Spring Issue 2010

Spring 2010

Wrapped in

Love

Caring for children in Ethiopia

in this issue 4 6

Annual Report

Spring 2010 vol. 52 no. 2

Summary and Highlights of 2009

Our Vision Holt International is dedicated to carrying out God’s plan for every child to have a permanent, loving family.

Wrapped in Love A 2-year old girl with special needs begins to thrive and grow in the care of Holt. And a young boy suffering from a heart condition receives much-needed care at the Holt Shinshicho clinic

9

Julian Drive in Haiti Shane Bowers, member of Christian music group Julian Drive, shares his thoughts on Holt’s care for children in Haiti, and what it was like to be in Haiti when the devastating 2009 earthquake hit

10

Stories from Adoptive Families Families who have adopted from China, Korea and India share their adoption stories, and a young woman adopted from Korea shares about the appreciation she has for her parents

Front Cover: 2-year old Terefet came into Holt’s care in April after being abandoned at a bus station. Once frightened and alone, Terefet is now receiving attentive, loving care from Holt’s caregivers and his glowing personality and charming smile brighten up the day for everyone around him. More of Terefet’s story can be found in President and CEO Kim Brown’s Directions.

Dear Readers Christian music group Julian Drive’s trip to Haiti did not go as planned. Traveling to see and experience the work that Holt International is doing in Haiti, they took an unexpected turn on January 12th as their world and Haiti’s world, in just seconds, changed forever.

Even in the most devastating circumstances, hope and a deeper meaning can always be found. For Julian Drive, this meant receiving a better understanding of how Holt provides for the children in our care as they witnessed Holt Haiti Director Mansour Masse’s leadership and unyielding devotion to the safe, but frightened children. And for 21 children at Holt Fontana Village, whose adoptions were expedited due to the earthquake, this meant finally being able to have a permanent family and a home of their own.

In the weeks following the earthquake, Holt was thrilled to see the 21 children from Holt Fontana Village unite with their families in the United States. There is still a lot of work to be done in Haiti, and Holt continues to work in this devastated area. We are increasing our support for Fanmi Ansam, Holt’s family preservation program in Haiti, and helping children find missing family members.

In 1955 Harry and Bertha Holt responded to the conviction that God had called them to help children left homeless by the Korean War. Though it took an act of the U.S. Congress, the Holts adopted eight of those children. But they were moved by the desperate plight of other orphaned children in Korea and other countries as well, so they founded Holt International Children’s Services in order to unite homeless children with families who would love them as their own. Today Holt International serves children and families in Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Romania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, the United States and Vietnam.

President & CEO Kim S. Brown Senior Vice-President Phillip A. Littleton Vice-President of Policy & External Affairs Susan Soon-keum Cox Vice-President of International Programs Dan Lauer Vice-President of Finance & Administration Kevin Sweeney Vice-President of Adoption Services Lisa Vertulfo Senior Advisor David Lim Senior Executive Jian Chen Holt International magazine is published quarterly

by Holt International Children’s Services, Inc., a nonprofit, Christian, childwelfare organization.

While Holt International is responsible for the content of Holt International magazine, the viewpoints expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the organization.

Creative Services Director Brian Campbell Managing Editor Ashli Keyser Graphics Chloe Goldbloom Subscription Orders/Inquiries and Address Changes Send all editorial correspondence and changes of address to Holt International magazine, Holt International, P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402. We ask for an annual donation of $20 to cover the cost of publication and mailing inside the United States and $40 outside the United States. Holt welcomes the contribution of letters and articles for publication, but assumes no responsibility for return of letters, manuscripts or photos.

Reprint Information Permission from Holt International is required prior to reprinting any portion of Holt International Hague Accredited magazine. Please direct reprint requests to editor Ashli Keyser at 541/687.2202 or ashlik@holtinternational.org.

COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION

FOUNDED 1977

CREDIBILITY I17(*5,7< ACHIEVEMENT

After such tragic events, Holt has truly seen the power of people's ability to step up and help in times of crisis and do all they can for children. We thank God for the hundreds of Holt families and dedicated supporters who donated funds and answered

Copyright ©2010 by Holt International Children’s Services, Inc. ISSN 1047-7640

the call to help children and families in Haiti. And we find hope in the 21 children who now have families to call their own. We now look to the future and how we can help the many children in Haiti who remain.

Ashli Keyser |

Managing Editor

P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402 Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175

directions

When I arrived at one of Holt’s care centers, there was no way

our devoted advocacy of children with special needs or our com-

I could have prepared for who I was about to meet or the impact

mitment to finding loving, permanent families for each child in

this one moment would have on my life. His name is Terefet. He

our care, Holt will always do everything in our power to make

was abandoned at a bus station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia just two

sure that children in Ethiopia and everywhere are provided for

weeks prior to my visit. Not scared or timid

and protected.

as I would have expected, this joyful little boy walked fearlessly up to me, smiling from ear to ear.

