Fall Issue 2012

Fall 2012

Christ mas

Love Hope

Vision of Gifts of

A special trip to Haiti

inside

in this issue 4 11

Our Vision, Their Journey

Fall 2012 vol. 54 no. 4

Ten people travel to Haiti on Holt’s first vision trip!

Our Vision A world where every child has a loving and secure home.

Holt’s Gifts of Hope catalog Items you can purchase for children in need this holiday season.

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From the Family Where Are They Now? An update on one of Holt’s former waiting children.

24

Adoptees Today A Holt adoptee discovers that her dance injury is actually a blessing in disguise.

Dear Readers

In September, Haiti vision trip participants met and interacted with the children in our care at Holt Fontana Village. They learned that some of the children would soon join families in the United States, and many would reunite with their birth families in Haiti, once the families reach a place of stability.

November is National Adoption Month – a month designated to help find homes for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children. Although advocacy for the children who wait for families should be a year-long effort, this month, especially, we can do more to help change the conversation about the children in need of families. You can help us.

In the past few years, the profile of children waiting for families has changed significantly. The majority of waiting children are now older or have some form of special need. Many children have minor or treatable conditions. Some children have more severe special needs. These children need loving families too. These are the children we fight for the most.

There was no better advocate for children with special needs than Bertha “Grandma” Holt. She loved every child, but had a special place in her heart for children with special needs. She once said, “All children are beautiful when they are loved.” This quote has since become a hallmark of this organization. It’s what keeps us going even when finding a home for a child is difficult, or seems impossible. We fight for the children – children like Gianna – and we don’t give up.

Gianna is 4 years old and is described as “a born entertainer.” The below photo of Gianna may help to illustrate this endearing description. Gianna has Down syndrome and will need extra help finding a family. You can learn more about Gianna

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Fa l l 201 2

and other waiting children on page 27.

We are ever grateful for people like Grandma Holt.

She gave children with special needs a voice. Without her love and willingness to fight for all of God’s children, children like Gianna wouldn’t have the hope of

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 Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Romania, Thailand, Uganda, the United States and Vietnam.

President Phillip A. Littleton Vice-President of International Programs Dan Lauer Vice-President of Finance & Administration Kevin Sweeney Vice-President of Adoption Services Lisa Vertulfo Vice-President of Development Jack Wharfield Vice-President of Policy & External Affairs Susan Soon keum Cox 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 Creative Services Manager Laura Mathews Managing Editor Ashli Keyser Senior Writer Robin Munro 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 International magazine. Please direct reprint requests to editor Ashli Keyser at 541/687.2202 or ashlik@holtinternational.org.

Copyright ©2012 by Holt International Children’s Services, Inc. ISSN 1047-7640

one day having a family of their own. And that’s why we do what we do: To give children still waiting for families the hope that there is one out there waiting P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402 Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175

just for them.

Ashli Keyser |

Managing Editor

directions A Vision of Hope

A holiday message from Holt’s President and CEO As Holt continues to expand travel opportunities and other

imagine in Haiti,” says Sandi Polzin, Haiti

post-adoption services for adoptees and their families, we also

adoptive parent and vision trip member.

recognize a growing interest among our other supporters to see

“The lack of quality of life we see

first-hand the work we do overseas.

before us makes us want to

With great enthusiasm, we introduce “Holt International Vision Trips,” specially designed for individuals who have a passion for Holt’s work and want to learn — and see! — more. Whether you’re a Holt child sponsor, an adoptive parent or adoptee, a Holt donor, or just someone who wants to see Holt projects up close and personal – these trips are for you.

long to use my hands and feet to honor God and serve his people. If everyone

could

touch

just one life…”

For our first trip, Holt led a group of ten enthusiastic individuals to Haiti in September.

work harder each day. I

A lot has changed in Haiti. After the

devastating earthquake in 2010, Holt expanded our services to provide additional support to struggling children and families.

This trip gave individuals a chance to see how we have moved forward in Haiti in light of these new realities. Participants toured the beautiful Holt Fontana Village, and met the children there.

They visited the schools we support and met a family receiving

To help support children and families in Haiti and every country we serve, we have included our Gifts of Hope catalog in this issue, listing items you can help fund by giving them as gifts to family and friends. Each gift in our catalog brings hope to children and families around the world. A small donation can give clothing, cribs and bedding to a child in Korea; a goat to a struggling family in Ethiopia; or school supplies to a girl in India.

life-changing vocational training. Most of all, they walked away

This Christmas, you can give hope to children around the

with a greater sense of Holt’s mission and the services we pro-

world. One gift is all it could take to help a family survive. Help a

vide—services that strengthen families and provide loving, stable homes for children.

child grow. One gift could change a child’s life forever.

For more information about our upcoming vision trip to China this April, go to http://www.holtinternational.org/tours

As the holiday season approaches, our thoughts and prayers turn now to the children who don’t yet have stable, loving homes and to the families, like the struggling

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a blessed New Year!

Phillip A. Littleton |

President

families in Haiti, who don’t have the means to support their children—a reality witnessed

first-hand

by our vision trip members.

“The

need is greater than

you

can

Scan here for Gifts of Hope giving opportunities online.

Our Vision, Their Journey I

n September, a team of ten departed for Haiti on Holt’s inaugural vision trip. Made up of sponsors, adoptive families and donors, the vision trip team spent five days immersed in work and play alongside Holt staff and the children we serve in Haiti. They got to know the children in our care at Holt Fontana Village. They met families in our family preservation program, and they worked hand-in-hand with children from one of the schools Holt supports through educational sponsorship.

The following is an account of vision trip member Sharon Boyd’s experience in Haiti.

