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A Child's Hope Winter Newsletter 2008 |
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Greetings!
Thanks to each of you for your prayers, encouragement and support during 2008. I hope each of you have a blessed and wonderful Christmas season! This year has seen more changes in the field of international adoptions than anyone could have foreseen. The implementation of The Hague Treaty in the United States was the culmination of years of planning and work. It has certainly impacted the work of many agencies; some of this impact has been good and some not so favorable. The KAS staff worked diligently to prepare for Accreditation and we were pleased that our efforts were rewarded by excellent results from our accreditation visit and our Full Accreditation. In addition, 2008 has brought a great level of media scrutiny and negative media attention to adoption issues in general and specific allegations have been made that there is not an orphan crisis in the world and that international adoptions fuel unethical practices of buying and selling children. Unfortunately, there are unethical people within the field of adoption and their participation in illicit activities have tainted not only this profession but also the families built through adoption. Most of the KAS staff have personally witnessed the devestating poverty in developing nations and all of us have been touched by the plight of children growing up without the protection of loving parents. We have held malnourished children, combed lice out of their hair, kissed their bruises and held them close. We have washed sores, changed diapers and most importantly, even for brief moments in time, we have provided love that many of these children rarely know. We have contributed significantly to humanitarian aid projects and remain committed even in these trying economic times to this giving, which we view as being the hands and feet of Jesus.
In assessing the world orphan crisis, there has recently been significant discussion regarding UNICEF's clarification of their estimate that 132 million children are orphaned; however, only approximately 13 million have lost both parents. Of this number 95% are over the age of 5. These numbers have been used to criticize international adoptions because only approximately 16% of the children adopted internationally by US parents are over the age of 5. When I breakdown the numbers I see a vastly different picture - of the 13 million children orphaned by both parents, ONLY 650,000 have not reached their fifth birthday (I use "only" sarcastically). And these are not even considering the many children whose biological families feel unable to parent for numerous reasons, such as poverty, lack of support, age, etc. Many of the children who are adopted from overseas are not children who are true orphans, but are children who have been voluntarily relinquished or abandoned by a biological parent or parents and are as much in need of a permanent home as a child with no living parent and no other options for care. In addition, considering the undisputed fact that institutionalization causes organic brain delay and developmental problems, it is in the child's best interests that they be placed with a loving family as early in life as possible. I believe it is wonderful that 16% of children adopted internationally by US parents are over age 5. My husband and I happen to have adopted two children both over 5 and we have been immeasurably blessed, but we can also say that had our children come home to us sooner they would have had a happier, healthier and more secure early childhood.
As people touched by adoption it is incumbent upon us to tell the real story and set the record straight about our families which were built without fraud, corruption or dishonesty. It is imperative that we stand up and be a voice for children whose possibilities for adoption are dwindling everyday in the reasoning of "protecting a child's best interests". It is time for us to hold the media and anti-adoption zealots accountable for the inaccurate and misleading information they use to sensationalize adoption in a negative way. Unethical adoption practices should and must be stopped and unethical practitioners taken to task, but children in need of homes should not be punished. As we continue to try to help children in need and fight on their behalf we ask that you add your voice to ours in demanding that God's children not be forgotten.
God's Richest Blessings,
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 Welcome Maria!
KAS would like to welcome our newest Case Worker, Maria Gocke. Maria attended Missouri State University where she received her Masters in Social Work.
Maria is married to Steve who is a youth pastor in Owensboro.
We are very excited to welcome Maria to KAS.
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Welcome Home
KAS would like to welcome home the following families:
Steven and Angie welcome Ian from The Gambia.
Cindy and Greg welcome Leo from Guatemala.
Steve and Lisa welcome Henry from Guatemala.
Nancy and Larry welcome Jackson from Guatemala.
Michael and Jennifer welcome Kerrihana from Korea.
Merlin and Angela welcome Jonathan from USA.
Eric and Kelli welcome Ella from USA.
