MLJ Adoptions’ Fourth Annual Celebrating Africa Adoption weekend will take place on February 20 and 21. We will have events scheduled for families who have brought home children from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as families currently in the adoption process and families interested in learning more about adopting from Africa. Since 2011, we have placed 198 children from DRC in loving, permanent homes. In 2014, we opened a Hague adoption option in the Western African nation of Burkina Faso.
Families interested in learning more about adopting from Burkina Faso are invited to attend an Adoption Information Session which will take place on Friday, February 20 from 1:00-3:00. Our staff will answer questions about our Burkina Faso program or any of our seven other international adoption programs.
Camie Schuiteman, our Financial Resources Coordinator, will be on hand to conduct her Affording Adoption Seminar on Friday, February 20 from 3:00 – 5:00. During this session, Camie will discuss Adoption funding ideas including grants, loans, adoption tax credit and fundraising ideas.
Saturday, February 21 from 10:00 – noon, we will offer the Transracial Parenting and Culture Class. Rod Smith and his adoptive son, Thulani, will present together and discuss first-hand knowledge of their culture and way of life so you can better understand how the environment, customs, traditions, foods, and family life of your child’s birth country affects your child. They will also discuss the all-important and realistic issues that surface with Transracial Parenting and your child’s adjustment to life in the United States.
The Africa Celebration Party will be held Saturday, February 21 from 1:00 to 3:00 and is an excellent opportunity to connect with other families and stay active in an adoption network. The day is a wonderful time to celebrate your child’s birth country and share your experiences with others. This year, Epiphany Dance Collective will return to perform, and there will be food, crafts and lots of fun. We invite you to bring authentic African side dishes to share. A main dish and drinks will be provided. Click here to see pictures from last year’s Africa Celebration Party.
You can RSVP to all of the events here. You may also contact us if you have questions about any of these activities.
We look forward to seeing you at our Celebrating Africa Adoption weekend events!