Summer Issue 2010 by Holt International Children's Services

Summer 2010

A Journey of Hope and

Promise

Finding families for children in China

in this issue 4

Against the Odds

Summer 2010 vol. 52 no. 3

In China, many orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children continually wait to be adopted

Our Vision Holt International is dedicated to carrying out God’s plan for every child to have a permanent, loving family.

One Year with Joy

In 1955 Harry and Bertha Holt responded to the conviction that God had called them to help children left homeless by the Korean War. Though it took an act of the U.S. Congress, the Holts adopted eight of those children. But they were moved by the desperate plight of other orphaned children in Korea and other countries as well, so they founded Holt International Children’s Services in order to unite homeless children with families who would love them as their own. Today Holt International serves children and families in Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Romania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, the United States and Vietnam.

The Nolan family thanks God for their beautiful daughter from China

From the Family Stories from families who have adopted children from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia

Adoptees Today Adopted from India 27 years ago, Bethany Bryant returns to her Motherland and offers her heart and hands to BSSK

Dear Readers

Children in Holt’s Journey of Hope program and China Child of Promise option are desperately in need of families. Currently, Holt does not have enough families joining the China Child of Promise option. Learn more in this issue, and for additional information go to www.holtinternational.org/china

Nine-year-old Asmerach sat in the stairwell at the Holt transitional center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and watched a ceremony she had most likely seen many times before. Her caretakers – with children in their arms – carefully walked down the stairs into a brightly lit room, and gently placed the children into the arms of their waiting families. On this particular day, however, Asmerach would be more than just an interested observer to the sights and sounds happening below her. Today, Asmerach would peek her head between the stairwell balusters and catch a glimpse of someone she had been waiting to see for a very long time… her mother. When Asmerach, the last child to be presented to her family, finally made it down the stairs, she smiled shyly and embraced her mother. Asmerach’s day had finally come…it was finally her turn. In this issue, Asmerach’s mother, Susan, shares a touching story about the unique and wonderful experience of adopting an older child. “We may have missed her first smile, her first steps and her first word,” says Susan, “but we have witnessed so many of her firsts here in America. We are getting so much joy from watching her experience everything we take for granted.” Holt understands that adopting an older child is a unique experience. We rejoice when we see older children go home to loving families. We also acknowledge that adopting an older child can come with its unique challenges. To make the transition smoother for the older children in our care, Holt has implemented a preparation program for our Journey of Hope children – a group of mostly older children in Holt-supported foster care in China. Holt hopes to expand the program to other countries in the future. Our prayer is that we would help older children feel safe, confident and happy in their new environment. I encourage you to take a look at some of the photos of older children in Holt’s Journey of Hope program and the Waiting Child photolisting.

President & CEO Kim S. Brown Senior Vice-President Phillip A. Littleton Vice-President of Policy & External Affairs Susan Soon-keum Cox Vice-President of International Programs Dan Lauer Vice-President of Finance & Administration Kevin Sweeney Vice-President of Adoption Services Lisa Vertulfo Senior Advisor David Lim Senior Executive Jian Chen Holt International magazine is published quarterly by Holt International Children’s Services, Inc., a nonprofit, Christian, child welfare organization. While Holt International is responsible for the content of Holt International magazine, the viewpoints expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the organization. Creative Services Director Brian Campbell Managing Editor Ashli Keyser Senior Writer Robin Munro Graphics Chloe Goldbloom Subscription Orders/Inquiries and Address Changes Send all editorial correspondence and changes of address to Holt International magazine, Holt International, P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402. We ask for an annual donation of $20 to cover the cost of publication and mailing inside the United States and $40 outside the United States. Holt welcomes the contribution of letters and articles for publication, but assumes no responsibility for return of letters, manuscripts or photos. Reprint Information Permission from Holt International is required prior to reprinting any portion of Holt Hague Accredited International magazine. Please direct reprint requests to editor Ashli Keyser at 541/687.2202 or ashlik@holtinternational.org. COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION FOUNDED 1977

CREDIBILITY

•

INTEGRITY

•

ACHIEVEMENT

Please join me in

sending up a special prayer for them. Pray that one day all older children, waiting in Holt’s care, will finally get their turn to walk down the stairs, into the arms of their permanent families.

Ashli Keyser |

Managing Editor

P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402 Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175

directions Sharing Their Stories… Reading through the pages of Holt International magazine, I

Holt will continue to share stories of families who have brought

am always especially touched by the lovely stories written by

their children home through the China Child of Promise option, in

Holt adoptive families. I have spent many hours interacting with

hopes that the stories will serve as an encouragement to families

and praying for the precious children in the countries where Holt

currently waiting in the China program.

works, and it brings me such delight to see children go from our care centers to the pages of Holt International magazine. The children’s stories – brought to life by their loving parent’s beautiful words – affirm Holt’s mission, and fill my heart with joy, gratitude…and hope for the children still waiting in our care.