After traveling to Ethiopia to receive my daughter, I had been itching to get involved in some missions work with an agency that I’m already familiar with — an agency that does great things for the people they serve. Ethiopia is a bit far for me, so I was thrilled to learn of the week-long trip to Haiti. I had never been to Haiti, but I couldn’t wait to go and meet all of the sweet people there, and do anything I could to help influence their lives in a positive way.

It wasn’t until the team’s third day in Haiti that I truly began to understand the scope of Holt’s work in the countries they serve. Although I knew that Holt had strong family strengthening programs, I had only experienced the adoption side, and had no idea how extensive their other programs actually were. In Haiti, approximately 50 children at Holt Fontana Village—Holt’s beautiful care center in Haiti—will soon join families, but, outside of this small oasis, Holt supports 500 more children in the surrounding communities. The majority of the support provided

by Holt is for children in the communities, not for children who will be adopted internationally. Adoption is truly one of the very last resorts. Holt tries to help families, whenever possible, to stay together and have successful lives. Whether through respite care, aiding widows, or sponsoring children in educational programs, Holt steadfastly invests in each and every family they support.

On our third day, we visited one such family and saw firsthand evidence of this fact.

Goulette and her two daughters, Noely and Rose, live in a small home with a tiny courtyard. Years ago, Goulette and her husband moved in with Goulette’s mother to keep the girls near a school the family could afford. The father traveled a great distance to the city for work, sending money home to his wife and two daugh-

LEFT: A little boy in the community that Holt helps to support in Haiti.

ABOVE: Rose (pictured), her older sister Noely and mother Goulette receive support through Holt’s family strengthening program in Haiti.

RIGHT: The Haiti vision trip members. Bottom row from left: adoptive dad John Polzin, Holt child sponsor Anil Thomas, president of Hope for Haiti Foundation Peter Fontana, and Sandi Polzin.

Top row: Adoptive mom Lori Simmons, Holt staff member Larry Carter, adoptive mom Christine Maxwell and her daughter, Mariko, and adoptive parents Jonna and Gary Clayton. Sharon Boyd joined the team the next day.

ters monthly.

In 2010, everything changed for the family when the devastating earthquake hit. Goulette’s husband hasn’t been heard from since and is presumed dead. Not only was this a devastating loss for the family, but when the money stopped coming from Port-au-Prince, Goulette was left to care for her two girls on her own. Today, the family is two years behind on rent. The landlord permits the family to live in the small house, as he has not had a paying renter ask for access to the facilities.

If a paying tenant should come forward, we are told that the landlord will more than likely evict Goulette and her children. Their latrine is broken, and the landlord will not fix it until the rent is paid. Goulette is a talented hairdresser, but due to the saturated market, she cannot find work. Drive down any street in Haiti, and it’s clear that Haiti’s entire economic system is in shambles.

But Holt International is helping families like this one. “Along with school sponsorship for the children, we are also beginning a pilot project to provide vocational training for struggling families,” says Sarah Halfman, the vision trip leader and program director for Haiti and Africa. “Mothers like Goulette will learn valuable skills like nursing and tailoring. If someone has a skill set and a desire, they will be successful with our program. The training will be different depending on the skill set and capacity of the families.”

A Time to Serve

Last year, Holt also began a relationship with four schools in Haiti. This year, they added three new schools, one of which the vision team members performed a “facelift” on. We covered graffiti, put a fresh coat of paint on older areas, and also worked to install a new fence to protect the children from piles of trash. The only thing that had previously protected the children was a flimsy barbed-wire fence and a rapid stream of water flowing along the side of the school. This water comes through town, and the children use it to drink from and clean themselves. Unfortunately the stream is also used for other purposes and is contaminated.

We are told the woman who runs this particular school sold some of her own land to help pay the teachers’ salaries. This particular teacher has also said that she will not turn away any

student that wishes to attend, which means the school’s funds can run very low.

This is where Holt comes in. Last year, Holt, through their educational sponsorship program, offered to support some of the children in this school and in turn help their families. With the help of the schools’ directors, Holt identified children at risk of dropping out for failure to pay school fees. It isn’t as simple as it sounds, though. Holt does hold the families accountable. Holt social workers in Haiti follow up with the families quarterly.

Rather than just patching up a problem with money, Holt looks to break the cycle of poverty and formulate a plan that will end in long-term success for the children and their families. Proper education for children is a major part of this plan.

“It’s a long-term family preservation strategy,” says Sarah Halfman. “It’s the age ole’ proverb. If you give a man a fish, he will eat today. If you teach a man to fish, he will eat forever. That’s what we are trying to do in Haiti."

Today, 500 children from seven schools in Haiti are receiving help with their school fees through Holt’s educational sponsorship program.

TOP: Vision trip member Anil Thomas high fives a child receiving support through Holt’s educational sponsorship program. FAR LEFT: For two days, the vision trip members worked at Robertica Primary School, building a fence and painting the interior of the school. Holt supports over 100 children attending the school.

LEFT: Adoptive mom Sharon Boyd plays with a little girl in care at Holt Fontana Village.

A Sanctuary in the Midst of Chaos

After a little siesta from our service project, the team headed to Holt Fontana Village for a visit with the adorable children in care. We all took turns hugging them, playing football, pushing them on swings and playing tag. I have to mention again just how precious all of these children are—very well cared for, respectful and well-behaved. I’m extremely impressed with Holt Fontana Village’s home-model system. The Village has several smaller homes with three housemothers who rotate through. This gives the children more of a home-type environment.

Many of the children we played with are actually in respite care.

Currently, their families are having a very difficult time caring for them. The children come to Holt Fontana Village for several months while the families attempt to get back on their feet. If a family decides to relinquish their child due to extreme circumstances, then another family may adopt the child. If all goes well, the children are reunited with their family.

