from the family - Holt International

Transcription

From Your Heart
to Your Home
Fulﬁlling the dream
of a family.
Adoption from China
and other countries.
www.holtinternational.org
1-888-355-HOLT
CONTENTS
Dear Readers
One of the defining milestones
of life for an adoptive parent
is often referred to simply as…
“the call.”
Renée and Brandon Francis
gaze into the face of their
newborn son.
Although it’s been 23 years
since our social worker told my wife and me, “You have
a daughter,” I still marvel at the surreal notion that a
child was coming to us. After we brought Renée home
from Korea, I wrote in this column: “…her adoption
has given us a deep feeling of wonder at the privilege of
receiving her.”
Above: Ilsan residents participate in a fan dance at
the annual Christmas party.
Cover photo: Kristen Joi Soden,
4, born in Korea, is the daughter
of Nanine and Thomas Soden.
COUNTRY FOCUS
FROM THE FAMILY
Fifty-Two Pounds of Fierce
18
A young boy from Thailand proves
that cerebral palsy cannot deter joy.
Our God-like Capacity to Love
20
Adoptive parents often know their
child when they see that first photo.
China Tour
21
Two accounts of Holt’s first Family
Tour to China.
ADOPTING
Family Ambassadors
story page 18
6
Holt takes a look back at the
beginning of a movement.
story page 20
Korean Heritage
26
ADOPTEES TODAY
Commitment
28
A recent bride thanks her parents
for their commitment.
story page 21
Adoptive families make an effective case
for adoption among interested couples.
Dear Readers
Update
Directions
Around the Globe
Easy to Love
Inspiration
Sponsorship
Family Tree
Calendar
Holt History
3
4
5
10
12
14
16
24
30
31
story page 28
DEPARTMENTS
Less than a month ago, we got another “call” that
brought similar feelings. It was 3 a.m. Renée was in
labor and had been admitted to the hospital. Twelve
hours later Ayden Kai Francis was born.
Seeing Ayden then, and even now three weeks later, my
recollections of the whole event hover along the edges
of disbelief. Once again a child has entered our lives.
Once again the wonder and the sense of privilege fill us
to brimming over.
As the nurse placed Ayden into Renée’s arms for the first
time, Renée said, “Oh, you look similar to me…” Renée
would tell you that she has always had an unshakable
sense of belonging in our family. She’s always been
well centered and balanced as to her identity as an
American with a Korean heritage. But I think Ayden’s
features were a marvel to the young mother, in a way
that matched our own sense of the miraculous.
Renée told me recently that having a genetic connection to us was never an issue for her, especially when
weighed against the emotional and spiritual bonds that
we share. Still it was a precious gift to her, to finally
have this little person in whom she continues to discover
images of herself.
I have written many times that adoption shapes a family for generations to come. I can now attest to this
statement from experience. It’s interesting that though
Ayden has no genetic connection to my wife and me,
his face still reflects our family.
In Renée there is the unmistakable imprint of our family. Occasionally I remind myself that her face has
another heritage. But it seems more real to see her—her
face, her personality—as part of our family, than not.
After all, to us Renée’s was always one of the faces that
defined our family. Now a new version of this definition continues into another generation. And what
wonder and privilege it is.
It seems especially fitting to share this story at this season of the year. I also marvel at the words of Isaiah
who wrote: “For unto us a child is born, a son is given.”
(Isaiah 9:6 KJV). God’s greatest gift to us came in the
form of a child. And these majestic words resonate with
vast rich meanings for all, especially for adoptive parents around the world who understand what a gift it is
that a child would be born “unto us.”
May God’s blessings and love fill your homes throughout
the year and especially during this Christmas season. ■
—John Aeby, Editor
3
news and update
National Adoption Month
National Adoption Awareness Month takes place in November. Official
government recognition goes back to 1976, when then-Governor
Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts proclaimed Adoption Week. In
1990, President Gerald Ford proclaimed a National Adoption Week,
which soon afterward became National Adoption Month. Across the
country, special recognition dinners and recruitment campaigns take
place to highlight children who need permanent, loving families.
Dream House
Adoptive parents Susan
and David LaRocca of
Jemison, Alabama, will
soon have a new 3,595
square foot house to better suit their large family.
The LaRoccas, who have
Members of the LaRocca family including children, grandchilfour
adult biological children, and spouses of children. David LaRocca is in the back
dren,
adopted 10 children
row, far left, and Susan is on the far right.
with special needs over the
years. Three were adopted through Holt. The family’s current home
has four bedrooms and two small bathrooms, but the LaRoccas never
hesitated when it came to adding to their family. “It was almost like
Jesus would knock on the door and ask us if we had room,” said Susan
LaRocca. “We’ve made room and made room until, now, we’re bursting
at the seams.” Last year members of the LaRoccas’ church, Calera First
United Methodist, submitted a videotape of the family to ABC’s Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition. When the LaRoccas heard no response, the
church took it a big step further by committing to build a new home
using their own resources. Other community churches joined what
became known as the “Corinthian Project,” after 1 Cor. 10:24—“Let no
one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”
NOV/DEC 2005
VOL.
47 NO. 5
HOLT INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S SERVICES
P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402
Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175
OUR MISSION
Holt International is dedicated to carrying out God’s plan for
every child to have a permanent, loving family.
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, China, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India,
Korea, Mongolia, the Philippines, Romania, Thailand, the United
States, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam.
PRESIDENT
& CEO Gary N. Gamer
VICE-PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS
& SERVICES Carole Stiles
VICE-PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
& DEVELOPMENT Phillip A. Littleton
VICE-PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC POLICY
VICE-PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
& ADVOCACY Susan Soon-keum Cox
& ADMINISTRATION Kevin Sweeney
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIR James D. Barfoot VICE-CHAIR Julie Banta PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Dr. David H. Kim SECRETARY Steven Stirling MEMBERS Donna V.
Bailey, Kim S. Brown, Lawrence R. Cahill, Wilma R. Cheney,
Clinton C. Cottrell, Will C. Dantzler, A. Paul Disdier, Rosser B.
Edwards, David L. Hafner, Claire A. Noland, Janet E. Peterson,
Jeffrey B. Saddington, Shirley M. Stewart
magazine is published bimonthly 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.
HOLT INTERNATIONAL
EDITOR
John Aeby
MANAGING EDITOR
ASSISTANT
Alice Evans
Sara Moss
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 John Aeby at 541/687.2202 or [email protected].
Buddhist Churches Donate
In early September, Holt International received a $20,000 donation
from a Buddhist faith community to be used for work in the tsunamiaffected areas of Thailand. After appealing to their members for donations for tsunami relief, the Social Welfare Committee of the Buddhist
Churches of America selected eight organizations with which to share
the donations. The letter to Holt that accompanied the gift said in part,
“We hope this expression of concern and support for your efforts will
assist in the tsunami victims’ recovery process. With best regards for
your dedication to helping relieve suffering around the world.”
ARKANSAS OFFICE
5016 Western Hills Ave., Little Rock, AR 72204
Ph/Fax: 501/568.2827
CALIFORNIA OFFICE
3807 Pasadena Ave., Suite 115, Sacramento, CA 95821
Ph: 916/487.4658 Fax: 916/487.7068
MIDWEST OFFICE SERVING IOWA, NEBRASKA AND SOUTH DAKOTA
10685 Bedford Ave., Suite 300, Omaha, NE 68134
Ph: 402/934.5031 Fax: 402/934.5034
MISSOURI OFFICE/KANSAS OFFICE
203 Huntington Rd., Kansas City, MO 64113
Ph: 816/822.2169 Fax: 816/523.8379
122 W. 5th St., Garnett, KS 66032
[email protected]
OREGON OFFICE
Capitol Plaza 9320 SW Barbur Blvd., Suite 220, Portland, OR 97219
Ph: 503/244.2440 Fax: 503/245.2498
NEW JERSEY OFFICE
4
Holt Graduate
340 Scotch Rd. (2nd Floor), Trenton, NJ 08628
Ph: 609/882.4972 Fax: 609/883.2398
Alex Hoekstra—Waukesha, WI; Future Business
Leaders of America, United Methodist Youth, 1st Place
Track Regionals. Plans to major in business at Central
College in Pella, IA (Korea). ■
COPYRIGHT ©2005 BY HOLT INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S SERVICES, INC.
ISSN 1047-7640
Nov/Dec 2005
directions
Gary Gamer, Holt International
President and CEO, greets Lee, MyungBak, the Mayor of Seoul, South Korea,
at the 50th Anniversary of the beginning of Holt Children‘s Services in
Korea, marking the day when Harry
and Bertha Holt adopted eight Korean
war orphans and brought them home
to Oregon. In foreground center are
Steve Stirling and behind him Steve
Morrison, both Holt adoptees who have
served on the Holt International Board
of Directors.
