Adoption ARK Travels

Adoption Tax Credit Form

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:35:00 +0000

The Adoption Tax Credit can be confusing. Please visit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQryETwRziA for more information on the
qualifications and filing instructions. You can also view the form at
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8839.pdf

Adoption ARK's Report Card

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:40:00 +0000

Adoption ARK is very excited to share with you our latest survey results. Our “Report Card” reflects our commitment to orphaned children and the clients that we serve. International Adoption is not just a job; it’s a calling. At Adoption ARK, we are honored to assist you in adopting a child and we thank you for choosing us as your international adoption agency. Thank you to all the clients that participated.

View Adoption ARK’s Report Card at http://www.adoptionark.org/upload/adoptionarkreportcard_87895.pdf

Sincerely,
The Team at Adoption ARK
(847) 215-2755

Follow Adoption ARK on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/adoptionark
Visit our YouTube page http://www.youtube.com/user/AdoptionArk

Adopting one child won't change the world; but for that child, the world will change.

The Last Day in Kampala

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:47:00 +0000

On my last day in Kampala I had planned to visit a few more orphanages, visit a local Friday market, and meet with our lawyer to finalize the details of the Uganda adoption program. I had not answered my emails for the past two days, so I began the day with several hours work.

When I started calling the orphanages from on line list, I realized that none of them had a working phone number and, unless I knew the Kampala very well, I would have no chance of finding them. There are no real street addresses in many areas. Discouraged, I went downstairs to ask about the market and was told the marked would be closing in 30 minutes. My plan was completely ruined and I had no idea what to do. I asked the woman at the reception desk if she knew any of the orphanages around the area. She said she did not know any, but she pointed out a Dutch family standing at the entrance and told me that they are going to an orphanage. More than just going, that they actually run an orphanage. She also told me that the owner of the hotel has an orphanage in Gulu. It was so clear that God was correcting my plans. I introduce myself to the Dutch family and asked them if I go with them to the orphanage. They enthusiastically agreed. They told me about how had the orphanage for about 2 years and that they have Dutch families sponsoring education for children that live in their home.

Their home was the best of all that I visited in Uganda. They had kids from about age 3 years and older. The kids were well dressed and very happy. They brought presents from sponsors and gave them to kids. An albino girl , about 14 years old, came to shake my hand. She is one of the oldest kids in the orphanages but she is not allowed to go outside. In Uganda (and several other African cultures) albinos bones are believed to have magic power and they are often killed for their bones.

Many unwanted children are often times being thrown in the corn fields or into the river. However, I must say that overall I am very impressed with the loving care many poor mothers and other adults are giving to kids.

In the evening, I met with our lawyer and we discussed the program details. I am very excited to begin our Uganda program. I am excited to rescue many kids through international adoption and I hope one day they will make a difference in Uganda’s future.

The next morning, I was about to leave the hotel when a car pulled over and I met the owner. I told him about our adoption program and he invited me to come back and to visit his orphanage in Gulu and possibly to find families for some kids there. His wife was in Congo setting up an orphanage for children abducted and orphaned by rebels. She is a great woman and I bought her book that I am reading right now. I will post some more information about their organization in the near future. If interested, her book is called "Aboke Girls" and talks about the story of abducted girls from St. Mary's school in the northern region.

I am sad to leave Uganda. The stories I've heard and the people I met will continue to revisit me for many month or years ahead. My official trip to Uganda is over but I have a feeling I will return to this country many times in the future.

What An Adventure!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:59:00 +0000

My trip to the North ended up being an adventure may be a bit too much even for my taste. We started with the driver smashing his roof rack while going through the hotel at the security point. We headed north toward Gulu, a place where refugee camps for displaced people are still a reality. I was supposed to meet with a correction officer in Gulu. The correction officers are similar to our CPS workers and they handle the clarification of the child’s status prior to adoption.

On the way there we had planned to stop at a few places. Our driver was driving about 150 km an hour and it was ok while we were on the road but once we hit a dirt road the travel was not as comfortable. Our first stop was at a place called The Landing Site, located about 50 km from Lira. Basically, The Landing is a fishing village. At first, I had a celebrity moment when the village kids surrounded me and kindly yelled muzungu (a white person). A few babies start crying because they have not seen a person with such a pale skin before and I’m sure they thought that I am a ghost or something else very disturbing. I took pictures of the older kids and showed them on the camera screen. To them, this was a sensational thing and I spent the next 30 minutes taking pictures of kids & even adults then showing them their images on the screen. I walked with some villagers to the fishing boats and the kids followed me at a polite distance. The men were organizing the fish they caught and many of them appeared to be already drunk. Only a few people in the village spoke English even though English is an official language in Uganda.