We continued to play for several hours with the children in one of the houses equipped with play facilities. The children enjoyed one-on-one time with each of the visiting vision trip members, as we colored, played with toys and sculpted play dough. Having had a daughter in an orphanage in Ethiopia, I can say that my impression of these children was very, very good. The nurturing care in this facility could not be better. The children were even writing their ABC's quite well!

As the weather cooled off slightly, we moved to the outdoors to play on the playground. The children took turns swinging, playing giddy-up-horsey on laps, and receiving hugs.

The whole team thoroughly enjoyed our time in Haiti, getting to know one another and visiting with others who share in their

TOP: Children at Holt Fontana Village perform a special dance for the vision trip team upon their arrival.

MIDDLE: Christine Maxwell and the rest of the vision trip members enjoyed a few days of play time with children in Holt’s care. Some of these children will join adoptive families. Many will return to their birth families once the families have reached a place of stability.

passion for Holt’s work. Aside from one adoptive family, no one else had previously been to Haiti. In addition to our work at the school and visiting the beautiful children at Holt Fontana Village, we visited a museum, and spent some down time on the crystal clear beach at our resort.

The Polzin Family Returns to Haiti John and Sandi Polzin of Wisconsin brought their daughter, Mazie, home from Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

This September, the Polzins returned to Haiti on the vision trip and received a stark reminder of the need that still exists in this distressed country.

by Sandi Polzin It is amazing and overwhelming to see how many children are in need in Haiti. Upon arriving at one of the schools that Holt helps to support, we received a full-blown picture of poverty in a third world country. And we got a taste of the good, the bad and the ugly.

The ugly:

There is garbage everywhere we look. The sewage, the water, the roads. So many people have walked where we have. I wonder if they realize the depths of pain that has manifested over the years in the lives of those who labor in love to try to feed their families.

The bad:

The need in Haiti is greater than you can imagine. The lack of quality of life we see before us makes us want to work harder each day. I long to use my hands and feet to honor God and serve his people. If everyone could touch just one life…

The good:

So many children and families are waiting to be loved. That’s where the vision trip members came in. For at least that day, we provided the love and support they needed. Through this trip, we will always remember the ways in which we can make a difference. The more we learn about the need, the more we can teach others how they might serve. Yes, through so much despair, this is “the good” that can come out of it—more awareness and willingness to help.

Build homes for families in Haiti. View our Gifts of Hope catalog in the following pages to learn more, or go to http://www.holtinternational.org/gifts

ABOVE: Sandi Polzin interacts with children at Holt Fontana Village.

RIGHT: Two girls in Holt’s educational sponsorship program with their mother.

In the future, I would love to participate in another vision trip with Holt. I think anyone who has a heart for Holt’s work should join a vision trip and see firsthand the positive impact they have in the lives of the children and families they serve. Not only did it help me to better understand the adoption side, but this trip also motivated me to be more proactive in donating to organizations that effectively and ethically support children and help to change the world for the better.

Sharon Boyd | Waxahachie, TX

Catch the Vision with Holt In April 2013, Holt will lead a second vision trip — ­ this time to China! This is your chance to get a firsthand look at our work in China! To meet the children. To embrace them, and to see their smiles with your own eyes!

On this once-in-a-lifetime trip, you will: • Visit Holt’s Peace House, a serene group home that cares for children with special needs while they wait for or recover from much-needed surgeries.

• Spend time with children and babies in Holt-supported care centers.

• Visit one of Holt’s group homes. Holt’s group homes offer a family-like setting for children, another alternative to institutional care.

• Visit with families in our family preservation program.

• Meet Holt’s loving foster families and interact with the children in their care.

• Experience the beautiful country of China, sightseeing in different provinces, and touring the Great Wall of China!

“I think the vision trip is a great idea – when you actually are able to do something side-by-side

Travel Dates: April 7th – 13th

with the children and caregivers, you’re more than observing. You’re participating and giving them a sense that we’re in this together.”

-- Diane Matsuura, Holt adoptive parent who recently toured Holt’s programs in China with her family.

For more information on this exciting trip, go to http://www.holtinternational.org/tours/china/vision.php

The Greatest Gift a Mother Could Hope For...

After losing her husband in a construction accident, a struggling mother of two in Vietnam receives assistance from Holt in the form of chickens and four months of feed Until last year, Luang lived with her mother, father and younger sister on the outskirts of town in a tiny house. Luang’s father earned seventy-five dollars each month at his brick-laying job.

Luang’s mother alternated her time between tending a small rice field and caring for their two daughters. When tragedy struck last year, the situation changed.

In a terrible turn of events, Luang’s father was killed in a freak accident at work. The family was devastated. Not only had they lost their beloved father and husband, but they also lost their income. Very soon, there was little to eat and not enough money to pay the tuition to send the children to pre-school.

Last September, Holt-Vietnam learned of the family through local authorities. Holt-Vietnam identified that the family was at risk of separation due to economic difficulties, but that Luang’s mother was hard-working and motivated.

In discussion with Luang’s mother, it became clear that her dream was to raise chickens.

Holt-Vietnam staff worked with the family to develop a business plan and provided funds for the start-up costs of a chicken-raising business. Fifty chicks were purchased, along with corn and bran to feed the chickens.

Luang’s mother beams when discussing her future plans. She is strong through her tears when she talks about the trauma she and her daughters have faced. She explains that Holt is the reason her girls are coping. Because of Holt’s tuition support, both girls attend pre-school regularly.

I asked Luang if she enjoys going to school. She smiles as she eats an ear of corn, grown in the family’s own garden. “I have lots of friends,” she says. “The best part is when I get to play with the other children.” Having an opportunity to socialize with other children has clearly helped her to deal with this difficult time in her life.