Who knows?

Maybe this time next year you will be one

of those families, blessed with a son or daughter through this option and sharing your adoption story on the pages of this very magazine, a wonderful journey…to a beautiful China Child of Promise.

For the last two years, I have taken special interest in the stories written by families who have adopted children through our China Child of Promise program, an expedited China process for children with minor, correctable or treatable medical needs. While each of the family’s stories are unique and special in their own ways, a recurring theme…a common thread, can be seen in most of them. Phrases like: “I can’t believe how short the wait time was,” “God has blessed us with our beautiful China Child of Promise,” and “our family was surprised to see just how minor his medical need actually was,” are in many of the stories.

These

commonalities serve as a promising testament of the beautiful, smooth process that is Holt’s China Child of Promise option. All the families have the same amazing things to say. We are overjoyed to read the success stories of the families who “walked by faith” and were blessed by God with a beautiful Child of Promise. It is our privilege to share these stories with you! Children in this option are waiting for families right now, and Holt currently does not have enough families joining this program. I traveled to China in 2009 and saw many children – some with cleft lip and palates, some with missing fingers or minor heart conditions – whose minor medical needs could most likely be corrected once home. The children’s greatest need, however, is their need for a loving, permanent family.

Kim S. Brown |

President & CEO

Learn more about Holt’s China Child of Promise option for children with minor, correctable or treatable medical conditions: holtinternational.org/china/ccop.shtml

Against the

Odds

In China, many orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children continually wait to be adopted

On a gray July day, in a small, stuffy room in the Wuxi Social Welfare Institute – an orphanage in China – a young man sits opposite me, not making eye contact. He is neatly handsome – wears wire-rimmed glasses and a pressed polo, a serious expression on his face. Smart and studious, he loves history, prefers science programs to cartoons, and one day, hopes to become a doctor. When asked about his grades, though, a shy smile creeps into the corners of his mouth, and he looks aside – they’re not that great. Yu Qing (name changed) shifts uncomfortably in his seat – naturally, as it’s an uncomfortable setting.

Three people sit across from him –

filming and snapping photos, writing notes and filling out forms. He has about ten minutes to tell us about himself.

We smile and try to put

him at ease, but he remains stiff and nervous as he talks of his friends, his goals, his feelings. He confides that he’s hard on himself when he performs poorly on an exam. His nerves are palpable and I wonder if this feels like just another exam – that this meeting could make or break his chance for that which he traveled a great distance, and waited 13 years, to find: a family.

Robin Munro |

Senior Writer

Outside this room, over 50 more children wait to meet us. Like Yu Qing, they have journeyed from all over this broad province in hopes of finding a forever family. They are between 2 and 13,

Left: This summer, Yu Qing joined many other children who hope to find families through the Journey of Hope program in southern China. They are mostly boys, many of them older and all have varying degrees of special needs. When Yu Qing turns 14, in February next year, he will no longer be eligible for adoption from China. Right: Yu Qing has been in foster care for 11 years. Here, he stands beside his foster mother.

boys and girls, hyper and silly, shy and sweet. Over two days, Holt staff will interview every child – discover their interests and abilities, and take photos and videos to share with prospective adoptive families. Yu Qing’s obvious fear of judgment is ill founded; we seek to learn more about him so we can match him with the right family – the family he deserves – not evaluate him. But he clearly feels the pressure and urgency of his situation. In February, he will turn 14 – the age at which children are no longer eligible for adoption from China. He is polite, ambitious and caring – the pride of any fam-

Three years ago, the Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs created the Journey of Hope to propel adoption of children in southern China. Most of them have special needs, or are older – those who remain after healthier, younger children find families. Last year, because of Holt’s success placing hard-to-place children, the CCAA recruited Holt to seek families for a group of children in Guangzhou. Of 29, Holt matched 11. “There are 12 children still on the list,” says Jessica Palmer,

ily. But I wonder if that explains Yu Qing’s poor grades. If what he

Holt’s Waiting Child program manager.

lacks, despite ambition and hard work, is the pride, support and

Another will age out this year.

Two have turned 14.

love of a devoted, permanent family – the foundation for success.

Jessica advocates for children who often wait longer for families

Since 1993, Holt has partnered with the Chinese government

because of special needs, ranging from minor conditions such as

to move children from institutional care to more family-like

a cleft lip, to more involved needs like cerebral palsy. She also

environments. Children develop better – mentally, emotionally,

assessed the development of the children in Wuxi. Once home,

physically – in the loving embrace of foster parents. Many of the

she faces the monumental task of finding homes for the children

Journey of Hope children, including Yu Qing, live in foster homes.

we met – by posting their pictures and profiles to the Journey

Others live in orphanages throughout Jiangsu, a province grown

of Hope online photolisting, in hopes that families, browsing

wealthy from burgeoning manufacturing and trade. The Wuxi

through, will connect with a smile, a story, a personality.