Afterwards, we went to talk to the village leader who is responsible for women and children affairs. A nice lady met us and we set down to talk about issues the village is facing. The village has approximately 400 people, 100 are HIV positive. The lifestyle of the village is that most of the work is done by women. They walk several miles to bring the water, cook, take care of kids and even go fishing. Men mostly drink and make babies. It is very common for a woman to start dating a man but once she gets pregnant she gets abandoned. Culturally, a woman believes that she still need a man to take care of her so, she gets another man, sometimes those who pass through the village. He will stay with her till she gets pregnant and leaves shortly after the baby is born. Some women have 5-8 kids all from different men. The leader took us to home of one of the woman suffering this fate. I think she was very traumatized and although she did talk to us I saw that she is very desperate and depressed. She has 4 kids from different men and she had no food to give to her kids. She invited us to her home and in the middle on the dirt floor was laying a child, probably 5 years old, and I think he was sick. The baby she was carrying had a bleeding nose. I suspect they all may have been HIV positive. I am posting a picture as I think the picture will say it all.

I could not imagine that any human rights organization, that is against international adoption, have seen this village. I cannot understand how it is better for those kids to die than to be adopted to the US. Yes, Uganda has a history of local adoptions. For example, if parents die the village will take care of the kids but the kids are not being fed properly, they do not have medical care, nor do they get an education. Those who make it to the adulthood age repeat the story of their mothers and fathers.

Another woman, a 40 year old widow, had 8 kids. One had a down syndrome. I don’t think she knows what Down syndrome is. She spends all her money on her oldest son’s school because she believes that he will take care of the family once he gets his education. Education is the only way out of this situation. Her monthly budget for the whole family is $20 but the school cost $25 per semester, so she is struggling to meet the ends. She works doing different chores around the village, while taking care of 8 children. The youngest is 4 years old. I gave some clothes to the village leader and took their information with the hope we can do something in the future to assist these women and children.

I left the village very depressed. I am trying to think of how organizations like UNICEF and Red Cross that gets excellent funding, but no one does anything for this village except HIV testing. Although, I must say, I do not know what Uganda looked like 2 years ago and maybe this village was just one that did not get help yet. I hope help is on its way.

As we got out of the village our car broke down for the first time. The bolts handling the springs fell out. Our driver, a 30 year old guy who is supporting his wife and 3 kids, while dreaming to get at least two more wives, cut the straps from our luggage and made some temporary arrangements for the car to move.

Our next stop was a village located in the region called Apac. This is where our guide Jacob lives. He wanted to show me his Youth empowerment project. They started this youth project a few years ago when they got a grant from Africa Bank. The project has about 40 students, boys and girls, who get enrolled in the program to learn a skill such as sewing, car repair, carpentry. Each youth is given 3 month of training. They sleep in a dorm on a mat on the floor. After graduation, they are given a tool (sewing machine or carpentry tools) so they can go back to the village and earn money. This is a very valuable skill for the kids who come from villages like I described above.

One of the teens assisted with fixing our car and, to my surprise, it was a girl. While waiting for our car to be repaired I spoke with teachers, a pastor, and some of the students. I asked what the woman’s role is in Ugandan society and they all agreed that women do most of the work and it is very hard to be a woman. They all seem to agree that women need to get a better access to the education.

Girls are valued in Ugandan society. The girls are treasured because, in order to get a permit to get married from girl's parents, a groom needs to give them goats and cows. The number of gifts varies depending on a social status and beauty of the girl. An interesting fact is that the young couple is not in a rush to get married and only proceed after one or two children are born. As we were talking a few kids came over to say hi to muzingu. At first I thought a cute little girl, about 5 years old, was carrying a doll but later I realized it was a small baby strapped to her back. She appeared to not be strong enough to carry the baby but yet she was doing it effortlessly.

I asked another girl, with a baby, who was about 16 years old why she needs a man. A provocative question I thought. However, with the confidence of an A+ student she answered with no hesitation…A woman needs a man for two reasons. First, in Uganda society you’re suppose to have a man and secondly, you just need a man.

