Casa de Maria el Nino--Medellin

I realize you posted a long time ago, but I was surfing looking for pictures of Casa de Maria, as we never got any when we were there. We just completed an adoption there in May 2002. We adpoted two wonderful children -- a 7 month old girl and a 3+ year old boy. Feel free to respond if you want to chat. If you do happen to have pictures of the place and can share them with us, we would love it. Our little boy vividly remembers living there, but is quickly losing his memories without having pictures to refresh it! Thanks and good luck.:)

I was wondering if you could share your experience with your recent adoption. We are researching the various orphanages in Colombia and do not know much about Casa de Maria. Any info on the adoption and travel would be very appreciated. Thanks so much. Lorraine

Hi! The Williams, I am interested on anything you can share on Casa de Maria. We're currently waiting for our referral from there. It's been 8 months now since the orphanage received our dossier, so we think it shouldn't be too long now.... hopefully... Thanks!

We adopted our infant daughter from Casa de Maria in November 2001. When we were there, we met a few families who were adopting older children... and all of us were using Commonwealth Adoptions as our agency.

Marie! What was your experience with Casa de Maria? We're also adopting with Commonwealth Adoptions. Needless to say, we're eagerly waiting for our referral.

Hello! Going to Casa de Maria y El Nino was an amazing experience (I'm very excited for you- you have so much to look forward too). I'll give you the brief version; however, if you want to talk in more depth (since you are going through Commonwealth, perhaps we can chat via the phone... you can get my number through Commonwealth if you'd like). Basically, we met with the director of Casa de Maria first for quite a long time to go over information about our daughter, her history and her birth family. And after that, they brought our daughter to us and gave us some private time to be with her and then we left with her. Again, I'm very excited for you!!!

Thanks for the info, Marie! Yes, I will try and get your number through CAI. So you did get some info about your little girl? That's exciting. I am wondering how much info we will get. I understand Colombia is one of the countries that provides the most information to adoptive parents, as compared, for example, to Russia, where you may just get a paragraph of info. So yes, I'd like to talk to you. And by the way, there's a new Yahoo group that was started by a Commonwealth mom, it's called adoptcolombia, if you're interested. Everyone is invited. How old is your baby now?

My wife and I are applying to Casa de Maria and would appreciate hearing of any experiences you have with the orphange. You may also mail us at kajust@aol.com Thank you, John & Karen

I'm looking into adopting from Colombia. Can you email me about the process & what to expect at sunny4aw@yahoo.com Thank you... Shayla

My name is Anna Prato , I live in Italy, and I adopted a 3 year child from Casa de Maria in February 2003. The experience wa terrific and woderful due to the ecellent level of professionality of the manaagement of the Casita. First of all teh children are in very good conditions: they have a doctor inside the Casita and they receive a lot of care. My child was used to hacve everything he needed and the clinical information were accurate and complete. Mrs Raquel Altman is very nice: she knows very well all children and she will give you a lot of detils on the child history, pscicological and psicomotorial situation. I also think is positive that children are not baptised , to respect the feeling of the new family. The most exciting moment is not only when you receive your child but aldo when all the other children come to you , asking abot your child, hoping for their turn. I jsut wanted to take with me all of them. My husband did not put the film in the camera so we could not have any pictures of the Casita for Alejandro. Is there anyone who could send to me some recent photos 8also with children) too show to Alejandro. Alejandro was sleeping in the room near the entry, wuith children of 2/3 years . peraphs some of you adopted a friend of him. We are in contact with yuan camilo as well. please wite to me also at manghettia@posteitaliane.it Regards Anna hasirdoout the