Holt’s Korea Legacy
The contrasts are striking. Abandoned Amerasian infants in
clinics hanging on for their dear lives vs. rosy-cheeked babies
dozing comfortably in the arms of foster mothers while awaiting their adoptive parents. Ladles of rice porridge dished to
families in crisis vs. community centers staffed with social
workers and therapists helping children and families. Disabled
children left in institutions vs. day centers where parents bring
them to develop their abilities.
T
These are but a few of the incredible changes in Korean
childcare since Harry and Bertha Holt first adopted eight
Korean children 50 years ago. Their initial efforts led to the
establishment of the Holt organization in Korea—an organization at the forefront of positive change to this day.
Indeed there was much to celebrate this past October as
child welfare specialists from around the world gathered in
Seoul for the 50th Anniversary of the beginning of our sister agency in Korea, Holt Children’s Services (HCS). Since
October 14, 1955, when Harry and Bertha brought eight war
orphans home to Oregon, about 90,000 Korean children have
found adoptive families in Korea and other countries. HCS has
11 branch offices across the country and numerous community-based facilities that assist children and families who face
a variety of difficulties. The Holt name is known throughout
Korea for the compassion of its founders and the excellence
in services that have continued through HCS.
Since Harry Holt first stepped foot in Korea, the Republic
of Korea has grown from a postwar disaster zone to the 11th
largest economy in the world, with subsequent changes in its
standard of living. Nevertheless, children with disabilities and
those born out of wedlock continue to face stigmas and situations that require adoption and other specialized services. In
the face of political opposition, the Korean government has
established arbitrary allocation for intercountry adoption. A
declining Korean birthrate in recent years has added fuel to
this opposition. Although Holt and other agencies strongly
promote adoption within Korea, domestic adoption and family preservation services alone cannot provide enough help.
By Gary N. Gamer, President and CEO
Intercountry adoption is still an important safety valve for
Korean children who need families.
Steve Stirling and Steve Morrison are two men who advocate for Korean children from the experience of their own
lives. Both were children with disabilities adopted internationally from Korea. Both have served on Holt International’s
Board of Directors. Loving U.S. parents encouraged them to
achieve their God-given potential, and today they are noted
professionals in respected fields with wonderful families of
their own. Stirling and Morrison are among a growing tide of
adoptees who advocate that allocation not get in the way of
Korean children being placed in permanent loving families.
Both men show the compassion of Harry Holt, who cared for
them, and the faith of Bertha Holt, who inspired them. Both
work actively for children to have the same chance they did.
Both want, for example, children with special needs to be
exempted from the quota in Korea. Both were honored at
the 50th Anniversary in Korea—one by the Mayor of Seoul
and the other with a moving testimony at the large celebration attended by hundreds of influential Koreans and other
nationalities.
Fifty years ago, the thought of two disabled and abandoned
children growing up to speak such truth to people in power
would have been unimaginable. And even though the conditions for children without families have greatly improved over
the past five decades, the basic and emphatic need for children
to have families still exists in Korea, the United States and
around the world.
During the anniversary celebration I heard several times
from our Korean colleagues and those from other countries
that “we live under the same roof.” This is a roof over a global
house in which we share humanity across cultural and geographic borders. It is the roof of our heavenly Father and his
son Jesus who said that “whoever receives one little child in
my name receives me.” My prayer is that 50 years from now,
children will not need to be adopted. Thank you for helping
Holt International to pursue this dream. ■
5
A
Legacy
of Love
for
Children
Holt Children’s Services
of Korea, which begins
celebrating five decades
of serving children, has
made significant contributions to international
child welfare.
by John Aeby
Editor and Director of
Communications
Top center: Molly Holt,
eldest daughter of Harry
and Bertha Holt, lives
and works at Ilsan and
serves as Chairperson of
the Board of Directors of
Holt-Korea
Right: As a young nurse
in Korea, Molly Holt
assists Dr. Tenhave in caring for a malnourished
infant.
6 Nov/Dec 2005
Over the years a touching drama has played out
at the offices of Holt Children’s Services in Seoul,
Korea.
In a plain waiting room on
the ground floor, couches and
chairs spread along the walls
where five or six women—foster
mothers—find separate, private
spaces. Each one huddles with
a small child. The mothers rock
and stroke their children’s faces.
Some shed quiet tears—preparing
to say good-bye.
For several months these foster
mothers have dedicated themselves to the new little life put
into their charge. The mothers’
day and night devotion can be
seen on the children’s healthy
faces.
Some of the children sleep, peacefully
unaware; others stare wide-eyed, looking from the
faces of their foster mothers to the busy goings on
around the room—the preparations for a journey that
will take them to their anxious adoptive families in
the United States.
After the medical exams,
inventories of documents
and replenishing baby bag
supplies, the foster mothers
are called to gather around.
(The foster families also stuff
bags full of gifts, photos and
clothing.) They stand in a
small circle, clutching their
children.
The children’s
flight escorts and a few Holt
staff all join together as one
of the staff prays aloud. The
prayer asks for safe travels
for each child, a happy life
with their new parents, and
offers thanks for the privilege of touching these precious lives.
Then, the whole entourage hustles the children
outside to a waiting van. The children are bundled
into the arms of staff and the escorts who will deliver
Residents of Ilsan
live in group homes
according to their
needs and receive
regular physical,
speech and vocational therapy. They
are given every
opportunity to
live full lives. This
young woman is
on her way to the
annual Christmas
party.
They also developed a commitment to good record
keeping. In the years since, many of these records
have become a precious link to the past for adoptees
who want to know their history.
From the beginning there were many on both
sides of the ocean who opposed international adoption. It took courage and a commitment to the children and to ethical practices to persevere through
such opposition.
Through various seasons of debate and political
criticism, the Holt-Korea staff have continued to put
the best interests of children first and defended a
child’s need to be loved and belong in a family.
Child welfare authorities of Korea promoted the
Above: A baby and her
foster mom await the
time for departure to her
adoptive parents.
the children to parents who wait an ocean away.
Before the van can leave, the foster mothers press
close for a last look. A hand against the glass. Tears
of love and farewell flow without reservation.
Right: At the Salvation
Army Home for Unwed
Mothers in Seoul, two
hanboks are pinned to
the wall in the sewing
room–one for a girl, the
other for a boy. Each
mother-to-be lovingly
prepares this traditional
clothing for her child’s
first birthday celebration, guessing her child’s
gender. Ninety percent
of the time, her guess is
correct.
For nearly 50 years, Holt Children’s Services of
Korea has given children a remarkable combination
of efficient, well-ordered services along with genuine, heartfelt love. This past October, Holt-Korea
celebrated its 50th anniversary. (In the traditional
age-counting structure of Korea, everyone begins
with one.) Holt-Korea’s years have been rich with
accomplishments, too many to recount adequately
here. But the following are some highlights that
many families will recognize.
Laying the Foundations
for International Adoption
After Harry and Bertha Holt adopted their eight children from Korea in 1955, Harry returned to Korea the
following March to help other children have families.
Harry, along with a dedicated Korean staff launched
the work that became Holt International and Holt
Children’s Services of Korea.
Conditions were desperate in the years following
the Korean War. Simply enabling children to survive
was a significant accomplishment. To meet this need
Harry and his staff developed practices that laid the
foundations for Holt’s work today: attentive, loving
care along with basic good nutrition, shelter and
medical treatment. Harry instinctively knew that all
children, and especially those who were malnourished and weak, needed the warmth of a caring
touch and the encouragement of a loving voice.
8
Nov/Dec 2005
development of an adoption process that carried
adequate protections for birth parents and children.
Because of these protections, Korea’s international
adoptions have been remarkably free of abuses and
those who sought to exploit children for profit. Yet
Korea created a reliable, efficient system that continues to move homeless children into their adoptive
families in a relatively short amount of time.
Caring and Counseling
As Korea moved beyond postwar conditions, children began coming into Holt’s care because of
social issues. The stigma for young single mothers
and children without legitimate fathers resulted in
recently born children being relinquished for adoption. These young children needed tender, nurturing,
around-the-clock care—the kind of care a Korean
mother would typically give.
In the mid-60s, Holt began developing foster care
to provide a temporary home and family for these
children until they could be adopted. The foster
families were chosen and trained carefully. The
children stayed with just one family until they were
ready to go to their adoptive families. Usually there
was only one foster child in the family. Sometimes
the foster family had older children in the home and
they helped as well. The whole family lavished love
Ways You Can Help Children in Korea
Send money to support a child through the Holt Sponsorship
Program. For $25 a month, you can help feed and clothe a child at
Ilsan, the Jeonju Baby Home, or other Holt-supported facilities.
Holt is building a new community center in Busan and a shelter for
unwed mothers in Daejeon that need your support.
www.holtinternational.org (888) 355-4658
on their little charge, and yet, when the time came,
they willingly let the child go to his adoptive family, and most of the time, they were willing to take
another child.