Holt-Vietnam’s involvement with pre-school programming started in 2011. Recognizing that local pre-school programs in the area were generally under-utilized and largely underfunded, Holt began to expand the reach of family strengthening activities, working closely with preschool staff and administrators to provide small tables and child-sized chairs, as well as a variety of educational material.

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Fa l l 201 2

See page 12 for more livestock giving options

By implementing pre-school support, Holt is able to use pre-school programs as an access point to reach out to larger numbers of families in need of assistance. Parents of enrolled children have access to education sessions that promote child nutrition, hygiene, health, and child development. Counseling and support are readily available for families that need close monitoring and assistance. The most vulnerable families are supported by social workers to start small businesses. Holt-Vietnam staff checks in with these families to ensure they have the support they need.

Seeing the impact of Holt’s family preservation work first-hand is a humbling experience. It is clear that Holt’s intervention has been a significant factor in keeping this family together.

As our group is leaving Luang’s home, a Holt-Vietnam social worker begins translating a conversation Luang’s mother is having with Holt-Vietnam’s country director. Now that the chicken raising business is running successfully, she wants to mend the piggery so she can start raising pigs to sell at the market.

I can’t help but smile at her resolve.

ABOVE: Luang's mom with Luang's younger sister, Kim. Luang is pictured directly below.

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Jennifer Goette | Holt Director of Programs for South and Southeast Asia

HURRY! Last-m

HOLT INTERNATIONAL

GIFTS OF HOPE

inute gift ideas !

www.holtinternational.org

Most popula r gifts!

1.

Cows and Donkeys Save Families A cow’s milk, fertilizer, calves and meat can quickly strengthen a family’s financial stability and help them escape hunger for good. Donkeys help transport grains, vegetables and other crops to market, easing the burden on many subsistence-farming families in Ethiopia and Uganda.

Suggested Amount: $150

2.

Little Chicks Make a Huge Difference Within a few months of birth, chicks become chickens and begin laying eggs.

Eggs provide protein and other vital nutrients for growing kids, and extra eggs and chicks can generate income for a small family business.

Suggested Amount: $50

3.

Pigs and Goats are Like Money in the Bank Within months, piglets grow to weigh a couple hundred pounds – bringing a big payoff at the market. Goats are also a smart investment, as they thrive in extreme climates and arid landscapes, while fertilizing the ground with their manure. Not to mention the nutritious milk they supply a family every day!

Suggested Amount: $100

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

13

4.

Foster Care for a Vulnerable Child A more nurturing alternative to institutional care, foster care provides the loving, personal attention children need to grow and thrive. Holt strives to place as many orphaned and abandoned children in foster care as possible while they wait to rejoin their birth families or join loving adoptive families.

Typically, $85 – less than $3 a day – will cover one month of care for one child.

$85 per month per child

5.

Medical Procedures for Children Give a gift that lasts a lifetime! Many of the children relinquished into Holt’s care have disabilities or special medical needs. When children receive the medical attention they need, not only are they more likely to thrive, they are also more likely to find adoptive families. Your gift of a cleft lip and palate repair or surgery for a congenital heart condition can change a child’s life forever.

Suggested Donation Amount: $300

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Fa l l 201 2

6.

Protect a Child from Deadly ­Diseases Many of the families Holt serves can’t afford basic healthcare for their children – care that can safeguard a child against life-threatening illnesses. Your gift will provide basic treatments, tests and immunizations against preventable childhood diseases.

14

Suggested Donation Amount: $75 per child

11.

Sturdy Shoes and Boots Imagine walking to school or gathering food and water with only a pair of homemade, cloth shoes. Without sturdy shoes, children’s feet are defenseless against injury or parasites. We wish you could hear the squeals of delight when children open boxes of brand new shoes and boots!

9.

Warm Clothing for Children in Care Many children enter Holt’s care in nothing but tattered rags, exposing them to weather and disease. Your Gift of Hope will help provide climateappropriate clothing and other personal items for children in need.

Suggested Donation Amount: $40 per child

10.

Help Furnish Holt’s Childcare Centers with Beds, Cribs, Bedding, Linens and Toys Many of Holt’s programs are short on beds, cribs, bedding, linens, and toys for the children. Your Gift of Hope will help us provide a refuge for children in greatest need.

Suggested ­Donation Amount: $50 per child

Suggested Donation Amount: $20 per child

12.

School Supplies for At-risk Children In many of the impoverished regions Holt serves, education is a child’s best hope of escaping a life of poverty and despair. But many families can’t afford the fees, textbooks and supplies children need to attend school. Your Gift of Hope will help a child attain an education, and a brighter future!

Suggested Donation Amount: $25 per child

13.

Education for School-aged Girls in India Over half of all girls in India don’t finish primary school, most because they lack money for fees, books, uniforms and supplies. Help one girl in Holt’s India programs achieve her goals – support one year of her education!

Suggested Donation Amount: $100 per ­student/per year

14.

­Education for ­Orphans in China

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Fa l l 201 2

The Nanning Educational Support Project provides food and educational assistance for orphans living with their grandparents or other extended family in southern China. Often, extended family can barely afford to care for extra children in their home, much less pay for education. Your Gift of Hope can help keep children in school, and with their families.

Suggested ­Donation Amount: $50 per student and family/per month

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16.

Life-saving Food In recent years, the cost of food

Popular gift!

worldwide has risen sharply, putting many impoverished families at greater risk of malnutrition. Your gift can provide basic grains, vitamin and mineral-enriched biscuits, infant formula, powdered milk and other

15.

Urgently Needed Infant Diapers, Clothing and Personal Items for New Children in Care Most children in Holt’s care own little more than the potential within them. Your gift will deliver

nutritional supplies, helping families and children in Holt’s care to weather this growing food crisis.

Suggested Donation Amount: $35 per family

basic necessities to one new child in care for one month – necessities like brand new clothing, diapers, blankets and other personal care items.

