DIRE: Kate - March 1998

I am highlighting Kate again.  Her time is VERY short! She ages out in the middle of March.  At this time, to be able to bring Kate home, a family would have to already have a dossier in China.  You do NOT have to already be approved for two by USCIS - you can submit a Supplement 3 for this and have it approved in time.  The family most likely needs to submit LOI for her by Friday 2/10 to have time to finalize all of the paperwork.

Three years ago, a passerby found Kate wandering a mountain park in southern China.  A 10-year-old girl, dressed in a pink coat and pants, Kate was found all alone.  At barely 50 lbs, with a greenish-yellow cast to her skin, she seemed weak and small for her age.  The stranger contacted the police.  After an unsuccessful search for her birth family, they sent her to a social welfare institute in Guangxi province.

At the institute, Kate was found to have severe anemia caused by beta thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder. After a blood transfusion, both her health and appetite improved.  Her youthful color came back to her skin, and she showed more spirit and energy.  She sang songs and drew pictures of the sun and moon, of stars and flowers.  She seemed shy, but happy.

For two years, Kate lived in the children’s institute, where caregivers found her to be polite and helpful.  Although she had received little formal education, she began to study embroidery and knitting, learning quickly.  In 2010, Kate went to live with a foster family and also started school.

In the three years since Kate was found weak and alone, she has come so far.  Although she couldn’t write when she entered care, her teachers say she studies hard and often receives full marks on her assignments.  She gets along well with her foster mom, loves to play outside with her foster sister, and often invites her classmates over to play.  Kate is still playing catch-up.  She is still small in size, and behind her peers educationally.  But with monthly blood transfusions and the loving care of a foster family, her health is strong and her spirits are high.

She hopes to be adopted into a permanent family, who should be patient and understanding of older child adoption and its impact on behavior and learning skills.

A video of Kate is available here http://youtu.be/y6RRyZsMXzg.  If you need more help on completing this adoption in time, please look at the link on the right for Expedited Chinese Adoptions.

Kate's CWI has agreed to waive the orphanage donation.

Kate is on the shared list.  For more information, please contact your agency.