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We pray for all the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas on January 12, 2010. We have heard from our contacts in Haiti and know that the children with whom we work are safe and alive. However, the widespread damage and far-reaching tragedy has greatly impacted an already impoverished nation. Hand In Hand has set aside a Haiti Relief Fund and will be collecting monetary donations to help in any way we can, specifically with the immediate needs of the orphanages with whom we currently work. If you would like to donate, please send your check (payable to Hand In Hand and with "Haiti Relief Fund" written in the memo line) to: MaryLee Lane, Executive Director, Hand In Hand, 9520 SW 9 Terrace, Ocala, FL, 34476. Hand In Hand is a 501c3 organization, and your donation will be tax-deductible. Thank you for your prayers and support. Introducing a book BY, FOR and ABOUT adopted children
and teens!
SNOWFLAKES
A Flurry of Adoption Stories
by, for and about children and teens
Teresa Kelleher, with Katie Flake and Paul Kelleher-Smith
Teresa Kelleher / TLC P.O. Box 90 Taylor, AZ 85939
tk.pacifica@gmail.com http://WorkNotes.com/AZ/AdoptingFromRussia/Kelleher
to order: email me (Teresa) or visit my web
site. Also available on Amazon.com
200+ stories – many from adopted children and
teens and other from older adoptees and family members
of adoptees. It has something for everyone: Children's
stories in their own words, Life before coming home,
New siblings and families speak about adoption, Adjustments
and settling in, Hurdles, challenges, and trust issues,
Deciding to adopt, For Prospective and New Adoptive
Parents, and Stories for teens!
Intriguing stories of adoption adventures that will
help parents understand the adoption journey. Some are
fun, funny, and inspiring. Some are sad. Some present
the challenges that kids and families have faced as
they have transitioned from orphanages or foster home
to their new home and family. Of help and interest to
adoptive families, teachers, counselors, health care
workers, prospective adoptive parents, foster parents,
and adoptees themselves. There are also blank pages
where adoptees can write their own adoption story. This
beautiful book is a precious keepsake.
Topics include everything from challenges overcome to
successes to "firsts" to adjustments. Some
titles:
My Born Family and My New Family (by an 8-year-old
adopted at age 5 from Guatemala)
Losing Friends (by a 12-year-old adopted at
age 9 from Kazakhstan)
Fitting In (by a 10-year-old who has physical
challenges)
Why Do You Ask ? (by an 18-year-old African-American
adopted by Caucasian parents)
Conflict (by a 16-year-old adopted from a foster
home in the US at age 4)
Adoption Questions (by a 16-year-old adopted
as an infant in Korea)
Learning a Language (by a 17-year-old adopted
at age 16 from Russia)
An amazing resource for all who have a connection
to or interest in adoption. It allows prospective adoptive
parents a “peek” into life of the adoptive
family. It’s the first of its kind: stories
by, for and about adopted children and teens. J Questions?
Please be in touch! tk.pacifica@gmail.com Teresa Kelleher
(the author of Adopting From Russia, a Language and
Parenting Guide; RUSH Into English, Russian to English
for Children; Adopting From China ~ Mandarin; and Adopting
From Latin America.)
“There is something about asking children to write
their own feelings and memories that really gets to
the heart of it all: no two adoptions are the same.
These stories will be interesting and therapeutic for
adopted kids who are still working through their feelings.
Good stuff!”
~ Scott Flake, School Psychologist
“There has been much time, care, and love put
into this book. It will help others understand the journey
of adoption.”
~ Ashley, age 18 (adopted from foster care at age 12)
“This collection is truly valuable, and will be
useful to a wide range of people. The last section about
difficult times is very important so that families can
understand that there may be bumps along the road. It’s
a pleasure to read stories written by adopted children
and teens and to be able to visualize the wonderful
families who have made a positive difference in their
lives. The book is excellent reading for adoption staff
and is very insightful for families and prospective
adoptive parents!”
~ MaryLee Lane, Founder of Hand in Hand Adoptions
Hague Accredited
Hand In Hand is happy to announce
that we have been approved for full accreditation under
the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions. We completed
our review by the State of Colorado Department of Human
Services, one of the accrediting entities appointed
by the US Department of State, and we are now accredited
for four years (click
here for certificate), at which point we will seek
renewal. To view the list of accredited agencies, published
on February 29, 2008 by the U.S. Department of State,
please see: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention/convention_4169.html
HAGUE CONVENTION FAQS:
Why is the Hague Convention on Protection of
Children and Cooperation in Respect to Intercountry
Adoption (the Convention) important?
The Convention strengthens protections for children,
birthparents, and prospective adoptive parent(s). It
strives to provide children with permanent, loving homes
by setting out internationally agreed-upon rules and
procedures for adoptions between countries that have
a treaty relationship under the Convention. It ultimately
provides a framework for member-countries to work together
to ensure that adoptions take place in the best interests
of a child and to prevent the abduction, the sale of,
or the traffic in children. The Convention also establishes
a Central Authority in each country to ensure that one
authoritative source of information and point of contact
exists for prospective adoptive parents to receive reliable
and accurate information. For these reasons, the US
Department of State strongly supports the Principles
of the Convention.
Why choose to work with an agency that is accredited
in the United States?
Because only those adoption service providers who have
been accredited, temporarily accredited, or approved
by either COA or CO will be able to provide adoption
services for Hague adoption cases after the Hague Convention
on Intercountry Adoption enters into force for the United
States on April 1, 2008.
What are the criteria used for accreditation?
The US Department of State has published the criteria
under its explanation of implementation on the web site:
http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/implementation/implementation_2912.html
How will this affect adoptive parents currently
in process?
Adoptive families who are already in process (those
who have formally submitted an I-600 or I-600A to USCIS)
will not be affected. Adoptive families who apply to
USCIS after the Hague goes into effect in the United
States (April 1, 2008) will proceed under new regulations.
Those wishing to adopt from another Hague Convention
country will be required to work with a Hague-accredited
agency in the US.
For further information on the Hague Convention and
its implementation in the United States, please visit:
The Hague Convention:
http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=conventions.text&cid=69
Intercountry Adoption Act:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ279.106.pdf
General Information:
http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1400
Adoptive Parents Guide to the Hague:
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/Prospective_Adoptive_Parents_Guide.pdf
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