Meet Carrie Schneider!
We are excited to give our families a little glimpse of the staff here at GWCA and CAN, so that you can see who we are and why we love doing just what we do. Every day we come to work and love to connect with our families, but now we are going to show you whose faces are behind every phone call, letter and E-mail received.
This week we want to introduce you to someone with such a genuine spirit, our Waiting Child Specialist, Carrie Schneider! People can talk about knowing a “sweet spirit” but we don’t think they’ve met Carrie yet–she blows everyone else out of the water! She embodies such virtuous characteristics like kindness, joy, and humility. She’s a sincere breath of fresh air, and it’s our privilege to have her working alongside families underneath GWCA.
So without further ado…meet Carrie!
- What is your job title and description here at GWCA?
I am a Waiting Child Specialist within the China Waiting Child Department. I am here to answer any questions families have about the program, medical conditions, and children available. I also feel very lucky to be a part of the matching process. It is so fun to celebrate with families when they find their forever child!
- How long have you been working at GWCA?
I have been working for GWCA since February 2013. I love it here!
- What do you enjoy most about your job?
I really enjoy learning about the precious children who are waiting to be adopted and love talking with families about them! I enjoy communicating with the families and learning about their lives and why they are passionate about adoption. I am also very thankful to be on a team of colleagues who care about each other, have a heart for adoption, and who are dedicated to serving our families.
- What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
It is difficult to see the hundreds of children who are waiting to be adopted, especially the older children and children with more challenging conditions. But I am learning that there are also hundreds of amazing families who are looking to be matched with these beautiful children!
- How have you grown personally from working at GWCA and with their families?
I have learned so much about China’s adoption process and about common medical conditions. Working here has magnified my passion for adoption and advocating for orphans. I find myself constantly talking with my friends and family about all of the children that need families! Also, working with Great Wall families has opened my eyes to see how many wonderful people there are out there who are impacting children’s lives by adopting and advocating. It reinforces my faith in humanity. 🙂
- Why do you love adoption?
Several years ago, I spent a summer volunteering in orphanages in Bolivia. I grew very close to many of the children there and learned their stories. I was also able to celebrate with two children who found out that they were going to be adopted! They never let the photos of their adoptive parents leave their side! They would sleep with the photos next to their bed and carried them around during the day. It was so precious. That summer opened my eyes to the struggles that many children all over the world face: poverty, disease, and abandonment and it challenged me to do my part to make the world a better place. Spending time with those children was a beautiful experience that has forever changed my life and my perspective on adoption.
Another story that has greatly impacted me is a friend of mine who was adopted from Russia. He waited a long time to be adopted and as he was getting older lost hope that he would ever be adopted. One day he was notified that a family had chosen him. He cried tears of joy because he couldn’t fathom that anyone would want to adopt him. His story has given me a heart for older children who have been waiting a long time.
Adoption gives children the opportunity to experience what every child should: the love of a family and the freedom of just being a kid. Adoption turns hopelessness into joy, brokenness into healing, and “orphan” into son or daughter.
Fun facts about Carrie:
1. I love animals. My family has two cats and one dog. We even made a fun video about our cats here: http://vimeo.com/16557573
2. I am an Aggie. Gig ‘em!
3. Coffee and chocolate are daily necessities.
4. My husband and I do photography and videography on the weekends. It is a really fun thing for us to do together and we love the opportunity to capture the beauty of nature and life in this way.
5. I enjoy running and yoga. I ran my first marathon last year and hope to start training for a second marathon soon. My goal is to eventually run in the NY Marathon!!
“Carrie is a very energetic, humorous, and positive person to be around. She keeps the atmosphere light and a great support as a co-worker always offering to help in any way she can. Carrie is completely devoted to serving and helping our families, and her enthusiasm is always encouraging.” –Carrie’s co-worker
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