Summer 2010
Promiseof Hope and
A Journey
Finding families for children in China
Nine-year-old Asmerach sat in the stairwell at the Holt transitional center in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia and watched a ceremony she had most likely seen many times before.
Her caretakers – with children in their arms – carefully walked down the stairs into a
brightly lit room, and gently placed the children into the arms of their waiting fami-
lies. On this particular day, however, Asmerach would be more than just an interested
observer to the sights and sounds happening below her. Today, Asmerach would peek
her head between the stairwell balusters and catch a glimpse of someone she had
been waiting to see for a very long time… her mother.
When Asmerach, the last child to be presented to her family, finally made it down
the stairs, she smiled shyly and embraced her mother. Asmerach’s day had finally
come…it was finally her turn.
In this issue, Asmerach’s mother, Susan, shares a touching story about the unique
and wonderful experience of adopting an older child. “We may have missed her first
smile, her first steps and her first word,” says Susan, “but we have witnessed so many
of her firsts here in America. We are getting so much joy from watching her experi-
ence everything we take for granted.”
Holt understands that adopting an older child is a unique experience. We rejoice
when we see older children go home to loving families. We also acknowledge that
adopting an older child can come with its unique challenges.
To make the transition smoother for the older children in our care, Holt has
implemented a preparation program for our Journey of Hope children – a group of
mostly older children in Holt-supported foster care in China. Holt hopes to expand
the program to other countries in the future. Our prayer is that we would help older
children feel safe, confident and happy in their new environment.
I encourage you to take a look at some of the photos of older children in Holt’s
Journey of Hope program and the Waiting Child photolisting. Please join me in
sending up a special prayer for them. Pray that one day all older children, waiting in
Holt’s care, will finally get their turn to walk down the stairs, into the arms of their
permanent families.
Ashli Keyser | Managing Editor
Summer 2010 vol. 52 no. 3
Our VisionHolt 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, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Romania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, the United States and Vietnam.
President & CEO Kim S. BrownSenior Vice-President Phillip A. LittletonVice-President of Policy & External Affairs Susan Soon-keum Cox Vice-President of International Programs Dan LauerVice-President of Finance & Administration Kevin SweeneyVice-President of Adoption Services Lisa VertulfoSenior AdvisorDavid LimSenior ExecutiveJian Chen
Holt International magazine is published quarterly 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.
Creative Services Director Brian CampbellManaging Editor Ashli KeyserSenior Writer Robin MunroGraphics Chloe Goldbloom
Subscription Orders/Inquiries and Address ChangesSend 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 InformationPermission from Holt International is required prior to reprinting any portion of Holt International magazine. Please direct reprint requests to editor Ashli Keyser at 541/687.2202 or [email protected].
Copyright ©2010 by Holt International Children’s Services, Inc. ISSN 1047-7640
in this issue4 Against the Odds
In China, many orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children continually wait to be adopted
7 One Year with JoyThe Nolan family thanks God for their beautiful daughter from China
9 From the FamilyStories from families who have adopted children from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia
13 Adoptees Today Adopted from India 27 years ago, Bethany Bryant returns to her Motherland and offers her heart and hands to BSSK
Children in Holt’s Journey of Hope program and China Child of Promise option are desperately in need of families. Currently, Holt does not have enough families joining the China Child of Promise option. Learn more in this issue, and for additional information go to www.holtinternational.org/china
P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402 Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175
Dear Readers
COUNCIL ONACCREDITATION
FOUNDED1977
Hague Accredited
CREDIBILITY • INTEGRITY • ACHIEVEMENT
directions
P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402 Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175
Reading through the pages of Holt International magazine, I
am always especially touched by the lovely stories written by
Holt adoptive families. I have spent many hours interacting with
and praying for the precious children in the countries where Holt
works, and it brings me such delight to see children go from our
care centers to the pages of Holt International magazine. The
children’s stories – brought to life by their loving parent’s beauti-
ful words – affirm Holt’s mission, and fill my heart with joy, grati-
tude…and hope for the children still waiting in our care.
For the last two years, I have taken special interest in the sto-
ries written by families who have adopted children through our
China Child of Promise program, an expedited China process
for children with minor, correctable or treatable medical needs.
While each of the family’s stories are unique and special in their
own ways, a recurring theme…a common thread, can be seen in
most of them. Phrases like: “I can’t believe how short the wait
time was,” “God has blessed us with our beautiful China Child of
Promise,” and “our family was surprised to see just how minor his
medical need actually was,” are in many of the stories. These
commonalities serve as a promising testament of the beautiful,
smooth process that is Holt’s China Child of Promise option. All
the families have the same amazing things to say. We are over-
joyed to read the success stories of the families who “walked by
faith” and were blessed by God with a beautiful Child of Promise.
It is our privilege to share these stories with you!
