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A Long Journey HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney HomeJourney Home

Three years after the earthquake, Holt Looks Back

January 2013 vol. 55 no. 1

Our VisionA world where every child has a loving and secure home.

In 1955 Harry and Bertha Holt responded to the conviction that God had called them to help children left homeless by the Korean War. Though it took an act of the U.S. Congress, the Holts adopted eight of those children. But they were moved by the desperate plight of other orphaned children in Korea and other countries as well, so they founded Holt International Children’s Services in order to unite homeless children with families who would love them as their own. Today Holt International serves children and families in Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Romania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, the United States and Vietnam.

President & CEOPhillip A. LittletonVice-President of International Programs Dan LauerVice-President of Finance & Administration Kevin SweeneyVice-President of Adoption Services Lisa VertulfoVice-President of Development Jack WharfieldVice-President of Policy & External Affairs Susan Soon-keum CoxSenior AdvisorDavid LimSenior ExecutiveJian Chen

Holt International magazine is published quarterly by Holt International Children’s Services, Inc., a nonprofit, Christian, child welfare organization. While Holt International is responsible for the content of Holt International magazine, the viewpoints expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the organization.

Creative Services Director Brian CampbellCreative Services Manager Laura Mathews Managing Editor Ashli KeyserSenior Writer Robin Munro

Subscription Orders/Inquiries and Address ChangesSend all editorial correspondence and changes of address to Holt International magazine, Holt International, P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402. We ask for an annual donation of $20 to cover the cost of publication and mailing inside the United States and $40 outside the United States. Holt welcomes the contribution of letters and articles for publication, but assumes no responsibility for return of letters, manuscripts or photos.

Reprint InformationPermission from Holt International is required prior to reprinting any portion of Holt International magazine. Please direct reprint requests to editor Ashli Keyser at 541/687.2202 or ashlik@holtinternational.org.

Copyright ©2013 by Holt International Children’s Services, Inc. ISSN 1047-7640

in this issue

FRONT COVER: Wislender (right) and friend in August 2012 at the Holt Fontana Village in Haiti. Earlier this month, Wislender and his sister Beatrice traveled to the U.S. with their adoptive mom. They are the first Holt children to come home since Haiti’s January 12, 2010 earthquake.

P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402 Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175

Dear Readers

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Last year, 561 children were placed through Holt with families in the United States.

More than ever, families welcomed children with special needs into their homes and their

hearts. Many older children also found loving families.

Nick and Mary Leigh Brown brought their sons, Bates and Brodie, home from Korea in

2010 and 2011. Both boys also have special needs.

To help advocate for other children with special needs, Mary Leigh Brown regularly posts

blogs about the children on Holt’s photolisting (at someshadesofbrown.com.) “I'm slowly

realizing that God hasn't called us to adopt them all, although don’t think for a second that

I wouldn’t try,” says Mary Leigh. “Instead, God has called us to advocate for these children

to have families.”

To everyone who has shared one of Holt's or Mary Leigh's waiting child stories on

Facebook, at your church or on your blog, we owe you a great deal of gratitude. Thank you

for helping us share the stories of these amazing children.

In March, the Brown family continued their service to children by volunteering at a

Winter Jam concert in Chattanooga, offering concertgoers the chance to sponsor a child in

Holt’s care for $30 a month. “We absolutely love Holt and love the mission that Harry and

Bertha started so many years ago,” says Mary Leigh. “We [were] honored to help Holt in such

a small way. They made us a family and it was the very least we can do to give back.” At

the end of the night, over 140 concertgoers had made the commitment to sponsor a child.

The Browns are the true definition of Holt ambassadors – sharing Holt’s mission, and

helping children receive the care they need and the families they deserve. Mary Leigh

Brown’s efforts on behalf of Holt International are to be commended.

We send a special thank you out to all of Holt’s amazing volunteers and ambassadors

who inspire us every day. You are the hands and feet of this organization, the voices of the

voiceless, and the bridge of love for every child who continues to wait.

To become a Holt Ambassador, go to www.holtinternational.org/ambassadors/.

Ashli Keyser | Managing Editor

4 The Long Journey HomeThree years ago, in the aftermath of Haiti’s

devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, the U.S.

government began granting humanitarian pa-

role visas to children then on track for adoption.

All but two children received visas. Earlier this

month, the two remaining children finally trav-

eled to the U.S.

10 From the FieldHolt’s temporary foster care program in Thai-

land helps keep families together and strong

12 From the FamilyInfertility, transitions, blessings and love: Blog

entries from the Palmberg Family

16 Adoptees TodayMichelle Li explains how she became a “super

adoptee”

directions

P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, OR 97402 Ph: 541/687.2202 Fax: 541/683.6175

In October, Holt conducted our yearly fall board meeting, a

time to reflect on Holt’s achievements, and a time, more impor-

tantly, to look to the future and how we can have the greatest

impact on the lives of vulnerable and homeless children.

This board meeting was unlike any other I have experienced

with Holt. As international adoption continues to decline across

the globe, Holt must now adapt to changes that are not isolated to

one country or policy. These changes demand a shift in organiza-

tional focus and priorities. The direction we will take in respect to

these changes was the main focus of our two-day board meeting.

Never forgetting our rich history, we are beginning a new chap-

ter at Holt, and with it, new opportunities for the children and

families we serve. It is with great enthusiasm, that I announce

that Holt, with unanimous support from the board, has approved

our strategic plan for the next 10 years — a plan that we are con-

fident will dramatically improve the lives of children and strug-

gling families around the world. We hope you will join with us as

we begin this new chapter.

