Adoption at CSC

In the past couple of weeks we have had lots of adoption action around here. Several children have left, for Maine, Michigan and Minnesota, and another family arrives in a few days. We have had the blessing of being able to tell our sibling group of five that they will be adopted. They have been waiting for several years! Next week our twins will go to Manila for their visa physicals. In the midst of this, one of our former residents and her mom paid us a visit.

Lots of things happen around here when adoptive parents come to get their child(ren). Someone from the staff meets their flight and brings them to the Shelter to meet their child(ren). Usually the couples, or in some cases, families, stay for 3-4 days. During that time we take them on a city tour and provide opportunities for them to do shopping and interact with the staff, house parents and child care workers who have helped care for their child(ren). Our social worker meets with the couple to answer questions about the circumstances of their child(ren) coming to CSC. The nurses meet with them, too, to discuss the medical history of their child(ren) while at CSC. For older kids, the parents will also meet with the school teachers and the CSC counselors. In addition, we present them with a home book, that includes pictures of the child(ren) throughout their time at CSC, and complete medical records. Often, we will help the adoptive parents confirm their transportation to Manila or their appointment with the Inter-Country Adoption Board. Before a family leaves with their children, we will have a good-bye party, with ice cream for the kids. Just before they leave the children will sing "God Will Take Care of You," followed by hugs, kisses and, invariably, some tears.

All of these efforts are done for the sake of the children. We want the adoptive families to have a good time and go away with good feelings about CSC and the Philippines. We want them to have all their questions answered. And we want the children being adopted to have the chance to say goodbye to their friends and the ones that have loved and cared for them.

Having an adoptive family come means a lot of work for our staff. But it is an exciting time, too. It is the culmination of months of love and prayer, and,hopefully, the start of a relationship with the new family that will last for years.