Connecting God's Children

Dispelling Foster Care Myths

2011-07-15T20:24:00.000-04:00

An opinion piece written for The Spectrum.com by Amy Bates.

Don't fall for the myths about foster care, adoption

The night before my first-born was scheduled to come into the world, I could not sleep. This was not only because our little "bundle of joy" decided to stick his foot into my rib, but I was just so excited by the thought of becoming his mother.

Here I am, years later, in much the same situation. As I write this article, it is the eve of our 16-year-old son being adopted into our family, and I find myself once again full of the kind of anticipation that does not allow my eyes to close.

Although there are similarities with this addition and our first one, there are some major differences. For one thing, this son will come to us pretty much grown, which is a good thing when you consider the difficulties that giving birth to a 5-foot tall, 80-pound boy might pose. Some might think a soon-to-be mother would be less than ecstatic when thinking about missing out on the baby stage and skipping right to the teen-age part, but not this mom. I am thrilled that most of that is behind me.

Since I have started writing for The Spectrum & Daily News, I have written about adoption and foster care as many times as they will let me. It is a vital part of who I am and a subject that I do not think gets enough attention. Children are suffering, and all of us need to step up and help those who need it most. I could spend my time quoting facts to you about the number of children who are waiting, how long they have to wait, or even the dire predictions made for children who "age out" of the system, but I am not sure that would motivate people to look at what they could do to help. I think it is only when we look at individual cases and hear their stories that we put a face on this heart-wrenching problem.
Continue

The U.S. and Russia Sign New Adoption Agreement

2011-07-13T19:00:00.000-04:00

The New York Times reports a new adoption accord signed by both countries today:
Ending a Rift, Russia and the United States Sign Adoption Accord

Help Give Inner City Kids New Experiences and Fun

2011-07-12T09:49:00.000-04:00

The Fresh Air Fund, a nonprofit group that provides summer vacations to inner-city children from low-income communities, is looking for host families, mostly from the northeast area of the country.

About Fresh Air Children:
They are boys and girls, six to 18 years old, who live in New York City. Children on first-time visits are six to 12 years old and stay for either one or two weeks. Youngsters who are re-invited by the same family may continue with The Fund through age 18, and many enjoy longer summertime visits, year after year. A visit to the home of a warm and loving volunteer host family can make all the difference in the world to an inner-city child. All it takes to create lifelong memories is laughing in the sunshine and making new friends.

The majority of Fresh Air children are from low-income communities. These are often families without the resources to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open, outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.

See the Fresh Air website for more information.

Foster Parent Association in Central Florida Needs Larger Meeting Space

2011-07-12T09:28:00.000-04:00

This request is from a CGC board member. Please contact us if you can offer any suggestions!

The foster parent association has asked me to help with their childcare when they have their monthly meetings. I agreed to help but the space that they are using to meet in is really small and the kids were all in a very small room with little to play with. I would love to find some churches who would be willing to donate space so that the foster parents could meet and I could watch the kids for them in a separate area. (Preferably a playground or kid-friendly space) We need a church that is in Seminole county and one that is in East Orange. If any of you have any ideas or contacts that I could ask, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks for caring about foster kids and thanks for any help you may be able to give me!

22-Year Old is Foster Mom to 13 Ugandan Girls

2011-07-09T12:38:00.000-04:00

Here is a great story from NPR about a young American woman who moved to Uganda to care for Ugandan orphans. You can listen to the story or read the transcript here.

Book Review

2011-07-08T13:25:00.000-04:00

Here is a short review from Christianity Today on the new book, Orphanology.
Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care
Tony Merida and Rick Morton (New Hope Publishers)

"Christians do not approach orphan care as mere humanitarians but as people adopted by God through the work of Jesus Christ. Orphanology provides the burgeoning orphan care movement with a gospel-centered theological foundation as well as a comprehensive plan for getting involved at many levels, including adoption, orphanage restoration, foster care, and transitional assistance. Between adoption stories, Tony Merida and Rick Morton offer a compelling picture of how the gospel motivates us to action on behalf of the fatherless."

A Glimmer of Hope - Ways Those Who Have Adopted From Ethiopia Give Back

2011-06-30T17:23:00.000-04:00

5 Ways Adoptive Families Give Back to Ethiopia
From Adoption Today Magazine
Despite the media’s blitz debating whether or not Ethiopia will continue on as the hot spot for international adoption, non-profit A Glimmer of Hope is seeing a different kind of trend skyrocketing within the adoptive community with strong family ties to this sub-saharan African country. In the last six months, five adoptive families have spearheaded different personal campaigns that so far have raised almost $800,000 to fund the construction of schools, water projects and health clinics in rural Ethiopia. Through Glimmer, a growing stream of adoptive families are giving back in big ways to the birth country of their adopted children by helping Ethiopian women and children living in extreme poverty.

A family calling
“We were very, very blessed with these two children, and had a strong calling to give back to the country that has given us so much,” Jeff Greene said. Jeff and his wife, Kristen, might even call this trend a family affair since they have personally rallied an army of parents, sisters, brothers, cousins and a posse of close friends to their cause to give back to their children’s birth place. The Greenes’ cause hit home with many who are giving up their birthdays or participating in half-marathons and fun runs to raise donations.
Continue with story here.

A Foster Father's Experience

2011-06-30T16:52:00.000-04:00

From Orlando Sentinel columnist George Diaz:
A Foster Father's Joy - and Heartache

He came to us last October late on a Monday afternoon, wearing a gray tank top and no shoes or socks. All of his possessions were in a plastic Publix grocery bag.

The placement woman from the Children's Home Society had cold-called as she always does, with a calm sense of urgency, looking for foster parents to take in a 22-month-old foster child. There was very little information available about him, but we asked a few questions, took a deep breath, and welcomed "Little Man" into our home.

Eight months later, he was gone. He left a few days ago with a bunch of stuff. Minnie and Donald Duck dolls, a wardrobe of clothes, his cars and trucks, his Mickey Mouse sippy cup, Nike flip-flops and a really cool pair of shoes that light up when he walks.

But this is not about all the gifts we gladly gave him. It is about the treasures he gave to us.
I can't tell you the exact minute that my wife and I fell in love with him.
He officially hooked me when he called me "daddy" for the first time. Then he piled it on:

His way of talking to inanimate objects: "Have a good day, chair!" he would sometimes say on the way out to day care. His persistence in trying to wrap flags around his little waist, wanting to play with us, when I took him to play flag football. His shout-outs of "Springsteen!" when I clicked on the CD player in the car.

And best of all, his way of imploring me to join him in the kitchen for breakfast so he could get his chocolate milk fix. "Come on, daddy," he would say, motioning to me with his little fingers. "I shows you."
It all adds up to one mushy loving mess, and in a heartbeat, we became a family.

That's how this foster parent thing usually works. Kids don't normally end up abused, neglected or in garbage bins, despite the occasional horror story in the media.

Our Little Man was not alone, unfortunately. There are more than 6,000 children living in foster homes in Florida. Each child has a different story, but share one thing in common:
They are innocent bystanders of some dysfunctional mess.

There is always an urgency to find a foster family when they are taken into state custody. Foster parents don't get to window shop, and pick out what they like best.

The foster parent thing isn't a business transaction, despite getting 18 bucks a day from the Florida Department of Children and Families. It's highly personal.

More often than not, there is a quiet resolution. Biological parents stumble, and their kids are given a safe haven while the parents progress through a case-ordered plan addressing their issues. The goal is always reunification, unless there are extreme circumstances where the parental rights are terminated.
There will be pain. But you root for the outcome that will break your heart.
"How can you let him go?" and "I would get too attached" are the lines foster parents always hear. The truth is, we have no super-powers and we get attached and we cry when they leave because your family has been ripped apart.
Through it all, you celebrate the victory of a family that is back together, whole and hopefully healthy.
I fought with every fiber in my body to keep reminding myself of that goal on our last night together when I put him to bed. We laughed and we cuddled as I read him stories from his favorite books.
I closed my eyes so he wouldn't see me crying as he said, "Love you, Daddy," and we hugged it out one last time.
The next morning, we packed his stuff and put him in the car that was taking him back home. One of his sisters was in the other car seat, smiling and happy to see him again.
I keep thinking back to that moment when I start obsessing with my personal heartache.
It is not about me. It is not about my wife. It is all about him.
He is home for Father's Day, and that is good.
Have a good day, Little Man!

To learn about becoming a foster parent, go to http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-george-diaz-foster-parent-0619120110617,0,471223.column

Both Hands Foundation's Founder to Speak at Northland

2011-05-30T13:01:00.000-04:00

Lifesong For Orphans and Both Hands Foundation have partnered together to create a ministry that both assists orphans (adoptive families) AND helps widows.
The Founder and Executive Director (J.T. Olson) is coming to Orlando on a family vacation and agreed to take time to come to Northland Church on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 7:00 PM to present an informational program.

Here is a video clip of Mr. Olson explaining how Both Hands works.

An Essay From a Former Foster Child

2011-05-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

Being Resilient
by George Dean

"I entered Community Services at the age of 6 after my dad broke my leg. He threw me on the floor and still to this day, I wonder why. We don’t talk anymore. There have been numerous times I have tried to reconcile with him but to no end, every time was a failure.

I was shuffled in between foster homes and group homes for years, struggling to find out who I was. Not fitting in anywhere. Bullied all the time, beat up and bruised. My mind was like a never ending maze and every way I thought was the way out, led me to a concrete wall. I felt like I could never get through."
Continue

Adoptive Mom's Organization Provides Financial Assistance to Adoptive Families

2011-05-25T10:16:00.000-04:00

"Becky Fawcett considers her infertility a blessing. But it wasn't always that way.

Desperate to be a mother, Fawcett endured five rounds of in vitro fertilization and three miscarriages before she and her husband Kipp adopted their first child in 2005."

Continue . . .

"Building families -- that's what we do."

Series of Interviews on Foster Care and Adoption

2011-05-25T09:55:00.000-04:00

The Examiner in Dayton, Ohio is presenting a new foster care and adoption interview series.

"Although social workers and other experts can tell you a lot about the foster care and adoption process, they can't give you the nitty gritty details about the experience. Only someone who has been through the foster care or adoption process can tell you what it is really like."

Continue reading the first interview here.

Helping Foster Children throught the Educational System

2011-05-25T09:23:00.000-04:00

"As little as two percent of Americans have experienced foster care, but statistics show that as much as half our homeless population have been involved with the system."

In honor of National Foster Care Awareness Month, Fostering Media Connections, a group dedicated to changing the foster care system through the power of the media, is kicking off a series of town-hall type meetings that address foster children in the educational system. These meetings titled, "On the Road to Educational Equality" tour can be viewed and streamed live.

Here's a terrific article (and video) about the tour (and foster children & education) written by Daniel Heimpel, Project director of Fostering Media Connections:
On the Road to Educational Equality: Addressing the Educational Needs of Foster Care Youth

For National Foster Care Month: A Video Brochure of Former Foster Youth

2011-05-13T17:44:00.000-04:00

"I am here. Don't forget me."

These youth are members of the Foster Care Alumni.

Free to Live Tour - Helping Children Living in Poverty

2011-05-13T17:36:00.000-04:00

Desperation Band, Meredith Andrews, and Tom Davis are the headliners on the Free to Live Tour, sponsored by Children's HopeChest, a ministry dedicated to helping children living in poverty escape sexual slavery and exploitation. Find dates, cities, and ticket information here.

Tips and Recommended Reading When Adopting an Older Child

2011-05-13T17:19:00.001-04:00

Older Child Adoption - What to Think About, Tips for Successful Transition

by Susan Serrano as reported in Adoptive Families Magazine.

As more infants and toddlers are united with adoptive families within their birth countries, an increasing number of older children have become available for international adoption in recent years. “I think older children have always been there, but there is a growing awareness that there are families interested in adopting them,” said Denise Schoborg, director of Dillon International’s China adoption program. “The
need for families is very real, but prospective parents need to do some soul-searching to determine if they are ready to parent an older international adoptee.”

The realistic expectations, research and education, that are key to any successful adoption experience, become even more vital when considering the adoption of an older child, who may have some additional struggles adjusting to life with their adoptive family. “Kids that come from institutional settings are survivors. It may take some time for the child to learn what their role is in a healthy family and develop interpersonal skills in their new environment,” explained Debbie Wynne, director of Dillon International’s Texas office and Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services. “A child may be biologically a 7-year-old, but that does not mean that they have had seven years of nurturing by loving parents. They may even have been in a situation where they had to act as a parent.”

“It is important for parents to realize that while they may be dealing with a 7-year-old that has the street smarts of a 14-year-old, that same child could also have the attachment needs of an infant. You have to be prepared to parent where that child is developmentally in the moment,” Schoborg added.

