Children's House ROCKS!!
Seriously.....we would not hesitate to use CHI again for another adoption.
Poppy
On August 4th 2004 I met a group of little girls in the courtyard of their SWI. I was in China to adopt my daughter Shaolan and went to visit her orphanage and thank them for their care of her. This SWI is huge, with nearly 1,000 children living there. It was overwhelming. The older children were in school except for a group who were being isolated due to their Hep B positive status. They weren't allowed to attend public school. I asked how many of them were registered for adoption. The answer was a bewildering look of shock and then the words, "None of them are registered. Who would want them?"My heart sank into my ankles and then I got plucky. I assured them that there were many people who would want them!! Let them have a chance to have a family. I plead with them to consider this for these girls. The vice director looked and them and queried, "Would you like to have Mamas and Baba's and go to America?" They all cheered and affirmed that they did. I gave my word to them and to their vice director that if these girls were registered I would help find them a family and others would too. The vice director then clapped her hands and decreed the children dance in celebration. They lined up and for the next 20 minutes graced us with their giggly, wiggly, dancing bodies.
During the next two years I searched for them and began to see these children being assigned to Waiting Child lists and finally matched with families! What a joy it was to see! They have GONE HOME. But imagine my heartache when we received "Poppy's" file on February 10th 2011 and I saw this spritely girl has grown up and she was STILL WAITING. She has seen all her friends leave her behind as they go on to their futures. My friends, I gave a promise to this child over 7 years ago. I must keep that promise.
Poppy's SWI has so many children and yet they chose her for registration. They continue to advocate for her and in December 2010 they sent a "live girl video" of her to go in her file to help others see what they saw. I opened the video and there she stood...and then she started to dance. She danced. I cried.
Please help us help Poppy.
Poppy entered the SWI as a newborn and is currently living with a foster family. The following is from her reports from May 2009:
"Poppy is a lovely girl with good intellectual development. Now she is in 1st grade. Although she has not that strong ability of acceptance of knowledge and she has average scores, she is diligent and has a desire of learning. She takes her initiative to finish her homework and preview new things everyday. In her spare time, she actively participates in all kinds of culture and entertainment events that are organized by the school.
On Nov. 23 2007, she was sent to a foster family and she adjusted the new environment soon and integrated herself in the family. Now she has been living in the foster family for about 1.5 years. She is timid, outgoing, although quiet in front of strangers. She has a ready smile, and often plays rope-skipping and pretend play with other children."
Children and HBV
Hepatitis B does not usually affect a child's normal growth and development. Most children with chronic hepatitis B infections will enjoy long and healthy lives. Unlike other chronic medical conditions, there are generally no physical disabilities associated with hepatitis B, nor are there usually any physical restrictions for these children.
As a parent, you can take comfort from the fact that every child presents unique challenges. Therefore, your child with hepatitis B is just like any other child. The challenges of raising a child with hepatitis B are manageable if you are well informed and use common sense.
http://www.hepb.org/patients/
--
Stefani Ellison
China Waiting Child Advocate/Resource Coordinator
Children's House International
A COA, Hague Accredited Agency
360 380-5370
fax: 360 383-0640
www.
Posts
I have a child who tested positive for Hep B. She is perfectly healthy--more healthy than the rest of our family--and no one is aware of her Hep B status outside of the family. She is an Honor Roll student and very bright and successful. Do the research and consider an older child with Hep B for your family. smatson123@comcast.net
ReplyDelete