My goal as a promotion specialist for GWCA and CAN is to advocate for the Waiting Children in our international adoption programs to help them find loving Forever Families.
Over the past several years, CAN’s matching specialists have advocated for these incredible brothers with the hope of finding them their forever family. They are incredibly sweet boys who we feel would truly thrive with the love and support of a family. If you’re interested in learning how your family can be matched with these boys visit CAN’s Waiting Child photo listing to request their file or contact our matching specialists today!
The Why’s of Adoption – by Hilary (CAN’s Haiti Matching Specialist)
I have a lot of moments during my day where I question why the adoption process is the way it is, who I could potentially connect with to help get our kiddos out and why there is not more urgency to unite children with their forever families. Working with 6 different countries has taught me a lot, and not just about international adoption but the various structures in different countries. Now, of course I realized early on that the structure of Haiti would be more of a no structure situation but with the amount of help stateside I am always hopeful that we can help contribute ideas, develop more structure for adoption, and simply co-exist together in a more beneficial way to create a streamline adoption process on behalf of the children.
When the adoption process has hiccups or delays it means sibling groups like the G-Triplets (Gavin, Grant and Grayson) must wait even longer to find a forever home and family. I met this amazing 12 year old trio and I can personally say that they are some of the sweetest and well mannered boys that I have ever met. They showed me around their creche, introduced me to their friends, and we even practiced speaking English!
These brothers have been waiting for a long time to be adopted and even after seeing their friends leave the creche year after year they remain hopeful that the planes they see flying above might be bringing their family to them.
Each of our GWCA and CAN matching specialists have programs that they hold close to their hearts. For Shelby, one of our CAN matching specialists who works with several of our programs around the world, that program is Burundi. We have been overjoyed to see so much movement with this program lately, as several families have recently been matched with their kiddos and are preparing to travel to meet them. This blog will tell you a little bit about why Burundiholds a special place in Shelby’s heart. If you’re interested in learning if this program is right for your family, contact CAN today!
Being one of CAN’s international adoption counselors is by far one of the most rewarding and unique opportunities I’ve had the privilege to experience. Working with several different countries has truly opened my eyes to the differences in people and cultures all around the world. For almost a year and a half now, I’ve had the pleasure to work with many of our amazing in-country representatives to achieve our common goals of finding forever families for our kiddos.
Although I thoroughly enjoy working with all six of my countries, our Burundi program has always held a special place in my heart. Between our fantastic in-country staff, the simple and straight-forward adoption process, and the beautiful children, it’s no wonder Burundi has remained my favorite program since day one. Once families have submitted their paperwork to country, they can expect to receive a match within 1.5 years. As more and more Burundi orphanages begin to open up to the idea of international adoption, we anticipate the wait times to be matched will decrease. All of the children we have previously matched have been happy and healthy and are so eager to meet their forever families. There is an array of ages available, including very young kiddos under the age of 2 which is not commonly seen in the majority of the programs we work with.
I can honestly say that each one of our in-country staff members is willing to go above and beyond to help advocate and match the available kiddos. The passion and dedication they have for the children is phenomenal. Our representative is in constant communication with CAN as well as the Ministry in country, which makes it incredibly easy for us to get the most accurate and up-to-date information. If I can ever make my dream of visiting Africa into a reality, you can guarantee I will be visiting our rep to give him a huge hug for all of his hard work on behalf of the children!
I’m often asked about the safety of Americans traveling to country – it’s no secret that Burundi is a poverty-stricken country that continues to struggle on and off with political protests. The protesting has not affected the adoption process thus far and has not proved to be a huge impact to any family that has traveled to country. Additionally, our rep acts as a guide and translator throughout the entirety of a family’s visit; families will never find themselves alone while they are in Burundi. Although our family’s safety is CAN’s number one priority when traveling, I also think it’s crucial for families to experience firsthand the country and culture where their child was spent a portion of their childhood.
If you have longed to adopt a child from Africa, are curious to learn more about our Burundi program, or simply don’t know how or where to begin your adoption journey please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m always happy to talk your ear off about the ends and outs of the international adoption process.
This year, in order to give all of our families the opportunity to learn a little bit more about our devoted staff, we will be featuring different team members in our Staff Spotlight series! Since the majority of our interactions with families take place over the phone or through email, families rarely have the opportunity to put a face to the name they know so well. Our Staff Spotlight series is a great way for each of our families to understand a bit more about who we are, what we do, and why we hold adoption close to our hearts.
