Kazakhstan Adoption Blog

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Bethany Christian Services has made the decision to close our Kazakhstan program. We have decided to redirect our resources to programs with a greater number of children and families, and more potential for growth. We are so grateful for the children from Kazakhstan who now call United States home because of the many families who have been committed to the children of Kazakhstan.

Posted by LaDawn G. Penner At 12:05:32 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Orthodox Easter                                

April 19 marks the day of Orthodox Easter celebrated throughout Eastern Europe, with customs that have been observed for centuries.  Referred to as Pascha in most countries, it is considered the most important religious holiday of the year, often more significant and sacred than Christmas.  Orthodox Easter is celebrated later than that in the West, (typically one week) and follows the Julian calendar as opposed to the West which follows the Gregorian calendar.  

The weeks leading up to Easter are usually quite solemn leading up to the celebrations of the Easter weekend when the atmosphere is quite festive.  Special foods, desserts, and brightly colored eggs are part of the custom as the parishioners greet each other with the words, “He has risen.”

submitted by Hal Molhoek

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 06:32:03 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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The following is an excerpt from a families blog and is reprinted here with their permission.

Here are some of the many ways we feel blessed: 1) For the 2 beautiful, healthy kids who were here waiting for us--the ages, genders, and  siblings status were exactly as we had hoped and prayed for, 2) For Paul's parents and all the dear friends who joyfully gave their time to care for Lydia and Benjamin, 3) For the friends who helped us with so many details before our trip-grocery shopping, cooking meals for the freezer, running errands, and driving us to the airport!!  What a tremendous help!, 4) A great friend that helped us buy a tiny laptop and set it up too!!   It was our link to the outside world and to our kids at home;  it let us stay in contact and provided some good music/videos., 4) That bonding with the 2 kids here has begun so easily, that they were able to open their hearts to us and seem like just great kids!  5) That Lydia and Benjamin were healthy at home and we've stayed healthy here, 6) That the timing of this....so often, we felt frustrated at the "delay"--now we see God's mercy in that delay. This trip away would have been much harder on the kids at home if we had left when they were younger. And, the kids that we're bringing into our family from Kaz. might not have been available before this year due to adoption law here. Now we can say, "thank you Father for making us wait"..., 7) A great orphanage situation--it's a beautiful place, clean, bright, run by a staff that genuinely loves these children. They have been very warm, friendly and helpful to us. 8) That the Kazakh people are very kind, warm, helpful, and friendly, especially when we were trying to communicate while shopping, etc. 9) A great translator, Irina, and driver, Alexander. It has been good to be able to laugh with these 2 on our drives to and from Paludino (city where our kids live in orphanage).  10) That although there is a religious vacuum here, the lack of a hard core Islamic influence makes us feel safer, 11) That access to the internet via dial-up service from our apartment and higher speed via the internet cafe, and for the wonderful pictures of Lydia and Benjamin that friends would post so we could see what's going on home. What a comfort! 12) For meeting another American couple in the "pickle aisle" and realizing they are our spiritual family. We have a lot in common with them and the fellowship was a huge blessing. 13) For a work situation where Paul's partner, the Physician Assistants, and office manager cheerfully stepped in to fill the gap while Paul was away. 14) For supportive friends and family who prayed, emailed us, left notes on our blog--or did all of the above. We are thankful for all of you. 15) For reliable electricity, heat, and water (relatively clean water at that), 16) For comfortable housing-had the ability to cook, have a hot shower, and be close to the market, 17) For Skype (a computer program that turns our computer into a video teleconferencing device so we can talk cheap to our kids at home and even see them live at times!! 18) For all of our overseas friends who were awake when we were, who laugh at the same jokes, understand this culture well and could advise us at times (or laugh at us), some who have also adopted from overseas. 19) For beautiful weather--it was cold but we had warm clothes to be able to enjoy the frigid temps. 20) The amazing availability of anything you might want (except in the meat category for Kathy). 21) For Hosaflook Stew!--in a potato eating culture, this is a staple!  (they are our friends who are a dear family serving overseas). 22) For the beautiful birch forest to enjoy on the long drive to and from the orphanage. 23) For an easy walk to all the places you might need. 24) For the opportunity to grow in our understanding of our own spiritual adoption. 25) For the opportunity to repent when we fell back into the "orphan mentality"--doubting, fear, unbelief. 26) For realizing afresh that no challenges are ever a surprise to the Father. We can trust all that He has planned or allowed into our lives.  27) For the ability to rejoice at the many ways the Father has provided for us and not left us as orphans. 28) For several mornings of freshly fallen snow (like yesterday, Sunday 4/5).

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 07:04:23 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Dear Readers:
The following tips were sent to me by parents traveling in Kazakhstan. Though there are some things particular to the Petrovalavsk region, most are general enough for all travelers. Some are a bit comical but all are helpful.

1. Before you leave, call your credit card company(ies) and let them know you'll soon be traveling to central Asia (the exact dates if you can) so that they won't suddenly see an aberrant pattern in your credit card use and freeze your credit cards. We did this, and the credit card staff seemed very glad we notified them (they acted as if they absolutely would have frozen our accounts if they had suddenly seen charges popping up in central Asia).