Children in this option are waiting for families right
now, and Holt currently does not have enough families
joining this program. I traveled to China in 2009 and saw
many children – some with cleft lip and palates, some with
missing fingers or minor heart conditions – whose minor
medical needs could most likely be corrected once home.
The children’s greatest need, however, is their need for a
loving, permanent family.
Holt will continue to share stories of families who have brought
their children home through the China Child of Promise option, in
hopes that the stories will serve as an encouragement to families
currently waiting in the China program.
Who knows? Maybe this time next year you will be one
of those families, blessed with a son or daughter through
this option and sharing your adoption story on the pages
of this very magazine, a wonderful journey…to a beautiful
China Child of Promise.
Kim S. Brown | President & CEO
Learn more about Holt ’s China Child of Promise option for children with minor, correctable or treatable medical conditions: holtinternational.org/china/ccop.shtml
Sharing Their Stories…
On a gray July day, in a small, stuffy room in
the Wuxi Social Welfare Institute – an orphan-
age in China – a young man sits opposite me,
not making eye contact. He is neatly handsome
– wears wire-rimmed glasses and a pressed polo,
a serious expression on his face. Smart and stu-
dious, he loves history, prefers science programs
to cartoons, and one day, hopes to become a doc-
tor. When asked about his grades, though, a shy
smile creeps into the corners of his mouth, and
he looks aside – they’re not that great.
Yu Qing (name changed) shifts uncomfortably
in his seat – naturally, as it’s an uncomfortable
setting. Three people sit across from him –
filming and snapping photos, writing notes and
filling out forms. He has about ten minutes to
tell us about himself. We smile and try to put
him at ease, but he remains stiff and nervous
as he talks of his friends, his goals, his feelings.
He confides that he’s hard on himself when he
performs poorly on an exam. His nerves are pal-
pable and I wonder if this feels like just another
exam – that this meeting could make or break
his chance for that which he traveled a great
distance, and waited 13 years, to find: a family.
Robin Munro | Senior Writer
Odds
Againstthe
In China, many orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children continually wait to be adopted
Outside this room, over 50 more children wait to meet us. Like
Yu Qing, they have journeyed from all over this broad province
in hopes of finding a forever family. They are between 2 and 13,
boys and girls, hyper and silly, shy and sweet. Over two days,
Holt staff will interview every child – discover their interests and
abilities, and take photos and videos to share with prospective
adoptive families.
Yu Qing’s obvious fear of judgment is ill founded; we seek to
learn more about him so we can match him with the right family –
the family he deserves – not evaluate him. But he clearly feels the
pressure and urgency of his situation. In February, he will turn 14
– the age at which children are no longer eligible for adoption from
China. He is polite, ambitious and caring – the pride of any fam-
ily. But I wonder if that explains Yu Qing’s poor grades. If what he
lacks, despite ambition and hard work, is the pride, support and
love of a devoted, permanent family – the foundation for success.
Since 1993, Holt has partnered with the Chinese government
to move children from institutional care to more family-like
environments. Children develop better – mentally, emotionally,
physically – in the loving embrace of foster parents. Many of the
Journey of Hope children, including Yu Qing, live in foster homes.
Others live in orphanages throughout Jiangsu, a province grown
wealthy from burgeoning manufacturing and trade. The Wuxi
Social Welfare Institute seems more a summer camp than an
orphanage. Colorful murals adorn the hallways and natural light
fills the rooms, where children craft artwork or watch shows on
large, flat-screened TVs. “I’ve seen 50 to 100 orphanages,” says Jian
Chen, Holt’s China program director. “This is the best.”
But even the finest orphanage in the wealthiest province can’t
meet the most important need of every child. “The orphanages
can give them everything, except they can’t give them families,”
says Jian’s assistant, Sue Liu. With this, Holt – in its mission to
provide a permanent loving family for every child – can help.
Three years ago, the Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs created
the Journey of Hope to propel adoption of children in southern
China. Most of them have special needs, or are older – those
who remain after healthier, younger children find families. Last
year, because of Holt’s success placing hard-to-place children, the
CCAA recruited Holt to seek families for a group of children in
Guangzhou. Of 29, Holt matched 11.
“There are 12 children still on the list,” says Jessica Palmer,
Holt’s Waiting Child program manager. Two have turned 14.
Another will age out this year.
Jessica advocates for children who often wait longer for families
because of special needs, ranging from minor conditions such as
a cleft lip, to more involved needs like cerebral palsy. She also
assessed the development of the children in Wuxi. Once home,
she faces the monumental task of finding homes for the children
we met – by posting their pictures and profiles to the Journey
of Hope online photolisting, in hopes that families, browsing
through, will connect with a smile, a story, a personality.
Over this, she agonizes. “It’s pretty emotionally draining,” she
confides.