Our car was finally fixed but it was already too late to go to Gulu, so we ended up spending a night in Lira. I stayed in a great hotel which did have a shower. The next morning, we woke up at 7 am and went to the baby house. The baby house was set up originally set up by a catholic mission. It was well run compared to what I had seen before. The kids slept in cribs and they were fed formula. There were about 30 babies. Some were full orphans; others had parents who dropped them at the orphanage because they were unable to take care of them. Some children will be picked up by their parents when they are old enough to make it on their own for the most part of the day. I was told that, that age is about 3 years old. Many orphans were already "booked". An expression the staff used to describe adoption by local families. Local adoptions do happen in Uganda quiet often. A little boy named Ambrous kept hugging my knees, when I picked him up he was surprisingly heavy. He followed me for the rest of my visit and I would have adopted him in a heartbeat but he was already committed to a local family and will go to live with them in a couple of weeks. I spoke about a possibility of international adoption and the staff was not opposed to it at all. On the contrary, they were excited and thought that it would be a great thing. They had not heard that US families wanted to adopt Ugandan children but did recall one Italian family who adopted a child about 15 years ago.

I become a friend with one of the care takers. She was about 45 years old and was carrying for 3 week old twins. At first, I thought they were orphanage babies but she explained that it was her grandchildren and she was temporarily keeping them in the orphanage because she can't afford the formula. She was exchanging work for the ability to keep babies at the facility. Her son is a soldier. He was dating a girl who got pregnant. The grandma did not know the girl even existed until the mother of her twin grandchildren died at child birth. She had to get a C section and died of infection. According to local newspapers, many women die in child birth in Uganda. Not many women can afford to go to the hospital and if they go without money they get harassed. Most women get a midwife, who is trained in normal delivery, but has no ability to stop the bleeding. Even at hospitals many women still die because of the lack of care, infections, and bleeding during or after childbirth. The family of the young mother did not want to take care of the twins. However, they did appeal to the village leaders and her son was "charged ". Being charged in this situation meant that he still had to marry the mother of his children even after her death. He was supposed to give 8 cows to the family of his deceased future wife. The grandmother was paying for the cows while taking care of the twins. Her son was still in the army and cannot afford to pay himself.

We never made it to Gulu. Our car broke down again in the middle of nowhere. Literally, no one had any idea where we were. At first, I thought my driver and a guide had planned it but after about an hour I realized that they did not have the slightest idea of what to do. Eventually, a local drunk man appeared from the bushes and offered us his help and knowledge. He explained that there is no mechanics anywhere nearby because we were about 100 km away from civilization. He did say that there is a trade center about 8 km away and he will ask the local men from the refugee camp to push the car to the trade center. The idea of meeting several village drunks did not appeal to me so I asked the driver to walk with this man to the trade center and ask for help. In about an hour I saw a truck full of young men coming our way with my driver and our rescuer. The guys had a rope that they used to pull the car to the center. The center had about 3 stores and I immediately bought a hat for my savior and gave him 2000 shillings instead of the 1000 he asked for (about $1). He was so happy and professed his love to all American people and other muzungu. The center still has a sign that shows pictures of different types of bombs and mines and asks people to alert the leaders if they find an object similar. I had a conversation with a 24 year old young man, who reminded me of US rappers. He spoke very good English and had a distant knowledge of history and geography. He told me that he watches a lot of US movies and the first thing he will do when he gets to America is go to Hollywood to check out how the stars are doing. He came to this place from Gulu where he lived in the refugee camp. He did not like the limited freedom of the camp and he left to stay with his uncle. He was not too hopeful about his future. He was a very bright young man who had dreams but did not have hopes. His name is Peter and I gave his phone number to our lawyer and asked him to ask around for a job opportunity for the kid. I did call our lawyer, who stayed in Kampala, and asked him to rescue me. He immediately sent a car from Gulu that picked me up and drove me back to Kampala. On the way back I saw many people that came on the road to ask for food. I shared my bananas with them; I forgot to mention that since the morning I only ate bananas and did not see any opportunity to eat a real food. We passed a beautiful waterfall on the way to back and I fell asleep in the car.

What an adventure!

-Elina

Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:41:00 +0000

Today, I visited orphanages and poverty stricken areas of Kampala. It was
very sad. In the orphanages kids are getting at least some care and
education, but the kids in the slums live in horrible conditions. I do not
understand how anyone can think it is OK for the child to live in dirt and
dust. It is especially shocking because Kampala is well developed and there
are businesses, I am sure, that make good money. I think, it is possible to
support the whole family in the slum for maybe $20 a month and I do not
understand how people can disregard those families. It's just so sad.