Suggested Donation Amount: $50 per child

17.

Shinshicho Hospital Construction In 2009, Holt upgraded a small clinic in Ethiopia, tripling the number of people who receive treatment every year – most of them children. The clinic, however, remained ill equipped to provide more advanced treatment, such as surgery and hospitalization. To meet the needs of this community, Holt committed to funding the construction of a full maternal-child hospital. Once complete, the Shinshicho Mother and Child Health Center will provide acute, quality care for a region of 250,000 people, saving the lives of many who would never otherwise receive treatment.

Suggested Donation Amount: $1,500

18.

Start a Farm Fill a barn full of animals for struggling families in one of Holt’s family preservation programs. Your gift of chickens, pigs, goats, cows and donkeys can give parents the means to care for their children, and lift families out of poverty for good!

Suggested Donation Amount: $300 per month per child

19.

Sponsor a Child Change a child’s life this Christmas!

Depending on your sponsored child’s needs, your support can go toward everything from nutritious food and warm clothing to safe shelter and attentive, nurturing care.

Suggested Donation Amount: $30 per month per child 20.

Build a House for a Family in Haiti After the 2010 earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, many of the city’s residents relocated to outlying areas – raising rents in the communities we serve. As a result, many families in our family preservation program lost their homes.

Building small houses will provide greater stability for families in our Haiti program – keeping children safe and in the loving care of their families.

Suggested Donation Amount: $3,000 per house / $1,000 share of a house Before

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own, NJ mos. (China)—Eatont Phoebe Fitzpatrick, 19 —Haviland, KS n, 4 (Both from Korea) Kaden, 6, and Cindy Ore Ferndale, WA Tae Isensee, 3 (Korea)— lia)—Elk Grove, CA Daniel Foley, 10 (Mongo n—Papillion, NE ) with her Grandpa Joh Bethany Zaleski, 4 (China d)—Savoy, IL by, 12 (All From Thailan Katie, 9, Nell, 9, Chet Kir 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 Now and Then Henry was featured in the Waiting Child section of Holt International magazine in 2005. Today he is home and happy with the Thompson family My husband Dave and I brought home our first child, August “Gus” Jung, a 4-month-old from South Korea, in 2003.

After a few years of being a happy family of three, we considered expanding our family and providing Gus with a sibling.

Whereas I was anxious to start the process, afraid that too much time would go by and our children would be too far apart in age, my husband was content with our current family situation and in no hurry to disrupt our happy trio. Dave eventually agreed to start the paper chase for our second child, but slowly and without urgency.

On the computer one night, long after my son and husband had gone to bed, I looked at Holt’s Waiting Child pages online.

There, in the middle of the screen, was the small photo of a smiling, chubby-faced 18-month-old boy from Korea. I opened up his description and learned that although he had a few challenges when he was a baby and a history that raised a few concerns, thanks to physical therapy and the support of his foster family, the doctors felt that his special needs were no longer an issue. He was described as very attached to his foster family and, by all accounts, doing very well.

I’ve heard people describe love at first sight as a shock or bolt of electricity, but it was, for me, more like a quiet familiarity. There was something about this little boy that I recognized – maybe it was his smile or the look in his eye. At first glance, I thought, “This could be my son.”

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Fa l l 201 2

I e-mailed the photo to my husband. "What do you think?"

I asked. The next day, Dave checked his e-mail from the office.

Immediately, his reply came: "Call Holt NOW," he said. My husband had gone from passively participating to aggressively driving the process. Dave felt so strongly that this little boy was meant to be in our family. However, as much as we both felt a connection to him, the confirmation that something magical was happening came from our nearly 3-year-old son who, upon seeing the picture for the first time, simply said: "My brother."

Give to the Special Needs Adoption Fund. See envelope.

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Holt’s waiting child committee was meeting later that week. We were officially matched with our son less than five days after seeing his picture for the first time. He was ours, we were his.

We decided to name him Henry Jae: Henry, in honor of many family members on both sides and Jae in reference of his Korean name, Jae-Kon. Since Henry was going to be close to 2 years old when he came home, I spent the months between referral and Gotcha Day devouring everything I could about toddler adoption.

Gus had been so young when he had arrived that I didn’t feel much of our past experience would relate. I knew that toddler adoption presented a unique set of challenges, so following the old adage of “prepare for the worst, hope for the best, take what comes,” I read everything I could find. I read about attachment, I read about grieving, I prepared myself for a hurt and angry little boy who would take weeks, months or even years to attach and accept us. I felt ready to take on the worst.

And, as it turned out, my worst fears weren’t all that misplaced.

Henry came home at 21 months. When we got the call to pick him up, my husband stayed home with Gus. I quickly learned that the original description was correct; Henry was extremely attached to his foster family, particularly his foster mother. It was evident

from the family "I look at the child Henry has become—happy, resilient, prone to unprompted kisses and declarations of affection, a master at pool and a budding artist —and think back to those difficult early days." she adored him by the hundreds of family photographs and his many hand-knit hats and sweaters. He had flourished in her care and the affection between them was genuine and evident. Leaving her was going to be very difficult for Henry.

Our first night together gave me a sense of what the future would bring. We were staying at the Holt reception center. When we arrived, Henry took off his hat and shoes and placed his beloved stuffed hippo on the bed. After he became bored with the games that I had brought, he decided it was time to go back to his foster parents. He started calling out for them. “Oma, Appa….Oma? Appa? Oma! Appa!” He looked inside all of the cabinets, behind the closed doors, under the bed, his voice escalating in panic as he realized that they were not hiding somewhere in our room. Finally, he decided that he had had enough. He put on his hat, grabbed his shoes and hippo and made a mad dash for the door. I had to restrain him and hold him, sobbing, for the next 4 hours until he fell asleep, utterly exhausted.