Social Welfare Institute seems more a summer camp than an orphanage. Colorful murals adorn the hallways and natural light fills the rooms, where children craft artwork or watch shows on large, flat-screened TVs. “I’ve seen 50 to 100 orphanages,” says Jian Chen, Holt’s China program director. “This is the best.”

Over this, she agonizes. “It’s pretty emotionally draining,” she confides. Xi Li (name changed), a girl from the first Journey of Hope group, is still on the list – a year later. Outgoing and friendly, she is in the fourth grade, and near the top of her class. She loves

But even the finest orphanage in the wealthiest province can’t

math and dancing, aspires to become a nurse, and often cares for

meet the most important need of every child. “The orphanages

the younger children in her orphanage. Now 12, she must find a

can give them everything, except they can’t give them families,”

family before September 2011, when she turns 14 and is no longer

says Jian’s assistant, Sue Liu. With this, Holt – in its mission to

eligible for adoption from China.

provide a permanent loving family for every child – can help.

As I admire Xi Li’s lovely

Among the second Journey of Hope group, in Jiangsu, over half

picture, I think how cruel

the children share another trait of hard-to-place children: two

it seems to impose an age

thirds are boys. In China, because of entrenched cultural norms,

restriction

child’s

families prefer boys to girls. Perhaps less well known is the pref-

chance for a family. But it

erence for girls among adoptive families. This trend is somewhat

is quite logical. “[Older chil-

mysterious – Jessica attributes it to a common misperception that

dren] have more personal

orphanages overflow with abandoned girls. But often, families

preferences, more cultural

abandon boys with medical conditions for which they can’t afford

preferences, more relation-

to provide care. And with greater adoption of girls, the ratio of

ships developed,” explains

boys to girls in care in China is narrowing – even reversing.

Abbie Smith, Holt director of clinical services. As they age, they struggle more to adapt to a new life, in a new country and a new family. Despite

greater

chal-

lenges, many older children have found love and joy in adoptive families. And through the Journey of Hope, 11 more – ranging in age from 9 to 13 – will soon join families in the U.S. To ease their transition, Abbie and staff created a 12-week group therapy/education program designed specifically for older children. In Guangzhou, the children are learning coping skills, exploring cultural contrasts between China and the U.S. and learning to say goodbye.

Adopting a Child From China 3 Wonderful Options China Child of Promise Option: boys and girls with manageable, correctable or treatable conditions; children are between the ages of 14 mos-7 years of age, and have conditions such as cleft lip/palate, club foot, and heart conditions. Families are able to specify the age range, gender, and medical conditions they are willing to consider by filling out a Medical Conditions checklist. Holt works hard to find the best child to meet your family’s capabilities, and there is no penalty for turning down a referral. The wait time, from application to placement, is about 12-18 months, a fraction of the standard process wait time. For more information on the China Child of Promise option go online at: holtinternational.org/china/ccop.shtml Journey of Hope Option: Because of Holt's commitment to finding families for all children, Chinese officials have given Holt access to videos and detailed information in order to find families for groups of children, with varying ages and medical conditions, from different provinces around China. Learn more about Holt's Journey of Hope children and how you can bring one of these precious children home. For more information go online at: holtinternational.org/journeyofhope

For the Journey of Hope children – mostly boys, many of them older, most with special needs – their journey is one of hope against the odds. For 11 children so far, hope has prevailed. Holt even matched four older boys from Guangzhou, including one just in the nick of time – in September, he will turn 14. Hearing that news, I am reminded of something Jessica said on our trip. After meeting a child with serious deformities – and a killer personality – I asked her about his chances for adoption. “Anything is possible,” she said.

And I think of Yu Qing, that

smart, shy 13-year-old who worries about his grades, worries his foster mother will feel lonely if he’s adopted, worries he may never find a family, a stable home and devoted parents – a family to love him, unconditionally, forever. Anything is possible, I think. Anything is possible.

Standard Adoption Option: Once known for placing healthy, infant girls in a relatively short timeframe, the processing time to adopt an infant girl with no known health conditions is now approximately 5 years from application to placement. This is due to many factors including improving economic conditions in China, growth in domestic adoptions, and a massive increase in applications to adopt (submitted between 2005 and 2007). While the timeframe has lengthened, and will likely continue to lengthen as time goes by, the process itself remains smooth and predictable. For more information go online at: holtinternational.org/china/standard.shtml

One year with Joy Tony Nolan, special guest speaker at Holt’s Winter Jam concerts, and his wife, Tammy, adopted Joy from China through the China Child of Promise option.