Patience is critical as the child attaches to the adoptive family and learns how to be nurtured. “The child may take their disappointments out on their family, but parents need to recognize that the child is acting out of a sense of grief and loss and to steadfastly offer unconditional love in return. They should not take those attacks personally,” Wynne said.

Families preparing to adopt an older child can pave the way for smoother transitions with plenty of advance education that focuses on the needs of older adoptees. It is also crucial for families to surround themselves with a support network that includes adoption professionals and adoptive families, Schoborg recommended.

Securing the services of a translator and locating other language resources prior to the child’s arrival will also go a long way toward building attachment and establishing relationships, Wynne added.

Although the adoption of an older child does come with some unique challenges, it offers advantages as well, Wynne points out. “With an older child, there is an opportunity to really ‘see’ them,” she explained. “You can know their health and how they respond in social and educational environments. With an infant or toddler, you really haven’t seen the person that they will grow into being.”

“There are children who desire so much to be in a family,” Wynne said. “The families that do well adopting older children are resourceful and committed to helping their child heal from the traumas of the past. It is exciting to see families that have chosen this path do extremely well. There are families for every
kind of child.”

Recommended Reading:
• Raising Adopted Children by Lois Melina
• Attaching in Adoption by Deborah Gray
• Nurturing Adoptions by Deborah Gray
• The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis, Ph.D.
• Adopting the Hurt Child by Gregory Keck, Ph.D.
• Parenting the Hurt Child by Gregory Keck, Ph.D.
• With Eyes Wide Open by Margi Miller, MA, & Nancy Ward, MA, LISCW
• Toddler Adoption by Mary Hopkins Best, Ed.D.
• Parenting Your Older Adopted Child by Brenda McCreight, Ph.D., RSW
• Our Own - Adopting and Parenting the Older Child by Trish Maskew
• Adopted Teens Only: A Survival Guide to Adolescence by Danea Gorbett
• Beneath the Mask by Debbie Riley, MS
• Parenting Adopted Adolescents: Understanding and Appreciating Their Journeys by Gregory C. Keck, Ph.D.
Susan Serrano is director of media relations for Dillon International, Inc. Founded in 1972, Dillon International is a licensed, nonprofit adoption and humanitarian aid agency that is affiliated with Dallas-based Buckner International. Headquartered in Tulsa, Okla.—with branch locations in Tustin, Calif. (in Orange County); the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area; the Kansas City, Kansas area; St. Louis, Mo.; Little Rock and Fayetteville, Ark; and Richmond, Ind.—Dillon International is Hague Accredited through the Council on
Accreditation to process international adoptions pursuant to the Intercountry Adoption
Act of 2000.

The Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children Annual Conference to be Held in September

2011-05-13T16:49:00.000-04:00

Reported in the May issue of Adoption Today Magazine:

The Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children (ATTACh) is hosting its 23rd annual confernce Sept. 21-24, 2011 in Omaha, Neb. This year’s conferences focuses on Attachment and Trauma: through the Eyes of a Child. For more than 20 years, ATTACh has been advocating for improved treatment services for children who have experienced significant traumas affecting their attachment.

This year, ATTACh is bringing the conference to the Plains area. Approximately 400 attendees from across North America, as well as other countries, are expected to attend. Attachment-related traumas can include
child maltreatment, separation and loss of a parent, exposure to post-partum depression, domestic violence, and other overwhelming early life experiences that affect the child’s sense of security. Research over 50 years has demonstrated that the nature and quality of the attachment relationship between a child and primary caregiver influences virtually all other spheres of development — neurological, behavioral, social, emotional and moral.

The ATTACh Annual Conference is an opportunity for parents and professionals to network with peers and to learn from world renowned experts about the most recent developments, research and training in the fields of attachment and trauma. The conference will include 35 workshops designed for parents and experienced professionals, as well as those new to the field. Two keynote addresses are also planned by Edward Tronick, Ph.D., developer of the Still-face paradigm, author, researcher and Harvard professor; and Laurie Anne Pearlman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist from Massachusetts, who specializes in vicarious trauma. Full day presentations at the postconference institute will feature John Briere, Ph.D., author, researcher and professor at Keck School of Medicine, LAC-USC; and, a special workshop led by Victoria Kelly, Ph.D. and Lori Thomas, experts in the area of therapeutic parenting techniques for families parenting children who have experienced trauma in early childhood. For more information, contact Lynn Wetterberg at 847-356-3506 or Jackie Meyer at 02-336-4841.

Adoption Agency Gets #1 Ranking by China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption

2011-05-13T16:23:00.000-04:00

Chinese Children Adoption International has been ranked the #1 Adoption Agency by the China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA, formerly CCAA) for overall assessment among the 178 international adoption agencies or countries around the world placing children from China!!

This ranking (released on March 28, 2011) is the first ever by the Chinese government.

May is National Foster Care Month

2011-05-13T16:14:00.000-04:00

A reminder from Fostering Families Magazine that May is National Foster Care Month.

Each issue of Fostering Families contains great stories about amazing foster parents doing incredible work on behalf of children in their care, plus articles on various programs that are using innovative ideas to benefit kids in care. For more information or to subscribe go to http://www.adoptinfo.net/.

Shoes for Orphans In the Ukraine

2011-05-13T16:01:00.000-04:00

Northland Church in Longwood is hosting a service project on May 21, 2011 where families can decorate TOMS shoes to send to Ukrainian orphans. TOMS Shoes is a company that matches every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes to give to a child in need. You can find more information about this event and register here.

Mr. Rogers and His Episodes on Adoption

2011-05-09T19:22:00.000-04:00

The following is a post from an Adoptive Families Magazine blog that's helpful for those with preschoolers looking for resources to help them discuss adoption:

I have been a fan of Mister Rogers since I was a toddler myself. I am now introducing my children (2.5 years and 17 months) to Mister Rogers and they love him too. I really feel that his show is one of the best children’s programs in the history of television!

Which is why I was so thrilled to discover that Fred Rogers did some episodes on adoption. (Did anyone else know he had an adopted sister?) I ordered them off Amazon and watched them as soon as they arrived. They do not disappoint! I’m always looking at ways to introduce the theme of adoption into our lives so that our children grow up knowing they can talk about it. What I love about the Mister Rogers episodes is that it introduces the topic in his unique, gentle way and he talks about all the feelings that can result from adoption—including the fact that it is ok for adopted children to sometimes feel sad or angry or sacred because they are adopted.

The adoption episodes originally aired in the mid-80’s during a week-long theme entitled “Families Come in Different Sizes and Shapes.” The entire series include episodes #1551-1555. They can be ordered off Amazon as part of the recordable DVD program, meaning that the episodes are saved to DVD’s and shipped only as the orders come in.

There is also a well-known book entitled “Adoption: Let’s Talk about It” that was originally released about the same. I’m looking forward to that arriving soon!

I recommend these DVD’s to other adoptive parents looking at ways to introduce the concept of adoption to their toddler/preschool-aged child.

You can order the DVD's here.

Help for Adoptive Families Whose Children Had a Rough Early Life

2011-05-09T14:19:00.000-04:00

Adoption Learning Partners is offering four new online courses to prepare parents to raise children who arrive with difficult early experiences. The "Tough Starts Matter Series" covers topics that are timely and meaningful not only for pre-adopters—including brain development, treatment, parenting, and families—but also for families who are already in the thick of it, and are looking to help their children gain new skills.

The Tough Starts Series equips adoptive parents with insight into how their child's tough start in life may lead to troubling behavior years later. Importantly, it also helps parents learn what they can do now to intercede, helping their child to heal and their family to thrive

Experts like Karyn Purvis, Ph.D., and Judy Stigger, LCSW, weigh in via short videos. The package includes four online courses totaling five hours. Buy the package for $60 at adoptionlearningpartners.org (a 29-percent discount from the list price per course).

Hurt children, of all ages and with all sorts of challenges, benefit when their parents (and professionals) receive extra support and preparation to transition them into a family. If your family is facing this situation, don't hesitate to sign up.

Help for Those Families Struggling with Sleep Issues

2011-05-09T13:45:00.000-04:00

Are You Sleeping?

Expert advice for adoptive families struggling to get a good night's sleep.
Webinar
Thursday, May 19, 2011
7:00 - 8:00 PM Central
Q & A: 8:00 - 8:30PM Central
Cost: $15

REGISTER for this webinar

Join Dr. Julian Davies for a practical, humorous, and balanced exploration of why adopted children (and their parents!) often sleep so poorly, and what to do about it!
This webinar will help adoptive families:

• Explore the reasons behind sleep problems in adopted children

• Formulate short-term and long-term sleep strategies for adoptive families

• Trouble-shoot specific sleep problems

• Add many practical sleep tips to your toolbox

Speaker: Dr. Julian Davies
Julian Davies, MD, is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, where he co-directs the Center for Adoption Medicine, and works at the longest-running FAS clinic in the country. His interest in foster care and adoption started in Russia, where he started a summer arts and clown camp for Russian orphans. He now has a pediatric practice where 2/3 of his patients were fostered or adopted. Dr. Davies also created an award-winning online resource for pediatrics and adoption: http://www.adoptmed.org/

Please Note: Registrants will be contacted and asked to submit questions prior to the event

Sponsored by:
Adoption Learning Partners & Joint Council on International Children's Services

Benefit Concert & Silent Auction to Benefit Ukrainian Orphans

2011-05-04T12:50:00.000-04:00

Faraway Place, a ministry that helps Ukrainian youths who "age out" of Ukrainian orphanages, is sponsoring a benefit concert and silent auction on Friday, May 6 at First Baptist Altamonte Springs. Visit their site for more information.

Helping Children Escape the Sex Trade

2011-04-08T18:19:00.001-04:00

Rachel Lloyd, an escapee from the sex trade, wrote a book called Girls Like Us that tells about her experiences as a child sex worker. She is also the founder of a program in New York that helps children survive sexual exploitation: Girls Education and Mentoring Services (GEMS). Ms. Lloyd was recently a guest on the Diane Rehm Show discussing child exploitation. You can listen to that interview or read the show's transcript here.

Moju Project: Selling Merchandise to Benefit Orphans

2011-04-05T20:22:00.000-04:00

My name is Jessica Smith and I am the cofounder of MojuProject.com.
The Moju Project is a website where we sell t-shirts and other merchandise that save lives. Since our site launch in 2008 we have provided over 17,000 meals to orphans in Africa and have currently formed a new partnership to also shine a light on the subject of human trafficking.

Our heart is to be a voice for social injustices and to allow a way for people to make an easy and tangible difference just by the purchases that they make. We believe that we can truly change the world by changing the way we shop! By simply making the decision to use our buying power to make a difference we could easily see hundreds of thousands if not millions of lives being saved!

I may sound like an incredible optimist and idealist but just check out this fact:
Last year Threadless.com, a popular online t-shirt store, made over $30 million dollars in sales and generated $10 million dollars in profits- and that is just from the sales of t-shirts online…I can’t help but think what that kind of buying power could lend itself to if people started focusing on shopping that “gives back”!

As passionate lovers of Jesus our desire is take care of the orphans & widows, loose the chains of injustice, bring hope, restoration and healing to those who need it most, to unite the Church and to make the name of Jesus famous throughout the earth! We believe that Moju Project is a platform where we can help make this happen!

We believe with all of our hearts that Moju Project is a vision from the Lord and we are humbled that He has entrusted us with this.

jessica@mojuproject.com

Grace Landing First Annual Foster Care/Adoption Summit April 9 in Osceola Co.

2011-04-05T18:19:00.000-04:00

Grace Landing, a mentoring ministry for young adults , is sponsoring their first annual foster care & adoption summit this Saturday, April 9, at Heartcry Chapel in Kissimmee, FL. The main speaker for the summit is Doug Sauder from 4Kids in Ft. Lauderdale and author of The One Factor. He is an amazing speaker and has so much to say about helping kids in the foster care system. You can go to www.gracelanding.com for more information and also to register.

Adoption Institute's Report on Changes in Ethiopia's Adoption Process

2011-03-16T16:09:00.000-04:00

REPORTS OF ABUSES LEAD TO CHANGES IN ETHIOPIA'S ADOPTION PROCESS

Recent reports of fraud and corruption have caused concern about adoptions from Ethiopia among child welfare organizations and the U.S. State Department, reports Peter Heinlein in a December 14 VOANews.com article titled "Under Pressure, Ethiopia Plans Crackdown on Baby Business." Earlier in the month, the State Department issued a statement cautioning prospective adoptive parents against "malfeasance and abuse" and announcing delays in the adoption process in an attempt to ensure that all adoptions are ethical and in the best interests of the child. Ethiopian officials report that they will close orphanages that only serve as "transit homes" en route to adoption, and re-accredit all foreign adoption agencies in an effort to impose higher ethical standards. To read the article, go to: http://bit.ly/eWXZWi . To read the State Department notice, go to http://bit.ly/bqj5wI and scroll down to December 6, 2010.