We flew to Houston the next day, by way of Japan, California, and Dallas. Henry was a surprisingly good-natured traveler, too stunned to complain. Dave and Gus picked us up at the airport and we drove home, a new family of four. As soon as we left the parking garage, I turned around to see my boys holding hands in the backseat, already bonded in brotherly love.

with the excitement from last week’s family vacation and excited about returning to school next week. I look at the child Henry has become—happy, resilient, bonded to his siblings, prone to unprompted kisses and declarations of affection, a master at pool and a budding artist —and think back to those difficult early days.

People often talk about adoption as being a leap of faith. While that is indeed true, I think we oftentimes forget that it is our children who make the biggest leap. If our children were loved before, they believe they will be loved again. If they were hurt or abandoned before, they believe that history won’t repeat itself and that their “forever family” truly will be enduring. Henry’s adoption was a lesson in faith: faith that the instant connection we all felt to his referral picture was real, faith that we would get through his difficult transition intact as a family, faith that Henry would grow up secure in his role with his new parents and older brother.

Happily, in our case, Henry’s adoption was fully, wonderfully, and completely an illustration of faith fulfilled.

By Zoe Thompson | Houston, Texas

That night, Dave rocked Henry as he sobbed with, as Dave described it, the “plaintive wail of a child who has just lost his mother.” It was heart-wrenching, and it continued every day for 6 months. Henry’s cries went from despair to anger to frustration to sadness. He was furious with me for taking him away from his foster family. Every night, I would put him in his Ergo and walk him around the house while he sobbed. Nothing I did stopped or shortened his cries. It was as if once he started crying, he couldn’t stop until he had gotten it all out of his system. It was a grieving process, and all I could do was stay by his side while he went through it.

And yet, there were glimmers of hope. He adored his brother.

He followed Gus around and the two developed a language akin to twin speak. Only 17 months apart, my boys became each other’s shadows, best friends. Henry adored my husband and happily gave and received kisses and hugs from Daddy. Although Henry didn’t sustain eye contact with me for at least 4 months, he would do little things – touch my face, pat my back, smile at me when I gave him a cookie, showing that he was slowly learning to love me as well.

Henry has now been home for 7 years. As I write this, he and Gus are playing Legos in the bedroom that they share, still buzzing

Henry, with siblings Phoebe and Gus.

She came wrapped in sheets, lying on the bed of an uncovered, two-wheeled cart pulled by a donkey. At her side sat a family member, holding an umbrella to shield her from the scorching sun. As we arrived, we parked alongside the sick woman’s cart where, collapsed in exhaustion, lay her donkey – its fur and hooves matted with red clay. Very likely, this woman and her donkey traveled miles over rough dirt roads to reach the health clinic here – the only one in a region of 250,000 people.

Three years ago, Holt renovated and expanded this government-run, maternal-child health clinic in Shinshicho – a district capitol and very poor community in southern Ethiopia. Run-down and understaffed, the clinic saw few patients. Instead, most people traveled the 12 miles to the nearest hospital – many on foot. If they didn’t have the resources or were too sick to travel that far, they would often just stay home and wait. Wait to get better. Or wait to die.

During our visit in the summer of 2012, we toured the clinic that Holt helped renovate. But what we really came to see is the construction project across the road. Here, towering over the clinic and surrounding community, stands the soon-to-be Shinshicho Mother and Child Health Center – the hospital Holt is building for the people of this community.

Strengthening Families, Brick by Brick When Holt came to Ethiopia in 2007, estimates for the number of homeless children stood somewhere around 5 million. Years of civil war and drought had robbed many Ethiopian people of their livelihoods, while famine and illness had robbed children of their parents. Our staff also recognized that many of the country’s homeless children have living parents or relatives – families who had relinquished them to care centers not for lack of love, but because they had no means to support them. So while pursuing an international adoption program, Holt also began exploring ways to keep children in their birth families. In communities like Shinshicho, Holt implemented family preservation programs – providing services to help families at risk of separation stay together. Ultimately, Holt’s Ethiopia staff strived to help these families achieve lasting stability, self-reliance and a greater overall wellbeing.

But critical to a family’s wellbeing, Holt recognized, is access to healthcare.

In rural Ethiopia – where 80 percent of the country’s population resides – one in ten children die before the age of 5, most from preventable or treatable illnesses. Only 3 percent of births are attended by a health professional. Among the poorest, it’s just 1 percent.

Recognizing the need, Holt stepped in to increase the community’s access to quality healthcare – starting with the Shinshicho clinic.

“Holt made it beautiful,” says Tesfaye Belachew, who at the time directly oversaw Holt’s family preservation program in Shinshicho.

“Holt improved the mother and child delivery rooms and services, hired personnel, a doctor and nurses, and cleaners to keep the delivery rooms clean and neat.” As an incentive to keep them in Shinshicho, Holt also supplemented the salaries of the staff.

Before Holt intervened, the Shinshicho clinic did not have a single full-time physician on staff. Given the option of a long journey to a poorly equipped, run-down clinic or delivering in the comfort of their own homes, most women preferred to give birth at home, says Tesfaye, now the in-country program director for all of Holt Ethiopia. But as anywhere, it’s much safer for them to deliver in the presence of a skilled attendant. Every year, 25,000 women in Ethiopia die from pregnancy complications – many because they can’t get to a hospital in time.

“If they have a difficult delivery and they have to travel by donkey cart 20 km to the nearest hospital, that could potentially be deadly,” explains Sarah Halfman, Holt’s program director for Africa and Haiti.

