AJ is an affectionate and sweet boy. He responds warmly when trusted caregivers show him attention and is learning how to express himself. He responds to his name by smiling.

AJ adjusted well when he moved into a new care center in 2022 and he now lives in the nursery area with seven other children his age. He is developmentally delayed in various areas compared to his peers, particularly in motor development. He is currently receiving various therapies to support his healthy development.

An ideal adoptive family will have good access to educational and therapeutic resources. With love and encouragement, AJ will thrive in an adoptive family!

If you think you or someone you know could be the right family for AJ, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of AJ publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post AJ Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Gavin is a curious and happy 5-year-old boy with an adorable smile! He enjoys playing with puzzles, building blocks and toy cars. His favorite foods are meat, fruit and dessert, and he especially loves barbecue!

He is doing well in kindergarten, and his favorite subject is music. He plays well with other children and knows how to share and take turns cooperatively. Gavin enjoys being outside — whether he’s playing at the park or going camping. Right now, he’s learning how to ride a bike!

Gavin is currently living with a foster family while he waits for a permanent, loving family. He has some delays in speech as well as fine and gross motor skills. His foster family shares that he has made amazing progress.

An ideal adoptive family will be loving, patient and kind. Gavin will be best supported by a family who has access to occupational, physical and speech therapy, as well as learning support through school.

If you think you or someone you know could be the right family for Gavin, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Gavin publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Gavin Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Mary is a bubbly little girl who enjoys playing with puzzles and dolls. From a young age, she has loved singing, dancing and listening to music. Mary loves cats and dogs and dreams of having a pet of her own one day! She enjoys riding in the car, playing at the park and going on special outings with her foster family. She gets along well with others and has formed good emotional attachments with her caregivers.

Mary is currently receiving ongoing therapeutic care to help her learn and grow. She is making good progress in her speech, occupational and educational development. Mary is calm, adaptable to change and responds well to routines.

An ideal adoptive family will be warm, patient, emotionally available and committed to offering Mary a stable and nurturing environment. A family who will support Mary’s therapeutic needs will help her thrive.

If you think you or someone you know could be the right adoptive family for Mary, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Mary publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Mary Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Dear Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Gracon, Division Chief Bentley, and Ms. Urbina:

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us and for sharing your understanding of China’s current position on international adoptions. We are writing to follow up on that conversation and to strongly reiterate our request: that you continue to advocate—clearly and unequivocally—for our families and for our matched children who wait to be united, especially in this critical lead-up to a summit between the US and China.

As several of us noted, experts have long told us that any decision to complete China’s pending US adoptions must come from the highest levels of its government. China’s political structure is deeply hierarchical, and progress will only come if the matter is raised with senior leadership. Lower and mid-level bureaucrats must toe the party line and have no choice but to declare that the program is closed.

We appreciate your answers to our questions regarding the level of US diplomatic engagement to date. But we were profoundly discouraged to learn that, despite years of outreach from Members of Congress, Senators, and Governors, this issue has yet to be raised with China at the level necessary to effect change.

In short: the right door has never been knocked on. No one has engaged the necessary decision makers.

We urge you—respectfully but emphatically—not to give up on our children. While we understand that setting the agenda for bilateral talks may not rest with your office, your voice matters. A lack of strong advocacy now could prevent this issue from being raised at all.

This moment—on the eve of a rare U.S.-China summit—is the best opportunity we’ve had in years to bring our children home. Issues important to both our countries are on the table. We have worked tirelessly to build momentum and make our voices heard. 

Please do not undercut these efforts by:

1 Suggesting to the Administration that our children are not worth raising in this dialogue; or

2 Failing to advocate forcefully for their inclusion on the summit agenda.

The window is closing. We urge you not to be the ones who close it. Do not let China pre-emptively set the agenda.
This is the time to fulfill your promise to support our families. Please continue to advocate within the Administration that our waiting children deserve to be a part of these negotiations at the Presidential level.

With urgency and hope,

The Waiting Families of Hope Leads Home

The post Sign On to Advocate for Waiting Children in China appeared first on Holt International.

Teddy is an active and smiley little boy! He enjoys toy cars, scooters and playing outside. He is currently attending a toddler class and is participating in play therapy. In his sessions, he enjoys drawing, painting, listening to music and pretend playing. He knows his colors, shapes, animals, nursery rhymes and how to build block structures. He is currently learning to count!

Teddy is kind and caring toward other children and loves playing with them. He has a good relationship with his caregivers and is alert and inquisitive when interacting with those around him. He shares a room with 11 other children but has no trouble falling asleep at night, taking comfort in a doll that he sleeps with.

Teddy’s doctor shares that he is a sweet, determined child who likes to do things independently when he can. His doctor believes he will go far with appropriate support. He will need ongoing therapy and assistive devices for mobility and education in the future. Teddy is making great progress in physical therapy and is learning to walk with a walker. He can now sit, crawl, climb on a chair and pull up to stand and remain standing on his own. He is very determined and tries his best to do things on his own. Teddy is a healthy and intelligent little boy with a physical disability and a mild speech delay.

