Holt International - Blog » Families

Children Who Give: Hunter’s Story — Our Gift

rmunro — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:53:52 +0000

Welcome to our first post in the “Children Who Give” blog series! In the coming weeks and periodically throughout the year, we will feature stories about children who raise funds for Holt, and parents, grandparents and others who raise funds on behalf of the children in their lives. As Mary Li Creasy illustrates so well in the following story about her son, Hunter, children are a gift — a gift that often inspires us to give back. In this story, it is Hunter who was inspired to give back. His love and appreciation for his family inspired him to write an award-winning essay about Holt, to which he then donated his winnings so that we can help more children have families of their own. Thank you Hunter, and thank you Mary Li for sharing this beautiful story!

Hunter in July 2011, age 8.

One year to the day we adopted our daughter, Lily – from China through Holt – we got the call about a 4-year-old boy named “Hung” in Vietnam. Holt thought he would be a good match for our family. We had applied to the special needs program only a few months earlier, knowing we wanted to adopt an older child and also that we did not want to wait the 13 months it took to bring our daughter home from China between 2005 and 2006. We had gone to committee once before, but Holt’s social workers decided another family was a better fit for that child. After that, we felt greatly discouraged and weren’t sure we would ever be matched.

We were shocked to receive the call only a month later about Hung.

With a 10-year-old and 2-and-a-half-year-old at home, 4 seemed on the lowest end of the age spectrum we would consider. And we knew nothing about the Vietnam program. After praying about it and talking it over as a family for a few days, we requested the file.

One look at Hung’s beautiful brown eyes and we were in love.

In September of 2008, fifteen months after we accepted Hung’s referral, the U.S. and Vietnam decided not to renew their Memo of Understanding regarding adoptions and subsequently suspended all international adoption from Vietnam. We managed to endure the next seven months with the help of weekly telephone calls with Holt staff, hundreds of supportive e-mails, and several visits with our online Holt Vietnam friends and Dong Nai waiting parents group. After our case was finally resolved, we traveled to Bien Hoa, Vietnam, where on April 13, 2009, we met and adopted our son Hung, who we named John “Hunter.”

Hunter came to us with a huge smile and an open heart.

Hunter in his first referral photo, as "Hung."

“Hung” in Vietnamese means “hero” or “brave.” That describes our son exactly. We were told he had “special needs” due to his age and an “expressive speech delay.” We were stunned in Vietnam because he never stopped talking to anyone and everyone in fluent Vietnamese. Apparently, he just wouldn’t speak to his social worker during quarterly visits!

At age 6, after bouncing from an orphanage to two different foster homes, we were his final “placement.” Hunter joined our family and never looked back. He bonded with all of us immediately, especially his older brother, Marshall, and younger sister, Lily. He started understanding English immediately and after a few months, we stopped counting the number of new words he acquired each week.

When he started kindergarten, we worried that other students might tease him because of the language barrier, but his teacher told us that he was so confident and helpful that no one would tease him. Initially, Hunter had extreme tantrums of frustration when we could not understand what he was trying to communicate. As we all adjusted to our “new normal,” those heart-wrenching fits of wailing and flailing in frustration disappeared. Hunter still struggles mightily with reading and writing, but his ESOL teacher tells us he has exceeded all expectations. He is right on target for science and math and excels at art! He is in a regular classroom and keeping up with his classmates. Hunter is all boy – active, active, active and a total ham bone! He revels in making others laugh.

Hunter with brother Marshall, dad Jim and sister Lily on his adoption day in Vietnam.

Hunter’s life in foster care in Vietnam was not easy. His depth of understanding of the life he left and the family he joined became apparent in January, 2010, when his first grade teacher asked him to finish the sentence, “I have a dream… ,” for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Hunter wrote, “I had a dream that evere VN boy and gerl had a hom.”

A dream that every Vietnamese boy and girl had a home.