Xi Li (name changed), a girl from the first Journey of Hope
group, is still on the list – a year later. Outgoing and friendly, she
is in the fourth grade, and near the top of her class. She loves
math and dancing, aspires to become a nurse, and often cares for
the younger children in her orphanage. Now 12, she must find a
family before September 2011, when she turns 14 and is no longer
eligible for adoption from China.
Left: This summer, Yu Qing joined many other children who hope to find families through the Journey of Hope program in southern China. They are mostly boys, many of them older and all have vary-ing degrees of special needs. When Yu Qing turns 14, in February next year, he will no longer be eligible for adoption from China.Right: Yu Qing has been in foster care for 11 years. Here, he stands beside his foster mother.
Adopting a Child From China3 Wonderful Options
China Child of Promise Option: boys and girls with manageable, correct-
able or treatable conditions; children are between the ages of 14 mos-7 years of
age, and have conditions such as cleft lip/palate, club foot, and heart conditions.
Families are able to specify the age range, gender, and medical conditions they
are willing to consider by filling out a Medical Conditions checklist. Holt works
hard to find the best child to meet your family’s capabilities, and there is no pen-
alty for turning down a referral. The wait time, from application to placement,
is about 12-18 months, a fraction of the standard process wait time. For more
information on the China Child of Promise option go online at:
holtinternational.org/china/ccop.shtml
Journey of Hope Option: Because of Holt's commitment to finding families
for all children, Chinese officials have given Holt access to videos and detailed
information in order to find families for groups of children, with varying ages and
medical conditions, from different provinces around China. Learn more about
Holt's Journey of Hope children and how you can bring one of these precious
children home. For more information go online at:
holtinternational.org/journeyofhope
Standard Adoption Option: Once known for placing healthy,
infant girls in a relatively short timeframe, the processing
time to adopt an infant girl with no known health con-
ditions is now approximately 5 years from application
to placement. This is due to many factors including
improving economic conditions in China, growth in
domestic adoptions, and a massive increase in ap-
plications to adopt (submitted between 2005 and
2007). While the timeframe has lengthened, and
will likely continue to lengthen as time goes by,
the process itself remains smooth and predictable.
For more information go online at:
holtinternational.org/china/standard.shtml
As I admire Xi Li’s lovely
picture, I think how cruel
it seems to impose an age
restriction on a child’s
chance for a family. But it
is quite logical. “[Older chil-
dren] have more personal
preferences, more cultural
preferences, more relation-
ships developed,” explains
Abbie Smith, Holt director
of clinical services. As they
age, they struggle more to
adapt to a new life, in a new
country and a new family.
Despite greater chal-
lenges, many older children
have found love and joy in
adoptive families. And through the Journey of Hope, 11 more
– ranging in age from 9 to 13 – will soon join families in the
U.S. To ease their transition, Abbie and staff created a 12-week
group therapy/education program designed specifically for older
children. In Guangzhou, the children are learning coping skills,
exploring cultural contrasts between China and the U.S. and
learning to say goodbye.
Among the second Journey of Hope group, in Jiangsu, over half
the children share another trait of hard-to-place children: two
thirds are boys. In China, because of entrenched cultural norms,
families prefer boys to girls. Perhaps less well known is the pref-
erence for girls among adoptive families. This trend is somewhat
mysterious – Jessica attributes it to a common misperception that
orphanages overflow with abandoned girls. But often, families
abandon boys with medical conditions for which they can’t afford
to provide care. And with greater adoption of girls, the ratio of
boys to girls in care in China is narrowing – even reversing.
For the Journey of Hope children – mostly boys, many of them
older, most with special needs – their journey is one of hope
against the odds. For 11 children so far, hope has prevailed. Holt
even matched four older boys from Guangzhou, including one just
in the nick of time – in September, he will turn 14.
Hearing that news, I am reminded of something Jessica said
on our trip. After meeting a child with serious deformities – and
a killer personality – I asked her about his chances for adoption.
“Anything is possible,” she said. And I think of Yu Qing, that
smart, shy 13-year-old who worries about his grades, worries his
foster mother will feel lonely if he’s adopted, worries he may never
find a family, a stable home and devoted parents – a family to
love him, unconditionally, forever. Anything is possible, I think.
Anything is possible.
Ho
lt Inte
rna
tion
al.o
rg7
Above: The Nolan Family—Tony, Tammy, Christy, Wil, Bradly and Joy Fei Fei
One year with JoyTony Nolan, special guest speaker at Holt’s Winter Jam concerts, and his wife, Tammy, adopted Joy from China through the China Child of Promise option.
After waiting 18 months for a child referral from China and
then having our agency close its doors, we were forced to make
some major decisions in our adoption journey. God quickly guided
our steps to Holt International and into their China Child of
Promise option. The staff at Holt was incredibly helpful as we
began our journey. We sought the Lord on what medical needs
to consider and became confident that our little girl would have
a heart condition. We settled in for what we thought would be
another year of waiting, only to be pleasantly surprised with that
"long-awaited" referral call just three short weeks after submit-
ting our paperwork. As we reflect on our journey now, it is evident
that God directed us through circumstances and through His
gentle Spirit’s promptings to get us to our daughter in His perfect
timing.
