Adoption Blog

China Waiting Children Program June & July Updates

Referral Updates

Congratulations to the 40 families who accepted referrals in June and the first half of July! The majority of the referrals were from the new shared groups posted in June and July, although some acceptances were also for America World specific referrals. The referrals accepted consisted of boys and girls ages 6 months-11 years old, with a variety of different special needs. We praise God for these referrals and the families who are preparing to bring their children home. 

Referral Acceptance (RA) Wait Time

Families who have accepted a referral should refer to the “FAQ’s for Waiting on RA” email that was sent by their Family Coordinator. This email outlines the average timeframes families can anticipate waiting for their acceptance. While we report the patterns observed in 2009, this does not guarantee continued patterns or the exact wait a family may experience.  

Wait Time for Referral

There continues to be a short wait time for families open to children with an unrepaired condition. Specifically, there continue to be many referrals, boys and girls, with each referral group who have unrepaired cleft lip and palate conditions. Families should contact their Family Coordinator if they have additional questions on the type of special needs commonly seen in the program. Families open to older children or boys of any age also continue to experience a short wait time for a referral.

July Monthly Prayer Focus

Please join us in praying for Carter. Carter is an America World assigned referral. He is an extroverted 9 year old boy who is a Hepatitis B carrier. Carter is an above-average student who listens well to his teachers and obeys the rules. He is always ready to help others.  Carter is well-mannered and polite, and is popular among his peers at school and among those in the institute. Families interested in viewing his photos and referral information con contact their Family Coordinator or email waitingchildren@awaa.org

Rob Mitchell and the Castaway Kid

"Castaway Kid" is a true story of a homeless and hopeless boy who grows up to be a man who finds, not only the home and hope that he had been searching for, but more than he could have ever asked or imagined, in Jesus Christ.  The author, Rob Mitchell vividly paints the picture of his life experiences as an orphaned child and how he overcame the feelings of rejection and ultimately learned to forgive.  This book will rivet you from start to finish.  We highly encourage anyone to pick up a copy of this book and give it a read.  You will not be disappointed.

We are also very honored that Rob Mitchell will also be a guest speaker at our Orphan's Ticket Home's Orlando, FL Gala on October 30th of this year.  For more information on our Orphan's Ticket Home campaign or other galas planned in your area, you can visit our Orphan's Ticket Home website at: http://www.orphanstickethome.org/

For more information about Rob Mitchell and his book, "Castaway Kid," you may visit the website: http://www.castawaykid.com/

San Salvador July 10th, 2009

Dear Families:

I hope you are doing well, it is been a very busy week for me, but fill with so many experiences. My boss was here in El Salvador, and we have the chance to meet with the First Lady and she was very open to us, so I want to thank for all your prayers, we have a government pro adoption.
We have our first America World adoption in El Salvador and I was very to happy and blessed  to witness, how a beautiful  girl who was praying  for a mother, gets united, it was beautiful to see the two of them together, and I praise the Lord for that.

God bless you all.

Alexis

Adoption Sunday

We are the Ramseys.  We live in Southern California and our family has been part of the El Salvador program for two years.  We are waiting for a referral of a little girl and yes, the waiting has been extremely painful.  God has used this season of waiting to give us a passion for orphan advocacy.  I am blessed to serve as the Missions Director at our church and last month we did an "Adoption Sunday" service.  It was a powerful morning and we will never forget it.  We heard numerous comments from people who were deeply moved and had never been part of a service which focused on orphan care and adoption.  Our hope is that by reading this update, others might be encouraged to approach their churches and coordinate a similar service.

 
Last year our lead pastor's family adopted a little boy named Luke.  Our pastor obviously shares our passion for adoption and was very open when we approached him with the idea of "Adoption Sunday."  The entire service was covered in prayer and every aspect focused on adoption (from the bulletin cover to the worship songs).  My husband and I were blessed to share part of our adoption journey with the congregation.  We shared the story of how God called us to adoption, the struggles of waiting and the love we feel for the little girl that we have yet to meet.  We also showed a short video on adoption which tied in with our story.  Our pastor gave an amazing message on adoption, which included his family's personal adoption journey.  It was an incredible message on how adoption is at the heart of the gospel.  You can download the sermon at http://www.villagechurchirvine.com/audio/missionSunday053109.mp3.   After the message we invited another America World family, Pat and Kacie VanWinkle, to share their story.  The VanWinkles have three adopted children from China, Korea and Ethiopia.  Their story was very moving and you could hear many sniffles and tears throughout the room (during the entire service!).