After Holt completed renovations to the clinic in February of 2009, the number of people receiving care more than tripled – from 35 to 150 each day. The medical staff treated people for malnutrition, malaria, HIV, leprosy and respiratory infections such as TB. And with refurbished delivery rooms and a medical doctor on staff, more women opted to deliver at the clinic.

But the clinic was still just a clinic, ill equipped to provide anything beyond basic outpatient care. Anyone requiring surgery, X-rays or hospitalization would still have to travel the 12 miles to the hospital in neighboring Durame, either on foot or by donkey cart. For seriously ill children, pregnant women, or anyone without private means of payment or transportation, this was not really a feasible option.

What this region needed was a hospital. Holt soon recognized that.

In 2010, Holt committed to funding most of the construction costs for a full maternal-child hospital in Shinshicho. The local community responded with an outpouring of donations – often a precious few dollars from individuals whose income is just one to two dollars a day. With backing from the government, and significant involvement from the community – both in funding and labor – Holt completed construction of the foundation and superstructure at the end of 2011.

See page 17 to give to the Shinshicho Hospital Construction Fund.

When we visited in June 2012, the hospital had begun to take shape.

“I’m amazed at the progress,” says Larry Carter, one of Holt’s directors of donor relations, as we walk the unfinished halls of what will be the Shinshicho Mother and Child Health Center. On multiple trips accompanying donors to Shinsicho, Larry has seen the hospital evolve from a pile of rebar to an impressive, three-storied structure that stands out among the many one-story buildings in the surrounding community.

“It’s starting to look like a hospital now,” says Larry.

Once complete, the hospital will dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of families in the region – particularly that of women and children.

By providing much-needed antenatal care and helping to facilitate deliveries, the renovated clinic helped to improve maternal mortality in the region, Sarah explains. Increased access to immunizations for common childhood diseases also increased overall child survival rates. “The hospital aims to further reduce maternal and child mortality by not only providing preventative care for women and children,” she says, “but also providing treatment in a facility for handling even the most difficult births.”

Touring the hospital, we pass empty concrete-walled rooms that will serve as in-patient and surgical wings. In the bottom floor, we see a special room for the X-ray equipment, and then watch as local workers make cement bricks using a molding machine.

“This is literally being put together brick by brick,” says Sarah.

As we drive away, we pass the same woman who came by donkey cart. She is back on the road, wrapped in sheets and huddled under an umbrella. The clinic could not help her. To get the care she needs, she will have to travel to the hospital in Durame. Depending on the severity of her illness, she may not survive the journey.

Brick by brick, Holt and the people of Shinshicho are working to ensure that no one is turned away from receiving the critical medical care they need. “Where women would be sent away before,” says Sarah, “now they have a place to receive emergency obstetric care – in which hours do mean the difference between life and death.”

By Robin Munro | Senior Writer

post adoption A Blessing in Disguise Juliet’s dance injury almost ruined her summer plans…until she discovered Holt Camps

At first, it was just a twinge or two, so I ignored it. As a dancer, I was used to pain, from blistered toes to cramped muscles. But after 15 performances of The Nutcracker left me limping towards the wings of the stage, I knew these “twinges” needed to be looked at.

One exam and two MRIs later, I got the bad news: my shins were dotted with stress fractures. I was supposed to spend most of the summer at the American Dance Festival at Duke University, but the doctor said it would take months for me to heal.

What now? Since middle school, I have spent every summer at dance intensives. I had never had a “normal” summer camp experience, paddling in a canoe, swimming in a lake and singing around a campfire. So when I got the bad news about my shins, my mom jumped at the opportunity to expose me to a real “American kid” camp experience. I didn’t like the sound of any of them, until a friend told her about Holt International adoptee camps. That idea intrigued me.

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / Fa l l 201 2

At Holt, kids adopted from other countries such as China (like me), Korea and Russia come together for a week in the summer to share and have fun in a country setting. I quickly found out that I was too old to be an actual camper, so I would have to be a counselor - in - training (CIT). My mom encouraged me to give it a try.

Thank goodness I listened to her. They say “mothers know best!” and I sometimes don’t like to admit it, but my mom usually ends up being right. (Don’t tell her I admitted that!) So I signed up.

The big day finally came. My family and I drove up a bumpy road in Pennsylvania and were greeted by an enthusiastic group of counselors jumping up and down and welcoming everyone. The first thing that struck me is that almost everyone was Asian! It was

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overwhelming at first, because I had never been surrounded by so many people who looked like me. But the shock soon wore off as I began meeting everyone. One of the most amazing things about this camp is it is actually easier to make friends there, because we relate on a deeper level of shared experiences.

Though a typical day consisted of tons of regular camp-type activities, we also had sessions where we talked about issues that are unique to adoptees. I loved the time I spent with “my” kids, listening to stories about their lives, sympathizing with them about the hurtful things people can say (whether they mean to or not) and just being there to provide support. The adoption sessions were aimed at younger campers, but I benefited from them as well.

Since a very young age, I have struggled with trusting people, but since coming to Holt camp, that’s eased up somewhat. Holt gave me a place where people truly understood, at a very deep level, my personal story. I noticed that even my friendships with nonadopted people have gotten stronger since I have been going to Holt Camp.

Holt changed my life – and me – forever.

So even though injuries are bad news for dancers, this one did me a real favor, because it landed me at Holt Camp. Those fractured shins were a blessing in disguise.

By Juliet Meiying Ercolano | Baltimore, Maryland Story courtesy of “Don’t We Look Alike?”, an adoption blog created by a mother, Luanne, and daughter, Marisha, brought together by adoption.

ABOVE: From left: Juliet (left) with Holt camper, Jasmine • Juliet (left) with fellow camp counselor - in - training and friend, Naomi Tortorello.

Rediscover Korea!

Dates: June 24 - July 13

Heritage tour of Korea for adoptees and their families. Open to all adoptees regardless of agency affiliation.