As I knelt down to meet him at his level, Terefet quickly placed his tiny hand into

They are not alone...

In the following pages we include a brief summary of Holt’s 2009 achievements and finances. We focus our efforts on individual children and strive to find the best permanent home for each one.

The statistics on

mine and affectionately rested his other

the following pages are more than just num-

hand on my forearm. We just stood there

bers—they represent children whose lives are

for a moment and looked into each other’s eyes.

After going

through so much in his short life, I could still see so much hope and joy in his eyes and in his sweet expressions.

I felt God’s presence in the tender moment that took place between us. I also felt a deep sense of responsibility for him, and also for all the children who Holt has been entrusted to protect

The work we are doing in Ethiopia is a wonderful example

These accomplishments would not have been possible without the continual prayers and support from generous donors, Holt adoptive families and our colleagues around the world who have so selflessly provided for the vulnerable children in our care.

On behalf of Holt International and the children we serve, I thank you for making a difference in children’s lives. You help us to ensure that children are loved, cared for and never alone.

of Holt’s dedication to doing all we can to help children…whatever their circumstances may be.

Whether it’s through our

family preservation projects helping to keep families together,

Kim S. Brown |

President & CEO

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H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

and love until we can find them families of their own.

being changed forever.

A partnership for children The partnership between Holt and its supporters changes childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives.

It also

Finding families for children... changed lives forever 2009 Annual Report

signifies our accountability for the effective use of contributed funds.

We strive

to use our financial resources effectively and efficiently. Holt undergoes an annual audit performed by an independent accounting firm.

The following charts are

based upon the report of Jones and Roth CPAs.

A complete audit report is avail-

able and gladly provided upon request.

The downloadable version is also available on our website: holtinternational.org.

2009 financial highlights SOURCES OF REVENUE Contributions & Grants Adoption & Related Service Fees Other Revenue Investment Gains/(Losses) Total Revenue

2009

2008

$10,038,671

$9,851,571

12,478,782

11,375,809

21,906

49,152

1,063,435

(1,516,777)

$23,602,435

$19,759,755

OPERATING EXPENSES Program Services

$17,296,640

$16,705,289

Management & General

2,070,851

2,172,736

Fundraising

2,734,889

2,355,738

$22,102,380

$21,233,763

Total Operating Expenses

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / S pr i ng 2 010

2009 expenses

711

Children placed with U.S. adoptive families

12.3% 9.4% 78.3%

Program Services Fundraising Management & General

4

661

Children placed w ith adoptive families in their birth country (not

stic including U.S. dome placements)

Children who are older, have medical conditions, or are par t of a sibling group often wait to be adopted. 156 of these waiting children were placed with adoptive families.

5,157

to have Children helped g families permanent, lovin

Holt served 36,3 35 children through all programs in 20 09

41,642

Total accumul ated

number of children p laced by Holt w ith U.S . adoptive families, 1956 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20 09

on and through adopti eser vation birth family pr

Wrapped in

Love

Holt’s Durame Intake Center—A loving, safe place *Genet slowly makes her way out of the playroom at Holt’s Durame Intake Center, briefly holding onto the doorframe to get her balance. A dozen of her friends have quickly put their shoes on and have already made it a few times around the merry-go-round.

Undeterred, 3-year-old Genet, her legs stiff and her eyes struggling to adjust to the bright sun, finally steps outside and slowly but surely finds her way to the empty, bright blue seat waiting at the merry-go-round.

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / S pr i ng 2 010

She slides unevenly onto the chair and loosely holds onto the handles; her excited smile more brilliant than her pink Winnie-thePooh dress. Genet makes it around only twice before losing her grip and falling, almost gracefully, to the ground. Before she has time to react, two caretakers are at her side, exclaiming, “Govez! Govez!” (“very good” or “excellent” in Amharic), as they gently pick Genet up off the soft ground and wrap her in their arms.

“Govez!”—the word the loving caretakers use to encourage Genet and reassure her that she is unharmed and in safe hands. Genet smiles at her protective caretakers, laughs and resumes playtime with her friends. She knows she’s in a safe place.

"This is one special girl," says Sister Abebech Abura, the head nurse at the Durame center. "Genet’s smile brightens everyone’s day. She has some developmental delays but has made so much progress since she arrived at the center."

