By CECILE SAN AGUSTIN
Reporter
POMPTON PLAINS - AS the winter days go by, dreaming about planning a summer vacation may pass through the minds of many.
But, Lisa Chalkan, a parishioner at Our Lady of Good Counsel here, wants Catholics in the Paterson Diocese to think about considering another kind of summer. A summer that involves giving back through Kidsave International, a non-profit organization that brings older orphans from Colombia and other foreign countries for the summer to stay with American host families. While here, host families advocate for the children by helping them find families to adopt them.
"This is a chance for families to truly make a difference in a life of a child," said Chalkan, who volunteers with the organization.
For five weeks, host families sponsor children and invite them to their homes where they will provide a faith-filled setting and allow the children to experience life in a family. During their summer visit, families are required to advocate for the children by meeting with people who might be interested in adopting them with the help of Kidsave staff members. The children range in age from 8 to 15 and have little or no chance of finding adoptive parents in their own country.
"Having been involved with the program for many years, I realized that these older children are very capable of joining families," Chalkan said. "There's this idea that because they haven't been part of a stable family they are unable to create bonds, which is not true. In fact, they are very loving."
To host a child, families are required to complete an application and will go through a background check. Families pay a hosting fee and any fee associated in hosting a child.
For Chalkan and her husband, Michael, who participated in the Summer Miracles program in 2008, they discovered it would be a life-changing experience when the made the decision to adopt Ingrid, even though, they already had three children in the family - Gianna, 5; Adrianna, 10; and Gisella, 12.
"We just fell in love with her," said Chalkan about Ingrid, who is now 13. "She is a an outgoing child with a great sense of humor. She is confident and self assured and at times, she can act like any typical 13-year-old."
Ingrid's story of finding a loving family is truly a "summer miracle" since she comes from a sibling group with four children, all of whom have been adopted by families living in the east coast of the U.S. Two of her siblings were adopted by a family in Connecticut and another sibling lives in Washington D.C.
While many may find it sad the siblings were separated, this was a decision made by Ingrid and an older sibling so the children would find homes more easily. Thankfully things were out for them and Chalkan said, "All three families are committed to making sure the siblings keep in touch with each other."
Today, Ingrid is doing "amazingly well," according to Chalkan. "She didn't speak much English in the beginning but she still managed to make the honor roll for two marking periods," said Chalkan.
Msgr. Patrick Scott, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, said, "They are a loving family. They come to Mass every Sunday and they feel like my own adopted grandchildren when they greet me."
Since 1999, more than 1,500 children have traveled to the U.S. as part of the Kidsave International Summer Miracles's program and 93 percent have found families who have adopted them or are pursuing adoption.
With many stories of hope through Kidsave International, Chalkan said, "It's an amazing program and I encourage many families to host a child. While you are not required to adopt the child, there's an element of fate. You end up with a child that enriches your life and find out that it's meant to be. Even if people don't think they can host a child, there are many other ways to help the organization."
Msgr. Scott said, "I really admire Lisa and her family. Lisa gives her heart and soul. She saw a need for children who needed a home and she acted. It's a great humanitarian gesture and one many other people can learn to follow."
Information, visit www.kidsave.org.
