Thursday, June 19, 2008

Referrals for our Ethiopia Program Families!

Today, the Children's Hope Ethiopia Program received 6 referrals, for 3 girls and 3 boys.

The youngest of the children is 4 months old and the oldest is 6 years old. This group of referrals included our first sibling placement of 3, one brother and his two sisters.

"Of course all of the children are adorable and the families are over the moon excited!!" says Program Director Sharon Turner. Congratulations to the families!

 


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

2008 CHI Reunion Brings Music, Dancers and a Chance to Connect with the Adoption Community

With the 2008 Children's Hope Reunion less than a month away, it's time to look at what is in store for our families!


In the last few years, the night prior to the reunion has been a celebration all in itself. A chance to unwind from your travels and begin connecting with other families created through adoption, this year, meets a chance to combat the hunger of Vietnamese orphans.

July 11, 2008 at the St. Louis Marriott West Hotel, 5:30 p.m.

With a meet and greet with Fredbird®, official mascot of the St. Louis Cardinals, a silent auction, visual art entertainment by Cicoff and performances by local contemporary Christian artists, the Travis Lee Band and the Eric Prewitt Band... this will be a night guaranteed to bring fun and relaxation to your family.

Special to the evening:

Usborne Books will be on site selling children's books, with all of their proceeds benefiting the Vietnam Nutrition Program.















And a Chance to Win:
Total Gym XLS, 4 Backstage Passes to the Grand Old Opry, 2 Spa Days with James Mitchell Salons, Guitar Hero, and baskets and gift certificates from Single Red Thread, Cartoon Network, Macy's, Bandanna's and more (like the bear, pictured below)!


For Tickets & Information

Your donation: $10 per adult / children are free!

For more information or to purchase your tickets in advance, please email Michelle.Howdeshell@ChildrensHope.net or click here to purchase online, please specify how many tickets you would like in the comments section.





Children's Hope Reunion Picnic 2008

July 12, 2008 at the Queeny Park Arena, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Featuring music by Kiersten Venezia, entertainment by Chinese dancers, and a catered buffet lunch by Bandanna's


With all the additional entertainment of arts, crafts, and games, still our families most appreciate the opportunity to meet their program directors face to face and reconnect with many of the families in their travel group.

When the Decks attended last year they "had the pleasure of meeting new friends and catching up with 3 of the 15 families we traveled with in China. ...It was wonderful to catch up, re-live our life-changing experiences in China, and see how everyone was adjusting and getting along. Everyone is doing great!" says Chris.

Call your fellow adoptive families and reignite your friendships. Plan to attend the Children's Hope Reunion, this year on July 12.

Download and print a registration form or visit the reunion website for more details. See you there!

 


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Monday, June 9, 2008

Fifteen China Referrals and Three Seeking Confirmation Letters!

Today has been a wonderful day. We received 15 referrals for our China families!! There were two boys and 13 girls. The ages ranged from 8-months-old to 22-months-old which put all within the age range of what was requested by the families. This referral day covered January 13, 2006 to January 16, 2006 for a nearly 29 month wait. The next Children's Hope log-in-date to receive referrals will be February 9, 2006. In addition to today's referrals, Children's Hope received three seeking confirmation letters for families adopting waiting children.

Congratulations to all of these families!

Daniel and Michelle Monahan are spending tonight celebrating - and very likely brainstorming names - after being introduced to their new son today when they received their referral in St. Louis. "We had a feeling for awhile now that we would have a boy," says Michelle with a big, knowing smile. Congratulations!

Jan and Patrick Driscoll celebrated with a kiss when they saw their daughter's face for the first time. After 29 months of waiting for a family, Jan said the moment was surreal.

A sneak peek at what made the Driscolls so happy...

 


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Four Legs Helped Anna Grace's Two

Anna Grace, an adorable little girl and a beloved daughter, has met with pain and struggle in her young life - and has ridden down her adversity, literally.

Anna Grace was adopted through Children's Hope Russia Program at 19 months, along with her brother, by parents Teresa and Tony Vancil. When she was 4 years old, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors and therapy appointments were tried, but it wasn't until Anna began riding horses that the Vancil's would learn that four legs could be such an amazing help to Anna's two.

Read the full story of Anna's adoption and her equestrian therapy at Marshall County Tribute-Courier online.

 


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Have You Called Your Senator and Representatives? Support Vietnam Adoptions

Now is the time to call your state representatives and senators to alert them of and share your views on the JCSIS "Child’s Right Campaign". You can look up your state officials' contact information by using the links below. Please call their offices and follow up with an email.

Specifics:

1) Today and tomorrow, June 3 and 4, call your US senators and state representatives.
Senate contact information: www.senate.gov
Representative contact information: www.house.gov
Please call your state officials first and then follow up with an email to each individual you have spoken with.

2) To aid you in your calls, you may begin with this talking point:
“I/we urge the Senator/Congressperson to join the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Co-Chairs and sign their letter to Secretary Condoleezza Rice in support of the recommendations found in Joint Council’s "A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam”.
3) If they have not heard about the Campaign, ask them to contact the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute at 202-544-8500 or Joint Council on International Children’s Services at 703-535-8045.

4) Urge them to sign onto this campaign, because without it either you or one of over a thousand prospective adoptive parents and children will be in limbo as we await the outcome of Vietnam and US negotiations regarding international adoptions.

 


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

New Region - Tigrey, Mekele - for Children's Hope Ethiopia

Children's Hope International is very excited to announce, effective June 1, 2008, we have expanded our development aid, orphan sponsorship and adoptions into Northern Ethiopia - Tigrey, Mekele.

A small transition home and its staff will care for the children to be placed for international adoption through Children's Hope from that region. Additional staff will be added in the months to come.

We will be working in partnership with Hope Community Service, with whom we have had a very fond relationship with for several years. "The director and his wife are such God fearing individuals and are doing a tremendous work of God in the Mekele Region," says Sharon Turner, Ethiopia Program Director.

This orphanage is featured as one of our development aid projects on our web site, www.HelpAnOrphan.org. We will also be working closely with Operation Rescue.

"There is much to do to become fully operational," says Turner. "We are humbled by the work that the Lord is allowing us to do in Ethiopia, and the people whom he as put in our path to walk and work beside us. To God be the glory."

 


AddThis Social Bookmark Button