For our very first #StaffSpotlight, we’d like you to meet Shelby!
1. What is your job title and description here at GWCA/CAN?
I am an international adoption counselor for the CAN department, which essentially means I wear several different hats! I am a case manager for 6 different CAN programs and work with a revolving caseload of families in the referral department, as well as inquiry families who are just getting started with the adoption process.
2. How long have you been working at GWCA/CAN?
I have been working in the CAN department for just about one and a half years!
3. What do you enjoy most about your job?
Although there are several amazing and rewarding aspects of my job, I have to say the absolute best part of my job is making the phone call to tell my families they have been matched with their kiddo! The genuine reactions to my exciting news never fails to get me all choked up with happy tears!
4. What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
Families typically spend the majority of their adoption journey with me in the referral department – waiting. Although this means I get to spend more time building a relationship with my families, the wait to be matched often times becomes very difficult for families. It’s hard for me to see my families struggle and to not be able to simply snap my fingers and have their child’s referral in my hand.
5. Why do you love adoption?
I love adoption (especially international!) because it helps children all over the world find their forever families.
6. Fun facts about you:
– I could live off caffeine and mac ‘n cheese.
– I have a very talkative, very furry orange kitty named Oliver.
Shelby’s current featured adoption programs are Burundi and Latvia! Keep an eye out for the next blog in our Staff Spotlight series to learn a bit more about one of these featured programs. In the meantime, if your family is interested in learning more about adopting a child from Burundi or Latvia, visit our website or contact Shelby today!
Our Bulgaria matching specialists recently received several new children’s files, and we are eager to begin matching them with their Forever Families! Children and sibling groups in this program can be matched with families at any point in the process, meaning if your family reviews a child’s file and wishes to move forward, you could begin submitting your paperwork to be matched right away! Visit CAN’s Waiting Child photo listing to request a child’s file today!
One of the many things that makes our Bulgaria Waiting Child adoption program so unique is the matching process. Unlike many adoption programs where families receive a referral based on the age range, gender and needs that they specify, our Bulgaria Waiting Child program provides them with the chance to play a role in their matching process. This program is also very open to families in terms of eligibility requirements, and offers a relatively quick process from the moment you apply till the day you bring your child home forever!
How does the matching process work?
Every two months, CAN’s in-country representatives attend a distribution meeting where they are able to select files. Throughout this process, they keep any current families’ adoption desires in mind with the hope that they will see a child or sibling group that might be a good fit for them.
Once CAN receives these children’s files we begin to advocate on their behalf, both with current families and with families who request their file from our Waiting Child photo listing. One thing to keep in mind about the matching process for this program is that families can be matched with a child at ANY point in the process. This means even if you find your child before you’ve begun submitting paperwork, we can submit a request for you to be matched with them!
Waiting Children
CAN is currently advocating for several children and sibling groups from Bulgaria with the hope that they will each find a loving family. Visit our Waiting Child photo listing today to view their profiles or request their full medical files!
We are so happy to announce that one of the families in our Burundi adoption program was recently matched with two boys, age 3 and 12! These kiddos are absolutely beautiful, and we couldn’t be happier that they have a family working hard to bring them home as soon as possible. Congratulations to this incredible family as they take this very exciting step in their adoption, we can’t wait to continue following your journey as you work towards bringing your kiddos home forever!
Children of All Nations’ Burundi adoption program helps match healthy children, Waiting Children and sibling groups with loving forever families. As such, it’s a great program for families who are looking to adopt one or more children age 2 to 15.
It’s so wonderful to see so much movement in this program, as several other families are preparing to travel within the next few months. Check back soon to see updates as families in our Burundi program prepare to welcome their kiddos home.
If your family is interested in adopting a child from Africa and you’d like to learn more about CAN’s Burundi program, visit our website or contact our CAN matching specialists today!
We called, and you answered. Children of All Nations’ 2nd annual Haiti Holidays Donation Drive has officially come to an end, and we have been so amazed by the outpour of support from all of the #OrphanWarriors in our community. In addition to general donations, we’ve received diapers, formula, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, soap, clothing, shoes, blankets, toys, and so much more! All of these donations will be given directly to the orphanages that CAN is partnered with in Haiti, providing them with some of the essentials that they’re desperately in need of.
One shipment of supplies has already made the trek to Haiti, arriving at the orphanage on time for each of the children to receive their very own Christmas gift. For many of these children this gift was the first that they’d ever received, and you can see their joy and excitement shining through in each of the photos and videos.
