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Colombian
“Noticiero”
February 2008
Hello
Adoptive Families,
It is the month of hearts, candy, and flowers. This
month you will see new and old sections of the Colombia Noticiero:
the Colombia Book of the month is back. I have
also added a new section called: Kid
Spotlight.
Update On The Colombia Program
Recent Arrivals:
Families are currently in Colombia to adopt:
Assignments & Traveling Soon:
-
13-month
old baby girl from Villavicencio
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Girl 7
and her brother, 4, from Cundinamarca
-
Boy 7
from Cundinamarca
Post-Adopt Reports:
The information in last month’s Update/Noticiero about the
changes in the Post-Adopt Reports ONLY impacts families who
are arriving home with children after 1/1/08. For all of you
who adopted prior to that date, your post-adopt process
continues to be the same as it was (3 reports, none of them
need to be apostilled, etc.)
Hope you all have a Happy
Valentine’s Day!
News Yahoo Groups
Families can email me at
Ann.Tollefson@ChildrensHope.net to request a Yahoo
invitation to join. Please provide your first and last
name, the email address you wish to use, where you are in
the adoption process and which CHI Yahoo group you would
like to join.
CHI Colombia Kids Yahoo Group -
chicolombiakids-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
CHI Colombia Special Needs Kids Yahoo
Group -
chicolombiaspecialkids-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
CHI Colombia Parents of Teenagers Yahoo
Group -
chicolombiaparentsofteenagers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Children’s Books in Spanish for Children in Colombia
I love to see
God’s hand at work. From the very beginning steps on our journey to
adopt God has shown Himself to us in the most amazing ways. I could
go on and on, but my purpose for this message is about books in
Spanish that will be given to an orphanage in Bogotá, Children’s
Vision International. About a month ago I was talking to one of my
students, I work at a college, about our adoption and my efforts to
learn Spanish. One thing led to another and she told me that she had
a part time job as a book rep for a company called USBORNE BOOKS and
that they had a nice selection of books in Spanish I may be
interested in. I asked her to bring in a catalogue so I could take a
look. She told me if I was interested in hosting a show, much like a
Home Interior show, that she would give me some bonus books along
with the reward points I would earn.
I found that
they did have a great selection of books in Spanish for a variety of
ages and of very good quality. So I thought on the idea for a few
weeks. I am not a fan of hosting home shows but a tug on my heart
would not let the idea die. To make a long story short, we agreed on
my doing a show on line, an e-show. I explained to the rep that I
wanted all of my reward points to go toward books in Spanish for us
to take to Colombia for a local orphanage. I anticipated taking
about 10 books with us. Immediately she told me she would double all
of my points, and give me forty-five dollars to spend on books that
she would discount to half price. So I sent an email out to all of
my friends, family and colleagues. I had the most amazing response!
People decided not to purchase books for their family, but to
purchase books for the orphanage! In just one week I had over 25
books sent to me for the orphanage. Right now I have 40 books and
haven’t even begun to buy books with my reward points. I anticipate
being able to give at least 50 books!
Once I saw the
amazing response from folks, I thought I better talk to Julie and be
sure I can make this kind of donation on behalf of CHI, and to which
orphanage they should be donated to. Julie directed me to an agency
that CHI has sponsored projects with before. So I checked into the
place Julie recommended, Children’s Vision International. I knew
immediately after looking at the website for the orphanage that God
had his hand on this “book party” the whole time. Children’s Vision
International (CVI) is a non-profit, non-government organization
whose purpose is to help the needy and homeless. They take in (as
stated on their website) “children that live in boxes underneath
bridges; children that not only endure birth defects, but are
victims of neglect and abuse. Most children we receive into our home
suffer from chronic malnutrition, bronchitis, parasites, severe
diarrhea, as well other intestinal diseases. They are children whose
parents are drug addicts, prostitutes, delinquents or victims of war
who were forced to leave their homeland and are unable to provide
and care for them” They take children who have never been
registered, no birth certificate, no record of being alive. These
children have no hope without this organization.
The way I see
it, God wanted to bless these kids with more books for their homes
and we just happen to be the vessel to get the books to them. One
of my friends, who also purchased books for us to take, leads a girl
scout troop and wants to make up some packages of new toothbrushes
and such as a community service project and to teach the girls about
orphans and adoption. God is opening doors all around us.
Once we receive
our referral, which we anticipate being this spring, we will make
plans to leave a few days early so we can make a visit to CVI and
pass along the books folks so kindly gave.
For anyone
interested in purchasing books for your own family or interested in
doing the same kind of thing for an orphanage or family in need, you
can find more info at the following link:
www.ubah.com/HOS105697
My party will
close 2/23/08 at 11:59 PM for anyone wanting to purchase books for
CVI either directly or by buying books for your family and letting
me use the reward points for more books. I will be sure to let you
know how many books we are able to send once the show is closed out
at the end of Feb. You can see a list and updates on our blog at
hollis-colombia.blogspot.com
God has so
richly blessed our lives already. We can’t wait to meet our new
additions and enjoy His “gifts” to us. In the meantime, we will
continue to do what we can to collect God’s blessings to take to the
children of Colombia.
