KidsSave

South American Orphans Waiting for 'Summer Miracle'

By Gretchen R. Crowe
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 8/10/06)

Five weeks have passed since 14 orphans from Colombia and Peru arrived in the United States with the hope of finally finding what has forever eluded them — a family.
These children, ages 6 to 13 and survivors of abuse, neglect or abandonment, are now in the last week of the six-week “Summer Miracles” program sponsored by Kidsave, a volunteer-driven organization working to move older children out of orphanages and foster care and into permanent, loving families.
Six of the 14 kids have probable adoptions lined up, said Terri Baugh, president and co-founder. But do the math, and that leaves eight children still without the lives they were hoping to find when they left South America. Their return flights are scheduled for Aug. 17 and 18.
Upon arrival, the children were paired with host families throughout the Washington area who served as advocates for the children during the summer. While some host families were looking to adopt and others weren’t, every family provided each child with a true family atmosphere for what was, quite possibly, the first time.
“Some of these children have been in orphanages for a long time,” Baugh said. All begin in “congregate living situations” with multiple kids in a bedroom. Their native countries care for them until they turn 18. Then they are “emancipated” — the nice word for homeless, Baugh said. “It’s very difficult.”
As part of “Summer Miracles,” the kids attend summer camp. They enroll in immersion programs and English as a Second Language classes. And, most importantly, they attend meet-and-greet style gatherings — such as picnics or pool parties — with potential parents.
After Cindy and Roger Stevens spotted a news article about Kidsave in the Washington Post, the couple decided to serve as a host family. They have spent the summer with Miguel, 10, a fourth-grader from Colombia.
“We thought that it’s the least we could do, with all the blessings in our lives,” Cindy said. “We’ve gotten as much from him as I think he has from us.”
Baugh described Miguel as a well-rounded child; a good student and very mannerly. He loves sports, is active and relates well to adults. Cindy said they have been able to introduce Miguel to a host of new experiences, from swimming to card games to “family time” at the end of each day.
Not everything has been smooth sailing, Cindy said, as Miguel is a typical 11-year-old who has to be reminded to clean his room, make his bed and go to bed on time. And there was the language barrier to battle, which prompted Cindy to stick close to her Spanish dictionary. But Cindy said Miguel is a “precious little boy,” and, she added, “with a good family, he will thrive.”
Also from Colombia is 10-year-old Yuri, an “outgoing little girl” who was described by Baugh as extroverted, playful and very loving. Yuri has a sister who is living with a different host family, and the two are available for adoption either together or separately.
Jordan Shriver, host mother for Yuri, said the summer was an “amazing experience.
“She’s just got a presence about her,” Shriver said, adding that she was most struck by the high spirits of all the children. After a lifetime of uncertainty, “they still have hope and love.”
There are six more children like Miguel and Yuri — without a home, without a family. And the end of summer is fast approaching.
Even with the end of this season’s “Summer Miracles,” Kidsave continues to raise money year-round to cover travel and placement expenses, which total $6,000 per child. Host families pay a fee, but most of the money comes from individual donations, Baugh said.
Since its incorporation in 1997, Kidsave has raised money for more than 1,070 kids to travel to the United States for summer vacation to find a family. Remarkably, 94 percent of the kids have been adopted.
Kidsave also has helped Russia, Kazakhstan and Colombia develop their own domestic adoption programs for older children.
“There are too many orphans in this world to send them all to the United States,” Baugh said.
Kidsave is a non-denominational organization, Baugh said, but many of the children have been baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith and come “ready-made” for Catholic families.
Adoptive families, whether single or married, should be loving, patient and accepting of other cultures, Baugh said. Adopting older kids is different from adopting an infant with no memory. These kids all come with past experiences and relationships.
“These kids are very resilient … all of them,” Baugh said. “They are survivors. They can be extroverted because they need to be extroverted to survive.” They learn how to become leaders and how to become accepted.
All the children have special needs. Some have learning disabilities, and they are almost always two years delayed.
“For every three months a child is in an orphanage, they lose one month of development because they don’t have the stimulation of an adult,” Baugh said.
The orphans are also more innocent than most kids born in the United States.
“There’s a freshness about them that American kids don’t have,” Baugh said. “They’re really complicated individuals, but for people who want interesting human beings, they’ve got a lot going for them. They can fill up a life in a heartbeat.”
The next event to meet the children will be a pool party held Sunday, Aug. 13, at the Mansion House Swim Club near Mount Vernon. For more information go to www.kidsave.org.

Gretchen R. Crowe can be reached at gcrowe@catholicherald.com.