Ashli Keyser | Managing Editor 6

Transferred in March from Holt's care center in Wolaita, Genet came into care after her father had passed away from tuberculosis.

Her mother, unable to care for her due to her special needs, often kept Genet from other people, making it even more difficult for Genet to grow and develop.

From far left: determined and full of life, Genet never allows her special needs to slow her down and is always ready and willing to join her friends in any activity. ·Children enjoy playtime at the Durame Intake Center, where 30 children are currently receiving age appropriate care and education. · Head Nurse, Sister Abebech Abura, along with the other caretakers, consistently showers love and affection on each and every child at the care center. · Holt Board Member, Dr. Becca Brandt, traveled to Ethiopia in April for her second Holt medical campaign in six months. While there, she assessed children at the care centers and consulted with the nurses about medical care being provided to the children. · 7-year old Diejo waits with his mother, Adenech, to receive treatment for pneumonia during Holt’s week-long medical campaign.

“It is very hard for parents to care for children with special needs in Ethiopia,” says Holt Ethiopia Director, Dr. Fikru Geleso.

“They just don’t know what to do, and many times the children won’t make it to their teenage years.”

Since coming into Holt's care in March, Genet has learned to walk, use her utensils while she eats and is even learning a few words. The caretakers work consistently with her on speech and coordination, and give her the attention that she did not receive in her first two years of life.

The Durame Intake Center currently cares for 30 children waiting to find permanent homes. There are separate rooms for each age group, and the children are given age appropriate care and education. Sister Abebech regularly consults with the doctors at the Durame Hospital about the children’s health, and a doctor visits the care center once a month for check-ups. "Genet and the rest of these children have so much potential," says Sister Abebech.

"They are beautiful gifts from God.”

The word the Durame caretakers used to encourage Genet as she fell off the merry-go-round, also describes the care they provide these children: “govez”...excellent.

It’s late morning on April 9th, the fifth day of Holt’s weeklong medical campaign. Crowds of people in need of medical assistance have already started to form in the waiting area. Some line the halls and many more patiently wait outside the gates of the clinic. Adenech and her 7-year-old son, Diejo, are among them.

“This is good,” Holt Board Member Dr. Becca Brandt says as she reassuringly smiles at the people waiting to receive care. “Most people would not come to the clinic, or they would wait until their needs are too great. The message has gone out to the community that we are here to provide the services, and they should come and use them.”

Diejo’s heart condition makes it difficult for him to live as a typical 7-year-old. Today he is waiting to receive treatment for pneumonia, a common ailment linked to his heart condition. His eyes sullen and his mouth hung slightly open, it is clear that Diejo is struggling to breathe and needs immediate attention. The journey from his home to the clinic has been a long one, and Diejo’s frequent need to stop and catch his breath has only lengthened the distant journey.

"I have seven children. Two of them are sick right now, but I could only bring one of them with me today," Adenech says with a deep, exhausted sigh. “I fear for my children, but I am now able to get them the help they need."

Holt’s weeklong medical campaigns, consisting of American and Ethiopian doctors, are able to provide relief for families such as this one. The physicians volunteer their medical services and provide health education to the people receiving care at the

*Name has been changed

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H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

The Holt care centers in Durame and Addis Ababa are shining examples of Holt’s dedication to orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children. Genet’s story is one of many stories of scared and abandoned children who enter Holt’s care and thrive in their new environment. Holt President and CEO, Kim Brown, says: “Because of the love and attention given by these wonderful caretakers, Genet has the hope of one day having a permanent, loving family of her own. She never had this kind of hope before.”

Care at the Holt Shinshicho Clinic

“I was sick and you looked after me…”

—Matthew 25:36 Operating room and other needs for the Holt Shinshicho Clinic Dr. Kim Brandt and a physician’s assistant examine children at the Shinshicho clinic. Dr. Brandt listens to Diejo’s heart and learns he is suffering from pneumonia. ·Crowds of people wait to receive medical care at the gates of the Durame Hospital and Shinshicho clinic. Holt’s weeklong medical campaigns help children and families receive the medical treatment they desperately need. In the future, Holt hopes to expand the services we provide at the Shinshicho clinic (see sidebar to the right).

The Holt Shinshicho clinic is a far cry from what it was two years ago. Holt is grateful to the hundreds of generous donors who provided prayer and funds to make the clinic the model healthcare facility it is today.

To care for the thousands of children and families who come to the clinic each month, Holt urgently needs to expand the services we provide at the clinic. We especially need an operating room, along with medical supplies and equipment.

Children like Diejo need long-term care, and their medical conditions will often require surgical procedures that currently cannot be conducted at the clinic. This is something that needs to change.

