Good News for the Holidays!

We have more happy news to report--Scotty and Quinn have families pursuing them!!!! We are thrilled to report that we have found families for 80% of the Hope Journey children so far. That only leaves a few more left to work our little hearts out in order to find their families. We don't want to leave Jillian, George, Gregory, Nate, Lin and John without families of their own. Let's spread the word and make their dreams come true as well.
Happy Holidays to all!
Marci

A special holiday video

We have a special holiday video of the children at Guangzhou Social Welfare institute that has apparently been made public on other sites, so I thought I would share it here in the hopes that it will inspire others to purse a child: http://innews.dayoo.com/node_32742/2007-12/04/content_3167680.htm

Enjoy! Please feel free to contact me if you would like to consider any of the children in the video who are in our Hope Journey Program.
Marci
marcisk@asiadopt.org

Children

Our time is running out to try to place these special children. Many of you may have noticed that we received a new list of 10 additional waiting children that are designated for ASIA. This list includes 12 year old twin boys that I just have to mention here. Boys are always harder to place, but twin boys that are close to aging out will be even more difficult. They sound so sweet--one wants to be a police officer and one a doctor because of the positive expeirences they have had with those helping professionals. New lists always bring new attention, and I hope this one will continue to bring attention to those waiting children whom we have not found families for yet.

Children still waiting in the HOpe Journey Program include Jillian, George, Gregory, Scotty, Quinn, Penelope, John, Lin and Nate. It's a possibility that Sherry may have found a home with another agency:-) Meanwhile these little faces continue to stare back at me from the screen.....if their families are out there, please come forward soon!

Sincerely,

Marci

Holidays

The holidays bring to many a feeling of gratitude. I certainly felt that as I sat at the Thanksgiving table this holiday. It's hard not to want to take all of these waiting children home, yet I know that would not be best for them. What I did feel thankful for is all of the incredible families we have found so far who truly do want to bring these children into their homes and families. These families are willing to work their tails off to to bring these children home as quickly as possible. They are engaged in the education process, as they know having that knowledge will make the difference for their family and their new child when he or she comes home. I am so impressed with each interaction I have with these families. They come from far and wide and yet each have a true heart for these children. We have found families like this for 20 of the children and I have sent out the files of at least 5 other children. I can't help but keep my fingers crossed that these are matches meant to be....if there are more families out there hesitating to take this step, please feel free to contact me about your hesitation. Adoption is an incredible leap of faith and I'm always truly amazed and inspired by all of those I meet on this journey.
--Marci

Skyler

Sensitive Skyler will have a family! We definitely need the stars to align so everything can be completed before he turns 14, but we've done it before and plan to do it again with the help of our government and China! Please keep good thoughts for everything to work out! Congratulations to Skyler and his new family:-)

ASIA has now found families for 70% of the Hope Journey children! We still have 30% left to make their dreams come true, so keep spreading the word! While we all have much to be thankful for this holiday season, a piece of my heart will be thinking of the children still left without families.

Marci

Gentle John

John's superman shirt tells his story. He is a lost boy who is in a different world and needs a family to adopt him to teach him the ways of the world. John is a sweet, kind, gentle and resilient child. He remembers his abandonment, which is a story that can only be shared with a family wanting to consider this gentle boy to be a part of their family. As much sadness as his abandonment brought to him at an older age, John is very sweet and caring with others, even younger children. He believes all things have life, even plants, and shouldn't be hurt. You can see by the genuine smile on his face and his bright and cheery artwork how optimistic he is in life. John would make a loving addition to the right family. Won't someone consider him? No one is currently looking at his file. Please contact me if you would like to consider him: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Dreams

Have you ever had a dream? A dream of something that felt so strong inside you that it hurt when you saw others accomplishing it? The children in the Hope Journey program each have a dream of having a family of their very own. Parents that will come to their high school and college graduations. Grandparents for their children. A support network that will always be there for them, no matter what. They see other children getting adopted into families and feel that pain and wonder...where is my family? Well, it's ASIA's job to find that family for each and every one of them. We have to find where their red thread ends. We have to find the families that will help them soar to new heights. We have been able to match 18 of the 30 children so far. We have 12 more who are still waiting. Could you be a parent to one of those children? Could their dream of having a family be shared by your dream of having a child? Were you meant to see this site and find your child? Find out...contact me for more information on the children, or view them on the ASIA website: http://www.asiadopt.org/waiting-children/current-waiting-children

marcisk@asiadopt.org

Urgent Matters!!!