Holt has taken the model developed in Korea
and applied it in similar ways in nearly every
country where Holt works. Through the years
foster families have proven to be vastly superior to
institutional care for giving children a healthy and
positive start toward their future and life with their
adoptive families. Holt’s foster care has revolutionized childcare in countries such as China and
Romania, and all of these programs have roots in
Korea.
Holt’s work in Korea began with a sensitivity
toward the birth parents, and this attitude has been
a vital part of the program ever since. In the early
years the Korean birth mothers always ached to
relinquish their children who were mixed race even
though they knew their child’s life would be too
hard in traditional Korea. On one occasion a young
mother returned and asked Harry Holt to give her
baby back a few days after leaving the child for
adoption. Harry returned the child and offered to
help the mother. When he wrote about this incident, he said, “I always return a baby if asked to.
We are not kidnapping anyone’s child.”
As the program matured, this respect for birth
parents continued and developed into services that
sought to help the young women who were making
such a difficult decision. The young women who
brought children usually felt they had no choice.
Counseling helped the mothers to accept their decision as a proactive choice they were making for the
better of both themselves and their child.
Programs for Disabled
In the early 1960s Harry Holt looked for a site to
build a new, larger childcare center. The program
had outgrown the previous three locations in
months or just a couple of years. After an extensive
search over three years, David Kim, Harry’s first
assistant and later President of Holt International,
located a 60-acre hillside site near the DMZ. Harry
constructed buildings on the site near the town of
Ilsan, and the Ilsan Center quickly filled up with
over 200 children. While Holt was able to place
many children with disabilities, it became apparent
that some of the children had conditions that made
it nearly impossible to find adoptive families for
them. They would need a long-term home in the
care of the Holt program.
Above: A childcare
worker at the Jeonju
Baby Home watches over
a sleeping child.
As the years passed and foster families took
care of the majority of children, Ilsan increasingly
became a home for those with severe disabilities.
But Holt modified the Ilsan Center to be much
more than a place just to stay. It began by offering a variety of therapies to improve their lives and
opportunities. Soon the program began developing
schools, vocations and special living arrangements
designed to help residents develop a full life outside the gates of Ilsan.
Top left: Children enjoy
a nutritious meal at the
Jeonju Baby Home.
While Holt’s Ilsan Center has created many
opportunities for disabled residents, perhaps its
greatest contribution is simply allowing the residents themselves to prove their capabilities. Ilsan
often hosts gatherings for residents who have successfully created independent lives for themselves.
They have jobs, families and homes of their own.
In years past in Korea, the disabled were often kept
hidden, a shame for their families and communities.
But Holt and the Ilsan program elevated the status
of the disabled and now Ilsan is a model program
of world-class stature. ■
www.holtinternational.org 9
country news
Globe
China
Holt foster care programs are
being expanded to include
Wuwei Orphanage in Gansu
province, Beihai Orphanage
in Guangxi province, and
Shangrao
and
Fuzhou
Orphanages in Jiangxi province. Currently, Holt supports and manages foster
care programs in 15 locations Thanks to Holt’s foster care program, this
girl now lives with this foster mother and
around China.
her family instead of in an orphanage.
On Sept. 16, China became
the 67th country to join the Hague Convention on Protection of
Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-Country Adoption
when it deposited its instrument of ratification with The Netherlands
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Convention will enter into force
for China on Jan. 1, 2006.
Romania
In late September, nine representatives from Holt Ukraine traveled
to Romania to observe Close to You programs that benefit children
and families affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.
In Uganda, two “grannies” prepare porridge for children, a program supported through Holt sponsorship.
In August, Holt began distributing vitamins from a sponsor
in The Netherlands. Last summer, Holt held a camp for HIVpositive children. Holt also held a campaign in which 64 teenagers learned about HIV/AIDS from a representative of the Public
Health Department in Iasi as well as from a family doctor.
Uganda
Because of the high rate of HIV/AIDS in Uganda and the subsequent loss of almost an entire generation, more than ever it takes
a village to raise a child said Holt staff member, Dennis Dolan,
Foundation & Corporate Relations, who traveled to Uganda last
spring to see Holt’s sponsorship work in action. Through its partner agency in Uganda, Action for Children, Holt works to save
lives and improve the quality of living.
In September, the Family Preservation program offered training
in nutrition in the community of Kiwatule. More than 108 people
attended the training aimed at improving the nutrition of children
through the caretakers. The Stay Alive project ran trainings in the
three districts of Lira, Masindi and Gulu, with 75 youth clubs being
formed so far.
The Grandparents Action Support (GAS) program is carrying
out an indigenous knowledge study among grandmothers about
existing childcare practices. Groups of six to eight grandmothers
are organized within neighborhoods, said Dolan. Some are sole
caregivers to their grandchildren, many of whom are orphaned or
made vulnerable due to AIDS. Through GAS, Holt helps involve
grandmothers with the community, giving them something to live
for. Holt provides in-kind support in the way of food, materials
and supplies, sometimes giving cash for school fees and medical
care. As each grandmother reaches a point of stability within the
group, she is able to start mentoring other grandmothers.
India
Above: In July, Holt President Gary Gamer visited many children and
families being helped by Holt in Romania.
10
Nov/Dec 2005
Holt’s partner agency in Pune, Bharatiya Samaj Seva Kendra
(BSSK), reports that after the massive floods of last July they are
slowly rebuilding their outreach office in Chiplun, and it is func-
country news
tional again. Fear is still evident in the people
who experienced the ordeal, however, and the
damage to equipment is obvious. Major parts
of computers were damaged or destroyed, and
school materials including books, stationery supplies and furniture were ruined. In both Chiplun
and Sangli, homes were affected of some of the
families who offer foster support to children
under Holt sponsorship. BSSK staff note that they
“appreciate donors’ support. It will be required
and be of great assistance.”
Cambodia
Holt recently completed a survey of children in
orphanages in Cambodia for the U.S. Agency for
International Development. The survey documented orphaned and displaced children living in
private and government orphanages throughout
Cambodia. The data will be used to develop a
registry of children to assist the Cambodian government in establishing an effective child welfare
infrastructure.
Haiti
Holt Fontana Village is growing larger, thanks in
part to funding from Holt sponsors and donors.
Founder Peter Fontana recently returned from a
week at the village and reported that new construction is underway on adjacent land. Plans
are to build two to four more houses and a playground for the children. As the village grows, it
will need a bigger and better generator, Fontana
said. ■
CATCH THE FUN!
Oregon
Midwest
California
Pennsylvania
Give your child a trip to a
Holt Camp
For up-to-date locations, dates and cost, log onto
www. holtinternational.org. Please contact Steve Kalb at (541) 687-2202
or [email protected] for more information.
Staff Training July 16-22 • Oregon Camp July 23-27 • Midwest Camp
July 30-Aug. 3 • California Aug. 6-10 • Pennsylvania Camp Aug. 13-17
Above: At Holt Fontana Village in Haiti, children in care
pose with staff members in front of one of the Holtfunded houses, June 2005.
Pooja & Avinash
Born in India, November 10, 1997; October 7, 2002
Pooja gets along well with her peers and is described as
independent, loving, friendly and organized. Her development is said to be on target for her age, she is learning
English, and her language abilities may be better than
those of her peers. Her right leg is a little thinner and
shorter than her left leg, and she is said to be in good
health. Avinash is an active, energetic 3-year-old boy
described as curious, daring, alert and independent. He
can be mischievous and is said to have a short attention
span but a good memory. His speech is unclear, and he
is receiving language stimulation and tongue exercises.
His development is otherwise on target for his age, and
he is reported to be in good health. Pooja watches out
over her brother and Avinash listens to her instructions.
Pooja
Srivatsa
Born in India, April 10, 2002
Friendly and expressive, Srivatsa is attached to all his
foster family members and has great eye contact with
everyone he meets. His physical development is on target for his age; he can walk independently, climb stairs
and loves to push himself on his bicycle. He was diagnosed with post-meningitic hydrocephalus and ventriculitis and has a shunt that needs regular follow-up, but his
doctor says he is doing well.
Avinash
children
with special needs
aren’t hard to adopt,they’re…
Nathan
Born in SE Asia, December 19, 2003
An active boy who gets along well with peers, Nathan
likes music, has good interaction with his foster family, and is reported to be in good health. He has some
developmental delays, most notably in his language
development. He is observed to drool, which may indicate low tone in his oral motor region. He also has intersex disorder (ambiguous genitalia). Nathan is reported
to have good comprehension and follows instructions.
In June, he could run, climb stairs and throw a ball. He
had surgery for his right eye ptosis and can now close
his eye properly.
In this section we introduce children who are waiting for adoptive families. They may be older, have
medical conditions or be part of a sibling group. Each
child is very special with much to offer the family who
accepts one as their own son or daughter.
The children shown here represent just a few
of those who need parents. Because Holt’s website
provides a more complete listing and can be updated daily, we ask you to view additional children at
www.holtinternational.org/waitingchild.
If you would like more information about a particular child, please contact Carrie Palmer in our
Waiting Child Program. She would be happy to share
more information with you. You can
request a Waiting Child Packet either
by calling the Waiting Child Program
at (541)687-2202 or through our website.
