Final Arrival: Kazakhstan Adoption Story

The time had finally arrived. After starting our adoption process in June 2005 our chance to travel to Kazakhstan had come. My wife Shafeen and I were to leave the last week of November and would be arriving to Kazakhstan on December 1, 2006. That same day we had gone to the orphanage in Taldy-korgan City to meet our child to be. The minute we saw him we fell in love and knew he would be the one. His name was Ayan and he was a beautiful boy at 15-months-old, born on September 7, 2005. We had spent the whole month of December in Kazakhstan playing with Ayan and getting to know him. By the time it came for us to leave the country at the end of the month we had officially adopted him. His new name is Hashim Ayan Sabir.

Our second trip back to the country to pick up our son lasted only a week, and as of February 1, 2007 he is finally in his new home. Since arriving, Hashim has learned to walk and has adjusted to his new home very well. He has filled our lives with so much happiness and joy, something we had been waiting for the last 12 years. We couldn’t have done this without the help of Children’s Hope International and their wonderful staff.

Thank you, Children’s Hope!

--Tahir, Shafeen (and now Hashim Ayan) Sabir, NY

A Part of the Family: China Adoption Story

Two years ago Jia Li became a part of our family. We flew to China on May 17th and on May 23, 2005 Jia Li was given to us to make our forever family. It seems strange for two reasons. First it was like only yesterday that we were in China and making our way to the adoption center… I can remember the waiting (two minutes) that seemed like hours. I remember our eyes meeting and whispering to her that we had waited a long time for her to come to us. The second thing is that as it is only two years; it seems like Jia Li has been here forever. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful child.

We could not image our lives without her. And in the same respect we think what did we do before getting her? Jia Li is our treasure and we do just that... TREASURE her.

And so on the GOTCH YA DAY of MAY 23, 2005 it is that day we became a forever family. Since that day Jia Li has become an amazing little person. Her insights, her thoughts, her words and her love have grown day after day. Jia Li has helped us become better people…. So join us in saying a special thank you prayer to God for giving us a wonderful little girl with a heart of gold…

--Marybeth, Jimmy, and Jia Imsho, Staten Island, NY