Chinese Infant Adoptees Form Attachments Quickly

2011-03-16T16:03:00.000-04:00

As reported by Adoption Institute -
RESEARCH SHOWS CHINESE INFANT ADOPTEES FORM ATTACHMENTS RAPIDLY

A Canadian study of attachment development among 32 adopted Chinese girls (mean age at adoption = 13 months) found that although adoptive mothers reported more inhibited behaviors initially in their infants, after six months, the reported rate was about the same as for mothers in a comparison group of non-adopted infants. "The Emerging Attachment Relationship between Adopted Chinese Infants and their Mothers," by Mirella Pugliese, Nancy Cohen, Fataneh Farnia and Mirek Lojkasek, is in the December issue of Children and Youth Services Review (Volume 32, Issue 12). The study also reported no variability in adopted and non-adopted children's avoidant or resistant behaviors or in maternal nurturing or rejecting behaviors, concluding that the moderate deprivation these infants experienced before adoption did not interfere with their forming new attachments. To access an abstract, go to: http://bit.ly/h3JGkN.

Adoption Tax Credit

2011-03-16T15:58:00.000-04:00

From Adoptive Families Magazine -
Parents who finalized an adoption in 2010 may claim a maximum credit of $13,170 for adoption expenses. The credit is now refundable, allowing lower-income families to claim it. If a family’s “qualified expenses” (adoption fees, legal fees, traveling expenses, and so on) exceed their tax liability, they will receive the difference in the form of a tax refund.

Update on Mother Who Returned Adopted Son to Russia

2011-03-16T15:41:00.000-04:00

Torry Hansen, the Tennessee woman who adopted a little boy from Russia and then sent the 7year-old back, alone, with a note stating she no longer wanted him, is preventing him from being adopted again in Russia. Adoption Institute writes that "Hansen refuses to terminate her parental rights, reports Natalya Krainova in a January 19 Moscow Times article titled 'Boy Sent to Russia Can't Be Adopted.' According to the story, U.S. prosecutors are attempting to terminate Hansen's parental rights, but she is refusing to do so in an attempt to avoid making child support payments. In the wake of the scandal, adoptions from Russia to the U.S. were slowed and a new bilateral agreement governing such adoptions is being drafted. For the article, go to: http://bit.ly/gAHZcr . For previous coverage, go to: http://bit.ly/dnHOgt and http://bit.ly/ekxfbJ . To read the Institute's press release calling for the "thoughtful, expeditious" resumption of Russia adoptions, go to: http://bit.ly/9XiMl3.

Record Low in International Adoptions

2011-03-16T15:08:00.000-04:00

Adoptive Families Magazine reports that 2010 was a year of record low international adoptions.

The number of intercountry adoptions by Americans fell 13 percent in the past year—from 12,753 to 11,059—to reach a 15-year low, according to data from the U.S. Department of State. Adoptions from China continued to head the list, with 3,401 adoptions to the U.S. in 2010. Rounding out the top five sending countries are Ethiopia (2,513), Russia (1,082), South Korea (863), and Ukraine (445).

Latest Adoption Cost and Wait Time Data from Adoptive Families Magazine

2011-03-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

Adoptive Families Magazine has released the results of their annual survey on adoption costs and wait times. It includes both domestic and international adoption. It seems the least expensive way to adopt is through the U.S. Foster Care system and the most expensive is adopting from Russia.

Read the survey results here.

Joint Council on International Children's Services' Emergency Campaign for Ethiopian Children

2011-03-16T14:08:00.000-04:00

Because Ethiopia has decided to drastically reduce the number of international adoptions, JCIC has undertaken an emergency Ethiopia campaign. If you would like to help, they have a petition and suggestions for other things you can do here.

China Opens Adoption to Single Women

2011-03-16T14:00:00.000-04:00

China has changed it's policy regarding international adoption by single women! Joint Council on International Children's Services has a full report on their blog, along with the full text of the CCAA announcement.

Fundraiser for South Asian Children Living in Poverty

2011-03-16T13:46:00.000-04:00

- 3,000,000 children in South Asia under 5 years old die each year due to illness and malnutrition. -

David Argabright began a cross country bicycle trip on March 12 from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL in order to raise sponsorship funds and awareness for children living in poverty in South Asia. He is partnering with Compassion 575, a ministry of the Church of the Nazarene, in this endeavor.

The money raised will go towards sponsoring a child in a CDC (Child Development Center). Child Development Centers meet the physical, spiritual, & educational needs of the children.

You can follow his bike ride & read more information about Compassion 575 at his website: http://www.compassion575.com/index.php
He will also be updating his blog (http://nazareneblogs.org/davidargabright/ ) along the way as well.

Aid Pours In for Central Florida's Homeless Children after "60 Minutes" Piece

2011-03-16T13:26:00.000-04:00

As a result of CBS news magazine, 60 Minutes's, feature on homeless children in Central Florida (found here),an outpouring of aid was given to numerous agencies and non profits that aid children. The largest pledge, $5.6 million, was made from Orlando First Baptist Church. The Orlando Sentinel cover's this story here.

Ethiopia Update by JCIC

2011-03-16T12:55:00.000-04:00

This is from their blog:

Ethiopia Update 3/11/11

Following are our notes from the Department of State Office of Children’s Issues conference call regarding Ethiopian adoptions conducted earlier today. These notes do not represent nor are they in any way attributable to the Department of State or US Citizenship and Immigration Services. We are providing the notes with respect to those who could not participate in the conference.

We extend our thanks to the Department of State for conducting the conference call and to US Citizenship and Immigration Services for their participation and contributions.

The Department of State is Actively Involved

The Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs announced a reduction in the processing of intercountry adoption cases from 50 per day to 5 per day, effective March 10, 2011.

The Department of State is actively involved in discussions with the Government of Ethiopia, other governments and stakeholders.
A coalition of countries is preparing a proposal to assist the Ministry increase its capacity.
Embassy suggested that children with special need’s cases should not be delayed.
The US Embassy officials have a scheduled meeting with the Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs for Monday, March 14, 2011.
There are areas of concern related to intercountry adoption, however the reduction is disproportionate.

Adoption Cases
Currently there are no implementation guidelines for in-process cases.
For adoption cases registered with the Ethiopian court, the best estimate is a one-year delay.
The staff change at the Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs has been confirmed as taking effect the week of March 13, 2011. The impact this will have on adoption cases is not known.

It is estimated that between 800-1,000 adoption cases are currently on the docket of Ethiopian courts.
________________________________________________________________________________

Also on the JCIC blog is an open letter by Dr. Jane Aronson (Founder and CEO of Worldwide Orphans Foundation) to President Bill Clinton, asking for his involvement in this matter

U.S. Department of State Issues an Adoption Alert for Ethiopia

2011-03-16T11:45:00.000-04:00

Ethiopia Plans to Reduce International Adoptions by 90%. Here is the alert issued on March 9, 2011 by the U.S. Dept. of State:

Government of Ethiopia Plans Major Slow-Down in Adoption Processing

Citing the need to work on quality and focus on more important strategic issues, the Government of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) has indicated it will reduce to a maximum of five the number of adoption cases it processes per day, effective March 10, 2011. Under Ethiopian adoption procedures, MOWCYA approves every match between prospective adoptive parents and an Ethiopian child before that case can be forwarded for a court hearing. The U.S. Embassy is working with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to learn more about this change in procedures. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Given MOWCYA's current caseload, the U.S. Embassy anticipates that this change could result in an overall decline in case processing of some 90 percent. If this change is implemented as proposed, we expect, that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays. It is not clear if this change in procedures would have any significant impact on cases in which MOWCYA has already approved matches.

Prospective adoptive parents should remain in close contact with their adoption service provider to obtain updates on individual cases.

The Embassy's Adoptions Unit can be reached at consadoptionaddis@state.gov.

Please continue to monitor http://adoption.state.gov/ for updated information as it becomes available.

Note: Ethiopia is not party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention).

Register Now for Christian Alliance for Orphans' Summit VII

2011-03-16T11:27:00.000-04:00

Some of this year's speakers inclue Russell Moore, Karyn Purvis, and Dennis Rainey. There will be pre-summit events, numerous break-out sessions, and musical guests. This is THE conference to attend for pastors, lay leaders, ministry professionals, and individuals seeking knowledge on adoption, foster care, global orphan care, and advocacy. Visit the Summit site to register or for more information.

115,000 children in the U.S. foster-care system are waiting for permanent homes

2010-11-03T16:29:00.000-04:00

Questions about adopting from foster care are answered by social worker Kathy Ledesma in Adoptive Families Magazine -
A Place to Call Home

Facing the Issue of Foster Care from the CEO of Child Welfare League of America

2010-11-03T16:23:00.000-04:00

This is a piece that Christine James Brown wrote for the Huffington Post:

Faced with Faces
Every once in a while I need grounding. Even though I deal every day with the issues facing children in foster care, I sometimes need to stand back -- away from the statistics and policy debates -- to see real children in need of real families. That's one of the reasons I appreciate November's National Adoption Month because it helps focus me on the faces of children in foster care.

Recently, after a long day at the office, I went searching -- my soul and the internet. I was having one of those moments when I needed to reboot. I ran across a segment on DC-based NBC4's Wednesday's Child -- the program that features foster children available for adoption during the news. It was a piece about a talented 14-year-old girl named Jennisfer who had big brown eyes and loves to draw and ride horses. Seeing her story reminded me of my own daughter when she was a child and how special our time together was.
Since I was already drawn in, I watched another segment about David, a cute young boy with Down syndrome who was having a fun-filled day at Gymboree. Both of these children are available for adoption from the foster care system. Despite their challenges it was clear that both children were lovable and in need of being loved. As I watched these two pieces, I choked up thinking again how lucky my own daughter was to have loving parents to share special moments with, help guide her decisions, and just give her a hug.

Still I needed to see more faces to drive home the importance of the work that we in the child welfare world. I logged onto a variety of adoption related sites, including AdoptUSKids.org. Gracing the front were teens Nickayla and Darrien of Kansas. These beautiful siblings with big smiles -- one loves to sing and the other enjoys sports -- desperately want to find a family and most importantly stay together.

Behind each of these faces and stories is a caring child welfare professional, working to ensure that children have a chance to be reunited with families or if this is not possible, have opportunities to get adopted. My hunt for faces and stories of children available for adoption also reminded me of all the outstanding work that child welfare workers do to ensure children get reunited with their birthparents and/or find new ones. These dedicated professionals work tirelessly to ensure a better life for children.

One such professional being honored this month as AdoptUSkids's Caseworker of the Month is Shanda Moorman, an adoption recruiter for Wendy's Wonderful Kids in Orlando who firmly believes that "every child is adoptable." And her work shows that. Due to her persistence and sensitivity, she recently was able to facilitate an interstate adoption of twins with significant medical conditions. Her excitement over seeing photos of the children laughing and happy with their new family showed the pride she takes in her work. Shanda is representative of so many outstanding child welfare professionals who view their profession as a calling.

Why is it important to put faces on this issue? That's because more than 110,000 children in the United States -- who have suffered from abuse and/or neglect -- have nowhere to go. They are wards of the state -- legally released from their families -- and waiting in the foster care system, hoping that a caring adult will come along and make the world right again for them. But 110,000 is just a number -- albeit a big one. Behind that number are real children who lives and futures have been upended and stolen from them by parents and situations that have let them down.

That's why my favorite day of National Adoption Month is National Adoption Day, when communities across the United States celebrate the making of new families. On this day, court systems nationwide help children heal and families come together by legally joining foster children with adoptive families. This ceremonial effort puts a face on the issue and symbolizes the importance of how strong families are the fundamental building blocks for communities.

If you have a few minutes this month, please take the time to search the Internet for the names and faces of children who want nothing more than to be loved. If you have room in your heart and home, consider adopting one. Just as importantly, take a moment to hug and care for your own children. Good parents are in demand... and they make a difference.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-jamesbrown/faced-with-faces_b_777293.html

Orlando Support Group for Adoptive Families

2010-10-29T09:04:00.000-04:00

From therapist Dawn Strobeck:

Loving an adopted child challenges us to the very core…can we love someone who cannot love us back? Are we that good? And the answer is…no, but God is. Our Father has called many families right now in the Christian community to reach out and to love the unloved, to want the unwanted, and to protect the unprotected. Thousands are adopting children every year locally and from all over the world. This is a high and holy calling, but it is not easy. I really liken it to the Gospel message above…that Christ died for us, the sinners, while we were still powerless against sin. He demonstrates His Love for us by dying. And in the process of caring for and loving adopted children you will be called to die…die to the notion that this is a touchy feely kind of mission where you get to look like the good guy. No, you will be called to face your own demons, your own need to be wanted, your own need for encouragement, your own weariness, and your own futility.

