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Children of All Nations

Children of All Nations (CAN), operated by Great Wall China Adoption, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Austin, Texas. Since 1996, Children of All Nations has assisted may international countries in placing more than 9,000 children with forever families. Between the headquarters located in Austin, Texas and our sister offices all over the world,

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Meet April Wareham!

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.

April is just a fun-loving person, plain and simple. She has this certain zest for life that’s undeniable and infectious. It couldn’t be more perfect that by definition her job allows her to enjoy life to it’s fullest! April is always off trotting the globe, bringing back new experiences and perspectives to share with our staff. When we are graced by her presence in the office, she is often behind-the-scenes opening and developing all of the new country programs that drive Children of All Nations. She is a vital part of our organization and we lucky enough to have someone this passionate on board!

So without further ado…meet April!

1. What is your job title and description here at GWCA?

I’m the Development and Program Management Specialist. My job is to research and compile information on new countries we plan to open, liaise with the foreign governments and orphanages we work with, hire and manage overseas staff, and coordinate our orphan care projects.

2. How long have you been working at GWCA?

It will be 3 years in September. 

3. What do you enjoy most about your job?

My favorite part of my job is when I get to travel and visit the children in the orphanages because it always gives me ideas on more ways we can help them beyond adoption. Meeting the kids and seeing their conditions first-hand motivates me to work harder at my job so we can do more for them. I also love visiting new countries and getting to know the culture, cuisine and local languages.

4. What is the most difficult aspect of your job?

The most difficult aspect is navigating the international adoption laws between the U.S. and the countries we work in, as they often change without warning. There are also many challenges to developing programs thanks to bureaucratic delays, lax adoption laws in the sending countries, and just cultural differences that can impede communication and timeliness to the adoption process.  

5. How have you grown personally from working at GWCA and with their families? 

Above all I have learned patience and understanding, as working with many different countries, cultures and across multiple language barriers can be challenging. That being said, it’s allowed me to realize that we must keep the big picture in mind, which is helping the children, to achieve these qualities. I’ve been able to grow spiritually, emotionally and professionally by working in a field that allows for so much good to be done in the world. 

6. Why do you love adoption?

My favorite quote is “Be the change you wish to see in the world” by Gandhi. Adoption allows us to “be the change” by helping children who would otherwise have never known what a hug from a mother or father is like. Changing the world starts with one person at a time, and if there is one less orphan in the world, and one more family is created in love, then that surely is a great way to impact positive worldwide change in which the ripple effects could be far greater than we imagined.

Fun facts about April:

1. I have been to over 15 countries on 4 continents.

2. Once, in Rwanda, I ate fried grasshoppers that I helped catch and “prepare” for dinner.

3. I speak fluent Spanish and have lived a total of about a year in Latin America.

4. I was the editor of my high school newspaper and yearbook.

5. As a kid, I used to organize little holiday parades with other kids in my neighborhood, and we would parade around the block singing some holiday song for our parents with our dogs, little decorated wagons, bikes, etc to celebrate.

 

“April is a joy to be around!  She is always passionate and excited about something that’s upcoming! She’s also responsible for so much of the growth that’s occurred within CAN the past few years and we owe a lot of credit to her.” -April’s Co-Worker

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Noah and Nora Need You Now!

At GWCA/CAN our waiting children deserve as much advocacy and support as possible. We know their forever family is also waiting for them, and our mission is to provide you with as much information on these kiddos as possible! Today, we are highlighting Noah and Nora, a sibling group from our Bulgaria program! Are you their forever family?

**For more information on Noah and Nora, please contact: Emily@childrenofallnations.com**

Noah and Nora are siblings that were placed in the care of their local village in 2006 due to negligence and maltreatment. Noah, male, was born in July of 2003. He is healthy and up to date on all of his immunizations. The reports indicate delay in development but with the tendency of improvement. His time in the child center has brought positive changes in his concentration and observation skills and there has been a significant enrichment of his vocabulary. He is very energetic can skateboard and ride a bike. He has adapted to the condition and order in the center and has a well-established bond with is mentor. He is currently in the third grad and is adapting well in school. Unlike previous years, he has good motivation for learning. Even the smallest success makes him want to try harder! He likes to tell stories and fairytales and to memorize short poems. He participates in different daily activities, shows responsiveness and responsibility. Nora, female, was born in June of 2004. She is healthy and up to date on all of her immunizations. The report indicated delays in neuro-psychical development and suggestions to work with psychologist, speech therapist and resource teacher are recommended. She active and energetic and enjoys participating in different games. Nora’s fine motor skills are delayed, but there are positive changes due to work with the center. The report indicates speech-language development delays and indicates there is a Phonematic hearing is disturbed but she can handle sound analysis and synthesis. She understands the meaning of simple words but meets difficulties with complicated and abstract concepts. Speech and language therapy are recommended. Nora has a strong personality and prefers to be the leader. The report describes her as “whimsical” She has adapted to conditions at the center but does not always keep the established rules. She is attached and has an established bond with her mentor. She is a 2nd grade student at a new school and has had some difficulty adjusting. There seems to be a little regression in her behavior and relations. The activities with the resource teacher are continued in the new school year. She gladly participates in singing, but articulation of words causes difficulties. She is expressing her emotions with singing and has stage behavior. There are established some basic daily habits and skills. She learned fast how to serve and clean the table. She shows desire to help after feeding with the vacuum cleaner in the dining room. In such cases she participates with joy and is willing to do the assigned tasks.

**For more information on Noah and Nora, please contact: Emily@childrenofallnations.com**

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GWCA 17th Anniversary

This week, Great Wall China Adoption celebrates it’s 17th anniversary!

GWCA is so happy to have helped over 6,000 children come home to their forever families.  We are excited to continue serving our families and children for many more years to come!

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Philippines Children Looking for their Forever Families!

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URGENT: Tom Needs a Family!

At GWCA/CAN we know that sometimes waiting kids just need a little bit of extra advocacy and support. We know that their future family is out there, we just haven’t found them yet! That is why sometimes there are special circumstances when we like to highlight a specific kiddo that comes across our desk. Tom is one of those cases. This little guy from the Philippines needs a home desperately. Can you help us find one?

Name: Tom
DOB: 01/2008
Age: 5 yrs
Gender: Male
Tom was born with a cleft lip which has been corrected. He was unable to receive proper care from his birth mother and was removed from the home by a social worker. Tom was brought to a development specialist at 3 years old for a language delay. He has been diagnosed with an overall Global Developmental Delay. Tom suffers from hearing loss in both ears and needs the use of hearing aids. He is able to use single words. 

Tom enjoys gong to the development sessions at the Early Childhood Care and Development Center. His is described as friendly and affectionate. He enjoys meal time and feeding himself. Currently, Tom resides with a licensed foster family. 
**For more information on Tom please contact leighanne@gwca.org**
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