Shinshicho clinic and Durame Hospital. Not only does this provide additional support to the usually very understaffed medical facilities, but it also allows the doctors to collaborate with one another and gain useful information about the appropriate care. “The local doctors are able to learn from us,” says Dr. Becca Brandt. “And we are able to learn from them, as well.”

Two years ago this type of care would not have been possible.

The waiting room of the Shinshicho clinic sat rundown and nearly empty, many residents opting to travel to other clinics to receive care. Now, with the help of Holt International, the clinic has been completely renovated and the residents of this community are finally receiving medical treatment, prenatal care and health and hygiene education in a clean and safe environment.

“We don’t have surgeons or an operating room at this clinic, and the children and parents are not able to get the surgeries they need to survive,” says Dr. Mintesinot Tadewos, “They will often go home and pray for recovery.”

We would ask you for prayer, as well. Prayer for the children and families who are now receiving care at the clinic, and also prayer for the ones who are in desperate need of surgical procedures that could save their lives.

Provide funds to help supply the Holt Shinshicho clinic with a surgical unit and much-needed medical supplies www.holtinternational.org/clinic

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / S pr i ng 2010

"I used to carry the burden of my children's health, and now I do not have to. I am very thankful to Holt," says Adenech, her worried look giving way to a smile as Dr. Brandt leads her son into the exam room.

Holt International is now able to help carry some of the burden for this struggling mother, as well as thousands of other children and families needing care. "The clinic is getting crowded and more supplies are needed,” says Dr. Mintesinot Tadewos, physician and coordinator for the medical and surgical campaign. "We need to expand the services we provide to meet the needs, but we are making a difference in this community and saving lives.”

To read more stories about the medical mission trip to Ethiopia, check out the Holt blog at www.holtinternational.org/blog/?cat=15

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Physicians at the Durame Hospital perform surgery on a patient to remove a goiter, a common condition in Ethiopia due to Iodine deficiency. Currently there is no operating room at the Shinshicho clinic, and children and families of this area have to walk a long distance to the hospital in Durame to receive surgery. Many people choose to stay home as their conditions worsen. Holt would like to provide Shinshicho with a much-needed operating room to help these suffering people get the surgeries they need.

Julian Drive in Haiti Holt supporter Shane Bowers and other members of the Christian music group were in Haiti when the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit We’ve been a huge supporter of Holt International for several years now. After having the opportunity to actually visit the Holt Fontana Children’s Village and staff in Haiti this past January, we now appreciate this incredible organization that much more.

As we landed in poverty-stricken Port-Au-Prince on January 11, 2010, we couldn’t help but have preconceived notions of what to expect once we would finally arrive at the care center. We drove through streets littered with garbage, full of stray animals, and crowded with children who apparently all shared the same residence. Humbled by what I saw, I also felt truly blessed to have a warm home and a family in the United States.

After a short drive out of the city, our group arrived at an oasis in the middle of chaos— the Holt Fontana Children’s Village.

As we visited, we were amazed that each and every one of the kids in the Village were full of joy and received lots of attention and care. Not only were their physical needs obviously being met, but their spirits also soared high. Amid hopelessness, the Holt Fontana Village was a place of hope. One could not ask for a better field director than Mansour Masse, the Village's wonderful man of God. We could clearly see the respect that all the staff, kids, and other locals had for him. We too had great respect and admiration for him.

After our visit, we all stood outside of our hotel reflecting on the emotions of the day. That’s when our world, and Haiti’s world, was turned upside down. The earth shook, rolled and rumbled for 35 seconds. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt or experienced. We were fortunate though. We were in an area free of large buildings to collapse on us. We quickly found out that the kids in Holt’s care were shaken but not harmed. We soon found out that many people in the city were not so fortunate. Many of the staff workers at the Village, including Mansour, discovered that some of their family members had not survived. Showing the incredible leader that he is, Mansour would not rest until he knew that we and, most importantly, the kids, were safe.

Shane Bowers (third from left), traveled to Haiti in January with other members of the Christian music group, Julian Drive.

In an effort that can only be explained as Godly intervention, our group was able to evacuate Friday morning. As we flew out over the devastated city, my mind had to ponder why we were there at that specific time. What was God trying to show us? How did we fit in this picture? A couple reasons came to mind, but one was most obvious: so that we might heighten our efforts to increase society's awareness of the beautiful children who need homes.

Haiti was in need of orphan care before the earthquake. How much more in need are they now? Millions of beautiful children all around the world, just as in Haiti, need our love and support.

If sharing our story helps just one child find a permanent family, then our part in this monumental event will have been worth it.