Often times it’s difficult to put ourselves in the shoes of those who are less fortunate. It’s hard to imagine going a full day without three hot meals, or having to worry about the availability of fresh drinking water. For so many orphans around the world, however, this is the reality that is faced on a daily basis. Although it seems difficult to make a difference in their lives from such a distance, each of the families that contributed to our cause has done just that. Thank you for making our 2nd annual Haiti Holidays donation drive such a great success. While we are no longer accepting donations for this year’s drive, keep an eye out for our 3rd annual Haiti Holidays donation drive, coming fall 2017. If you’re looking for a way to give back in the meantime, there are countless ways to make a difference. Learn about our Fostering Hope child sponsorship program or contact us today for more information!
This January, FOUR of the families in CAN’s Bulgaria adoption program are traveling to meet the kids that they’ve been matched with. What an incredible way to kick off the new year!
Bulgaria’s adoption process requires families to travel twice , once for a bonding trip, and once to finalize the adoption and bring their child home. Each of the families traveling this month are completing their first trip, and will spend around one week in-country getting to know more about their child’s personality and/or needs while spending time with them in their hometown.
At the end of the bonding trip, our families will all have to say a difficult “goodbye” to their kiddos and prepare to head home where they’ll anxiously await news of their second trip. This second trip is when all the pieces finally come together, and our families have the opportunity to finalize their adoption and bring their kiddos home forever!
Congratulations to each of the four families who will be traveling this month! We are so excited to continue following your journeys as you take one step closer to bringing your kiddos home forever.
The new year is right around the corner, and there are only 11 DAYS LEFT to donate to CAN’s 2016 Haiti Holidays Donation Drive!
We have been so blown away by the generosity we’ve seen throughout the community, as our families and friends have come together to contribute to this cause. We have already sent one shipment to Haiti, and we are eagerly awaiting the moment when we get to send the rest of the supplies that our families have provided us with!
Each of the orphanages in Haiti that CAN is partnered with have provided us with a list of items that they’re in need of (see below). Our donation drive will be ending on January 1st. If you’re interested in contributing, please send one of the requested items or a gift card to Children of All Nations.
Thank you for supporting our Haiti Holidays Donation Drive!
Items requested:
– Toothbrushes
– Toothpaste
– Diapers (all sizes)
– Formula
– Clothes (For older boys and girls)
– Underwear (all size)
– Bar Soap
– Baby Powder
– Powered Milk
After visiting Poland to meet with our in country representatives earlier this year, our CAN matching specialist, Hilary, has been hard at work advocating to help their Waiting Children find families. While many families in the United States are open to adopting older children, sibling groups and children with medical needs, other countries often believe that these children will wait forever. Below is the latest post from our Poland matching specialist about children who are currently looking for their families. If you’re interested in learning more about our Poland Waiting Child adoption program, contact Hilary@childrenofallnations.com today!
When you are looking to foster, host, or adopt you tend to browse the photos different agencies have as they try and advocate to find forever families for orphaned children. You see their sweet smiles and it is hard to imagine what all they have been through by just looking at that one photo. That one photo shows you their blue eyes and their blonde hair and your instant reaction is, “oh my goodness what a beautiful child!” At least this is the case for many potential adoptive parents pursuing adoption. Poland children typically have fare skin, rosy cheeks, light hair and in this case…orphaned. When I receive a file for a child or meet them in country this is what I am typically told….
“Meet Peter. He is 2 years old and has Down Syndrome. It will be hard to find him a family but we truly wish someone will move forward with him.”
“Meet Jacob. He is 2 years old and has Down Syndrome. He is a very cute little boy but are any of your families open to Downs?
“Meet McKinley, Kennedy, and David. A sibling group of 3. They are very sweet children but will families move forward with three?”
The phrases you see above are some of the phrases we often hear in an adoption agency from other countries. The resources we have for various needs are not the same in other countries and they find it hard to believe that American families WANT to adopt sibling groups and children with special needs. Countries like Poland are astonished when I continue asking for files of children with HIV, Downs, and sibling groups.
This right here is where the advocacy starts. This right here is where WE make a change. These children need forever families and even though they are beautiful in their photos don’t you want to learn more about their history too?
Together we can make their future light instead of pattering their dark past.
About Post Author
My goal as a promotion specialist for GWCA and CAN is to advocate for the Waiting Children in our international adoption programs to help them find loving Forever Families.
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