As we listened to the information being relayed to us about
this special little girl, I interrupted to ask if her special need dealt
with her heart. I wasn’t the least bit surprised when this was
confirmed. My only hesitation, at this point, was her age. She was
a little older than what I thought was “ideal” and even though we
had put this age range in our paperwork, I had hoped for a younger
match. As He has done throughout our entire journey, God lov-
ingly spoke to my heart and said: “Are you going to deny this little
girl simply because she is a few months older than your ideal?”
Clearly, I could not walk away and we moved forward to make her
a “Nolan” forever!
Our verse for our daughter throughout our journey and where
we, in fact, received her name is Psalm 19:8, which says: “The life
maps of God are always right, leading the way to joy.” His maps
have proven to be right every single time and they, most definite-
ly, led to more joy than we could have ever imagined.
Our treasure from China no longer has eyes that seem hollow of
emotion, but she smiles with her whole face. This tenderhearted
child, who was once in desperate need of hope, can now take
that Winter Jam stage, in a packed arena, and not only warm the
hearts of all who see her, but also speak on behalf of the orphans
still in need of love and hope! God has already used her to help
thousands of children all over the world who need families.
We’re celebrating one year with our daughter and have settled
into our new and sweet “norm.” Our little Joy has found rest and
security in her new home and has experienced love like never
before. We have also found rest and a new level of security in
our Heavenly Father, as we have walked this amazing journey
with Him and found Him more than faithful. We have all expe-
rienced a new level of love and have grown as a result. Through
the incredible journey of adoption, its highs and lows, our family
has “tasted and seen that the Lord is good…blessed are those that
trust in Him!”
Tony and Tammy Nolan | Woodstock, Georgia
FridgeFridgeFridge
[1] Elliana Sa-rang Wagenleitner, 20 mos. (South Korea)—Clovis, CA
[2] Jax Carney, 3 (South Korea)—Colby, KS
[3] Jeremiah Hull, 1 (Ethiopia)—Huntersville, NC
[4] Logan Williams, 2 (South Korea)—Sussex, NJ
[5] Mesay Fuerstenberg, 2 (Ethiopia), with parents,
Rachel & Jerry—Madison, WI
[6] Aleah Jinjing Beebe, 3 (China)—Kenmore, NY
[7] Nadia Fu Ou Linton, 11 (China)—Rochester, NY
[8] Natalee Yun, 5 (South Korea)—Glendale, CA
[9] Emily Morse, 3 (China), with her brothers, Isaac, 7,
and Parker, 8—Gray, ME
[10] Lola Wenstrand, 5 (China)—Los Gatos, CA
Mail original color prints to:
Holt International magazine
P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402
or upload digital photos at holtinternational.org/submissions
[1]
[2]
[4]
[8]
[9]
[5]
[3]
[10]
[6]
[7]
The Blessing of AdoptionGod’s perfect timing for the Leonard family
It's 0600 in the morning, I’m forty,
and it’s my day off. There is a loud
knock on the door followed by an
impatient voice yelling “To infinity
and beyond!” My 3-year-old son
thinks sleeping in is overrated. This
is when I brush the sleep from my
eyes and ask myself, “aren’t I too old
for this?” In fact, I was done having
kids more than ten years ago. God
has an awesome sense of timing. It
was almost three years ago to the day when my wife came
home with a new job and extra income. I had wonderful
plans for the new windfall but, sure enough, God led us in
a direction we weren’t expecting.
We had often talked about adoption, but the right oppor-
tunity never came along. We knew that we wanted to adopt
a child from a foreign country. Our hope was to provide a home
and a future that could not be possible for a child born to an
orphanage. We had two girls already and I was firmly convinced
we needed a boy.
We learned a lot over the course of the next two years. Adoption
can be expensive. There are some agencies that are looking to
cash in from the thousands of couples hoping for a child.
We, however, found Holt International, a Christian group who
used the money generated to build care centers, institute foster
care, and lead the way in ethical adoptions. Orphans in many
countries around the world face a bleak future. Many are cast into
the streets before the age of 12. Our hearts broke for these kids
and we longed for the day we could call one of them our own.
We prayed each night, hung stockings out each Christmas, sent
gifts, and hoped for the day that we would get the call. When the
call finally came, we packed our bags, kissed our girls, and got on
a plane to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam.
I wish that I could adequately describe the day that we met
Nathan. It is sort of a blur to my memory. What I can tell you is
that the adoption of a child is no less of a miracle than a birth. The
first time they call you BABA (Daddy), or wrestle with their sisters,
or pretend they are Buzz Lightyear, you know that God has bound
them forever to your heart.