My name is Dawn Strobeck and I'm a therapist that is working with adopted families as they deal with the unique issues associated with adoption. I am starting a support/education group for families that have chosen to adopt. I will be coming from a distinctively Christian view, but am incorporating research on attachment theories and practical solutions that I have learned while researching the topic and working with adoptive families. I would like to incorporate a 30 min. teaching segment each session and then facilitate a discussion/support group for about an hour. Come join us!

Adoption Support Group
When: Monday November 9th at 7:00-8:30 (meeting once a month)
Where: Dawn Strobeck's office in Baldwin Park
Cost: $10 per session
Contact information: 407-240-8071 or conwaycounseling@yahoo.com

Dawn Strobeck's Office
1451 Baldwin Park Lane # A
Orlando, FL 32814
407-240-8071 or 407-493-4068

Foster Care Council Sponsors Picinic for Foster Care Children

2010-10-29T08:45:00.000-04:00

Here is a story about Foster Care Council’s Fifth Annual Lynn’s Picnic held October 16 at Cambier Park in Naples, FL.
Here is more information about the Foster Care Council of Southwest Florida, an organization whose missions "is to enhance the lives of children who are removed from their homes due to abandonment, serious neglect or abuse."

Post Adoption Parenting Resources

2010-10-29T08:32:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families provides an abundance of resources for parents to help them with post-adoption issues.

"Adoption is a lifelong process. Families often need additional support at various times after placement and after the adoption is legally finalized. Families may need services as a child develops and as normal development, adjustment, and adoption-related issues arise. In this section find resources for adoptive families that explain what to expect at various developmental stages. Also, learn how to talk about adoption, address adoption issues in school, help children with grief and loss, recognize and get help for postadoption depression, find needed services, and obtain financial assistance."

CBC of Seminole To Be In Charge of Child Welfare in Orange and Osceola Counties

2010-10-27T19:25:00.000-04:00

Here's a story from the Orlando Sentinel by Kate Santich about DCF awarding the contract to run child-welfare operations in both Osceola and Orange counties to Community Based Care of Seminole Co.

Seminole nonprofit wins DCF contract to manage child welfare in Orange and Osceola

Want to Learn More About the Foster Care System?

2010-10-06T19:55:00.000-04:00

Holly Schlaack, a social worker from Ohio, has authored a book titled, Invisible Kids: Marcus Fiesel's Legacy, which provides an insiders view of the foster care system and educates readers on what they can do to improve that system.

Amazon says of the book that it "tells the stories of many children and foster families. It tells them straight and backs them up with statistics and facts that show why the system works, why it doesn t, and where it needs help. It describes the special program Holly created for early identification of red flags in the lives infants and toddlers. It details how this program, ProKids Building Blocks, is making a difference, with specialized training and home visitation checklists that assist in objectifying warning signs that might otherwise go unnoticed. It also identifies more than a dozen ways, large and small, anyone can apply to make a difference."

For more information about Holly Schlaak, the book, or her work please visit her website: http://www.invisiblekidsthebook.com/index.html

Adoptions-In-Progress in Limbo as U.S. Bans Adopting from Nepal

2010-10-06T18:31:00.000-04:00

Here is a story from the Chicago Tribune about a woman who went to Nepal to pick up her adopted daughter, only to find out that the U.S. had banned Nepalese adoptions.

Adoption route leaves mother, child exiled in Nepal
Chicago woman wants to bring daughter home, but U.S. policy is blocking her path
September 26, 2010 By Mary Schmich

You can also listen to her tell her story on NPR's Here and Now:
Adoptive Mom Finds Herself Stuck In Nepal

Here's a link to the latest information from the U.S. Department of State concerning adopting from Nepal:
http://adoption.state.gov/news/nepalalerts.html

Tips for Those Adopting an Older Child

2010-10-06T17:57:00.000-04:00

Adoptive Families Magazine has an article in their September (2010) issue by Carrie Howard for parents adopting an older child:

Adopting an Older Child?
Moms and dads share the special joy that comes with bringing home a school-age child, and the unique parenting approach that helps their families bond.

News from A Mother's Love

2010-10-03T16:22:00.000-04:00

The latest newsletter from A Mother's Love, a ministry that supports orphaned children in China.

How Your Church Can Help Foster Children

2010-10-01T15:54:00.000-04:00

This is from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (which also offers free resources for your church or organization) -

The faith community and foster care adoption

CHILDREN ARE WAITING
Every day children are abused, abandoned and neglected. Through no faults of their own, many end up in foster care and eventually are made available for adoption. These children often move three or more times, are frequently separated from siblings, and can wait five years or more for an adoptive family. One in five will turn 18 and leave the system without a family. Today, more than 114,000 children wait in U.S. foster care for a loving, permanent family.

YOU CAN HELP

The faith community has long been one of the most dynamic, powerful resources to help children without families. The following are just some of the many ways to get involved in foster care adoption – because every child deserves a loving home and forever family.

SUPPORT ADOPTIVE FAMILIES

-Celebrate when members of your congregation make the choice to adopt. Recognize adoption as a valued way to build families.

-Establish support groups for adoptive parents. Learn how at www.nacac.org or http://www.adoptamericanetwork.org/.
-Host activities and outings for adoptive families.

-Raise funds for medical and educational needs. Donate clothing or other necessities for a growing family. Offer respite childcare.

-Consider establishing an adoption ministry.

HOST OR JOIN A NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY EVENT

National Adoption Day is celebrated in communities across the United States on the Saturday before Thanksgiving (November 20, 2010). Host a National Adoption Day event of your own by inviting members of your congregation or parish to join you for a workshop, picnic, reception or other event in celebration of adoptive families and generate awareness of waiting children. To partner with a local foster care adoption agency, visit www.childwelfare.gov/nfcad. Be a part of the national effort and get a free banner by registering your event at http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/.

-Join an already scheduled event near you by visiting http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/.
There are events in communities all across the nation. Contact the event coordinator to volunteer your time or donate items for the newly-formed families.

Continue with article.

Webinar for Parents Whose Internationally Adopted Children May Have Suffered From Early Poor Nutrition

2010-09-30T15:17:00.000-04:00

From Joint Council on International Children's Services -

Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 7:00-8:00PM Central Time
Cost: $15 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

We all know the importance of prenatal and early nutrition. We also understand that it is likely our internationally adopted children have missed out on a fair amount of this key factor of development.

Join Dr. Dana Johnson, renowned international adoption physician, as he shares the results of his research on the common physical, cognitive and behavioral impacts of poor nutrition on international adoptees. He will give practical tips of what to look for in your child, what to ask your pediatrician to test for and how to help your child catch up and thrive both short and long term.
This webinar will share strategies and tips on:
 Understanding the impact of early nutritional deprivation
 Identifying signs of malnutrition in your child
 Having your child tested for nutritional deficiencies
 How to help your child catch up and thrive

Speaker
Dr. Dana Johnson, MD PhD

Dr. Johnson is the Director of the Division of Neonatology and the Director of the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Minnesota. He has researched, published and lectured extensively on the effects of early institutionalization on growth, development and outcomes of internationally adopted children. He is a frequent expert speaker at worldwide conferences on issues relating to institutionalized children's health.

New Book on Adoption from NPR Radio Host

2010-09-29T21:25:00.000-04:00

Scott Simon, the host of Weekend Edition on NPR, writes about his journey in adopting two baby girls from China in his new book, Baby We Were Meant For Each Other.
Amazon describes the book as,
a love story that doesn’t gloss over the rough spots. There are anxieties and tears along with hugs and smiles and the unparalleled joy of this blessed and special way of making a family. Here is a book that families who have adopted—or are considering adoption—will want to read for inspiration. But everyone can enjoy this story because, as Scott Simon writes, adoption can also help us understand what really makes families, and how and why we fall in love.

Here, Simon discusses his book on a segment of NPR's Fresh Air. He also discusses his international adoption story on a segment of NPR's Morning Edition here.

Facts & Figures on Foster Care Adoption from National Adoption Day

2010-09-29T17:58:00.000-04:00

National Adoption Day provides some information on children in foster care, which can be found here:

- Every year, more than 123,000 children in foster care are available for adoption. Many spend more than
five years waiting for permanent, loving homes. Between 2000 and 2009, more than 30,000 children were
joined together with their forever families as part of National Adoption Day activities.

Who are these waiting children?

• There are an estimated 463,000 children in foster care in the United States, and more than 123,000 of them are waiting to be adopted.

• Through no fault of their own, these children enter foster care as a result of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment.

• The average child waits for an adoptive family for more than two years.

• 19 percent spend 5 years or more waiting for a family (24,300 children).

• The average age of children waiting for an adoptive family is 8.

What happens to them?

• 55,000 children are adopted from foster care.

• More than 29,000 children reach the age of 18 without ever finding a forever family.

Who adopts from foster care?

• Children in foster care are adopted by three types of families: former foster parents (59 percent), relatives (26 percent) and non-relatives (15 percent).

• Of the families who adopt children from foster care, 69 percent are married couples, 26 percent are single females, 3 percent are single males, and 2 percent are unmarried couples.

• A national survey in 2007 revealed that 48 million Americans have considered adoption from foster care – more so than any other form of adoption, including private adoption of an infant or international adoption. (National Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey, November 2007. Commissioned by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and conducted by Harris Interactive.)

To find out more about adopting a child in the United States, please visit
http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/ or call 1-800-ASK-DTFA.

(Unless otherwise indicated, statistics are provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children; Interim Estimates for FY 2008.)

Children in the 2010 Heart Gallery Awaiting Forever Families

2010-09-29T17:46:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the beautiful children in the 2010 Heart Gallery? All are available for adoption now!

(The Heart Gallery of Metro Orlando is an innovative gallery-style photo exhibit that features some of the foster children available for adoption in central Florida.
The Heart Gallery of Metro Orlando is a program of Family Services of Metro Orlando.)

Government Statistics on Children in Foster Care

2010-09-29T17:23:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau reports that 255,418 children entered foster care in 2009 and of those exiting, 20% were adopted. These and other statistics can be found in the AFCARS Report.

National Adoption Day Events

2010-09-29T07:03:00.000-04:00

National Adoption Day is November 20, 2010. Find events happening in your area:
http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/events

2010 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces

2010-09-28T19:58:00.000-04:00

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has compiled it's 2010 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces List. Number one in the country is Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. You can find the story here, and a list of the top 100 here.

Club Kazi - Helping Black Children in Iowa's Foster Care System

2010-09-28T19:29:00.000-04:00

Club Kazi is an organization of black professionals dedicated to helping black children in Iowa's foster care system. They encourage African-Americans to become foster parents and work with the Department of Human Services in Johnson County, Iowa to help reduce the disproportionate number of black children receiving welfare services.
This article from the Iowa City Press Citizen describes their goal:
Group Aims To Improve Foster Care System

International Adoption News

2010-07-08T12:31:00.000-04:00

- Compiled from the June 2010 issue of Adoption Today magazine.

Haiti
Haiti is now accepting adoption applications for children who were documented as orphans before Jan. 12 or who have been relinquished by thier birth parents since the the earthquake.

Kyrgyztan
All intercountry adoptions have been suspended and the U.S. State Dept. has issued a travel warning about traveling there.

Kazakhstan
All intercountry adoptions have been halted by Kazakhstan until the government implements a system that is in compliance with the Hague Adoption Convention (goal: September 2010). This does not affect adoptions that are already in process.

Liberia
Liberia has suspended all adoptions due to finding of corruption. It is not accepting any new applications nor making any referrals for existing applications.

For more information: http://adoption.state.gov/

The Role of the Church In Adoption

2010-07-08T11:11:00.000-04:00

Churches Adopt Adoption
Churches are getting real about adoption's challenges—and helping families after the child arrives. By Carla Barnhill

This article is part of Christianity Today's July issue which focuses on adoption and orphan care.
In 1962, my parents picked up a 3-month-old boy from a Minneapolis children's home. Instead of a shower or welcoming committee, they came home to silence and sideways looks. They were adopting at a time when the decision was considered a response to an epic reproductive failure, something not discussed in polite company.

