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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
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Adoption MD
Depressed and Combating Infertility: Anti-Depressant
Alternatives |
DEVELOPMENT AID:
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Development Aid
In the Small Things and
the Big: Impacting Lives,
Yours Through Theirs |
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3 Days of Focus
A Call to Action:
Youth to Turn iPods Off;
Their Focus on God, On |
BLOG OF THE MONTH:
PARENT-TO-PARENT:
KIDS CORNER:
PROGRAM
UPDATES:
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China
Eleven Children Enter into the Hearts of Eleven Families |
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Colombia
Waiting for and Uniting - Families |
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Ethiopia
February Truly a Month of Love for Families Traveling to
Ethiopia |
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Kazakhstan
Program Director Returns From Kazakhstan |
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Vietnam
A New Year for Vietnam Brings Three Families News of Their
Referral |
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Our Accreditations
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RUSSIA PROGRAM UPDATES
Russia Travel – Big News!
In February, 18 families
are traveling into Russia for their first trips to meet their
adoptive children and their second trips with include their
official court ruling and the opportunity to bring their
children home. In next several months we expect up to 40
families to travel each month. We are very excited for our
families and the Russia program!
New Regions:
This year the Children’s Hope Russia program has added new
regions from which adoptive parents may be matched with a child.
Some of our parents have already experienced adoptions in these
regions in 2007! Adoption fees remain the same in these regions,
with the exceptions of Krasnoyarsk, Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow
regions which will have an additional fee for orphanage
donations and ground transportation. Moscow City will have an
additional fee which covers the orphanage donation, ground
transportation and translation.
These additional fees will only
apply to new families who are currently not assigned to a region
within Russia. Starting from this point forward, before we
assign your family to any of these regions – you will be
contacted to ensure that you are aware of these additional fees
and agree to their responsibility. At the same time, if you
adopt from Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow region or Moscow city – you
will have tremendous savings as you will not be flying within
Russia.
For Families Who Apply in 2008:
Children’s Hope
International’s fees remain the same for our Russia services
while you travel within the country, however, our international
fees must rise to compensate for the exchange rate as the US
dollar versus the Russian ruble has experienced devaluation. In
order to complete your adoption, you may have to pay an
adjustment rate in addition to your signed fees.
Fee Increase for New Families:
Affective January 1, 2008 our fees increased by $2,800. We offer
special fee reduction for families adopting a child 5 years of
age and older (up to $5,000) and a fee for a sibling group
remains an additional $11,000 regardless of the number of
siblings adopted.
Fee Increase for Families in
Process (those who applied prior to December 31, 2007):
Families who traveled in the beginning of 2007 experienced
an exchange rate of one dollar to 30-32 rubles. Currently the
exchange rate is 23-24 rubles per dollar and continues to
decrease. As of January 1, 2008, all families will experience a
$1,000 adjustment to their final fees. This adjustment reflects
less than 9% of the international fees; the exchange rate
increased by more than 20% since January 01, 2006.
Girls and Boys:
2007 was the first year for domestic adoptions in Russia and the
foster care system to become more intensive. As a result, many
Russian families are adopting infant girls. Unfortunately for
our families who are waiting for girls, their adoption process
will be longer. For families who have submitted their
application for girls, but have not yet submitted their
registration package – if you would like to proceed with your
adoption through Children’s Hope, you should be open to either
both genders or a wider age range, or both. We are not currently
accepting new applications for girls only, unless the family is
open to a child with special needs.
For Families Adopting Siblings:
Please consider applying for children of either gender, under 6
years old to be matched with waiting children in a tighter
timeframe. Although applying for simultaneous adoption of
unrelated children is against Children’s Hope policy, some
regions do offer families this opportunity. Unfortunately, it is
not within our power to regulate this situation with the
government.
This decision will be totally up to
you - to accept or not to accept these referrals. If you accept
unrelated children, you will need to build additional support
from your relatives and your community after you return home
from your first trip. Children’s Hope still does not accept
applications for unrelated children at this time.
Program Director Attends Moscow
Conference:
Children’s Hope International’s Director of Development
Aid/Russia Program Director returned from Russia in late January
after participating in a Moscow conference with representatives
from all 13 Russian regions. Children’s Hope is excited for the
possibility of completing between 200 and 240 adoptions in 2008.
As families quickly update their adoption paperwork to complete
their adoptions, it may be possible to unite even more families
this year!
2008 Completed Russia Adoptions:
9
“Alek turned three on the January 8.
We just went to the doctor’s office for a checkup and he is now
OFFICIALLY ON THE GROWTH CHART! So we did a little dance,” says
mom Chrystal Simpson. Above, Alek celebrates his joyous birthday
with dad Robert.
If you would like to share your
thoughts, experiences or stories about your adoption,
email: Jennifer Newcomb at
Jennifer.Newcomb@ChildrensHope.net
We would love to post your
family pictures!
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2007 Children's Hope International.
All rights reserved.