Shane Bowers |

Julian Drive

Editor's note: Holt’s Haiti program is currently closed to new adoption applications, but we invite you to research some of Holt’s other country programs where children are waiting for a permanent family. www.holtinternational.org

from the family We Are Fully Blessed A mother’s hearing loss, five years prior, leads to the adoption of a hearing-impaired son from India

Above: The Singh Family from left: Dave, Michael, Anna, Katelyn, Deelip, and Ellen

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! And what a blessing Deelip is to us!

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / S pr i ng 2010

My husband, Dave, and I already had two biological daughters, Katelyn and Anna, and one son, Michael, who we adopted from India. Our life was full with our young brood. Yet, for the past several years, we’d continued to casually look at Holt’s “Waiting Child” page. About two years ago, we read a brief description about Deelip, a 3-year-old boy from India, and knew God wanted us to pursue this child.

All we knew about Deelip was his age and his disability of being profoundly deaf. We were specifically interested in a child with hearing issues due to a major event that changed our lives five years prior. In 2004, I contracted bacterial meningitis. By God’s matchless mercy my life was spared. I woke up from a drug-induced coma with complete hearing loss in my left ear. As a result, we have learned so much about hearing issues and have developed a great sensitivity to others in similar situations. At age 36, I had to instantly learn how to live with single-sided hearing loss, which has been a great challenge.

Through this devastating event, I got to know various hearing professionals and volunteer in hearing loss research. I learned that St. Louis, near where we live, is a Mecca of hearing loss treatment and research in this country. Plus, there were several schools for the deaf nearby!

After discussing Deelip’s medical records with my ENT specialist and touring a local school for the deaf, we felt absolutely convinced that God was leading us to pursue Deelip.

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As we waited for him, we prayed. God’s leadership on this faith journey is evident in countless ways. Most especially, it seemed my seemingly devastating illness and resulting hearing loss experience came around full circle to blossom into an unexpected blessing!

When we decided to adopt Deelip, two months had passed since we'd lost Dave’s mother and her two sisters in a car accident. We were in deep grief. God said, “Trust me and I will provide.” We weren’t sure if we could afford another adoption, the potential cost of bilateral cochlear implants and specialized schooling. God said, “Trust me and I will provide.” And true to His nature, He has provided for our every need, big and small, and in ways we didn’t even know we needed!

God gives and takes away. He has given us Deelip, and he is our forever son. Dave and I traveled to India this past November to bring him home. The very first moment that he saw me, his eyes got big and sparkly, and he literally leaped out of his chair.

He knew who I was and knew that we were taking him home!

Deelip is now five and full of life! He is smart, energetic, charming, clever, funny and fearless. He is all boy and doesn’t let his hearing/language/speech delay slow him down! Deelip had bilateral cochlear implant surgery in January and began school at the Central Institute for the Deaf that next week. The irony is that, during Deelip's surgery, Dr. Hullar found evidence of past meningitis, which further confirmed that Deelip was meant to be part of our family. Deelip embraces his new family, new “ears”, new school and new life with such zeal and passion. He is a flower just beginning to fully blossom.

God called us. We obeyed. And we are now fully blessed!

Ellen Singh |

Edwardsville, Illinois

The Answer is on the Way “God placed an abandoned Korean baby in our home so that almost 40 years later she could minister and provide the help we needed most at this time in our lives” Matthew 6:7-8 "When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him.

So, we have the above verses, but just how far before the need arises does God provide? In my case, try 35-plus years!

In August of 1970, Jeri and I were blessed by the birth of our third child, Andy. It had been eight years since our second child was born and we weren’t trying to have any more, but God, in his infinite wisdom, knew that in order for us to have a fourth child, we needed Andy.

Excuse me, a fourth?

Well, now we had a dilemma. Do we raise Andy with kids that are eight and nine years older, do we have another or do we adopt?

Since Jeri had Rh factor problems with Andy, it was decided that I should man-up, do the right thing and make sure there were no more surprises. Easy for her to say!

After some serious prayer, we were led by the Holy Spirit to take the third option. We contacted Holt in early 1971 and were told that it would take 12 to 24 months for our daughter to arrive. Long story short, six months to the day after our first contact with Holt, she was carried off of an airplane in Eugene, Oregon and placed in our arms. Lee Byung Hee was 26 months old, and we named her Lani Jean.

Left to right, front row: Lani, Drew, Beth. Middle row: Kris, Jeri, Mike and Andy.

Back row: Lani's husband Randall, Mitchell, Chuck and his wife Stacia.

Portland for appointments with a cancer surgeon and two oncologists, starting in four days.

