After adopting two children from Russian orphanages, Deborah Mumm saw the need to help families through the international adoption process. With over 6 million orphaned children waiting for families,
United States of America (Press Release) May 7, 2008 --
Grayslake, IL, May 7, 2008-- International adoption is a time consuming and daunting experience. Most people know that there are millions of children in the world waiting for homes, but the thought of all the paperwork, the homestudy, the medicals and the fear of getting a child with problems scares most families away from the adoption process. Deborah Mumm of Grayslake knows these feelings because she lived them when adopting two children from Russia. She now offers a support system for people considering International Adoption to make the process less scary. She hopes more families will step forward and help these orphaned children.
So, what is it like to adopt a child from Russia? It is an emotional experience only adoptive families can understand. Your faith is tested endlessly as the months pass by while you wait to adopt a child from an orphanage. Can you imagine what it is like?
Just imagine that you decide you’d like to help a child, not just any child, but a child with no family and no hope for a decent future. You know this is a huge commitment and will change everyone in your family, your friends and ultimately will change your life forever. You are willing to take on this mission even though you are scared of the unknown and what you are about to undertake.
Imagine, somewhere in Russia, is a child rocking himself to sleep each night wondering what it would be like to have someone who could rock him, to comfort him when he was scared or hurt, someone to wipe his tears and tell him he was going to be ok. Imagine how it feels to be hungry so often you no longer understand what it means when your tummy growls. Imagine never leaving the orphanage to see the rest of the world. No car rides, no trips to the park, no McDonalds, and no birthday parties. Worst of all, imagine no hugs and kisses, no trips to Grandma, and no one to answer your cries. Imagine an orphanage with large silent hallways. Orphanages filled with children, but no crying? They have learned that crying gets no response, and soon they no longer know how to cry.
Imagine wanting to adopt one of these children, but you must fill out endless forms, sometimes repeatedly. You must have physicals, finger-printing, police checks, home studies and then fill out more paperwork. Then this paperwork must be notarized in triplicate, apostilled (proof of notary), and sent to various people on demand. Imagine doing these papers over several times to the point that Federal Tax forms look more appealing than adoption paperwork.
Imagine getting the call that your paperwork has finally been seen by someone from Russia and you can finally travel to meet your child! (This happened to me while I was shopping in Wal-Mart and I burst into tears!) Imagine traveling and traveling…trains, planes & automobiles of traveling. 30 hours of traveling to meet your child.
Now imagine you are finally sent to a small green room in this old Russian orphanage where you wait for someone to bring in your child. You begin to wonder why you are there. Why are you doing all this, to the point of exhaustion? You have done a mountain of paperwork, paid more money than you had ever planned on and traveled to a part of the world that is full of poverty and despair.
But suddenly, the door opens and a large Russian woman walks in with a small, thin little boy holding her hand. He is smaller than your birth son was at 3. He has the little face that has been hanging on your refrigerator for the past six months. She takes him to you and tells him, “This is your Mama.” You take him in your arms and hug him tight. You notice your husband has tears in his eyes as he picks up this very small 5 yr. old. At that moment you know this little guy is your son. You know you are changing his life forever. He now has hope for a good life, an education, better health and a forever family to love him and care for him. All the frustrations you have experienced to this point have melted away as this little guy hugs his Papa’s neck and giggles.
You know you have to do all this traveling again in a few months, but this time to bring him home to your family and friends. You will discover that not only have you changed his life for the better you have taught an important lesson on caring to all your family and friends.
The day may come, like it did for me, when your child looks you in the eyes and asks, “Mama, what took you so long to come and get me? I was waiting and waiting for you.” If you experience all this then you will be able to imagine what it is like to adopt a child from Russia.
So, what is it like to adopt a child from Russia? It is an emotional experience only adoptive families can understand. Your faith is tested endlessly as the months pass by while you wait to adopt a child from an orphanage. Can you imagine what it is like?
Just imagine that you decide you’d like to help a child, not just any child, but a child with no family and no hope for a decent future. You know this is a huge commitment and will change everyone in your family, your friends and ultimately will change your life forever. You are willing to take on this mission even though you are scared of the unknown and what you are about to undertake.
Imagine, somewhere in Russia, is a child rocking himself to sleep each night wondering what it would be like to have someone who could rock him, to comfort him when he was scared or hurt, someone to wipe his tears and tell him he was going to be ok. Imagine how it feels to be hungry so often you no longer understand what it means when your tummy growls. Imagine never leaving the orphanage to see the rest of the world. No car rides, no trips to the park, no McDonalds, and no birthday parties. Worst of all, imagine no hugs and kisses, no trips to Grandma, and no one to answer your cries. Imagine an orphanage with large silent hallways. Orphanages filled with children, but no crying? They have learned that crying gets no response, and soon they no longer know how to cry.
Imagine wanting to adopt one of these children, but you must fill out endless forms, sometimes repeatedly. You must have physicals, finger-printing, police checks, home studies and then fill out more paperwork. Then this paperwork must be notarized in triplicate, apostilled (proof of notary), and sent to various people on demand. Imagine doing these papers over several times to the point that Federal Tax forms look more appealing than adoption paperwork.
Imagine getting the call that your paperwork has finally been seen by someone from Russia and you can finally travel to meet your child! (This happened to me while I was shopping in Wal-Mart and I burst into tears!) Imagine traveling and traveling…trains, planes & automobiles of traveling. 30 hours of traveling to meet your child.
Now imagine you are finally sent to a small green room in this old Russian orphanage where you wait for someone to bring in your child. You begin to wonder why you are there. Why are you doing all this, to the point of exhaustion? You have done a mountain of paperwork, paid more money than you had ever planned on and traveled to a part of the world that is full of poverty and despair.
But suddenly, the door opens and a large Russian woman walks in with a small, thin little boy holding her hand. He is smaller than your birth son was at 3. He has the little face that has been hanging on your refrigerator for the past six months. She takes him to you and tells him, “This is your Mama.” You take him in your arms and hug him tight. You notice your husband has tears in his eyes as he picks up this very small 5 yr. old. At that moment you know this little guy is your son. You know you are changing his life forever. He now has hope for a good life, an education, better health and a forever family to love him and care for him. All the frustrations you have experienced to this point have melted away as this little guy hugs his Papa’s neck and giggles.
You know you have to do all this traveling again in a few months, but this time to bring him home to your family and friends. You will discover that not only have you changed his life for the better you have taught an important lesson on caring to all your family and friends.
The day may come, like it did for me, when your child looks you in the eyes and asks, “Mama, what took you so long to come and get me? I was waiting and waiting for you.” If you experience all this then you will be able to imagine what it is like to adopt a child from Russia.
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