FEBRUARY 1, 2005

OPERATION HOPE RETURNS TO TENNESSEE!!

We are excited to announce that Operation Hope, the program where children ages 7-12 come to the US for 3 weeks to stay with host families that are truly interested in adopting them, will be returning to Nashville this Summer!  If you are interested in this wonderful program for older children, please contact Tanya@childrenshopeint.org to register for the program!  You won’t be sorry! 

One such family is ….. 

THE TRACY FAMILY, TN (Russia)

Featuring Operation Hope Families: 

Thank you for helping us with the addition to our family.  It’s hard to believe it’s been a year.  Fedya is fitting right in and we have all grown in the past year and had many memorable moments!

THE BENZEK FAMILY, TN (Russia)

We are doing well!  Alec is a busy little boy, but cute as can be!  We are so grateful to all of your staff in TN, STL and Russia!

THE BOSWORTH FAMILY, TN (China)

Time has sure flown since we returned home with our beautiful Naomi. She is more than we could have ever asked for.

THE CHANEY FAMILY, FL (China)

We are doing well.  Hailey is happy and content and seems to be adjusting well.  The beginning was tough, because she wasn't sleeping through the night, but now she's doing great!  I love her and she's wonderful! 

THE WILSON FAMILY, LA (China)

Editor's note: Amy was adopted as an infant. See how she's grown!



Amy made the hat, she just turned 6.  The globe in the background was made with minerals from Hunan Province, where she was from:)  Enjoy!  We have been forever blessed!

THE WAINSCOTT FAMILY, FL (Russia)

Greetings! 

Of course, we already got our greatest present, Zoe, mid-year!  We still had a wonderful time opening the rest of our presents and enjoying our family. 

THE BODOR FAMILY, TN (Russia)

The adoption process was long, tedious, nerve-wracking, at times, heartbreaking, but ultimately SO worth it!  It’s been one of the best journeys of our lives!

We got “the call” in February that our specifications matched with a little girl in Novokuznetsk (Kemerovo Region).  They wanted to know if we could travel to Russia only 1 week later to meet her.  Oh, the excitement, the panic, the joy, the nervousness that suddenly filled my mind.  Never mind will she love me, will she LIKE me?  What will she look like in person?  What will her personality be like?  What will her likes and dislikes be?  What happened that she ended up in an orphanage?  The rush of knowing a little girl – YOUR little girl – is clear across the world, waiting to meet you and come home with you for forever is like nothing I can describe.  Truth be known, it was better  than pregnancy and the excitement that comes along with all the wondering about your newborn.

I’d been all over the world but never anywhere quite like Russia.  Moscow was gorgeous, hip, modern and quite progressive.  But in stark contrast was Siberia.  I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw how so many in these small villages live.  There are large holes in the sides of many of the homes that let the snow and cold into the home (shacks, really), yet, people that had a home like that were the lucky ones.  The poverty was so hard to witness and I wished I had the resources to help everyone.

Meeting Julianna for the first time far exceeded my expectations.  She came right to me and hugged me like she’d always been mine.  She and I and Bruce bonded and fell in love from the first second we met. 

For our next visit, we took Baylee with us.  Baylee had a ball and I so enjoyed having her with us.  It was fun to watch her meet her sister for the first time too.  They hugged and Julianna took Baylee by the hand all over the orphanage showing her friends, her bed, where she ate meals and her caretakers. 

We got her all packed up and as we were leaving and walking out the door of the orphanage, she pumped her fists in the air and said something in Russian.  The interpreter said “Did you just hear her?”  I said yes, but what did it mean?  She said “Julianna just said I’M GOING HOME!” 

From the moment we got her, she has fit so beautifully into our home, lives, family and hearts.  It’s like we’ve always had her.  She even LOOKS like us (poor girl!)!   She was such a great sport and acclimated to her new surroundings, bedroom, food and even the language so quickly.  She dropped all Russian within days of being home and started speaking in long, English sentences not long after. 

She’s learned to hold her own and even asserts her opinions on what she does and doesn’t want to wear.  She’s a girlie-girl and loves all the things Baylee does:  make-up, twirly dresses, hair accessories, princess anything, body glitters, lotions and sprays, etc.  She is very affectionate, loving, fun and brings a tremendous amount of joy into our lives.

THE JONES FAMILY, TN (China)

Happy New Year!” These words have new meaning this year! 2004 started with hope, continued heartache from 2003 as we waited for our child, and ended with a BANG. My husband and I adopted not one, but two, children this year through Children’s Hope International, and our lives will never be the same.

            Our story began in 2002. In February of that year, we decided to adopt, and decided to adopt internationally. We had no biological children, and having been on several mission trips and meeting children from other countries, we knew if we ever did adopt, we’d do so internationally. We found Children’s Hope International by searching on the web. Probably not the best way to find your adoption agency, but God was with us! Within 2 days of looking up more information on line, we had an application in the mail, and 3 days after mailing in our application, we got not one, but two calls, from CHI telling us we’d been accepted! We were thrilled.

