All About Karina!

Karina is a 15YO girl living in an Eastern European orphanage.  She will make a wonderful daughter to a lucky American family! 

Karina’s “story” is quite different than that of many older children available for adoption.  Karina was raised by a very loving, very attentive mother until age 10.  During that year, her mother died after a long and intense battle with Tuberculosis.  Other family members, including her biological father, cared greatly for Karina and her younger half-brother, but none of them were in a position financially to raise the children, and they were sent to the local orphanage.

In their first year at the orphanage, Karina’s half-brother was removed from the orphanage by his biological father.  When he was returned to the orphanage system a short time later, a clerical error caused him not only to be sent to a different orphanage than his sister, but also caused their files to be separated.  Though they lived in different orphanages, the siblings stayed in touch through their remaining biological relatives on their mother’s side, all of whom stayed in touch with the children and tried to include them in family celebrations when funds allowed them to pay the children’s bus fare to visit. 

In 2009, Karina’s half-brother was hosted by an American family.  He told his host family that he had a sister, but all of their attempts to verify her existence failed.  All involved assumed that the girl he considered his “sister” must have been another female relative or close family friend.  There was no record of any siblings in any of his orphanage or government paperwork.  They looked very hard and asked many questions before they submitted their dossier, as this family could only adopt one child.  When it became clear that there was NO record of ANY siblings, his host family travelled to adopt him. 

During the “10 Day Wait” after their court hearing to adopt, the newly created family visited all of their new son’s biological relatives, sharing stories and photos, and learning about their new son’s early life (which was remarkably happy!).  During these visits, it became increasingly clear that the girl he called his “sister” was indeed his sister.  Because there was no paperwork on her, all then assumed that she must not be available for adoption for some reason (likely due to her father’s involvement in her life). 

When the family went to the nearest major city to obtain their new son’s passport, they took their son (with a gift he carefully selected!) to see his sister to say goodbye.  It was during this visit that the family learned that Karina was indeed eligible for international adoption, and the authorities in the city her orphanage is in began trying to figure out how a family had been able to adopt her brother without adopting Karina as well.

Unfortunately, the family that adopted Karina’s brother was not in a position to adopt Karina as well – but they did make a commitment to her that they would do everything possible to find her a family.  And now they are leading this fundraising drive to fund Karina’s adoption in the hope that a perfect family will step forward to adopt her.

About Karina

Karina is a delightful, happy, responsible and ambitious 15YO girl.  She turns 16 in May 2011- once she turns 16, she will not be eligible to be adopted, so time is of the essence!  Because Karina’s early years were spent in a stable, caring family environment with her biological parents, Karina is extremely well-adjusted and should have no attachment problems.  She knows what it is like to have an immediate family that cares about her, and she desperately seeks to have that connection again.

Karina stands out among her peers in so many ways.  She is exceptionally smart, and has a strong aptitude for learning new languages.  She speaks Russian, Ukainian and Italian fluently (she was hosted several times in Italy and stays in close touch with her host families).  She is very excited to learn English, and her brother’s American family has been paying a local English teacher to privately tutor Karina for several months.  She has said that learning English will be “no problem, because I pick up languages very fast!” 

Karina is a great student and a very good artist.  She aspires to be an interior designer one day.  Her teachers speak highly of her, and they have even offered to accept phone calls on her behalf.  Karina attends the local school in her town, as there is no school at her orphanage.

One thing that is quite remarkable about Karina and her brother is their “moral compass.”  It is very clear to all who meet them that both children were raised in a household where strong values were stressed.  When Karina was old enough to be moved to the “older girls” dormitory in the orphanage, she was appalled at some of the things that she saw the girls doing and heard them talking about.  As such, she requested to become the “night nanny” for the youngest children in her orphanage, and now sleeps with the 2-4 year olds, caring for and comforting them at night, instead of with her agemates.  These children adore her, and she them.  She is given far more responsibility than the other children in the orphanage and is trusted almost as though she was a staff member.  That said, she also retains some “little girl” about her – when her brother’s family visited her one day, they found her at the top of a cherry tree! 

Karina yearns for a family.  She yearns for a college education – she told her brother’s family, “My biggest dream is to attend college in America.”  She has been hosted several times by an Italian family that is advocating very strongly for her to find an adoptive family, and will happily provide a “reference” for her.  Her brother’s family also has many photos and information from Karina’s younger years that her new family will treasure.

In the world of older child adoption, Karina is truly unique and deserves a much better life than what awaits her on her 16^th birthday in Ukraine.  If you think you are Karina’s perfect family, we pray that you will consider adopting her as your own - and soon! 

Karina and her brother.

Karina's brother's new family took both children to the Amusement Park!

Karina with her brother's family