Our PlanOver the next ten years, Holt International will champion a

bold agenda for our work with orphaned, abandoned and vulner-

able children by focusing on the

following strategic objectives.

Together, we will: Develop

and implement a robust set

of international child welfare

and family strengthening ser-

vices that address the needs of

children and families in their

communities. Our goal is to

serve 150,000 children annu-

ally by 2022. It is important to

note that we will continue to

be the world leader in interna-

tional adoption, placing more

children from overseas than

any other agency and providing the highest quality adoption ser-

vices and programs to children, birthparents and adoptive fami-

lies. Holt will also influence local, national and international poli-

cies that affect the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable chil-

dren and families through coordinated efforts and joint actions

in the countries we serve, and build and strengthen our financial

capacity to serve more children and families around the world.

Through our Holt Model, we will continue to provide services

that dramatically improve the lives of children in our care – ser-

vices that include exemplary foster care and medical care. For

many years, Holt has made extra effort to finding loving homes

for children with special needs and supported in-country pro-

grams to help them develop to their fullest potential. We will

increase our efforts in this area, finding more homes for children

with special needs, while at the same time providing excellent

post adoption support through counseling services, adoption

camps and heritage tours.

Holt it wholeheartedly dedicated to carrying out our new

strategic plan – now with a greater sense of clarity and renewed

determination to serve 150,000 children over the next 10 years.

A New BeginningSo begins the next chapter in Holt’s history. We are excited to

get started on the work ahead. We still embody the core values

upon which Holt was founded more than 55 years ago. And we

will still pursue the dream of a home for every child. As Bertha

said after Harry’s passing, “This has always been God’s work. If

He wants it to continue, it will.” We are still doing God’s work.

For that, we believe we would have Harry and Bertha’s blessing to

continue our work. With His blessing, we will.

Phillip Littleton | President & CEO

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A New Year, A New BeginningHolt's Strategic Plan in Brief

On January 12, 2013, a woman and her two adopted children

step off an American Airlines flight in Portland, Oregon – com-

pleting the last leg of a journey that began, 23 hours earlier, in

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Seeing a camera, four-year-old Wislender

– or “Wisler” – flashes a smile from where he sits in his mother’s

arms, his legs firmly clasped around her heavy winter coat.

Trailing behind them is Wisler’s older sister Beatrice, a high-

spirited 7-going-on-8-year-old who bounces around in a long skirt

and Mary Jane shoes. Everyone seems happy to be home – and

most of all, together.

On this same day three years ago – January 12, 2010 – a 7.0-mag-

initude earthquake wrought massive destruction in the already

troubled island nation where Beatrice and Wislender were born.

In minutes, an estimated 230,000 people were dead. Hundreds of

thousands of Haitians became homeless. Unthinkable numbers of

children became orphans.

At the time of the earthquake, Holt was already caring for 25

orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children at the Holt Fontana

Village – a care center north of Port-au-Prince and the center

Three years ago, in the aftermath of Haiti’s devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, the U.S. government began grant-ing humanitarian parole visas to children then on track for adoption – permitting them to join their adoptive families in the U.S. At Holt Fontana Village, all but two children received visas. Earlier this month, the two remaining children finally traveled to the U.S. – becoming the first Holt children to come home from Haiti since the 21 who arrived on humanitarian parole in 2010.

The Long Journey Home

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of a comprehensive child service program that Holt developed

alongside Peter and Shay Fontana in 2003. After several agoniz-

ing hours, staff at Holt’s headquarters in Eugene, Oregon received

notice that the village’s buildings were not damaged in the quake,

and all the children and caregivers were safe.

In the days that followed the January 12th earthquake – con-

sidered the worst natural disaster to ever hit the Western hemi-

sphere – the U.S. government granted humanitarian parole visas

to over 1,000 Haitian children, expediting their adoptions so they

could join their adoptive families in the U.S. Among the chil-

dren granted visas were 21 of the 25 children in care at the Holt

Fontana Village.

Four children remained behind. Of these four, two – a pair of

siblings – were already matched with their adoptive family, but

weren’t far enough along in the process for them to go home on

humanitarian parole visas. These children were Beatrice and

Wislender. When they finally traveled to the U.S. earlier this

month on January 12th – exactly three years to the day of the

earthquake – they would be the first Holt children to come home

from Haiti since the 21 who arrived on humanitarian parole visas

in 2010.

“It’s really exciting,” says Lisa Vertulfo, Holt’s vice president of

adoption services, of Beatrice and Wislender’s homecoming.

Three years ago, Lisa traveled to Haiti to help process paper-

work and prepare the children at Holt Fontana Village for the jour-

ney home to their adoptive families in the U.S. With few planes

traveling to Haiti in the aftermath of the quake, Holt chartered a

flight from Miami for Lisa, Bruce Dahl, then Holt’s director of pro-

grams in Haiti, and Mike Noah, Holt’s director of adoption services

for Haiti. They flew into Port-au-Prince on January 22nd, ten days

after the quake, and headed north for the little seaside town that’s

home to the Holt Fontana Village.

Before leaving for Haiti, Mike and Lisa collected a couple dozen

bright orange backpacks so the children could pack their belong-

ings – including one for Beatrice (Wislender, then not yet 2, was

too young to carry a backpack). They knew it was a slim possibil-

ity, but Mike and Lisa held out hope that Beatrice and Wislender

might be able to leave Haiti with the other children. Like all of the

Holt children who received humanitarian parole visas, they too

had a loving family waiting for them in the U.S. – a single woman

from Salem, Oregon, ready to become a single mother.