Our verse for our daughter throughout our journey and where we, in fact, received her name is Psalm 19:8, which says: “The life maps of God are always right, leading the way to joy.” His maps have proven to be right every single time and they, most definitely, led to more joy than we could have ever imagined.

After waiting 18 months for a child referral from China and then having our agency close its doors, we were forced to make some major decisions in our adoption journey. God quickly guided our steps to Holt International and into their China Child of Promise option. The staff at Holt was incredibly helpful as we began our journey. We sought the Lord on what medical needs to consider and became confident that our little girl would have a heart condition. We settled in for what we thought would be another year of waiting, only to be pleasantly surprised with that "long-awaited" referral call just three short weeks after submitting our paperwork. As we reflect on our journey now, it is evident that God directed us through circumstances and through His gentle Spirit’s promptings to get us to our daughter in His perfect timing.

Our treasure from China no longer has eyes that seem hollow of emotion, but she smiles with her whole face. This tenderhearted child, who was once in desperate need of hope, can now take that Winter Jam stage, in a packed arena, and not only warm the hearts of all who see her, but also speak on behalf of the orphans still in need of love and hope! God has already used her to help thousands of children all over the world who need families.

trust in Him!”

Tony and Tammy Nolan |

Woodstock, Georgia

Above: The Nolan Family—Tony, Tammy, Christy, Wil, Bradly and Joy Fei Fei

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

As we listened to the information being relayed to us about this special little girl, I interrupted to ask if her special need dealt with her heart. I wasn’t the least bit surprised when this was confirmed. My only hesitation, at this point, was her age. She was a little older than what I thought was “ideal” and even though we had put this age range in our paperwork, I had hoped for a younger match. As He has done throughout our entire journey, God lovingly spoke to my heart and said: “Are you going to deny this little girl simply because she is a few months older than your ideal?” Clearly, I could not walk away and we moved forward to make her a “Nolan” forever!

We’re celebrating one year with our daughter and have settled into our new and sweet “norm.” Our little Joy has found rest and security in her new home and has experienced love like never before. We have also found rest and a new level of security in our Heavenly Father, as we have walked this amazing journey with Him and found Him more than faithful. We have all experienced a new level of love and have grown as a result. Through the incredible journey of adoption, its highs and lows, our family has “tasted and seen that the Lord is good…blessed are those that

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Korea)— Clovis, CA leitner, 20 mos. (South Elliana Sa-rang Wagen [1] ea)— Colby, KS Jax Carney, 3 (South Kor [2] pia)—Huntersville, NC Jeremiah Hull, 1 (Ethio [3] Korea)—Sussex, NJ Logan Williams, 2 (South [4] hiopia), with parent s, (Et 2 Mesay Fuerstenberg, [5] on, WI Rachel & Jerry—Madis ina)—Kenmore, NY (Ch 3 be, Bee jing Aleah Jin [6] (China)—Roches ter, NY Nadia Fu Ou Linton, 11 [7] Korea)— Glendale, CA Natalee Yun, 5 (South [8] 7, with her brothers, Isaac, Emily Morse, 3 (China), [9] ME y, Gra and Parker, 8— )—Los Gatos, CA Lola Wenstrand, 5 (China ] [10 to: Mail original color prints ine Holt International magaz OR 974 02 P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, at holtinternational.org/submissions or upload digital photos

from the family The Blessing of Adoption God’s perfect timing for the Leonard family It's 0600 in the morning, I’m forty, and it’s my day off. There is a loud knock on the door followed by an impatient voice yelling “To infinity and beyond!” My 3-year-old son thinks sleeping in is overrated. This is when I brush the sleep from my eyes and ask myself, “aren’t I too old for this?” In fact, I was done having kids more than ten years ago. God has an awesome sense of timing. It was almost three years ago to the day when my wife came home with a new job and extra income. I had wonderful plans for the new windfall but, sure enough, God led us in a direction we weren’t expecting. We had often talked about adoption, but the right opportunity never came along. We knew that we wanted to adopt a child from a foreign country. Our hope was to provide a home and a future that could not be possible for a child born to an orphanage. We had two girls already and I was firmly convinced we needed a boy. We learned a lot over the course of the next two years. Adoption can be expensive. There are some agencies that are looking to cash in from the thousands of couples hoping for a child.

