Adopted by Design

Eastern Europe Waiting Children Updates

Great news! Two new referrals have been added to the Eastern Europe Waiting Children page – a precious little boy and an adorable girl. We welcome you to view their photos and some preliminary information on each child. To receive the password please submit a free pre-application to our agency and our staff will be happy to provide the information that you will need. In order to move forward with the adoption of any Waiting Child, a family must submit a full application to our agency and be approved for international adoption according to Russia and AWAA’s eligibility requirements. A completed dossier including a home study will be required to submit to the child’s region before the referral can be officially received. It is imperative that families desiring to move forward with the adoption of any Waiting Child be ready to move swiftly through the required paperwork.

We look forward to serving you!

Moscow Program Temporarily Closed

We have recently learned that the region of Moscow has temporarily closed to international adoptions. We must wait until the agreement between the US and Moscow in spring of 2011 has been finalized and implemented by the Russian parliament before we will know if the region will reopen. We continue to have a strong work in other regions of Russian and are accepting applications for the program. Unfortunately, we will not be able to submit any dossiers to Moscow at this time. If you have additional questions or concerns please contact our offices at 800-429-3369 and ask to speak with someone in the Russia Program. 

2011 Agency Annual Report

America World's 2011 Agency Annual Report is now available to view and download online!

In our continued effort to be 100% transparent with prospective adoptive parents, our clients and our investors, America World staff members have compiled reviews and updates of this past year's progress and changes for all of our various Country Programs.  A condensed, physical version will also be available in another couple of weeks and can be mailed to you upon request.

Our agency's 2011 Audited Financial Statement will also be posted to the Agency Reports page within the next month, so feel free to check back soon.

Thank you for your support of America World Adoption and our mission to build God's kingdom through His design of adoption!  We covet your continued prayers for a clear understanding of the Lord's sovereign direction of our agency.  We are honored to serve your family and the orphans of the world in 2012!

In Him,

Jason West, Director of Development

A Happy Problem

Our Russia program has a problem - we are getting referrals! This means that families are being matched with children and families are traveling. Why is this a problem you ask? Because it means we have several families leaving the program this year and those families need to be replaced. So how about it? Do you feel God calling you to adopt from Russia? We realize many prospective adoptive parents look at the costs, the timeframes and the number of trips required and see those as obstacles. If these are one of your concerns, or if you have other concerns that lead you to exclude Russia as an optional program then please give us a call and let one of our knowledgeable staff discuss with you why Russia should still be considered as a country from which to adopt.

Why not check out our helpful FAQ’s? Also, here’s a non-exhaustive list of financial resources available to families. Keep an eye out soon for a great testimony from one of our families who headed up a BothHands (http://bothhandsfoundation.org/) project. Not only did it offer a way for their friends and family to donate towards the adoption process, but it also allowed their community the opportunity to minister to a very special lady.

We look forward to hearing from YOU! 

Giving Praise for the Russia Program in 2011!

Despite a tough U.S. economy, America World saw an increase in the number of children placed from Russia in 2011.

Here’s how the numbers break down:

Children Adopted – 17

Adoptions Finalized – 14

Referrals received – 7

Average Referral wait time – 7 months (for one child)

We are incredibly thankful to a gracious and merciful God for helping so many parents bring these children into their forever families. We are praying that 2012 will see an even higher number of children matched with families.

Our Russia Program offers different options for families seeking an adoption. The Moscow region has a referral wait time of 2-4 months and our Waiting Children list has children who are ready to be matched right away. These options are in addition to the standard process. More information can be found on our Russia Program Page.

Russia Adoption Update

Congratulations to one family coming home and another family passing court last week. Praise be to God!

 

“Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place”

2 Corinthians 2:14

Russia Updates

We’d like to welcome the newest addition to the AWAA family – a sweet little guy from Siberia who is now home with his forever family. We are also sending up prayers for the latest family traveling this week to finalize the adoption of their precious daughter.

If you’re considering an adoption from Russia for the first time, or the second, or maybe even a third time then please feel welcome to call our agency and ask to speak with a Family Coordinator. We offer military, pastoral* and 2^nd time adopter** discounts! Please call or email our agency for further information. Also check out our Financial Resources page for information on financing an adoption.

*Applicants must qualify financially and in job description to receive this discount.

**This discount is only offered to families who have previously adopted from America World

Russia Updates

Congrats to two of our Russia families! This past weekend one family returned home with their newest addition to the family – a precious little Siberian princess. We also received welcome news today of another family passing court and we look forward to their return to the US in a few weeks with their young son.  

Our Russia program continues to be a steady one and we encourage all prospective adoptive parents to consider a Russian adoption. Our specialized program in Moscow currently offers a potential referral wait time of only FOUR MONTHS. If the cost of a Russia adoption is the only reason you are not considering this program, we strongly encourage families to take a look at our Financing Adoption webpage which offers links to many financial resources for adoptive families.

Russia Adoption Update

Another family passed court this past week and we’re excited for them to celebrate their “gotcha day” next week for their little girl!  After this, the family will travel to Moscow to meet with the US Consulate, and will return home.  This is the tenth placement from Russia this year with America World’s Russia Program and we’re expecting a few more before the year’s end.  We want to remind families that there is a Waiting Child program for families wanting to adopt from Eastern Europe.  For more information, please visit our website here.

Russia Program Updates - New Bilateral Adoption Agreement

Today Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signed an inter-country adoption agreement  in an official ceremony.  Please click here to view a list of FAQ’s regarding the Bilateral Adoption Agreement with Russia.

This agreement will not directly affect our families who are currently in an adoption process with Russia (as stated in the FAQ’s). New families will be effected in three ways:

1. Independent adoptions (adoptions not completed through an authorized adoption agency) will be prohibited except in the case of relative adoptions.

2. Families will be required to undergo more training to prepare them for the placement of children in the home

3. Families will be required to submit their I-600 form prior to the second and final trip to Russia in which the adoption process is finalized.  

As more details unfold we will be sharing that information with our clients. We anticipate that this agreement will serve to strengthen the adoption process in Russia and will provide more safeguards for the children being adopted. We look at this agreement as positive one for both the orphans and prospective adoptive parents.

If you have questions please contact our agency and ask to speak with an Russia Family Coordinator.