[Karenanne]

Yesterday my husband and I were told that the child we were going to meet in 4 days was taken from the orphanage by a family member. We selected our son from a photolisting and have completely prepared for him. I spoke with our agency and asked them about a couple of other children on the photolisting so we are waiting to hear about those children. The agency also said that we could select a child in country. The agency has been really supportive and they are doing everything they can do to help us adopt the child that is meant to be a part of our family. It just is a huge shock with us traveling in a few days.

[ljs]

I feel for you and understand the disappointment. My travel was cancelled just a couple of days before I was supposed to go. I didn't have a referral (I was traveling blind) so I can only imagine how much harder that makes it. Hang in there, your time will come and you will get the child meant to be yours.

[stella1]

I'm so sorry for your family. We worried about this happening until we left the city our daughter was born in. We all know the risk is there but it doesn't make it any easier I'm sure. Hang in there and I say travel blind if you are open to a boy especially. After I was there I realized there were so many children that needed families. But whatever happens I will keep your family in my prayers.

[iteachtwo]

I amso sorry for your situation. I am curious, however. I also located the girl I am pursuing first from a photolisting. Did your agency tell you up-front that this was a possibility?

The agency I'm using also uses photolistings. However I have been told by my local homestudy agency that photolistings are against the law for KZ and Russia. It makes me wonder if this agency I'm using is doing a form of "bait and switch."

I'd be curious to know which agency you are using. Mine has the initials AA (I don't think I should put their name in here). They are based in Illinois.

[Karenanne]

First I just wanted to thank everyone for thier kind words. Our agency told us that there was a 99.9% chance that the child we selected would be ours. Photolistings are illegal but agencies that have are in good standing with the country use them. There has been families that have adopted a child they saw from a photolisting and some have not. I know that now. We live in Pennsylvania and are using an agency based out of California. If there is a postive side to this our agency has been wonderful.

[stella1]

I have even know of a family who was in Kaz and started visiting a child when a family member decided to visit the child and not allow it to be adopted. This can happen and any good agency does warn you of this. My agency does have a photo listing of mostly older (2 or older) or special needs children. They also give referral (but not until you are paper ready) of infants. We turned in our paperwork in July of 2003 and got our referral of an infant girl in November of 2003. We then traveled in Feb. 2004. Good agency's do referrals but always tell you there is a chance this can happen. But Kaz and I'm sure we all just want all the children to have families to love them. But I'm sure it's very hard when you lose the child you have grown to love from photos and video's. I know I worried until we left Kaz that someone would come forward from my daughter's birth family and want her.

[aimeelee]

i'm so sorry to hear what happened. has your agency given you any sense of when you will receive a new referral?