Half a World Away, a Loving Mother WaitsEcho Hobbs began looking into adoption in 2008, right after

her 35th birthday. “I had just turned 35 and was unmarried

and wanted a family,” says Echo, a devout Catholic with

long, honey-colored hair and a warm, embracing manner.

After exploring several different adoption tracks and

country programs open to single mothers, she decided

on Haiti. “Once I stumbled into the Haiti program,

everything fell into place,” she says. She found the peo-

ple beautiful and the culture fascinating, and she knew

a natural interest in her children’s culture would help

her to teach them about their heritage. “But mostly,”

says Echo, “I think all those things lined up because that’s where

God put it in my heart to go.”

As a single mother who owns her own business, Echo also

realized that she could more easily care for an older child than a

baby. She also expressed openness to parenting a sibling group.

“I thought, if I adopt two, at least they’ll have each other. But if I

adopt one, I can send them to a better college,” she says, laughing.

“It finally came down to that – that they would have each other.” In

the spring of 2009, she began the process to adopt through Holt’s

Haiti program. She enrolled in parent education courses, which

cover such topics as what it means to become an inter-racial fam-

ily, dealing with multiple losses, bonding and attachment, and

began working with a social worker to complete her homestudy.

Once her homestudy was approved, she had completed all the

steps required for Holt to match her with a child. A week after the

earthquake, on MLK Day, Echo received a call from Mike Noah at

Holt. “He said, ‘We’ve

been discussing

matching you

with these

kids,” Echo

recalls. “‘We

may be able to

get them home

to you next

week.’”

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Taken aback by this unexpected news, Echo “made a few phone

calls and said a few prayers” before deciding to accept Beatrice

and Wislender’s referral. Immediately, she began preparing for

the possible arrival of two small children.

“Mike knew it was a long shot for the humanitarian parole

visas,” says Echo. “But he said he would give it a try.” As anticipat-

ed, USCIS concluded that Beatrice and Wislender were too early in

the process to expedite their adoption. They would not be coming

home with the others.

“Although they had already been relinquished by their birth

parents, we hadn’t had a chance to initiate the legal process for

their adoption,” Mike explains. “We tried, but were not able to get

humanitarian parole visas for them.”

In the days following the January 12th earthquake, Beatrice and

Wislender learned that they had a loving mother waiting for them

in the U.S. They would just have to wait longer than the other chil-

dren to join her. “Caregivers told her she would go later, just not

right now,” says Lisa of Beatrice, who appeared to take the news

relatively well. As for Echo, the timeframe would remain what she

expected when she began the process a year before – giving her

more time to prepare for her children’s arrival.

For Holt Fontana 21, an Expedited Journey HomeAlthough disappointed that Beatrice and Wislender did not

receive visas, Mike and Lisa had no reason to concern for their

safety or wellbeing. “They were being well cared for at Holt

Fontana Village,” says Mike.

The Holt Fontana Village is located about 50 miles northwest of

Port-au-Prince, on a hill that looks out over the sea. Here, groups

of ten children live in well-constructed, four-bedroom cottages

under the care of a housemother. When the earthquake struck,

it rattled the foundation of the village buildings, but caused no

damage and no one was hurt. Unlike children in care in Port-au-

Prince, which lay a mere 10 miles from the epicenter of the quake,

children at the Holt Fontana Village were far removed from the

chaos and devastation felt in the nation’s capital. “We knew that

the children at the village hadn’t experienced the same level of

trauma as the children in Port-au-Prince,” Lisa explains.

When the earthquake hit, Holt’s director of donor engagement,

Kris Thompson, was visiting Holt’s programs in Haiti. In her

account of the experience for the Holt blog, she wrote that the

children “took it in stride.” The greatest sadness felt at the village

came later, when some of the caregivers received news that they

had lost family members in the quake. “As I am typing this we

hear loud cries,” Kris wrote. “One of the care providers just found

out two of her family members died last night…it just breaks my

heart.”

While staff at Holt knew the children at Holt Fontana Village

were safe, getting them home to their families was another mat-

ter. “Haiti was in a state of crisis due to the destruction of the

quake,” Mike explains. “There was no way to know at the time

what might happen to legal processing of cases as a result.” The

families in process had already submitted their dossiers to the

appropriate Haitian ministries, which now lay buried somewhere

under a pile of rubble at the National Archives. Naturally, every-

one at Holt felt relieved to hear that the Haitian and U.S. govern-

ments agreed to grant humanitarian parole visas to most of the

children then in process for adoption.

While Holt’s staff in Eugene immediately began working around

the clock to process the children’s paperwork, Lisa and Mike left

for Haiti. “Our purpose was to process paperwork and prepare the

children for travel,” says Lisa. “We practiced staying together, and

got to know the kids so they wouldn’t be scared traveling.”

In Haiti, Mike and Lisa met up with John Seabrook, an adop-

tive parent of one of the children at Holt Fontana Village slated

to come home on humanitarian parole. Seabrook later wrote

about the experience of adopting from Haiti in a piece for The

New Yorker magazine that appeared in May 2010. In the article,

he describes his trip to meet and bring home his daughter Rose

in the aftermath of the earthquake. At one point, he writes about

the agonizing wait at the U.S. Embassy to find out when his

daughter could come home. “At around three o’clock, the consular

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officer called [Mike] Noah to Window 3 and told him fourteen of

the twenty-one children from the orphanage were on the list,”

he writes. “The other seven were still pending. Noah studied the

piece of paper for ten excruciating seconds, then looked at me and

said, ‘Congratulations, Rose is on it.’ Our group would be flown to

Florida the following night, on military transport.”

While Mike stayed behind with the

remaining seven children, John Seabrook

and Lisa Vertulfo escorted 14 children

on the C-5 military transport plane that

would take them home to their families.