When children in the orphanage system turn 14 in China, they are no longer eligible for adoption. This can leave them in pretty diar straights regarding their futures. We have several children in our Hope Journey program that are in danger of this happening to them. Sweet Sherry turns 14 in August. Sensitive Skyler turns 14 in June! Gregarious George turns 14 in August as well. These children deserve to have families to call their own, to love, to always be there for them, and to give them the opportunities they won't have if they age out of the system in China. Please help us find the families for these children that I know must be out there somewhere. Someone must be willing to fight to bring these kids home before they turn 14! There must be families out there who feel these children would bring them happiness. Please feel free to pass on this information and anyone interested is welcome to contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Puppy Dog Eyes

Look at those puppy dog eyes! Can you believe that no one is considering him? Find out who else is available by visiting ASIA's website: http://www.asiadopt.org/

Happy News!

I have more incredibly happy news to report! Families have come forward for many more of the Hope Journey children! Clarke, Hannah, Shirley, Julia, Wendy and Misty will all have families! Congratulations to those families! If only we could see their faces light up with this news...their dreams of having a family will be realized! Thank you to everyone who has helped to advocate for these children! Your work is immeasurable. Thank you also to the families coming forward to take a chance on these children.
--Marci

Need I Say More?

These are the faces we're trying not to disappoint:

These are the faces of the children that keep us motivated to try to find them families. They each want a family of their own and we're trying not to disappoint.

Do you see a child that could be yours in one of these pictures? Let me know and we will try with all of our hearts to help you connect your red thread!

-Marci

marcisk@asiadopt.org

Could You Love One of These Children?

Could you love one of these children or do you know someone who could? These children are all running out of time because they are 13 years old. They will no longer be eligible for adoption once they turn 14. These children deserve loving families who will believe in them and help them blossom. Please contact ASIA right away if you could be one of those families. Help us fulfill their dreams!

-Marci

Waiting Child Advocates

ASIA has completed our powerpoint presentation on waiting children for all of those families who would like to help advocate. You can present it to any community you're a member of, or anyone you know who may be interested. If you would like to be one of those families, please send Marci an email with your mailing address, and we will send you out a packet: marcisk@asiadopt.org
Thanks for helping to find the waiting children of China their families!
Marci

A Day For Good News!!!!

This is always my favorite kind of post to submit:-) We have found families for more children! We have now found families for 11 of the children. New to the list of children that will have happy families are Felice, Ruth, Archie and Beatrice! It is likely we will have a few more to report soon as well. Congratulations to all of the families who have found their new additions! The following children will have families:

Timothy
Beatrice
Archie
Ruth
Felice
Spring
Lily
Kacey
Frances
Lucky
Jane

Our goal is of course to place 100% of the children, so let's keep that good energy going and continue to work to find families for the rest of these deserving children! When I think about these children wanting families so badly and waiting, hopeful, to hear that they will have a family, it makes my heart ache. We have found families for this many children...I'm sure we can find the rest, too:-) Thank you for all of your work and contributions toward changing the lives of these 30 children.

ASIA is currently working hard to put together a presentation for families interested in advocating for these children to use in their communities. Hopefully we will be able to make it available to anyone interested upon its completion.

We Need YOU!!!

We Need all of You! No one has come forward to adopt Skyler or Julia yet. Both of these precious children are in danger of aging out of the opportunity to have a family. Please use all of your resources to get the word out about these two kiddos. Surely they would make some family out there very happy. Please see their pictures and bios below. They have so much potential...let's help them reach for the stars!

--Marci

The Power of Many

We have received such a wealth of volunteers who have heard about our special needs children in need and helped to spread the word about them far and wide. We dub you ASIA's Ambassadors and we thank you for your efforts! There is no doubt that with our combined efforts, we will be able to find these children the families they so deserve. So often we hear from families who would be glad to adopt one of the children if it weren't for the obstacle of coming up with so many fees in such a short time. While ASIA always does what we can to help, our funds are limited and this is where we can also use your help. If your heart is with these children, yet you can't help by adoption, please feel free to donate to our Special Needs Adoption Fund. With the ability to help more families, we will be able to bring more children home. There are many ways you can be an Ambassador for these children!
-Marci

Urgent Need--Skyler!

Check out Skyler's winning smile! He has a positive outlook on life, is talented, polite and helpful. He lives in a foster home and helps his younger brother with homework. He is good at school, receiving good marks and is adored by everyone. He is active, outgoing and a good role model. Doesn't this child sound like he would make a wonderful family member? Skyler must be adopted before June when he turns 14 or he will lose the opportunity all together. Please help Skyler find his family quickly!

