I Found My Family!
You may recognize this kiddo, as we’ve shared his pictures before. He participated in our Orphan Hosting program last year, and went by the nickname “The Man of Steel” because he was wearing a Superman shirt when our hosting interview team first met him. We are THRILLED to be sharing his photo again, as this superhero has a family that is working towards bringing him home forever!
It is so amazing to see another Orphan Hosting story turn into an adoption journey! Congratulations to our Man of Steel and his new Forever Family, we can’t wait to see you come home!
We are currently matching families for our winter Orphan Hosting program. Visit our Orphan hosting photo listing or contact our hosting coordinators at shannon@gwca.org to learn how you can give the gift of family this holiday season.
– Click here to visit our Orphan Hosting photo listing! –
Read More
NEW UPDATE: Back in Their Arms
Each year our Orphan Hosting team has the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing and kindhearted families in the world, as they work together to bring children to America with the hope that they will find their Forever Families. Among these families from our 2015-16 Holiday Hosting program were “K” and “C,” a couple that welcomed a little girl named “L” into their family for four weeks. During their time hosting “L,” the two fell completely in love, immediately beginning the process to bring her home. Now, less than one year later, they’re in China finalizing their adoption and welcoming their daughter into their family forever!
Here are a few of their most recent blog posts from their trip. Check back soon for updates!
Today we were reunited with L at the Civil Affairs Office. Our guide, Kelly, helped us with some paperwork and we waited with several other families. She walked out wearing a beautiful white dress, pink headband, and pink sparkly shoes. She was immediately happy and smiling and called us mama and baba. We spent time looking at old pictures and videos on my phone. She keeps asking for Kinsley and wants to call her. We had to tell her she was asleep. She keeps says, “sshh Kinsley sleeping.” In the van on the way back to the hotel, she asked for jewelry and painted nails. This girl didn’t skip a beat and we picked up right where we left 8 months ago. Back at the hotel, she found her new shoes lined up against the way and immediately had to change. She had some ramen noodles. It seemed like she was starving and had two helpings. I delayed showing her her drawer full of clothes knowing that would instigate a wardrobe change. She pointed to the drawer all on her own and wanted to change. She pulled out several outfits but settled on a jean jumper. She also was focused on when we would be painting her toenails and fingernails so we accomplished that. Only tears were when we were running down the hallway to the elevator and she slipped and fell. The tears were pretty short-lived. We ran up to the lounge so C and I could grab something to eat for dinner. And she had a few snacks. Our evening was spent playing Candy Land, taking a bath, and reading books. A very successful forever family day!
China Adoption Finalization – 9.6.2016
So today we finalized our adoption as far as China is concerned. Today K’s sister, Lilly, was our guide. She was very engaged with L. Lilly asked her lots of questions and she answered. This is by far the most we have heard her speak. The great part is Lilly was able to translate for us during our van ride to the Civil Affairs Office. She told Lilly that she wants to be adopted and live in America. Sounds good to us kiddo. We met with two different female officials who asked us questions and completed our paperwork. We are approved and they are working to issue our final certificate.
After returning to the hotel, we let L explore the garden of the hotel, which includes the waterfalls and coy fish ponds. She also walked by the pool and spent a lot of time the playground. She loved going down the slide, especially if one of us startled her on the way down. We walked to an Italian restaurant for lunch. She ate some beef spaghetti like a champ. It was so hot and humid today that we were all drenched in a short period of time. The pool was calling us but we agreed that nap time was probably more important. Unfortunately, it was raining with thunderstorms whenever she woke up so we had to delay it. We played in our room and the beach ball I brought along was a huge hit. The rain cleared so we were able to “go swimming” in the kiddie pool.
We had dinner in the lounge here at our hotel and we have found that our girl has a deep love for prawns. We have no idea if this is something she had at her orphanage, but we doubt it. This was the one thing she picked out as we walked through the spread. So I spent most of my dinner, cleaning, peeling, de-heading, and deveining shrimp. She is not a fan of cocktail sauce after trying it and telling us it was hot. Last night, she had two shrimp. Tonight she devoured four large shrimp. We had a low key evening in the room and did some coloring. I see significant improvement in staying in the lines. We are also really impressed by her speech and vocabulary.
