[Kasin]

Hello everyone,

I’m feeling beyond lost and was hoping someone on here could help point me in the right direction, I’m hitting a brick wall searching for answers to my million questions on my own.

Long story short, I’m trying to find a specific child in the Sakha (Yakutsk) region of Russia. I've located him on the Russian orphan database and also have a list of orphanages (w/POC's) that he might be in. here is my first brick wall, who do I seek help from to help me find him using this info and what can I do if I can find him? (I can’t speak Russian, so I haven’t called the POC's)

I know children on the database are not open to international adoption yet, however Id like to try to get a dialog started now in case he becomes available later and its harder to find him. Or if he’s not available, if there is some other way I can help him.


I get the idea that working with this region is next to impossible, and I also don’t feel most adoption agencies want to bother with me since I’m trying to find a specific child who might not even become available.

My goal is to help him however possible, adoption, summer camp, even college in North America when he’s older if that’s the best I can do, anything at this point. I’m not worried about money right now.

Also, would it complicate anything that this boy is older (10)? Or that my husband and I are not the same nationality (US and Canada)? Dose anyone know what "type 8" means in reference to an orphanage? (Most in my list say "Orphanage of the 8th type")

Gosh, sorry for the rather far-fetched plea, if any of this is out of line please let me know. Please feel free to email me.

Thank you so much in advance!

~ Diana

[Bcelli]

Your quest will be difficult, but not impossible. Type a letter to the orphanage regional contact listed with his profile asking the questions you want to know and put it through an online translator. Then translate it back into English to see if it says the same thing you started out with. If it does, e-mail both langauge versions to the POC and wait. It shouldn't be difficult to identify where he is based on the information you provide from the database. Attach a copy of his profile from the database with the photo to your e-mail. Different agencies work with different orphanages and even with different children within orphanages. It is possible the orphanage that houses the child of whom you speak does not even work with an international agency. Should this approach yield you no results, you can contact a birthparent searcher to track down the child and find the information you want to know - but that could get costly. I hope you find him and can do something good for his life. Good luck.

[kretzklan]

I, personally, don't know of this region. Have you checked on Yahoo for a group that is region specific? They may be able to give you more help. If you decide to write to the orphanage, be careful in your wording about finding him on the database. I am not sure that they "want" Americans using that as a tool to find children. I can slightly answer your last question about bringing him to the US for college. It will be next to impossible. One of our children has a sister that has just recently aged out of her orphanage. We did TONS of inquiries about helping her get a visa to come, even for just a visit. The answer, although terrible sad, is that orphans do not qualify for visas without a state-sponsored (from Russia) backer. We even tried to pay for her to have English lessons, so that we could all speak on the phone and the orphanage would not allow it. They are very protective of the influence that comes into their homes. That seems like an odd word, since so much of what they decide is not necessarily good for the child(ren). But, they are the last word. I hope that you find a way to do all you want to do for this child. Good luck!

[Ktates]

you can try karen's adoption links - I think she has a list of what agencies work in which regions - that should help narrow it as far as agencies are concerned...

[rhouse77]

I am not aware of any agencies that place from the Sakha republic - but I do know one family who adopted from there
Mary from the website
index

she has the most info on the Sakha republic. there is no Yahoo group at this time.

[rhouse77]

Here is a site of possible interest
International Children's Fund "Children of Sakha - Asia"

[RubyM]

I'd be happy to translate the letter for you if you need it.

[DET62]

I wish I could offer conrete help/advice but I can't. I think your best bet is to get a Russian speaking person to help you make inquiries. I have a friend who is a Russian translator and works a lot with adoptive families, and I'd be glad to give you her information if you'll PM me. She offers very reasonable rates since she gives a steep discount to adoptive families.

I adopted a 10 year old boy last year from Kazakhstan. I was a bit anxious about his age, but I saw his photo on a database and just knew he was my son. He is now 11 and has been home a year. He is a delightful boy. I just adore him, and I know adopting him was the right decision for us. I wrote a blog (see signature) in part to let people know adopting older children can be a wonderful way to make a family. Not all older kids have huge emotional or behavior problems. We've had issues, but nothing unmanageable.

Good luck!!
Dee

[rhouse77]

There is a new yahoo group for Sakha and other siberian regions

The woman who adopted indy in Sakha is a member

North_Siberia_Adopt : Khanti, Sakha, Chukotka, Yamal, Evenk+

[Kasin]

Oh thank you so much! Ill head right over there and see about joining! so far everyone is telling me to get a lawyer and have them do most of the leg work... I’m trying to be careful, so things are slow.

my language teacher commented that its ironic that I’m doing all of this and this boy doesn’t even know I exist right now.... made me feel pretty lonely. Oh well, nothing worth doing/having comes easy right?

~ Diana