Julia--Urgent Need!

Julia is intelligent, cute, polite and enthusiastic. She was born in 1996, so will age out of the system if she doesn't find a family to work quickly for her! We've heard from so many of you who wish to help advocate for these children. Together we can change their lives--you are the ASIA Ambassadors for waiting children. Thank you!

Urgent Need--George!!!

George desperately wants a family and since he is 13 he desperately needs one who will work quickly for him. He is a sweet boy who has seen his friends get adopted and he enjoys practicing his English. As you can see from his picture, he has quite a lovely idea of what a home and family might be like. Let's help him find a family of his own.

Urgent Need---Clarke!

We need all of your help to find Clarke a family. CCAA is concerned because he is already 13 years old. If a family does not complete the adoption in Guangdong Province before he reaches 14 years old, he will lose the opportunity to be adopted. Clarke is a boy who can be seen having a good time in all of the photos taken of him.

As stated in an earlier post, he enjoys doing body building poses, although he is quite skinny:-) He has a genuine smile, a friendly personality and is optimistic, outgoing and polite. He is well behaved at school and gets along well with others. Doesn't this sound like a boy who would make parents proud? Please take Clarke's story to everyone you know....present him at your place of worship, community gatherings or events. Send an email out to those you know with a link to this blog, post Clarke's story on your facebook page, etc.... Let's all work together to find that family that is meant to be Clarke's! He believes there is a family out there for him, and so do I! With your help, we can find that family that is connected through the red thread. Please give my email to anyone interested: marcisk@asiadopt.org

-Marci

Why Adopt an Older child?

In China when a child turns 14 they are no longer eligible for adoption. There are so many “stories” about what happens to these children when they age out but one thing we all know for sure is that life without a family can be very difficult even for an adult. When you adopt an older child there will be no diapers, no daycare, no stroller and no crib. Older children will be able to dress themselves, bath themselves, feed themselves, and they probably will be able to tell you what they like and what they don’t like - even if they don’t speak English yet. Some of these children may have suffered from abuse or neglect, some may have had loving care givers and others may have come from foster homes. None of them would be available for adoption if they didn’t need a family. Most older children understand this and desperately want a family. They know that the orphanage will not allow them to stay past a certain age or that their foster families can no longer care for them. This is why they will understand and appreciate what you have done for them when you adopt them. Most older children will be grateful for the opportunity to have a family and a permanent home. Many will be grateful just for the opportunity to go to school. If adopted, children with medical needs will receive life altering medical attention and support that they would not have had access to in China.

Our family has adopted five children from China. Our first daughter was adopted through the NSN program when she was 3 years old. That was “old” according to the other families in our group. Our second daughter also adopted through the NSN program was 6 years old and again according to the other families in our group that was really old. Our third adoption was a huge leap of faith, a 13 year old waiting child. We saw her referral information in early January and we had to complete the entire adoption process in less than four months when she would turn 14 years old. Quite honestly I was so focused on the process/paper chase that I could not stress over every little thing that would happen when she came home. We did talk to the school, we did line up people who could translate for us and we purchased tools to help her learn English (Rosetta stone, dictionary, etc.). While we waited we sent our daughter letters, pictures and care packages to introduce our family to her. She even wrote us a very nice letter! This child has truly exceeded our expectations! She is an extraordinary person, kind, generous, intelligent, mature and optimistic. Today after 3.5 years she is a 17 year old junior in high school and doing very well with hopes of attending college when she graduates. Because her adoption was such a rewarding experience for our family, and we learned so much about the process of bringing an older child into our family, we went on to adopt 2 more older children (2 eleven year old daughters) and we have no regrets.

We are in no way implying that adopting older children is easy, it does require patience and perseverance. Every child is different and each child will handle their transition to your family and their new life differently. Some children will be well prepared and others will not be prepared at all. Overcoming the language/communication hurdle will be your first challenge. However this will improve quickly because your child will learn a little English everyday and your family will learn to communicate more with less language everyday. One of the questions we hear most often is what about school? All our girls go to public school and they all entered school right away, within weeks of arriving home from China. Most older children want to go to school as soon as possible. School gives their lives structure, it gives you and your child a break from each other, and it helps to develop their English language skills. Socializing with other children is a great incentive to learn English.