Aaron and Cristina welcome Dylan from Russia.
Many Thanks
KAS would like to thank everyone who made a donation over the past 3 months. We would also like to thank all of the volunteers who helped with KAS' participation in the Owensboro Christmas Parade and the KAS Holiday Bazaar. Thank you to Carrie Clements, Karen Vincent, Brenda Montgomery, Pam Morris, and all of the staff who helped make these events possible.
We will have a complete listing of all donations made in the next newsletter. A list was not available at the time of publication.
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Calendars Still Available-Supply is Limited
KAS calendars were a success and we have 40 left. If you did not originally order a calendar and would like to order one now, they are $20 plus $2.50 for shipping and handling. You can contact Mandy to place an order or go online to www.freewebs.com/kentuckyadoptionservicesstore .
This will be done yearly, so begin thinking now about photos you will submit for next year.
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The Clements Family Story
 We are Carrie and Damian Clements the proud parents of two living children, our 7 year old son, Austin and our 21 month old daughter, Tianna. We lost a baby girl, Lindsay, in 1998. We both adore children and always wanted a big family. Due to circumstances beyond our control that didn't happen. After we had our son in 2001, we knew we wanted more children and we began to discuss adoption.
Around Christmas of 2006, I went to church alone because my son was sick. I had always admired a little girl at our church that was from Guatemala. This particular night I held her. It was like God whispering to me "The time is now, your child is about to be born!" I went home to tell my husband, we talked and decided to wait NO longer! We jumped in, feet and hearts first, to adopt from Guatemala.
We finished all the necessary paperwork in January 2007. On February 12th we received the referral of a BEAUTIFUL baby girl that was 6 days old. Even before seeing her we knew this child was ours. Immediately upon seeing her pictures we were so in love, so excited, yet so nervous!
We visited her in May and what a wonderful experience. How wonderful to meet her, hold her, kiss her, feed her, bathe her, and smell her. To see my children together was AMAZING! To leave her was so hard, but I would never give back that time we had to bond and fall even more in love.
She came home in October 2007. She has been home a little over a year and she is wonderful! My children love each other so much; it is great to witness. She has made our family more complete.
Our decision to adopt was not a hard one as we knew God was telling us it was time. We know she was meant to be with us. We love her first family for loving her enough to give her a better life. For that we are so grateful! We cannot imagine our lives without our children! They are everything to us! They are truly a gift from God. We are so thankful and blessed to be their parents, forever!
Carrie, Damian, Austin and Tianna Clements
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Program Updates
Many of our adoption programs have seen no change since the previous newsletter. Below are updates on those countries that are new to KAS or have had changes since the last newsletter. Should you have a question about a specific program please contact the office (270-684-2598) for detailed information.
Nepal - KAS is officially approved to work in Nepal. Lucy, along with other agency representatives, visited Nepal in November and met with Nepali Officials, as well as the US Embassy in Katmandu. The exact processing of referrals from Nepal has not been officially decided, although the Nepal Center for Adoptions is considering various models, including those from India and China. At this time, we expect referrals to come approximately 9 - 11 months after dossier submission with travel to occur 3 to 4 months after referral. Families who begin this program must recognize it is newly re-opening and must maintain flexibility in their attitude and expectations.
Ukraine - KAS has a pilot family in Ukraine at this time. Families must be prepared for dossier submission to the SDA to be approximately 5-12 months. After your dossier has been submitted to the SDA, you will receive an invitation with an appointment date to travel to Ukraine within 30-90 days from your dossier submission date. While it is possible to adopt a toddler from Ukraine, KAS recommends families also be open to adopting children over six years of age and/or sibling groups.
