May the new hear bring hope, love and connection to all of the children who wait and of the families who so desperately want them to come home!  
Letters from Thailand

This thought-provoking fiction novel follows Tan Suang U, a young man who emigrates from China to Thailand following the end of World War II, over the course of 40 some years. Told through letters he sends to his mother in China, Suang U shares his experiences as a Chinese immigrant who moved to Bangkok to find wealth. Through his letters, the reader gets to follow along Suang U’s journey of moving to Thailand, making connections, finding work, establishing his career, starting a family, and watching his children grow up. It gives the reader a deeper understanding of the struggles immigrants all over the world face when it comes to assimilating in a new country while maintaining one’s own culture and traditions. The book did receive criticism initially, from both Thai people and Chinese immigrants, as the Thai people are portrayed as somewhat lazy, and the Chinese immigrants as greedy. However, it gives the reader a glimpse into life in Bangkok’s Chinatown during that time period. The reader gets to watch Suang U grow and stretch in his beliefs over the years and witness the challenges that come with adapting to a new culture all the while maintaining one’s own - a journey all too familiar to internationally adopted children and their families. A great read if you are interested in learning more about Thailand, Bangkok, Chinese immigrants, history, cultural assimilation, and so much more.
This book is available on Amazon. If you grab it there be sure to choose MAA as your non-profit of choice for Amazon Smile! Any time you shop on Amazon you can continue supporting Madison by using this link and Amazon sends us a small portion of the sales!  

  • Go to Amazon Smile
  • Log in to your Amazon account  
  • Click “Get Started”  
  • Search for “Madison Adoption Associates”  
  • Click “Yes, I understand”  
Welcome Austyn & Marianne to the MAA Illinois Team!

Austyn Lucas joined Madison Adoption Associates in December of 2022, as an international adoption specialist. She is very excited to assist families in the adoption process, helping to bring children to their forever homes. Austyn feels privileged to work with families who are eager to grow their families through adoption.

Austyn graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Psychology from Southwest Baptist University. She is working on obtaining her Master’s Degree in Social Work. She enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her family and friends. She is very active in her church.

Austyn loves working with children and seeing them blossom into their full potential. She has gained knowledge about the adoption process through her family’s personal experience and her volunteer and professional opportunities throughout the past 4 years.
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Marianne Akers joined Madison Adoption Associates as an Administrative Assistant in December 2022.  She resigned from the State of Illinois after 14 years to stay home with her children. Being an adoptee herself, she has always wanted to be part of the other side of adoption. Helping parents and children fulfill their dream of having a family. 
 
Marianne loves sports, football being her favorite and spending time with family. She stays very busy trying to keep up with her husband, Tomas, her two children, Mya and MJ and their 3 dogs: Layla, Hank, and Skye. 
 
Marianne is very excited to be part of the MAA Team and is looking forward to helping children from all over the world. 
Center for Adoption Support and Education presents:
Mind/Body Practices for
Hope and Healing

Thursday, January 19, 2023
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm EST
Extended Access Available Jan. 20 - Feb. 20, 2023
 
Register Now! Use coupon code HOPE at checkout to receive your FREE registration. CEUs for this webinar are also available, learn more.
 
Scientific research supports integrative approaches that focus on all aspects of our well-being for prevention, promoting good health and healing from trauma and illnesses. The impact of stress is experienced individually, collectively in our work, and in our communities. It affects our bodies and our emotional connection to ourselves and others. Trauma-informed care recognizes that our wounds are held deep within the human body, and therefore to fully heal, treatment must include somatic elements. The intrinsic mind/body connection provides the practitioner with the vital link between wounds stuck inside the body and the deep healing needed. Understanding the mind-body connection and using mindfulness techniques supports self-awareness and a clearer understanding of the control we have to manage stress and make healthy change.
 
This workshop will give a brief description of the theoretic underpinnings and key aspects of the Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and Mind-Body Skills. This experiential workshop invites participants to engage in the whole-body practices and learn self-care tools that are easy to use and cost effective. Opportunities will be encouraged to experiment with gentle yoga, mindfulness meditations, and expressive outlets with writing and art.
 
Presented by Lisa Maynard, LMSW, ACSW, TC-TSY-F, Licensed Social Worker
There is a $15 charge per registrant after the first 600 registrants have used the discount code.
Families home in December!
If you are not in a position to adopt right now, but still feel compelled to help, please know that you can always make a donation directly to Madison Adoption Associates. Your generous gift will be directed where it is needed most, whether that be to provide food and medical services to vulnerable children both domestically and internationally, to support MAA’s growing therapeutic support services for adoptive and foster families, to help ease the financial burden for adoptive families, and/or many other areas where MAA serves deserving children. So please – consider making a tax-deductible donation today, so that children around the world may have a chance for a brighter tomorrow.