Cleft Lip and Palate

Let's talk cleft lip and palate, since we have quite a few kiddos with that special need, many which have been repaired. Clearly there are surgeries involved with this special need. How many surgeries depends on the degree of the cleft and probably the child as well. Usually hospitals that treat this special need have a whole team that works together for a child with this condition. The team typically includes an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, a Speech Therapist, an Orthodontist, Craniofacial Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons, Audiologists and possibly social workers. ASIA has helped many families in the past to adopt children with clefts. It is a fairly common special need in China and one to which many families in the U.S. have opened their hearts.

Several of our Hope Journey II children have this special need:
Edward is 6 years old and has postoperative cleft lip and palate
Jack is 6 years old and has postoperative cleft lip and palate
Cherry is 9 years old and has postoperative cleft lip and palate
CJ is 7 years old and has postoperative cleft lip and palate

But these kids are not their special need. While they will need some medical intervention in their lives, they are sweet, happy, talented little kiddos with fun personalities who want forever families. There are also lots of little ones on the shared waiting child list with this special need. Could you be the family they have been waiting for? Contact Marci if you think so: marcisk@asiadopt.org
If you have a child with this special need, please let others know about your experience! Spread the word!

Happy Birthday, CJ!!!!

Please meet CJ.

He turns 7 years old this month and the best gift we could give him would be to find him a forever family! CJ's special need is repaired cleft lip/palate and hexadactyly of his left hand and feet. CJ showed his expertise in the martial arts for his talent at the Hope Journey camp:-) His favorite subjects are math and music and he wants to be adopted. He said "I'm a good boy, I can be adopted." I think he is, too! We should be able to find his family out there. He can repeat English phrases and is in 2nd grade in school. His teachers describe him as clever and cute. He lives in a foster family. As you can see, CJ is a very competent little boy. His file is currently available--please contact me to review it (marcisk@asiadopt.org). Please help CJ find his family!

Waivers

Do you think you may not qualify for China anymore? Is there just 1 requirement you do not meet? CONTACT ASIA IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE HOPE JOURNEY CHILDREN!! CCAA may be more willing to grant waivers for families adopting boys!!! So help us find those families for those boys! We have a process for getting waivers, so just contact us for more information. We have lots of boys available!!!! marcisk@asiadopt.org
Spread the word:-)

Deconstructing Special Needs

I admit that a first look at these children's special needs leads one to think that most of them are pretty serious. Let's start deconstructing the special needs. They're really not as bad as you might think (of course, I"m no doctor, but this comes from a little research). Let's take Jimmy, for example. His special needs are listed as Facial Paralysis, Deformity of Auricle on both sides, and Chronic Otitis Media Suppurativa on the left side. Sounds scary, right? Not so much!

Chronic Otitis Media Suppurative is a chronic middle ear infection. If treated early, it may be cured with antibiotics. If not, a surgery may be required.

Jimmy also has ear deformities, which is listed as deformity of auricle on both sides. Lots of families adopt children with ear deformities such as atresia or microtia and they do wonderfully with the treatment available in the U.S.!

You can see from some of his photos that he has facial paralysis. It may be that Jimmy has hemifacial microsomia, which may explain the ear differences and the facial paralysis. This is a fairly common condition and tends not to affect other parts of the body. In fact, Seattle has a wonderful hospital for treating this condition:-) This addresses the hearing difficulties, deformities of the ear and the facial paralysis! Please see this website for details: http://www.seattlechildrens.org/medical-conditions/chromosomal-genetic-conditions/hemifacial-microsomia-treatment/

So, Washingtonians, since you have such a wonderful team of doctors ready to help Jimmy, might you consider this sweet and talented boy? Can you believe that no one has asked for his file? Please contact me right away to consider Jimmy! The boy has character! He is buddies with Mark and they work together wonderfully and do many adorable dance numbers together.

Cute Clive

Clive is a cute, curious and charming boy! He smiles a lot and has cute little dimples in his cheeks, as you can see below. Clive has some developmental delays, but don't let that scare you away!

Clive practiced writing his numbers there on his drawing and look at that proud smile! He likes to color and write his name. He is 6 years old and his favorite classes are Chinese, English, Dance and music. He wants to be a policeman when he grows up. He just needs a loving forever family to help him reach his full potential. Can you believe that no one has requested this adorable boy's file???? Could you be his family?