Many children are orphaned because of HIV and so many children die at young
ages. The orphanages here have very little funding. One orphanage had
funding of only $70 per month and they cared for 30 kids. They were doing a
good job, children were educated in the orphanage, they were well behaved,
and sang beautiful songs. The orphanage is on Lake Victoria and it is just a
beautiful environment for kids to be in. The inside of the orphanage is very
poor but they are trying their best to keep acceptable living conditions for
the children. The kids eat simple foods, such as beans, but if the child
gets sick they spend food money on getting the child to the doctor and it
has affected their budget. I left some clothes with them and promised to
bring more next time I come. The youngest kids were twins, about 3 years
old. I found out that twins are often times viewed as being a demon or
possessed by demons in west African countries. They were often times taken
to the forest and left there to die or simply killed. This attitude still
persist in remote areas. In today news paper I read another disturbing
article that there is an increasing number of teenagers, especially boys,
accused of witch craft and are being killed in Uganda. Previously,
witchcraft was mostly assigned to women and elderly. The article claims that
this is due to the increased cost of living and urban development. I have no
idea how it is connected.

Our coordinator arranged for me to visit the home of a child that they were
trying to place for adoption. It is a 3 year old girl who lives with her
grandmother in the area of a size of my work desk. There are no windows or
floors inside the structure they call a home. The grandma had to meet us
outside the slums to show the way to her home. Upon meeting she knelt on
both knees, a sign of respect for rural Africans. Her story is truly sad.
She was once a well married, young woman with 3 daughters living 500 km from
Kampala. However, her husband died and the relatives decided to kick her out
from the property. She left with her 3 daughters and found her home in
Kampala. She was unable to provide her daughters with education and they
married very young. Too young perhaps. Now all of them are dead from AIDS.
Here in Africa, a man can marry more than one woman, even officially, and
infidelity is just a common part of life. They call it "sexual network" here
and there are many billboard around Kampala to advise against participating
in sexual networks. The grandma was left with several grandchildren and all
of them lived in that "home". A beautiful baby , lets call her Mary, with
huge brown eyes knelt down to us and said something in her native language.
She is the last one, the older kids were placed with the church and the
youngest was adopted. The grandma kept Mary so she can get some assistance
from local programs. She asked us to find a family for her granddaughter as
she is too old to care for the little girl. I gave her some clothes and
wished her a better life. I hope there will be an organization who will care
for elderly as well. This family is only one of many. These kids have no
chance of not repeating their mothers path unless someone, somehow will
provide enough local support for them to stay in their own country. For now,
I truly believe , international adoption is their only and last chance.

Tomorrow, I am going to the north to see some youth centers and refuge
camps. The town Gulu , once the most dangerous place and the epicenter of
the civil war.

-Elina

Day 2 in Uganda

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:32:00 +0000

Uganda Day 2

Today is Sunday so I took some time off work. Early in the morning I arranged a car to go to the Chimpanzee sanctuary on the Ngamba Island. My status on facebook today was that I crossed the equator twice today. The island is about a 40 minute boat ride from Entebbe on Lake Victoria, the biggest freshwater lake. The ride to the island was pretty smooth and I shared the boat with a few U.S. soldiers stationed in Kampala. The sanctuary was a very interesting place. The local NGO rescues orphaned chimps from the western part of the country where big Chimps are still being killed for bush meat and baby Chimps are sold as pets. It is illegal in Uganda to have a pet Chimp but many people are not aware of it. The baby chimp orphans are rescued and brought to the island where they are integrated into the island chimp community. The babies are adopted by the resident female chimps and the “Mom” chimps will fight over the custody of a newcomer. The most dominant female gets the first right to the baby chimp. If the rescued chimp is older, they are held in a special facility and slowly introduced to other primates. They first make a friend with one of the "locals" and then it is safe to let them go to the rest of the community members. Chimpanzees are very friendly but some of them do not trust humans because they remember the trauma caused by those who killed their mother.

On the way back the lake was very rough and I got soaked with the water. In the afternoon I met with our lawyer for Rwanda program.

More Later,

Elina

My First Day in Uganda

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I arrived in Uganda shortly after the bomb explosion killed 76 people in a Ugandan sports club during the translations of the final game of the World cup. It is very sad news for Uganda not only because of the lost lives but also because Ugandans’ are not used to the tight security, multiple check points, and all the restrictions of their freedom. Also, tourism is a major part of the economy and Ugandans are concerned that the bombing may scare tourists away.

Although I did notice many military and police check points, I was also surprised at how nicely they approach us each time they needed to do a security check. Security has also been tightened due to the 15th African Union Summit in Kampala from the 19th – 27th July, 2010.

I’ve had two major discoveries about Uganda so far. One is that Kampala is a very developed city and you can find pretty much anything you need. And two was that people are not only extremely nice but they are also extremely relaxed. You can sense it even if you go to the local market or restaurant. I think just spending one day here had completely de-stressed me. People move slower, there is no rush, no agitation, and no anger.