 
We closed our service by inviting people forward who had been touched by the miracle of adoption.  I had already contacted the families that I was aware of and had asked them to read designated scriptures on orphans and adoption.  We had over twenty five family members come forward to read what God's Word says about adoption.  Our oldest son (who is seven years old) read John 14:18 - "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you."  It was an incredible visual picture to see so many people from the congregation whose lives had been changed through adoption.   There were many tears (and many people commented that we should have provided tissue during the service!).   One family came forward to share that God had spoken to their hearts to pursue adoption during the service.  Praise God!  We had representatives available from three organizations to provide resources on foster care, local and international adoption.  Many people said that the morning was one of the most touching, challenging and memorable services they had ever been part of.  We know that God defends His orphans, and we were so honored to share in a little piece of His heart during our service.  We hope that others will be given the opportunity to share their stories and to challenge their congregations as well.  "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do.  God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."  (Proverbs 24:12).  We are so grateful that our eyes have been opened and we are blessed to share in the miracle of adoption!!!      - Jenni, Mike, Jordan and Aidan Ramsey (Tustin, California)

Encouraging News From El Salvador & Kazakhstan!

My family and I are in San Salvador right now.  We are on a trip with some dear friends advocating for orphans in El Salvador.  Originally, we had planned on being in Honduras, but the recent political events changed our plans – and the LORD has directed our steps.  This week has re-confirmed my belief that there are lots of children in El Salvador that need permanent families and that God is doing a big work here.   

We had the privilege of meeting the First Lady of El Salvador yesterday.  She was very gracious to us and expressed her desire to see reforms and improvements in El Salvador’s child welfare system.  She expressed her support of adoption and her willingness to have her office help improve the process.

Alexis, our in-country employee, has been working hard for the family that is currently in El Salvador (and got their visa!) and the families that will be coming.  We are very pleased to see the movement of families through ISNA and look forward to many more adoptions here.

Lots of other good things this week back at the office, including a Kazakhstan Dossier approved by the D.C. Consulate; there’s also always a lot of challenges for us to keep in prayer.  Your prayers for our work are greatly appreciated.

My family is traveling home today and I’m looking forward to being back in the office next week.

To help us bring more children home from El Salvador by creating identities for orphans who live there, please donate to our Orphan's Ticket Home campaign.  You can do so by visiting www.orphanstickethome.org.  It's through this campaign that the adoption for this child was made possible.

- Brian Luwis, CEO

Kazakhstan Dossier Acceptance and Successful Court Appointments!

We would like to congratulate one America World family whose dossier was accepted by the Consulate and will be mailed to the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs this week!  Praise the Lord!
Both of our America World families currently in Kazakhstan and Russia successfully passed through their court appointments!  We ask for prayer for these families as they remain in country for the necessary waiting periods and then travel safely home with their children!

Come Hear CMA Artist, Britt Nicole and Author, Tom Davis at our Orphan's Ticket Home Gala!

 

America World is excited to announce a great night with Sparrow Recording Artist, Britt Nicole and Author of Fields of the Fatherless and Red Letters, Tom Davis.  Our Nashville Orphan's Ticket Home Gala promises inspirational worship music, motivational teaching on God's heart for the orphan and a wonderful silent auction!  The night is Saturday, August 8th at the Gaylord Springs Golf Club in Nashville, TN.  For more information or to register for this event, please see our Orphan's Ticket Home website.

China Waiting Children Shared Referrals

The CCAA posted new group of shared referrals today! As a reminder, referrals can continue to arrive over the next few days. Families participating in the WC program should review the program guidelines and have an understanding of the referral review process. The China staff will prioritize their email and voicemail responses for families reviewing or accepting referrals. Thank you for your understanding during this time. America World is praying for all waiting families during this time and ask that families join us in prayer for this new groups of referrals.