Activities: • Review adoption file with social worker and ask questions • Visit Holt Korea and the Ilsan Center • Visit national and historic sites, and learn about Korea’s rich cultural heritage • Adoptees may be able to visit their birth city or orphanage, meet their foster family or initiate a birth search

Contact Katy Bogart at katyb@holtinternational.org For more information and to sign up, go to http://www.holtinternational.org/tours/korea/

updates

Post Office Box 2880 Eugene, OR 97402

The Christian Classic Tour!

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Join Dove-award winning artists on their Christian Classic Tour, coming to you in the spring and fall of 2013! Sponsored by Holt International, the Christian Classic tours bring together some of today’s most wellknown Christian artists – like Twila Paris, Wayne Watson, Sandi Patty and Michael Card! The talented musicians will head out on five different tours next year. That’s 100 concerts! Check their website to see which artists are coming to your area next year, and join them for an uplifting evening filled with classic Christian music and your chance to learn more about Holt International's child sponsorship program. Interested in volunteering with Holt at one of the concerts in your area? Learn more here: http://www. holtinternational.org/volunteer/concert1.shtml

National Adoption Awareness Month This November, take time to celebrate National Adoption Month by actively engaging in our year-round cause to find a permanent, loving family for every child! Your efforts can change a child's life forever. Raise awareness in your community about the thousands of children around the world who need homes. Participate in a fundraiser for a program that helps homeless children overseas, or encourage others to consider adoption by simply sharing your own adoption story. And if you're considering adoption – what a wonderful month to begin your journey!

Go to www.holtinternational.org/adoption/nationalAdoptionMonth.shtml for ideas and inspiration on how to celebrate National Adoption Month this year!

Holt Heritage and Adult Adoptee Tours We hope that you will consider joining us on one of our heritage tours next summer. Holt was the first to pioneer the concept of heritage tours for international adoptees and their families. With adult adoptees on our staff and board, and years of experience, Holt is uniquely qualified to provide a very special tour experience.

For more information go to: holtinternational.org/tours

Events Join Holt at the upcoming Eugene Gala Dinner and Auction on February 9th! The event will be held at the Hilton in Eugene, Oregon. Do you live in the Omaha area?

On April 20th, Holt will host a gala dinner at the Embassy Suites, La Vista. Holt International hosts gala dinner and auctions around the country each year — wonderful opportunities for individuals and organizations to come together and share in their passion and commitment for children in need. We ask you to invite your family, friends, co-workers and business associates. Come and learn more about Holt International and our work for children overseas. The events feature dinner, music, guest speakers, a silent auction and entertaining live auction.

Proceeds benefit one of Holt’s childcare programs.

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These and other children need Nathan adoptive families Bor n: 03.0 4.20 02, S.E . Asia Nathan is a handsome boy with Gianna a con-

tagious smile. He came into care as an Bor n: 02.05.20 08, China infant and currently thrives with his fosGianna is a born entertainer. ter family. Nathan has a hist Upon ory of pneucoming into care, it was dete monia, TB and respiratory failu rmi ned that re, which Gianna has Dow n syndrom requ ired multiple hospital e.

She curstays when rent ly lives with a foster fam he was younger. A chest X-ra ily and is y showed a said to adapt well to new situ prominent left hilum. Nath atio ns. She an requires reportedly has made great imp the use of an inhaler daily. He rove ments is otherwise in her lang uage development, noted to be a healthy boy. although An indepenher speech is unclear at time dent child, Nathan can com s. Gianna is plete tasks attending the Little Sisters Prog without help. A sensitive chil ram. She d, Nathan has established a good relation gets upset easily when teased. ship with Fair ness is her classmates and teacher. Gian important to him. His foster pare na likes nts think draw ing and dancing. She is he will excel with an adoptive an active, family. The lovely little girl. Her mental right family will have parentin and motor g experidevelopment is similar to chil ence, access to med ical serv ices dren her , and the age. Gianna needs a family who patience to help him grieve his can prolosses. vide her with any ongoing care or therapies she may need.

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Bor n: 07.21.20 07, S.E . Asia

Natasha is a darling 5-year-old girl who loves dancing and likes to dres s up and style her hair with clips.

She is well attached to her foster family and attends preschool near her home. Whe n she was 2, Natasha was diag nosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. Since entering care, she has received med ication and treatment, and does breathing exercise s with her foster family to increase her lung capacity. When she entered care at 20 months, Natasha could only walk uns table steps and make a few sounds. With speech therapy and loving, attentiv e care from her foster family, Natasha can now jump with both legs, tell stor ies and play spor ts and games. Natasha will most thrive in a family experienced with adoption and in which she will be the youngest child.

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Bor n: 10.13.20 00, China

Leanne is a beautiful young lady who loves to sing and dance. Cur rent ly in sixt h grade, Leanne likes school, is a very good reader and is lear ning English . Upon coming into care in 2003, Leanne was found to have a surg ical scar on her face from the removal of a tumor, believed to be a facial ang idei myolipoma. She has reported ly been healthy ever since, although she will likely need some reconstr ucti ve plastic surgery after being adopted.

Described as a gent le and brave girl, Leanne current ly lives with a foster fam ily and likes draw ing and bad minton.

Leanne has expressed that she would like to have a family in the United States.

She needs an experienced adoptive fam ily without young children and that has acce ss to any med ical care she may need. http://holti ntern ationa l.org/ blog/ 2012/08/th e-love lymiss-leanne/

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Post Office Box 2880 Eugene, OR 97402

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A

year of

SMILES...

2013

Only $10

(price includes shipping)

Order yours online today at: holtinternational.org/calendar The 2013 Holt International Calendar features adopted children from around the world. Every calendar you purchase will benefit children who still need families of their own.