In afternoon I met with the lawyer that Adoption ARK is using for our Uganda program. He has worked in many different areas of law including family law, political law, criminal law, legislative law and business law. He is well mannered, speaks perfect English, and very punctual. I was very impressed with his attentions to detail when he was explaining the process to me. He also impressed me with his knowledge of confidentiality regarding client information and the importance of due diligence on his part about every single aspect of adoption.

He told me that Uganda did not have much need for adoption in the past because the family members or neighbors would take care of orphans and how the adoption law was not well developed because there was simply no need to formalize the care of children by relatives. However, recently that changed. The need for international adoptions, as a chance for the child to have the normal life, has increased as the cost of living and raising a child had increased. There are a few private orphanages in Kampala, none are government, and they are overwhelmed with the number of children who are in need of care. The orphanages try to assist extended families, mostly grandmothers, with raising children or they try to help them find permanent homes.

The other facts I've learned about Uganda: English is the primary language and the food is very much influenced by Indians and Europeans so it is not that easy to find a local food.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I am going to see a chimpanzee sanctuary on an island. It’s about a 40 minute drive from Kampala. In the evening, I am meeting with a lawyer from Rwanda who is coming to meet with me to talk about the program there.

-Elina

Last Day in Accra

noreply@blogger.com (Elina) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:01:00 +0000

The unemployment rate in Ghana is high and getting a job with good pay is a problem. The situation is worse in the central region and the poverty I saw in Accra is a luxury life style compare to some of the remote areas. Also in Accra I saw huge, Hollywood style homes and it is obvious that there is a very wealthy class that resides there.

I would like to add some more thoughts to my day 2 in Accra. The rice I bought for the foster home cost a $100 for a big bag. Although it is a reasonable price, it is a fortune for many families here, even those who work. On average the working class salary is about $200 per month. Food costs may be 30% less than in U.S. but my guide explained that many families can not afford to cook home. For some, it is actually cheaper to buy street food than cook. Some families can only afford to eat once or twice per day.

On my last day I visited the government orphanage. The government orphanages, especially in Accra, receive food and supply donations from international aid organizations. I witnessed a large donation from charity being brought to the orphanage. An older girl named Daniela grabbed my hand and gave me a tour of the orphanage. At first, I thought she was deaf because she only communicated with signs. However, later she did exchange some words with one of the teachers. I suspected something was wrong with her. Her grip was very tense and her whole body was very stiff. I can only guess what this young girl might have went through before she came to the orphanage. She kept pointing at my shoes and waiving over her fit. The volunteer we met at one of the classrooms explained that Daniela was asking for new shoes.

Speaking of shoes, I have to tell a funny story I’ve learned about shoes. When I was at foster home one of the boys was wearing a pair of crocs that his future, U.S. family had sent to him. Apparently, the United States can market anything to be the latest fad. In Ghana, shoes like crocs are only worn by very poor people who can not afford regular shoes. The coordinator told me that he was puzzled as to why a wealthy, American family would send this kid a pair of shoes designed for the poor.

I had about a half day left before my flight back and I had read in my Ghana book about the casket store as a tourist site. We drove approximately 20 min on a dusty road along the ocean. Each time we stopped a man or woman would approach us trying to sell me, an obviously able prospective customer, all sorts of things starting with a bag of onions, to fish, to jumping ropes and then mangoes. The casket shop was small and I could see some caskets from the road. At first I thought it was a joke, they looked like carousel cabins in Disneyland. The tour cost me $3 and I got a full explanation. A casket that looks like fish is for fisherman, a casket that looks like a camera is for photographer, a car is for a truck driver, etc... I did not have the guts to ask what a social worker casket would look like. Only wealthy people can afford this playful accommodation. The average cost of the piece of art was about $800.

We headed towards a restaurant where most foreigners eat. All my previous meals took place in a true Ghanaian type of eatery, per my request. If you are adventurous with your food, I would recommend you try it. However the idea of mixing smoked fish with a soup with tripe may not be for everyone. There are about 4 types of traditional food. Banku is made of fermented maze and cassava that are served with the choice of meet or fish and a soup made out of okra. Fufu is sort-of like bread made of cassava and served with soup and meat of your choice. There is also yam and vegetable stew with rice and meat served with vegetables. The food in a traditional eatery smelled 4 times stronger than in a restaurant frequented by foreigners. The more traditional eateries were also about half the price. You do get a fork and knife in the foreigner's restaurants but, in the traditional eatery, you are given a bowl of water to wash your right hand and you use your hand as silverware. Licking your fingers is an acceptable thing however, smelling your food generally is considered impolite and eating with your left hand is simply unacceptable.