This year, the PTA of Hunter’s elementary school held an essay contest for students in grades 2-6. The kids were asked to submit an essay completing the statement, “If I had $100, the charity I would give it to is…”

Hunter chose Holt and wrote:

I pick Holt International Children’s Agency. They helped my family adopt me from Vietnam and my sister from China. They help kids around the world. They need animals to help poor children with no food. They need clothes and medicine for kids. They help kids find forever families. They build houses and schools. I would ask them to send the $100 to my orphanage in Vietnam to buy toys, books and crayons for the kids who still wait for families of their own. Please pick Holt. They rock!

A winner was chosen from each class and given a $100 check from the PTA for their charity. Out of hundreds of essays submitted, Hunter won for the second grade!

The winners were asked to read their essays at a “Gift of Giving” assembly at school right before Thanksgiving. Hunter practiced reading his essay for days and was the last speaker of the night. There was not a dry eye in the house!

So often we are approached and asked, “Does he know how lucky he is?” Often, Vietnamese people will tell us how “blessed” Hunter is. Our response is always the same – He is our gift. He is our special gift from God. In the two and a half years he has been with us, we have learned many lessons in patience, faith, forgiveness and courage from this little boy with the big smile and the open heart. We know that his love and compassion will be a gift to the world for the rest of his life.

Hunter's family on Mother's Day 2011. From Left: Jim, Hunter, Lily, Mary Li and Marshall Duda.

Visit Holt’s sponsorship page to learn how you can change a child’s life in Vietnam or another country!

Click here to read more about Holt’s work in Vietnam.

Know of a child or family who helped raise funds for Holt? Share your story with Holt’s senior writer, Robin Munro, at robinmunro@holtinternational.org.

Holt Picnics in Oregon: July 16th in Corbett, August 6th in Eugene

rmunro — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:49:08 +0000

Hey there, Holt families in the Portland area – it’s time to get together again for Holt’s annual picnic!

I hope you, your family and friends can join us Saturday, July 16th, from 11-3 at Camp Angelos in Corbett, OR. Camp Angelos is also the site of Holt’s Oregon adoptee camp, which will begin the following day. (Day Camp, for parents and children ages 5-18, will be held July 20th.)

Holt’s camp counselors will be leading children’s activities at the Portland-area picnic. They look forward to meeting you and your children!

Please bring a picnic lunch for everyone in your party. And don’t forget comfy shoes, as you may want to hike Multnomah Falls trails before or after the picnic.

Also, don’t forget about the Eugene picnic on Saturday, August 6th, at Camp Harlow. RSVP for the Korean BBQ lunch today or anytime before July 25th.

After the picnic lunch in Eugene, Holt adoptive father Daniel Freed – a.k.a. “The Amazing Spaghetti” – will perform a magic show for the children.

The Camp Harlow pool will also be open after lunch in Eugene.

For directions to the park or to print an invitation for others, please visit us online at www.holtinternational.org/picnics.

Christmas Blessings & Thanks

Brian Campbell — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:22:16 +0000

We hope and pray that this Christmas brings you a deep sense of God’s enduring peace and love, and that you feel blessed and truly appreciated.

On behalf of all of us at Holt International, and on behalf of the children we serve together, thank you.

Happy Holidays! Adoption Tax Credit Extended through 2012!

rmunro — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:59:23 +0000

Happy holidays, Holt families! On Friday, December 17^th, President Obama signed the 2010 Tax Relief Act, a package of income tax, estate tax and unemployment provisions – including one huge benefit for adoptive families. This act extends the adoption tax credit through 2012!

The adoption credit would have sunset in 2011, but now families filing through 2012 may take this credit for adoption-related expenses – reducing their tax bill up to $13,170 in 2011 and $12,170 in 2012.

For families filing in 2011, the tax credit includes one additional benefit: it’s refundable. This enhancement is not a feature of the Tax Relief Act, but rather the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – the massive health care reform legislation enacted earlier this year.

Although the credit will vary for adoptive families, the ultimate outcome is the same. It eases the financial burden of adopting internationally – enabling more orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children to have permanent, loving families. And for that, we celebrate.

To learn more about these benefits, visit the North American Council on Adoptable Children.

What Faith Can Do

Ashli Keyser — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:09:28 +0000

July 31st marked the 10th anniversary of Bertha Holt’s passing.