In the beginning the feeling will be awkward because essentially you are inviting a complete stranger into your family and your child is trying to be a part of a family they don’t know or understand. However, as you get to know your child and your child gets to know their new family the awkwardness will disappear and finally a day will come when you no longer remember your family without this child. As our family encourages others to adopt older children we know and understand what it feels like. We know that it is scary proposition and that it feels like you are taking a huge risk, but we also know that we have received so much for taking those risks that others weren’t willing to take. Some people without the experience of adopting older children may try to discourage you but I recommend that you do your research. Read books, read current articles, join yahoo groups, and visit family blogs. Most parents that have adopted older children are very willing to share their experience with you to help other older children find families. If you are considering adopting an older do your research, go into it with your eyes wide open and you will not be disappointed.


A Few Simple Words of Wisdom

Good – Watching older children experience “firsts” like holidays, family vacations, the beach, birthday celebrations, new clothes, new shoes, and making their own choices.

Biggest Adjustments – Food is probably the most difficult adjustment but they will slowly get used to American food. In the beginning they can eat Chinese take out and Ramen noodles. Learning English and learning American culture can take time, in the mean time watch out for conflicts or hurt feelings that develop from misunderstandings. Riding in a car can cause motion sickness for someone who might never or rarely have ridden in a car. The motion sickness will disappear as the child becomes accustomed to riding in a car.

Hardest Adjustments - Learning their place in the family and working out differences and conflicts with other family members. Again watch out for conflicts and hurt feelings caused by misunderstandings. Many times we find out that there really is no conflict just a misunderstanding. In other words everyone is in agreement, they just don’t know it. Learning age appropriate social protocol can be challenging too. Between the cultural differences and the child’s experience in China they may need a little extra coaching from you.

Adopting out of Birth Order – Often when a family adopts an older child it will be an out of birth order adoption. We have done it and it does present some unique challenges but in our opinion it is manageable. For example sometimes the older child may be jealous of the younger child because they were in the family first or the younger child may believe they can tell the older child what to do. Most 13 year olds will not appreciate a 6 year old ordering them around, but again with some coaching conflicts can be worked out.

See Ruth Beyond the Scar

Ruth has a winning smile that transcends her facial scar. Beyond that, she won my heart because she was simply a lovely young lady of 11. I’m drawn to people who appear very gentle, polite and dignified. She seemed to possess all those attributes and more. I also liked how attentively she drew – she knows how to focus and at the same time was more than happy to dance around in her hula skirt. She deserves her chance to shine – she just needs a family to help her achieve all that she is capable of doing. - Sandra

Some wear their scars on the inside, others on the outside. There must be someone who can help Ruth see how beautiful she is, both inside and out? Some might not even notice her scar. No one is looking at Ruth's file right now....is there anyone who will consider her?

Wendy, A Girl with Attitude

Wendy is a bright girl with attitude. Her pictures show a confident girl, not afraid to pose for the camera at any opportunity. She has short hair, and her nannies say she refuses to have long hair. At the age of 5 she went to a foster family and learned to write Chinese characters and do addition and subtraction. She is a persistent little girl. Her pictures show a popular little girl, surrounded by many friends. She was even comfortable posting close with Sandra for a picture.

Scotty and Quinn

Scotty and Quinn are very good friends. They hold each other’s hands and play together. You can spot them giggling and whispering. They even look alike. If you are thinking about adopting two at the same time, let us know.

Sherry and Lin, Sweet Friends

Sherry and Lin are like sister and brother. Lin is a deaf child. Sherry understands him and helps translate simple sign language to Lin. When Lin was waiting to be interviewed, Sherry walked in, put the lei on Lin and pulled him close to her. She is like an older sister taking care of her younger brother.

They Are Waiting For You

Every day Fei, Sandra and I talk about these children and wonder how we can present these kids so that you can see what we see in them? How can we show you what they have shown us to open our hearts to them and work so hard to find them families? Well, as you can see, we haven't figured that out yet, but we keep trying! It breaks our hearts daily that there are so many children who are not being considered for adoption. How can we give these kids the chance at families of their own, if we can't adequately present who they really are? How can we do this without pictures? Well, I ask you this....wouldn't you want this kind of fun and spirit in your home and family? Families that we know that we never would have thought would have considered an older child are coming forward and doing so--this is great! But where are the families who will consider the boys? Where are the families that will consider the kids who may age out of the chance at adoption? Where are the families who have adopted older children successfully and want to share their stories? These kids are waiting for you.....