And then there was the baby. At just three months, my older brother showed signs of institutionalization. My mother remembers how he lay in her arms like a board, never able to snuggle. Psychologists were only beginning to form theories on attachment disorder, and no one, including my parents, fully understood how even a few months without parental nurture can impact a child.

Thank God that attitudes about adoption are changing.

The Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAO) held its sixth annual summit on orphan care this April at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Featuring keynote addresses from John Piper, Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman, and Al Mohler, the summit drew more than 1,200 attendees, most of them ministering to orphans through their home churches. Watching those gathered, I knew this was not my parents' generation.

Continue with article here.

Jedd Medefind's (the President of Christian Alliance for Orphans), Top 5 Books on Orphan Care

2010-07-08T10:56:00.000-04:00

This article is from July's Christianity Today, focusing on adoption and orphan care.

1. Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches
     by Russell D. Moore (Crossway)
With deep theological moorings, Moore builds an inspiring case for why adoption carries special priority for Christians. Even readers who don't agree with Moore on all points will find it difficult to escape the power of his conviction that God's adoption of all believers is the wellspring for Christian action to "defend the cause of the fatherless."

2. The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family
      by Karyn Purvis, David Cross, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine (McGraw-Hill)
Built on research and medical expertise, this accessible book provides both compassionate insight and concrete practices that any parent can apply to nurture and connect fully with children coming from difficult backgrounds. Purvis's new study guide and other resources are also invaluable.

3. There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children
      by Melissa Fay Greene (Bloomsbury)
Greene opens unforgettable windows into the plight of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS with the true story of one Ethiopian widow and the children she took in. Her well-crafted account is both haunting and hopeful, exposing both aching need and the complexity of responding wisely, alongside the beauty found when we do.

4. Fields of the Fatherless: Discover the Joy of Compassionate Living
     by Tom Davis (David C. Cook)
Weaving together Scripture and compelling narrative, Davis paints a simple yet powerful picture of what it looks like when Christians come to share God's passion for orphans. Fields of the Fatherless offers not only inspiration and provocation, but also practical steps for action.

5. The One Factor: How One Changes Everything
      by Doug Sauder (4Kids of South Florida)
Focusing on real stories of children from foster care, this slim volume delivers its punch with dozens of poignant reminders why the number one matters more than all the statistics in the world. Sauder helps us turn the tired adage that "one person can make a big difference" into a vibrant, vivifying confidence.

Adoption And Orphan Care is the Focus of the July Issue of Christianity Today

2010-07-08T10:33:00.001-04:00

Adoption Is Everywhere
Even God is into it.
by Ted Olsen

In December, Christianity Today editor at large Collin Hansen put evangelicals' growing attention to adoption as number six on his "Top Ten Theology Stories of 2009" for our website. It made a lot of sense: The Blind Side put the spotlight on adoption for moviegoers, while Russell Moore's Adopted for Life created buzz among Christian nonfiction readers.
The way 2010 is going, adoption is likely to rank higher than sixth place by year's end. Rick Warren devoted this year's Saddleback Civil Forum to orphans and adoption, joining popular conferences like Together for Adoption, the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit (which will be posted next week), and Moore's own Adopting for Life.

The trend goes beyond dedicated gatherings, however: Nearly every conference we've attended recently devoted attention to orphans, adoption, the fatherless, and so on. Church leadership conference Catalyst gave a major push to adoption at its main gathering in October and continues to highlight it at regional meetings. The keynote presentation at Q (a conference for Christian culture leaders) focused on fatherlessness, with calls to establish foster-care ministries, support adoptive families, and build orphanages abroad.

Adoption even became a main issue at this year's Wheaton Theology Conference, which was somewhat unlikely since it focused on the work of N. T. Wright. But theologian Kevin Vanhoozer argued that the theology of adoption was the key to reconciling Wright's views on justification with his Reformed critics'. The law court that finds us justified in Christ, Vanhoozer said, is less of a criminal court than a family court.

Socio-political reasons abound for why we're hearing more about orphans and adoption today. I have friends who, faced with the seemingly countless ways to pursue social justice and compassion, are starting with the "orphans and widows" of James 1:27. Other friends praise the focus on adoption for being an important family issue that sidesteps the ceaseless debates on "gay stuff." Then again, other friends see adoption as the new battleground over homosexuality.

But more often, I hear people talking theologically about adoption, highlighting it as the act that most directly mirrors God's actions toward us. I don't hear many guilt trips or apocalyptic warnings. Instead, I hear echoes of one of J. I. Packer's comments in Knowing God: "Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption." Moore helps us grasp it much better, starting here.

This article can be found - http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/july/10.5.html

Why every Christian Is called to Rescue Orphans.

2010-07-08T10:23:00.000-04:00

Abba Changes Everything by Russell D. Moore
(This article is part of ChristianityToday's July issue featuring adoption and orphan care.)

"The creepiest sound I have ever heard was nothing at all. My wife, Maria, and I stood in the hallway of an orphanage somewhere in the former Soviet Union, on the first of two trips required for our petition to adopt. Orphanage staff led us down a hallway to greet the two 1-year-olds we hoped would become our sons. The horror wasn't the squalor and the stench, although we at times stifled the urge to vomit and weep. The horror was the quiet of it all. The place was more silent than a funeral home by night.

I stopped and pulled on Maria's elbow. "Why is it so quiet? The place is filled with babies." Both of us compared the stillness with the buzz and punctuated squeals that came from our church nursery back home. Here, if we listened carefully enough, we could hear babies rocking themselves back and forth, the crib slats gently bumping against the walls. These children did not cry, because infants eventually learn to stop crying if no one ever responds to their calls for food, for comfort, for love. No one ever responded to these children. So they stopped.

The silence continued as we entered the boys' room. Little Sergei (now Timothy) smiled at us, dancing up and down while holding the side of his crib. Little Maxim (now Benjamin) stood straight at attention, regal and czar-like. But neither boy made a sound. We read them books filled with words they couldn't understand, about saying goodnight to the moon and cows jumping over the same. But there were no cries, no squeals, no groans. Every day we left at the appointed time in the same way we had entered: in silence."

Read full article here.

Family Services of Metro Orlando Celebrates It's 1,000th Adoption!

2010-06-27T19:08:00.000-04:00

On Friday, June 25, 2010, Family Services of Metro Orlando celebrated its 1,000th foster care adoption with Judge Margaret T. Waller presiding. On the same day, 17 other families celebrated as they adopted more than 20 children into their families.

Eight-year-old Melissa became part of a forever family when she was adopted by Debbie and Joseph Defour, making her the 1000th adoption under Family Services' care. Learn more, or see news coverage at WFTV - 9 Family Connection and the Orlando Sentinel.

This milestone was achieved in fewer than six years through Family Services' extensive network of community partners in Orange and Osceola counties including:

Children's Home Society
Youth and Family Alternatives
One Hope United
Devereux Florida
Osceola County Guardians ad Litem
Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association
Children's Legal Services
Florida Department of Children and Families
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

For more information on foster care and adoption in Central Florida, call 1-877-6-MY-KIDS or visit the Family Services of Metro Orlando website.

New Webinar Series for Orphan Advocates from Christian Alliance for Orphans

2010-06-24T17:11:00.000-04:00

Christian Alliance for Orphans will be launching a new monthly webinar series for local church orphan ministry leaders and advocates. The series is designed to help individuals create and grow effective adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry in local churches. Each 60-minute webinar will give local advocates access to the knowledge and experience of top Alliance member churches and organizations nationwide, covering key topics on adoption, foster care and/or global orphan care. Every webinar will be hosted by a local church orphan ministry and co-presented by one or more national experts on the subject matter. This pairing will deliver a combination of specialist information and resources alongside a “here’s how it works in a real church” perspective. The monthly webinars are offered free of charge to church orphan ministries nationwide. For Summer 2010, the schedule includes the sessions listed below.

1. How to Help without Hurting (Register Now)
As church groups nationwide head out on summer missions trips, learn key principles and practices to ensure that the long-term results are for good. Show an orphan the tangible love of Christ, building on principles that are practical, field-tested and useful for your next mission trip.
Host Church: Saddleback Church
Date: June 30      Time: 2 PM Eastern

2. The Safe Families Model
Understand the model being replicated in 7 states that essentially replaces the government foster system with the open hearts and homes of local Christians and their church community.
Date: July 28      Time: 2 PM Eastern

3. The Post-Placement Journey
Dr. Karyn Purvis and Michael Monroe present on equipping foster and adoption ministries to serve families through the joys and challenges of loving children from difficult places for the long-haul.
Date: August 25      Time: 2 PM Eastern

4. Church to Church Partnerships to Care for Orphans in Haiti
Practical advice, principles and practices for how your church can wisely partner with indigenous churches to care for orphans in Haiti and beyond.
Date: September 29      Time: 2 PM Eastern

GRACE, MILLY, LUCY… CHILD SOLDIERS

2010-06-24T16:31:00.000-04:00

Grace, Milly, Lucy, a new Canadian documentary about Ugandan women who were kidnapped as girls and forced to fight for the brutal Lord's Resistance Army, has just been released. (The LRA has kidnapped over 30,000 children over the last 20 years.) A trailer of the documentary may be viewed here.

The NPR show, Talk of the Nation, recently interviewed one of the women featured in the documentary along with its director. You may either read the transcript or listen to the interview here.

NPR also featured a profile on the Lord's Resistance Army in 2005, which may be found here.

To view a narrated photo essay entitled, Horror in Uganda, from the Los Angels Times click here.

Together For Adoption's National Conference

2010-06-17T15:56:00.000-04:00

Early bird registration for Together For Adoption's October 1 & 2 National Conference in Austin, TX ends June 30, 2010. This year's theme is “The Gospel, the Church, and the Global Orphan Crisis.” Guest speakers include Dave Gibbons, Darrin Patrick, Dr. Karyn Purvis, Matt Carter, Bryan Loritts, Tom Davis, Dr. Susan Hillis, Carlos Whittaker, Aaron Ivey, and others.

For more information and to register: http://www.togetherforadoption.org/?page_id=11

Remember the Fatherless this Father's Day

2010-06-17T15:36:00.000-04:00

As we celebrate and honor our fathers this week-end, keep in mind that there are approximately 27 million American boys that are being raised without a father in the house. Author Donald Miller was one of those boys and he wrote a book about the experience entitled, Father Fiction. He also started an organization called The Mentoring Project which partners young men growing up without dads with positive male role models. The Mentoring Project's goal is "to see thousands of kids enter into relationships with somebody who would be let down if they screwed up, and ecstatic when they succeed."

Miller was recently a guest on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show where he discussed Father Fiction. You may listen here.

Love for Orphans Transforms

2010-06-17T15:07:00.000-04:00

An article by Jedd Medefind

President, Christian Alliance for Orphans

Unwanted infants in ancient Rome were often disposed of via the practice of “exposing.” Whether undesirable because it was malformed, female or simply inconvenient, the child would be left alone, outside the city walls, without defense before glaring sun, icy winds or roving animals.

In 374 AD, the Christian emperor Valentinian banned the practice. But for centuries prior, a marginalized group gained a reputation for rescuing these children: Christians. The early church was known, even among many who despised it, as a people who defended the orphan. Believers went outside the city to find infants abandoned there, taking them in, and often raising them as their own. This witness was one powerful factor in the vibrant life and growth of Christianity in its first 300 years, and at other high points in history as well. It can be that way again.

Last month, 1,200 Christian orphan advocates from across America and beyond gathered in Minneapolis. At moments, the ethos and interactions felt almost electric. As one band leader expressed, “It felt like that was the first time I’d been worshipping and every person in the room was really a Christian.” I understood what he meant. From families with adopted HIV+ children, to foster parents, to individuals serving the fatherless around the globe, the spirit of that community carried the feel of the early days after Pentecost. As best I can discern, here are four key reasons why:

- Caring for orphans reflects the heart of God. From Isaiah’s call to “defend the cause of the fatherless” (1:17) to James’ placement of orphan care at the heart of “pure and undefiled religion” (1:27), the biblical mandate is clear. But this is not merely God’s expectation of us; it is a mirroring of His own character. “He defends the fatherless,” declares Deuteronomy 10:18. Describes the Psalmist, “He places the lonely in families.” To be like our heavenly Father, we’re invited to do the same.

- Caring for orphans makes the Gospel visible. At the heart of the Christian story is the God who pursued us when we were destitute and alone. He adopted us as His children, and invites us to live as His sons and daughters. Perhaps nothing makes this truth more tangible than when Christians follow in their Father’s footsteps, opening heart and home in unconditional affection to the child that has no claim upon them but love.