When asked how she would like to be remembered, Bertha Holt’s request was a simple one:

“[Remember me] as that lady who loved the Lord,” she humbly replied.

On the tenth anniversary of her passing, it’s fitting to reflect on Bertha “Grandma” Holt’s love for the Lord, her faith in Him, and how that faith has inspired many people around the world to carry on Holt’s mission of finding families for children.

Brian Campbell, Holt’s creative services director remembers Bertha Holt, and how she has inspired him:

I remember watching Bertha Holt at a Holt picnic, one year, as she sat and had her picture taken with hundreds of children of all ages. I stood there, amazed, listening to her recall the names of the children and sharing a brief story about each one of them. Older adoptees also came up to her, giving her hugs and thanking her for the work of Holt International. The younger children referred to her as “Grandma.” She had prayed continually for all of these children while they were in Holt’s care and traveled all over the world to serve them; they were always her top priority.

During a quiet moment, between the visiting and photos, I caught Grandma by herself. A look of peace and blessing was on her face. Not a look of pride or pleasure in knowing that she was important to all these people, but rather a look of peace that comes from knowing that she was doing what God had called her to do.

Now, more than 20 years later, I recall that moment with Grandma Holt. I imagine her with me in places like Ethiopia, surrounded by children, listening to their giggling and crying, laughing with them, and cradling and comforting them without hesitation. I ask for the children’s names, take their pictures, touch their little hands and pray for them. Today, inspired by Bertha Holt, these children are also my priority.

After the death of Harry Holt, many thought Holt International would close its doors. But Bertha always had faith that the agency would carry on. “This has always been God’s work,” she said. “If He wants it to continue, it will.”

And it has. What followed, and what remains today, is a 55-year legacy of caring for and providing loving homes to the world’s orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children.

Evidence of Bertha Holt’s faith can be seen today through Holt employees, working diligently and joyfully for children all over the world, to the hundreds of adult adoptees who were touched by “Grandma’s” life and, most importantly, through the smiling faces of children now home with their loving families.

The mission of Holt International has carried on, and will continue, all because one woman had faith that it could.

From Desperation to a Joy-filled Life

Brian Campbell — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:38:54 +0000

A mother is able to provide for her family with the help of Holt International’s family preservation program

Brian Campbell, Creative Services Director

An excerpt from Brian’s Travel Diary while in Ethiopia.

Messenich recieving a micro-loan to start a small coffee selling business.

Durame, Ethiopia—I met an old friend today. Not an old friend from my childhood or college. Rather, a friend I encountered on my first trip to Ethiopia in February of 2008. Messenich is a smiling, healthy mother of two delightful daughters today, but this was not the reality when we met in 2008. Holt International had just introduced our family preservation services to the Durame and Shinshicho areas in southern Ethiopia. Recently widowed and the mother of three daughters, Messenich’s situation had been brought to Holt’s attention after her youngest daughter had been relinquished into Holt’s care. I traveled with two social workers to Messenich’s home to see what we could do to help preserve the remaining family and give them hope for a better future.

When I traveled there for the first time, I remembered thinking that Messenich’s home was tidy and the structure was sound and sturdy. The sturdiness of the home, however, was the only stability this mother had. In poor health and with almost no food to provide her children, Messenich waited for us in her dimly lit home, sitting politely with her hands folded and her eyes down-turned. As she spoke about her children and retold her story to the social workers,

I watched her through the camera lens. I saw expressions of hopelessness and desperation move across her features as she tried to describe her very limited options. I remained hidden behind the camera, the salty moisture in my eyes blurring my vision. This was a mother on the edge of having any remaining appearance of family-life totally slip through her fingers like loose sand.

That was in 2008. Today, because of the help that Holt has provided, Messenich has a smile on her face as she rushes to the gate to meet us. Her daughters quickly bound around the courtyard. Nearly as tall as Messenich, these children are full of life, joy and confidence. Through our family preservation efforts Messenich and her daughters are pictures of success and vitality.