Hi everyone- I know this specific discussion board is about potentially adopting or have already adopted from La casa.- but i thought you guys would find it interesting to hear from an adoptee from the same orphanage as your children 25 years ago. I cant believe that raquel is still at La Casa- i was told by my parents that the casita didnt excist anymore- I am still shocked to know that i am so close to finding raquel who in 1982 took care of me and- helped my parents adopt me and my brother. Please if anyone knows her where abouts- or even contact info dated back to even 5 years ago- that would help- or an email adress to la casa- I was 20months when i was adopted- and my brother was 6 months- we came from 2 different families. I lived with my n-mother- mariela atehortua for a year and 3 months according to my documents- which i only saw when i was 21. I am 27 now. I am searching for mariela- In 2000 i gave my own daughter up- not by much choice- long story- in toronto where i live now-I have not seen her since she was 1- so finding my identity and past is very important to me- for both our sakes. In the past year i have reunited with other colombian adoptees such as myself and we celebrate Colombian Independence day in NY every year- and most have reunited with there birth families- and it took most of us almost 25-35 years old to do so. I appreciate that there are adopters out there that actually really want whats best for the child and not forget there past and try to have the information on the birthfamily and keep in touch- if can- I had a closed adoption- i could never talk about it to my parents- and i dont want that to happen to my daughter or any child who is put up for adoption.- denial is the worst thing that someone could do to an adoptee. This is why now im more open about my own adoption- because being raised i felt ashamed- and alot of adoptees feel this way- like they are alone- until they meet there other family or and meet other adoptees.- It took me till i was about 22 to realize that my feelings where actually normal. but if i deny myself as an adoptee then i deny my daughter as an adoptee. So i know your children are young- so its alot different once you are older- around 6-7 when you start grade school. one thing i miss most- besides my mother is my culture and language-and my name- even if i found mariela i cant even speak in the same language as her- that makes me really sad and mad- that my parents didnt make an effort to keep teaching me spanish so i wouldnt lose it.- even through childrens books. Spanish was all i knew up to 2 years old- then i was taught english and hebrew at the same time anyways i would love to get to know more of you - you can add me to facebook- Shifra Saltzman- message me to know why you added me msn- wizard_of_paws@hotmail.com yahoo- colombiana0815@yahoo.ca- and email skype- dos2200 thank you again- dalia shifra saltzman aka- dilia disnei atehortua

Hi Jo. I know you posted this a long time ago and hope you were able to adopt that 2nd child. I lived in casa de maria y el nino and was adopted at the age of 9 yrs old. I would love to talk to you if you get this.

Hi all im forwarding an email- my mom sent me- she is helping me research Raquel altman- if we can contact her then all of us from La Casa in Medellin- may be able to have more info about our families- and ourselves- if you can give me as much info about yourselves in colombia as you know- or those who adopted through raquel what info you had at the time when you adopted your kids- thanks- shifra >From: "Shula Strassfeld" <meirimdance@hotmail.com> >To: wizard_of_paws@hotmail.com >Subject: Raquel >Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:43:16 -0400 > >I think I found an address and phone for the Casita. I googled >Raquel Altman and kept trying the Spanish listings until this list >of government agencies opened. It lists the institution, the head >then a colum headed "direccion" which I think is an address of some >sort and then Telefone. >the Direccion listing is: CL9 A 825-422 (doesn't seem like a street >address but maybe an agency code of some sort) and the phone is: >3128314/3127236. There is someone at Dance Exchange who speaks >Spanish. I will try to reach her- most of us are on vacations so it >may not be this week) and as soon as she can, we'll try to call- or >I will be in TO Aug 24 and 25 for Alona's wedding. We could call >together then if you have a Spanish speaking person to make the call >with. I will see if I can find my old phone book adn see if this is >the same phone number as when we got you. Also some of the >references sent me to this adoption forum which I think you are a >member of. There seem to be several [people trying to find Raquel. >Can you email them and see what's what???? > >Catch ya later >Love ya >IMMA > >_________________________________________________________________ >Put Your Face In Your Space with Windows Live Spaces >[url=http://spaces.live.com/?mkt=en-ca]Home - Windows Live Spaces[/url] >

Hi. I wanted to let you know that I called casa de maria y el nino yesterday and spoke with Alba Lucia. I live there when i was 8-9 yrs old and was adopted in 1989. I can't believe she remembered me. Raquel still works there and I was also wondering if anyone who was there during this time also knew Anna? She was one of the workers there and I just loved her! I used to call her mom and she even took me home with her a couple of times. I guess she is no longer there b/c when I spoke with Alba lucia she said she wasn't and wasn't sure where to contact her. PHONE #: 011-574-2686112 THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO PUT IN YOUR PHONE.. GOOD LUCK! --NORA

Hello:) i am a boy from Norway. I have a twin brother. We Are adopted from Colombia, Medellin. We where staing in Casa de Maria, our parents from Norway come to Casa de Maria in november 1990. Our name is Rafael Velasques and Hector Velasques. We dont no anything about our parents in Colombia. Can er get som help in here?:)