- Caring for orphans defies the gods of our age. Darwinism’s sole ethical imperative is to ensure one’s own genetic material carries forward. So like Gideon tearing down his father’s idols (Judges 6), we assault this dictate when we seek to ensure the survival, and thriving, of a child that does not share our genes. Meanwhile, the purposeful sacrifices required to love this child flout the demands of other gods also, from materialism to self-actualization to comfort. The cost must be counted. But—compared to the depth and richness found along the path of caring for orphans—these false gods are shown to be as lifeless and unsatisfying as statues of bronze or wood.

- Caring for orphans invites a journey of discipleship. “I see these kids changed,” explained a woman who helps Christians get involved with foster care, “But I think the parents are changed even more.” It’s true. Every family I know that’s opened themselves to parentless children has not gone unaltered. And though the road can be hard, even painful, virtually always it leads closer to Jesus. Expressed one adoptive mom recently, “People have said, ‘Oh, aren’t they lucky, you rescued them from whatever.’ And I think, Are you kidding? I’m the lucky one. I get to be their mom. And I get to be daily rescued from my selfishness, and my impatience, and things that are just as disease-ridden in my soul.”

Ultimately, here’s the result I see again and again: love for orphans transforms. It transforms children as they experience love and nurture they’ve come to live without. It transforms individual Christians, as we encounter Jesus deeply and personally in a destitute child. It transforms the broader community of believers as well, pulling us corporately beyond a religion of self-development to a costly-but-muscular faith. Finally, love for orphans transforms a watching world, as it sees—perhaps for the first time—the Gospel embodied.

Close friends from Washington, DC, Tom and Leah, adopted a little boy from an African nation two years ago. He’d been found, abandoned, at the edge of a forest, umbilical cord still attached. “He was left for the hyena,” described the old woman who discovered him when the newborn’s cry startled her milk cow.

When I heard that story, I couldn’t help thinking of the early Christians, going outside the city walls to take in abandoned infants. I feel the same about what’s going on in Colorado, where so many Christians have adopted from the foster system that the number of children waiting for adoption has been cut from nearly 800 in 2008 to just 365 today. The same goes for countless partnerships between U.S. Christians and churches abroad to care for orphans within their home countries as well.

Christians are again becoming known as a people who defend the cause of the fatherless. As we do, the world won’t be left unchanged. Neither will we. ~

This article can be found at the Catalyist website @ http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/june10_love_for_orphans_transforms/

South Africa, the World Cup, and Orphaned Children

2010-06-16T21:51:00.000-04:00

Children's HopeChest will be sponsoring a Vision Trip to South Africa for pastors and community leaders who are interested in sponsoring a care point there. Follow this link for more information about this opportunity- http://www.hopechest.org/join-our-south-africa-ministry/.

Also, Tom Davis, president of Children's HopeChest is currently in South Africa for the World Cup and is blogging about social justice issues impacting orphans. He has developed a "Beyond the Game" Devotional that can be downloaded. This devotional explores unreported facets of the World Cup that impacts children and orphans.
http://blog.beliefnet.com/redletters/

Clearwater Marine Aquarium Hosting Heart Gallery and Promoting Adoption Campaign

2010-06-16T20:41:00.000-04:00

CMA (Clearwater, FL) is proud to partner with Governor Crist’s Office of Adoption and Child Protection, the Department of Children and Families, Eckerd Youth Alternatives and Progress Energy Heart Gallery of Pinellas and Pasco on an adoption campaign called “Winter’s Dream”. For every donation made to Winter, the dolphin who lost her family and was seriously injured when she was three months old and who now resides at the CMA, the aquarium will donate 20% to the Heart Gallery to help children find their forever families.
There are many levels of Winter adoption from which to choose - http://www.seewinter.com/winter/winters-dream

Date Set for Christian Alliance For Orphans Summit VII

2010-06-16T19:51:00.000-04:00

Save the Date...

SUMMIT VII

May 12-13, 2011

Southeast Christian Church

Louisville, KY

If you missed Summit VI, recordings are available online

This Weekend Buy A Frosty, Help a Foster Child

2010-06-16T19:40:00.000-04:00

Wendy's will donate 50 cents for every Frosty purchased this weekend (June 19 & 20) to the Dave Thomas Center for Adoption. They will donate an additional 50 cents for a social media "shout out."

http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/

Pat Robertson's Disappointing Attitude Toward Adoption

2010-05-21T11:40:00.000-04:00

This is an email I received from Elizabeth Wiebe, Director of Outreach and Member Services for Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Alongside a compelling news report on Summit VI, commentary from Pat Robertson on whyChristians would…or would not…adopt is likely to stir serious controversy. It’s worth watching the polite but highly-charged exchange between Robertson and co-host Terry Meeuwsen.

Many orphan advocates likely will wince as they hear Robertson express sentiments like, “It [adoption] can be a blessing, if you get the right child.” The troubling statements, however, offer a striking reminder of three important realities. First, that many people harbor deep and understandable fears about adoption that must be gently and honestly addressed. Second, that even many Christians still hold the mistaken view that a successful adoption is primarily about building a family by finding the right child, rather than a decision born of both obedience and love–both of which spring from response to God’s loving adoption of us. And third, that much has changed even in the past several years, as Christians have re-awoken to the biblical call to care for orphans in their distress–not merely by sending checks overseas, but by opening their hearts and homes.

Explicit in Robertson’s concerns is an important theme wise adoption advocates repeatedly sound as well: “Count the cost.” Yes, many adopted children come from very difficult places, and the journey to a full sense of belonging and permanent family often is rife with difficulty, sacrifice and even sorrow. But this is only one piece of the story, and not the most important.

A segment of Robertson’s exchange with his co-host Terry Meeuwsen, who powerfully defends a truly Christ-hearted view of adoption, captures the issue well.

Robertson expresses serious concerns about adoption, warning of serious emotional, developmental and spiritual problems, and worrying, “If they’ve been brain damaged as a child, what’s going to happen?”

Meeuwsen affirms Robertsons’ fears, but then challenges: “…I think all children who’ve been through any kind of trauma certainly have emotional needs, for sure, and as you’re saying, spiritual needs. On the other hand, I would say, ‘If not us, who? Who sets those children free? Who teaches the truth to them? Who loves them to wholeness? It ought to be Christians.”

Robertson: “Well, I think it’s all real lovely but…”

Meeuwsen: “Well, it’s not ‘real lovely.’ I mean I think that lady that talked at the end [Lisa Harding] said it all when she said, you know, ‘I have the privilege of being daily being delivered from my own selfishness, from my own irritations.’ And you are. I’ve always said that if there’s a flaw in your marriage, in your family, in your character, it is all going to rise to the top. But it’s a bigger picture and if you’re called for it, go for it with gusto!’”

Terry Meeuwsen would know; she is a mother of seven, five by adoption.

For more on this and to see the exchange between Robertson and Meeuwsen, go to Christian Alliance's blog.

Win a Free Copy of Tom Davis' Priceless

2010-05-19T12:31:00.000-04:00

Tom Davis' new book, Priceless, won't be released until June 1, but you can win a free copy now! Details here.

First United Methodist Church of Winter Park's Adoption Ministry

2010-05-19T12:26:00.000-04:00

http://www.fumcwp.org/

The Joys And Struggles Of International Adoption

2010-05-13T16:55:00.000-04:00

Writer John Seabrook who wrote The New Yorker article on
international adoption (the subject of a previous blog post, below) was a recent guest on NPR's Fresh Air. Listen to the interview or read the interview's highlights here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126777059&ps=cprs

Tom Davis Tackles the Issue of Sex Trafficking in His New Book

2010-05-13T11:10:00.000-04:00

Tom Davis' new book is now available for preorder on Amazon. In Priceless, the sequel to Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World, a photojournalist on assignment in Russia joins a dangerous campaign to rescue girls from the sex-slave trade.

Go to http://www.sheispriceless.com/ for more information.

A History of International Adoption and Adopting from Haiti

2010-05-13T10:59:00.000-04:00

In The New Yorker John Seabrook writes an account of his Haitian adoption experience during the earthquake. His article also provides a good history of international adoption and how Americans' attitudes about it have evolved.
The Last Babylift
Adopting a child in Haiti.

Book Recommendation for Those Considering Adopting or Fostering

2010-05-06T10:24:00.000-04:00

Adoption Today magazine provided this book review in their April 2010 issue.

Out of Many, One Family: How Two Adults Claimed Twelve Children Through Adoption
By Bart and Claudia Fletcher
Third Degree Parenting,2009, ISBN: 978-0-615- 31538-6,221 pages, $15

“Out of Many, One Family,” is the true story of two remarkable people who decided to grow their family through adoption. That sole decision leads to a 10-year journey creating a permanent home for 12 children, as well as a temporary home for numerous foster children.

Bart and Claudia Fletcher share their experiences, joys and challenges of fostering, adopting foster children and adopting internationally. By far, “Out of Many, One Family,” is one of the best foster and adoption books available. Because few people have journeyed through so many different avenues of adoption, the Fletchers provide a wealth of information about adoption. The book weaves together the Fletchers’ personal journey with a great user-friendly list of “what they learned” at the end of each chapter which could be essential for parents exploring the idea of adoption. The Fletcher’s openly share the positive and the negative of their adoption and fostering experiences, which creates a
realistic picture of raising children with difficult backgrounds, as well as the unique joy of blending a family together.

Their words of wisdom are priceless, providing a great window into the world of those who feel called to foster and adopt. This book would be a wonderful introduction for those considering fostering or adopting, as well a good read for the more seasoned parent with similar experiences. I commend the Fletcher’s for creating “Out of Many, One Family” in such an easy-to-read format that kept me flipping the pages to follow their
journey. I will anxiously await the sequel to their first book.

— Reviewed by Kim Phagan-Hansel

A Mother's Love Fundraiser

2010-05-05T19:04:00.000-04:00

A Mother's Love, a ministry dedicated to helping China's orphans, is holding their annual fundraiser on May 14 in Winter Springs, FL. Some of A Mother's Love projects include building playgrounds for orphanages, funding surgeries, and providing scholarships in order that orphaned children may attend school.

If you would like to attend the fundraiser please RSVP beforehand. If you would like more information about A Mother's Love, China's orphans, or if you cannot attend the fundraiser and would like to make a donation, please contact Jeff or Debbie Knipe at jdknipe@aol.com.

Considering Adoption or Foster Parenting?

2010-04-30T16:08:00.000-04:00

A representative from Community Based Care of Seminole County (CBC) will be in the foyer after every service from Saturday, May 1 to Monday, May 3, and from Saturday, May 8 to Monday, May 10 at the Northland Longwood and Oviedo sites. Also, CBC of Seminole will hold a Foster and Adoption Information Session on May 8 at 6:30 p.m. in room 4206-07 at the Longwood site. Experts in fostering and adoption will discuss the process to foster and adopt in Florida and will answer commonly asked questions. For those interested in beginning the foster or adoption process, CBC of Seminole will hold a Foster and Adoption Course (PRIDE) from May 19 through August 4 at Northland. This 30-hour course is required by the state of Florida to become a licensed foster or adoptive parent. Details, and information sessions or orientation sign-up: Rhonda Murphy (rmurphy56@cfl.rr.com or 1-866-90-CHILD).

Buy a Bagel, Help a Foster Child

2010-04-30T15:58:00.000-04:00

State Department Issues Warning About Adoption from Nepal

2010-04-27T16:15:00.000-04:00

As reported by Adoption Today magazine:
In mid-February the U.S. State Department issued a statement warning prospective parents from adopting from Nepal. A report issued by the Hague Conference on Private International Law pinpointing the weaknesses of Nepal’s current adoption system prompted the warning.
After a visit to Nepal in November 2009, a Hague delegate reviewed Nepal’s new terms and conditions that went into place in 2008. Included in the report were concerns about falsification of documents, improper financial
gain and lack of a child protection system. The report, in addition to one of the first adoption cases from Nepal to the United States being questionable when the child was found not to be a true orphan whose biological parents were actively searching for him, caused the State Department to issue the warning. The State Department states on its Web site: “We caution prospective adoptive parents who have yet to choose a country that the intercountry adoption system in Nepal is not yet reliable. ”
For additional information, visit http://www.adoptinfo.net/.

40 percent decline in overseas adoptions by Americans since 2004

2010-04-26T16:58:00.000-04:00

Idaho's Impact
Haiti scandal overshadows bigger threat to evangelical adoption efforts.
from Christianity Today

The high-profile legal saga of the 10 Idaho-based Baptists arrested in January for attempting to smuggle 33 Haitian children into the Dominican Republic is winding down. But evangelical adoption advocates wonder what the long-term impact will be.

Leading orphan care advocate Russell Moore suggested in the days following the arrests that the scandal might be a black eye to evangelicals' adoption efforts worldwide. But two months later, Moore said he is no longer worried about a fallout.

