes, it is for Zoya.  A child that pretty much had nothing of her own and had to share everything now has her own things.  She even had to share her clothes at the orphanage.  Not any more!  All this was just for her!  She is now a princess in her mind!  She was very appreciative as well, telling everyone thank you.  And I am pretty sure all those that attended received multiple hugs!  Thanks to all that came see Zoya!

Sunday, January 18, 2015 – Zoya’s Journey

ZoyaThroughout our adoption journey, I have written our blog based on our experience and time with Zoya.  Our journey has been a glorious and blessed time.  Over the past several months, we have seen so many milestones in Zoya’s life;  The many “firsts” that Zoya has been able to experience.  All the things we have taken for granted, Zoya has embraced them as if she was given the greatest treasures.  Amy and I have taken some time lately and started looking back into our files and all the paperwork that went into adoption.  Within the paperwork are Zoya’s reports from the courts and social workers.  In addition to reading, Zoya has started to open up more about her life as an orphan.  Some of her stories and depictions of growing up can just tear your heart open.  Therefore, based on some research within the court papers that include a timeline of Zoya’s different placements in social care or orphanages and Zoya’s stories, I thought it would be nice to share Zoya’s journey.  Disclaimer: I can write only what I have read and heard, I cannot depict what Zoya’s life was really like, nor have the emotional capacity to fathom what an orphan’s life is like.  On that note, here is Zoya’s journey.March 6, 2004: Zoya Meglenova Angelova is born in Berkovitsa, District of Montana, and Country of Bulgaria.  Zoya’s birth mother is known and father is unknown.June 9, 2004: Due to extreme poverty, a Social Assistance directorate is issued and Zoya is removed from her mother’s care and put into a home for medical and social care in the city of Berkovitsa.  Courts rule that Zoya’s mother is unable to care for her because of extreme poverty.December 14, 2004: After 6 months, the Social Assistance directorate ceases and Zoya is placed back with her mother due to reintegration with her biological family and filing an application and statement with social services.Zoya lives with her mother for nearly two years, however on November 14, 2006 (nearly four month shy of her 3rd birthday), Zoya is placed back into the home for medical and social care in Berkovitsa due to her mother’s inability to raise her.

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Heading Back to Haiti!

Our Haiti Adoption Specialist, Hilary, is heading back to Haiti tomorrow, and she couldn’t be more excited! This trip has been eagerly awaited as it will not only provide opportunities for program growth and development, but it also gives us the chance to bring the remainder of the items from our Haiti Holidays donation drive to the creches that we work with!

Each and every item that we received during our Haiti Holidays donation drive came from our incredible community of adoptive families, friends and advocates, and your support has meant the world to us. Thanks to all of you, Hilary will be bringing diapers, baby formula, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and SO much more to the children waiting in Haiti!

Be sure to visit our blog over the course of the next week to read updates from Haiti!

“I am going to Haiti….I. AM. GOING. TO. HAITI. AGAIN.

I am not too sure if I am still in a state of shock or the reality that my flight is booked, my bags are almost packed, donations have been disbursed, and my itinerary is in the works has not fully sunk in yet. Haiti is a place that stole my heart long before I had ever been given an opportunity to travel there, and since then it has greatly impacted my life. I have always known that I would get to go back to see the children, the people and explore more. But, I cannot get over the fact that the second trip that I have longed for since returning from the first trip is here and this time I will be traveling on my own.

This is my first time to travel internationally by myself and to say that I am not nervous would be a lie but I am also so excited to do this on my own. For many of you that have been on this journey with me since the beginning you may have followed along as I traveled to Haiti for the first time with one of my co-workers and you may have also watched me take over this program and develop it into what it has become today.

Haiti has always been my project and looking for ways to improve this program, do more in the country, and provide opportunities for individuals to get involved has been my passion since day one. I have some big plans in store for the months to come and this trip is key to turning those plans into an actual reality.

I hope that you all will walk beside me as I take a leap of faith and discover Haiti on my own.

And so the adventure begins…” -Hilary Clemons 

Resources

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11 Kids Coming Home from Bulgaria!

There’s nothing quite as amazing as watching a family finish their adoption and bring the newest members of their family home. It a long road to travel, but a worthwhile journey which has a lifelong impact on the lives of all those involved.

This month we are excited to congratulate four families in our Bulgaria adoption program who have just reached this milestone in their adoption journeys. These four families will be bringing home a total of eleven kids all of whom are in sibling groups of 2-4 kids!

– Sibling group of 4 recently home!
– Sibling group of 3 coming home soon!
– Sibling set of 2 (Twins!) coming home this week!
– Sibling set of 2 coming home soon!

Congratulations to each and every one of these families from all of us at GWCA and CAN! It’s truly incredible to see so many sibling groups finding their forever homes, and we are hopeful that many more will be matched with families soon.

Our Bulgaria Waiting Child adoption program is dedicated to finding homes for older children, sibling groups, and children of all ages with special needs. This program is a great option for families who are looking for a fast adoption process, as you can be matched with a child or sibling group at any point in your adoption journey. If you’re interested in learning more about our Bulgaria adoption program or the kids that we’re currently advocating for, visit CAN’s Waiting Child photo listing or contact our Bulgaria matching specialists today!

