A post from my mom...

I have been asked many times what do you have to do to adopt from Ukraine? With this post I hope to answer some of those questions.

The first thing you have to do is a home study. This is where a social worker comes into your house and interviews family members, examines living conditions, and makes sure everything is suitable for another child. He/She also gather a lot of other information, such as:

Birth Certificate
Passport
Genogram Family Tree
Autobiographies
Ten Year Residence History
Personal Refernces
Washington State Patrol and Child Protective Services Background Check
Medical Statement
Marriage Certificate
1040 Tax Return
Financial Statement
Gaurdianship Designation
Employment Verification
Authorization Form
And online training classes

The second part is the dossier and is the official packet that you send to Ukraine. It includes the following:
Petition to Adopt
Petition for a Specific Child
Home Study Report
Home Study Agency License
Social Worker License
I-171 H form USCIS
Employment Statement for both parents
Proof of Home Ownership
Proof of Home Valuation from county assesor
Medical Certificte for both parents
Passport Copies
Letters of Obligation
Power of Attorney Documents
Copy of Medical Doctors License that did our physicals
Petition for Interpol Clearance
Copy of Tax Return from Last Year

So here are the alarming statistics of kids who age out of the orphanage at around 15 to 16:
10% of orphans commit suicide
60% of the girls end up in prostitution
70% of the boys end up in crime
Only 27% are able to find work
The older the child gets, the chances for adoption dramatically decreases.

In November when I traveled to Ukraine, my heart ached for the street children. Their shoes were so worn and torn and their clothes were not suitable for the cold weather. Up close, you could see their open wounds and scars. Their clothes hang off of them so I can't even begin to imagine their frail skinny bodies. There are no soup kitchens or homeless shelters. They dig through peoples trash, this is something no child should ever have to do. There are many ways people can help these children and the orphans of Ukraine.

Here are some great ideas:
Our friend in Ukraine, Becky Dewett, wants to open a house to help girls who age out of the orphanage to gain skills and provide a safe shelter until they are ready to function fully on their own. Donations would gladly be accepted.
She is also helping us set up a sponsorship program that Justine and I have started to execute with Global Family Alliance. It's $20 a month for you to pen-pal and sponsor a child from the Boyarka Orphanage in Ukraine. She would help match you with a child who has no family. For these children, the thought of somebody across the globe thinking about them through writing and providing for them (through the $20 a month) means so much.
Lastly, we also have hosting program. You can bring a Ukainian orphan into your home for 6 weeks and show them love and give them hope.

If your interested in any of these programs, please e-mail me at etpurvis@comcast.net.