An ideal adoptive family will have access to a children’s medical center that provides physical, occupational and speech therapy along with excellent pediatric orthopedic services. With love and care, this precious boy will thrive in an adoptive family!

If you think you or someone you know could be the right adoptive family for Teddy, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Teddy publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Teddy Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Joseph is a sociable, lively little boy who loves the outdoors. From a young age, he’s loved going to the park and being surrounded by people and nature. He’s physically agile and enjoys staying active — whether he’s playing with blocks, zooming toy cars around or rising his balance bike.

Joseph is making great strides in his development. He’s learning to be independent in daily routines like dressing himself, brushing his teeth and feeding himself. He’s working on using chopsticks and enjoys a variety of foods, especially fruit, meat, steamed buns, noodles and rice.

Through early intervention, Joseph is receiving support for his development. He walks and runs like other children his age and can go up and down stairs. He has started speaking in simple sentences, writing numbers and identifying shapes and colors. Now in kindergarten, Joseph enjoys puzzles and story time. He can complete a 20-piece puzzle independently, and a 40-piece puzzle with a little help!

An ideal adoptive family for Joseph will be experienced, patient and nurturing. A family familiar with the impacts of grief and loss — and able to set loving boundaries — will help him thrive. Joseph would do especially well in a home that enjoys being active, spending time outdoors and engaging in sports or play.

If you think you or someone you know could be the right adoptive family for Joseph, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Joseph publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Joseph Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Patti is a playful and kind girl with a big heart. She loves to draw, paint and experiment with art projects. Patti is a good helper and enjoys helping with household tasks like emptying the dishwasher or watering the plants.

Patti prefers to play with a small group of friends rather than a large group. Her teachers say she is kind to her classmates, and lately she’s been making progress with developmental skills. In her free time, she likes riding her toy motorbike and jumping on the trampoline. Her favorite foods are oats porridge, gravy and peanut butter.

An ideal adoptive family for Patti should be well connected with educational and therapeutic resources for developmental delays. With love and support from an adoptive family, Patti will rise to her fullest potential.

If you think you or someone you know could be the adoptive right family for Patti, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Patti publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Patti Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Maddy is an extroverted and cheerful girl who loves music, acting, singing and dancing. She is currently in school and enjoys learning new things! Maddy is friendly and gets along well with others — especially her caregivers. She is not a picky eater and likes to try new foods!

Maddy is growing her independent skills, such as learning to dress herself. Lately she has made progress with communicating with others. She enjoys spending time with older children and would do well with older siblings!

An ideal adoptive family will have access to a good cardiologist, as well as excellent pediatric resources for children with Down syndrome. Maddy will benefit from speech, occupational and physical therapy, as well as special educational support in school.

If you think you or someone you know could be the right family for Maddy, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Maddy publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Maddy Needs A Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Jeremiah is an energetic and lively little boy! He enjoys playing with building blocks and toy cars. And as a creative and imaginative boy, he loves to paint! His drawings of objects and people are recognizable. He’s quite the little artist. During mealtime, he eats with chopsticks and is not a picky eater — although he’s not a fan of carrots!

Jeremiah is very active. He likes to run, jump and ride a bike with training wheels. He can also dribble a ball, climb up and down a rope net and hold himself up while pushed on a swing! Now in kindergarten, his language skills are improving, and most adults can interpret his words. He has also learned to brush his teeth and get dressed independently.

An ideal adoptive family for Jeremiah will be patient, understanding and provide a nurturing environment for him to grow. To support him best, his future family should understand the impacts of grief and loss. Because Jeremiah will benefit from speech therapies and medical services, an ideal family should be connected to a good medical facility nearby. With love and care, Jeremiah will rise to his fullest potential.

If you think you or someone you know could be the right family for Jeremiah, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Jeremiah publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Jeremiah Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Nadia is a cheerful and fun little girl! She loves music and her favorite activities are singing and dancing. Each day she looks forward to her nannies reading books to her. She gets along with others and is currently attending a development class at her orphanage. She focuses well and participates in the activities with a big smile.

As a friendly and affectionate child, Nadia has good relationships with adults and peers at her orphanage. She enjoys playing with others and has a best friend who she spends time with regularly. When upset, she seeks out her nanny for a hug. When she sees that another child is upset, she will show compassion for them and attempt to comfort them. Nadia thrives with praise and encouragement from adults and loves to show others projects she has done that she is proud of.

An ideal adoptive family for Nadia will have access to educational and therapeutic resources as she continues to grow to help with her development. With love and care from an adoptive family, she will rise to her fullest potential.

If you think you or someone you know could be the adoptive right family for Nadia, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! We cannot share photos of Nadia publicly due to country restrictions on privacy and adoption. However, the waiting child team has more photos and videos available to share with prospective families interested in adoption.

Email our Waiting Child Team!

Get in touch with our team of expert advocates for the waiting children we feature.

Email us!

The post Nadia Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.