Take it and go.

Let me tell you all how I feel right now, and what it felt like to get rejected by CCAI. The best way I know to explain it is to put it into a story. While I use words in the story that I wouldn’t use when talking about SN(special needs) kids and I don't veiw them as charity cases, this is the best way I know how to say what it felt like.

One day there was this family that heard about an organization that helped the kids of the world. They heard that there was going to be a fund raiser to help kids in need, and that if any one was willing to help please come and donate. This family wanted to help even though they weren’t as well off as some. They had worked hard their whole lives to get to the point were they could do some good in the world. They were so excited to be able to help the kids. Excitedly, they got all dress up in their best outfits to go and be a small part of helping to possibly change a childs life. They went down to the donation station to present what they had to give. There was a long line and it was thrilling to see all the people that had turned out. The line moved along slowly but it did move and eventually they got up to the front of the line. There they stepped forward to where the donations were being accepted. The person thanked the family for coming and asked what your family can contribute for the kids. The family knowing that making this donation even as small as it was might bring some hardships down the road that were unknown, however, together with warmth in there hearts they laid down just one dollar.

At this the person who was looking over the donations looked up and asked is this all you have to give? The father, a little shocked by the question spoke up, Yes. Sir, said the collector, you do realize that this is one of the smallest donations we received today, and that there are over 100 people in line behind you willing to give $10.00 or more. Yes, I applauded them for that, the father said, this is what my family can afford to give, and we truly want to help. Well I’m sorry sir you have to be realistic your dollar isn’t going to help many children, you take it and go. In the future if your family is willing to give more then just a dollar come back and see us.

Man that stings

Do I think CCAI is a good agency? Yes one of the best. Would I recommend them to others? Yes, and will contune to they are one of the agencies that dose do a lot of charity work for the kids in China. They have always been helpful. Have a great friendly staff at the office and from what I hear have a a top notch China team as well. The people in the waiting child department have got there hands full of people willing to going to the waiting child program. So with our short list it would be a long time before we got a referral for a waiting child. With so many people already in the waiting child program and with our short list of SN we could get a referral for a NSN child before they matched every one in front of us with a child.
I appreciate the work they do. They have been doing it for a long time now and they are just doing what they think is best for the kids.

I just took this rejection personally. Rejection is hard for anyone, even for me, and I have pretty thick skin. Now it is time to pick myself up off the ground, dust myself off, and get over it. No time for a pity party. I still have a daughter to get ready for, a family to care for, and a business to run.
Glen

We have joined CCAI's waiting child program.

We took a big step in the adoption of Norah today by sending in our waiting child checklist. We have always talked about if we were to adopt a second time from China that we would adopt a special needs child. After much research and having talked to many people in the China adoption community who have adopted SN kids we have decided that we will send in our checklist to CCAI for a waiting (special needs) child. CCAI has a program where you fill out a medical check list on what special needs your family is open to and then if they receive information on a child with a special need that is on your list they will call you and give you some information on that child. If you want more information on that particular child then they will send you a more detailed history which will help you decide if you are willing to adopt that child.

We will still be in the traditional adoption program at the same time so that if they do not end up matching us with a child in the waiting child program then we will still receive a referal for a child through the traditional program. CCAI trys to go through all the medical checklists in the order they were received and match kids with people according to the specials needs that they are willing to consider. Right now ,if you are requisting a SN girl, they are working on check list from March and April so if you do the math, and I admit I have, then we might get a call some time in March of 2007. However, here lies the rub, I said they try to match in order of when the checklist comes in but if you are the only one that is open to a certin SN, even if you just sent in your paperwork they will call you. Because of this you can get a call at anytime, you just dont know. CCAI's ultimate goal is to find homes for the waiting children in the program and just because you haven't been in the program as long they are not going to let a file go back to CCAA. They are going to call the first person open to adopting the child with that particular need. In my opinion this is best for the kids that they are trying to find homes for and I support it whole heartidly. If you think you might be interested in this program you can go to the CCAI link at the top of the page. If you would like to research a SN go to www.medlineplus.com and look it up under the the medical encyclopedia, it will give you alot of information and will tell you what might be linked to certain conditions, what the prognosis is, what disease might be related to, ect. Like did you know that 1 in 1000 caucations are born with cleft lip. This will help you deceide what you can/are willing to handle. I would recommend that if you get information on a specific child that you talk directly to a physician/specailist or 2 in that field, this will allow you to make an informed decision for you, the child, and your family. This is a life long commitment don't take it lightly.
Glen