From Our Families

JUNE 2002 NEWSLETTER 

Caring for and serving families in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama,  Mississippi,

Florida,Texas, and Louisiana 

By Jan Gould, Memphis, Tennessee

“I have always believed that God sends people in our lives to help us with the challenges that we face.  Here is a story about my ‘angel’ that shared her love of God with me during the most challenging experience of my life.”

After a year and a half of infertility treatments, tests and surgery, I finally heard God very plainly tell me that adoption was the route we were to pursue.  My husband, David and I began the enormous paperwork required of adoptive parents.  Along this paper trail, is where I would meet a very special friend, Ondrea Harrison.  We “met” via the Internet.  Due to some changes in the adoption laws, we had to find a new accredited agency in Russia.  As I sent countless emails to strangers to get their adoption stories and recommendations on agencies, Ondrea responded.  Ondrea would answer my endless question on Russian adoption.  We met a couple of months later at a Children’s Hope International adoption reunion in Nashville where she lives, and the bond strengthened even more as David and I got to know her.  But when I truly realized that God had sent her in my path, was when she gave me the courage to go with my heart against the advice of doctors and well-meaning family and friends.  When we received the medical report on our son, Alex, it was quite confusing.  We called a couple of doctor friends of ours to ask what all the medical terms meant.  We were told if the medicals were correct, it could mean a list of possible problems.  Friends and family lovingly told us that there were other children in Russia to adopt. This may not be the one for us.  But all I could concentrate on was that precious smile and expressive eyes that I began falling in love with from the moment I saw the small picture that was originally emailed to us from Russia.  I cried myself to sleep that night thinking I should not accept this child on the advice of the medical professionals.  As if an answer to my prayer, Ondrea called me early the next morning excited and happy about our referral I told her what the doctors had said and I started to cry again.  She told me that Alex was from the same orphanage that her son was from.  There are hundred of orphanages in Russia, and the chance of this coincidence and us meeting was a sign from God.  She told me that adoption like giving birth has no guarantees.  But to remember that God had a plan for us and He would not give us a situation for which He had not prepared us.  After the experiences that she had in Russia adopting her son a year earlier, Ondrea told me that she would “walk over to Russia to get him.”  She just knew he was okay and he was the child for us.  She said, “You just have to take a leap of faith at a certain point.”  Ondrea had such an inner strength and love for God.  She helped strengthen my faith and reminded me to follow His plan, not mine.  I began praying a new prayer that God would show me if this child was my son or if He had other plans.  Upon Ondrea’s recommendation, I requested additional information on Alex.  A video was sent which was the answer to my prayers.  I told David after watching the five-minute video, “That is my son!  I don’t care if anything is wrong with him!”  God had sealed it in my heart and also David’s.  We were off to Russia with love to bring home our son that just happened to be born on the other side of the world.  Luckily, Alex is healthy!  I love him more each day I am with him.  I can’t imagine life without him in it, now that he is here.  But if it had not been for the encouragement and persistence of my adoption angel, Ondrea, we could have still been just a couple instead of a family and I would have missed out on one of the most precious gifts God has ever given me.”  (Since this time, Ondrea has joined the TN Staff as an Adoption Case Worker.)

Please know that there are many older waiting children in all of the countries we work in, including sibling groups. Please go to our Southeastern Web Page and see the children.   If you are interested in our Wonderful Waiting Children, please email brenda@childrenshopeint.org .  I would love to answer any of your questions.

By Shane Newsome, Franklin, Tennessee

     “I knew right away I wanted a little girl,” said Charles with a grin.  “I wanted a little daddy’s girl!  We just felt like providing a very comfortable and loving environment for a child.”  Charles and Rebecca Dorris have been married for 13 years and started the intensive application and screening process almost two years ago to adopt from China.

     Charles fondly remembers their first meeting, “When she saw us she giggled and laughed and we knew we had our baby.  She was instantly comfortable and there were no signs of grieving or remorse when her caretakers left.”

     After bonding for two weeks in China with Zara (eastern brightness), whose original name was Rao Wen Xin, the Dorris’ endured a 13-hour flight back to Los Angeles aboard a plan with 24 babies.  After traveling a total of roughly 20,000 miles, the Dorris’ arrived at the Nashville International airport on April 25 to find a greeting party of more than 150 eager friends and family.

     “She was worth every mile,” said Charles.

We are so happy to announce that we will be hosting our Russian Staff from Moscow, on August 4-6!  We are so happy to have them come and visit Nashville.  Please plan on attending a reception on August 5^th at our offices!  For more details, please email Cheryl@childrenshopeint.org.  We’ll keep you posted!

 Vietnamese Coordinator Thuy from Vietnam and Nicky from our STL office will also be visiting us on August 6-8^th.  We will also host a reception for them as well!  This is Thuy’s first trip to the US and she cannot wait to see all the children!  It will be wonderful for those of you waiting in our Vietnam program as well to meet Thuy who will take care of you while you are in Vietnam, as well as Nicky, from our ST. Louis Staff.  Please plan to join us!  For more details, please email Cheryl@childrenshopeint.org.