We, however, found Holt International, a Christian group who used the money generated to build care centers, institute foster care, and lead the way in ethical adoptions. Orphans in many countries around the world face a bleak future. Many are cast into the streets before the age of 12. Our hearts broke for these kids and we longed for the day we could call one of them our own. We prayed each night, hung stockings out each Christmas, sent gifts, and hoped for the day that we would get the call. When the call finally came, we packed our bags, kissed our girls, and got on a plane to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam. I wish that I could adequately describe the day that we met Nathan. It is sort of a blur to my memory. What I can tell you is that the adoption of a child is no less of a miracle than a birth. The first time they call you BABA (Daddy), or wrestle with their sisters, or pretend they are Buzz Lightyear, you know that God has bound them forever to your heart. My son’s name means “gift of redemption.” This is what his sweet life means to us. He is a gift that brings our family new hope and clarity. Many people ask why international adoption? I say, because love knows no boundary and hope has no color. There are 44 million orphans worldwide – where is your miracle waiting?

Capt. David Leonard |

Andersen AFB, Guam

Above: The Leonard Family—Dave and Valorie, with children Miranda, 10; McKenzie, 14; and Nathan, 3. Left: Nathan playing.

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

Editor’s Note: There are no adoption applications being processed by Vietnam to the U.S at this time; however, a new Vietnam adoption law was passed by the National Assembly in June. Vietnam is working on legislation to guide implementation of the new law and Holt will keep you updated on any new developments.

For We Walk by Faith... Not by Sight

The story of a little girl with vision problems and the journey of faith her family walked to bring her home We started out in the standard process but then switched to the China Child of Promise option. After only a few weeks in this program, we received our referral for a beautiful little girl named Shang Nan. She was listed as having vision problems. We read over the information and looked at her pictures, and we knew that she was the one. We fell in love with her instantly. Rinnah Shangnan is doing very well and is a good-natured and happy girl. She’s had an eye examination, and it was confirmed Like most people, we experienced both miracles and challenges during our adoption, but we forged ahead and claimed 2 Corinthians 5:7 as our adoption verse. It states: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” That verse came to mean so much to us during both the joyful and difficult times. After the birth of our third child, my husband and I decided that our family was complete. We were content and didn’t plan to have any more children; however, God had other plans. During the summer of 2006 we began to think about adding to our family, discussed adoption and prayed for God’s guidance. We both felt a tugging toward adoption, but we wanted to make sure it was the right path for our family. We were looking for some sort of “big” sign, and that’s exactly what we got when we attended Winter Jam 2007 in Mobile, Alabama. It was our first time to attend a Winter Jam concert, so imagine our surprise when we discovered that Holt International sponsored it. As a video presentation of orphanages in China played, we watched as tears rolled down our cheeks. When it was over, we looked at each other and said, “We’re adopting…we’re going to China.” We requested an application packet from Holt the next week.

that she is completely blind in her right eye. She wears glasses now, and we can tell that using them is definitely helping her. Before we met Rinnah Shangnan, we anticipated that attachment would be her biggest challenge; however, she has attached and bonded remarkably well. Now our biggest challenge is helping her with the vision problem and developmental delays. She has regularly scheduled appointments with a vision therapist, as well as both a physical and occupational therapist. Rinnah Shangnan has made a great deal of progress already, but we’ve still got a long way to go. To those of you in process now, just remember that waiting provides you the opportunity to grow and to prepare for the changes and the challenges ahead. Even then, you will experience surprises along the way. Some things you just can’t prepare for but, when you hold your child for the first time, the difficulty of waiting just fades away. The love that you feel is indescribable. We are so blessed to have Rinnah Shangan in our family, and we continue our journey – walking by faith each day.

Jennifer Smith |

Citronelle, Alabama

Above: The Smiths with the newest member of their family, Rinnah.

China Child of Promise Adoption Program Families can adopt a child from China through this expedited process. These boys and girls—from infants to school-age—have minor, correctable or treatable physical conditions. Is one of these children waiting for you? Attend a webinar to learn more. For more info visit: holtinternational.org/china/ccop.shtml

Below: Asmerach, 9, with members of her family, enjoys her first ride on a carousel. Having just come home 3 months ago, this is one of many “firsts” that Asmerach has and will experience with her new family—Wonderful parents, Susan and Charles, and seven siblings (Beth, Becky, Briana, Tasha, Cody, Matthew and Samuel).

ticularly drawn to. She was a little older than we were originally planning on, but after some discussion, prayer, and a little bit of faith, we knew she would be our daughter! We began the process with Holt to bring her home!

We are the lucky parents of eight children. Our first adoption journey began in 2006 when we brought home our infant son, Matthew. It is hard to describe the feelings I had during my first trip to Ethiopia. The parents in my travel group who had adopted toddlers and preschoolers were very inspiring to me, and the children were amazing and beautiful.

Our daughter, Asmerach, is nine years old and has been home with us for almost three months. She has been such a happy girl. She is beautiful, sweet and so much fun! She is learning English rapidly and loves school. We may have missed her first smile, her first steps, and her first word, but we have witnessed so many of her firsts here in America.

