Older Children Available from Latvia in Atlanta

I was asked to forward this.................. *************************************************** I received an email with information about children from latvia who are currently available for adoption. Supposedly no international travel is required. On Monday, they must return to Latvia and orphanage life as they have not found adoptive parents. I do not endorse this agency or program as I know nothing about them, other than this request to share information. Liz Le Ann Dakake wrote: > > Hello all! > Hope your 4th was a happy and fun one and that those who hosted children > were able to locate some celebrations of fireworks! > > Time is now running short and we need to all turn to the Lord and pray that > the children who are here to find their forever family, do. The Latvian kids > depart 7/14! > > First on our prayer list are Sasha and Roman who are wonderful boys, and > really deserve a family of their own. No one has expressed any interest in them, > and since the director of their orphanage has not been the most pleasant > person, they won't have another chance to come here. This is probably their only > hope of someone meeting them and getting adopted. They are ages 7 and 11. > The boys are full of energy, have adapted very well to their host family and > from what I've been told, are "very smart and loving." In their interview in > Belarus, they stood out to me as the most intriguing kids and I was so excited > they could come. Both are outgoing once they get to know you and have good > eye contact. Roman has sought me out at group events since they have arrived to > say "thank you" and tell me he is doing well. They have asked their host > family to please bring them home to America. These guys truly need our prayers > as it's difficult for someone to bring in two at once. With blonde hair and > blue eyes, they are totally beautiful, but I have seen the inside...they are > beautiful inside too! Their host family can provide a lot more details, so > please call me if you want to know more. They are leaving in 3 days. Their host > family is Andy and Jackie Rowe. > > Next on our prayer list is Natalia, who is age 9 and with Joel and Jennifer > Peters. Natalia has an older sister age 12, who has been described as a > wonderful, smart and considerate girl. We did not realize Natalia had this sister > until she arrived, and the orphanage director said she wanted them to stay > together, but we did not select her older sister to come. When I was in the > orphanage, I didn't realize that the older one was her sister, and we could not > take all the 12 year olds, so she was unintentionally left off the list. The > Peters have had wonderful things to say about Natalie and her behavior, but > most of all her concern towards others, desire to follow rules and please and > speak English. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and while she has tested the > Peter's a bit, she always goes with their rules and policies. She has a > great sense of humor and is very smart. We could bring both her and her sister > Luda for the Christmas hosting if anyone might be interested. > > Now, we come to Dimitry #2, who is age 13 and an athlete in every sense of > the word...also a scholar as he speaks a good bit of 4 languages. Dimitry > stayed in my home for the first 2 days as his host family was out of town. It was > hard to let him go! > He was of great help around the house and very good with our 3 and 4 year > old children. He is self-sufficient and made his bed, brushed his teeth and > such without being asked....(can he teach my kids this?) One day that sticks out > in my mind is when the phone was ringing off the hook, and I finally told my > oldest son, to please answer it as I HAD to get ready to go to work...well, > it rang and my son and his friends who were visiting had that "mesmerized by > the TV syndrome" that teens often get, so he didn't "hear it". Dimitry, after > being there 2 days jumped to the phone, answered it, and came to find me. > Dimitry also told me he had won medals in 4 athletic events in Latvia, > including soccer, track, basketball and volleyball. He visited Germany last summer on > a hosting program (not geared towards adoption) and learned German! He loved > our dog and cat and was gentle with them and liked to walk the dog. He ate > most things at least once, but would let us know if he didn't like it. Oh, he > prefers boxers to "tighty whities"...:>! He loved to open doors and meet new > people and was not shy. He is a small guy wearing size 10-12 in boy's > clothes. He's a great kid with a great sense of humor! Dimitry's host mom is Patty > Randall. > > Next meet, Agnese... She is 13, but by her small and petite size, she looks > like a 10 year old. (She wears a girl's size 8.) She is unusually beautiful > and has a smile and eyes that melt hearts...because of this, she will need > strong parents and a dad with a watchful eye! Agnese is far from puberty and is > a true sweet heart, but has very tender feelings with the emotions of a > preteen. Agnese is a daddy's girl but loves to give and get hugs from mom too. > She is very competitive for attention when with other's her own age. She would > do best