May 2016
CHINA AND TAIWAN PROGRAM NEWSLETTER
This month Gladney is in Taiwan!
Thank you to our Superkids Team 
who are meeting new children and getting
 updates for waiting families!


  
Many of you followed them on the Superkids blog  and Facebook.  But if you haven't, take some time this weekend to share their special journey. 

Welcome Home!
Welcome home to the Summers family!

Welcome home, Elrod family!

China
Program Update: 
During the past several weeks Gladney's Asia programs have been working around the clock due to staff being in China, Taiwan and the US!  With the 12 or so hour time difference, the day in the US picks up when the day in China is ending.  We are happy to share with everyone some of the activity since the last newsletter:
 
Two families returned home with their daughters (one to Texas and one to Michigan)!
 
Five families departed for China the first week in May, with one family following last week and one more joining this week!
 
Nine LSC's were issued to Gladney families during the month of April!
 
So far during the month of May, one TA has been issued.
 
Four dossiers arrived to our NY office last week Wednesday and are now on their way to the CCCWA in China.

Taiwan
Program Update:   
Just before Taiwan Program Caseworker Mary Chapman got on a plane to Taiwan for this years Superkids Trip she was able to share the exciting news of a referral of an adorable
little 2 year old boy for a Gladney family living in Iowa.  Then she got to meet him herself a few days later!  What special timing!
 
Superkids has just returned stateside after spending a week visiting with children under the care of Cathwel and Chung Yi.  After last year's typhoon stranded the Superkids team in their hotel and most meetings had to be cancelled, this was such a full trip!  The team was able to blog throughout the trip and posted in the Taiwan Advocacy Facebook group (contact Mary Chapman on Facebook or by  [email protected] if you would like to join this group).
 
During the trip Mary took time out of her day to send the Asia Program staff WeChat voice recordings of her impressions.  It was so great to hear the excitement in Mary's voice as she talked about finally getting a chance to meet several of the children whose paper files she has been receiving over the winter and spring. "A description on paper - no matter how long and detailed - just cannot really do justice in letting us all know how much each child has inside them - the curiosity, the sweetness, the pride, the sense of humor. I keep thinking about two brothers who are so AWESOME - I have had their paperwork for a while - after meeting them I can' t wait to talk to interested families - I have so much to say about them!"  Please email [email protected] if you would like to learn more about these brothers.
 
The Superkids team is currently organizing information on the children who will be available to be matched with adoptive families.  Please check out the Superkids blog, A Child to Love, and the Taiwan Advocacy Facebook group regularly for new photos and information.  
 
We are also going to be doing a great story on 5 toddlers whose files are being prepared for intentional adoption - we will circulate that when it is ready and hopefully post it to RainbowKids too!


ADOPT ME!

Click the images to read stories about children from our China and Taiwan programs!  
 
 
 
Gladney Moments
Picture at the close of an INCREDIBLE day one of the BEB symposium.
Frank is the third from Left in front row

International adoption from China and Taiwan continues to be well-supported by the governments of these countries. Sadly, that is the rare exception rather than the rule in international adoption overall, which has declined by 75% since 2004.
However, several organizations, including Gladney, are working hard to reverse this downward trend and spark an increase in international adoption. In the last six weeks, I have had the opportunity to participate in the Both Ends Burning Symposium in Los Angeles and the Christian Alliance for Orphans conference in Orlando, which were two very different gatherings. The BEB Symposium was maxed out at 80 by design, while about 2,000 people attended CAFO.

Gladney was the only adoption agency represented at the BEB Symposium. Child welfare leaders from 26 countries, plus the Department of State and UNICEF, were in attendance. International adoption was highlighted as one wonderful option for orphans, and these child welfare leaders seemed to embrace that perspective. Consistent with priorities outlined in the Hague Convention, domestic adoption, as well as family preservation and reunification programs, were spotlighted as part of the solution to the world's increasing orphan population at the BEB Symposium, just as they were at CAFO.
Both of these gatherings were tremendously encouraging for me, as they represented people from all over the world with diverse viewpoints, but who all share the vision that EVERY CHILD DESERVES A LOVING FAMILY.

This is Gladney's "why." This is the vision that underscores everything that Both Ends Burning, the National Council for Adoption, and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption are working to accomplish. My hope and dream is that with the help of everyone, including YOU, that "Every Child Deserves a Loving Family" will become embedded in the public consciousness.
 
--Frank Garrott, Adoptive Dad and Gladney President

Superkids
The China team at Gladney CELEBRATED at the end of this week -- and we wanted to share some good news with you -- our readers -- who champion adoption everyday.

On Friday we received a travel approval for a special teen.  Some of you may have received our Guang Ming Star email last year about "Jonathan", a 13 year old boy who was met by Gladney mom, Melissa Hauffe during the service trip last summer.  They struck up a unique friendship, which inspired Melissa to make it her mission to find his family.

Through Melissa's tireless efforts and Superkids advocacy, a family is moving forward to adopt him.  With a tight deadline of Jonathan's 14th birthday next month the family will be travelling to China.  

We would like to acknowledge the Gladney caseworker, Leta White, who has helped this family through the process with focus and care  - with every week counting - as the process must be completed before Jonathan turns 14 next month.  Chinese children cannot be adopted through international adoption once they are 14 years of age.  Also, we don't say this often enough - but a special Thank You to the Superkids team, especially Gongzhan Wu, for their invaluable contributions to this adoption.

Upcoming Events

 

Please join us in New York for the annual Larchmont Picnic! Friends are welcome too! The registration link IS NOW AVAILABLE on the GFA website.

 

The GFA has chapters and events around the country - check out the site for a calendar of events in your area!


Stay Connected
The Gladney Center for Adoption, Asia Program, 850 7th Avenue, Suite 801, New York, NY 10019