When Kara and Jordan Crockett went on a mission trip to Nigeria, they didn't expect to meet a little boy who would steal their hearts; but they did. Now, a year later, 5-year-old Job will trade his Nigerian orphanage for the Crockett's home in Virginia Beach.

"The first time the adoptive father-to-be saw little Job, he said 'He stood out because [the other kids] always want to be in pictures but he would always stand in the corner. I told Kara it was my goal to make that little boy laugh.'"

Laugh he did. And he felt such a connection with the Crocketts that he got up, by himself, to walk from his orphanage and say good-bye on the morning they left for the States. Kara returned eight months later and was greeted so warmly by Job that she knew she and her husband would be adopting him.

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Labels: relationships, connections, Africa

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Wide Horizons for Children, a non-profit adoption and child welfare agency, has named Dr. Tsegaye Berhe as Director for African Programs. He will be responsible for developing and implementing adoption and related services for Wide Horizons throughout Africa.

"'Without adoption or sponsorship, Africa's children face a grim future,' said Dr. Tsegaye Berhe, WHFC's Director for African Programs. 'Being able to give hundreds of Ethiopian children a hopeful future makes me truly happy, but the need extends beyond Ethiopia. I am hopeful we can soon make an impact on the lives of many needy children throughout Africa.'"

Dr. Tsegaye has over 30 years of child welfare experience. During his time overseeing WHFC's efforts in Ethiopia, over 400 children were adopted and another 720 were sponsored.

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Labels: agencies, non-profit, Africa

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Lady Justice Martha Koome, speaking at a forum to mark the Day of the African Child, said that the loose information regarding adoption rules and regulations contributes to child trafficking in Kenya. She called for closer scrutiny of adoption applicants, especially in more rural courts.

"She said previously, persons who wanted to overlook the procedures used to file adoption matters in High Court stations outside Nairobi where they would find judges who were overwhelmed by other judicial work and managed to easily obtain orders, especially in cases of international adoption."

Lady Justice Koome suggested that international adoptions should be given the lowest priority, with every effort being made to place children within their family network or immediate community.

Read more at AllAfrica.com.

Labels: international, rules, Africa

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