Messenich received a micro-loan and started buying coffee to process. From the funds gained through this venture, she purchased cows and sheep to sustain her family and continue receiving income. She is now healthy and active in her community, and her daughters are now in school, in good health and receiving plenty to eat.

Holt Ethiopia Director, Dr. Fikru Geleso tells me that this family is now ready to cycle out of the family preservation program and continue to succeed on their own.

Messenich has frequently occupied my prayers for the past two years and today I had the privilege to see how God has used Holt International to lift up this mother and preserve this family.

You can participate in this kind of blessing this Mother’s Day. Give a Gift of Hope through Holt International’s Gifts of Hope catalog and provide some basic necessities to help get a family back on their feet and give them a brighter future.

Wrapped up in Love

Ashli Keyser — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:04:17 +0000

Power and love flow from the adoption community

by Amy Ostertag

I remember clicking on the Holt International website at the beginning of our adoption journey, and finding the Holt forum. They were a huge comfort and guided us as we navigated the piles of paperwork and felt the anticipation and worry.

This group of adoption community friends rejoiced with us as we shared the joy of finding Joo-sung on the list of children in the Waiting Child program. His face and story seemed to call to us—telling us that we were meant to be together. We had a sense of quiet reassurance that he was the fourth son who was meant to complete our family…and he has!

On the flight to Korea to receive Ben, we met another family who was also on the message boards, and we bonded immediately. We traveled together, met our children on the same day, and flew them home together. We have had play dates in the years that have followed and feel a love and bond that will last a lifetime.

Then, our world changed forever. We stood in the ER hallway and heard the words “large brain mass,” “tumor,” and “emergency ventriculostomy“. In the days that followed the news worsened. Our son had a very aggressive form of brain cancer. Life moved at warp speed as he was rushed to the ICU and embarked on many months of in-patient care and a brutal protocol of chemotherapies.

We received so many messages on Ben’s care page from all the friends we had made through the years on Holt’s website. We received notes, gifts and cards that buoyed our spirit. Our close friends, who had traveled with us to Korea, now traveled up to UCLA hospital to sit with us and reassure us that we were not alone. But nothing could prepare us for the most amazing gift of all.

Bren, a Korean adoptee and adoptive mother, made a quilt pieced together from squares sent from adoptive families from all over the United States. The families sent fabric and cards to accompany each square, with stories of the significance and meaning behind their quilt square. There was a piece of a child’s favorite baby blanket, a square with vegetables on it, because they know how much our Benny wants to be a chef someday, and a square with a map of Korea on it.

On each corner the words “love,” “happiness,” “hope,” and “faith” were stitched in Korean. It was Ben’s very own “100 Good Wishes Quilt”…with 100 pieces of fabric, 100 well-wishes and 100 prayers. Accompanying it was a beautiful scrapbook of all the stories and little pieces of the squares.

As two moms came and delivered it to his hospital bed, we wrapped him up in all the love that was being sent to him from all around the globe. The colors brightened the drab room, and we spent hours snuggling under that quilt in the months to come-pointing to the squares and telling stories.

Ben’s chemo and stem cell transplant are now complete, and he is home and in active remission. Every night we tuck him in under the quilt and feel that all the love brought us to this point, and we thank God for the support and prayers of the adoption community.

Movie Presents Offensive Image of an Adopted Child

Brian Campbell — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:39:10 +0000

by Susan soon-keum Cox—Vice President of Public Policy

We at Holt International want to inform our constituents about a movie entitled “Orphan” scheduled to be released in July by Warner Brothers. We are concerned about media depictions that demean or degrade children. We are especially alarmed about the movie’s negative portrayal of adoption and children in need of families.

As adults we have a responsibility to speak out and advocate on behalf of our children. Many people have already contacted Warner Brothers with their concerns, and at least two groups have developed petitions to respectfully protest the messaging of this movie. One group, Orphans Deserve Better, has developed a website to mobilize efforts against the film. Please review their petition’s information and include your voice among those who are making it clear you do not support the movie “Orphan.”

Warner Brothers has already responded to initial protests about the movie and made efforts to remove some the offensive language from the movie’s original trailer. In response to pressure from adoptive parents and other concerned individuals, Warner Brothers has removed the line: “It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own,” from recently released trailers. However, it remains unclear whether or not the line was removed from the movie.