Medical Exam – 9.7.2016
Today was another great day of making memories. After breakfast, our official business for the day was having her medical exam completed which is one of the requirements to finalize the U.S. portion of the adoption. Our guide, Kelly, took us to the Guangdong International Travel Healthcare Center. First, L had her photo taken for her Visa. Then we went upstairs to the medical clinic where she made friends with everyone. The measured her height and weight, checked her eyes and ears, drew blood for her TB test, and did basic medical exam. Similarly to when she visited the U.S., she did not cry when they drew her blood. She has had a nasty, deep cough the last couple of days that we have been treating with over the counter meds. She was also a little lethargic this morning and has been running a fever on and off. Despite not feeling 100%, she has continued to be her happy and pleasant self. They prescribed an antibiotic because her throat was red and inflamed. She has had one dose so far and it seems to be helping.
We ventured out for lunch and went to the Noodle House near our hotel. Of course, she selected a picture with noodles and shrimp. She ate the best we have seen so far. We stopped by the playground to burn off some energy. When housekeeping came to clean our room, she watched intently and brought her one of the trashcans. She seemed concerned that they were removing the linens from our bed. She kept putting her hands on her hips and looking at me like “aren’t you going to do something?!” We have also noticed she is highly organized. Always wanting to put back what she has been playing with and straightening and organizing the shoes by the door.
This evening our hotel hosted a reception with food and live music for all adoptive families. L really seemed to enjoy the music. She “sang” along, danced, and bobbed her head to the music all night long. A few of the kids took turns getting pulled up on stage, and I could see she desperately wanted to be up there. We had to move closer and she eventually got her chance. I’m sure this was a highlight for her, but she did get a little shy once she was up on stage. She made some new friends and even shared some food with one of the little girls. It was great to mingle with other families although we see most everyone at breakfast. It was a great event and afterwards she thought we needed to eat again:)
Free Day #1 – 9.8.2016
Today we had another free day. At breakfast, we were reunited with the new friends we made at last night’s reception. We spent time playing on the playground and hung out in our hotel room. The days are going so fast and yet we are so ready to be home. This afternoon our guide, Kelly, took us on a shopping trip. Our first two stops were to pick up some traditional souvenirs. Common purchases are jade and pearls. She took us to the pearl market which was a multi-level building with literally hundreds of wholesale vendors. All types of jewelry were available.
Our excursion turned from shopping to learning pretty quickly as she walked us through several local “markets.” We walked along a pedestrian only street that was filled with people. She said Guangzhou has a mere 16 million. The street was lined with clothing stores. We turned down a side street and entered the “pet market.” This consisted of a whole section of vendors selling cats and dogs in crates. Then we entered the “herbal medicine market.” We saw all sorts of things but the worst was the bins of creepy-crawly scorpions. I still have creepy-crawly skin just thinking about it. Next, we visited the “food market.” Shoppers could buy fruits, vegetables, and meat. We saw a lot of fish and black-skinned chicken which is used for soup. Our senses were on overload with all of the unusual smells. She said it is common for younger people to shop at Walmart but people her parents’ age prefer to shop at the local markets.
We opted for McDonalds for dinner and also enjoyed some ice cream. Our two extra value meals and happy meal were less than $10 USD. As soon as we got back to our room, L thought we needed to eat again so we headed upstairs for a nightcap of shrimp.
Orphanage Visit – 9.10.2016
Today started out very early as we prepared to travel an hour and a half to Dongguan to L’s orphanage. It was an educating day and one filled with lots of emotions. We have been told it is one of the better orphanages which is mildly comforting. Due to the long drive, L had some carsickness but once we gave her some medicine she slept the whole way.
As we drove up, the main building looked very nice. L was an obvious favorite as many of the adults (nannies/caretakers) knew her and were excited to see her. As we walked around, we noticed how bright and colorful everything was. There was a lot of natural light and it seemed like a good environment for learning. We were able to see the sleeping area with bunk beds, bathroom, and classrooms. We saw a few older children but most were very young. We were told most of the school-age children were at the Sunshine Academy, a school affiliated with the orphanage but a few blocks away. One of the caretakers told a story that when L was younger, she would get up in the middle of the night and make her self a bottle when she was hungry (even when she was too old for a bottle). They all got a good laugh reminiscing about her.
