[lana]

Hi everybody. Just recently found this forum. I am adoptee, 43 year old. I was born ( and adopted) in Ukraine, Lvov. In 1998 i have moved to Canada with my family. My foster parents moved to Israel. Last year ,when visiting me in canada and after very angryand ugly fight my mother suddenly told me, that I am an adoptee. She was very angry with me ( we have love/hate relationship forever) and she blurted. I was stunned, angry, furious with her for keeping all that information for herself for so long and so on. I did not believed her at first, but after 2 days my dad confirmed. So I have minimum information about my birth mother, only that she was unmarried 16 year old. I had no name, no place to write. I hate live in limbo and I have no idea where to start. Considering that I have no relatives living in Ukraine or Russia I would like to know if there some international agency that can help me. Or should I just give up. Travelling to Ukraine in the near future is out of questions for me . Any advice would be really appreciated.
Confused and depressed

[thesearchguru]

Hi Lana,
A very small minority of adoptees are not told as young children that they were adopted. Those who found out as adults are usually very angry and confused and hurt. There is a group of people in your situation that you might want to connect with by email. They call themselves the LDA's (Late Discovery Adoptees). You can email Ron Morgan, LDA, for information about this group and their issues. His email address is: rhyzome@best.com.

You should request your adoption paperwork from your adoptive parents. That paperwork might possibly have the name of your birthparents and/or your name at birth before your name was changed through the adoption.

To search for a family member in any country contact the nearest chapter of the RED CROSS near you. They have a person experienced in international traces and international messaging. Your request will be sent through Red Cross channels to the appropriate overseas office for processing.

The American Red Cross Headquarters
431 18th N.W.
Washington, DC 20006 USA
Phone 202-737-8300

or

The Red Cross Overseas Association
POB 7406
Benjamin Franklin Station
Washington, DC 20044 USA

Also, there is a Russian-American Genealogical Archival Service (RAGAS) that should be helpful in resolving your search. Contact:

RAGAS
POB 236
Glen Echo, Maryland 20812
USA
Phone: 202-501-5206

The cost for a birth, marriage or death certificate is $20. By an agreement between the United States National Archives Volunteer Association and the Archives of Russia Society, RAGAS receives and processes requests for vital records in some of the former Soviet replublics, mainly russia, Belarus and Ukraine. There is a $2.00 shipping fee per document.


Colleen Buckner