Resources:

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Dominican Republic: Family Accepts Match!

Dominican RepublicWe are so happy to share the news that one of the families in CAN’s Dominican Republic adoption program has accepted a match with an incredibly sweet little girl through the Waiting Child track! We are so excited to see some of the recent movement with this program, and we look forward to following the rest of this family’s adoption journey.

Since CAN’s Dominican Republic program has both a Healthy Track and a Waiting Child adoption program, there is a wide age range of kids who are in need of families, however, our reps have informed us that there are many kids between the ages of 4 and 6 years old who are waiting.

Families in this program have the option of either being matched through the traditional “Healthy” track with a medically healthy child, or being matched through the Waiting Child program. Children in the Waiting Child program have not found their Forever Families yet due to the fact that they either have some sort of medical need, or because they are considered an older child. Some of the more common medical needs that children in this program have are things such as missing digits, missing limbs or HIV. If your family is interested in adopting a child from the Dominican Republic and you would like more information on either the Healthy Track or the Waiting Child program, contact CAN’s adoption specialists today at info@childrenofallnations.com!

Resources

**For privacy purposes the picture shown is a stock photo**

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3 More Haiti Referrals!

The recent excitement in our Haiti adoption program continues with THREE more families receiving their this week!

Two of the three families that received referrals were in CAN’s Haiti Healthy Track adoption program, while the third family is currently adopting through the Waiting Child program. All three referrals were for sweet boys, ranging in age from 4 to 13 years old! We are so incredibly excited for these three families as they take one step forward in their adoption journeys. Congratulations from all of us at GWCA and CAN, we look forward to following the rest of your journey home!

Haiti Adoption

CAN’s Haiti adoption program has both a Healthy Track and a Waiting Child program. Our Healthy Track program gives families the opportunity to be matched with a medically healthy child as young as 2.5 to 5 years old, while the Waiting Child program helps find homes for older children, sibling groups, and children of all ages with special needs!

Each year there are a limited number of spots available in this program, and they typically fill up very quickly. We have already filled all of the spots in our 2017 program, and are now accepting applications for our 2018 program. Families who start the process for our 2018 program right now will be able to submit their dossiers as early as October 2017, so there’s no better time to get started! If you’re interested in learning how you can be matched with a child through CAN’s Haiti adoption program, visit our website or contact our Haiti adoption specialist today!

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Help Save the Adoption Tax Credit!

What is the adoption tax credit?

The Adoption Tax Credit, which can be claimed for eligible adoption-related expenses, has helped thousands of American families offset the cost of adoption since the credit was established in 1997. It has made adoption a financially viable option for many parents who might not otherwise have been able to afford it, allowing them to provide children with loving, permanent families. With over 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system currently eligible for adoption, and an ever increasing number of orphaned and abandoned children worldwide in institutions, the continuation of the Adoption Tax Credit is vital to providing love, safety, and permanency through adoption to as many children as possible.

For many families, the cost associated with adopting a child or sibling group can be very discouraging. Even for families with the best of intentions and the purest of hearts, a lack of finances can mean the difference between providing an orphan with a loving home and turning a reluctant cheek to the overwhelming need. The Adoption Tax Credit has done so much to bridge this gap, and for that we are forever grateful!

Why do we need your help to save it?

With tax reform up for discussion once more, the Adoption Tax Credit is at risk of being eliminated. We are asking both past and current adoptive families to share their voices to tell Congress about the importance of this tax credit and the difference that it has made in helping them bring their family together. By making adoption more affordable, this tax credit has literally changed the lives of countless orphans around the world, and this is simply not something that we can risk losing.

How you can help!

If your family has benefited from the Adoption Tax Credit, we need your help! Here are a couple of simple ways that you can share your voice to help this cause:

  • Send a Letter to Members of Congress

Use this link to send your thank you letter to Members of Congress to support the Adoption Tax Credit: https://secure2.convio.net/res/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=709

  • Tweet Your Support!

Tag your Member of congress and use the following hashtags: #SavetheATC #taxreform!

Example: For me and thousands of families, the adoption tax credit made adoption possible. Watch my story here [LINK] #SavetheATC #taxreform

  • Share a Facebook Post

Link to a family blog post or photo and tell your story! Again, you can use the hashtags #SavetheATC and #taxreform.

 

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10 New CAN Kids Are Waiting

CAN’s Bulgaria adoption specialists just received files for TEN new kids who are in need of loving families! These kids range in age from 2-13 years old and are all a part of Bulgaria’s Waiting Child adoption program. In this program, families can submit their paperwork requesting to be matched with a specific child as soon as they begin their adoption process. This helps to speed up the overall adoption journey so that families can bring their kiddos home as quickly as possible!

If you’re interested in learning more about these incredible kiddos, you can request their files by visiting CAN’s Waiting Child photo listing or by contacting info@childrenofallnations.com today. CAN will only have these children’s files for a limited amount of time and we’re so hopeful that we will be able to help each of these kids find a family.

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