JANE....This precious child must have a family!

I know that I've mentioned Jane before as well, but I continue to be quite shocked that no one is reviewing her file. This girl caught my attention right away as I looked through pictures of the event. She is a clever girl--she put her Hawaiian lei on her head, wearing it as a crown. She put the markers on her fingertips and posed for a picture, like a girl with an olive on each finger:-) She is successful at sports in school, especially short distance running and has neat handwriting, according to her teachers. She likes to help take care of younger children, as well as children with disabilities. Is there a family out there who would make Jane their own and give her some siblings? Please contact me right away! Jane is almost 12 years old and would be a wonderful addition to the right family.

-Marci: marcisk@asiadopt.org

You Can Help, Too!

A few of our clients are reaching out to their communities about these children. Several families have taken the opportunity to spread the word about these kiddos by talking to their Church members about this unique program and the kids awaiting their families. If you're following this blog, or even just dropping in for a peek, you, too can reach out and help spread the word about these children. We have so many children waiting to find their families--we need all of your help to reach far and wide to find the family who is right for each child. If you believe in the red thread, please help us find those connections. This weekend, talk to 10 people or more about these children. Or, pick one child that you especially feel a connection to, and make it your mission to find a family for that child. If you need tips on how to do this, feel free to contact me. You can help change lives and help fulfill dreams!
-Marci

NATE

Nate is a five-year-old boy who loves to sing and enjoys performing. He has good tempo. He was given a cute nickname and is delighted to give hugs when asked. He is a little shy but has a big heart and is well liked by his teachers and classmates. He helps the children with disabilities to put on their coats and shoes. His limp does not stop him from doing anything. He participates in a Half The Sky educational program and is doing well.

Didn’t he draw a lovely picture of a colorful fish? Nate could be seen during the Hope Journey program with his buddy, Scotty, as well as cuddling with Sandra in a picture or two. Please help us find Nate's forever family!

Michael

Michael is a nine-year-old boy with hand and feet deformities. He is the epitome of a young man who is both totally cool and sweet in the same moment. He is from the Shenzhen orphange in Guangdong Province and appears to be a well adjusted boy. He has been living in an extended family-like foster family situation that seems to have encouraged a healthy sense of self without any attitude. I was taken with his ability to be comfortable showing off his moon walk and robot moves for his talent presentation. Clearly he was having fun, seemed unself-conscious and in total command of his body. While his deformities are visible, they didn't detract from his ability to fully engage in all of the activities of the day. Nor did it detract from his winsome personality.

-Sandra

Check out the smiley faces on his apple trees in the picture he drew:-) Could Michael be the child you've been waiting for to complete your family? Contact Marci for more pictures and details: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Michael

View ASIA's Waiting Children Here:

ASIA maintains a password-protected website with pictures and information about our waiting children. You can view our Hope Journey and other waiting children here: http://www.asiadopt.org/waiting-children/current-waiting-children
Who knows, you may find the child that's meant to be yours!

If you do not have the password, please email the following information to Marci (marcisk@asiadopt.org ) and she will gladly share it with you. Then if you wish to see a child's complete file, just let Marci know:

Name:

Mailing Address:

City/State/Zip:

Phone Number:

E-Mail Address:


Your ages:

Are you married? If so, what was the date of your marriage?

Have you or your spouse been divorced? If so, how many times?

Annual Income:

Do your net assets reach $80,000 or more?

What are you and your spouse’s highest levels of education?

Do you or your spouse have a criminal record?

What are you and your spouse’s BMI: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.htm

Do you or your spouse have any health conditions?

Number of children in your home:
How long have you had them?

Do you have a home study completed or in process?

Is your dossier in another country?
If so, why do you want to view ASIA’s waiting children?

How did you hear about ASIA?

State that you “agree” or “disagree” to the following statement:

“I recognize that ASIA regards the information about children in its Waiting Child program to be private and confidential. If I am granted access to this information, I agree that I will only use this information personally in my own quest to adopt a child with special needs. I will not give the password and access information to anyone. I will not share or disseminate (including cut and paste) any of the information contained on the site.”

The Strength of One

One of the most memorable conversations I had on this trip was with a 19 year old girl who spent her whole life in Guangzhou SWI.

For a long time, she thought that life was hopeless. Her best friend was adopted around 11 yrs old. “They separated us, she was the only person I trusted, I relied on, and the only person in the whole world I cared about…My world turned upside down, I had nothing.” After her best friend left, she stopped talking, stopped smiling and her life stopped right there. It took her years to recover. She put all of her energy into her school. Now she is going to go to college and she reconnects with her best friend in the US. They talk to each other often via Skype. Each of them has their own life. But the bond they had never went away.

