In a normal Texas household, a young girl of approximately 15 years old sits in a chair contemplating her life. She seems to be reminiscing about her past and then pondering her future. She stands about five feet tall, has brown hair, and weighs about 98 pounds. At a glance, she seems to be a normal teenage girl living in the southern United States. Then, she speaks. Her accent is anything but a sweet southern drawl. She speaks broken English with a thick eastern European accent.
Meet Amelia Pauline Platt. She is an adopted child from Kazakhstan. Amelia is a product of the international adoption agency, Children’s Home Society and Family services of Minnesota.
CHSFS international aids American couples in adopting children from over a dozen countries. In 2006 alone, more than 700 children were adopted through their international adoption programs. This organization and others like it are a much-needed ministry that we as Americans should consider. There are approximately 100 million orphaned children in the world today. Sadly, many children are simply over looked for consideration to be adopted because of their age.
Age is an important factor in the adoption process. The only requirement for the graduation of older orphans is age. In many cases graduation can come as young as 16 years old, for an orphan this means leaving the orphanage that they have called home for most of their lives. This means being put onto the streets alone and penniless.
It is estimated that approximately 10% of orphans that “graduate” from their orphanages kill themselves within their first year on the streets. Of the remaining orphans who are kicked out, one in five will become involved in crime. Drugs and prostitution are the majority of the offenses in which graduated orphans participate.
The ministry of adopting older children is something that Doug and Lee Ann Platt of Bryan, Texas took to heart. After years of consideration and prayer they decided to adopt a girl from Columbia who was nearing the age of graduation. During the process of adopting, Ana Carolina, they were approached by a representative of Forever Family, an affiliate of CHSFS, and asked to consider adopting another girl. After having been told of the extreme circumstances behind the adoption, they accepted the offer. The Platts met their new daughter, Amelia, in Waco with her then mother.
“When I came to America to the family, I have a hard time.” Amelia said. “I fight with my sister, Natasha, and with the wife. I disobeyed her. She slapped my face… she pulled my hair and all the way to the door she pulled my ear so I ran away for six days. The police came and got me and took me home to talk to the wife. I came back to their house and I slept on the floor.
“They said (that) I going to Missouri in the morning to think about if I want to stay in them house or if I want to go back to Kazakhstan. When I come back from Missouri,(Her original adoptive father) met me in the hotel and said that I am not their daughter anymore; I am going to another family. He gone. Then the wife came the next morning and picked me up and took me to meet the new family in Waco.”
In November of 2006, Amelia came to live with the Platt family.
Now, Amelia is a happily adopted member of the growing Platt household. In this year she has gained a new sister, learned to roller skate, learned to ride a bike, participated in organized sports such as volleyball and basketball, and is flourishing home school student.
Due to the poor condition of her orphanage and the language differences, Amelia, who by age should be a freshman in high school, is only in the 4th grade.
“My language is way different ... It was hard to hear the change in the speaking...It was hard to tell and understand.” said Amelia.
“The weather is way different (too),” said Amelia. “When I came to America. I saw big, huge airplanes and lots of people... (There) were stores and things everywhere. They were different clothes and dress. We in Kazak, wear sweaters and long clothes and when I came here there were people wearing shorts and not covered and it was hot.
“The grocery stores were huge! Lots of room and food everywhere. The houses have lots of room and space everywhere. Things are clean… (in America) people are everywhere. They go all the time.”
Despite the differences in culture and the hardships that she faced Amelia seems happy to be a part of her new family.
“Being in a family you share with sisters. You learning things from each other.” Amelia said. “I love having friends and a wonderful home, sharing things at church, having brothers and sisters to laugh with. I love the pets...dogs and cat. I love decorating at holidays, especially the tree and lights.
“Having people who care about you and sharing and helping them. I love to play with this family and volleyball and basketball and riding bikes together. This family loves me and teaches me and helps me write letters and I don't have to figure it out alone. They pray with me.”
Amelia is just one example of adoption in the Platt family. Between them and their extended family they have adopted six children from two different countries. Their willingness to minister to these children is something that others should take to heart. People should take action in aiding those in need who unable to help their selves. Whether that aid is adopting a child, financially supporting children whose families are in need, or even simply giving donations to ministries like CHSFS who allow others to adopt, action must be taken.
“Right now, life is not scary anymore,” said Amelia. “I was watching over kids in (the orphanage) like my sister and here I don't have too. We fight in the orphanage all the time and here it doesn't. We have clothes (in America) and there we doesn't. Houses are pretty (here) and there they are not.”
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