I’ve chatted with my guide about safety in Ghana. Overall, the country is considered to be safe and crimes are rare. I wondered why this was and he explained that Ghanaians do not tolerate when someone is taking advantage of or threatening another. They address each other in terms such as brother, sister, uncle and very much will stand up for any person, foreigners included, as for a member of their own family. All people I met were very kind, nice, and they all wanted to talk to me about America. That is still a dream destination for many. It was not uncommon for people to ask for my address so that one day they can visit me.

Ghana was a very memorable trip. I hope that one day I can return to this country for a longer stay.

Day 2 in Ghana

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:04:00 +0000

Today, we visited a foster home about an hour drive from the city. It’s run by a man with a background in Social Work. All of the kids wanted to hold my hand or get at least one hug. We brought a donation of rice and the director was very happy. Inside the foster home there are only two rooms, each with about 7 beds, and there are 38 children. I did not ask where all of the children sleep. The budget to feed the children is about $1000 per month because food is relatively expensive in Ghana. There is no electricity in the home because they cannot afford the bill. Still, it is a much better place for many kids. The director explained that last month they had to reject admission for a few children because they had no space. He later found out that two kids died shortly afterwards. He believes either from hunger or malaria.

There is an American family in Ghana that adopted 3 children, ages 10, 6, & 3, and the kids were sparkling with joy. I saw them at dinner in the hotel and the kids were so well behaved and seemed to be ready to embrace a new life.

Later in the afternoon, I walked around James Town. It is the most colorful part of the city. Although my guide book suggested that you hire a security guard, I felt safe walking through James Town. Interestingly, I was asked for was my name once and the lady who sold me an African dress asked for my address so that she could have a friend in America. Unfortunately, it is not advisable to take pictures here because some people feel that it’s an invasion of privacy. The poverty, naked children running around, and the goats may not be a picture they want to share with the world. I stumbled upon a dancing party organized right next to a stand where a woman, dressed in dirty traditional dress, was selling smelly fish. There was an interesting mix of food, clothing, and cultural items.

In the evening, I wanted to go out and listen to the music. The young man at the hotel restaurant volunteered his company and we went to Alliance Franchise. The food was great and the performance of the dancers and singers was outstanding. When I get to the U.S. I'll post the video of the performance and pictures from Ghana.

Tomorrow, I just need to pack and I will have a few hours before my flight. The coordinator asked me what else I wanted to see. My preference was to travel to the central region, where many orphans are coming from. I wanted to see the life of the community there. Unfortunately, we will not have enough time. Instead, after I finish packing, we might go to a famous shop that sells caskets on the way to the airport. It is supposed to have a casket for each job occupation. For example, a travel agent can get a casket with a plane on it. Caskets are very expensive and not everyone can afford one, but if you’ve got the money, they will measure you to make sure it fits just right. It’s true, Ghanaians are very accommodating people.

-Elina

Day 1 in Ghana

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:14:00 +0000

I arrived in Accra at 5 am. The coordinator promptly met me and we drove to the Crystal Rose Hotel. The hotel is located in a neighborhood that looks like an LA suburb. There is nice, big houses around and hardly anyone on the street. The hotel itself is small but it has a nice big room, WIFI, and a very friendly staff. So far, the staff has gone above and beyond my expectations to make sure I am enjoying my stay.

I took a nap to recover from the plane ride. When I awoke I was able to go meet the coordinator and learn more about Ghana. We drove through the streets of Accra. The rest of the city is big in contrast to the neighborhood where I am staying. The most eye catching event I encountered was watching the women who were casually strolling down the streets wearing huge bags with goods on their heads. One woman walked with a huge coffee table on her head. While I am not sure I would be able to lift any of these bags, the women of Ghana, were strolling casually, conversing with each other, and appearing at ease with the huge and heavy loads placed on their head. In a way, this picture is symbolic of women of Ghana. Many women have responsibilities that are far beyond human capacity and yet they take care of their children, household, work and helping the elderly while appearing to be at ease with the load that God placed upon them. The coordinator explained that some of those women are working as delivery people because it is impossible to drive a car close to the market. Some customers or merchants hire women to carry goods to the customer’s car.

Many people come from remote regions and get training as early as age 7 to carry baskets of water for several miles per day. Poverty and hunger bring the ladies to the city in search of a better life. However, they often times have to sleep on the streets. In this situation, there is a risk of being the victim of rape and this makes their situation worse, as they might end up pregnant. Many women are unable to care for their children and place them in orphanages. There are no shelters and no place to go for help.

Another reason for child abandonment is that many men abandon their wife and kids. The men disappear after a few children are born leaving women with no means for survival. This is a common situation. Recently, the government began t0 attempt to locate run away husbands and make them support their families. However, even if located the husbands are usually unemployed and simply unable to provide.