My son’s name means “gift of redemption.” This is what his
sweet life means to us. He is a gift that brings our family new
hope and clarity. Many people ask why international adoption?
I say, because love knows no boundary and hope has no color.
There are 44 million orphans worldwide – where is your miracle
waiting?
Capt. David Leonard | Andersen AFB, Guam
Editor’s Note: There are no adoption applications being processed by Vietnam to the U.S at this time; however, a new Vietnam adoption law was passed by the National Assembly in June. Vietnam is working on legislation to guide implementa-tion of the new law and Holt will keep you updated on any new developments.
Above: The Leonard Family—Dave and Valorie, with children Miranda, 10; McKenzie, 14; and Nathan, 3. Left: Nathan playing.
Ho
lt Inte
rna
tion
al.o
rg9
from the family
Like most people, we experienced both miracles and
challenges during our adoption, but we forged ahead and claimed
2 Corinthians 5:7 as our adoption verse. It states: “For we walk by
faith, not by sight.” That verse came to mean so much to us during
both the joyful and difficult times.
After the birth of our third child, my husband and I decided
that our family was complete. We were content and didn’t plan
to have any more children; however, God had other plans. During
the summer of 2006 we began to think about adding to our family,
discussed adoption and prayed for God’s guidance. We both felt a
tugging toward adoption, but we wanted to make sure it was the
right path for our family. We were looking for some sort of “big”
sign, and that’s exactly what we got when we attended Winter
Jam 2007 in Mobile, Alabama. It was our first time to attend a
Winter Jam concert, so imagine our surprise when we discovered
that Holt International sponsored it. As a video presentation of
orphanages in China played, we watched as tears rolled down
our cheeks. When it was over, we looked at each other and said,
“We’re adopting…we’re going to China.” We requested an applica-
tion packet from Holt the next week.
We started out in the standard process but then switched to
the China Child of Promise option. After only a few weeks in this
program, we received our referral for a beautiful little girl named
Shang Nan. She was listed as having vision problems. We read
over the information and looked at her pictures, and we knew that
she was the one. We fell in love with her instantly.
Rinnah Shangnan is doing very well and is a good-natured and
happy girl. She’s had an eye examination, and it was confirmed
that she is completely blind in her right eye. She wears glasses
now, and we can tell that using them is definitely helping her.
Before we met Rinnah Shangnan, we anticipated that attach-
ment would be her biggest challenge; however, she has attached
and bonded remarkably well. Now our biggest challenge is helping
her with the vision problem and developmental delays. She has
regularly scheduled appointments with a vision therapist, as well
as both a physical and occupational therapist. Rinnah Shangnan
has made a great deal of progress already, but we’ve still got a
long way to go.
To those of you in process now, just remember that waiting
provides you the opportunity to grow and to prepare for the
changes and the challenges ahead. Even then, you will experi-
ence surprises along the way. Some things you just can’t prepare
for but, when you hold your child for the first time, the difficulty
of waiting just fades away. The love that you feel is indescribable.
We are so blessed to have Rinnah Shangan in our family, and we
continue our journey – walking by faith each day.
Jennifer Smith | Citronelle, Alabama
Above: The Smiths with the newest member of their family, Rinnah.
For We Walk by Faith...Not by SightThe story of a little girl with vision problems and the journey of faith her family walked to bring her home
Families can adopt a child from China through this expedited process. These boys and girls—from infants to school-age—have minor, correctable or treatable physical conditions. Is one of these children waiting for you? Attend a webinar to learn more. For more info visit: holtinternational.org/china/ccop.shtml
China Child of Promise Adoption Program
Ho
lt Inte
rna
tion
al.o
rg11
Amazing FirstsThe joy that comes with adopting an older child
We are the lucky parents of eight children. Our first adoption
journey began in 2006 when we brought home our infant son,
Matthew. It is hard to describe the feelings I had during my first
trip to Ethiopia. The parents in my travel group who had adopted
toddlers and preschoolers were very inspiring to me, and the chil-
dren were amazing and beautiful.
We were so in love with Matthew that we began the adoption
process very soon after he came home. This time we knew that
we wanted to adopt an older child. Our agency, however, wouldn’t
allow us to adopt a child that didn’t follow the birth order of our
family. Lucky for us, we brought home our little 18-month-old
son, Samuel! Samuel definitely made us work a little harder for
his love, but watching him process everything that had changed
in his life was amazing.
Our desire to adopt an older child always remained in our
hearts. After some discussion with our children, we started
researching older child adoption and contacted Holt International.
We were so excited to find out that Holt was willing to consider us
for the adoption of an older child. We definitely wanted to adopt
from Ethiopia again and there was one little girl that we were par-
ticularly drawn to. She was a little older than we were originally
planning on, but after some discussion, prayer, and a little bit of
faith, we knew she would be our daughter! We began the process
with Holt to bring her home!