“At times, the kids were scared,” says

Lisa. “It was dark and noisy because it

was a cargo plane. The plane also moved

slower than a commercial flight.” What

would take one hour on a commercial

flight took three on the military plane,

says Lisa. Some of the kids got sick on the

bumpy, three-hour journey to Miami. The

4-6 year olds squirmed in their canvas

netted seats. Seabrook and his daughter

fell asleep.

Once in Miami, the children stayed the

night at a child residential center called

His House. The following morning, their

parents came to take them home. But

before they dispersed across the U.S., the children had a chance

to say goodbye to each other at a party Holt families and staff

held for them at the hotel. “It was good for them to be able to say

goodbye,” says Lisa.

While one or two children will every so often leave the Holt

Fontana Village to join their families, the departure and separa-

tion of 21 children at once was unprecedented for Holt’s Haiti

program. At only one other time in Holt’s history has a crisis over-

seas moved the U.S. government to evacuate children en masse

– sending them by military transport to their adoptive families in

the U.S. In April 1975, Holt evacuated exactly 409 children from

Saigon in what has now famously become known as the “Vietnam

Babylift.” Holt’s flight was one of several agency-arranged “baby-

lifts” at the end of the war. It came two days after President Gerald

Ford announced that all Vietnamese children currently identified

for adoption to U.S. families would be airlifted out of Vietnam.

A Family of Three, Together at LastAfter the rush to unite 21 children with

their families in the aftermath of the

earthquake, Holt turned to the children

and families most impacted by the tragedy.

Staff at the village immediately readied

cottages for an influx of children in need

of temporary care. Holt built several small

houses and distributed emergency sup-

plies among families we already served

at the time of the quake. To help more

families regain stability, our staff in Haiti

also expanded Holt’s family preservation

program to the region of Jacmel – where

approximately 10,000 people lost their

homes. As the crisis subsided, Holt began

to look toward more sustainable solutions

– developing programs such as vocational

training and educational assistance to help

families achieve self-reliance, and equip

them to support their children in the long-

term.

While many children came into care at the village after the

earthquake, Holt delayed processing of new adoption cases. With

local infrastructure devastated, Holt staff needed time to assess

how the process may have changed in light of the quake’s damage.

About a year later, in 2011, Holt resumed adoption services from

Haiti – matching all children eligible for adoption from the Holt

Fontana Village.

Although Holt halted any new adoption cases, our staff contin-

ued the process for Beatrice and Wislender. Beatrice, only 4 when

the quake hit, soon became one of the oldest children at the vil-

While staff at Holt knew the children

at Holt Fontana Village were safe,

getting them home to their families

was another matter. “Haiti was in a state of crisis due to the destruction of the

quake.”

lage. After the quake, many children entered care

temporarily while their families worked to regain

stability. As children came and went, Beatrice took

on a leadership role of sorts – guiding and directing

the younger ones. Sarah Halfman, Holt’s director

of programs for Haiti, would often visit the vil-

lage. Every time, Beatrice would come running

and call her name. “Beatrice,” she says, “had one

of the most vivacious personalities at the village.”

In the three years it took for Beatrice and Wislender to come

home, their mom visited twice – giving them a chance to bond

a little. Echo wrote cards and sent photos of the three of them

together. As the day approached when Echo would travel to

finally take them home with her, Wislender told Sarah all about

how his mom was coming and they were going to fly on an air-

plane.

At last, Beatrice and Wislender would come home. On a balmy

Caribbean winter day, three years after the earthquake that

devastated their birth country, they boarded a regular Boeing

737 with windows that looked out over a peaceful Port-au-Prince.

Twenty-three hours and three connections later, they landed in a

new world. At first, everything scared them – “the dogs, the cats,

the coffee grinder, everything,” says Echo. Not yet at ease with

their surroundings, Beatrice and Wislender still sleep together in

the same bed at night. “But just in the last few days,” says Echo,

“they’ve made leaps and bounds in adjusting to their new envi-

ron-

ment.” In two

weeks, they start school. This is

good, their mom says, as they do better when they are

around other kids.

“It’s definitely a change and overwhelming for all of us and we

have these great moments where they’re lovey and huggy and

kissy, and moments where it’s a two-hour screaming fit,” she

says. “I don’t expect the rewards to come right now.”

Right now, she is just happy to have them home.

Holt’s international adoption program from Haiti is currently

undergoing many changes due to Haiti’s recent ratification of

the Hague Convention. Haiti’s central authority for international

adoption – IBESR – will now play a major role in the matching

of children with adoptive applicants. Until IBESR makes known

details of how their new child referral system will work, families

interested in adopting from Haiti are encouraged to contact Mike

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lage. After the quake, many children entered care

temporarily while their families worked to regain

stability. As children came and went, Beatrice took

In the three years it took for Beatrice and Wislender to come

home, their mom visited twice – giving them a chance to bond

a little. Echo wrote cards and sent photos of the three of them

ron-

ment.” In two

weeks, they start school. This is

FridgeFridgeFridge

[1] JJ Ceschini, 3.5, (Korea)—Eugene, OR

[2] Sawyer, 3, Silas, 5, with little sister, Noel

Reimels, 2 (China)—South Berwick, ME

[3] Clayson Chan-Ho, 4, (Korea)—Santa Maria, CA

[4] Colin Bruno, 20 months, (China)—Manteo, NC

[5] Alex, 5 (Vietnam) with sister Sophie Janzen,

2—Overland Park, KS

Mail original color prints to:

Holt International magazine

P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402

or upload digital photos at

holtinternational.org/submissions

[1]

[3]

[2]

[4]

[5]

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Sumalee has a goal for the New Year. Unlike those of us who

set goals that might include dropping a few pounds after the holi-

days or taking a vacation to an

exotic place, Sumalee’s goal

is much more demand-

ing and much more life

altering. For Sumalee,

who has been forced to make difficult choices about what is best

for her children, her goal is to bring her youngest son home from

Holt Sahathai Foundation’s temporary foster care program and

reunite all three of her children under one roof.