The Gift of Fatherhood

Ashli Keyser — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:01:01 +0000

An adoptive dad reflects on having two beautiful children

by: Terry R. Cassreino

With Father’s Day fast approaching, my children are on my mind more than usual. Our family is in the process of moving to southeast Louisiana after I accepted a job and began work there in May. Our children stayed home with my wife, helping prepare our house for sale and packing for the move.

Being a father came late for me, just like my marriage. Both have been a huge blessing. Pam and I met in 1997 when I was 36; we married in 1999. When it became obvious we weren’t going to have a child naturally, we chose to adopt, hooked up with Holt International and the rest, to use a trite phrase, is history. We brought our daughter, Camryn, home from China in 2006.

A few years later Camryn sat in my lap and begged me to talk about the upcoming China trip my wife and I were taking to bring home our second child, Matthew. Her excitement had been building for months, ever since Pam and I learned that we were matched with a little boy through Holt’s China Child of Promise program.

“Tell me about my baby brother,” Camryn said as she smiled and laughed. “Talk to me about Matthew. Is he going to be big? Is he still a baby? Can I play with him?”

Hearing Camryn’s excitement didn’t surprise me at all. We had been talking to her about Matthew for weeks to help her prepare for his arrival and ease the transition to having a second child as a member of our family.

Matthew has been home since December. For me, nothing is more touching than watching Camryn sit on the floor of her bedroom, open a book, point to the pictures and create a story for her brother as if she’s reading the words on the pages. Matthew usually sits quiet and attentive, listening to every word.

Our lives have seen the typical challenges of most parents: making sure our children eat right, trying to choose the right day care and treating the typical childhood illnesses and colds. We also do other things, such as ensuring Camryn and Matthew know and learn about their Chinese culture. And we are helping Matthew correct his clubfoot, which hasn’t been that much of a problem at all.

I’m 48 now – and probably will be the oldest parent in our children’s PTA organization. But that doesn’t bother me; you are only as old as you feel and act. I know I speak for my wife and myself when I say that raising two children under 5 will keep you young at heart and young in mind. Children are wonderful; they never cease to amaze me.

I haven’t seen my wife or my children that much the past month. But if ever I feel overwhelmed in my new job or stressed by the impending move and sudden changes in our lives, I often think back to that day before our trip to China to adopt Matthew. And I smile – that’s all I need for Father’s Day.

“Tell me about my baby brother,” Camryn said as she looked into my eyes. “Talk to me about Matthew. Is he going to be big? Is he still a baby? Can I play with him? “I can’t wait for my brother. I can’t wait for Matthew.”

Hearts for Children in Need

Ashli Keyser — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:55:20 +0000

Inspiring stories about sponsoring children in Holt’s care

From Loving Sponsor, to Loving Home
by: Jenn Hand, Nepal

I was at a Newsong concert when the Lord completely captured my heart as the band shared about the ministry of Holt International. I honestly thought I should ignore the fast beating of my heart as I heard the stories of the children in need of sponsorship, because I myself was a graduate school student, which of course equals little to no money. But I knew God was calling me to the sponsorship table, where I picked out my little girl, Manna. I fell more in love with her every month as I sent that check and loved getting the very detailed updates about how she was doing. Little did I know during this time God was calling me to come serve him in another bordering country to where she lived in south Asia. I was amazed how God provided for me as I raised support to come serve Him in south Asia, and even without a steady paycheck, there was always enough money to send to little Manna. I proudly displayed her picture on my refrigerator. In 2007 I left for south Asia where I received the blessing of getting to work with an orphanage here. Every time I hugged one of our orphans I thought of Manna and prayed for her to find a great home. I almost got to meet her in October 2007 as I traveled to Bangalore, India, to lead a women’s conference, however the conference session went too long, and I was unable to meet up with her foster family before I had to leave. Every time I see a beggar child in the streets of south Asia (and there are hundreds) I praised God for the ministry of Holt and for the foster home Manna was in. When I heard she was adopted into a loving Christian family, I just could not stop praising the Lord. Now I have a new little girl’s photo on my refrigerator

Inspired to Give
by: Joann Westerman, Fair Oaks, CA

My daughter and her husband adopted a beautiful baby girl from Korea through Holt in October of 1999. Tristen was 5 months old when she came into our lives. Because of this amazing life-changing experience, I have dedicated my life to helping children. I feel sponsoring is just a small way of helping. I also do volunteer work with children in crisis. Being able to financially and physically help children fulfills my life.