The Hollis’
New Website
Dear CHI
Families and Friends.
It is with
great pleasure that I present to you my new website www.spongelearners.com
This website
is dedicated to all the families who in someway or another have
a Spanish connection and would like their children to learn
Español. I was born and raised in Colombia and now that I have
become a parent I realize even more the importance of raising
our children bilingual if at all possible.
This website
will provide great information and products to teachers,
parents, or family members who would like a child to be
bilingual (Spanish/English) or become more acquainted with the
Spanish language. Spongelearners.com will provide you with
wonderful resources that will help you make Spanish part of your
everyday activities.
Please share
the link with those who you think will benefit from it: friends,
co-workers, family members, teachers, schools, etc.
Thank
you
Sandra
Da Silva, MSW
Adoption Social Worker
Adoptionhs@yahoo.com
Colombia Books of the Month
Quiero a mi papa Porque (I love My Daddy Because
Eng/Span Ed.)
By, Laurel
Porter Gaylord & Ashley Wolff
Quiero a mi Mama Porque
(I Love my Mommy Because Eng/Span ed)
By, Laurel
Porter Gaylord & Ashley Wolff
The Story of Valentine's Day
by
Nancy Skarmeas, Stacy Pickett-Venturi, and Stacy Venturi-Pickett
Dora's
Valentine Adventure (Dora the Explorer)
By, Christine Ricci and A&J Studios
 Lola
(English and Spanish Foundations Series)
by, Loufane
Gladys Rosa-Mendoza
Come and meet Lola... a very special chicken that will capture the
hearts of children of all ages! Every day, all the chickens on the
chicken farm clamor to be chosen by the rooster to sit next to him.
Except for one... Lola. She's not like the other chickens, and when
the rooster picks her one fine day, she refuses and leaves the farm
in search of true love. Share the engaging illustrations and
heartwarming story of “Lola” with your children and give them an
important lesson in being true to themselves and not settling for
less than their heart's desire.
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Carnaval de Barranquilla
Barranquilla's Carnival is a
carnival with traditions that date back to the 19th century.
It takes place for four days preceding Ash Wednesday. During
the carnival the city of
Barranquilla's
normal activities are paralyzed because the city gets busy
with street dances, musical and masquerade parades.
Barranquilla's Carnival is reputed for being second in size
to Rio de Janeiro's but is far less commercialized. The
Barranquilla Carnival
includes dances like the Spanish
paloteo, African
Congo and
indigenous
mico y micas.
Many styles of Colombian music are also performed, most
prominently
cumbia, and
instruments include drums and wind ensembles. The
Carnival of Barranquilla was proclaimed by UNESCO, in
November of 2003, as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity, during Olga Lucia
Rodriquez’ carnival queen year.
Information from wikipedia at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barranquilla's_Carnival
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Kid Spotlight
 The
“Kid Spotlight” will be featured each month in the Colombia
Noticiero. It will be a praise report, exciting news, update or
just bragging moments for the families that have been united
with their Colombian jewels. It can be something serious, or
sillier, or spiritual...it could be long or short, but we would
LOVE to have pictures! (At least one would be needed!)
Thank you Wendi Wood for the great Idea!
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Nataly's Introduction to Our
Church
Nataly and I
arrived home from Colombia on November 10, 2007. The next
day at church I was asked to send in a digital picture and
brief synopsis of our story so Nataly could be officially
introduced to our church body. I sent in the information
and then forgot about it with the craziness of scheduling
doctor appointments, enrolling for school, visiting friends
and all the other things that turned into a giant blur right
when we got home. The next Sunday, after our songs, the
children were dismissed to go downstairs. I was going with
her since she didn't understand much English yet. As we
were walking down the aisle, I stopped to talk to a friend,
but Nataly didn't realize it and kept going. As soon as I
got to the front of the church, the pastor announced that we
had new additions to our church family. The light bulb went
off in my head, and I looked at Jamie (our children's
director). Jamie & I both started calling for Nataly to
come back upstairs. With the help of a friend, she made it
back upstairs (think of salmon swimming upstream!). When
she got to the door, our picture was on the screen (see
picture of the 2 of us - it was the day I signed the
Sentencia!). I was pointing to the screen when she suddenly
took off. She had thought I was pointing to our Pastor
since he was talking about her. She ran right up to him and
gave him a huge hug. Pastor Jim then picked her up and
showed her off to everyone. At that moment, the entire
congregation started clapping. I immediately started
tearing up (and still do when I think about it!). I looked
to a friend of mine who also had tears in her eyes. It was
such an amazing moment to hear such applause for my
daughter. She was just beaming - taking it all in. After
the service, people who I'd never met were telling me that
they were crying, too! In that moment, I felt so many
things - amazing support, overwhelming encouragement, and a
true kinship with others simply because we are all brothers
& sisters in Christ.
I'm
attaching a couple of other pictures of Nataly since we've
been home. She is truly an amazing girl, and I'm so honored
to be her Mami!