The day her husband walked away, Sumalee was faced with

the most difficult situation of her life. She had two children at

home and was one month pregnant with her third child. Living in

Bangkok, hundreds of kilometers away from her parents, Sumalee

had no social support system and few options. She was strug-

gling to make ends meet as a housekeeper, working as often

as she could but not able to save any money.

Learning of her situation, Sumalee was referred to Holt’s

Sahathai Foundation (HSF), Holt’s partner organization

in Thailand, by a primary healthcare volunteer. When

she looks back on that day, Sumalee tears up with emo-

tion. “Without HSF, I would have had nowhere to go,

said Sumalee. “I was thinking about returning to my

parents’ home and thought about ending the pregnancy.

I was very lucky to connect with HSF.”

HSF staff worked with Sumalee to provide pregnancy

counseling, checking in with her at home. Through con-

versations with HSF social workers, Sumalee realized

she needed time to find steady employment and get on

her feet financially. Realizing she would not be able

to work and provide proper care for her baby,

Sumalee made the difficult decision to

place her son, Niran, in HSF’s temporary

foster care program. That was three

and a half years ago. At the time,

Niran was just three months old.

Now, with HSF’s continued sup-

port, Sumalee is about to achieve

the goal she has had in sight for

all these years - reuniting with

her youngest son and bringing

him home.

Oftentimes temporary

foster care is a short-term

solution for single parents

as they get back on their feet.

In rare cases, a “temporary”

situation can last for years

and the child can be in foster

care for a much longer peri-

od of time than planned.

In Niran’s case, he has

been in foster care for

several years – but that

A Wish For the New YearHolt ’s temporary foster care program in Thailand helps keep families together and strong

from the field

has not stopped him from developing a special bond with his

mother.

HSF has a unique approach to temporary foster care that

allows birth families to maintain a strong connection with the

child placed in foster care. To provide a strong foundation for the

child to re-enter the home, HSF has created a program especially

for birth families and their children. One day each month, birth

families come to the HSF office where they are able to play, eat

and laugh with their children in a safe, comfortable environment.

Sumalee has been a regular visitor every month, taking advantage

of every opportunity to bond with her son. By the time he was six

months old, Niran was clearly attached to his mother and com-

fortable in her arms.

After each play session with Niran, Sumalee joins a group

meeting with other birth mothers and social workers. Gaining

social support and planning skills from these meetings, Sumalee

has made progress on creating the home she dreams of for her

children. Sumalee has worked steadily as a housekeeper for

more than three years now. With a loan from HSF, Sumalee has

repaired her house and is making payments regularly. HSF has

also provided educational support to Sumalee’s daughter so that

she has the opportunity to stay in school.

My visit to HSF coincides with the monthly visit of birth fami-

lies with their children in foster care. I have the privilege of lis-

tening to Sumalee describe her story as she cradles Niran in her

arms. It is humbling to see that success can be measured in so

many ways. For Sumalee, success has been measured by each

step she has taken to bring her family closer to financial stability.

With a steady job and her home loan nearly paid off, she is just

days away from achieving her dream. She beams when she says,

“Although it has been difficult, I believe I have made the right

decision to keep my son. In just one more month, he will come

home!” She is a proud parent, beaming with joy because she will

soon achieve her wish for the New Year.

By Jennifer Goette | Holt Director of Strategic Initiatives

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from the family

Many years ago, my husband, Erik, and I agreed that it would

be great to adopt one day. We had traveled to Europe after col-

lege and spent time with orphans in Romania. It was a beautiful

and life-changing experience. Of course, we thought then that

we would have birth children and then adopt. Well, of course,

God has His own ways and plans and they are not always ours,

but they are always better! So almost 10 years ago, He blessed us

with Gabriel. We prayed for him for years, and he came to us at

two days old. We then began the trying journey to finalize his

adoption. What a day of celebration his adoption day was for us

and still continues to be! Gabriel, full of life and enthusiasm, has

blessed us so much and brought so much happiness to our family.

Our greatest joy has been to see the Lord working in his life and

to experience him sharing his faith with others.

While we loved our family of three, we had always felt that God

was not finished with us yet. We talked and prayed and believed

that one day God would add another to our family. We just did not

know how or when. Gabriel prayed many times for a brother or

sister, prayers that would move your heart to tears. So we waited,

not always patiently, until the Lord really moved.

Then, almost three years ago, we began to feel in our hearts

the pull towards international adoption. We had said many times,

"maybe one day" or "if we do"... but now it just became clear that

it was the path He had for us. I had felt it for some time, and then

after a prayer for orphans at a pastor's conference, Erik returned

with that same heart's desire. In time our excitement grew. We

knew we were to adopt again, but this time we believed that God

was calling us to China! And on November 28th, 2011 that is

where He sent us, to bring home a little girl with a heart condition,

who we called Liana.

Home With LianaMarch 10, 2012 -- It’s hard to believe that we met Liana just

three months ago. We have fallen in love with her, and she has

transitioned so well. We realize smooth transitions aren’t always

the case with adoption, so we are truly grateful.