Our daughter, Asmerach, is nine years old and has been home
with us for almost three months. She has been such a happy girl.
She is beautiful, sweet and so much fun! She is learning English
rapidly and loves school. We may have missed her first smile, her
first steps, and her first word, but we have witnessed so many of
her firsts here in America.
Allow me to share, with you, some of our joys: The expression
on her face the first time she tasted cold ice cream…priceless!
The smile that never left her face the first time she rode on the
carousel, her excitement being in the swimming pool for the first
time, her obvious confusion when we gave her presents for her
birthday, the excitement she felt to have her own bedroom, and
her terrified expression when she thought we may be eating our
pet dog after I gave her a corn dog for lunch!
Coming into a new family, a new culture, and with everyone
speaking a new language, Asmerach has shown us how brave and
strong she really is. She is always ready to jump right in and try
new things. We are getting so much joy from watching her expe-
rience everything we take for granted, and we have so many more
things to look forward to, like: her reaction the first time we take
her to an amusement park, and we can only imagine what her
reaction will be on her first Christmas morning. We realize there
will probably be some bumps along the way, but we are so thank-
ful that we have followed our hearts. We can’t imagine Asmerach
anywhere else but with us.
If you are interested in adopting an older child, go to
holtinternational.org/waitingchild for more information.
Susan Johnson | Rochester, Minnesota
Below: Asmerach, 9, with members of her family, enjoys her first ride on a carousel. Having just come home 3 months ago, this is one of many “firsts” that Asmerach has and will experience with her new family—Wonderful parents, Susan and Charles, and seven siblings (Beth, Becky, Briana, Tasha, Cody, Matthew and Samuel).
Ho
lt I
nte
rna
tio
na
l /
Su
mm
er
20
10
12
Finding Happiness AgainA family is blessed with a son after expanding their options with the China Child of Promise program
Adoption was something that my husband and I talked about
many years ago, particularly after we lost our son, Brendan, to
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in 2001. After a long grief
process, we started to explore and research domestic and interna-
tional adoption. We discussed the programs and met with various
people who had adopted internationally.
As a teenage girl I dreamed of having a little girl from China,
and my husband was open to this as well. After a little over a year
of paperwork and wait time, we adopted our daughter Emma from
the Province of Guangdong in 2005. After so many years of empty
hearts and arms, we held our healthy 15-month-old little girl. We
were so excited and thrilled to have been blessed by this gift.
Emma is an amazing little girl who loves to hula-hoop, do gym-
nastics, play the piano and just enjoy life every day. As her pre-K
teacher used to tell her: “You are the sunshine in my classroom.”
She has certainly been my sunshine and warms my heart every
day. Emma has taught us so much more about love and life and
the importance of family. She has even taught me how to parent
a child after the loss of another.
My husband and I decided that we wanted to take another jour-
ney back to China and adopt another little girl. We completed our
paperwork and submitted our dossier to China in 2006. We knew
that the wait would be longer than before, but not that it would
get extended each month that went by!
One day, I was reading an article about Holt’s China Child of
Promise program and about little boys who needed families,
too. When thinking about adoption from China, I had only
naturally every thought about the girls who needed fami-
lies; I had never considered a boy.
My husband and I discussed the program and explored the
possibility of being open to adopting a boy. After so many years
had gone by and having my broken heart mended by my beautiful
daughter, we called Holt and told them that we would like to be
considered as a prospective family in the China Child of Promise
option and, in addition, that we preferred adopting a boy with a
mild, correctable medical condition.
I’ll never forget the day I spoke to Holt; they were so happy to
hear that we were open to adopting a boy. Furthermore, they told
me that it could be a matter of weeks until we received a phone
call (something I couldn’t comprehend after waiting for 2 years).
We submitted our medical checklist in November and received
the phone call in December about a 13-month-old little boy with
clubfeet.
After contacting pediatric orthopedic doctors about the sever-
ity of his feet and condition, we were told that he had a mild case
of clubfeet that could be easily corrected by serial casting and
braces. We knew this was the child that we had long waited for.
Words cannot even express how much love I have for Daniel.
He is truly an amazing boy and has shown me that life should
be lived with joy and happiness. Daniel has gone through a lot
since we brought him home, but he laughs and smiles every day.
He completed a month and a half of serial casting for his feet and
is now wearing his braces. He wears a different pair of braces
at night and continues to have “corrected feet.” He may require
a minor surgical procedure (moving a tendon from one place to
another), which would be done when he is a little older. In the
meantime, Daniel walks, runs and acts like any 2-year-old little
boy. Nothing holds him back.
Our two children have truly blessed us, and I never thought
how much my life would be completed by my family.