Help Clive's dreams come true: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Amiable Anna

Amiable Anna is not only amiable, but sweet, endearing, charming, outgoing, friendly, kind hearted towards others and well liked at the institute. Anna is involved with the Sunshine Academy, and therefore knows some English. As you can see from the pictures below, she was in several dance performances and had a great time with all of the activities during the camp. At the end of the performance where they wore the white tuxedos and red cowboy hats, the kids lined up and did the chicken dance in unison, which was also adorable!

Anna's teacher from the Sunshine academy says she has made great strides there. As you can see, they are very close, dancing together and were even pictured there in a newspaper:-) Her teacher says that Anna loves to be hugged and also gives comfort to others. She is very observant.

Anna really wants a family of her own. Let's help her dreams come true! If you think you might possibly be Anna's family or know someone who might be, please contact me right away! marcisk@asiadopt.org

(Anna now has a family pursuing her.....9/21/10)

Welcome Home and Bon Voyage!

This is a happy post to welcome home families and children from the last Hope Journey program!

I want to welcome home Frances and her family, Skyler and his family, Gina and her family and Penelope and her family!

Soon to be united with their families are Clarke and Hannah, George, Lucky, Julia and Beatrice!

Congratulations to all of those families and the non-Hope Journey families who have recently returned home with their children or are soon to travel! The program coordinators are busy busy planning summer travel for all of these families and excitement is in the air:-) We're so happy for all of the wonderful families and children!

Send us pictures when you get a chance!

I Know I Was Born For a Reason...

The children at Bao an between the ages of 3 and 6 years old attend the Sunshine Academy. Their teacher, Heidi, teaches them English and music, which gives them a tremendous head start when they either enter public school or get adopted by an English-speaking family. The Sunshine Academy has a great website with a very touching video on it about their mission. Please take a moment to take a look...some of our Hope Journey kids are in it: "I know I was born for a reason" http://www.casunshine.org/index.asp

The Sunshine Academy's mission is very close to ASIA's. I know these kids were born for a reason, too. Their destiny does not end in China. It is with loving families somewhere in the world. It is ASIA's job to connect those families with these children. If you have a heart for the children, please share this with everyone in your community to help find that connection for the children.

Child Photographers

We finally got the pictures developed from the disposable cameras we gave to the kids. As you can see, they had a blast with them and much chaos insued! I love these pictures because the kids really captured the moments--the people that were important to them and the true spirit of the kids.

I love this last one because Heather has a full on open mouth laugh and she is dancing with the Director of the orphanage:-) It really was fun and the kids really let loose, which was great to see.

A Heart full of Heather

Heather is a very sweet little girl who was deaf until she received a cochlear implant. She is now learning to speak! She tries very hard, is obedient and wants to please. This girl also knows how to have fun when it is appropriate. I have an adorable picture of her going down the slide with a big smile on her face, but it's not quite appropriate for the internet, unfortunately. She loved her purple hula skirt and wore it for much of the afternoon! I wouldn't describe Heather as a girlie girl--she seems to keep up with the boys just fine. A family with some brothers might be a good fit for this one! She loves to be active and play on the playground. She also likes to help with the younger kids and is close to her nannies. Please contact me if you would like to consider Heather: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Isn't he Handsome?

Meet Parker:

Parker is a sweet, sensitive, shy boy. He wants to be adopted, but is a little scared (understandably) about moving to a different country and having to learn a new language. I caught Parker smiling and having a good time during several of the group activities. He likes to play with younger children and seemed to be a pretty good helper. I would describe Parker as a diamond in the rough...you seem to have to get to know him before he is willing to really share himself. I can relate to that:-) Parker's favorite subjects in school are Chinese and music. He seemed to be articulate during the interview. Parker is almost 11 years old. He only has a few years left to be matched with a family. If you could be interested in Parker, please contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Boys and Girls

Aren't they cute?

How many people are expecting girls and surprise! Here's a boy! Boys are wonderful, too! They're happy, fun, full of energy, adventurous, mama's boys, cuddle bears, sweet, sensitive, talented, all that you ever wanted in a child, wrapped in a bundle of energy:-) This is my nudge to check out some of our boys. The girls on our lists always find their families pretty quickly, but there are precious boys that just sit there and wait. These are great kids! I know because I've met them, observed them and interacted with them. They're cute, adorable, sweet and hugable. They're well behaved (now how many American boys can you say that about?). Look at them all sitting there nicely! They really did that for two very long days. These boys have so much potential...police men, doctors, lawyers, teachers....husbands, fathers, sons, athletes.....is one of them your son? Contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org and spread the word about these sweethearts!