Liana is our precious girl! She smiles at us each day when she

wakes up and seems so happy to be in our family. Every child

He Adopted Us... We Adopted HerInfertility, transitions, blessings and love: Blog entries from the Palmberg Family

from the family

should have a family! It still

grieves us to think of all

those children left behind.

We feel as passionate as ever

that every orphan deserves

a home and feel so blessed

that God chose our family

for Liana. She has brought us

much joy. She is bright and

determined, loves to figure

things out and is typically

sweet and a good listener.

She understands everything

we say now and is beginning

to learn more English words.

On occasion she can get a

little sassy, usually speak-

ing in Chinese, so we don’t

know exactly what she’s

saying…which is probably a

good thing. She comes to

us for affection and loves to

be playful. She loves girly

things, baby dolls, lipstick,

and hair bows. She loves

her big brother and Gabriel

has been amazing with her.

He takes her outside to swing or play on the trampoline, and she

just squeals and runs circles around him and then collapses on

top of him. Even at eight years apart they can still get along like

true siblings.

Sleeping Transitions and Food AnxietiesSince we have been home, we feel that she transitioned well

into our family, and has done fairly well with sleeping. While the

first weeks she fussed some, we can now rock her and then give

her hugs and kisses, pray for her, and then put her down to go to

sleep on her own. We read her a Bible story every night and she is

learning to pray right along with us!

Probably the biggest issue we continue to work on is the food

anxiety issues, which is quite common with adopted children.

I remember the first night I met her and gave her a bottle, she

gripped it tensely and tightly with both hands. It was a blessing to

later rock her with a bottle and see her more relaxed, letting me

hold the bottle, and teaching her to trust and relax. We are still

working on food issues, and some meals can still be a challenge,

but they have improved over the months.

Good News from the Doctor!As far as Liana’s health, we are rejoicing over her heart report!

Liana was born with a VSD, a small hole in her heart. After chest

x-ray, EKG, and echos, her cardiologist confirmed that she does

not need surgery or have any restrictions. Now, the tissue is try-

ing to form around it, so while not closed or fully healed, what

was a small hole is now miniscule and only needs monitoring. We

also received a good report from the international adoption clinic

in Charleston as far as her development and adjustment, as well

as from her pediatrician. The only concern now is that we just

learned that she is quite nearsighted, so she will soon be sporting

some new glasses!

We are still in transition and continuing to make adjustments,

but we just thank the Lord for calling us on this journey and

making us a family. It is interesting to think back to how devas-

tating infertility felt so many long years ago and then to realize

how many times we have since thanked God for it… for it is what

brought us to our beautiful children and made us a family. While

my heart goes out to anyone struggling with it, I know for me, it

is one of the greatest gifts the Lord ever gave me. We just had to

get to the other side of it to really see His beautiful plan. We love

adoption! He adopted us, and we feel privileged and honored to

experience what many people never get to experience, and that is

adopting and nurturing a precious life that God has given you.

Holt currently needs families interested in adopting a child

from China. To learn more about the China program and require-

ments to adopt from China, please contact Beth Smith at beths@

holtinternational.org

By Erik and Susan Palmberg | Guyton, Georgia

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from the familyThe Day My Mom and Dad Went to China

By Caroline BowmanBy Caroline Bowman

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For more information and to reserve a spot, go to http://www.holtinternational.org/tours/korea/ or contact Paul Kim at paulk@holtinternational.org for more information.

Note: This tour is open to all Korean adoptees and adoptive families, regardless of placing agency.

Rediscover Korea!Heritage tours for adoptees and their families

Date: June 24 - July 7, 2013

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adoptees today

Parents may be surprised to hear how some adoptees

talk about one another. My friends categorize us as either

angry adoptees or super adoptees. It’s not scientific, and

it's definitely not absolute. In fact, it’s just an opinion.

However, it could lead people to a good discussion.

I didn’t come up with the term super adoptee; it found

me on a balmy summer day in Korea in 2005.

I remember sitting on the balcony of a hotel in

Gyeongju with a Korean adoptee I had just met. We were

participants of a birthland tour and thrown together

because of our age.

My roommate, Mary, made the trip with her parents

though she didn't hang out with them much. I came

alone. It was my third trip to Korea. My job

as an adoptee advocate entailed talking to

adoptees and helping them sort through the

culture and adoption shock many experi-

ence on a first trip. I felt fortunate to be

considered worthy of the task.

Mary had a life anyone would envy. She

was gorgeous, graceful and carried gravi-

tas. After attending NYU, she moved to Tel

Aviv to live an eclectic, intellectual life. She

appeared extremely confident, and I remem-

ber even feeling a twinge of jealousy because

she seemed so put together. But sitting on

that balcony that day made me realize Mary

was envious of me.

"You're so lucky you know you're birth fam-

ily," said Mary.

"Why do you think that?" I asked. "You just

seem like you've found closure," Mary said. I knew where

this conversation was headed.

The most unpleasant experience happened in 1998 when a

fresh-faced Korean social worker contacted my birth mother

without my knowledge. If it hadn't been for her, I would not have

this "closure" Mary assumed I had. When I reunited with my birth

family, it not only opened a new can of worms but also put me on

the defensive with some angry adoptees who thought I sold out.

"You just make me feel so far behind," Mary continued. "You've

gone to Korea camps, you know things about Korea. You even

know the language. I know nothing, and I'm so overwhelmed."

"You're not behind--"

"You're like this super adoptee!" she interrupted. And there it

was. Though I had talked with adoptees about this before, Mary

was the first person to call it like that. Super? It

didn't sound like a compliment. And, it's not like I

had been trying to be anything in the years leading

up to that moment.