These descriptions of waiting
children are based on information
available to Holt from caregivers and
medical personnel in the children’s
country of origin. Holt cannot guarantee the accuracy of these descriptions
or that the medical and psychological
diagnoses of the children are correct
or complete.
Walker & Melissa
Born in Haiti, Jan. 15, 2002,
and June 11, 2005—Walker
and Melissa came into care in
June and had previously been
with their birth family. They
are both reported to be in good
health. Walker is quiet and
does not speak much for his
age. His language development
is delayed, but he understands
commands and does what he is
asked. He enjoys playing with
Nathan
12 Nov/Dec 2005
Srivatsa
Walker & Melissa
See more children at www.holtinternational.org/waitingchild
his peers and watching television and seems
to have a good relationship with his caretaker.
Melissa was born at home with no medical
complications. On June 24 she was reported
to weigh four pounds.
Martin
Born in China, April 6, 2001
Martin is described as a talkative boy who
has good interaction with other children. He
has been with his foster grandmother since
he was 1 month old. He sometimes attends
pre-school, although he would often rather
stay at home. He is reported to be on target for his age physically and cognitively. In
October 2001 he had surgery on his cleft lip
and underwent surgery for cleft palate April
2003 and June 2005. Further surgery and
probably speech therapy will be necessary.
Roui
Born in Philippines, Sept. 11, 1998
Adorable Roui is an active, inquisitive boy who
was brought into care because his mother
has Huntington's Disease and could no longer
care for him. He is attached to his house
family and plays well with his peers. Roui
began school in June and is doing well. He
has asthma and was diagnosed with primary
complex; he does not have tuberculosis and
his asthma does not stop him from being
active. At 3 his development was behind;
he had difficulty speaking and understanding
instructions and was easily distracted. He
has since shown great improvement. Roui
can speak English well and is described as
talkative.
Joy
Born in Haiti, Nov. 2, 1997
Joy is a gregarious girl who has a good sense
of humor and likes to tell jokes. She was
brought into care in 1998 and was treated
for malaria shortly afterwards. Her first test
for syphilis was positive, but recent lab tests
Roui
Martin
were negative for syphilis. Her tuberculosis
skin test was positive but a June 2005 xray was negative. She is otherwise healthy
and active and likes to play with the other
girls in her group home. She likes school,
although she can get distracted while doing
her homework.
Trushna
Born in India, May 22, 2003
Trushna loves being held and cuddled by
her caregivers and interacting with other
children. Her poor vision is due to macular
dystrophy and nystagmus. She now wears
glasses, can see objects nearby and
reaches for things held in front of
her. Her development is delayed; she
receives special stimulation and is
showing good progress. She can say
a few words, understands what is said
to her, and is energetic walking around
the room exploring and climbing onto
the windowsill.
Eduardo
Born in Guatemala, March 17, 1999
Eduardo has “big energy” and enjoys
activities where he can move around and
be active. He has good communication skills,
and his cognitive and gross motor development are said to be on target for his age.
His fine motor skills are still developing. His
teachers say he is easily distracted and does
not always follow instructions. He came into
care in December 2001 after a history of
physical abuse in his birth family. When he
gets individual attention he readily cooperates
and seems to feel included and happy.
Tarani
Born in India, December 6, 2004
Beautiful Tarani likes to be carried by her foster mother and interacts well with her foster
sisters. At 9 months she could stand with
support, crawl, and feed herself biscuits. She
vocalizes sounds, smiles responsively, and
makes good eye contact. She had surgery
to correct her imperforate anus and rectovestibule fistula, has a right ear deformity,
facial nerve palsy on the right side, scoliosis,
crossed renal ectopia and an atrial septal
defect (ASD) with left to right shunt. Despite
her rough start she is reported to be doing
well in foster care.
Trushna
Oregon Waiting Child
In Oregon many children in state foster care
are waiting for adoptive homes. Agencies
reduce fees for the adoption of a child in state
care, and financial assistance may be available.
To learn more, call the Special Needs Adoption
Coalition at The Boys and Girls Aid Society at
(877)932-2734 x 2392, or DHS at 1(800)3310503. Also visit www.boysandgirlsaid.org and
www.nwae.org for information and photos
of waiting children. Singles and couples are
encouraged to call.
Jared and Kelton, ages
8 and 3
Brothers Jared and
Kelton are eager to live
together again. Both
boys are outgoing and
social and would do
well in a family that is
active and involved.
Jared does well academically, always completes his homework
and enjoys reading. He plays well with
younger kids, and his foster Mom says he is
protective of younger children and infants.
With peers he can be an instigator and will
lie to stir things up. He takes medications for
ADHD and emotional problems and is behind
socially but with a skilled family is learning to
behave more appropriately. He suffers from
allergies and uses an inhaler when needed.
Kelton likes attention and enjoys adult and
child activities. Adorable but stubborn, he
will let you know when he wants something
or is upset. He receives early intervention
services to address speech and motor delays.
His motor skills are improving slowly, and
he has made significant improvement in language skills. He has ongoing dental issues, is
susceptible to flu and colds and currently has
tubes in his ears due to multiple ear infections. Because of allergies, he would do best
in a home with no pets.
What these boys need most is a family who understands how early neglect can
affect a child’s sense of well being, safety
and development. Once assured they are safe
and together, Jared and Kelton will be a joy
to parent.
Eduardo
Joy
Tarani
inspiration
Prayer that God Will Bless
Our Home with a Child
“If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us.’”
Used with
permission
of Life-Study
Fellowship,
Noroton, Conn.
Above: Jenny Lu
Shireman cuddles with
her son, Benji, adopted
from Thailand. Right:
Mia and baby Ellie, both
from China, are the
daughters of Ken and
Shelley DeVault.
14 Nov/Dec 2005
(1 John 5: 14)
inspiration
Dear Heavenly Father, be very close to me
as I kneel to you in this quiet hour—to
pray for one of the most sacred and deepest desires of my heart.
D
Within this house, dear Father, we have
known both sorrow and joy, both loneliness and love. But there has been lacking
that which should make our life and love
complete—a child in our home.
For we long with aching hearts for a dear,
new life to crown our love. We long for
the sound of children’s laughter and the
pattering of little feet.
Left: Julie Soohoo,
China, shown here on
Halloween 2003, is the
daughter of Lynda and
Sheldon Soohoo.
Below: Sam, 7, and
Emma Reposa, 2, both
adopted from Korea, are
the children of Wayne
and Holly Reposa.
Yes, Father, we know we need something
on which our loves and our hopes may
center—something that shall be part of both
of us—something that shall be the living
witness of our love.
We remember, dear Father, how within
every man and woman something new is
born when you bless their home with a
new life. We remember what a wonderful
miracle is the birth of a child.
And I am silent as I pray that this miracle
may come to pass, hallowed Father. For
with the coming of every child, again Christ
is born in Bethlehem—and Bethlehem
comes to our hearts.
Amen
* Prayer edited for adoptive families
15
sponsorship
Gemstones
When she left China with her adopted baby, Pame Chow felt
haunted by memories of children at the orphanage. Later, she
and her daughter chose to support a child through Holt’s sponsorship program—keeping alive a vital link to children still in
need of permanent, loving families.
by Pame Chow
Eugene, Ore.
Above: Jade Chow stands
beside a wall at the
Bertha Holt Elementary
School in Eugene, Oregon,
next to a tile she created
of a penguin in sunlight.
Inset: Pame Chow holds
Jade on the day she
received her in China.
Center: Jade as a baby in
China.
China is a huge country. I
didn’t realize how many children were in need of help
and care until I went there to
get my baby. The moment
I arrived at the orphanage to
pick up my daughter, Jade,
will forever be etched in my
heart. At the same time I
couldn’t help but wonder
how all the children waiting
there got food, medicine, and
most importantly—hugged and
loved.
I was leaving with Jade but a
piece of me felt like I was leaving behind children that needed
me. Jade grew up fast. The first years just flew by. I
was never able to shake the feeling of knowing what
I had felt in my heart that December 25 in 1994 seeing my baby for the first time and knowing that other
babies just like her were still waiting for a family.
An opportunity came for me to begin working at
Holt International about two years ago. Talk about a
perfect match. Holt had the same values and beliefs
that I had—“every child deserves a loving family.”
16 Nov/Dec 2005
After working at Holt, I
learned there is a way of taking care of children before they
have families—sponsorship.
I began talking to Jade about
sponsorship. I told her we
could sponsor a child before
the child came home to a
family.
At first she didn’t
understand what sponsoring
was all about so we looked at
the Holt website, read about
sponsorship and talked about
what it would mean to sponsor a child.
Time slipped by, but I
noticed we both kept going back periodically to the
subject of sponsorship. In November 2004 I said that
with Thanksgiving coming up, it would be a great
time for us to give thanks by sponsoring a child.