L seemed to show minimal emotion during our visit. So we started asking some questions and learned that once the young children can take care of their own basic needs they are moved to a different building. Then they estimated that it had been three years since L had lived there. They explained that she was living in an outside dormitory. It isn’t a foster home but basically a small orphanage, maybe only 15 kids, with two to three nannies in a building offsite. Although we didn’t get to see where she lived most recently, we did see where she spent a lot of time.
L slept again on our return trip and we ate a late lunch at an Irish Pub. We both ordered cheeseburgers and ordered spaghetti for L. It wasn’t quite an American cheeseburger but the french fries were great. L didn’t want anything to do with the spaghetti and instead ate off of our plates. I even convinced her that coleslaw was noodles and surprisingly she ate it.
We decided it would be another great day to go swimming. The kiddie pool was closed today so we had to swim in the big pool. L was quite the fish. She loves watching the other kids and thinks she needs to put her face under the water too. She was much more relaxed and really seemed to enjoy kicking and splashing around.
Free Day #2 – 9.10.2016
We had another low key day today. We visited an H&M store right by our hotel and L enjoyed trying things on and having a fashion show. We also walked to Martyr’s Park which is several blocks from our hotel. Our hope was that L could play on the children’s playground. It rained on and off but we still enjoyed our afternoon out and about. The park was beautiful and the pictures do not really do it justice. The park included monuments, temples, tombs, pavilions, and a cemetery. There was live music playing in several areas, but the children’s playground was lacking so L just rode around in the stroller.
Tonight we went on a river cruise with two other adoptive families from our hotel and met several others there. The cruise consisted of riding on a boat for one hour and twenty minutes up and down the Pearl River. It included a dinner buffet. The guide told us to eat as soon as we could and not to wait. There was no organization or line formation; people would just go to the dish they wanted and often would remove the serving tongs to take to their next dish of choice. It was crazy. The food was okay but not anything special. The kids all seemed to love it. Leave it to my child to select chicken feet and proceed to eat them. It was disgusting! Our table was on the second level and after dinner, we were able to visit the open third deck to take photographs of the City at night. There was also an entertainer which made the children balloon animals and juggled. Many of the kids got to be part of the show. L really seemed to enjoy the evening with friends.
Free Day #3 Plus Sightseeing – 9.11.2016
Today was another free day for us. After breakfast, C and I got foot and shoulder/back massages. They applied much pressure but we felt very relaxed afterwards. L pretended to help and she was very patient. We grabbed lunch at OGGI which is a pizza place. It was a nice change and even L seemed to enjoy it. We did some boutique shopping near our hotel. L had fun trying on different dresses and twirling around. We were trying to kill some time because it was raining again. We were getting close to time on when we were supposed to be meeting our guide for sightseeing and it was not letting up at all. So we had to run several blocks in the pouring down rain back to our hotel. There were several inches of water in the road because the rain was coming down so quickly. By the time we made it back, we were all drenched!
Our guide, Kelly, took us and another family to the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall which is a family temple and not religious at all. It was one of the few activities we could do because it was partially inside to protect us from the rain. We toured the temple and viewed the intricate displays of wood carvings, porcelain painting, ivory carving and more. There were also several souvenir shops. After we were finished, we visited OneLink Plaza which is a multi-level wholesale toy market. It is a misnomer because they actually have many items in addition to toys (household, gifts, etc.). There were literally thousands of vendors. We wondered around and did some more souvenir shopping. It was great to be inside and out of the rain.
We stopped at the Guangzhou Friendship Store and ate dinner at a place called the Banana Leaf. They serve Thai food and L was thrilled to be eating noodles. This girl requests to eat noodles all day long and generally eats 3-4 servings per sitting.
