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What is the Angels from Abroad Program?
Through the “Angels From Abroad” orphan host program, Buckner seeks to find adoption-minded families (referred to as “Host to Adopt”)and families interested in praying for and advocating (referred to as “Host Advocate”) for orphan children ages 6-12 when they visit the United States during their summer vacation. Angels from Abroad 2006 will allow host families the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a Russian child visiting the United States. Hosting is a great way for potential-adoptive families to participate in the experience of having a child from Russia living in their home as they consider international adoption as an option for parenting. The program also gives those interested in helping find forever families for these children an opportunity to host a child while praying for them and assisting Buckner in finding an adoptive family for the child (or children) they host.
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How can I be involved in the Angels from Abroad Program?
You can be involved as a Host to Adopt or Host Advocate Family:
Host to Adopt :
Adoption-minded families interested in hosting-to-adopt a child age 5-12 from Russia. Host to Adopt families must meet outlined qualifications and will begin the steps towards international adoption prior to the child's arrival. By doing so, they are able to shorten the amount of time between when the Angel returns to Russia and when the family is able to travel and complete their adoption.
Host Advocates: There are two types of Host Advocate families:
• Some Host Advocate families are open to the potential of adopting a child, but not quite ready to begin the adoption process.
• Other Host Advocates families are just committed to praying earnestly for the child they host and helping to find an adoptive family for the child.
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When will the children come to the United States?
The children will be in Dallas, TX for two weeks in June, 2006.
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How is Stonebriar Community Church involved in the Angels hosting?
Stonebriar Community Church (SCC), located in Frisco, Texas has committed to help find host families for these precious children. SCC’s missions department and adoption support ministry group will also be helping host many activities for the children. Older Angels may also perform at SCC while here. SCC also offers support and some scholarships for church members that decide to adopt. However, families do not need to be members of Stonebriar to participate in the Angels program.
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Can I host if I do not live in the Dallas area?
The children will be involved in several activities in the Dallas area. Families who live outside the Dallas area can temporarily reside in Dallas part of the time while the children are here in order to host an Angel. If there are 5 or more families in an area outside of the Dallas area who wish to host, we will consider facilitating the hosting program in the future in that particular city as well.
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How much will it cost to host a child?
Buckner is working with churches and individual donors to help sponsor bringing over each angel. It costs approx. $2,000 for each Angel to participate in the program (including airfare, visa, passport and other travel expenses). We ask each family to let their friends and families pray about these costs.
Fees for Host to Adopt and Host Advocates :
Paid by family- $200 Application fee
Paid by family- $500 Host family interview (this fee would be applied to a completed Home Study should you decide to adopt)
Should a host family decide to adopt, they will also be responsible for additional adoption service fees prior to the Angel’s arrival. (Fees are paid at the time of service.) Remaining adoption fees outlined on adoption fee sheet (reduced fees when adopting through the Angels from Abroad program)
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Why do I have to pay this money?
Buckner is a licensed child-placing agency that is committed to keeping kids safe. In order to do this, we need to evaluate prospective families so we can place children in safe and protective homes and not potentially put a child at risk. Since we don’t know you, the host family interview is a way in which we can get to know you and your family so we can make good placement decisions. The education program will help to prepare hosting families for the needs of children who have been living in an institution setting and provide guidance in how to parent a child if the family decides to adopt a child internationally. The host program fee helps cover the cost of bringing the children over, passports and visas.
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Can I choose the child I host in my home?
If you have a preference, we would like to know. Please indicate on the application enclosed. We cannot guarantee that the child will be placed in your home for the hosting program, but we will consider your request as we make child placement decisions. Our clinical team will make all placement decisions after each family is approved to Host. Host to Adopt families will be given first preference, then Host Advocates that considering adoption and finally Host Only families will be considered for any remaining children.
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Are the children adoptable?
These children have been identified to Buckner as being available for adoption. However, there are no guarantees they are available. As older children, each child will have to make the decision themselves about if they want to be adopted. In addition, many of these children may have family members and other legal issues that will need to be resolved in order for them to be adopted. Our Buckner staff has been working with the orphanages to help these children become legally available.
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What if I decide not to adopt the child I host?
We do hope to find families to adopt these children, but you are not going to be pressured or expected to adopt any child.
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What will be the schedule for the children during their visit?
There will be some specific events during the visit that we ask host families to bring their child to so they can be around the group they traveled with from time to time. There will be fun, child-centered events such as a family event, Vacation Bible School program, and so forth. These events will not be intrusive and will still allow the child to have a relaxing time with your family. The host family will have the opportunity to plan their own family activities around the schedule of events. One host parent will need to stay with the child all day to transport the child and supervise them during their stay. We do not want the child to be left with other caregivers outside of the approved host parents.
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What happens if the child I host has problems or needs that I feel I can’t manage during his/her visit?
A Buckner social worker will be connected with each approved host family and will be checking on the family during the course of the child’s visit to lend support and guidance as needed. If problems develop, the host family can contact their social worker to see if the problem can be resolved. If it appears that the problems are such that the family and child are at risk, Buckner will have alternate host families available. The Buckner clinical team will work to transition the child to a different home for the remainder of their visit. We will need the host family’s commitment to assist in a smooth transition of placement to ensure the child feels safe and secure.
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What is the process to adopt a child?
You will learn more about the process to adopt a child internationally by attending the Angel Workshop. Any family that decides to pursue international adoption through Buckner will need to go through the Workshop, application process, home study evaluation and education process in order to meet requirements to adopt a child internationally. From the time a family applies to Buckner, it generally takes 6-12 months to complete an international adoption through the Buckner Russia program. The process may be longer or shorter based on varying factors.
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How do I communicate with the child since they don’t know English?
Buckner will have interpreters available to assist families with translation and regular communication. If a family has a friend or knows someone who speaks Russian that they may seek for help, Buckner will want them to attend a meeting to orient all the interpreters in preparation for the children’s arrival. It would be helpful for host families to obtain a telephone that has a speaker phone option if possible so that an interpreter can be called at any time of day for assistance.
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If I bond with the child I host, do we have to send the child back to Russia?
YES!! The children do have to return to Russia at the end of their visit to the United States. The Russian government has given Buckner permission to host the children for a vacation ONLY. The Russian government maintains legal guardianship of each child until the time a child is adopted. The children will return to the orphanage, which they know as their home. If an approved Buckner host family decides they would like to pursue adoption of a specific child, the Buckner staff and family will meet and discuss the process ahead. All families who adopt a child from Russia are required by Russian law to make two trips to the country in order to finalize an adoption.
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How can I be involved if I can’t host a child in my home?
We need volunteers available prior to and during the visit to assist with some of the events and activities for the children. We will need assistance with a playgroups, babysitting, carpools and VBS for the children. If you cannot host a child, but would like to sponsor a child so that the adoptive host family is relieved of the financial expense of the program cost, please contact Stacie Bukowsky at 469-877-2980 (cell) or sbukowsky@buckner.org
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