with children much younger than she is, as she is very helpful and > loving towards little ones. She loves to dress up and is "girlie" and likes to > swim and go shopping! She needs a mom that has time to spend with her to > teach her things she has missed along the way, and also continue to teach her > the language. She loves to cook and help around the house as well. Agnese's > host family is also Jennifer and Joel Peters. > > Next on our urgent prayer list is Dimitry #1, as he is kindly referred to. > Dimitry (or Dima) is a funny, smart, active 11-year old who is hungry for > love and affection. He attached to his host family quickly. He doesn't shy away > from physical contact -- hugs, tickles and rough-housing are right up his > alley. We think that this is a boy who really needs a 2-parent family with a > dad. He has responded very positively to his "host papa" Chris, even calling > him daddy. As he's gotten more comfortable with his host family, he's also been > helpful with their younger kids, who continue to drive him crazy (in a good, > brotherly way). Dimitry is very bright - winning scholarships in Latvia. He > loves to read and build models. He is fascinated with how and why things > work. His family can definitely see him becoming an engineer. He has completed > the 4th grade and speaks Latvian, Russian and some English. (Children in > Latvia start school at age 7 and complete only 9 primary grades.) Is he athletic? > The boy swims like a fish, and rides bikes and roller blades like an > American. He has learned to throw a football too. He is also taking karate while > staying with his family. They hope he will earn his yellow belt before he > leaves on July 14. Dimitry's host family is Chris and Elizabeth Cummings. > > Lastly on our prayer list for a forever family is Romans. He is from Latvia > and is 7 years old. His host mom writes the following about him: "At very > first look, I knew Romans was a great kid. At the airport he took our hands and > was happy to go and experience new things. The very next day, I was > further amazed at his politeness. When he awoke he made his bed and after > breakfast washed his face. He had no problems playing with my 6 year old son. > Although he doesn’t speak any English that was not a problem from the > beginning. That very same day I realized how bright Romans was when he was > able to put the chain back on the bike when I couldn’t. Romans is shy, and > somewhat quiet. He plays well alone as well as with other children. He is > very agile and somewhat athletic. He rides a bike, is learning to swim, and > mastered roller skating in less than 30 minutes. He also loves animals. > We have a dog and a cat and he loves to sit with them in his lap. We took > him on Father’s Day to the Pine Mountain animal park and he loves feeding all > the animals. He was very brave and even fed the giraffe. Because of his > shyness he is sometimes reluctant to try new things, but once we give him > encouragement, I think he has enjoyed each moment. The ideal family for Romans would > be an active family that will show him new things, but also gives him down > time to be alone and just play. I think he would be great with a sibling. I > think he is a follower instead of a leader so he might look up easily to an > older sibling. He is also not very affectionate so a family that is might have > to understand that it may take some time for him to adjust to that. The one > thing I would like most if for the family that gets him to be the type that > tried to sit down each night together for dinner. That is something we try to do > every night and Romans really seems to like it when we are all together. The > family might also have a very active Dad. Romans has really taken to my > husband and I think he likes the male influence. And lastly, but most importantly > a house filled with faith and the love of God. I really want him to accept > Christ into his life and realize how wonderful that can be." Roman's host > family is James and Jessica Holt. > > > > Photos of these kids are attached for you to please forward to your friends > and address book. I had 5 calls today about Dima #1 from his host family > doing just this for him over the weekend. One was as far away as Utah! The clock > is ticking on their remaining time here. Email seems to be our best option at > the moment. Adoptive families don't have to live in Atlanta, and traveling > here to meet him or her is much easier and cheaper than going to Latvia or > Belarus. However, if you can't come, talking at great length with an American > host family who has lived with each child for the past 4 weeks is the next best > thing. There are other children who have not located their forever family, > but these children have all stolen our hearts and have stood out among them > all as the best candidates for integrating into "forever families". > > Also, host families, please try and stop by the Burlington Coat factory in > Marietta and get a winter coat for your hosted child to take home with them. > Winter is harsh and comes quickly in Latvia and Belarus! > > > > God Bless you all for your work in loving these children! > Le Ann Dakake > 678-313-8321 > email: <A HREF="mailto:dakake@m...">dakake@m...</A> >