I asked her “Since you have lived there for 19 years, you must have very close relationships with the caregivers?” “Not really. They do take care of us when we are young. But we become very independent at an early age.” The life in the orphanage was hard. She used to take care of the older mean girls too. “The older girls always took advantage of me. I had to wash their clothes, get hot water for them, do their laundry and share my allowance with them.” Until director Xu came on board. Then life changed. They used to share a room with 12 people with only one fan in the hot summer days; now only 4 people in the room and they have air conditioning. “Director Xu always takes his time to talk to us. He asks us how’s school and life? He encourages us to talk to him whenever we feel like talking. He is such a great man!”

We gave her a ride and dropped her at the bus station. Watching her walking away, her short and pretty frame appeared stronger than ever. What she has been through made her a strong person, stronger than anybody I have ever known.
--Fei

These kids are survivors. Their life has made them strong. Think of what potential they could have if given the chance to thrive with the love and resources a family can provide.

Where is Shirley's Family?

I know I've written about Shirley twice already, but I have to do it again. I have to believe there is a family out there for this sweet girl. Look at the picture she drew of herself with caucasian parents:

She knows this may be her last chance to find a family because of her age. Shirley is so sweet and mature that she is able to be supportive and gracious with her friends who find families while she has not. Shirley is an outstanding student and has won high marks for the last three years in school. She loves reading and spending time in the library. She also plays the flute and enjoys performing. She has been living with a foster family for 2 years, so she knows about family. She respects her elders and helps the younger children. She is well liked and praised by her teachers and foster parents. Certainly there is a family out there looking for a child like Shirley to call their own?

Are you part of an older child adoption listserv? Are you part of a church or other community that might have members interested in adopting? If you are and you would like to help these precious children find homes, please tell everyone you know about these children waiting in China for their families. You just might change the life of one of these children by finding their forever family! Help us spread the word far and wide!

Thank you,

Marci

Heartfelt Plea

I'm writing a heartfelt plea for all of the older children in our Hope Journey Program. While it looks like we have found families for a couple more children, none of the older children in danger of aging out have found families yet. I want to remind you about these five kids. They have so much potential:

George desperately wants a family. He is a sweet boy who has seen his friends get adopted and he enjoys practicing his English. As you can see from his picture, he has quite a lovely idea of what a home and family might be like. Let's help him find a family of his own.









Sherry is a shy girl with a sweet smile and demeanor. Please take a look at what a beautiful picture she drew. This may be her last chance to have a family due to her age.






Julia is intelligent, cute, polite and enthusiastic. She was born in 1996, so will age out of the system if she doesn't find a family to work quickly for her.












Skyler is quite the artist, drawing anime for his artwork. He's talented, speaks English, is 13 and is anxious to have a family. He is eager to succeed in life and with the right family he will:

Gina is a sweet and independent girl who is interested in learning. She is bright and a good student and likes to read, ride bikes and play sports. We have video of her reciting the ABC's in English.

Please help us find homes for these precious children! Even in tough economic times, children still need families. If each of you who views this blog tells 10 people about these children, the word will spread far and wide and perhaps we can find the right families. Thanks for all that you do!
-Marci

Still Waiting...

We are still having trouble finding families for many of the older children. Beautiful Jane, with her quiet poise, still does not have anyone looking at her file. Skyler, Clarke, Julia, Gina, Shirley, George, Gregory, Ruth, Felice and Sherry all don't have anyone considering them for adoption. These are all beautiful children who desperately want families of their own. Please help us continue to spread the word to find these precious children the families they deserve.
Thank you,
Marci

Felice

Felice is a pretty ten year old that the CCAA has determined is healthy. I can only give you my impression, but she did, indeed appear healthy. She also appeared rather quiet and serious and focused. She was attentive to detail as I could see from the art project – it’s a lovely basket of flowers. She liked having her picture taken with me and other kids and adults, although she rarely smiled; I think she may have been shy and a bit overwhelmed by it all.

--Sandra

Gregory

Gregory is an eleven year boy who is considered healthy. It was hard to get to know him because he seemed so shy. He understood the interviewers, but wouldn’t answer except with a shake or nod of the head and an occasional smile. As with the others, he was “into” making his drawing and seemed very engaged in that. Once finished, he sat quietly and watched the others. I didn’t seem him interact much with the other kids, but I’m not sure if he knew the other kids very well. He’s one boy I would have liked to spend more time with, I wanted to know what was behind his gentle and shy smile.

