After a Five Year Wait – The Best Christmas Ever



 Laura Richer gasped, as she viewed photos of her new daughter
in the adoption referral handed to her by
Nichole Deal, Children's Hope social worker. 



“She is soooo... cuuuuute…!”

Those were the emotional words flowing from Laura Richer when she first saw the photo of her new daughter.   Laura and her husband Steve, along with three other Children’s Hope couples, today received their referrals; the official documents from China matching the new parents to an orphan who will soon be their child. The Richers have been waiting for this day since August 2006, when their adoption paper work was approved by the Chinese.

Riley is now waiting for the Richers 

“It’s been so long, people have stopped asking about it,” Laura said when reflecting on the long wait to adopt from China.  But today was the start of a joyous ending, as Laura and Steve’s new daughter, 18-month-old “Riley”, from Guangdong province, took up residence in their hearts.

"Over five years is a long time…but I guess she was meant to be ours,” Steve said.

All four couples will be traveling to China in two to four months to finalize their individual adoptions and then bring their new children home. 

More on Adoption

international adoption, UNICEF, China adoption, adopting from China, orphans, orphanage, China special needs adoption

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International Adoption Discussion on NPR

Children’s Hope shares mic with investigative reporter covering adoption 

Actions by UNICEF and adoptions from Vietnam were two of the numerous international adoption topics explored Tuesday, during an hour long radio conversation on St. Louis National Public Radio. Cory Barron from Children’s Hope International and adoptive mom Trish Almond, joined NPR’s foreign affairs correspondent Alan Greenblatt, to talk about Greenblatt’s series of articles on international adoption.

Twice adopting from China, Trish Almond shares a heartfelt mother’s perspective while Barron gives an adoption agency view on the current state of international adoption. The live KWMU show, St. Louis on the Air, aired on the same day that the Congressional Quarterly Global Researcher published Greenblatt’s extensive 20 page article on his findings.

Why is the number of international adoptions declining?

Is the U.S. State Department working against international adoption?
Are the world’s orphans helped by international adoption?

Why do Americans choose to adopt internationally? 

Listen to the NPR program on International Adoption

UNICEF, US State Department, Vietnam, Russia, China. Ethiopia, Guatemala, International Adoption, Orphans, Orphanages, Hague

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Bringing in the New Year, 2004!

Happy New Year Ethiopia (Enkutatash)!

On Monday September 12th this year, Ethiopia will be bringing in the year 2004! The US Embassy and other offices will be closed in celebration. The majority of our in-country staff will also have enjoy the day off to celebrate.

Ethiopia still retains the Julian calendar, in which the year is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of 5 days (6 days in the leap year). The Ethiopian calendar is 8 years behind the Gregorian calendar from January to September and 7 years behind between September 11 and January 8.

Enkutatash means the “gift of jewels”. When the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive trip to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her back by replenishing her treasury with inku or jewels. The spring festival has been celebrated since this early time, and as the rains come to their abrupt end dancing and singing can be heard at every village in the green countryside, but Enkutatash is not exclusively a religious holiday. Today’s Enkutatash is also the season for exchanging formal New Year greetings and cards among the urban sophisticated - in lieu of traditional bouquets of flowers. It is a time to express hopes and dreams for the future. Meskerem (September) is seen as a month of transition from the old year to the new.

We’d like to hear from you on how you plan to celebrate the New Year with your Ethiopian child/ren. Share with us in the comments!

  

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Returning to China, Her Homeland, for the First Time

"For 13-year-old Leah Maxey, the trip was a lifetime in the making. She and her parents, Robert and Kathy Maxey, had been talking about a trip to China 'pretty much ever since I can remember,' Leah said.

Last month, they finally went."

Read the Maxey's full story on their Return to China trip (featured in the Columbia Daily Tribune), as they experienced Leah's birth country for the first time since their adoption trip in 1999.

Adopted children have been coming home from China since the country opened to international adoptions in 1992. Many of our sons and daughters are old enough now to visit their homeland and see with confident eyes the land where they were born. Is the time right for your family to Return to China?

Learn more about homeland tours. 

We are currently setting dates for SUMMER, 2012 RETURN TO CHINA travel.


 

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Haodi - Burned by Scalding Noodle Water at 1 Year - Enroute to Boston Hospital

Flying into Boston today from Beijing, a child burned by scalding noodle water at 1-year will receive reconstructive surgery on her burn wounds at Shriner's Hospital in Boston. This is Haodi's third trip to Boston in 5 years. Welcome Haodi and a big thank you to Shriner's for their continued aid to this young girl!

Read more about Haodi's trip to Boston and view a "photo diary" sharing her journey of recovery thus far at Hope's Purpose, Children's Hope Humanitarian Blog.

 

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"Full Table" :: A Children's Hope Family Contribution

It's the little moments that count. Last night, we had a nice Sunday night family dinner. Our normal tradition is to all hold hands and say a small short prayer and then we all share what we are thankful for that particular day. In years past, this may have included such things as "chocolate milk." "Thank you God for my chocolate milk"... funny, it all counts right?

Anyways, my son Keegan made the nice comment that pretty soon our table will be full! Yep, he's right! We no longer will have that one empty chair, all seats will be full. I paused for a moment and looked around at my 3 beautiful children's faces as they laughed and poked fun at each other. How I cant wait to see the face of #4! What will she look like? Indeed not the blonde hair that my other 3 children have. (Yes, maybe I wont be the only NON- blonde in the family.) What will her name be? How old will she really be? Will she laugh and poke fun just the same? Indeed I cant wait. All chairs will be full and the Karki family will be COMPLETE! Its the little moments...

Please continue to pray for strength and faith for the journey we are all on.

- Carrie, "waiting" adoptive mom in the Ethiopia Program



 

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Russia Program Director Speaks About Recent US / Russia Adoption Agreement

On July 13th, the US and Russia signed a bilateral adoptions agreement to strengthen safeguards in inter-country adoption. Children’s Hope Russia Program Director Anna Rister breaks down what details are currently known, how the agreement affects families currently in process and what future families may expect in their adoption process as well. We are excited to have the agreement signed and look forward to sharing more details with you in this week’s CHI-TV segment.

Share with us, in the comments or join the conversation on Facebook: what are your reactions? Do you have any questions we can help answer?


Details of the US - Russia Adoption Agreement from Children's Hope International


 

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