Lani has been relentless in getting appointments, providing us with information on melanoma, following up with doctors and secretaries, ensuring that everything is kept on schedule and progressing forward as quickly as possible, all while trying to keep up with her doctoral studies and care for a family of five. I am worn out just thinking of all she does in a day.

There is no way we could have anticipated the blessing that Lani has been to us.

Flash forward to 2006. Upon return from a mission trip to Nigeria, my doctor insists that I have a second

So now we flash forward to January of 2010. We are just beginning to enjoy the warmth of Southern California when the black bird of melanoma cancer flies up my nose and takes root on my septum. Lani, now a PhD student at OHSU, and her husband let us know in no uncertain terms that we will be heading back to

Parents usually wonder what impact a child will have on their lives in the future. There is no way we could have anticipated the blessing that Lani has been to us. Each of our kids brings special gifts to this family and makes it what it is. This is just the story of one. Our Heavenly Father truly does know what we need even before we know what to ask for. That is why it is so important to pray, because the answer is on the way.

Mike Query |

Summerville, Oregon

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H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

PSA test. It is elevated. They do the biopsy, and it comes back positive for stage I cancer. By this time Lani is a Registered Nurse at Oregon Health Sciences University Medical Center (OHSU) and before we can ask ourselves “what do we do next?” she has made appointments with heads of departments who work with prostate cancer. Eight weeks of IMRT radiation and three years later I am free of… well, at least prostate cancer.

I belong to a loving God who knew what my needs would be before the foundations of the earth were in place. He placed an abandoned Korean baby in our home so that almost 40 years later she could minister and provide the help we needed most at this time in our lives.

Was all of this by chance or coincidence? I don’t think so!

What “Special” Means Ben’s journey from Holt’s Ilsan Center to a world-renowned choir

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / S pr i ng 2010

Last October our family watched proudly as our youngest son, Benjamin, was admitted as a full chorister of the St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys in New York City. Ben is a student at the St. Thomas Choir School, the only church-related choir boarding school in the country, and one of only four in the world. Ben had been admitted to the school a year before, after a rigorous audition, and he took his place among only 35 other students from around the country. The choir is generally regarded as one of the finest boy choirs in the world.

Flash back nine years to a very different picture. That was when Ben first appeared in the Waiting Children section of Holt's HI Families magazine. Ben had a very difficult start in life, with multiple medical issues and a preliminary diagnosis of cerebral palsy. His loving Korean foster mother cared for him through medical tests, several hospitalizations and physical therapy. By the second time his picture appeared in the magazine, a year later, physicians had determined he did not have cerebral palsy and that, while there were still some medical unknowns, this 2-year-old seemed to be progressing normally.

Already the parents of two amazing children adopted through Holt Korea, something in the article about Ben spoke to us, and God moved us to inquire about him. Eight months later he came

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Above: Ben, 9, Leah, 14, Luke, 16, with their parents Shelly and Gavin home to us. Quick to pick up a new language, and almost everything else, this bright active boy showed an interest in music very early on. He loved to dance and, by age five, was playing piano by ear—actually playing music with both hands. Good piano teachers and children’s choir directors at two churches nurtured both his skills and his love of music.

When the opportunity came for him to audition at St. Thomas a couple of months before his ninth birthday, Ben urged us to let him try. It is clear to us that God’s Spirit was again at work in leading him to a place where he finds such delight, where his gifts are nurtured and where he may bring so many other people joyfully closer to God through the music of worship.

As I, the proud mother, listen to this amazing church choir whenever my schedule as a pastor in Connecticut allows, I strongly feel the presence of other mothers with me. I have a sense that Grandma Holt is there, thrilled at the path Ben’s life has taken.

I also feel the presence of Ben’s birth mother and foster mother, and I wish they could hear him sing and be equally proud of his accomplishments. We adopted Ben as a “Special Needs” child. We had no idea then what that actually meant in his case. What an adventure it will be for us as we continue to discover how Ben, his brother Luke and his sister Leah are special in God’s eyes.

Shelly Stackhouse |

Hamden, Connecticut

adoptees today Meant to Be with the McCrackens Sometimes the bumps along the adoption journey are all a part of the plan While in college, I was asked to write a paper about events that occurred the year I was born. In doing my research, what I found was myself. My story doesn’t begin with my birth on April 16th, 1974.

It begins with my arrival at O’Hare National Airport, in Chicago, when I was placed into the waiting arms of my adoptive parents on June 20, 1975.

Christine with her parents Carol and Bob McCracken, and brother, Todd.

Carol and Bob McCracken had a son named Todd and longed to adopt a girl.

Holt International sent them an adoption information letter in 1972 and, from there, piles of papers had to be completed and reviewed by Holt staff.

