Faithful Observations: New hope for international adopted kids
We did an interview nearly two years ago about this ministry started by Sandra and Ralph Moats and have taken this on as a needed ministry at an age when most couples have been retired for a decade or more and spending their winters in Arizona. Their story is fascinating and inspiring. I asked Sandra to give us the background again how this ministry began.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new."
Therapies and counseling will not heal a child who has never known love or bonding. The key is for their heart to be touched by God. I walked among children in China orphanages who were filthy and lay on cement floors and had little response. My heart was broken for them and I mourned for them and what they had to endure. Those experiences prepared me to understand some children that came to our family that were tragically broken to the point that I wondered if they would ever be healed. The turning point comes when they ask Jesus Christ into their life.
For many years children from other lands have come to American families through adoption. The lands most often have been China, South Korea, Vietnam. Philippines, Russia, Guatemala, Ethiopia, India, Thailand, Haiti, and Ukraine. When China and Russia opened to foreign adoptions in the 1990s, international adoptions rose to over 20,000 per year. For reasons, the numbers leveled off and began to dwindle. In 2019 there were only 2,917 foreign adoptions completed by U.S. citizens. Although the number of orphans has continued to grow many nations have closed their doors to foreign adoption.
As adoptions, age bonding problems began to surface, especially in older child adoptions. Out of desperation, some children were re-homed without proper legal processes in place. Some of the children were passed to other families via the internet without even meeting the family before placement.
When we heard about 17 children were severely abused and one died it struck our hearts. We stepped into an unknown mission field and opened our hearts and home to families all over the United States. Out of that period, New Hope for Adopted International Kids was birthed. We formed our non-profit to be able to come alongside families and their adopted children with helps and support. I have been able to coach many families through the years and have had the joy of seeing many children find their forever family, and 14 of our 17 adopted children came to us through dissolved adoptions.
How has the change in the world and COVID affected you this year?
New Hope for Adopted International Kids has been servicing families and children who are struggling in their adoptions since 2011. In 2020 it has been challenging to find families for children represented by agencies with whom their parents have listed them for re-adoption.
Our organization is not an adoption agency. We walk alongside families who are struggling in their foreign adoptions. We offer coaching for parents and children who are struggling with bonding and orphanage related issues. Our animal therapy farm, Happy Trails Farm, has helped many children begin to walk in victory. We are a liaison in advocating for children listed with agencies and for parents considering adoption out of a dissolved adoption.
Last year with COVID-19 adoption agencies struggled and some have closed their doors because of lack of funds and families being able to adopt. For adoption agencies listing children out of dissolving adoptions, it has been doubly challenging. There are families desperately struggling and children that may never be able to find a family to bond with. Some are staying in their original adoption family and they struggle in ways that are harmful to all concerned.
I have been advocating through our newsletter and contacts for multiple children during this year without seeing any of them be readopted. Families that contacted me to walk with them on their adoption journey had to lay their plans aside because of great pressures from loss of work and some from loss of health. It has been heartbreaking for all concerned. Most of all for the precious children who desperately need a family to bond with so they can grow into good citizens and help others. Our services are free and confidential.
How many children do you have at your home?
Ralph and I have 21 children. We had 4 biological children and we were empty nesters when we began the adventure of adoption.
It was a journey that we thought was for one daughter. God had my attention after a vision of a small Chinese girl, and I felt He told me to go get her. After traveling in China for 3 years I met our daughter in an orphanage. We were able to adopt her 2 years later. Then we went back to bring home two more daughters.
Before bringing our third daughter home an agency contacted us about adopting a Chinese girl who was having bonding problems and needed a new family. That began our journey in adoption of children through dissolved adoptions. We adopted 17 children, 14 out of dissolved adoptions. All 10 children currently at home are our children whom we have adopted.
Update us about Happy Trails Farm and the children. What needs do you have?
Under our organization New Hope for Adopted International Kids, we have Happy Trails Farm. It is the place where bonding takes place and is fostered in others that visit. We have numerous animal therapies, horse therapy, and dog therapy leading, but we have also use cats, birds, chickens, goats, cows, and sheep.
Often the first step for bonding in a child that has gone through many interrupted bonding attempts can be with an animal. Sometimes children cannot trust any human because of so many failed attempts to bond. An animal loves and remains the same, giving them the first link to trust. Later, with solid experiences, that trust can transfer to a parent. Our current needs are for a tractor or tractor work, hay and straw is always needed, and cattle panels or horse panels to help with fences.
If people want more information and to make a gift, how do they contact you?
If someone would like more information they may call or text me (Sandra Moats) at 208-512-3116 or email me at chinalambs@hotmail.com.
You can also write New Hope for Adopted International Kids
P.O. Box 2922
Hayden, ID. 83835
If they would like to give a gift to help NHFAIK you can write the address above or give through PayPal using the email address for our organization: chinalambs@hotmail.com
I invite you to visit our website http//nhfaik.org