2. Learn how to make your camera put the date on the actual photo as you'll need that for court - if you can't figure it out, they can do it here for a little more money, but it's less hassle just to figure out your own camera in this regard. Bring the user manual for your camera just in case, unless you know all this stuff already.

3. Waterproof your boots with some hiking/camping/silicone/etc type spray if you're coming in the fall or spring, as the melting ice gets really messy and muddy, hard to avoid the puddles.

4. In cold weather times, women can bring a very nice winter coat, as every woman here dresses to the hilt in the winter, virtually every woman has a fur trimmed coat, fancy hat, high heeled knee high leather boots (Though high heels would be fashionable, it'd be uncomfortable as lots of walking is done here). Ideally the walking shoes for visiting women coming here would be waterproof yet comfortable/fashionable. Don't panic on the fashionable part, though, because we both wore hiking boots most of the time and didn't feel stared at all. Just don't intentionally bring your worn out clothes thinking they'll get messed up anyway.

5. Other warm winter wear: a scarf is great for men and women and very commonly worn here (it's COLD outside!!!) - long underwear isn't a bad idea (my wife wore hers, but I never wore mine, even though I'm more cold natured than she is - hairy legs must've helped).

6. AIRPORT WARNING: For carry-on luggage you're not "checking," the security people will confiscate all your liquid containers that ORIGINALLY held over something like 3 ounces (call your local airport to find out their limit, and of course put all sharp things in your checked luggage) - , even if you've almost emptied the bottle such that only 1 ounce remains, they'll still confiscate it. That includes toothpaste! so you can pack it in the luggage you'll check, but NOT on carry-on luggage. So buy some little travel sized toiletries/shaving cream/etc or transfer some into a tiny bottle that is labeled as holding less than the required number of fluid ounces.

7. PREP FOR AIRPLANE PRESSURE CHANGES - this is probably obvious but bears mentioning - because any air that is in the bottles you're brining (shampoo, hand cream, whatever) will EXPAND at high altitude (even in the somewhat "pressurized" passenger area), you need to do the following: at home when packing everything, open each bottle and squeeze most of the air out of each bottle and recap it while squeezing, thus there won't be much air left in there to expand, and it'll just expand back to normal size rather than explode all over your suitcase. But do pack all such items in a zip lock (also with most of the air squeezed out, just to be safe. Realize that strong containers, like glass perfume/cologne bottles with strong tops (screw on tops or permanent tops) most likely can withstand the air in them trying to expand - you can't get the air out of them anyway, but if in doubt, zip lock it!!).

8. The men dress in dark shades for their coat and their pants, and often have a leather jacket on, but any dark winter jacket is fine. A number of people here dress in plain old blue jeans and tennis shoes (men only for tennis shoes) - many women wear jeans, just very tight and fashionable.

9. Bottled water is everywhere, don't bother bringing water purification systems (we did and it was a total waste of space).

10. If you've left any kids back in the States old enough to talk with you on the phone (ours are age 6 and 8), consider the following thought regarding how often you want to call them while you're away from them:   We realize every parent will have to decide this for themselves, but we had been calling our kids every day, and often the calls seemed to make the kids miss us more than if we'd not called and reminded them how much they missed us!  An experienced adoptive mom and close friend emailed us her advice to consider switching over to just calling our kids every 2 or 3 days, which is what she did when she did her international adoption - So we took her advice and are glad we did - it's been a little harder on us, but it's been a good change for our kids.  We think it's making the trip go by quicker for them and with less tears.  
Also, we found that calling them around their bedtime was a bad arrangement - it upset the bedtime routine and caught then when they were already worn out and had nothing to do after the call but think how much they missed us while trying to get to sleep - many tears!.  A much better time to call was right after breakfast, because they are more up-beat, and if they get a little sad, they quickly forget it because the events of the day help fill the void.

11. Bring slippers - you have to wear them in the orphanage (or buy some here)

12. Please schedule an appointment with your doctor to talk. You'll want your doctor to advise you about vaccines you'll need, possible help with sleep to overcome the time change and jetlag, and to give you antibiotics you can carry with you in case of traveler's diarrhea.

13. Pack some basic recipes for cooking stuff from scratch if you'll have a stove/oven where you're staying.

14. A little portable "USB memory stick" was invaluable for us in transferring photos for transport to the printing shop here, so that we could pick and choose which to print and when, and mix and match things (anyone with a clue about computer can help you get the right one) - hauling your camera to the photo store every day would be a thrash - it's much easier to use a USB memory stick. Of course, that means you need to bring a laptop too, which you'll want anyway for downloading your photos to it (and videos, if your camera will take them).

15. It's REALLY nice to be able to check your email from the comfort of your apartment, but that means you'll need to be able to use "dial up," - there's no wireless in Petropavlovsk that you can use (although the internet cafe, if you're close enough to walk to it, does have high speed internet you can use). IMPORTANT- since many new computers don't come with a "dial-up modem," you may need to buy an external one - they are tiny, they plug into your USB port, and cost under $50. It is an essential piece of equipment here!!! You may need to be sure you know how to set your computer up to actually use the dial up service - ask a computer-savvy friend if needed, we're sure glad we did, as it is a little tricky if you haven't done it in a while.

