I look at each of my kids, I have five of them, and with each one I can rewind time and recall a moment in their early years where they were doing something solid, something defining, something that would catch my attention enough that I could accurately fast forward who they would become years down the road. Teacher. Fireman. Accountant. Musician. Brass ring grabber.

As parents we all have had those moments. Yet pause for a second. Think. When there is no parent, who will be the one to document the defining moments of a child? The untapped, undocumented potential that passes with each rising sun and each setting sun of a child without parents is staggering.

No child should be alone to celebrate their own defining moments. Ever.

Kit (RK# 26445) needs your Prayers and Shares this Orphan Sunday. As you take time to reflect and pray about what you can do for vulnerable children around the world, think about ten-year-old Kit, a little boy who has spent his entire life without a family, yet, he has a spirit within him that shines bold and bright! He loves learning. He expresses his heart through his paintings. He hopes to someday help people like his hero Ultraman does. He is optimistic and happy. Kit needs a family to be there for him, to document each and every defining moment of his life from this moment on.

Could Kit be your son? If not, please, consider praying for him and sharing his story near and far because even if it isn't the right time for you it might be the perfect time for someone you know. 

Holt's Special Needs Adoption Fund grant is available for Kit's adoption

Penny Phillips, an adoption advocate, and her daughter Joy spent several days with Kit. In the time they were together she witnessed moments, beautiful moments that captured and defined the person Kit would someday become, if just given the chance. 

In Penny's Words:

What we noticed first about Kit was his sweet smile. He is quite handsome, has a soft, steady voice and a wonderful laugh. When he is sitting next to you, his cerebral palsy (CP) diagnosis isn’t at all apparent; he is like any other kid his age. He is engaged, happy and sociable.

We first met Kit when he was performing a prepared song, complete with hand motions, along with a large group of 30 other children. He performed just as well as the other children as he stood with his walker. Only his legs are affected by CP, and in video recordings of this performance, it is clear that he has ability in his upper body.

During this same performance, Kit was the only child to stand alone in front of a large audience — many of them strangers — to recite a very long poem from memory about moonlight over the city. His performance was beautiful. It was set to music and recited with confidence and poise.

Kit had to have two surgeries in 2011, one in March and one in May, to help relax the stiffness in his lower limbs. He can now walk without assistance using a walker and can stand still on his own. He wears leg braces that fit into regular sneakers to support his feet and ankles. He can even run with assistance from his walker! Towards the end of our trip to the Beijing Zoo, we saw him running, pushing his grown friend in the wheelchair that Kit had abandoned earlier. These two boys were clowning around, having fun together and showing off for the others in the group.

Kit became fast friends with my 10-year-old daughter, Joy, who enjoyed being his buddy for the four days we were together.

Kit will make an excellent brother to any sibling, younger or older. He is genuinely friendly and happy to be with other kids. In every activity we did over that week, he fit right in and participated along with all the others.

His ease reminded me very much of Joy in the way she fit right into our family and bonded with everyone.

Kit enjoyed playing video games on Joy’s iPad. Subway Surf and Angry Birds were his favorites. Joy recalls that after a while, he passed several game levels and reached a pretty high score at Angry Birds. He also liked to use the iPad to take lots and lots of pictures. I can imagine him becoming a photographer someday. He is very artistic. The three of us spent time coloring and his artwork was completed with great care. He became disappointed in his work when the paper got a little bit wet, but with some encouragement he finished coloring his castle and we took a picture of a smiling Kit with his finished work.

Like the other children we met, Kit is studying in the orphanage and he is reported to be an age-appropriate learner. He is able to care for himself, is very social and gets along well with the other children. His favorite activity is playing cars and games with his teachers. He also likes to play outdoors with his friends. Kit pays attention to detail and is very careful with his work. He also has an excellent memory and will remind you of past circumstances and events if you forget.

Needless to say, we were heartbroken to leave Kit behind. When we ate our last meal together, he turned his head away from us and leaned towards his caregiver to hide his tears. She tenderly consoled him. His caregiver is a lovely woman whose only child is grown and away at university. She seems very devoted to Kit and the other children in her care and there is a strong bond between them. It was comforting to know that she was there for him after we said our goodbyes.

Since returning home, Joy asks for extra hugs and comforting. She has unique insight into our journey as it was her first time returning to China since we adopted her four years ago at the age of 7. She remembers her own China home and imagines how hard it is for Kit to say goodbye, not knowing what his future holds. Working together with Holt, we hope and pray every day that his permanent, loving family will soon be found. Our dream is to advocate for Kit until his homecoming with his forever family — wherever they may be.

Parent Qualifications

Parent Qualifications for COUPLES:

• Couples married a minimum of two years (minimum of five years if there is a history of divorce)
• No more than two divorces per parent
• Applicants should be 30 to 50 years of age. Exceptions sometimes may be made for those older than 49 who wish to adopt school-age children.
• No serious physical health diagnosis (BMI must be no greater than 40; inquire about history of major surgery, vision/hearing impairments, mobility limitations, chronic or long-term health diagnoses)
• No mental health diagnosis (inquire about mental health including mild depression, anxiety or similarly mild conditions)
• No history of drug use or dependency; where there is a history of alcohol abuse, consideration given for individuals with 10 or more years of alcohol-free lifestyle
• Minimal criminal history
• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent
• Minimum annual income of $30,000 + $10,000 per each child currently living in home Minimum net worth of $80,000

Parent Qualifications for SINGLE WOMEN:

• Only Children on the Special Focus List are available to single women.
• Must have at least a one-year interval since previous adoption
• Between 30-49 years of age at time paperwork is submitted to CCCWA; may be 50+ years of age provided there are no more than 45 years age difference between the child and the applicant;
• Have no more than two children under 18 years of age in the home, and the youngest child must be older than 5 of age at time of application;
• Be able to appoint appropriate male role models for the adopted child;
• Have a strong social and family network to support applicant and adopted child(ren)
• Submit divorce decree in case of having a history of divorce or death certificate for deceased husband where applicable; Be in excellent physical and mental health, in line with CCCWA’s requirements for prospective adoptive couples;
• Have no criminal record; Have a minimum annual income of $30,000 with net assets valuing at least $100,000;
• Have good medical insurance which will cover the medical expenses of the adopted child;
• Applicants with successful experience caring for children with special needs are preferred.

Travel: At least one parent must travel to complete the adoption. Travel time is most often 10-14 days.

To learn more about Kit and the eligibility requirements for adopting him, contact Jessica Zeeb.