We were so in love with Matthew that we began the adoption process very soon after he came home. This time we knew that we wanted to adopt an older child. Our agency, however, wouldn’t allow us to adopt a child that didn’t follow the birth order of our family. Lucky for us, we brought home our little 18-month-old son, Samuel! Samuel definitely made us work a little harder for his love, but watching him process everything that had changed in his life was amazing.

Allow me to share, with you, some of our joys: The expression on her face the first time she tasted cold ice cream…priceless! The smile that never left her face the first time she rode on the carousel, her excitement being in the swimming pool for the first time, her obvious confusion when we gave her presents for her birthday, the excitement she felt to have her own bedroom, and her terrified expression when she thought we may be eating our pet dog after I gave her a corn dog for lunch!

Our desire to adopt an older child always remained in our hearts. After some discussion with our children, we started researching older child adoption and contacted Holt International. We were so excited to find out that Holt was willing to consider us for the adoption of an older child. We definitely wanted to adopt from Ethiopia again and there was one little girl that we were par-

Coming into a new family, a new culture, and with everyone speaking a new language, Asmerach has shown us how brave and strong she really is. She is always ready to jump right in and try new things. We are getting so much joy from watching her experience everything we take for granted, and we have so many more things to look forward to, like: her reaction the first time we take her to an amusement park, and we can only imagine what her reaction will be on her first Christmas morning. We realize there will probably be some bumps along the way, but we are so thankful that we have followed our hearts. We can’t imagine Asmerach anywhere else but with us.

The joy that comes with adopting an older child

If you are interested in adopting an older child, go to holtinternational.org/waitingchild for more information.

Susan Johnson |

Rochester, Minnesota

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

Amazing Firsts

Finding Happiness Again A family is blessed with a son after expanding their options with the China Child of Promise program

I’ll never forget the day I spoke to Holt; they were so happy to hear that we were open to adopting a boy. Furthermore, they told me that it could be a matter of weeks until we received a phone call (something I couldn’t comprehend after waiting for 2 years). We submitted our medical checklist in November and received the phone call in December about a 13-month-old little boy with clubfeet. After contacting pediatric orthopedic doctors about the severity of his feet and condition, we were told that he had a mild case of clubfeet that could be easily corrected by serial casting and braces. We knew this was the child that we had long waited for.

Adoption was something that my husband and I talked about many years ago, particularly after we lost our son, Brendan, to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in 2001. After a long grief process, we started to explore and research domestic and international adoption. We discussed the programs and met with various people who had adopted internationally. As a teenage girl I dreamed of having a little girl from China, and my husband was open to this as well. After a little over a year of paperwork and wait time, we adopted our daughter Emma from the Province of Guangdong in 2005. After so many years of empty hearts and arms, we held our healthy 15-month-old little girl. We were so excited and thrilled to have been blessed by this gift. Emma is an amazing little girl who loves to hula-hoop, do gymnastics, play the piano and just enjoy life every day. As her pre-K teacher used to tell her: “You are the sunshine in my classroom.” She has certainly been my sunshine and warms my heart every day. Emma has taught us so much more about love and life and the importance of family. She has even taught me how to parent a child after the loss of another. My husband and I decided that we wanted to take another journey back to China and adopt another little girl. We completed our paperwork and submitted our dossier to China in 2006. We knew that the wait would be longer than before, but not that it would get extended each month that went by!

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Su m m e r 2010

One day, I was reading an article about Holt’s China Child of Promise program and about little boys who needed families, too. When thinking about adoption from China, I had only naturally every thought about the girls who needed families; I had never considered a boy. My husband and I discussed the program and explored the possibility of being open to adopting a boy. After so many years had gone by and having my broken heart mended by my beautiful daughter, we called Holt and told them that we would like to be considered as a prospective family in the China Child of Promise option and, in addition, that we preferred adopting a boy with a mild, correctable medical condition.

Words cannot even express how much love I have for Daniel. He is truly an amazing boy and has shown me that life should be lived with joy and happiness. Daniel has gone through a lot since we brought him home, but he laughs and smiles every day. He completed a month and a half of serial casting for his feet and is now wearing his braces. He wears a different pair of braces at night and continues to have “corrected feet.” He may require a minor surgical procedure (moving a tendon from one place to another), which would be done when he is a little older. In the meantime, Daniel walks, runs and acts like any 2-year-old little boy. Nothing holds him back. Our two children have truly blessed us, and I never thought how much my life would be completed by my family.

Michele Mazzio |

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Above: Siblings, Emma and Daniel. Daniel was adopted through Holt’s China Child of Promise option. Currently there is a great need for adoptive families for boys with minor, correctable medical needs in China. Please contact Holt’s China program for more information. holtinternational.org/ china

adoptees today Bethany spends time with children at BSSK, where she spent three months as a volunteer.