In fact, as a kid I never really had interest in any-

thing Korean or Asian. I actually avoided it because

it made me different. It was sheer coincidence that

I attended a Korean heritage camp at 14. But, I kept

going back because my first camp changed me.

The first year I went to summer camp, I met

a bunch of teen girls who had a lot in common

with me. We were all-American girls with a few

Korean-girl problems. We shared many of the

same experiences growing up. We loved being adopted, but we

didn't always like sticking out in a crowd. It wasn't what we were

learning about Korean culture but more of what we were learning

from each other.

"If you think finding closure happens when you meet your birth

family, you're wrong," I said reassuringly. "In fact, sometimes it

complicates things and can even be more confusing." I went on to

tell her about my failed attempts to get medical records or learn

much about my family history.

Before I was born, my Korean mother felt an incredible amount

of pressure from her in laws to have a son. Since she already had

two girls, she left me in the hospital when I was born. When my

father returned from working abroad, she told him I had died at

birth. In consoling one another, my birth parents got pregnant

almost immediately and had my youngest sister a year later.

What’s Stopping You from Being Super?Ramblings from a super adoptee

adoptees todayMy other carried shame for

years, and still to this day,

she doesn't talk to her friends

about me.

As I told my story to Mary,

I could see a lightbulb go off

in her expression. "Wow," she

said. "I had no idea how hard

it would be for someone like

you, too."

I told her then, that some-

times I thought it would've

been easier to not know any-

thing.

Mary and I had many more

discussions like this on our

trip, and I do believe she left

Korea with some sort of clo-

sure. She went to the hospi-

tal where she was born and

learned more about her cir-

cumstances. It wasn't the

story she necessarily wanted

to hear, but at least she could come to better terms with her

adoption.

Personally, closure is a word I like to avoid when it comes to

adoption stories. I don't feel like we ever really get it because

our stories never end. We feel differently about it as we reach

a new milestone. Yet, for me, post adoption services like camps

and support groups help me navigate my feelings and give added

confidence.

I think if Mary had been exposed to more adoption programs

before her inaugural birthland trip, she may have not been con-

fused and angry when I met her. Of course, going back to the

birth country can be overwhelming for anyone, but I feel like

the trips to camp every summer as a teen also helped me glide

through some of those big adoption moments.

My parents in Missouri set the foundation, but sharing my

experiences with other adoptees all those years had given me

added self-assurance. I believe Mary's issue was that she felt

alone in her journey. That trip had been her first real experience

meeting other adoptees and talking about her feelings - which

was a lot to take in at once since she was already dealing with

culture shock. I've heard a lot of adoptees say how disappointed

they were going back to their birthland because they discover

they're an outsider there, too. It's a lot to take in on top of finding

out more about personal history.

Post adoption programs don't save people from hitting rough

patches or experiencing doubt. But, what they can do is let adop-

tees and their families know they're not alone. I didn't realize it

as a child, but camps gave me added confidence that still get me

through life as an adult. Even now I meet adult adoptees who - for

the first time - are sharing their stories in forums or asking oth-

ers to hang out over lunch. They want to know their experiences

are not uncommon.

I don't think adoptees need to rush out and find a camp to

attend. Parents also shouldn't force relationships on their chil-

dren. As long as the conversation is open and the opportunities

are there, I think it's a good start. As a child, I didn't exactly seek

out information about Korea or birth family because I was grate-

ful for the life I was living in the US. Still, having those services

readily available was a blessing.

Truthfully, I lucked out with having an intact, happy family in

Korea. And, it may be one of the reasons I keep going back. I've

now known my birth family for nearly half my life. It's been a

wonderful journey for me, but like everything, it's had some real-

ly emotional ups and downs. What has remained constant is the

support I find in my husband, parents and the adoptive families

I've met through the years. Closure may never come for me, but

I'm definitely more content because of the adoption community.

And, much of that is from using the tools adoption agencies put

together for families.

If you haven't had the opportunity to utilize the resources, you

could be missing out on a chance to do something good for your

soul. It's never too late to reach out, just like it's never too early

for parents to have a conversation with their kids. If it makes you

a super adoptee, then so be it. I can't imagine living a life angry

when super is within reach.

By Michelle Li | Wilmington, North Carolina

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Holt In the NewsHope and Ethiopia

A little boy becomes the catalyst for a project that grew from a single donation to changing an entire community

www.registerguard.com/web/updates/29201092-55/campbell-ethiopia-equipment-holt-eugene.html.csp

Holt EventsJoin Holt at the upcoming Omaha dinner and auction on April 20th, benefitting children in our care in the

Philippines . Holt International hosts gala dinner and auctions around the country each year—wonderful

opportunities for individuals and organizations to come together and share in their passion and commitment for

children in need. We ask you to invite your family, friends, co-workers and business associates. Come and learn

more about our work for children overseas. The events feature dinner, music, guest speakers, a silent auction

and entertaining live auction. Proceeds benefit one of Holt’s childcare programs. For more information and to

RSVP, go to www.holtinerantional.org/events

Heritage Tours and Adult Adoptee ToursWe hope that you will consider joining us on one of our heritage tours this summer! Holt was the first to pioneer

the concept of heritage tours for international adoptees and their families. With adult adoptees on our staff and

board, and years of experience, we are uniquely qualified to provide a very special tour experience. Tours are

offered for younger adoptees and their families, as well as adult adoptees. For more information on the tours

we offer, go to www.holtinternational.org/tours

www.holtinternational.org/tours

updates

CALIFORNIAJuly 28-August 1, 2013, Camp Rockin U—Holt Adoptee Camp

for adoptees 9-16 years old (day camp is July 31)GEORGIAJuly 21-25, 2013, Calvin Center—Holt Adoptee Camp for adoptees 9-16 years old