US Adoption Finalization – 9.12.2016
Today we had our U.S. Consulate appointment to finalize L’s adoption. We were there with many other families who have become friends. Unfortunately, our bag and phones had to stay at the security checkpoint so we were not able to take any photos inside. All of our paperwork is finally finished and we will receive her VISA tomorrow. As soon as she lands on U.S. soil, she will be a U.S. citizen.
Afterwards, our guide, Kelly, took us and another family to Yuntai Garden. The park was really beautiful and full of bright, vibrant colors. This was our first day here that it has not rained which was nice but it was extremely hot and humid. After a short stroll around the park, we were ready to be done with sightseeing. We decided to spend some time in the pool. L likes to “swim,” put her head under water, and today C taught her how to blow bubbles.
We headed to dinner with our favorite hotel buddies. We went to an Italian buffet and L ate really well (3 plates full). The kids had fun playing together and I’m sure are going to miss each other when it is time to part ways. Speaking of which, we begin our trek home tomorrow. It has been an enjoyable trip and great bonding time, but we are beyond ready to be home. L wants to ride the airplane home everyday although she is not too eager to see Bessie, our dog.
We are so appreciative of all of the thoughts, prayers, and supportive comments during this journey to bring L home as our child.
6 New Kids on the Block
This week we have 6 New Kids on the Block! Elle, Parker, Kelsey, Benji, Jillian and Colton are all hoping to find their Forever Families. If you’re interested in learning how you can be matched with one of these amazing kiddos, contact our China matching specialists or visit our Waiting Child photo listing today!
– Click here to visit our China Waiting Child Photo Listing! –
Elle is a beautiful little girl from China that just recently turned 5 years old. Elle has a minor heart condition where the heart points to the right side instead of the left side, and this issue doesn’t seem to affect Elle in her daily life. Elle also has one ear where the outer part is slightly malformed, but her hearing is normal. Otherwise Elle appears to be doing well physically and cognitively. One of our GWCA staff members met Elle when she visited China earlier this year and she would be happy to speak with any interested family about Elle.
Elle is in a regular school outside of the orphanage where she is currently in kindergarten. Elle is described as being a polite child who gets along well with others. Elle’s growth development is the same as other children of her same age. Elle is a more of a shy, introverted child, but she always likes to play with others, especially playing with dolls. She likes to give performances and show off her dancing skills. Elle’s mental development is described as being normal.
You can contact the China Home Finding Team at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting Elle. We hope we are able to find Elle her Forever Family soon!
Video #1 | Video #2 | Video #3 | Video #4| Video #5
Parker is a sweet little baby boy that just turned 1 year old. Parker has Down’s Syndrome so he is a little delayed compared to his peers, but he is a happy boy that is progressing well for a child with Down’s Syndrome. One of our GWCA staff members met Parker when she visited China earlier this year and she would be happy to speak with any interested family about Parker.
Parker can push himself up when laying on his tummy and can lift his head up, and he can also turn over by himself. Parker can grasp toys in his hands and can exchange them from one hand to the other. He can also track when a toy is moving and he will look for missing toys when he drops them. Parker is babbling and he enjoys imitating the sounds adults make. If he hears a voice or a sound he will look to see where it is coming from and will track it. Parker enjoys listening to music and he will often become happy and calm quiet if he hears it. Parker can feed himself snacks like biscuits.
You can contact the China Home Finding Team at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting Parker. We hope we are able to find Parker his Forever Family soon!
Video #1 | Video #2 | Video #3 | Video #4 | Video #5
This cutie is named Kelsey and she is 3 years old! She was born with a cleft lip and palate, Hep B and a heart condition known as a PFO. Based on the information in her file that was prepared in 2014, Kelsey was receiving rehabilitation services to improve her motor skills and her caretakers believed she would make progress. At the age of 1 years old she was able to turn over on her own, sit up by leaning onto support, grasp toys and respond to her name being called. She liked to be held by her caretakers and is described as an adorable and smiley little girl. GWCA is currently trying to get some updated information on Kelsey’s condition. Contact one of our matching specialists today if you’d like to review her file!