The staff at BSSK welcomed me with open arms and full hearts, and I received a glimpse of how they genuinely love all of the children in care. What really stirred my heart, however, was spending time with five caretakers who actually remembered me from nearly 27 years ago! During my time at BSSK I enjoyed partaking in the celebration of Navarti, Diwali and Christmas with the children, along with attending several local weddings. When BSSK celebrated their 30th anniversary in November, I was fortunate to be able to participate in the festivities. The longevity of BSSK is truly a testament of the valiant work being done by the entire staff. In Aurangabad, I had the pleasure of participating in BSSKAurangabad’s 225th child adoption placement ceremony. They even asked me to share what BSSK meant to me and allowed me to present the baby to her parents. Watching the BSSK workers lovingly shepherd homeless children into the arms of families who will love them forever, was one more demonstration of the wonderful work Holt is doing in India.

Where God Began My Journey A Holt adoptee offers her heart and hands to the place she spent her first years of life The blasts of car horns below my Chicago apartment take me from my graduate school studies, back to the busy streets of Pune, India and into the fifth floor of Bharativa Samaj Seva Kendra’s (BSSK) Children’s Center. It was there that I served as a volunteer for three months this past autumn. My trip back to Pune seems like a dream on this April afternoon. The experience was one that will continue to enrich me for the rest of my life.

When I visited Parbhani, which is about 230 miles from Pune, my traveling companion and I walked around the town and eventually ended up at the civil hospital where I was left at six months of age. Before leaving the hospital, I took a handful of soil from the garden near the pediatric ward. For me this jar of dirt was not just a simple souvenir. It is a memento with emotional value…from the place I was born, the place where God began my journey. Volunteering at BSSK allowed me to discover, in new ways, the utter preciousness of the people of India and especially at BSSK. Though my three months in India seemed to go by so fast, vibrant memories will remain in my heart always – along with lots of pictures in my album!

...vibrant memories will remain in my heart always

Though this visit involved experiences that were uniquely my own, I would strongly encourage other adoptees to consider going back to their Motherland. I owe BSSK a great deal of gratitude. I am truly blessed to have two sets of amazing people in my life…the family at BSSK who helped me during my early years and my parents who have given me more than I could possibly imagine.

Bethany Meera Bryant |

Chicago, Illinois

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

In 2001, I made my first trip back to India with my parents and two brothers (both adopted from India). It was during this trip that I got reacquainted with the place I called home for the first two years of my life— BSSK. On this 2001 trip, my desire to volunteer at BSSK and also visit Parbhani – the city of my birth – increased. Eight years later my dream was fulfilled; I returned to my Motherland from September to December 2009. I came offering my heart and hands to the place that loved and cared for me before placing me into the arms of my forever parents.

On the day I said goodbye, the staff turned out at the airport to present me with treasured tokens of my Motherland that will serve as a daily reminder of their smiling eyes, their happy voices, their busy hands…. and their loving hearts.

updates Philippines There are many older children and children with special needs from the Philippines who are waiting to be united with their “forever families.” The Philippines program is a particularly good choice when one or both adoptive parents is of Filipino heritage, as these families will be matched (on average) six to eight months faster than non-Filipino families applying to adopt from the Philippines. For more information on adopting from the Philippines go to www.holtinternational.org/philippines

India Many children in India need loving, nurturing families. Because of Holt’s long history and extensive programs serving Indian children, we have a successful history of placing children from India with adoptive families in the U.S. Holt welcomes Indo-Americans (born in India) as well as non-Indian applicants to adopt from India. Adoptive families are especially needed for toddlers, preschoolers and children with medical or developmental needs. For more information on adopting from India go to www.holtinternational.org/india

Graduate Submissions Wanted: photos of Holt adoptees who are graduating from high school, college or vocational school for the fall issue of the magazine. For a Graduate submission form, go online to www.holtinternational.org/gradsubmissions. Deadline is September 1st. Contact Managing Editor Ashli Keyser at ashlik@holtinternational.org with any questions.

Holt Events Holt's Dinner and Auction Event in Monroe Township, New Jersey and Portland, Oregon are coming up on September 25th and October 16th, respectively. The New Jersey event will be held at The Crowne Plaza, Monroe and will benefit children in Holt’s Waiting Child program. The Portland event will benefit homeless and at-risk children in Vietnam and will be held at Montgomery Park. Both events start at 5:30 p.m. Come and join the fun and help children in Holt's care! See www.holtinternational.org/events for more information, or call (800)-451-0732.

