Adopting orphans is an international task. The phenomenon that the natural parents abandon their own children for various reasons exists in many countries. Due to the decline of the American birth rate in recent years, many families have a strong desire to adopt one or two children. However, it is very difficult to adopt children within the United States. American people are used to adopting children from South America and Eastern Europe. In recent years, they have turned their attention to China because the Chinese government’s work efficiency on adoption procedures has greatly improved. Seven years ago, a large-scale non-profit organization -- Family with Children from China -- was set up in the United States with branches in nearly 40 states and more than 50,000 members. All members are American families who have either already adopted children from China or are waiting to do so. But, how do these families adopt children from China? How do they take care of them?

Helping Little Kailee

In recent weeks, a story on major news websites and some Chinese newspapers in the United States has caught many people’s attention. A five-year-old Chinese orphan, Kailee, who was born in Changdu of central China’s Hunan Province and adopted by a couple from New Mexico, is now suffering from aplastic anaemia. The anxious American couple named Wells invited experts to design a multi-lingual website (www.kaileegetwells.com) for their daughter to seek help from all over the world to save her.

The vivacious and cute image of Kailee on this website has aroused the concern of many people who care about her destiny. Above the signature of Kailee are introductory remarks designed by her adoptive parents. This little girl tells her story in the first person through the website, describing how, when she was just ten days old, she was found on the steps of a building and sent to a local orphanage where she lived for a year before the American couple came to adopt her through an international adoption organization.

Earlier this year, Kailee was found to have contracted aplastic anemia, a very rare and often fatal disease which means she will eventually run out of blood and die because her bone marrow is not making any new blood cells. At present, the only possible cure is through a bone marrow transplant. However, the rate of successful matches is very low, with Chinese being slightly more likely to match her bone marrow type. Therefore, her anxious parents are asking help from Chinese all over the world to save their little Kailee. Kailee’s adoptive father said during a telephone interview that they had received thousands of e-mails, greetings, gifts and suggestions everyday. Although they haven’t found a suitable donor, the doctors have decided to conduct chemotherapy treatment, in the hope such a donor will emerge during the one year this will be undertaken. Mr. Wells expressed his thanks to all Chinese who had shown their concern for Kailee. Through the conversation, the reporter felt the care Mr. Wells showed for Kailee was more akin to a biological rather than a foster father.

"Red flags" on the Map

During China’s traditional Spring Festival this year, the biggest Chinese restaurant in Chinatown of Los Angeles held a very special party. More than three hundred white couples attended with their Chinese kids ranging from one to seven years old (most of them are girls). During the party, they played a very interesting game. A large colored Chinese map was put on the center of the meeting place. Being dressed like American Barbie Dolls, the kids with black hair walked up to the map and put small red flags on their birthplace -- Beijing, Guangdong, Guangxi, Liaoning, Anhui, Henan, Shandong provinces -- with the largest number in Anhui, Guangdong and Liaoning. When the kids put their flags in the wrong places, their foster parents would walk up to them with a smile and correct them in not very standard Chinese while fondly caressing them. Nobody can tell that they are orphans just adopted from China when there is such a strong feeling of love.

Every branch of the FCC holds various activities. The parents who have adopted children from China gather almost once a month to share their experiences of fostering kids as well as let the youngsters make friends to each other.

Cultures Difference

Although adopting children is common in China, most Chinese adoptive parents still prevent the children from knowing their origins in order to avoid unnecessary troubles caused if they want to find their real parents when they grow up. American families that have adopted Chinese children hide nothing from their children. On the contrary, they encourage them to know their origins as well as Chinese culture. They even try their best to create opportunities for them to get known their roots. Would this bring trouble to them in the future? The reporter raised this question to the organizer of the FCC, who had also adopted a little girl from Anhui Province. She thought this is due to the culture difference between two countries. American people think they give birth to children for their country rather than considering them as their private property. Their children could move out and live alone when they are 18. At present, more and more people are unwilling to give birth. They will not take adopted children as their private property, and therefore it does not matter if they know where they are from. American parents will be glad even if they want to find their roots in China when they grow up, she said.

"Since we have adopted Chinese children, we all wish that China and the United States keep friendly relationship. Most of us are in love with Chinese culture. This is also why we often get together and let our children accept the education of Chinese culture."

The Procedure of Adoption

In west Los Angles, families which are waiting for adopting children from China get together every month, attending lectures on the procedures of adoption. Families wanting to adopt children from China go through many procedures and sign various documents. The US side will send full-time family researchers to investigate the financial conditions of adopters as well as checking whether they have criminal record and assessing their attitude towards children. After the investigation, the researchers will write a report and get approval from the state welfare bureau. All concerned documents will be translated by the agents and then submitted to the China’s official China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA).

The adopters have to wait for a year or longer. During this period, they will keep receiving a brief introduction and basic information including a picture, and details of age, sex, birthplace and health condition of various children. The adopters can then choose according to their needs and fill in some related forms provided by the Chinese government. When they receive a notification from the Chinese side, everything is ready and they can fly to China. According to one lecture the reporter attended, the Chinese government is reforming the management of adoption, and the time for going through various procedures is expected to be shortened to some 10 months.

(china.org.cn, translated by Wang Qian, June 26, 2002)