Find Families for Older Colombian Orphan Children

In just one month, Kidsave’s Summer Miracles program will bring 42 older Colombian orphans to stay for 5 weeks with American families, with the goal of being adopted. They will stay with families in California, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Illinois, Nevada, Virginia, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, New England, metro Washington D.C. and New York City.

 These kids are part of Kidsave’s Summer Miracles program, and they have been carefully matched with host families who will advocate on their behalf during those 5 weeks – and before and after – to find a permanent loving family for them. During their time with host families they attend a week of camp and go to weekend advocacy events to meet prospective adoptive families. Many translators at these engaging events make communication as easy as possible. Some are part of a sibling group and will stay together with one host family.

 The kids are from all over Colombia and spend two weeks in the capital city, Bogata, in an orientation. Most have never traveled outside their country – or even their city or town, never been on a plane, and never experienced many of the modern conveniences of life in the US. Some have never ridden in a car. Their host families have been in touch with them in the weeks leading up to their arrival and many are to brushing up on their Spanish in anticipation. When the kids pour off the plane in their distinctive yellow Kidsave t-shirts, it’s love all around! Thus starts the great adventure and the chance for a new life – for these kids and their new families! 

 To view the kids, click here.

Links:

• About Kidsave
• About Summer Miracles and Hosting
• About our model

Eleven-year-old Sebastian from Colombia had no biological family of his own and, at his age, he was not likely to be adopted in his home country. But in the summer of 2018, he came to the US to live with an American family for five weeks through Kidsave’s Summer Miracles program. He stayed with Amanda and JoBen in California.

“We just love children,” said Amanda. “We have four of our own and have a business that serves children through soccer. We knew it was right [to host and possibly adopt a child] and we had the capacity to love another child.”

They looked at the Kidsave website with photos and brief bios of children coming to the US from Colombia and needing a family. When they saw Sebastian on the website, they just felt he belonged with their family.

In the month that Sebastian lived with them the family had many adventures together -- hiking the California mountains, taking boat rides, playing baseball and visiting sights around the US.

When the visit ended and Sebastian had to return to Colombia, the family was devastated. Parting at the airport was tearful and difficult but also full of love. The kids had grown to love Sebastian and clearly he loved them. Asked what was coolest about Sebastian, the four kids said, in a sort of chorus, “He helps you if you get hurt; he plays with us; he cares about us; he’s my best friend.” Actually, Amanda and JoBen had already decided to adopt Sebastian and had secretly started the paperwork for the adoption process, so they already felt that Sebastian was their son but they could not tell him or their other children that yet.

After a family discussion all six unanimously decided that they wanted to adopt him. They felt they should ask Sebastian if we wanted to be adopted, as well, so they prepared to ask him that question via live video from their home in California to Sebastian’s foster home in Colombia. With large signs in Spanish, they asked him if he wanted to have three hermanos, one hermana and a mama and papa. They captured the request in a video that has since gone viral. From Colombia and with tears of joy in his eyes Sebastian answered “yes.” He is now happily living with his new family.

Links:

• About Summer Miracles
• About Hosting a Child
• Why Kidsave?

• The Barkey kids with their new brother, Sebastian (DOCX)