They investigated the options and were told it would be at the very least five years to adopt a child within the United States. The Hamms and a number of other couples are becoming families with the assistance of groups like Burlington United Methodist Family Services in Scott Depot. In 1999, the agency has already helped place 25 families with children from other countries and before the end of the month, that number should be more than 30, said Donna McCune , area supervisor of adoption services. One family has just returned from Russia with two children, and another is coming back from Guatemala with a child this weekend. On Christmas eve, a family is due back from China and on Christmas day, another is returning from Vietnam.
Adoption is a wonderful way to build a family.
About 50 percent of the adoptions Burlington handles are international children. They put families in touch with international adoption agencies across the country, then provide the home studies and education and post placement follow-up, McCune said. International adoptions have become more prevalent among families for a number of reasons, the first being the length of time prospective parents must wait to receive a child. The Hamms were told it would be at least five years, Lauretta Ghavami of Hurricane was told at least 10 years, if then. Ghavami was, and is, a single woman.