Ethiopia Program Updates

On June 5^th we were thrilled to offer the referral of 7-week-old twin girls. The happy family waited 15 months to be matched. This is the longest that a family requesting siblings, or any Children’s Hope family, has waited for a referral. The family had just decided to expand their age request as, unless we received twins, their age range for siblings was a bit too

All Ethiopia Program families in process receive weekly updates with a wealth of information direct from our Ethiopia Team. If you are a completed Children's Hope family, you can find these weekly updates archived on our password protected site, www.CHIFamily.net. Stay informed and keep in touch. Send us your family updates (communications@childrenshope.net) and we'll share your happenings with fellow CHI families!

And families request the rain of referrals begin.

They got their answer - on October 1, Children's Hope received 3 referrals for our Ethiopia Program families. These referrals were for an 8-week-old baby boy, a 1-month-old girl and a five-month-old girl. On Thursday, October 2, two more adorable 1-month-old girls were also referred to Children's Hope families. Congratulations to all!

Ten families will have come home with their children from Children’s Hope -Ethiopia through the month of August. Three families are currently in Ethiopia making final arrangements and completing their visa interviews this week. As Ethiopia travel occurs after the child’s adoption has been finalized in court, these three families were the last families whose adoptions were finalized before the court’s closure during the annual rainy season. The Ethiopian courts will reopen to process adoptions on October 9^th. Current adopting families with referrals will resume Ethiopia travel beginning in November

Five families had a happy homecoming in the past week. Since one family adopted two siblings, six total children are now in their new homes. Another family who arrived in Ethiopia this past weekend will be home very soon. We expect others to be traveling towards the end of June.

Twenty-three children entered into their new parents' arms and came home to the United States so far this year, through Children's Hope International's Ethiopia adoption program. Five came home this month to the beautiful spring weather and all things truly made new.

In mid-April, eight Children's Hope families received referrals, including 6 boys and 2 girls. The youngest little boy was 2 months old and the oldest of those children referred was 3 years old. Congratulations to all of these families! The longest waiting period for these referral families was 5 months.

Happy Anniversary Ethiopia Program! On April 3, 2007, Children's Hope International became licensed to work in Ethiopia for the purpose of adoption and humanitarian aid - upholding our mission to provide -Homes, health and hope for children in need."

In our first year, the Ethiopia program placed 28 children into their forever homes with some truly amazing families.

"God has been gracious to us as we started the program and learned the requirements for a successful adoption process in Ethiopia. I am thankful to our amazing in country staff as well as our incredible US staff who have worked diligently with me, and our families, to see that our program, and your adoption was successful," says Sharon Turner, Ethiopia Program Director.