El Salvador - Lucy visited El Salvador in December, where she met with the Procudor, the Director of the Office for Adoptions, as well as US Embassy staff. The Salvadorean officials were favorable toward the families we have sent through the El Salvador program, as we have very cautiously screened which families to accept. They will be providing to KAS a list of 25 older children in need of families and it is anticipated that interested families will be able to gather additional child specific information and an expedited adoption process. Lucy has advocated for these possibilities for well over a year and we are excited about this work! Guatemala - Lucy visited Guatemala in December. There are many rumors going around that Guatemala will be reopened in January 2009. The CNA is working diligently on regulations concerning the accreditation process for foreign adoption agencies and it is expected that these regulations will be prepared in the first quarter of 2009. For US citizens to be permitted to adopt from Guatemala for new cases the United States will have to accept that Guatemala has a Hague compliant adoption system. There have been numerous visits by US officials to Guatemala to assess the system. In general, the CNA seems to want to begin processing international adoptions. They have processed 54 domestic adoptions and completed at least one international adoption (Under the new system in Guatemala, but not considered to be Hague on the US side, which allowed for case processing). We will continue to keep everyone updated on what is happening in Guatemala.
Domestic - Our domestic program has continued to be busy. Lydia, Maria and Amy have all been assisting expectant mothers who are considering adoption. |
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| 'Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the casa,
Not a creature was stirring -- Caramba! Que pasa?
Los ninos were tucked away in their camas,
Some in camisas and some in pijamas,
While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado
In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado
To bring all children, both buenos and malos,
A nice batch of dulces and other regalos.
Outside in the yard there arose such a grito
That I jumped to my feet like a frightened cabrito.
I ran to the window and looked out afuera,
And who in the world do you think quien era?
Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero
Came dashing along like a crazy bombero.
And pulling his sleigh instead of venados
Were eight little burros approaching volados.
I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre
Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre
"Ay Pancho, ay Pepe, ay Chucho, ay Beto,
Ay Chato, ay Chopo, Macuco, y Nieto!"
Then standing erect with his hands on his pecho
He flew to the top of our very own techo.
With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,
He struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea,
then huffing and puffing at last in our sala,
With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala,
He filled all the stockings with lovely regalos--
For none of the ninos had been very malos.
Then chuckling aloud, seeming very contento,
He turned like a flash and was gone like the viento.
And I heard him exclaim, and this is verdad,
Merry Christmas to all, and Feliz Navidad!
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Las Posadas- Latin America Christmas Tradition
Las Posadas (Spanish for "The Inns") is a nine-day celebration beginning December 16th and ending December 24th. It is a yearly tradition for many Catholic Hispanics and some other Latin Americans and symbolizes the trials which Mary and Joseph endured before finding a place to stay where Jesus could  be born, based on the passage in the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke (2:1-9): "Now, at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census -- the first -- took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his home town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and traveled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and lineage, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them." It is a very important Christmas Tradition for the people of Latin America.
The recipe below is a fried pastry that is served at many Las Posadas celebrations. Try them, they are very good! | |
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Buñuelos
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Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 T. sugar
1/4 cup soft butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Oil - enough for deep frying the Bunuelos
Cinnamon coating:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions:
1. Sift flour together with salt, baking powder, and sugar into a bowl. 2. Add butter and knead until mixture is like coarse meal. 3. Beat eggs lightly with milk, then pour into flour mixture and stir until dough gets solid. 4. Turn dough out onto floured board, and knead lightly for 2 minutes until smooth. 5. Cut dough into balls the size of marbles and let stand 15 minutes. 6. Roll each ball on a lightly floured board into a very thin pancake 4 inches in diameter. 7. After rolling out the circles of dough, place them on a flat surface in a single layer on waxed paper to dry until ready to cook. 8. Fry in hot deep fat (375 degrees) until puffed and golden brown, about 30 seconds on each side. 9. Drain on paper towels. 11. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a bowl for cinnamon coating. 12. Place warm Bunuelos in bowl to coat them. |
| You can also squirt honey on the Buñuelos. This makes six dozen puffed pastries. They are best when fresh, so if you don't plan on needing that many, you may want to cut this recipe in half. Be careful though. | |
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