Michele Mazzio | West Chester, Pennsylvania
Above: Siblings, Emma and Daniel. Daniel was adopted through Holt’s China Child of Promise option. Currently there is a great need for adoptive families for boys with minor, correctable med-ical needs in China. Please con-
tact Holt’s China program for more information. holtinternational.org/china
adoptees today
Where God Began My JourneyA Holt adoptee offers her heart and hands to the place she spent her first years of life
The blasts of car horns below my Chicago apartment
take me from my graduate school studies, back to the busy
streets of Pune, India and into the fifth floor of
Bharativa Samaj Seva Kendra’s (BSSK) Children’s
Center. It was there that I served as a volunteer for
three months this past autumn. My trip back to
Pune seems like a dream on this April afternoon.
The experience was one that will continue to enrich
me for the rest of my life.
In 2001, I made my first trip back to India with
my parents and two brothers (both adopted from
India). It was during this trip that I got reacquainted
with the place I called home for the first two years of my life—
BSSK. On this 2001 trip, my desire to volunteer at BSSK and also
visit Parbhani – the city of my birth – increased. Eight years
later my dream was fulfilled; I returned to my Motherland from
September to December 2009. I came offering my heart and hands
to the place that loved and cared for me before placing me into the
arms of my forever parents.
The staff at BSSK welcomed me with open arms and full
hearts, and I received a glimpse of how they genuinely love all of
the children in care. What really stirred my heart, however, was
spending time with five caretakers who actually remembered me
from nearly 27 years ago!
During my time at BSSK I enjoyed partaking in the celebration
of Navarti, Diwali and Christmas with the children, along with
attending several local weddings. When BSSK celebrated their
30th anniversary in November, I was fortunate to be able to par-
ticipate in the festivities. The longevity of BSSK is truly a testa-
ment of the valiant work being done by the entire staff.
In Aurangabad, I had the pleasure of participating in BSSK-
Aurangabad’s 225th child adoption placement ceremony. They
even asked me to share what BSSK meant to me and allowed me
to present the baby to her parents. Watching the BSSK workers
lovingly shepherd homeless children into the arms of families
who will love them forever, was one more demonstration of the
wonderful work Holt is doing in India.
When I visited Parbhani, which is about 230 miles from Pune,
my traveling companion and I walked around the town and
eventually ended up at the civil hospital where I was left at six
months of age. Before leaving the hospital, I took a handful of soil
from the garden near the pediatric ward. For me this jar of dirt
was not just a simple souvenir. It is a memento with emotional
value…from the place I was born, the place where God began my
journey.
Volunteering at BSSK allowed me to discover, in new ways, the
utter preciousness of the people of India and especially at BSSK.
Though my three months in India seemed to go by so fast, vibrant
memories will remain in my heart always – along with lots of
pictures in my album!
On the day I said goodbye, the staff turned out at
the airport to present me with treasured tokens of my
Motherland that will serve as a daily reminder of their
smiling eyes, their happy voices, their busy hands….
and their loving hearts.
Though this visit involved experiences that were
uniquely my own, I would strongly encourage other
adoptees to consider going back to their Motherland. I
owe BSSK a great deal of gratitude. I am truly blessed to have two
sets of amazing people in my life…the family at BSSK who helped
me during my early years and my parents who have given me
more than I could possibly imagine.
Bethany Meera Bryant | Chicago, Illinois
Ho
lt Inte
rna
tion
al.o
rg13
Bethany spends time with children at BSSK, where she spent three months as a volunteer.
...vibrant memories
will remain in my heart
always
Ho
lt I
nte
rna
tio
na
l /
Su
mm
er
20
10
14
updatesPhilippinesThere are many older children and children with special needs from the Philippines
who are waiting to be united with their “forever families.” The Philippines program is
a particularly good choice when one or both adoptive parents is of Filipino heritage, as
these families will be matched (on average) six to eight months faster than non-Filipino
families applying to adopt from the Philippines. For more information on adopting from
the Philippines go to www.holtinternational.org/philippines
IndiaMany children in India need loving, nurturing families. Because of Holt’s long
history and extensive programs serving Indian children, we have a successful his-
tory of placing children from India with adoptive families in the U.S. Holt welcomes
Indo-Americans (born in India) as well as non-Indian applicants to adopt from India.
Adoptive families are especially needed for toddlers, preschoolers and children with
medical or developmental needs. For more information on adopting from India go to
www.holtinternational.org/india
Graduate SubmissionsWanted: photos of Holt adoptees who are graduating from high school, college or
vocational school for the fall issue of the magazine. For a Graduate submission form,
go online to www.holtinternational.org/gradsubmissions. Deadline is September
1st. Contact Managing Editor Ashli Keyser at [email protected] with any
questions.
Holt EventsHolt's Dinner and Auction Event in Monroe Township, New Jersey and Portland, Oregon
are coming up on September 25th and October 16th, respectively. The New Jersey event
will be held at The Crowne Plaza, Monroe and will benefit children in Holt’s Waiting
Child program. The Portland event will benefit homeless and at-risk children in Vietnam
and will be held at Montgomery Park. Both events start at 5:30 p.m. Come and join the
fun and help children in Holt's care! See www.holtinternational.org/events for more
information, or call (800)-451-0732.