INS / Adoption Community
 

The recent announcement of an INS breakup has many of us wondering how the intercountry adoption process will be affected today and in the future.  When you consider how slow changes are implemented through our Federal government, don't look for any immediate changes as a result of an implied INS restructure.  I want to address the more important question of "Do we as adoptive parents have a voice in this restructure", since this is where we feel that our interests are served.

Based upon comments from the various governmental agencies, it is our communications with our elected representatives that has prompted the strong support for meaningful adoption legislation. I took that as advise to continue to contact our representatives to make them aware of our interests, and to give them support in kind for their efforts in our behalf.

Richard Fischer
Adoption TODAY / Fostering Families TODAY

Alabama Senators                                          

The Honorable Richard Shelby                                 The Honorable Jeff Sessions

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

110 Hart Senate Office Building                               493 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510                                           Washington, D.C. 20510-0104

Telephone: (202) 224-5744                                      (202) 224-4124

Fax: (202) 224-3416                                               (202) 224-3149 - Fax

mailto:senator@shelby.senate.gov                          mailto:senator@sessions.senate.gov

Florida Senators

The Honorable Bob Graham                                    The Honorable Bill Nelson

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

524 Hart Senate Office Building                              

Washington, D.C. 20510                                         Washington, DC 20510

Telephone: (202) 224-3041                                      (202)-224-5274

Fax: (202) 224-2237                                               (202)-228-2183

http://www.senate.gov/~graham/email.html               http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Georgia Senators

The Honorable Max Cleland                                     The Honorable Zell Miller

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

461 Senate Dirksen Building                                   257 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510                                           Washington DC 20510

Telephone: (202) 224-3521                                      (202) 224-3643

Fax: (202) 224-0072                                               (202) 228-2090

http://cleland.senate.gov/~cleland/webform.html     mailto: http://www.senate.com/index.html

Kentucky Senators

The Honorable Mitch McConnell                              The Honorable Jim Bunning

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

361-A Russell Senate Office Building                       316 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510                                           Washington, DC 20510

Telephone: (202) 224-2541                                      (202)-224-4343

Fax:                                                                      (202)-228-1373

mailto: senator@mcconnell.senate.gov                   http://bunning.senate.gov/guestbook.htm

Louisiana Senators

The Honorable John Breaux                                     The Honorable Mary Landrieu

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

503 Hart Senate Office Building                               724 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510                                           Washington DC 20510

Telephone: (202) 224-4623                                      (202) 224-5824

mailto:senator@breaux.senate.gov                          http://landrieu.senate.gov/webform.html

Mississippi Senators

The Honorable Thad Cochran                                   The Honorable Trent Lott

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

326 Russell Senate Office Building                         487 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510                                           Washington DC 20510

Telephone: (202) 224-5054                                      (202) 224-6253

mailto:senator@cochran.senate.gov                       mailto:senatorlott@lott.senate.gov

Tennessee Senators

The Honorable William Frist                                    The Honorable Fred Thompson

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

416 Russell Senate Office Building                          511 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510                                           Washington DC 20510

Telephone: (202) 224-3344                                      (202) 224-4944

http://frist.senate.gov/Contact/contact.html               mailto:senator_thompson@thompson.senate.gov

Texas Senators

The Honorable Phil Gramm                                     The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison

United States Senate                                             United States Senate

370 Russell Senate Office Building                          284 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510                                           Washington DC 20510

Telephone: (202) 224-2934                                      (202) 224-5922

Please join us for free information meetings:

June 11 Brentwood Offices 6:30-8:30 PM

July 9 Brentwood Offices 6:30-8:30 PM

July 29 Birmingham, Alabama (The Mountain Brook Inn) 6:30-8:30 PM

July 30 Huntsville, Alabama (Huntsville-Madison County Public Library) 6:30-8:30 PM

June 8               Dossier Class                            8:00-10:00 AM               Children’s Hope

                        Travel Class                               10:00-11:59 AM             Children’s Hope

June 17             Home Study Group                    6:30-8:30 PM                 Children’s Hope

June 22             Operation Hope

                        Final Orientation                        9:00-11:00 AM               Woodmont Hills Church of Christ

June 22             Pre-Adoption Class#1                 12:30-6:00 PM               Woodmont Hills Church of Christ

                        Families with Children from

                        Vietnam—Potluck dinner            4:00-6:00PM                  Woodmont Hills Church of Christ

July 6                Operation Hope kids Arrive

July 13              Dossier Class                            8:00-10:00 AM               Children’s Hope

                        Travel Class                               10:00-11:59 AM             Children’s Hope

                        Operation Hope Gathering           2:00-4:00 PM                 TBA

July 15              Home Study Group                    6:30 –8:30 PM               Children’s Hope

July 20              Op Hope Reception                    2:00-4:00 PM                 University School

Happy Father’s Day to all of you Dads and expectant Dads!  We wish you days filled with laughter, fishing, boating, hunting, baseball, and all of the other wonderful things you will get to enjoy again with your children!

Hope you are having some of those “lazy days of Summer!”  As you can tell, our schedule around here is busier than ever!  And, there is no greater time to start an adoption than this Summer!  Let us know if we can help!

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

Brenda@ChildrensHope.com
Also serving the following states: TN, KY, GA, AL, MS, FL, TX and LA