Holt Picnics

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Su m m e r 2010

Communities build around shared experiences. Every year, adoptees and their families gather at Holt's Annual Picnics to enjoy the company of those who share the unifying experience of adoption. Last year, over 2,100 people attended Holt’s picnics, from Oregon to New Jersey and several states between. We hope you can attend a Holt picnic this year! For more information go to www.holtinternational.org/picnics

Pastor Matthew Barnett & Holt International Present the NY2LA Dream Center Tour! Matthew Barnett, legendary pastor of The Los Angeles Dream Center – one of the fastest growing churches in America – and Holt International present the NY2LA Dream Center Tour—reaching out to communities with an inspirational message of hope and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children. The tour, featuring recording artists Press Play and Coffey Anderson, and with inspirational words by Pastor Barnett, will begin August 2nd in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena at the Assembly of God National Youth Convention and will play in markets as diverse as Louisville, Tulsa, San Antonio, Orlando and, of course, New York and L.A. Free. No tickets required. Information online at www.ny2latour.com

neighborhood calendar Georgia

c at October 17 | Atlanta area — Holt Family Picni – 6:30 p.m. 3:30 n, rectio Resur the of h Lutheran Churc

Illinois

August 14 | Oakbrook Terrace — Holt Famil Lake View Nature Center

y Picnic at

Iowa

c at September 19 | Le Grand — Holt Family Picni p.m. 4:00 – 12:30 r, Cente unity Comm Le Grand

Kansas/Missouri

Picnic at Harmon Park, August 7 | Prairie Village — Holt Family 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

New Jersey

Camp for adoptees 9-16 years August 8-13 | 2010, Sussex — Holt Adoptee (Holt ’s Day Camp is August 12) Picnic at Pine Park September 11 | Lakewood — Holt Family Dinner and Auction to benefit September 25 | Monroe Township — Gala 5:30 PM, Crowne Plaza am. progr children in Holt’s Waiting Child Monroe

old

Oregon

Camp Harlow August 7 | Eugene — Holt Family Picnic at Auction to benefit children and October 16 | Portland — Gala Dinner and Montgomery Park families in Holt’s care in Vietnam. 5:30 PM,

Texas

November 5 | Southlake — Dinner to bene 6:30 PM, Paradise Cove

fit children with special needs.

Get the Info Holt Family Picnics c contact Sally Dougherty at For information or to volunteer at a picni 11 a.m.-3 p.m. unless noted cs picni sallyd@holtinternational.org. All picnics for more info l.org/ tiona terna .holin www to other wise. Go ct: For Holt Adoptee Camp information conta org or go to onal. Steve Kalb at stevek@holtinternati p /cam www.holtinternational.org For Day Camp information contact: tional.org or go to Michael Tessier at michaelt@holtinterna .shtml camp www.holtinternational.org/camp/day

w a it ing c h il d re n Trent

Bor n: 3/13/07 - Afr ica

These and other children need adoptive families Bailey

Trent enjoys play ing with his toys and is always happy and smiling . He has hydrocephalus and is currentl y in physical therapy to improve the mot ion in his legs, although they seem stro ng. He has good interact ion with his care givers and loves giving them high fives.

Trent

Rajeshwari

Bor n: 11/10/06 - Ind ia

This sweet, affectionate little girl has visual impairment due to opti c atrophy and wears glasses. She is otherwise healthy. Rajeshwari attends school for the visually impaired, and her caretakers describe her as “the girl with the cute smile and cheerful disposit ion.” There is a $5,0 00 grant available from Brittany’s Hope.

For more inform ation on adopting these and other waitin g childre n, contac t Erin Mower at erinm@ holtinternatio nal.org

Bor n: 9/28/02 Chi na

Ever yone loves this sweet little girl. In care since 2005, she now lives with a foster family. She is a carr ier of Hepatitis B and has a few small neoplasm s on her left ear. Clever and kind, Grace love s helping out with the younger children , sliding at the park and play ing with doll s. She regularly attends school and is dela yed academically. Grace is described as "the girl with the loving hear t." This prec ious girl needs a family who is open to her med ical cond ition and can prov ide her with any med ical care she may need.

Su-bin

Bor n: 6/13/09 – South Kor ea

Su-bin’s caretakers describe him as a “lovely child.” He has a sma ll chin and high arch palate, which is bein g followed up with a genetic consult. Su-b in has a history of brain abnormalities and developmental delays. There is a $5,0 00 Special Blessings grant available from Holt.

holtinternatio nal.org /waitin gchild/photolisting

Rajeshwari

Bailey

Su-bin

Post Office Box 2880 E u g e n e , O R 974 0 2

Change Service Requested

Children need adoptive families... before it’s too late!

A campaign to find adoptive parents for children in China • Boys and girls 2–13 years old • Many now live with foster families • Some have special needs