This darling kiddo’s name is Benji! He just turned six years old last May. He has Down Syndrome, but overall he seems to be doing great! He loves to play with the other children, is great at counting numbers with his teachers, and loves to dance to music. He has excellent language development and likes to point out his favorite animals. He goes to school and seems to be doing great. He’s very empathetic towards the other children, especially when they are sad or upset. He’s a darling kiddo who will thrive with a forever family! Please reach out to Great Wall if you’d like to learn more.
Jillian is a smiley girl who just turned 9 years old! One of our GWCA staff members met Parker when she visited China earlier this year and she would be happy to speak with any interested family about Parker. She is currently in regular school where she is learning to read and do math problems! She is doing well cognitively when compared to her peers with Down’s Syndrome. Jillian loves dancing and singing! She is described as being a little more introverted but she enjoys being around other kiddos her age! Jillian’s personality shines through in all of the videos below! Contact one of our matching specialists if you would like to review her file! 
This little cutie’s name is Colton! Colton is 4 years old, and he was born with Down Syndrome and a congenital heart defect. He has had surgery on his heart and his orphanage states that he does not need any additional surgeries moving forward. His language development is delayed, but he does appear to be understanding words that are spoken to him. He can respond to his name, loves to laugh when being teased, and can distinguish between familiar caregivers and strangers. He loves to hug his caregivers and the other kiddos and is described as being very affectionate. He also loves new toys! Colton is currently in a special kindergarten at the orphanage and seems to be doing great. If you’d like to learn more about him, please reach out to Great Wall!
Resources
Learn more about China adoption
Visit the Waiting Child photo listing
Contact an international adoption specialist
14 Kids Home
What an incredible Forever Family Friday it is, as 14 kids have recently come home from China to join their families!
It is so amazing to think that just last winter several of these kiddos were here in America for our China hosting program. While the wait time for many international adoption programs continues to grow, China’s Waiting Child adoption program makes it possible for families to welcome a new member in less than one year. Thanks to this quick process and the hard work of each one of these families, these kiddos will be spending their holiday season in the arms of their families once more. Congratulations to each and every one of these families from all of us at GWCA!
If your family is interested in being matched with a child through our China Waiting Child adoption program, visit our Waiting Child photo listing or contact our China matching specialists. 
- Learn more about the China Waiting Child adoption program
- Visit the Waiting Child Photo Listing
- Contact a China matching specialist
Read More
Waiting For Families!
We’ve added 6 more kids to our China Waiting Child photo listing this week! If your family is interested in being matched, contact our matching specialists or visit our photo listing using the link below!
– Click here to visit the photo listing! –
Maeve is a cutie who just turned 3 years old! Her file was prepared about a year ago and it indicates she was born with a meningocele and hydrocephalus. She has received surgery for the meningocele but it is unclear whether she has had surgery for her hydrocephalus. Maeve has improved in her language skills and can speak in simple phrases! She can imitate what adults are saying and can understand what is being said to her. She loves reading books and turning the pages to show her caretakers all of the pictures! Maeve can crawl and walk with her hands holding onto handrails. She is described as being a talkative and active kiddo! If you’d like more information on Maeve, please contact one of our matching specialists!
This adorable kiddo’s name is Max! He will be turning 2 years old this November. He has been diagnosed with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy. He also has a hemangioma on his upper lip. He is a sweet kiddo who is extremely affectionate towards his caregivers! He seems to be doing well with his mobility development and is able to lift himself up, stand without assistance, and grasp small toys. He loves to listen to dance along to music and loves to play games with his caregivers. If you’d like to learn more about Max, please reach out to Great Wall!
Matthew is an adorable 4-year old boy looking for a forever family! He was born with anal atresia, but since having surgery he seems to be doing verywell. He is currently living with a foster family and appears to be doing great developmentally. He loves to run, draw and count. His caretakers describe him as being very optimistic and active. Please reach out to Great Wall if you’d like to learn more!
This darling kiddo’s name is Sophie! She just turned 2 this past June. She was born with hydrocephalus. Her fine and gross motor skills are somewhat delayed compared to her peers, but she is able to prop her head up and play with toys. She loves to laugh and understands facial expressions of adults. She also turns her head towards her caregivers when they call her name. Sophie loves to smile and is very attached to her caregivers. If you’d like to learn more, please reach out to Great Wall!