I met with a lawyer and discussed the current issues of international adoption. Ghana currently has an extended family system; which means the relatives are socially obligated to take care of related orphaned children. The most difficult part of a child’s status clarification is to insure that no relative would be willing to take the child into their family. Often times, this process takes several months. Ghanaians can and do adopt children outside of the immediate family. Adoption became more popular in Ghana because professional women often postpone giving birth to children and, after a certain age, may have a hard time conceiving. Mostly, they prefer to adopt infants and it is unusual for kids older than 3 to be adopted.

Currently, Ghana is not a partner to the Hague Adoption Convention but the government is exploring the possibilities. The authorities believe that children should stay with families or within community. International adoption needs to be the last resort.

During my trip I’ve been emotionally torn trying to figure out the right solution. On one hand, I believe that adoption should be the last resort for the child. However, children who have no chance to be placed with relatives should be adopted. I do believe that each country needs to find a way to take care of the social problems and to establish their own programs to rescue kids. On the other hand, I think of each individual child that cannot afford to wait for officials to come up with a workable plan. Each child has only one chance for the childhood they deserve. For many of the kids, international adoption is their only chance for survival. While malaria and other diseases kill all children regardless of their orphan status, orphans are more vulnerable due to their weakened immune system, lack of nutrition, and unavailable medical care.

The issues of orphans and adoption are scrutinized in many African countries because of the possibility of child trafficking or orphan “manufacturing” (women are encouraged to give up children). While it is a valid concern, the reality is many orphans will simply die, if they are not adopted. Therefore International rescue efforts cannot be overlooked.

I believe the best proposal is to allow adoption under close supervision, until the country establishes its own system to protect orphaned children. If adoption agencies contribute to each country they work in with humanitarian projects it might help empower women giving them access to education and job opportunities. The unification of agency efforts can help to establish funds for such projects.

-Elina

Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Elina) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:27:00 +0000

My original itinerary had me spending a day in Johannesburg but leaving the country I fell in love with was just too hard. I changed my flight and took a drive to one of the national parks to see the animals. Traveling to Swaziland was an amazing and unique experience. Swaziland is a beautiful country with strong roots to tradition but, at the same time, very modern. I felt safe through my whole stay and I met many lovely people, all with good hearts and a great sense of humor. It is my sincere hope that we can do projects that will benefit the people of Swaziland.

-Elina

Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Elina) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:13:00 +0000

Today, we were invited to the celebration of harvest called the Marula Festival. This is a traditional ceremony where women from different regions perform a dance. It is attended by all government officials and lead by the King and the Mother Queen. But first we visited a Minister's place of birth and met his family. We were greeted by his mother. According to the traditional way of greeting, the older or most respected person comes and sits down and the visitors come over and kneel to show respect. I was surprised that there was minimal eye contact between the host and the visitors and later, it was explained to me that it is impolite to stare at the person. One should shake a host hand for several minutes while looking toward the side or down with a quick glimpse toward the person face. After the greeting ceremony we had a wonderful lunch with traditional food. The women of the house helped us to change into traditional clothes for the ceremony. The traditional outfit can be worn everyday as well, and although most people on the street were wearing western clothes, once in a while we would see a person wearing a bright traditional outfit.

The Marula Festival was approximately 3 hours. Thousands of women dressed in traditional clothes and paraded before the King, Mother Queen, and other viewers. I think the most interesting thing was that 5 of the Kings wives (he has 14 total) were dancing with other women and so were the other women and the representatives of different government offices. The ceremony was colorful and beautiful.

-Elina

Day 2 in Swaziland

noreply@blogger.com (Elina) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:23:00 +0000

The day was so busy! It began with breakfast with various members of government and local charity. We discussed the need for humanitarian help in Swaziland and discussed the possibility of joint projects. The person asked if we can solicit donations of medical equipment, even if outdated by U.S. standards, that can be used for mobile clinics to screen women, elderly, and children. There is also a need to bring medical professionals to this country to do basic screenings in rural area.

Another thing that is needed in Swaziland are reading glasses, the number of needed glasses is approximately 10,000 per year. Simple reading glasses can be purchased at almost any pharmacy in the U.S. but are in very short supply in Swaziland.

After breakfast, we attended several other meetings. Our first meeting was with the Social Welfare office. It was interesting to learn more about Swaziland culture and the legal process within the country.

