NYHOMESTUDY BLOG

June 01,2007 / Kerri Evans

It’s 1998 and two families across the world begin the long path that will bring them together, families reunited, then separated again.

In Cambodia , a little girl is almost four years old. Though her name is Chenda, she is called by the affectionate-name, Kron, after a little fish found in rice paddies. Like most Cambodian children, she’s not very big. Her parents sometimes don’t have enough money to buy food and she goes hungry, but forall that, she’s happy and feels loved. Daddy works as a day laborer for a team that puts up tents for celebrations like weddings and funerals, but thework is infrequent. Kron works alongside her mother at home, eager to help. She washes out clothes, gathers wood and helps to plant their little garden. Money is tight and her parents fight a lot, which makes Kron worry. But there are still days of laughter and playing, and life with her parents in theirtiny house is good.
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June 4, 2007

By JANE GROSS and WILL CONNORS

ST. PAUL —

Ethiopia was not on Mark and Vera Westrum-Ostrom’s list when they first visited Children’s Home Society & Family Services here to explore an international adoption. Ukraine was first, because of their family heritage, until the couple discovered that the adoption system there was chaotic, with inaccurate information about orphans’ health and availability. Vietnam was second, after they saw videos of well-run orphanages. But the wait would be at least a year and a half. Then they learned about Ethiopia’s model centers for orphans, run by American agencies, with an efficient adoption system that made it possible for themto file paperwork on Labor Day and claim 2-year-old Tariku, a boy with almond eyes and a halo of ringlets, at Christmas.

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