Jade came with me to work one day, and together
we picked out a child from China to sponsor. I
decided Jade should be part of the process of setting up our sponsorship and really understanding
the meaning and how everything worked to care for
these children until they had families.
sponsorship
As Jade and I looked at photos, I noticed she kept
going back to the same child. Finally in her tiny voice
she said, “Mom, she’s the one. I think she looks like
me at that age.” I couldn’t have agreed more.
We set up our paperwork with Sharon in sponsorship. She gave us a photo and report on our child.
Jade let me look at her photo, but she hung onto it
herself. We showed everyone the photo and asked
someone in the China program to help us correctly
pronounce the name of our sponsored child.
That evening, Jade told her grandparents and aunt
all about our sponsored child. When I went to her
room to say goodnight, I noticed that she put the
photo on her wall. I reminded her that we could
love our sponsored child from afar, but in the end we
really wanted her to have a family.
Jade agreed but still asked if she could give her an
English name because the Chinese one was so hard to
pronounce. “Of course,” I told her, “but just remember we want her to have a family.” She came into my
room a short time later and said, “I have it, we can call
her Ruby. This way she is a stone, just like me.”
It took me a couple of seconds to get her meaning.
“Oh, you mean you both are gemstones.” Jade nodded her head yes.
I told Jade that when Ruby gets a family to come
home to, we could sponsor another child and keep
the process going. There are so many children who
need help until then.
I went to sleep that night knowing that my daughter understood what it meant to help children who are
waiting for their permanent family. But even more, I
knew that I could still help the children that were left
behind when I departed the orphanage with my own
adopted daughter wrapped tightly in my arms.
It’s easy for all of us to get busy in everyday life.
But just stop a moment and think about who takes
care of these children before we find them a home.
All children are gemstones. When you polish and
take care of a stone it shines.
Children who are waiting for families can only
shine if we help support them. ■
Letters
Dear Holt Sponsorship Department—
Our daughter, Guo Li Shou, was sponsored by Holt
International as a foster child at the Zhanjiang
Social Welfare Institute in Guangdong province for
10 months in 2002.
Each day with our daughter—now Rebecca—
brings us to a new understanding of the unfathomable gift we received from the People’s Republic of
China in May 2002. Rebecca is a beautiful, bright
and sensitive child. We are thankful every day
for the opportunity we have to be her parents. We
believe that Holt’s sponsorship and the kindness and
care her foster mother furnished her with are the
foundation of all that we know and love about her.
Because of your sponsorship Rebecca received
the gift of being cared for in a Chinese home by a
family who clearly loved her and cared for her as
their own. She also received a booklet with development reports and pictures of her throughout her 10
months in care—a most precious and unusual thing
for a Chinese adoptee. We received a great deal
more detail about her daily life, development, needs
and special talents than anyone else we know.
The value of this sponsorship is underscored for
us because of the relationship we have with eight
other girls adopted that day from the same orphanage who did not have the privilege Rebecca had of
being raised in a home. All the girls are within six
weeks of each other in age.
At age 13 months, Rebecca
was the youngest. She was
walking and talking. She
also had parlor tricks and
ate with gusto. Many of
the other girls still behaved
like infants, were not used
to solid food and appeared
younger.
Rebecca Campeau
was adopted from China in 2002.
Rebecca grieved for her foster family for months
afterwards and at times I questioned whether foster
care was ideal for her. These days, with neither of
us suffering from sleep deprivation, I’m certain she
had double luck.
Today she is a happy, healthy 4 year old. She
loves to sing and dance and is learning to play
piano and violin. Rebecca loves languages—she
is learning Mandarin and French. She enjoys her
large extended family. In spite of her three years
as a Canadian, she still prefers Chinese food. She
will polish off a plate of squid but will not touch a
chicken nugget.
Thank you, Holt and the three sponsors who made
this possible for our family. Please know that we
don’t take a single minute with her for granted.
—Jen Campeau/Canada
from the family
Fifty-Two
Pounds of
Fierce
From the first days they were getting to know their son in
Thailand, this couple could see that despite cerebral palsy, he
would be far more than they expected.
By Pamela Vandivort—
Tucson, Ariz.
When my husband, Andrew, and I first started the
adoption process, I’d daydream of our “someday
daughter” (“An infant girl, please” was the request I
rehearsed). I looked forward to craft projects, frilly
clothes and dolls.
Thank God for unmet expectations!
Above: Stephen Vandivort
at age 7, enjoying the
pool.
One day when an issue of the Holt International
magazine arrived, I flipped to the Waiting Children
section and saw our son. The recognition was immediate—a mother knows her child. Andrew concurred,
and we began the process of becoming three.
The wait for him was hard. Okay, it was excruciating. I used that time wisely, though; I built up a
whole new set of expectations.
I imagined a “bookish” boy with a shy smile and a
quiet demeanor. Well, what else could I expect from
a 3 year old with cerebral palsy?
When we went to Thailand to get Stephen, the
social workers took our group to a mall. Andrew and
I were discussing which restaurant to choose when
18 Nov/Dec 2005
we suddenly realized that Stephen was no longer
with us. We had our first parental “yikes!” We found
him patiently standing in line at KFC. Leadership
comes naturally to him.
Stephen had demonstrated so much strength and
determination by the time we were on our return
flight from Thailand, Andrew was saying “We’ve got
a little Thai tiger!”
Last summer, we went to a family camp. Stephen’s
class was asked to choose an activity for the next
day. Stephen was the only one who chose fishing.
All the others chose swimming. This didn’t bother
Stephen, but I “mothered” him about it anyway: “I’ll
put your swimsuit in your backpack just in case you
change your mind.” He rolled his eyes (they perfect
that around age 9) and reminded me that he was
going fishing.
Later that day, we found Stephen surrounded by
classmates, getting pats on the back and high fives.
Turns out he’d convinced the entire class to go fishing. One of the boys had caught Big Jake, the elu-
from the family
sive, biggest fish in the pond,
about which many legends
are told. A hero’s hoopla was
bestowed upon the catcher,
and the classmates concluded, “This moment was made
possible by Stephen.”
At the conclusion of
Stephen’s second grade year,
the PE teacher gave him the
“Outstanding Athlete” award.
“This kid never says ‘I can’t,’”
he explained. “What the ablebodied kids complain about
and are afraid to try, Stephen
takes as a welcomed challenge—and goes after it with
all he’s got.”
In Thailand, Stephen entertained our group with a variety of humorous antics. “We’ll
be seeing your son on the
Comedy Channel some day,”
remarked one of the parents.
During Stephen’s first
grade year, he announced
that he was “a really true
actual Ninja.” He grew his
hair long enough to tie into a
pony tail, filled his vocabulary
with martial arts terminology
and practiced sneaking up
on (and scaring the daylights
out of) me. I shouldn’t have
been surprised when one day
as I was picking him up from
school I received all kinds of
accolades about “the audition.” During sharing time,
Stephen had convinced his
classmates that he was going
to L.A. to audition for a role
as Jackie Chan’s sidekick.
We noticed in Thailand that
Stephen appreciates order
and accuracy. We’d brought
along a sizable fleet of Hot
Wheels, which he immediately set about organizing in
our hotel room.
He cast
away the surreal models and
grouped the rest according to
size, color and function.
About 18 months after we came home, I responded to Nathan’s (our second son—a “biological surprise”) screams of hunger with “Mommy-the-Cow is
coming!”
“Mommy,” said Stephen “You is not a cow!”
Overcome with the sweetness of this statement, I
gazed at him with a tender grin.
“Nope”, he continued, “You is more like a yak: a
big cow with lots of hairs!”
While I praised him for his
proficiency in zoology, I made
a mental note to get my hair
cut and styled.
From his foster parents, we
learned that Stephen loves
to sing. His appreciation for
music expanded to include a
desire to play an instrument.
“But there are no one-handed
instruments” I bemoaned at a
family gathering.
“Not true!” exclaimed
our brother, Mike, who is a
music pastor. Mike plays the
trombone and gave one to
Stephen. The instrument is
taller than he is, but our son
is mastering it, and even got
asked to play in a trio.
Stephen is 10 years old
now. We describe him as “52
pounds of fierce!”
Besides music, football is
his greatest passion. Football!
He has played several seasons
of YMCA Flag and earned the
nickname “Elvis Hips” for his
wiggly maneuvers into the
end zone. He begins more
statements with “when” than
with “if,” such as “When I
get drafted into the NFL...”
Where most see a Mowgli
look-alike (a character from
Rudyard Kipling‘s The Jungle
Book), Stephen sees a linebacker.
Has he met our expectations? Oh, thank the good
Lord, no!
Have I missed out on anything? Crafts? Stephen and I
had so much fun building a
football goal post out of PVC
pipes. His smile was wider
than the goal as we cemented
it into the back yard.
Frilly clothes? You should
see how Stephen’s face lights
up at a display of football
jerseys. Dolls? Stephen and
his buddies have built elaborate obstacle courses for
their GI Joes all over our yard.