Carter is a precious little boy from China that just turned 4 years old. Carter had clubbed feet when he was a baby, but he received surgery on them and they have been mostly corrected. He still has some issues with his limbs, but it isn’t totally clear in his file what those issues are, so we’re trying to get some updated information from the orphanage on that. Carter is said to have normal mental development and is at the same level developmentally as other children his age. Carter goes to early education classes each day and is learning well alongside his peers. Carter is outgoing and likes to talk and sing songs. Carter can communicate well with adults and can speak 3-5 word sentences. He imitates what the adults around him are doing and saying, and he also asks “what” and “why” questions.
Read More
I Found My Family!
We are so incredibly happy to announce that a family in our China Waiting Child adoption program has been matched with this adorable girl through the LID track. Congratulations from all of us at GWCA and CAN!
Due
to her young age and the fact that her needs are relatively minor/correctable, her file was considered LID. As such, the family that has been matched with her had to have their dossier logged in before they could view her file. If your family is interested in learning how you can begin your journey towards being matched through our LID track, contact our China matching specialists today!
What does LID mean?
In China’s Waiting Child adoption program, children’s files are either considered Special Focus or LID (sometimes referred to as Non-Special Focus) based on a couple of factors including their age and the severity of their needs. Children who are considered more difficult to place based on the fact that they’re older or have more moderate to severe needs are typically “Special Focus,” while younger children with more minor or correctable needs are generally “LID.”
Although the process of adopting an LID child is very similar to that of adopting a Special Focus child, there are a few differences. While families adopting a Special Focus child can be matched with a child on our China photo listing at any point in the process, families in the LID track must first submit their dossier to China before reviewing LID files.
For more information on the differences between GWCA’s LID and Special Focus adoption tracks click here, or contact our China matching specialists today!
- Visit our China Waiting Child photo listing to learn more about our Special Focus kiddos!
- Learn more about the China adoption process!
Ming Has a $2,000 Grant!
Ming is our Sponsored Star for September!
Ming is an incredible 13 year old boy who needs to find his family before he ages out on his 14th birthday. He was hosted in the US this summer, and his host family had only the most positive things to share about their experience with him. Now that Ming has returned to China, we’re desperate to help him find a family that is ready to start their journey towards bringing him home forever.
Ming’s host family describes him as being a courageous and intelligent boy who has a very pleasant personality. Despite his medical needs and his prosthetic leg, Ming doesn’t back down from challenges that he’s faced with. Ming is very hopeful that his Forever Family will find him before he ages out. As our Sponsored Star for September, he currently has a $2,000 grant available towards his adoption fees. If you’re interested in learning more about Ming or viewing his file, visit our photo listing or contact our matching specialists today!
What is a Sponsored Star?
On the 1st of each month, Great Wall China Adoption will feature one of the kiddos from our Orphanage Partnerships as our monthly “Sponsored Star!” As our Sponsored Star, that child will be provided a $2,000 grant towards their adoption fees! Each of the kiddos selected will be a Special Focus child, meaning they have not found their Forever Family yet due to their age or the degree of their needs. Together, we can find loving homes for these amazing kids!
We encourage any families interested in learning more about our Sponsored Star of the Month to visit our China Waiting Child Photo Listing, or contact our China Matching Specialists to learn how you can be matched today! Check back on the first of each month to meet the newest featured child!
Read More
6 New Kids are Waiting
Six new kiddos have been added to our China Waiting Child photo listing this week! If you’re interested in learning more about Cooper, Macy, David, Logan, Bella or Laney, contact our China matching specialists today to request their files. Each of these kiddos is in need of a Forever Family, and we’re determined to help them find a loving and permanent home. Click the link below to see all of the children that we’re currently advocating for on our Waiting Child photo listing.