--Sandra

WENDY

Wendy is a pretty ten year old with a repaired cleft palate. She has an especially pretty smile and as she relaxed with us, her face lit up often. She sang a short song for her talent, and did an excellent job. Her voice was on key and, although I don’t speak Chinese, it sounded as if she sang without any effect from her cleft palate. I may be wrong of course! She was friendly and bouncy in the group, a bit more shy when interviewed, but even there she seemed to enjoy herself. I noticed that when she was coloring or writing, she brought her face very close to her work.

--Sandra

I wish you could see all of the adorable pictures she has!

Files Available for Viewing!

There are currently many children's files available for viewing. I'm shocked that little Hannah in her minnie mouse dress does not have anyone looking at her file now that we finally have it. Beautiful 12 year old Jane who is so poised is also not currently being considered by anyone. Clarke, aka Muscle-Man, is also available for review. Quinn, Scotty, Lin, Nate, George, Jillian, Skyler, Julia, Ruth, Archie, Sherry and Beatrice all still need to find their families. These are all wonderful children who stole a piece of our hearts and it's up to us to find them families. If you're interested in any of them, please contact me now to view their files. If you could see their sweet faces, I just know you would jump at the chance!

Now while I have your attention, you may have noticed that Half The Sky is helping us advocate for Lucy. Lucy has an extremely serious heart condition and likely needs a transplant and a family to fight for her and get her the care she needs here in the U.S. If you know that family, please have them contact me. Thank you for following this journey.
-Marci

BOYS

Three of our younger boys need to have more families looking at their files. They are Nate, age 5; Lin, age 6; and Quinn, age 5. I must admit that having raised a son, I’m partial to boys. And when six little guys all about the same age, came bounding into the large, decorated hall looking all agog, my heart skipped a beat – maybe two beats. Darn, if they weren’t all adorable and curious and full of that little boy energy that I so enjoyed when my son was little. The boys seemed to hang out mostly in pairs, or as a gaggle of geese – sticking close together!

Nate has a beautiful smile and charm to go with it. I loved his drawing of a fish; it was colorful and balanced. I felt that his picture said a lot about his personality – sunny and warm. His special need is hip displasia and he seemed little bothered by it – he moved around Just Fine! I noticed that Nate and others with a physical limitation seemed to have no sense of being different or coddled by others.

Lin, who is deaf, is also a beautiful little boy. He was definitely the most introverted of the six youngsters, but that seems reasonable due to his inability to hear. He stayed pretty close to his nanny. His drawing is also interesting in that it is linear and ordered – perhaps like his universe – or is there something else he wanted to communicate? I would love to know what meaning he has conveyed in the drawing.

Quinn, yes, another cutie, was full of energy – but not so much as to be annoying (ok, I admit I’m getting old). His special need is chronic conjunctivitis, and I didn’t notice any inflammation on our day together. He had a lot of fun playing with one of the inflatable parrots – part of our Hawaiian theme and he and Scotty hung out a lot. Quinn’s drawing is a fun one – it could be a caterpillar, or a pig or a monster. We need him to tell us!

Think about any one of these boys – yes, they face some challenges, but they all seemed well adjusted and otherwise healthy. Help us bring them all “home”.

Adopting Older Children

During our visit to China for Hope’s Journey, in addition to spending a day with the children and staff, I had the opportunity to meet two ASIA families in Guangzhou with their newly adopted son and daughter. These were older children – ages 11 and 12. These two youngsters were among the fortunate and their new families felt even more fortunate to add these cool kids to their families. It makes me think of how much all the older kids from Hope’s Journey need a family too. Our oldest kids waiting for families are Clarke, Julia, Gina, Sherry, Skyler and George – all 13; followed by Jane who is 12; Gregory, Ruth and Archie – all 11. Every one of these children seemed motivated and enthusiastic. Sure some were shy, but we only had one day to be together. Julia seemed to be a jaunty sporty girl, while Gina and Sherry seemed more “girlie girls”. They all loved having their pictures taken and had an easy and relaxed way with one another. Clarke was especially outgoing and mature, while Gregory was quiet and shy. I can’t help wondering how their personalities will emerge with a family to call their own. Seeing the difference between the kids in Hope’s Journey compared to the two kids with new families, it was easy to see the new adoptees joy in their new life. Help us make that happen for our Hope’s Journey’s kids – particularly the older ones that are running out of time for a family.