Top: Stephen, 18 months,
in Thailand.
Middle and bottom:
Stephen with his brother,
Nathan.
Leadership. Strength. Determination. Humor.
Accuracy.
Musical talent.
Football.
I didn’t
expect any of these things, but they are just
some of the descriptive words that fit our son.
In my next article, I’ll discuss his intelligence,
tenderness, generosity, integrity, resilience,
loyalty... ■
19
from the family
Our
God-like
Capacity to
LOVE
There is no such thing as
random when it comes
to adopting a child, says
this adoptive mother.
By Erin McQuerreyWolf–
Stockton, Calif.
Top right: Ryan and
Rebecca on the porch.
Above: The Wolf
family–Erin, Rebecca,
Ryan and John.
Growing up, I assumed I would marry and have
children at some future time, should I want to. I was
shocked out of my assumption when I was 25.
My doctor told me I’d probably never be able to
have children, at least without major surgery. For
many couples, this sort of news is followed by a journey involving fertility doctors, drugs, and sometimes
thousands of dollars. The journey always involves
heartbreak, and in many cases, failure to conceive.
From this pain is born the idea of adoption.
I knew before I married that I might not be able to
have my family biologically, even though I’d had the
surgery. My husband was fine with that. For some
couples, though, it is a “deal breaker.” John and I
managed to have our daughter, Rebecca, against all
odds. But after Rebecca, I had several miscarriages,
and we decided to exercise the adoption option.
John was afraid he would never be able to love a
baby that wasn’t his own flesh and blood. For that
matter, he couldn’t imagine loving any other child as
much as our first. Most couples probably grapple
with this thought.
We tell other couples who have asked us about
this, “It is astounding, our God-like capacity to love.
I think it is one of the ways in which we are most
like Him.”
I knew our second child was out there, and the
second part of our journey began. Paperwork, fingerprints, interviews, waiting, more paperwork, INS,
Korean social services, Holt International Children’s
Services, more waiting, more interviews….
20 Nov/Dec 2005
And then it came—the phone call, and for us a
picture followed by the message, “We have a baby
for you.” There was also a question, “Do you want
this child?”
In our minds, this child had been ours for
months, although we didn’t know if he’d even been
born. Our hearts were already wrapped around
him—and that is where he had been growing, in
our hearts instead of my tummy. Halfway around
the world, the perfect baby was waiting to join our
family.
The Holt staff worker told us the selection was
random, that his folder came to the top of the pile
at the same time as ours. But all adoptive parents
know there is nothing random about it. God chooses
so carefully the perfect child for you, regardless of
where he or she grows. This is the mysterious blessing of adoption.
The story of Moses tells us that when his mother
could no longer hide him, she made for him an ark
of bulrushes and laid him in the reeds by the river’s
bank. When Pharaoh’s daughter came to wash herself in the river and saw the ark, she sent her maid
to fetch it. When she opened it, she saw the child,
and the baby wept.
The child grew and the maid took him to Pharaoh’s
daughter, and he became her son. And she called
him Moses, because she drew him out of the water.
Moses sounds like the Hebrew word for “pull out.”
What a blessing it is to reach into the river of children who need families, and pull one out. ■
from the family
Holt’s First China Tour
A group of young China
adoptees revisit the land of
their birth—and take along
parents and grandparents.
As part of our commitment to children that continues after adoption placement, Holt International
pioneered Heritage Tours in the 1970s with escorted
trips to Korea. On these tours adoptees revisited
places relevant to their cultural heritage and adoption story.
original homeland. Among the 36 travelers in this
group were 16 children, 15 who were adopted from
China and one who was an enthusiastic supporter
of his sister’s trip. This particular tour was arranged
for families with children adopted from Guangxi
province.
Since that time, Holt has also facilitated such trips
to India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and now to China.
We now offer two types of Heritage Tours—the
Family Tours, which are for adoptees and their adoptive families; and the Motherland Tours, intended for
adult adoptees and spouses of adult adoptees only.
Holt staff from both the United States and China
served as escorts throughout the tour. We began in
Beijing with sightseeing at several famous tourist sites
such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, visited
a local preschool, a private children’s cultural academy, and the historic Beijing “hutong” district, where
everyone helped make traditional Chinese dumplings
in the home of a local family. But the highlight of
the Beijing visit was a special welcome ceremony
hosted by the director and staff of the CCAA, and a
tour of their office where children are matched with
their forever families.
We were honored to host our first Family Tour to
China last June. Twelve families took part in this
historic journey to revisit their adopted children’s
Family Tours
We hope to organize at least one Family
Tour to China every year and plans are
already underway for our 2006 tour.
• Each tour will be province specific.
• Participants must be at least 8 years
old at the time of travel.
• All trips include sightseeing, special visits, and group discussions of topics relevant to the children’s adoption story.
Contact Lisle Veach, China Team, at
[email protected]
After spending a few days in Beijing, we flew to
Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous
Region. Families visited their children’s orphanages,
foster parents, and finding sites, and local residents
invited them to visit their homes. Numerous exhilarating reunions took place with orphanage caretakers
and foster families. At Mother’s Love Orphanage,
children gave the visiting adoptees special handmade
gifts. And at Nanning Social Welfare Institute, the
adoptees left their handprints and names in colorful cement tiles, an enduring impression that will be
waiting there for them to see if they return in later
years.
By Lisle Veach—
International Projects,
China Program
Above: Mareyuna Lukasak
accomplishes one of her
goals in going to China—
playing her violin atop
the Great Wall.
Left: The young tour
members pose at
Tiananmen Square.
Families also practiced Tai Chi in the park and
toured a public elementary school. Provincial government officials who oversee adoption joined the
families for a special banquet.
After leaving Nanning, we visited other historic
and scenic places such as Yangshuo, the Li River,
mountainous Guilin, Suzhou and the bustling, modern city of Shanghai.
Families told us the experience was “life-changing,” “truly amazing” and “a great joy and blessing
physically, socially and spiritually.” ■
21
from the family
China Tour
A grandmother
accompanies her
daughter and
adopted granddaughter on the
first Holt Family
Tour to China—
and gets a warm
welcome.
by Evonne Young
Show Low, Ariz.
Above: Evonne Young.
Top center: Temple of
Heaven in Beijing. Right:
Emily Young meets a
toddler at the Guilin
Orphanage, leaves her
handprints in green
concrete, and selects her
food for lunch in the
orphanage dining hall.
When Holt International announced the first China
Heritage Tour, my daughter, Sandy, was elated. She
had been planning a trip back to China ever since
we traveled there together to receive my granddaughter Emily, then known as Wang Wen Wen, as a
20-month-old toddler.
But at 8 years old, Emily had reservations about
going to China, and so did I. My reservation was due
to limited physical condition; Emily’s hesitation was
not entirely clear to us. She worried that if the plane
crashed over the ocean, Grandma couldn’t swim that
well. She confirmed there would be someone to
come get her in China if something happened to her
mom and me.
A large banner stretched across the balcony at the
Majestic Hotel in Nanning. Staff lined up at the door
and handed an embroidered friendship ball to each
person. For each adopted girl, a small, framed photo
of her waited in her room.
China adoption officials treated us royally. During
dinners, the kitchen and dining staff watched families
from doorways and behind glass doors, happy when
the girls ate traditional Chinese food with enjoyment.
Nov/Dec 2005
The welcome we received everywhere confirmed
how dear these children are to the Chinese people.
They were delighted to have the girls return and
asked if other parents in America wanted to bring
their girls back for a visit.
When we arrived in San Francisco the other girls
came running over to introduce themselves. They all
started playing “you’re it” within minutes—and the
fun began.
The first stay at the Majestic was still fresh in
everyone’s mind, and the return with beautiful, selfconfident daughters felt rewarding. In the evening,
families met in the corridor at the elevators for pizza
and told stories of the first time they met there to
prepare adoption papers.
22
Most people in China stopped to observe the girls
interact with their families. We heard comments of
how tall, healthy and happy they were.
Meeting the foster family was a high priority to all
of us. We carried a few photos of Emily with her
“Nai Nai” and the young son she played with for the
15 months she was in their home. When we arrived
at the Guilin Orphanage, Sandy recognized the foster
family sitting at an outside table.
from the family
Emily looks at photos of
her taken in China as a
foster child, with members of her foster family. Also shown are her
mother, Sandy, and her
foster mother, who she
knew affectionately as
”Nai Nai,“ which means
”grandma.“ At bottom,
the Deputy Director of
the Guilin Social Welfare
Institute holds out the
photographs for Emily,
her mother and foster
mother.
They
had
brought all the
photos we sent
and
some
of
Emily learning to
walk.
Her Nai
Nai couldn’t stop
hugging,
holding, laughing and
touching Emily.