Someone To Let Him Cry...

Now that I am home I will be blogging about my past days in Africa.  On the last night of our Visiting Orphans trip, I asked every team member what was their most memorable moment.  Here is mine:

We spent a day at one of the many Mother Theresa Orphanages in Ethiopia.  This orphanage has about 400 kids with HIV.  The number is staggering and a very small percentage of these children are ever adopted.  It is one of the most hopeless places we visit as a mission team.

The guys played football, aka, soccer with the older boys while most of the women led the children in songs and arts and crafts.  While I was working with one set of kids, a team member named Audrey cried out my name.  When I turned to see what was the matter, she was trying to help a little 4 year old boy out of a ditch.  He had been pushed by another child head first into this rock ditch and blood was running all down his face and onto his hand, while he cried in pain.  Without thinking, I picked him up immediately and rushed him to the clinic that was on this large compound.  I was with a volunteer who worked there and she asked me if I had any open wounds.  I had not even thought about that. Not once did I hesitate to not pick him up because he had HIV.  Thankfully it never crossed my mind! 

However, in that moment, the danger of this virus and the threat of it scared me.  I quickly realized there was no concern as I did not have an open wound, and I laid my head against his bloody head and tried calming him and comforting him.  It seemed to work. Pretty soon the nurse took him and laid him on the table.  He was crying as she pressed on his head.  She uttered something to him in amharic (the national language of Ethiopia) and he quickly stopped crying.  I was amazed as she put disinfectant on his sore and he didn't let out a peep. I myself would have been crying and carrying on!

I asked her what she said and my heart broke with her answer. She told him, "If you keep crying, I will not help you and you will get an infection".  So, no matter how hard she pressed, he did not let out a sound.  You know this tiny boy wanted a Mama during this time.  Someone to let him cry.  Someone to kiss his wounds.  Someone to reassure him he will be okay. 

Most orphans NEVER have someone to pick them up when they fall, or to kiss them, or to comfort and hold them.  They either go uncomforted or are hushed like this nurse did to him.  I excused myself from the room as for me even, it was too painful to watch.  Pretty soon, he found me in the multitude of children and grabbed my hand.  He was such a quiet and shy boy that even the interpreters couldn't get him to talk, so I don't know what he thought. But he did manage to say that his head was still hurting.  Then all the sudden he left with all the other children to go to lunch.  He didn't look back..he just walked away.  That was a sad moment for me too.  I realized that they are used to visitors coming and going and never seeing them again.  He didn't even bother to say good-bye.  Why bother...he doesn't seem to have any hope. 

Later that night I laid awake in tears as I realized he could have had a concussion and no one looked into that chance.  I was so worried. So, my husband and I prayed for him until we couldn't stay awake any longer.  I wish I could tell you his name.  I am more than ashamed that I do not know it.  He just wouldn't talk though. 

This is one reason why I love my job as our Development Director.  I get the chance to work for a fundraising campaign that does bring orphans some hope.  Our Orphan's Ticket Home campaign works tirelessly to help bring more children home.  I love knowing that even though I was unable to bring this particular child home and could only be there for that one moment in his life, I can still help other orphans find their way home through this campaign.  If you are inspired in any way by this blog post, please pray about giving to this campaign. You can do so at www.orphanstickethome.org. 

Until They All Have Tickets Home,

Amanda Lawrence

Director of Development

Ethiopia Referral Update!

The end of June and very beginning of July has blessed the Ethiopia program with 9 referrals so far!  Please find below the list of these children and the DTE dates of the families. Please keep in mind some of these referrals are sibling sets as well as children with special needs.

Age and Gender of Child	DTE Date
7 Male Infants	10/3/2008 10/3/2008 10/3/2008 10/24/2008 11/21/2008 12/12/2008 12/12/2008
1 Male over 5 years	Paperchasing
1 Female over 5 years	6/19/2009

Due to the recent trends of received referrals the wait time for an infant male is now currently 6-8 months, while the wait time for a female infant remains 9-11 months.  This trend is based on recent history, but is subject to change.  We are excited to see what the Lord will provide in the upcoming months.  Your prayers are truly appreciated!