Ocala, Florida (PressExposure) April 14, 2010 -- One mother's decision could affect countless American citizens seeking to bring Russian children into their lives
In early April, an American woman put her 7-year-old adopted son on a plane back to Russia with a note saying she didn't want him anymore because he had psychological issues. Officials and adoption experts in both countries were shocked by the incident -- so much so that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov demanded a freeze on all Russia-to-U.S. adoptions until the two countries can forge a new agreement adoptions conditions. Numerous American families will feel this effect: There were 1,586 Russian children adopted in the U.S. in 2009.
But one horrific incident shouldn't ruin international adoption for all Americans who yearn to provide a loving home for those children around the world who are in need of families.
"It's like if there's a plane crash: They don't ground all planes," said Ginger Carlisle, who has a son and a daughter who were adopted from the Ukraine. "The rest of the children that have been adopted and can still be adopted should not be punished for one incident in thousands of successful adoptions."
And most international adoptions ultimately result in happy endings. Take the experience of Ginger and her husband, Kevin. The couple began the process of adopting their children from the Ukraine after the loss of their daughter in a car accident. Their book In Search of a Family chronicles their journey on the bumpy road to bringing their new children home.
In an intimate journal setting, the Carlisles guide the reader through their experience navigating the unknowns of an international adoption and overcoming the numerous obstacles that threatened to derail their quest to form a new family. The couple is familiar with the devastation political issues can cause; their first attempt at international adopting was abruptly terminated with a radical change in the Honduran government.
Their second endeavor was no easier, and the details of the challenges they faced are a valuable resource for anyone considering the process. Braving Ukrainian election tensions and protests, heartbreaking hindrances, financial fears, and changing adoption policies, they endured the emotional and psychological maze of the bureaucracy and physical logistics of an international adoption while focusing on one goal: bringing the children home.
But as this recent event shows, the troubles don't end once the adoption is complete. In many cases, the language barriers and psychological effects of being institutionalized make it hard for foreign children to connect with their new parents and adapt to their new homes. But those struggles pale in comparison to their ultimate reward -- forging a loving, lasting relationship with a child you can call your own.
"It's a feeling that you get when you look at them," Ginger said. "And you say, 'These are my children. They just are.' It becomes a fact. Not every kid does what you want or turns out the way that you want them to, but this is your child; there is no question to it."
For more information on the Carlisles and their family's story, visit their Web site, http://www.insearchofafamily.com.
Ginger and Kevin Carlisle currently live in Sebring, Florida and are available for interviews.