Holt PicnicsCommunities build around shared experiences. Every year, adoptees and their families
gather at Holt's Annual Picnics to enjoy the company of those who share the unifying
experience of adoption. Last year, over 2,100 people attended Holt’s picnics, from
Oregon to New Jersey and several states between. We hope you can attend a Holt picnic
this year! For more information go to www.holtinternational.org/picnics
Pastor Matthew Barnett & Holt International Present the NY2LA Dream Center Tour! Matthew Barnett, legendary pastor of The Los Angeles Dream Center – one of the fastest
growing churches in America – and Holt International present the NY2LA Dream Center
Tour—reaching out to communities with an inspirational message of hope and the
opportunity to make a difference in the lives of orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable
children. The tour, featuring recording artists Press Play and Coffey Anderson, and with
inspirational words by Pastor Barnett, will begin August 2nd in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena
at the Assembly of God National Youth Convention and will play in markets as diverse as
Louisville, Tulsa, San Antonio, Orlando and, of course, New York and L.A. Free. No tickets
required. Information online at www.ny2latour.com
neighborhood calendarGeorgiaOctober 17 | Atlanta area — Holt Family Picnic at
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 3:30 – 6:30 p.m.
IllinoisAugust 14 | Oakbrook Terrace — Holt Family Picnic at
Lake View Nature Center
IowaSeptember 19 | Le Grand — Holt Family Picnic at
Le Grand Community Center, 12:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Kansas/MissouriAugust 7 | Prairie Village — Holt Family Picnic at Harmon Park,
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
New JerseyAugust 8-13 | 2010, Sussex — Holt Adoptee Camp for adoptees 9-16 years old
(Holt’s Day Camp is August 12)
September 11 | Lakewood — Holt Family Picnic at Pine Park
September 25 | Monroe Township — Gala Dinner and Auction to benefit
children in Holt’s Waiting Child program. 5:30 PM, Crowne Plaza
Monroe
OregonAugust 7 | Eugene — Holt Family Picnic at Camp Harlow
October 16 | Portland — Gala Dinner and Auction to benefit children and
families in Holt’s care in Vietnam. 5:30 PM, Montgomery Park
TexasNovember 5 | Southlake — Dinner to benefit children with special needs.
6:30 PM, Paradise Cove
Get the InfoHolt Family Picnics
For information or to volunteer at a picnic contact Sally Dougherty at
[email protected]. All picnics 11 a.m.-3 p.m. unless noted
otherwise. Go to www.holinternational.org/picnics for more info
For Holt Adoptee Camp information contact:
Steve Kalb at [email protected] or go to
www.holtinternational.org/camp
For Day Camp information contact:
Michael Tessier at [email protected] or go to
www.holtinternational.org/camp/daycamp.shtml
Rajeshwari
waiting childrenThese and other children need
adoptive families
Su-binBailey
TrentBorn: 3/13/07 - Africa
Trent enjoys playing with his toys and is always happy and smiling. He has hydrocephalus and is currently in physi-cal therapy to improve the motion in his legs, although they seem strong. He has good interaction with his caregivers and loves giving them high fives.
RajeshwariBorn: 11/10/06 - India
This sweet, affectionate little girl has visual impairment due to optic atrophy and wears glasses. She is otherwise healthy. Rajeshwari attends school for the visually impaired, and her caretak-ers describe her as “the girl with the cute smile and cheerful disposition.” There is a $5,000 grant available from Brittany’s Hope.
BaileyBorn: 9/28/02 China
Everyone loves this sweet little girl. In care since 2005, she now lives with a fos-ter family. She is a carrier of Hepatitis B and has a few small neoplasms on her left ear. Clever and kind, Grace loves helping out with the younger children, sliding at the park and playing with dolls. She regu-larly attends school and is delayed aca-demically. Grace is described as "the girl with the loving heart." This precious girl needs a family who is open to her medical condition and can provide her with any medical care she may need.
Su-binBorn: 6/13/09 – South Korea
Su-bin’s caretakers describe him as a “lovely child.” He has a small chin and high arch palate, which is being followed up with a genetic consult. Su-bin has a history of brain abnormalities and devel-opmental delays. There is a $5,000 Special Blessings grant available from Holt.
For more information on adopting these and other waiting children, contact Erin Mower at [email protected]
Rajeshwari
Trent
holtinternational.org/waitingchild/photolisting
P o s t O f f i c e B o x 2 8 8 0E u g e n e , O R 9 7 4 0 2
Change Service Requested
A campaign to find adoptive parents for children in China
• Boys and girls 2–13 years old• Many now live with
foster families• Some have special needs
www.holtinternational.org/journeyofhope or call 888-355-HOLT
Children need adoptive families...before it’s too late!