My Adoption Story: Lyn

How do you explain what leads you to adopt? I know for myself it wasn’t something that was an instantaneous revelation, but something that grew in my heart and mind over many years.

Hi, I’m Lyn and I live in a suburb called Ferntree Gully in the beautiful city of Melbourne (Australia). I had had experience of intercountry adoption since my Aunt and Uncle formed their family this way in the late 1980’s. They adopted 3 beautiful children from India, currently ranging in age from 10 – 16. As a very close family I had had lots of contact with them and have watch these children grow and flourish in their family setting.

When my 35th birthday started to approach and their seemed no hope of “Mr. Right” on the horizon I started to research what my options were in relation to adopting from overseas. After a lot of research I had narrowed the list down to 2 countries and following further research came to the belief and understanding that China was the country I was being led to.

I joined a local parents support group and was put in touch with a group of singles, who had adopted from a variety of countries. Like myself there were many of them waiting to adopt from China although at that time only one actually had her Chinese child home (it is probably worth noting that Australia’s program with China only began the beginning of 2000 and apart from the initial Australia wide group of 16 families who were expedited as a gesture of good will on the part of the CCAA, no other families had been allocated at this time).

I was advised I had to attend an information evening at the Intercountry Adoption Service, held by our local government Department of Human Services (all adoptions in Australia are facilitated by the state government human/community services department – there are no “agencies” as such). It was then a start of the paperchase. Expression of interest was sent in the day after the information night, Application package came 1 week later. Completed application package was in to ICAS within a month. Then I WAITED. It took 3 months before I was offered a place in the mandatory “Education Groups” and 6 months before I was assigned a SW. After completing the SW visits over a period of 6 weeks, it them took another 3 months until I was given official government approval to adopt. I ended up being told I was approved exactly one year and one day after attending the initial information night (a 12 month wait for approval is quite common over here).

Unfortunately for me, during my SW visits I was advised that the “singles quota” had been implemented on files coming from Australia, and that if I was going to continue with my application to China I would be in for a very long wait – Chinese adoptions through my state department had averaged about 10 – 15 families per year for 2000- 2002). After investigating other possible alternatives, I decided to stick with China and prepared myself for a long wait. I must state, at this point, that my strong faith got my through this difficult time and that God gave me a peace that his timing would be perfect.

In 2003, all of a sudden interest in the China program increased dramatically. That tied to the increase in the singles quota from 5% to 8% meant that my wait was going to be shorter than I anticipated. I was advised in September 2003 to begin to prepare my documents to send to China. After an updated approval, my file was sent along with files from 6 other families in Victoria on 2/2/04. By the way, I’d really advised getting together with you traveling companions if possible – our travel group is FANTASTIC!

It is now July 2004; I’ve just turned 38 years old and am eagerly awaiting the referral of my beautiful Amanda (name chosen because it means “Worthy of Love”).

What a journey and what a blessing will be at the completion of my journey!!!

- Lyn