– Click here to visit the Waiting Child photo listing! –
Cooper
This adorable little guy is Cooper! He just turned 8 years old this past June. Cooper’s eyes appear to be underdeveloped, but he does have some vision in both eyes. Cooper was hosted in the hosting program this past summer and had an amazing time with his host family! Here’s something that his host family wrote about him:
“He is independent, unbelievably well behaved, follows direction and likes to help. Shy at first he quickly opens up to everyone. Very inquisitive, he is constantly asking questions. Wakes up in the morning and greets us with a cheery “Hello!”, one of the several English words he learned while with us. He has been as low maintenance as any child I have ever met. They way he adjusted to the drastic changes of hosting was unbelieveable, he is so ‘go with the flow’. He doesn’t need to be constantly entertained, he will go up to the toy room and just grab whatever he is interested and plays by himself if we are busy. He has a good sense of humor and really understood and got a kick out of his host dads gentle sarcasm. While he was here being hosted it was clear that he knew this was only a short vacation to America but still he bonded with his host dad. As we did the countdown to departure day he was excited to go back to China saying he liked China and America equally. But speaking to the chaperone the night before he told heels he was not willing to go back to China. Once we arrived at the airport it all seemed to settle in and he was clearly devastated to be leaving America and said he wanted to stay. I think a family with a brother for him would be great but he did enjoy playing with the girls. Sounds too good to be true but he didn’t misbehave for a second while he was here. I really don’t have any negatives to say about him.
His special need is blindness in one eye and nearsightedness in the other, which glasses helped immensely. Also his eyes wiggle a bit (nystagmus) as he is refocusing but that seemed to be greatly reduced with the glasses. We honestly forgot that he had any vision issues at all. He rides a bike, power wheels, scooter, runs races, all no problem.”
Please reach out to Great Wall if you would like to learn more about Cooper!
Macy
Macy is a cutie who is about to turn 6 years old! She was born with hydrocephalus and a meningocele which she received surgeries for. When Macy’s file was prepared, she needed assistance walking and standing on her own but GWCA is trying to get more details on her current condition. Her language development is described as being normal and she seems to be cognitively on target. Macy loves music and dancing along to the beat! She is described as being sweet, smiley and cute. Contact one of our matching specialists if you’d like to learn more about Macy!
David
David is a sweet little boy from China that is 6 and a half years old. David is deaf so he some developmental delays compared with his hearing peers. David lives in a rural area of China, so his ability to learn sign language currently is very limited, so he isn’t really able to communicate well with others. One of our GWCA staff members met David when she visited China earlier this year and she would be happy to speak with any interested family about David.
Even though David can’t communicate all of his thoughts and feelings with others, David has a good attitude and a happy nature. David is shy but he does get along well with others. David’s caretakers say that he has good self-care abilities like being able to go to the bathroom by himself and putting on his clothes by himself. David does not currently go to school, but when he is older they hope they will able to get him some schooling to learn sign language. What David really needs though is the love and care of a Forever Family and the educational resources to thrive as a deaf individual. David will most likely never receive what he needs to grow up and become an independent person without being adopted by a family in the United States.
Click Here to Watch David’s NEW Video!
Logan
Logan is a cute kiddo who is 6 years old! He has esotropia of both eyes and polydactylism of his right thumb. He is a very active child that gets along well with his peers! He loves playing outside and jumping on the trampoline. Logan is described as being inquisitive and a great listener. His file indicates that his special needs don’t have an impact on his daily life. Logan has great self-care abilities such as getting dressed on his own, using the bathroom and taking care of his plate after meals. GWCA is currently asking for some updated information on Logan! Contact one of our matching specialists if you’d like to learn more about him!
Bella
Bella is a wonderful young girl from China that just turned 11 years old. Bella is essentially a healthy child, she just has a scar across her face and part of an ear missing, and she has three fingers that are shorter than the others. Bella was found as a baby lying in a field where she had been abandoned, and the people that found her said that bugs were eating away at her face, so that is why she has her large facial scar. One of our GWCA staff members met Bella when she visited China earlier this year and she would be happy to speak with any interested family about Bella.
Bella is described by her teachers as being a very smart little girl. She is in a regular school and is in 5th grade. She has very good communication skills, excellent grades and she is even learning a little English. She is does quite well in math specifically. Even though the outside of her right ear is scarred, she can hear clearly out of both of her ears.