Exactly four months after I was born, my parents received a letter stating their home study was approved by the Kentucky Department of Human Services and was then forwarded to Holt.

The letter emphasized that the process could be lengthy, but as soon as Holt located a child, my parents would be notified.

An incident occurred, however, that could have changed the course of my life. The State Capitol of Frankfort was supposed to send the home study to Holt in August. When my parents hadn’t heard anything by December, my mother decided to call. The social worker told my mother that their paperwork had not been received. My mom, frantic, called the case worker in Louisville.

My parents were told that the Department of Human Services was in the process of moving to a new building, and that my parent’s application had been sitting for three months in a pile of papers on a secretary’s desk. This occurred in December 1974. The Bisabel Baby Home Orphanage, in South Korea, had turned me over to Holt International for adoption placement in January 1975.

God does work miracles because, two months later, Holt informed Carol and Bob McCracken that a child had been located for them to adopt. They received periodic updates on me, and on June 18th the McCracken family received a phone call from Holt informing them that their new baby would be arriving at the O’Hare Airport.

I am blessed to have been placed with the McCracken family. I was welcomed with loving arms as an infant, and that love and guidance has helped shape my life. I know that my life would have been extremely different if my parents’ application had not been sitting on someone’s desk, as I might not have been placed with the McCracken family. I think of all the children who need homes in this world and hope that more people will begin adopting them.

I am thankful for Holt and their belief that every child deserves a home. But most of all, I am thankful to my parents.

Christine McCracken |

Lexington, Kentucky

Introducing Holt Day Camps!

For more information about the Holt Day Camps contact Michael Tessier at michaelt@holtinternational.org

13

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l .or g

Holt International presents a single-day program of workshops, activities and games for adoptees and their parents to talk about adoption and meet new friends. The program provides opportunities to explore topics unique to the adoption experience including identity, race/racism, Q&A sessions with adult adoptees, and more!

neighborhood calendar

updates Mongolia Holt is still recruiting families who are interested in adopting a child from Mongolia.

If you are interested in learning more about this program contact Thoa Bui at thoab@ holtinternational.org

Winter Jam Holt would like to thank the generous Winter Jam attendees who have taken on the commitment to help orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children to have families of their own. Because of your faithful monthly support, homeless children around the world are receiving the food, shelter, clothing, care and medical treatment they so desperately need.

Holt International presents the 2010 United Tour, featuring Dove Award-winning Christian music group, Sanctus Real, with special guest speaker Dave Nasser. For more information about the concert and for tour dates, go to: www.unitedtour2010.com

Photos:

adoptees 9-16 years old June 1-4 | White —Holt Adoptee camp for c at Lutheran Church of the October 17 | Atlanta area—Holt Family Picni Resurrection, 3:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Illinois

August 14 | Terrace—Holt Family Picnic at

Graduate Photos

Lake View Nature Center

Iowa

Attention Holt Graduates: Deadline for photos of Holt adoptees who are graduating from high school and college is September 1, 2010 for the Fall issue of the magazine.

For a graduate submission form, go online to holtinternational.org/gradsubmissions.

Or email Ashli Keyser at ashlik@holtinternational.org to receive a form. If you submit a graduate form online please confirm with Ashli Keyser that the graduate information was received.

Calendar Photos: Deadline for photos for the Holt yearly calendar is July 15th. Please upload digital images (3 megapixels or higher) to holtinternational.org/submissions or mail glossy prints 4 x 6 to 11 x 14 to Calendar Photos, Holt International, P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402. We cannot use inkjet or digital prints, or studio photographs (except for graduate photos).

In Memory Colby Koenig

H olt I nt e r n at i on a l / S pr i ng 2010

n Regional Park-Shelter 6 May 15 | Irvine —Holt Family Picnic at Maso Coyote Point Park-beach site #7 May 22 | San Mateo—Holt Family Picnic at Royer Park, 12:30 -3:30 p.m.

May 23 | Roseville—Holt Family Picnic at at Griffith Park – Crystal Springs June 12 | Los Angeles—Holt Family Picnic D Pad Picnic area, for adoptees 9-16 years old August 1-5 | Dobbins—Holt Adoptee Camp 4) st Augu is Camp (Holt ’s Day

Georgia

United Tour

6/19/84—1/12/10 Colby Joshua Koenig, 25, adopted from South Korea in 1984 by John Koenig and Cindy Tobis, passed away on January 12, 2010, leaving behind his loving parents, and brother, Callan.

Colby began snow skiing when he was three, and golfing at the age of five. He ran cross-country and did track and field in high school. Colby also earned the Eagle Scout award in Boy Scouts and was an avid hiker and camper with his troop.