After we left the orphanage, we drove to the foster
family’s home to offer them a gift of money, in addition to the scrapbook we had given them earlier. The
grandpa had been showing the scrapbook to neighbors and was just coming from the home of one. He
invited us to their home for a visit. Neighbors came
out as we walked with him. Some called out “Wen
Wen,” Emily’s Chinese name. The neighbors said she
looked the same; they touched her, admired her long
hair and told more stories of when she was a baby.
The grandpa, daughter-in-law and two grandsons
were also there. They gave Emily photos, a beautiful pink dress, money in a red envelope, apples and
boiled eggs dyed red.
This encounter was worth more than words can
express. That night Emily lay in bed and talked
about her foster family with a reality she hadn’t
known before. She named all her grandparents and
included her Nai Nai and Ye Ye Yang.
When their oldest son came home for a visit, they
told us, Emily stood in the doorway, arms and legs
extended, and said, “You can’t come in, this is my
grandma’s house.” We were happy to confirm our
suspicions that we weren’t the only ones who had
spoiled this child.
Next we visited toddlers in the Guilin Orphanage.
One girl wrapped her arms around Emily, quickly
winning her heart. Emily thought the baby wanted
her for a big sister. We assured her all the babies
would get a family, and she seemed to understand.
All the photos and stories we’ve told to give her
some roots in China could never have affected her
life as this trip to her native country has done. Now
Emily will have her own understanding and know
she was and is well loved in China.
The staffs of Holt International and the China Tour
Service made traveling worry free. Most of us didn’t
use the itinerary but followed their directions to 14
fun-filled days. Thank you, Holt, for the follow-up
care you are giving these children from China. ■
23
family tree
, China—Dumont, N.J.
Zoe, 9, and Thea Bliss, 5½
Mei Mei, 3, Nikki, 6, and Alan Fox, 3, all from China—Chippewa Falls, Wisc.
Sam, 7, and Emma Reposa, 2, Korea—Eugene, Ore.
Kaitlyn, 5, and Kristin Renfer, 7, China—Ferndale,
Calif.
24 Nov/Dec 2005
Luke, 4, and Lila Mortensen, 2, Korea—Quakertown, N.J.
Ankita Shetler, 3, India—Bolivar, Ohio.
family tree
Send your photos to
Family Tree!
Mail original color prints to:
Holt International magazine
Family Tree
P.O. Box 2880
Eugene, OR 97402
[email protected]
Please send glossy photographic
prints or e-mail high resolution
digital images. We cannot use
studio photos or prints from
digital files.
Aliya Salter, 18 months, China—Redding, Calif.
Malachi, 4, Mongolia; and Simeon Fyksen, 3, China—Spencer, Wisc.
Anthony, 10, and Auston Balletto, 9, Korea—Brick, N.J.
Adrianne Raphalian, Korea, with husband Brian and
son Bennett, 7 months—Fair Haven, N.J.
Matthew, 2, and Thomas Notaro, 4, Korea—Eatontown, N.J.
his new bride, Jiseon, at
Adam Zeihan, Korea, with
—Hollywood, Md.
their traditional wedding
Adam Gubbels, 4, Korea—Council Bluffs, Iowa.
25
adopting
Family
Ambassadors
So many children still need
families. Who better to spread
the word about the challenges
and fulfillment of international
adoption than the parents of
adopted children?
by Susie Doig, MSW
Intake Social Worker
and Mongolia Program
Manager
Tammy and Rick Garlitz
with daughters Jenna, 16
months, and Myla, 5.
Families who adopt internationally soon become experienced
at answering questions from
friends, relatives and curious
strangers about how their child
joined their family. Some questions come from people who
have considered international
adoption but have not yet taken
the leap of faith required to start
the process.
Although much information on
international adoption is available via the Internet, in libraries
and at bookstores, reading about
adoption does not compare to the energizing experience of speaking with someone who has successfully
completed the process.
At a recent meeting for families exploring the idea
of international adoption, one couple shared about
adopting twice from China. Rick and Tammy Garlitz
told what it was like to complete the process, from
compiling paperwork to waiting to hear about a child
match. While they spoke, daughters Myla and Jenna
sat by their side coloring pictures and snacking on
crackers.
Rick described the elation they felt each time a
Federal Express envelope arrived with their daughter’s photo. He compared the moment to childbirth.
The couple characterized their trip to China as life
changing and told a story about being approached in
a park by local Chinese who were curious about their
group of Westerners with Chinese babies.
Rick and Tammy were open about the joys and
challenges of bonding, and how it was different for
each of them with each of their children. While Rick
and Tammy shared their story, they held their girls,
helped them with their snacks, and kept a steady
supply of paper, crayons, and toys within reach.
26 Nov/Dec 2005
When the opportunity came
to ask questions, the prospective adoptive parents queried
the family about issues they
might have felt uncomfortable
asking Holt staff. Seeing Rick
and Tammy interact with Myla
and Jenna made international
adoption real for those attending the meeting in a way that
neither I nor the other social
worker present could.
During the course of the question and answer period, Rick
spoke of his initial resistance to
the idea of international adoption and then described
the moment when everything changed for him.
One day when walking through the airport, he
saw a Caucasian man walking by with his two Asian
daughters. The “rightness” of the situation struck
him, he said, making him realize that he, too, could
love a child not born to him. Seeing another adoptive parent in the act of parenting gave him the
conviction and determination to begin the process
with Tammy.
The Garlitz family is a perfect example of why
adoptive families are the most effective spokespersons for international adoption. The love and
belonging observable between parents and their
adopted children is often what inspires and motivates
others to consider adoption themselves.
Many Holt adoptive parents have embraced the
role of ambassadors for international adoption and
shared their story with others. Because of their willingness to talk about their experience, other families
have stepped forward to become parents to homeless
children around the world. On behalf of all those
children now united with families, thank you. ■
adopting
Fr
Spread the Joy
of Adoption
From
Your
��
Y ��
� our
��
...
Maybe you know someone at your church or place
of worship who is interested in adopting a child
internationally... or a friend has been asking about
your experience with Holt. We’ve developed tools
that can help you explain the process of adoption.
��
��
From Your
Heart
To Your Ho
me
• Our kit includes a booklet with step-by-step
guidelines to help you set up a meeting in your
home, church or other location.
From Your
Heart
To Your Ho
me
Children ov
erseas are
waiting to
belong and
be loved in
families of
their own.
Perhaps
God is lead
ing you to
consider m
aking one
of them you
r own
daughter o
r son.
Children ov
erseas are
waiting to
belong and
be loved in
families of
their own.
Perhaps
God is lead
ing you to
consider m
aking one
of them you
r own
daughter o
r son.
Holt Intern
ational, a
Christian ba
sed agency
with 50 yea
rs of experi
ence, has
placed thou
sands of ch
ildren with
adoptive fa
milies in th
e United
States.
• It also includes flyers you can personalize with
your name and contact information, and a poster
to announce a meeting time.
Holt Intern
ational, a
Christian ba
sed agency
with 50 yea
rs of experi
ence, has
placed thou
sands of ch
ildren with
adoptive fa
milies in th
e United
States.
For informa
tion on inte
rnational
adoption…
What Do You Get?
For informa
tion on inte
rnational
adoption…
Faith is th
e substanc
e of things
the convict
hoped for,
ion of thin
gs not yet
seen.
~Hebrews
11:1
• A display holding brochures can be hung on a
bulletin board.
��
��
Faith is th
e substanc
e of things
the convict
hoped for,
ion of thin
gs not yet
seen.
~Hebrews
11:1
��
��
• Brochures offer general information about Holt,
fees, and time frames for the adoption process,
and can be used with or without our display.
To Receive a Kit
For more information or to request a kit,
please contact:
Todd Kwapisz
Family Recruitment Coordinator
(503) 244-2440 Ext. 102
[email protected]
adoptees today
Commitment
A Korean adoptee with three adopted siblings praises and
thanks her parents for their selfless dedication—a praise that
she extends to all adoptive parents.
By Victoria
Warden-Bisbikis
Chicago, Ill.
This article is about my parents,
Marian and Charles Warden of Omaha,
Nebraska. They decided more than 30
years ago to adopt children from Korea
after seeing a story on TV about the lives
of Harry and Bertha Holt.
They adopted four children, none of
us of natural relation, but all of us desperately needing a loving family and a
caring environment.
Top: Victoria hugs her
dog, Wrigley.
Center: Victoria and her
husband, Steve Bisbikis,
on their wedding day.
28 Nov/Dec 2005
my circumstances will never get to
experience.
We were not spoiled, however. We
were taught how to work and achieve
what we wanted, and the vast difference between needing and wanting,
something that I, a baby abandoned
on the streets of Korea at 1 week old,
should truly understand.
I was the second adoptee and was 4
months old when I made the trip from
Seoul, Korea, to Omaha. I was sick
often as an infant, and once while I was
hospitalized with severe pneumonia, the
physician on my case told them, “You
should send her back.” Instead, my parents found a different physician and the best medical
care they could offer me.