Bella has been made fun of by other children in the past because of her facial scar, so sometimes she can be a bit shy and she can sometimes find it hard to get along with others. She can also be a little stubborn at times. However Bella gets along well with others once she gets to know them. Bella has a fun, outgoing, creative personality and she seems like she enjoys telling jokes and entertaining others. Our GWCA staff member said that when she met Bella that she seemed like a little girl who might love to do theater and dance in school because she has such a precocious and invigorating spirit.
You can contact the China Home Finding Team at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting Bella. We hope we are able to find Bella her Forever Family soon!
Click Here to Watch Bella’s New Video #1!
Click Here to Watch Bella’s New Video #2!
Click Here to Watch Bella’s New Video #3!
Laney
This adorable kiddo’s name is Laney, and she is about a year and a half old! Her file states that she has Turner’s Syndrome, but at this time that diagnosis is unclear. She also has and a congenital heart defect and limb differences of her hands and feet, but that doesn’t slow her down! Her caregivers describe her as a lively, restless, and lovely girl. She is extremely affectionate and loves to be held and hugged by her caregivers. She loves to play with toys and is able to grab on to the toys despite her limb differences. She has developmental delays, but will likely thrive with the affection and care of a forever family. Please reach out to Great Wall if you would like to learn more!
Resources:
- Learn more about GWCA’s China adoption program
- Visit the Waiting Child Photo Listing to request a child’s file
New Orphanage Partnership
We are honored to announce that the CCCWA and Sichuan Civil Affairs have approved a new orphanage partnership between GWCA and Luzhou Orphanage! Our GWCA Orphan Care team recently had a chance to visit this orphanage, where they were able to meet with children and conduct an initial interview. The information that is gathered in these interviews is incredibly helpful to our China matching specialists, as it allows us to provide potential families with the most up-to-date information on their development and needs. Luzhou Orphanage is currently preparing these children’s files for international adoption so that our matching specialists can begin advocating for them.
What are orphanage partnerships?
With thousands of Waiting Children in China, agencies have begun to partner with specific orphanages. These partnerships allow adoption agencies to give back to Chinese orphanages by providing them with the resources to help prepare children’s files for international adoption, and improving programs within the orphanage, giving each orphan the opportunity to thrive. This also means the orphanage provides any new files that are prepared exclusively to their partner agencies rather than releasing them to China’s shared list. This gives each child a greater chance of being placed, as the agency begins advocating for their adoption immediately. Some orphanages partner with multiple agencies in order to best advocate for their waiting children. It is not uncommon that we will learn of certain children before their files become available. This allows and even greater chance for child advocacy.
Why are they important?
Orphanage partnerships are an important part of the China Waiting Child adoption process, as they benefit all parties that are involved. Not only do they contribute to the well being of each orphan within the institute, they help in the process of finding them a forever family by ensuring that their files are prepared and provided to an agency. This benefits the agency as they receive both files for Special Focus and Non Special Focus children. These files can then be reviewed by any families that are in process with the agency, as they have exclusive access to the file for a period of time. Partnership with an orphanage also allows for better and quicker updates, more photos, and more videos that aid in the placing of children with their forever families.
If you’re interested in learning more about the orphanages that GWCA is currently partnered with, visit our website or contact our matching specialists today!
- Learn more about GWCA’s Orphanage Partnerships
- Visit our China Waiting Child Photo Listing to learn about the kids from our orphanage partnerships!
I Found My Family!
Hooray, this beautiful girl from one of our new orphanage partnerships has a family that is working towards bringing her home Forever! We are so happy for her and her new Forever Family, and we can’t wait to see them come home!
As a younger child with very minor needs her file was considered LID, meaning her family had to have their paperwork logged in before they could be matched with her. Our China LID track is a great program for families that are drawn towards adopting from China, yet feel that a Special Focus child may not be the best fit. Since we receive most of our LID files from our orphanage partnerships, we are looking forward to seeing this program continue to grow as we partner with more and more orphanages across China. If your family is interested in learning how you can begin your journey towards being matched with a child through the LID track, contact our China matching specialists today!
Resources:
- Contact a China matching specialist
- Learn about our LID adoption track
- Learn about our China Waiting Child adoption program
- Visit our Waiting Child Photo Listing
Ready to get started?