Colby worked full time at Iron Mountain, while pursuing a degree in psychology at Cal Poly Pomona University. He enjoyed snowboarding, loved car races, playing his guitars, singing karaoke and hosting barbeques for his many wonderful friends. He will always be remembered for his engaging, contagious smile, his love of life and thirst for adventure and fun.

Donations totaling over $4,000 have been made to Holt International in memory of Colby.

14

California

for adoptees 9-16 years old July 25-29 | Okoboji—Holt Adoptee Camp (Holt ’s Day Camp is July 28) c at LeGrand Community Center September 19 | Le Grand—Holt Family Picni

Kansas/Missouri

c at Harmon Park, August 7 | Prairie Village—Holt Family Picni 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Nebraska

July 24 | Omaha—Holt Family Picnic at Coop

er Memorial Farm

New Jersey

for adoptees 9-16 years old August 8-13 | Sussex—Holt Adoptee Camp (Holt ’s Day Camp is August 12) c at Pine Park September 11 | Lakewood—Holt Family Picni

Oregon

Angelos – Lodge July 17 | Corbett—Holt Family Picnic at Camp for adoptees 9-16 years old July 18-22 | Corbett—Holt Adoptee Camp 21) July (Holt ’s Day Camp is Camp Harlow August 7 | Eugene—Holt Family Picnic at

Get the Info Holt Family Picnics: contact Sally Dougherty at For information or to volunteer at a picnic 11 a.m.–3 p.m. unless noted are cs sallyd@holtinternational.org. All picni for more information. cs picni l.org/ tiona terna holin other wise. Go to ct: For Holt Adoptee Camp information conta org or go to onal. rnati ltinte Steve Kalb at stevek@ho p /cam al.org ation ntern .holti www For Day Camp information contact: l.org or go to Michael Tessier at michaelt@holtinternationa .shtml www.holtinternational.org/camp/daycamp

w a it ing c h il d re n

These and other children need adoptive families

Tommy

Lana

Bor n: 12/4/03 | A fric a

Tommy

Bor n: 6/2/99 | C hin a

This adorable little boy liste ns well and loves play ing outdoors.

He has a scar on his arm from a burn , which might requ ire a skin graf t, but his mobility is unaffected and he is otherwise healthy. Tommy has a very good relationship with his peers and is very sociable. He has been in care since May 2009, and there is a $5,0 00 gran t available from Brittany’s Hope.

Lana, a beautiful, musically tale nted young lady, enjoys running, dan cing and draw ing. She came into care shor tly after birt h and is a carr ier of Hepatitis B. This sweet girl has been living with a foster family for four years and is shy, but poli te with strangers. She always gets alon g well with her classmates and frien ds.

Se-ho

Vishakha

Bor n: 4/8/05 | India Sweet and helpful, Vishakh a does not let her cerebral palsy slow her dow n. She uses her left han d for fine motor skills and both hands whe n playing. Vishakha loves to run and jump and can do so without assistan ce. She receives therapy to improve her motor skills and she is in need of a perm anent, loving family. There is a $5,0 00 grant available from Brittany’s Hop e.

Bor n: 9/30/08 | Kore a

This smart and adorable little boy has hypospadias and ptosis.

He is currently respond ing well to physical therapy and can now walk whi le holding onto furniture. There is a $5,0 00 grant available from Brittany’s Hope.

For more infor matio n on adop ting these and other waiting child ren, conta ct Erin Mower at erinm @hol tinter natio nal.o rg

Click holtinternatio nal.org /waitin gchild/photolisting

Vishakha

Lana

Se-‐ho

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID EUGENE, OR PERMIT NO. 291

Post Office Box 2880 E u g e n e O R 974 0 2

Change Service Requested

It’s all about family Holt’s 2010 annual

California

O r e go n

picnics

Nebraska

For information or to

California

Oregon

volunteer at a picnic, contact Sally Dougherty at:

May 15 | Irvine—Holt Family Picnic at Mason Regional Park, Shelter 6

July 17 | Corbett—Holt Family Picnic at Camp Angelos – Lodge

sallyd@holtinternational.org.

Or go to: holinternational.org/picnics

May 22 | San Mateo—Holt Family Picnic at Coyote Point Park, beach site #7

August 7 | Eugene—Holt Family Picnic at Camp Harlow

May 23 | Roseville—Holt Family Picnic at Royer Park

Kansas/Missouri

June 12 | Los Angeles—Holt Family Picnic at Griffith Park – Crystal Springs Picnic area, Pad D

August 7 | Prairie Village—Holt Family Picnic at Harmon Park

Nebraska July 24 | Omaha—Holt Family Picnic at Cooper Memorial Farm