Jennifer
Bennett (www.andthentherewere2.blogspot.com) |
Lifebooks,
not scrapbooks
 Lifebook,
scrapbook, or baby book, whichever name you want to choose,
creating a memory for you child or children will last a
lifetime. Lifebooks help to introduce your child or children to
their very own birth and adoption story. Below I have given
only several of hundreds of links and resources to get started.
Growing up I (Caroleana) didn’t have a Lifebook
or scrapbook about my adoption from Colombia, but my parents
took many photos while traveling in Colombia. I remember
looking at those photos fondly and gaining an understanding of
my heritage and roots. These photos were something that I
always treasured.
I would really encourage you to consider working
with your children, whether infants or especially older
children, on a Lifebook. It can bring out all kinds of memories
and ideas that will give you a chance to gain insight on how
your child sees their own history and help them put the pieces
together. Enjoy!
Earl & Stephanie England have graciously shared
with us the photos of the Lifebook of their daughter Julyanna
and Dorothy Pearce, our website whiz in St. Louis, has done a
wonderful job of posting them on a webpage so you can look and
get some ideas.
http://adopt.childrenshope.net/colombia_Julyanna.html
If anyone would like to share photos of their
completed pages or Lifebook/scrapbook, please feel free email
photos to
caroleana.stickney@childrenshope.net
I would love to share photos next month with everyone!
Getting Started…
1) Organize
photos
A. Envelopes
work well
B. Divide photos by events or themes
1.
arrival
2.
home/playing/eating/bathing/
3.
birthday/Christmas/Halloween
4.
Grandparents/cousins/other relatives
5.
Siblings
6.
Friends
2) Organize
supplies-all in one place
A.
Designate an
area-preferably a separate table set up to use whenever
B.
Label photos
that are organized
C.
Album-separate pages to work on
D.
Cutter/
Scissors
E.
Adhesive
F.
Embellishments
1. paper
2. stickers
3. diecuts
3) Use 4-6
photos per page
A. Think about 2 page spreads
4) Crop
excess out-get rid of duds-duplicates-pick the best
5) Try to
keep it simple-strips or triangles of color, do borders etc.
6) Journal &
Label
A. Names, first & last
B. Dates
C. Silly comments, story lines or interesting data
D. Place, addresses
Adoption related Themes…
First Meeting with
your child
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Take photos of
your child with the person who brings your child, include
yourself in some of the photos. Have someone take your first
family photo with mom, dad and child.
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Try to journal
something about your child’s reaction at that first meeting, and
your response to what was happening.
Adoption Process
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Take pictures of
where the adoption took place, inside and outside of building,
staff people, documentation be done, signing of papers etc.
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Medical exam
office
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Embassy,
passport or other areas of processing
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Court houses,
lawyers, social workers, judges
Birth City/Town
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Photograph
streets, highway signs, street names, buildings, hotels, street
vendors and people from this area.
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Pictures of
anything that may be of interest to your child. These photos
will help your child have a mental vision of what the area they
were from looks like.
First Days Together
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Make sure to
take lots of pictures of those first few awkward days together.
This should include meals, sleeping, bathing, walks, playing,
crying, happy, sad, quiet or even naughty behavior. These photos
will be used to tell the story of what your child was feeling in
those early days.
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Include photos
of the doctor’s visit needed for the visa.
Sightseeing in your
Child’s Birth Country
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Take
photos of everything-food, schools, churches/temples, museums,
government buildings, medical facilities, parks, animals,
bridges, rivers, landscape, streets, vehicles, people, people in
action, clothing, shoes, people in uniforms, vendors, signs,
entertainment venues, children of all ages, tourist sights as
well as local places of interest. Find photos that will depict
your child’s birth culture and heritage.
Returning home
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Getting ready to
return, last minute photos of any families traveling with you
and their new children. Photos of any one who has helped you
along the way, translators, guides, drivers, facilitators etc.
(again be sure to get names of everyone)
Arrival Home
-
Someone should
be assigned to take photos of the arrival. Ask a trusted friend
to commit to taking photos of family and friends waiting, the
airport area, any signs, balloons or gifts that people are
holding, then your arrival and everyone seeing your child for
the first time.
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Take photos when
you get home, your child in their home for the first time, in
their room, with any toys or siblings. Photos again of them
playing, sleeping, eating, bathing, crying, laughing, sad or
happy. These photos will be a great way to gauge your child’s
adjustment. You will see things later that you were unable to
see at the time regarding your child’s process of their new
surroundings.
Lifebook
Resources…
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Adoptive Families Magazine
Adoption
Scrapbooks Made Easy, by Jenni Colson
Creating a
keepsake scrapbook for your child may seem daunting. But with
these strategies, you can fashion a memento your entire family
will cherish for years.
Read and learn
more at:
http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1131
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Adoption
Lifebooks
A website
dedicated to providing families with resources to help create a
Lifebook
Learn more at:
http://www.adoptionlifebooks.com/
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Lifebook quotes
and poems
Here are a few examples:
"Adoption means you grew in your mommy's
heart instead of her tummy"
Author: Unknown
"She will fill our lives with sunshine....
And our hearts with love."
Author: Unknown
Find more at:
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