             When we got to China to meet our daughter, we felt our home life was complete, at least for now. So, here we are with 2 children. Thanks to lots and lots of prayers from friends and family, we have been blessed beyond belief. While everyone was praying for our son, I feel like what they didn’t know was they were praying for our daughter, too. We are so excited. Yes, a little overwhelmed. They are 16 months apart. But they already love each other, even though they fight already like normal brother and sister, and we’ve only been home with our daughter for 3 weeks. Christmas was amazing, and she loves her whole family. I’ve been amazed how quickly our children have both attached to us, considering that we both work outside the home. But I can see God’s hand in both of these kids.

            Why did we have to wait so long for our son? I still don’t know. I can see positives: we were getting patience training for having kids; he heard Spanish for 2 years, and now has a nanny that speaks Spanish to him so he’ll be bilingual; we were learning to wait on God.  Why did our daughter come so fast? Perhaps because God wanted us to see that only HE could have done this, and to rely on Him to care for both of these kids because we were getting really confident with our son. In any case, we are overwhelmingly blessed with these 2 wonderful children. Happy New Year, indeed!

            2005 is truly going to be an amazing year, the first year of the rest of our lives together as a family!

HUMANITARIAN AID

Children's Hope International is launching an emergency appeal in response to the devastating tidal waves on December 26 that hit many parts of Asia and seriously affected parts of southern India. The immediate goal is to provide food and safe drinking water to the poorest and most vulnerable children and adults. When these needs are met, the focus will shift to rehabilitation and helping people to rebuild their lives.  

This is an overwhelming task – trying to provide the most basic necessities, such as food, water and shelter, as so many people only have the clothes that they were wearing when the disaster struck. For just $2, we can purchase a blanket for a child who must now sleep on the street.  It costs only $200 for the team to set up and equip a medical tent, which provides proper medication and water purification tablets for victims.  These makeshift clinics are crucial at this time to prevent the spread of disease.     

One hundred percent of the contributions received by Children’s Hope International go directly to help people in need – with the assurance that even the smallest amount will do the greatest good. Please send your contribution to Children’s Hope International Foundation at 7003 Chadwick Drive, Brentwood, TN 37027.  Be sure to designate “tsunami relief” in the memo line of your check.  You can find more information or donate by credit card on our website, www.chifoundation.org. 

Thank you for your compassion for those in need throughout the world.

All donations to Children’s Hope International are 100% tax-deductible, under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code and can be made through Network for Good

 

And, many families also enjoy giving while adopting….here is one such story…..

THE BURNS FAMILY, TN (China)

Our travel group purchased 10 new baby cribs for the Wuwei Social Welfare Institute.  Our  guide, Maria, helped us shop for the best crib and negotiated a discounted price with the store manager.  We think these new cribs will look great in the new building.  Just thought you might want to mention this in one of the newsletters.  I have attached a picture of the crib.  I also posted a note and the pictures to the Wuwei Yahoo group and the Gansu Yahoo group if anyone else going to this orphanage is interested in purchasing matching cribs. 

RUSSIA UPDATE

There are lots of things going on with the Russia program and it is changing by the minute. Due to the restructuring of the government after the presidential election in the spring of 2004, the Ministry of Education does not have formal approval by the government to be in charge and control international adoption.  At this time, the government is determining who will be responsible for international adoption.  It may still reside with the Ministry of Education or there has been discussion about a new government agency being formed just for the purpose of regulating and controlling international adoption.

 What we are doing at this time is updating the website www.childrenshope.com under Latest News.  Then you can click on the link at the top or go to the Russia section and it will take you to the same update. 
 

CHI REUNION PICNIC

Mark your calendar for the CHI Reunion Picnic 2005. July 23^rd :10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Again this year we will gather at Queeny Park in St. Louis for a one day event, for families to share or relive adoption experiences. Over 1000 people joined in the fun last year.  

Go to www.childrenshope.com/ReunionPicnic2005.htm for details on Hotels, Location, Photos from 2004 and an application form. 

UPCOMING INFORMATION MEETINGS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Pre-Adopt #2

A MESSAGE FROM BRENDA BARKER

Do it Now!

One day you will turn around to hug them--they will be gone--do it now!

One day you will turn around to show them a treasure of your heart--they

will be gone--do it now!

One day you will turn around to apologize for some selfish mistake you

made--they will be gone--do it now!

One day you will turn around to guide them--they will be gone--do it now!

One day you will turn around to enjoy them--they will be gone--do it now!

One day you will turn around to teach them some promise of God--they

will be gone--do it now!

One day you will turn around to correct them in some unseemingly manner

--they will be gone--do it now!

One day you will turn around to love them--they will be gone--do it now!

Author Unknown

I can think of no greater way to start the new year!

We don't want to burden you with a lot of information, but we do want to help you if you are looking for a way to adopt. If not, please let us know and we will regretfully remove your name from our newsletter.   E-mail me at my address below with any question you have.  I would love to hear from you. 

Brenda

 Southeastern U.S.
 Brenda Barker, Director
 7003 Chadwick Dr. Suite 350
 Brentwood, TN  37027
 615-309-8109   Fax: 615-309-8483
 Brenda@ChildrensHope.com
 Also serving the following states: TN, KY, GA, AL, AR, MS, TX and LA