The next meeting was the most memorable experience of my trip. We went to see an orphanage located far outside the city. We were greeted by kids of all ages. They surrounded us and gracefully accepted candy that we brought using both hands (as required by local etiquette). The orphanage is kept to the best standards of cleanliness. Each room had about five beds and a bed for the caretaker. Later, we learned that many children who stay there were abused by the members of their families so they supervise them closely to make sure they are safe. The orphanage was established in 2002 out of the desire to create a safe place for kids who were abused and, at the same time, allow babies to be abandoned to a safe place instead of being killed or starved to death. The orphanage cares for approximately 70 children. About 20 % are abandoned, the rest are taken away from an abusive situation. The goal is to rehabilitate children and allow them to be kids again. The older girls were holding babies and all kids were very well behaved. They all wanted to get hugs and we spent an hour playing with them. The orphanage has a garden and they grow their own food. Recently, they received a sponsor for food and clothes, but they still have no money to pay the caretakers or teachers. They hope to build a school so that kids can have an education on site. The orphanage is concerned that when kids go to regular school other kids pick on them. We promised to look for donation for school supplies and if possible, raise money to pay the teachers.

Next, we met with UNICEF and Save the Children Foundation. At the UNICEF office we talked about the AIDS epidemic and how it has wiped out the middle generation. The concern of the country is that there will be no one to take care of the children and elderly. Save the Children shared the same concern. I got the feeling they were involved with actual projects for women and children but that they were very busy with paperwork.

At the end of the day we had dinner and discussed our future work together. I have loved my time in Swaziland. I feel very comfortable here and I look forward to our future work together.

-Elina

I'm In Swaziland!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:02:00 +0000

First, the long flight on South African Airlines was not bad at all. The plane was almost empty and the service was great.

My first impression of Swaziland is that it is nothing one might expect from a small country in Africa. The roads are well developed and the scenery reminded me of my home state, California except that there is more green and lavish vegetation.

The Mountain Inn is a nice place with a gorgeous view. After we settled into our room, we had lunch with members of government and parliaments. Together, we discussed the needs of people in Swaziland. The requests for assistance were centered on medical supplies such as replacement of outdated medical equipment, supplements to support the immune system, Tylenol, and medications to treat conditions like scabies and ringworm. Overall, donations of food, books and medicine are welcomed and can be easily allowed into the country.

After lunch we went to the Tokumbo School Project. The school is being built in the village to allow children easy access to education. This school will be for elementary to middle school students and the hope is to build a high school in a few years. The project is sponsored by Tokumbo Trust. Although they have funds to finish this project they appreciate any kind of donations such as books and school supplies.

Although the school is not finished, all the kids from the village come and hang out around the project. The project manager said that some of the kids are orphans because there are many parents that die of AIDS leaving their children behind. On a positive note, Swazi culture is that the extended family will usually take care of children. I was told a sad story about a single mother that died last month leaving 4 kids behind. For the past month the 14 year old, older sister has been taking care of younger siblings.

-Elina

Today, I leave for Swaziland

noreply@blogger.com (Elina) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:56:00 +0000

Today, I am leaving for Swaziland. I will be on the plane for almost 30 hours!

I spent this morning reading about the history and customs of Swaziland. It’s a small country located between South Africa and Mozambique. I first heard about this country while watching the Summer Olympics and saw a Swaziland team proudly march. A few month later I had a conversation with a person who did a number of missionary trips to Swaziland and we decided to look into ways that Adoption ARK can help.

From my research, there are many children orphaned because of HIV & Aids or other sickness that lead to the death of one or both parents. Those kids are often care for by missionary organizations or by local elderly people. Swaziland has one of the world's highest HIV infection rates, around 30 % of the adult population in Swaziland is HIV positive. According to the survey by the national health ministry, one-quarter of Swaziland's population at 2007 is predicted to be dead from the disease by 2010, and already 70,000 children have lost either one or both parents to the disease. Many of those children are free from HIV but some are infected and need medical help.

While we want to help those kids who have no other way of living a normal life, Adoption ARK also wants to be mindful about local family preservation as well as ethical procedures for adoption process. The goal of my trip is to understand a real need for an adoption program from this country and to look for ways to provide humanitarian support for local families who are willing to take care of orphans. Adoption ARK has preliminary permission to facilitate adoptions from Swaziland but I will be personally meeting with the government officials to discuss the process.

Swaziland has it’s unique place in history because it is the last remaining absolute monarchy in Africa. Swazi history of 20es century centered on the ongoing struggle for independence. Swazi achieved its independence on September 6 1968 after 66 years of the British protectorate. The official language are Swazi and English, and English is an official written language.

I will be arriving in Swaziland on 18th and I will post my next update as soon as I find internet access. Wish me safe travels and please check back often to read about my trip to Swaziland and Ghana.

Elina
Adoption ARK