--Sandra

Finally We Have Their Files!

We finally received the files for the 4 children that were added to our program last minute from Shenzhen! Hannah, Michael, Clarke and John now have files available for viewing. Their names always remind me of Peter Pan for some reason....I hope we can rescue them from Neverland so they have a chance to grow up:-) We have a small list of families to begin working through for Hannah, but the others have no requests yet! These are all wonderful children--let's find them the families they deserve. Please contact me for information: marcisk@asiadopt.org

A Note About These Kiddos

I get the same question about these kids from many families...."Does this child want to be adopted?" ALL of these kids expressed their desire to be adopted to Fei. There was only one child who said he didn't want to be adopted and he was too young to understand what it meant. As many of you know, having an older child who actually wants to be adopted can make a big difference in the adjustment process. These children all want and deserve loving families, so please help us find them if you're not the right fit. Not everyone can adopt an older child, but many families can and do so very happily. Please help us find those families!

Thank you for your dedication to these beautiful children.

--Marci

SCOTTY

Scotty was another cutie among cuties!!! Honestly, it was hard to keep the young boys separate in my mind at the beginning. But I sorted them out, and Scotty was full of curiosity about the new situation, and while he explored the room and the activities, he was also obedient and well behaved. He seemed energetic, but in the most positive sense. I’m not sure, but there may have been just a touch of mischief and adventure in his eyes. All good, in my opinion. He’s waiting for YOU.
Sandra

No one is looking at Scotty's file. Please help us spread the word and find his family! They must be out there....

Families Found!

More good news to report--families have been found for Lucky in addition to Spring, Lily and Kacey!!!! We're thrilled for those families and the children who will come to join them and be part of the ASIA family:-) Congratulations! I'm also thrilled that 2 of the 5 children are boys, since it is always harder to find families for the boys. Thank you all for helping to spread the words and bring these families together!

These are my favorite posts to write and I hope we have many more in the coming weeks--there are still many children left in the program in need of families. If we can only find families for those children who are about to age out of the system....
--Marci

Jane!

Jane is going to be 12 at the end of this year. She, like the other children at the camp, was shy around us foreigners. But like several of the other older girls, she was so polite and pretty and gentle. In her interview she was friendly while respectful, saying that she has lots of friends. I have the feeling she’s obedient, because she acknowledges that she listens to adults. Jane was older when abandoned, and she appeared well adjusted and certainly warmly cared for by the nannies. Where is this lovely young lady’s family? If you feel drawn to Jane, please contact Marci. We want her to have a permanent and loving “forever family”. --Fei

Can you believe no one is looking at this darling girl's file? Contact Marci now to review it: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Skyler

Skyler needs a home ASAP because he is already 13. He’s a cool kid who has lots of drawing skill. He actually drew two pictures, rather in the genre of comic books. He’s talented! And he also very much likes working on speaking English – speaking set phrases in a rather staccato, rapid fire style. He seemed so proud of himself when he used his English – it was quite endearing. Clearly, he would be a good natured kid that is motivated to succeed. I know there is a family out there for him – please call or write NOW – he needs you!
--Sandra

Shirley Again

Can you believe no one is looking at Shirley's file? These are Fei's impressions of Shirley:

One feeling I got from Shirley is she had put lots of stress on herself. She is old enough to understand this might be her only chance to meet people from US agency who might be able to find her a forever home. I don’t want to repeat everything I mentioned about Ruth on Shirley, but Shirley and Ruth have similar qualities. During the interview I found out Shirley’s best friend is also in the Hope Journey program with another agency.
I asked her, “what if she found a family, and you do not.”
“I will be very happy for her, and I will send her my best wishes.”
“What if you find a home, but she does not?”
“I will tell her don’t be upset, she will still have a chance.”
Shirley is anxiously waiting to hear the good news from you.

RUTH

I LOVE Ruth! She is the good girl type; the one that will come to help you when she sees you carrying too many groceries; she is the one who will bring you a chair if you are standing there for a long time; she is the one that says “I will stay at home,” if you only have 3 movie tickets but 4 kids; she is the one that gets all “A’s” in the school; she is the one your neighbor comes up to you and says “I love your Ruth, she is such a wonderful child.”. And she could be your daughter!!

– Fei

No one is looking at Ruth's file--can you believe it? If you're interested in considering her, please email me right away: marcisk@asiadopt.org