"In many ways, the controversy served as an opportunity to clarify what we mean and what we do not mean," said Moore, dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "No one in the Christian orphan care community is calling for children to be adopted who are not in fact orphans. And no one is calling for children to be adopted apart from the legitimate processes."

A larger hurdle for international adoptions by evangelicals may be new restrictions on adoptions in countries where they have been most prevalent, including China, Guatemala, Russia, Vietnam, and Liberia.

China, which has traditionally accounted for the majority of adoptions to the U.S., rewrote its qualifications for adoptive parents in 2007. Guatemala, the second-largest source of American adoptions, completely shut down its program in 2008 due to widespread corruption, though it will launch a new adoption system this June. Since 2004, these and other restrictions have resulted in a 40 percent decline in overseas adoptions by Americans—from an all-time high of almost 23,000 in 2004 to fewer than 12,800 in 2009, according to the U.S. State Department.

Read the complete article here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/may/2.14.html?start=1

20 Ways to Become an Adoption Friendly Church or Synagogue

2010-04-19T16:57:00.000-04:00

By Paul Golden of Adoption Today Magazine, April 2010.

While most faith groups commonly praise adoption, most American churches and synagogues do not have a single family that adopted a child during the past year. Faith assemblies can and should play a crucial role in encouraging members to “look after orphans in their distress” (James 1:27). Here are some specific ideas on how to become an adoption-friendly church or synagogue:

1. Pray that you and your ministry will become adoption-friendly. Pray that potential couples
will be sensitive to adopting. Pray that the assembly as a whole steps up its involvement
in assisting couples who adopt.

2. Preach key passages on caring for orphans and spiritual adoption. Passages like James
1:26-27 remind us that pure and faultless religion emphasizes care for those who are
least able to care for themselves. Since God cares for us in our affliction, we should care
for orphans in theirs.

3. Invite guest speakers to raise awareness of adoption needs and opportunities. Those
who lead adoption ministries can share their passion in small groups, Sunday School and services. Give members the opportunity to hear about these needs while giving them ways to help.

4. Make adoption resources available to the faith community. A wealth of adoption
resources can be helpful to couples considering adoption. Most of the time misconceptions about the adoption process keep families from considering adoption. The church or synagogue can be a tool to provide helpful facts for couples to make informed decisions.

5. Frequently list pro-adoption ministries and organizations. List them in your bulletin and
have a “resources” link on your Web site connecting to these ministries. You help these
ministries by making them known to your people, but you also assist your people by
providing accessibility to helpful resources.

6. Encourage couples facing infertility to connect with adoptive parents. Some couples hop onto the emotional roller coaster of infertility drugs, and in the process incur huge medical expenses. Graciously counsel those couples to consider the privilege of parenting an adopted child before their emotions and finances are exhausted.

7. Regularly have adoptive parents and birth mothers share their testimony of God’s
goodness and grace. Testimonies can be powerful reminders to the congregation of
what “good” can come out of a “bad” situation.

8. Educate your members regarding the costs involved in the adoption process. Many
members may be unaware of the expenses involved in adoption such as: homestudies,
background checks, attorney fees, airfare and travel costs, especially for international
adoptions. Adoption costs vary from a few thousand dollars to $20,000 or more. The
cost should not scare off potential adoptive families, but should motivate the church
or synagogue to “count the cost” and offer assistance. What price tag can we put on a
young life?

9. Encourage the membership to give financially to adoptive couples. Giving financially to adoptive parents is one of the most — if not the most — significant things you can
do. As potential couples take the giant step of faith in the adoption process, one of the
biggest concerns will be “how are we going to pay for this?” A monetary gift along
with a note of encouragement can greatly encourage the couple by affirming their
decision to pursue adoption.

10. Create a standing fund for adoptions costs. Church or synagogue members can contribute
to this special fund which adoptive families can utilize (either an interest-free loan or one-time gifts to these couples).

11. Challenge Sunday School classes and small groups to raise money for adoptive couples. Love offerings help lessen the financial burden of adoption while exhibiting how the faith community can encourage and support each other. Imagine the surprise on the couples’ faces when they discover that their class sacrificially gave to help in the adoption of their child.

12. Establish an adoptive parents small group in your church or synagogue. Get a key person
to take this on as a ministry. Meet on a monthly or quarterly basis as needed. This support group provides encouragement for those couples in the midst of the adoption process or those contemplating adoption.

13. Create e-mail list-serves of adoptive parents for support and encouragement. Since
the adoption process brings emotional highs and lows, staying connected by e-mail can prove helpful — especially when a couple needs a timely word of encouragement.

14. Connect with local social service agencies. Most counties and states have child welfare and foster care programs in which members should be involved. Many times there is financial assistance for those families who are foster parents or are in fosteradopt programs.

15. Use attorneys or caseworkers within the church or assembly. Some lawyers specializing
in family law are willing to donate their time and expertise to assist a family with the legal documents for adoption. Such volunteers provide both financial savings and peace of mind.

16. Sponsor a child. Find a ministry of like faith that you know and trust — encourage others to do what they can to pray for and financially support orphan and adoption ministries.

17. Participate in mission trips to orphanages abroad. What better way to raise awareness for adoption than to experience the desperate living conditions of others?

18. Maximize special holidays to emphasize adoption. When adoption needs are presented
with sensitivity and discernment, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be ideal times to raise awareness of adoption. A special offering could be collected for an adoptive couple. An adopted child or adoptive parent could give testimony to God’s gift of a family to them. At an
annual Sanctity of Life day, typically the third Sunday each January, discussion of adoption can be a poignant reminder to the church of the devastation of abortion, and at the same time a powerful prompting for the church or synagogue to become adoption-friendly.

19. Celebrate adoption as a faith community. Affirm those who pray and encourage others to adopt. Praise those who give financially to adoptive parents. Celebrate the living object lesson of our own spiritual adoption.

20. Support adopted kids as they struggle with questions of identity, abandonment or
rejection.

Adoption is the ultimate expression and outworking of loving the modern day orphan.
While not everyone will be called to adopt, the faith community can and should do what it
can to encourage and facilitate adoption. Will you help your church or synagogue become
adoption-friendly?

This story can be found at http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=36173&&pn=&p=27

T-Shirts that Support Adoption!

2010-04-19T16:13:00.000-04:00

Here are some examples of the cute t-shirts that can be purchased through Adoption Bug. You can also help families that are raising money for their adoptions by purchasing items through their "stores" (http://www.adoptionbug.com/fundraiser_current.htm ).

Two Tales From Florida's Foster Care - from the Orlando Sentinel's "Fixing Foster Care" Special Report

2010-04-19T15:48:00.000-04:00

One story is tragic:
Can death of a young man save future kids in Florida's foster care?

In the last photo ever taken of him alive, Regis Little is a handsome teen, his head cocked back confidently, a bemused smile across his lips. A faint patch of young beard curls from his chin.

Frozen in that moment, he looks invincible.
In reality, the 18-year-old product of Florida's foster-care system was tragically vulnerable.

One night last July, several months after he had aged out of the system, he was found stabbed in a parking lot off International Drive, a crowd of spectators gathered around his body. By the time paramedics arrived, Regis Little was dead.
Continue with story: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-foster-care-freefall-regis-20100413,0,7939142.story

The other is inspiring.
Former foster child travels Road to Independence

When Kamesha Grant turned 18 in November, she packed a suitcase, left her home in St. Cloud, climbed aboard a bus alone and headed for a new life. As a foster child, it was time to move on.

That's the way the system typically works in Florida. But it's not just a shove out the door. In Grant's case, there was something better ahead.
Taking advantage of the state's Road to Independence program available to teens transitioning out of foster care, Grant already had lined up a place to rent, a $1,000 monthly stipend, training in financial matters and life skills, and a detailed plan for her future.

When local child-welfare advocates want an example of how things can go right, Grant often becomes Exhibit A. She is bright, personable and exceedingly polite, and she did something almost unheard of in Department of Children and Families history: She actually asked to go back into foster care.
"Kamesha gets a lot of the credit for being where she is," said Bethanie Barber, her guardian ad litem, the court-appointed attorney charged with advocating for Grant's best interests. "She is very, very savvy, she has incredible internal motivation and she was absolutely receptive to everything we put in front of her."
Continue story - http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-foster-care-freefall-kamesha-20100419,0,2535312.story

Learn about the Challenges of International Adoption

2010-04-16T17:27:00.000-04:00

NPR's The Diane Rehm Show devoted an hour of it's April 14, 2010 show to the challenges of international adoption. The guests include Thomas DiFilipo, president and C.E.O. of Joint Council on International Children's Services; Janice Goldwater, founder and Executive Director of the non-profit organization Adoptions Together; and Jane Aronson, a pediatrician who specializes in adoption medicine and orphaned children and is also the founder and C.E.O. of Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO).

You may link to and listen to the show here: http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-04-14/international-adoption

Opportunity to Work with Orphans in India

2010-04-14T15:23:00.000-04:00

Children's HopeChest is looking for 9 people who are interested in their FIRST vision trip to INDIA June 20 - July 3. The will be an amazing trip to Delhi to work with a school called the The Good Samaritan. On the trip you will work with Dalit children and orphans.

Here are the details: http://www.hopechest.org/india-trip-june-2010/
or email - vince@hopechest.org

Parents are Moving Forward with Their Russian Adoptions

2010-04-14T14:42:00.002-04:00

From CNN:
To Russia, for love: Adoptive parents on edge as suspension threatened
By Jessica Ravitz
Valera remembered being left in the Russian snow. How he lost his lower arms and some of his toes, he wasn't always sure. At times, he said he was in a fire. The truth of what the 14-year-old experienced in his early years, no one will ever know.

The orphanage where he lives said Valera was abandoned as a small child at a hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia. He had gangrene, the result of meningitis and an infection, which forced amputations. He was released to the orphanage in Nizhny Lomov, where he's waited nine years for parents and a home to call his own.
On Saturday, Stephen Jack and his wife, Christine, will leave their Goldsboro, North Carolina, home to fly to Russia, the final step in a 15-month journey they hope will give the boy what he's always wanted.

"Having never seen him and only knowing a little bit about him, I still feel attached to that child," said Jack, 53, who already has six children, four of them adopted. "I understand he can talk his way into your heart and mind in no time. When the world is opened up for him, who knows what his capabilities and possibilities are? ... If all goes well, on the 21st he becomes my son."

It is a trip the Jacks will take with trepidation.

The actions Thursday of a Tennessee woman who put her adopted 7-year-old son on a plane and returned him to Russia, saying he was violent and that officials misled her family, puts Americans in the process of adopting from Russia on edge. Officials in Moscow have threatened to suspend all American adoptions and the Jacks face a two-week process involving a court appearance and loads of paperwork before they can fly home with Valera.

"What this woman did to us is put us on pins and needles," Jack said. "My wife has been beside herself, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned."

The adoptions of about 3,000 Russian children by Americans are in progress, according to Tom DiFilipo, president of the Joint Council on International Children's Services, an advocacy group for children in need of families. Russia is the second country this year, after Haiti, in which adoptions have been thrown into a tailspin.

No suspension has been announced, but mere talk of such a recommendation spawned a campaign on Monday by the council to galvanize the adoption community and child advocates. People are being encouraged to sign a letter to President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (which will be presented to them Wednesday morning), post blogs and share videos about adoption successes.

"Our message is this is an isolated incident. The adoption system did not fail. What failed was the decision-making process of this adoptive mother," DiFilipo said. What Torry Hansen of Tennessee did is "outrageous and indefensible, and not indicative of the average adoptive parent. One-hundred-thousand people adopt every year. I don't know of another case like this."

The case has rocked the adoption community.

"I talked to parents yesterday, and they're just devastated," said Deborah Gray, a child and family therapist, trainer and author, based in Seattle, Washington, who has 20-plus-years experience working on attachment, trauma and grief issues.

"It makes it seem like these kids are defective, that adoption itself is not a permanent status. ... It's a public embarrassment," she said. "The vast majority of families are enriched by adoption. To have this kind of approach is really off the wall. I can't understand why it would have gotten to this point."

Adoptive parents can feel overwhelmed during transition
She and other advocates said they wish Hansen had reached out for assistance and tapped services available for parents before shipping the child back to Russia after six months.

"There are so many services that were available to her. She could have contacted FRUA [Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption] which is a resource-rich place, gotten a good psychiatric assessment, including hospitalization if necessary to figure out what made this little guy tick," Gray said.