NEBRASKAApril 20, 2013, Omaha — Gala Dinner & Auction, Embassy

Suites, La Vista, 5:30 PM

NEW JERSEY August 4-9, 2013, Camp Louemma—Holt Adoptee Camp for

adoptees 9-16 years old (day camp is August 8)September 22, 2013, Princeton — Gala and Dinner Auction to benefit Holt’s Special Needs Adoption Fund. Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village. 6:00 PM

OREGONJuly 14-18, 2013, Camp Angelos—Holt Adoptee Camp for

adoptees 9-16 years old (daycamp is July 17)

WISCONSINJuly 7-11 , 2013, Camp Lakotah — Holt Adoptee Camp for

adoptees 9-16 years old (day camp is July 10)Get the Info:For Holt Adoptee Camp information contact: Debby Hanson at

debbyh@holtinternational.orgFor Events information contact: Shonna Wells at shonnaw@holtinternational.orgFor Holt Heritage and Adult Adoptee Tour information contact: Sara Higgins for China tours: sarahiggins@holtinternational.org Paul Kim for Korea tours: paulk@holtinternational.org Courtney Young for adult adoptee tours: courtneyy@holtinternational.org

neighborhoodcalendar

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DominicBorn: 12.10.2011, N.E. Asia

Dominic is a handsome little boy. At his November check-up, he was assessed to be at an 8 to 9-month developmental level. He is able to roll over and creep and has mod-erate sitting balance. He can reach out and grasp objects and transfer them between his hands. In April 2012, Dominic received a shunt in his brain to treat a subdural hematoma and continues to receive follow-

up observation by his doctors. He is also noted to have what is described as a tiny subependymal cyst. His foster mother reports that he babbles and laughs loudly when he is happy. Dominic is in need of a family who is open to and comfortable with the unknowns involving his brain injury and who can provide him with any medical care that he may need.

PhoebeBorn: 07.27.2006, S.E. Asia

Phoebe is a delightful little girl who loves school and spending time with her friends. Although she has struggled with attachment, she has grown to love her foster mother and shares an especially

close bond with her foster sister. Phoebe has overcome quite a bit of adversity in her short life. She came into care after suffering a traumatic brain injury and was hospitalized for two months before joining a loving foster family. Although she suffers ongoing effects from her brain injury, she is receiving speech, physical and occu-

pational therapy and is growing stronger every day.

Dylan and Jude Born: 11.24.2003 & 05.20.2005, Africa

These handsome brothers need an expe-rienced adoptive family. They have been in care since May 2012, after their father relinquished them. Dylan, the eldest, tem-porarily lived on the streets to try and pro-vide for himself and his brother. Dylan and Jude are sociable, healthy boys and have a good relationship with their caregivers and peers. They both enjoy playing football, and Dylan is noted to be an especially tal-ented athlete. Jude is enrolled in school and is currently in the third grade. He is able to read, write and do simple math. These brothers will do best in a family who under-stands that understands the impact of being adopted internationally as an older child. http://holtinternational.org/blog/2012/12/these-brothers-just-want-a-stable-loving-family/

waiting childrenThese and other children need

adoptive families

For more information on adopting these

and other waiting children, contact Erin

Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org

w w w.holtinter national.org /wait-

ingchild/photolisting

is receiving speech, physical and occu

has overcome quite a bit of adversity in her short life. She came into care after suffering a traumatic brain injury and was hospitalized for two months before joining a loving foster family. Although she suffers ongoing effects from her brain injury, she is receiving speech, physical and occu

Dylan & Jude

hematoma and continues to receive follow-

when he is happy. Dominic is in need of a family who is open to and comfortable with the unknowns involving his brain injury and who can provide him with any medical care that he may need.

PhoebeBorn: 07.27.2006, S.E. Asia

loves school and spending time with her friends. Although she has struggled with attachment, she has grown to love her foster mother and shares an especially

Phoebe

Dominic

Wayne Watson – God of All Glory TourBrentwood, CA, Feb. 22Bakersf ield, CA, Feb. 23

Rialto, CA, Feb. 24Lansdale, PA, May 3

Williamsport, PA, May 4Green, OH, May 5

Clay Crosse – Surrender TourSioux City, IA, March 1Waterloo, IA, March 2Waukee, IA, March 3

Lubbock, TX, March 22Brownwood, TX, March 23

Granbury, TX, March 24Portland, OR, April 19Corvallis, OR April 20

Crescent City, CA, April 21

Wayne Watson w/ Clay Crosse—Lord of All TourSpringf ield, MO, March 8Little Rock, AR, March 9Norman, OK, March 10Paducah, KY, March 16

Chattanooga, TN, March 17Allegan, MI, April, 12

Maryville, IL, April, 14

Avalon w/4HIM—With One Voice TourSouth Bend, IN, March 14

Anderson, IN, March 15Ft. Myers, FL, April 18

Mobile, AL, April 20Grif f in, GA, April 21

Join Dove-award winning artists on their Christian Classic Tour! Sponsored by Holt International, the tours bring together some of today’s most well-known Christian artists! The talented musicians will head out on f ive dif ferent tours. Check the schedule below to see which artists are coming to your area and join them for an uplif ting evening f illed with classic Christian music and your chance to learn more about Holt ’s child sponsorship program.

Interested in volunteering to sign up Holt child sponsors at one of the concerts in your area? We need 10 volunteers at each concert! Contact Sue Paiement at suep@holtinternational.org

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TODAY!Volunteer at a Concert & Help a Child!