I learned from watching my parents
why I should volunteer my time and
God-given gifts to make a difference in
someone else’s life, for no other reason
than because I can. My parents have
never asked for anything from me or
any of my siblings, other than for us
to use their endless examples of how
to give back to this world, the way they gave themselves to us.
Thirty-two years later I live in Chicago and earn
a decent living. I married in October 2004. My
parents devoted their lives to us, their children. My
childhood memories are nothing but happy. I can
visualize Holt picnics, softball games, soccer practice,
swimming lessons, art lessons, horse camp, and so
many other things that most children born under
They loved us unconditionally through our difficult teenage years and other trying times, and I
am certain it has never been easy. Nothing can
fully prepare someone for how adopting children
truly changes your life. Yet up to this very day, my
parents have never wavered in their commitment to
their children.
adoptees today
Far left: Victoria with her
father, Charles Warden.
Left: Victoria and her
brother Doug with their
mother, Marian Warden.
There is no way to ever thank them enough for
what they have done other than for me to follow in
their footsteps and learn from their success.
I want them to know how much I love and appreciate them. Every day when I look around at the life I
have—a wonderful husband, a successful career, and
more basic needs such as food and shelter, a positive
self-esteem, confidence in my abilities—I thank God
for the existence of people like them in this world.
What makes my parents different from every one
else? A lot of things, but yet they are not so much
unlike those of you reading this article. All families
who decide to adopt children are participating in the
most selfless act of kindness that human beings can
choose. Offering the love, time, resources and effort
to give an orphaned child a chance at a happy life is
an immeasurable act of love.
This article is for my parents, yes, but it is also for
all the other adoptive parents out there, you who
have made the same choice—to give a lifetime commitment to someone, someone like me.
Thank you. ■
Suffering in Silence
Excerpts from the memoir of Mark Owen, who writes about his struggles
for self-acceptance as a Korean adoptee in a Caucasian world.
Mark Owen
Abandoned by his biological family on the
police office steps in Tae Gu when he was 2 years
old, Mark Owen (then Lee, Yong-yul) was adopted
through Holt by a family in Washington State. In
his new memoir, Suffering in Silence, Owen writes:
“I should have felt an overwhelming sense of peace
and gratitude for being rescued from a world that
abandoned me. Instead, I felt lonely, lost and confused. My adoption was a continual reminder to
me that I did not belong. I would sit in my room for
hours dreaming of just fitting in and being normal.
What is normal? Is it the color of your skin? The
shape of your eyes? The bridge of your nose? The
sounds accenting the language in which we speak?
“I took on American characteristics trying to develop friendships
throughout life with mostly Americans. Why? Because I lived
under the warped reality that the entire Korean culture abandoned me because I was not good enough. Rather than being
rejected again, I worked hard to distance myself from other Asians
throughout most of my life so that I could be part of my new culture and claim ownership in my new family. The comfort I had
by living the facade that I was exactly the same as my new family
would work until I looked in a mirror and saw a picture of myself.
I hated pictures of me.”
A high achiever as a child and young man, Owen tells about
years of substance abuse and white collar crime. Still in recovery,
he writes: “In the hours that I felt the most alone and rejected
by everyone in the recovery process, I was forced to do the only
thing that I had left. I cried for help from the same God that I felt
abandoned me as a small child. Streams of endless tears would
flow down my face as I fell to my hands and knees, curled up in a
ball on the floor, begging God to give me strength and take away
my pain.
“There were days I no longer wanted to continue, the emotional
pain was too overbearing. But I persevered. I talked to God. I
talked to my psychologist. I talked to my counselor. I talked to my
housemates. I talked with my sponsor. I talked with my family. I
continued with my 12-step recovery program. I trudged forward
believing in a greater cause, a greater good.
“It’s only now in the recovery process that I can look back and
see the significance of each situation, each person and each event
that was so masterfully placed in my life to bring me back to experience the feelings of gratitude, caring, friendship, respect, honor
trust and love for the first time without the scathed blinders I was
wearing.
“I pray for those of you that I resented for so long for being the
mirror of myself that reflected the hate-filled person I was forced to
live. I pray that you find the healing from your trauma that only
God can provide. The safety and comfort of protective hands that
is waiting to return you like me back to your age of innocence.”
–by Mark Owen, Yakima, Wash.; www.markleeowen.com
calendar
Arkansas
neighborhoodCALENDAR
Dec. 10, 2005—place TBA
Open House for all Holt families,
preceded by an initial meeting for
prospective adoptive parents. 2–5
p.m. Contact to RSVP by Dec. 3:
Lynn Sims (501) 568-2827
California
Jan. 29, 2006—St. Mary’s Cathedral,
San Francisco Silk Bag Luncheon
to benefit homeless children in
Thailand. Contact: Monica Wilton
at (800) 451-0732 or monicaw@
holtinternational.org
Aug. 6–10, 2006—Dobbins
Holt Camp for adoptees 9 to
16 years old. Contact: Steve
Kalb at (541) 687-2202 or
[email protected]
Nebraska
Feb. 25, 2006—Omaha
Benefit
Auction for children in India. To
donate or volunteer contact Tracy
Frerichs at (402) 614-6002 or
[email protected].
July 30–Aug. 3, 2006—Ashland
Kalb at (541) 687-2202 or
[email protected]
5th Nativeland Visit Program
July 2006
Thai Department of Social Welfare (DSDW)
If interested, contact DSDW right away
to see if slots are still available.
New Jersey
Nov. 1, 2005 through mid-Feb.
2006—Garden State Discovery
Museum, Cherry Hill
Song of
Korea Traveling Exhibit. For more
information (856) 424-1233 or
www.discoverymuseum.com.
April 1, 2006—place TBA
New Jersey Annual Dinner. Save
the Date. Details to follow.
Oregon
July 16–22, 2006—Eugene
Staff Training for Holt camp
counselors. Contact: Steve
Kalb at (541) 687-2202 or
[email protected]
July 23–27, 2006—Corbett
Child Adoption Center
Bureau of Anti-Trafficking in Women
and Children
255 Rajvithi Road
Bangkok 10400
Fax: (662) 354-7511 and (662) 354-7509
[email protected]
Kalb at (541) 687-2202 or
[email protected]
Pennsylvania
Aug. 13–17, 2006—Starlight
Kalb at (541) 687-2202 or
[email protected]
��
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30 Nov/Dec 2005
Holt history
Ilsan: A Haven of Hope
Through the years Holt’s Ilsan Center in Korea
has provided a sanctuary for children. Originally
designed to be a temporary home for hundreds of
children soon to be bound for adoptive families
in other countries, the purpose of Ilsan began to
change almost as soon as Harry Holt completed
the original construction in the early 1960s.
T
row. The bodies of both Harry and Bertha Holt
were brought to the Wanda Chapel on the way
to their final resting places above the children’s
residences.
By John Aeby,
Director of
Communications
Over the years hundreds, perhaps thousands,
of children have played and laughed, struggled
At that time the Ilsan Center was a significant
drive over dirt roads into the country from Seoul.
Built on a hill, Ilsan floated like an island in a sea
of rice paddies and strawberry fields.
Today, the burgeoning population of Seoul has
engulfed the facility. Now the Ilsan Center is a
sheltered enclave hidden among high-rise apartments and busy city thoroughfares.
Much like the changing landscape it occupies,
the Ilsan Center adapted to the changing needs of
its residents. As adoptable children moved into
foster care, Ilsan transitioned into a renowned
facility for those with severe disabilities.
Besides the hill itself, the most prominent feature of the Ilsan Center was its Wanda Chapel,
named for the Holts’ eldest daughter who died
accidentally in her twenties. Over the years the
chapel was also a school and eventually rebuilt
as a memorial hall and guest facility. In this chapel children lifted their voices in prayer and sor-
and hoped on slopes of Ilsan. Most have left to
join adoptive families around the world. But the
echoes of children’s lives hover strong around this
place because at Ilsan, children were and continue
to be loved. ■
Top: Children on their way
home at Ilsan in the early
1960s. Center: Bertha
Holt visits the children of
Ilsan, 1967.
Holt calendar
The 2006
commemorates our 50th anniversary.
A great way to celebrate the pioneering of
international adoption and help children who still
need families.
• Special large size—13 by 20 inches.
• Featuring photos from Holt families, and highlights from Holt’s history.
• To get your calendar, use the order form below,
call (503) 687-2202 or order online at
www.holtinternational.org/store.
Please send me
calendars at $10 each.
(Price includes shipping)
Total Enclosed:
r Check enclosed
Please charge my:
r VISA r MC r AMEX (check one)
Name as it appears on card (please print)
Card #
Exp. Date
Billing Address (street)
Billing Address (city, state, zip)
Signature
Post Office Box 2880 • Eugene OR 97402
Change Service Requested
Daytime Phone
NONPROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE
PAID
EUGENE OR
PERMIT NO. 291
Nov/Dec 2005 Vol. 47 No. 5
For the
Love of
Korean
Children
Holt-Korea
Celebrates
50 Years

from the family - Holt International

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