The incident may have been a wake-up call to agencies and those in the adoption community to make sure adoptive families are prepared for challenges and have resources for help lined up in advance, especially if they live in rural parts of the country, said Sue Gainor, national chair of Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, a volunteer-led nonprofit that offers support and community.
Gainor, who adopted a son from Moscow in 2001, said there are between 600,000 and 800,000 orphans in Russia, with an additional 80,000 to 100,000 in hospitals awaiting placement in orphanages.

"When you slow adoptions, you affect a lot of children," she said. "There's lots of angst in the adoption community. The minute you see the picture of that prospective child, that kid is yours."

Being a parent, child advocates and members of the adoption community add, means helping a child adjust to change and work through challenges.

"This is just so sad because that kid had no chance whatsoever," said Larisa Mason, who directs a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, adoption agency and serves on the board of the National Council for Adoption. "A 7-year-old who changed his whole life within six months -- new language, new food, a new mother -- no question he would have issues. Even a dog would have issues."

In addition to hoping adoptions continue uninterrupted, many also want Hansen punished for her actions.

Natasha Shaginian-Needham is the founder and director of Happy Families International Center in Cold Spring, New York. The agency, established in 1992, helps orphans with special needs (including Valera), with adoptions being part of its work.

"The mother who finds somebody on the Internet, who sold his services for $200 in order to pick up and deliver [him] ... in Russia, demonstrates serious neglect and abandonment," she said. "There was a very high risk that the child could have been met by a pedophile or worse, a killer. The community in Russia is outraged by the fact that the mother may not be punished at all for her inhuman action."

Prospective adoptive mothers like Andrea Wright of Wake Forest, North Carolina, hope she, her husband, Kenneth, and the boy they want to adopt aren't punished because of Hansen's actions.

Leaving St. Petersburg, Russia, on Friday, Wright was overwhelmed with joy and anticipation. The 40-year-old fundraiser and her husband had just spent a week bonding with a little boy they are on track to soon call their own.

The hopeful first-time parents arrived armed with toys to engage little Andrei, who will turn 1 later this month. In awe and with hearts melting, they watched as the child teetered into the room, clasping the hands of an orphanage caregiver.

Of all the toys they brought him, stacking balls and cars included, his favorite item: Cheerios. Though he was a little reluctant at first, he warmed up during their stay. When they left him, he waved his arms to say goodbye.
In six to eight weeks, they have plans to return to Russia to appear in court, the next phase in their journey to become parents.

"We've been working on the process for close to a year. It's been one procedural thing after another. ... We are so prepared to be parents and have worked so hard to get to this point," she said. "We're hoping that since we've been to Russia once that we'll be allowed to continue. We're trying to go with a lot of faith and prayers at this point that it'll all work out."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/13/russian.adoption.families/index.html?hpt=C1

How to Help Stop Sex Trafficking

2010-04-14T12:53:00.000-04:00

Children's HopeChest has a program in Russia to "stop sex trafficking before it begins."
Tom Davis explains on his blog: http://networkedblogs.com/2TS3Y

Further, CHC is selling these necklaces in which the proceeds go to help the victims of sex trafficking.

"There are a limited number, so buy now to help support victims of sex trafficking in Moldova and the Young Mother’s Program in Russia- give the gift of LOVE to many!

A nice 18″ inch Sterling Cable Chain with a lobster clasp holds a 1″ inch Handmade Sterling circle that is hand stamped with “Love” and it is paired with a sterling flower Charm and a Beautiful Black Onyx Gem that is hand wrapped in Sterling silver."

To purchase: http://www.adoptionfathers.com/2010/04/11/supportyoungmothers/

A Novel About Human Trafficking

2010-04-14T12:37:00.000-04:00

This is an NPR book review on the novel, Purge, set in 1992 Russia and Eastern Europe.

Surviving Human Trafficking: A Noir Fairy Tale
by Oscar Villalon

In Koba the Dread, Martin Amis' concise history on Stalin's legacy of perversity, the British novelist makes the point that the enormity committed by the Soviets during (and before and just after) World War II somehow didn't get the deep traction in the consciousness of the West that the inhuman crimes of Nazi Germany did.

Sofi Oksanen's disturbing, riveting novel Purge partly operates in opposition to that fog of forgetfulness. Her book's story — an escaped Russian sex slave turns up out of nowhere, collapsing in front of the dilapidated house of an elderly woman in Estonia — is a jolt.

Set in 1992, only three years removed from the joyful optimism undammed by the demolition of the Berlin Wall, Purge burns through the mists to show how decades of debasement have twisted society in the former USSR into one characterized by crime and cruelty. Oksanen couches this larger theme within a tight, unconventional crime novel, one punctuated by dreadful silences, shameful revelations and repellent intimacies. By examining the toll of history on a close, personal level, Oksanen, an acclaimed Finnish playwright and novelist, makes the cost of mere survival (never mind the price of retaining one's dignity) sickeningly palpable.

Yet for all its darkness, Purge is an engrossing read. Continue with review - http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125915533&ft=3&f=1025,1032,1036,1132

Reminder that the Vast Majority of Adoptions are Positive and Joyful!

2010-04-13T15:41:00.000-04:00

An essay from NPR from an adoptive father:

Mercy On A Parent: Show Adoption's Happy Cases

by Eric Weiner

I've gotten very quick with the remote control these days. I can change channels or hit the mute button in a fraction of a second. You see, I don't want my 5-year-old daughter to hear the adoption news out there, because lately, it seems, it's all bad news. The Russian case, the American missionaries accused of sneaking children out of Haiti — these stories raise questions that I'm not prepared to answer. Not yet, at least.
My daughter knows she is adopted. My wife and I don't hide that fact, but nor do we dwell on it. It's just one more thing, we tell her, that makes her special. Once, we were at an ice cream parlor, and the clerk asked my daughter: "Where are you from, little girl?" "Kazakhstan," she replied proudly. I can still recall the shocked expression on the clerk's face.

Only now is my daughter beginning to understand that we don't look alike, she and I. Coursing through her veins is the blood of Genghis Khan and the Mongols. Coursing through my veins is the blood of the Jews of Eastern Europe. It doesn't matter, though. Love trumps genetics. Every time.
There's something mysterious and wonderful about the bond between an adoptive parent and child. For me, that bond gelled as soon as I saw her photo — sent by e-mail from the adoption agency. She had bright eyes and a huge bald head — "Buddha Baby," we called her. Normally I'm not one to believe in fate, but at that moment, I knew, just knew, she was destined to be my daughter.

Adoption is not what you think it is. It is not, as one well-meaning person told me, "an act of mercy." My wife and I did not adopt our daughter to "save" her or to demonstrate our innate goodness. We adopted her because we wanted a child and couldn't have one biologically. That's why we filled out endless reams of paperwork, underwent a background check, spent thousands of dollars we couldn't really afford.

Like our case, the vast majority of international adoptions end happily. Of course, you don't hear those stories. Good news is not news — which is a shame, really, because every time there's an adoption scandal, countries overseas get spooked. Sometimes, they suspend all adoptions, as Russia is reportedly considering now. When that happens, the main victims are the children sitting in orphanages, waiting for parents who may never arrive.

That's what nearly happened to us. At the time, there was a similar case involving a Russian child adopted by an American parent. This parent had allegedly beaten the child to death. It was a terrible story, and Kazakh officials — very much in the Russian orbit — were threatening to suspend all adoptions, including ours. My wife and I spent several tormented weeks holed up in an apartment in the Kazakh city of Almaty, wondering whether we would be allowed to bring our Buddha Baby home.

In the end, cooler heads prevailed and adoptions were allowed to continue. I hope that is what happens now. Meanwhile, I've figured out what I'll say the next time someone tells me that adopting my daughter was an "act of mercy." Yes, I'll reply, it was, and it is we — my wife and I — who are the recipients of that mercy.

Eric Weiner is a former reporter for NPR and author of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World. This story may be found at
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125906714&sc=fb&cc=fp

Russia Threatens to Halt Adoptions By Americans

2010-04-12T14:12:00.000-04:00

U.S. to urge Russia to keep adoptions after boy's return

(CNN) -- Top officials from the U.S. State Department plan to travel to Moscow this week to push Russia to allow adoptions by U.S. families to continue.

The trip comes after a U.S. family sparked outrage by sending an adopted 7-year-old boy back to Russia alone. Officials in Moscow have threatened to halt all adoptions by U.S. families.

"We were certainly shocked, as was everybody, about the return of the child. We are hoping to work with the Russians to continue the adoptions of children," said Michael D. Kirby, principal deputy assistant for consular affairs.

"We have had over 50,000 children adopted from Russia. The vast majority are doing great here in the United States."

Families in the United States have adopted 14,079 children from Russia in the last five years, including 1,586 in 2009, according to the State Department.

Russia is the third most popular country for U.S. families adopting children internationally, behind China and Ethiopia.
The family that returned the boy said he showed violent and psychotic behavior -- and that officials in Russia had given no warning.
"I am sorry to say that for the safety of my family, friends and myself I no longer wish to parent this child," Torry Hansen wrote in a note in the child's backpack.

She added that Russian orphanage workers "lied to and misled" her about the boy, Artyem, who was renamed Justin Artyem when the family adopted him last year.

In a phone call with CNN, Hansen's mother, Nancy Hansen, said the boy "had a hit list of people he wanted to hurt." No. 1 on that list: his American mom.

The final straw, the adoptive grandmother said, came last week when the family caught him trying to start a fire in the home.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, in an interview with ABC News, called the boy's return a "monstrous" act.
Kirby, speaking to CNN's "American Morning," said, "We have to talk about how we can follow up after the children are adopted. First, are the parents properly screened in the process? Are the agencies that are screening them doing all that they could do to ensure that they are prepared to be new parents?"

He added U.S. officials also must work with Russians "to make sure that the children themselves are also fully understanding what is going to happen to them as they move to a new country in a strange place."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/12/russia.adoption/index.html?hpt=T1

April 29 Is Approaching Quickly!

2010-04-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

This is a reminder that there is still time to register for Christian Alliance for Orphans' annual Summit!

http://www.christian-alliance-for-orphans.org/summit/

FSMO Seeks Help from Orlando's Faith Based Community to Send Foster Kids to Summer Camp

2010-04-11T18:01:00.000-04:00

Family Services of Metro Orlando is seeking help from the faith based community to help send foster kids to summer camp. CGC asked if this includes church camps and they said, "yes." This is a great opportunity for churches to step in and take a child who may have never have heard about God and let this child spend a week hearing all about Him.

If you belong to a church who is planning to send kids to camp, would you be willing to ask if your church could take a few foster kids? Once we find out if churches are willing to take some kids, we are going to work on finding sponsors for them. Please let us know if you can help. This is the first official request from the state to the faith based community and is a wonderful opportunity to have a Godly impact on a child.

Please let us know what you think. Let us know if your church can help or if you could just give us a contact person at church and we will follow up with asking.

We are under a bit of a time constraint since it will take some time to clear all the paperwork needed for these kids to attend camp. If you have any info, would you please get it to us by Sunday, April 25.

Thank you,
CGC

Children's HopeChest "Young Mother's Program"

2010-04-09T19:13:00.000-04:00

For Mother's Day 2010, Children's HopeChest is selling beautiful, handmade, one-of-a-kind necklaces to raise funds for girls in their Young Mothers Program. Keep an eye out for the "Love Goes Around" necklace and their Breaking the Chain Mother's Day gift campaign.

About the Young Mothers Program: When orphans are released from the orphanage in their early teen years, they enter a critically vulnerable time. In the case of these women, they found themselves pregnant and alone. Still children themselves, they had nowhere to go. That's where HopeChest comes into the picture.

Learn more: http://tomdavis.typepad.com/HopeChest-YoungMothers.pdf

Family Services of Metro Orlando's "Give a Child a Childhood" Fundraising Breakfast to be help April 29

2010-04-09T19:04:00.000-04:00

The annual Give a Child a Childhood Fundraising Breakfast is your opportunity to learn how your support has a profound impact on the lives of children and families in central Florida.
Did you know...

•more than 37% of former foster youth cost rather than contribute to society because they never received the supports and resources they needed to grow into healthy and productive citizens?

•more than 200 central Florida children died in 2008 due to abuse? While each life is priceless, the economic impact of these needless deaths is in excess of a half billion dollars every year.

•there are enough central Florida children awaiting adoption each year to fill fifteen classrooms?

•families of abused children generally suffer from as many as eight major life challenges - job loss, homelessness, domestic violence, addictions, physical and mental illness - all at once?

•even as the need increases, government provides only a shrinking fraction of what it costs to provide basic protection of children? We rely on individuals like you for support of our programs to improve the quality of life for children and families in our community.

The challenges children and families face are too large for nonprofits alone to solve. Family Services of Metro Orlando empowers everyone to be part of the solutions many in our community so desperately seek.

To register: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2opqff970b1a227