Joi’s Prayers Answered
by: Richard Buckley

As part of a ministry event called The Advent Conspiracy, my family and I chose to do four things to focus on Jesus this past Christmas: We worshipped more fully, spent less on ourselves, gave more to others, and loved the people God has placed in our path more fully. One exciting thing we did was to allow each of our daughters to sponsor a girl from their native country (2 from China and 1 from Korea).

Joi sponsored a child through Holt International, and she fervently prayed for her. Every mealtime and bedtime prayer included a special mention of her name asking God to watch over her. If I forgot to pray for her, Joi made me “do it over,” or she added her own “P.S.” to God after the prayer. The amazing thing is that her sponsored child has the very same foster parents as Joi did! It’s tempting to say “It’s a small world after all” but it’s much better to say “What an awesome and huge God we have!”

Joi is a new Christian, and I love to see God affirm new believers as they grow in Him. This past week we got a letter from Holt International noting that Joi’s sponsored child had been adopted and has a forever home in the United States. You should have seen Joi’s face when it sunk in! Amy and I had the honor of telling Joi the Lord not only heard her prayers, but He has acted on them and placed this special child in a family where she will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and understand unconditional love.

As we read the letter at the dinner table, we came to a paragraph noting that we had been assigned another Korean baby girl to sponsor and pray for. She is the latest addition to our sponsorship family. Please pray for her to have a forever family soon…and remember, if you don’t, Joi will be there to remind you!

Hands Full of Children in Need
by: Juan Ocampo

I took the rest of the child sponsorship folders and handed them to a lady who wanted to look at them, and she ended up sponsoring a child. She then handed the pamphlets to someone else, and the sponsoring moved forward. Seeing the handful of pamphlets that began in my hands being sponsored by others was God’s way of telling us that, though we could only sponsor one child, He would always provide for the other children to be sponsored as well. Our hearts melted, and we thanked God for His love. My wife and I registered to sponsor a 4 years young little girl from the Ukraine for 6 months at $30 a month. That is a minimal amount of money that will help her with her medicines and general needs. That’s the least we could do. I’m sure it will go on beyond the six months, but everything has a beginning.

Inspired at Winter Jam
by: Morgan Gibson, Danville, VA

My boyfriend and I went to Winter Jam in Greensboro, North Carolina, and a presentation was made about Holt International. Feeling God’s call, we decided to support a little girl from Korea. We’re both college students and had both looked into this with another organization; however, we couldn’t afford it. Now, being able to split the cost, we already feel blessed by God knowing that we are helping to further His kingdom. It was truly amazing walking up to the table praying that God would show us who He wanted to cross our paths. God had a plan because our eyes landed on the same child at the same moment. As two students who want to adopt in the future, we saw this as an opportunity to get started!

The Opportunity of a Lifetime
by: Michael Whatley, Acworth, GA

An incredible thing happened with the first child I sponsored through Holt. As I was giving and praying for her, I received a letter one day that told me that I no longer needed to give to her. Because of what I had given, it allowed the girl’s parents time to find another job that enabled them to provide the income needed. The mom, dad, and child were reunited. Praise God! Now I am supporting my second child with great joy and gladness knowing that she will have the opportunity of a lifetime as well.

‘One of the Bests Things We’ve Ever Done’
by: Debbie

We love “our” little girl and hope she finds a loving family. We feel like she’s ours! My little granddaughter is so cute; she wants to write her a letter. I’m so glad Holt was introduced at the Winter Jam concert! It’s one of the best things we’ve ever done.

Join these dedicated sponsors and help a child in need today….