16. Bring stuff to do in the down time, as there is lots of down time, especially once your 14 day visitation period is over and you're sitting around waiting for your court date.
If any one else out there has some good hints for future families please pass them on. JAN

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 10:36:54 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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There are approximately 143 million orphans in the world today.
Many children are older, or a sibling group. Some children have medical, physical or developmental challenges.
We aren't asking you to help 143 million orphans, but you can make a difference by being a Bethany Prayer Warrior.

Prayer Warriors will receive pictures and information of children waiting through Bethany.

We ask that you pray for the children.
Pray for families who are willing to accept the children with special placement needs into their hearts and homes.
Pray for those who will never be adopted. May someone come into their life and love and care for them.
 
Each of us is part of the Body of Christ. It is He in us that is more than able to make a difference.

If you want to be added to the Prayer Warrior group and receive emails about waiting children, please send an email to:
jvandyke@bethany.org

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 09:37:16 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Dear Bethany Family,

We regret to inform you that there will not be a Multicultural Festival in 2009. For the last couple decades, we’ve been blessed with the resources and volunteers to host this fabulous event for families across the country to unite in Grand Rapids, MI and celebrate their multicultural and adoptive families. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. We hope that your local branch offices can maintain an annual picnic or gathering of some sort.

It has been wonderful to see families gather here in Grand Rapids year after year, particularly our Kazakhstan families.

Sincerely,

The Kazakhstan Team
Bethany Christian Services-International
Grand Rapids, MI

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 12:38:01 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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My apologizes for missing updates to this blog in February. Here is what happened -

The families that arrived in January did complete their courts in February. The families did experience some challenges. One family in Pavlodar had to wait two weeks to get a court date. Additional documents were required and had to be gathered by a parent on a quick flight home. Their branch worker jumped right in and helped to get everything that was needed and completed it in record time. A big shout out to the Holland Branch. I am happy to report that they will bring their beautiful daughter home in the next few days.

The second family also experienced some delays. But then they were able to shorten the incountry stay at the end. They will arrive home also within the next few days with a handsome young boy.

Despite the challenges, I know both families are more than happy with the final result of bringing their children home.

At this time there is one family scheduled to travel next week. They hope to adopt a sibling group. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers. It is anticipated that a second family will receive their Invitation to Travel and confirmation number from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When this is received, travel plans can be made.

 

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 12:08:54 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Two families are currently braving the cold of Northern Kazakhstan. One family is awaiting a court date in February, the other beginning bonding period.

There are many rumors regarding what is currently occurring in Kazakhstan. As has been reported in earlier communication the Country was overwhelmed in the past 12 months with families who had previously been interested in China or other countries whose time frames have become extended. With this the local regions have increasingly had families who were not able to accept children available.

What we are being asked is to let all families know that they need to be open to older children, either gender, and children with medical or developmental delays. All new preliminary applicants are given this information when they apply. We hope that our current families will be able to continue as they have requested. Every effort is being made not to have any family travel and return disappointed. This is not in the families or the children's best interest.

As information becomes available we will keep you posted.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 02:07:09 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Dear Readers:
In the last few months we have had both blessings and disappointments. Two of three families that traveled brought their children home. One young girl and one young boy. Both children are "healthy" and enjoying their new life in America. One family had a wonderful experience in their region. Enjoying the early and late fall weather and exploring some of the country. The second family had a less comfortable experience as their adoption moved into November the weather turned cold and the heat and hot water never came on. Living conditions were difficult to say the least. Families need to be prepared for the best of times and the worst of times.

The third family arrived to find that there were no young girls available for them to adopt. Though they met several children, they were not to be the parents for those children. This is a situation that no one anticipated occurring. It was disappointing, to say the least, for the family. Please keep them in prayer as they consider their options.

Today another family, that has waited over 6 months, is in the air, on their way to their child. Please remember them as they spend the Holidays away from family and friends. It will surely be a Christmas they will never forget.

Today is Independence Day for Kazakhstan. Celebration is to be held on Friday. Christmas is celebrated in some families and January 1 and 2 the New Year is celebrated.

May God Richly Bless Your Efforts of Kindness and Compassion during this holiday season and Throughout the New Year.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 08:12:05 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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We have two families anticipating return to the US with their children by the end of this month. We rejoice with these families. For those still waiting, we pray for the children and the persons taking care of them. We also pray with the families that the work that God is doing in them to prepare them for their child will be completed.

Regarding the steps in beginning to submit dossier, we have sent the information requested by Kazakhstan regarding our in-country coordinators. We anticipate that the next steps will be released soon. In the meantime we are still seeing waiting families move through the process, though slowly. Those families only open to young females are waiting longer for invitation as there just are not as many females as males waiting. Families will need to keep this in mind when submitting dossier for Kazakhstan.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 09:27:17 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)