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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-12-23, Page 33Exeter Times -Advocate CroTha Wednesday December 23 199$ The Christmas the Skinners have been waiting for First Christmas together. home. Sandi, Brad and Rikki-Lee enjoy a quiet morning at By Kate Monk TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF STEPHEN 'TWP. — This will be a Christmas unlike any other for Brad and Sandi Skinner of Stephen Twp. In September, the Skinners adopted Rikki-Lee, a six -month-old baby girl from China. "This is the Christmas we've been waiting for," Sandi reflects. "We've got our present." When the Skinners decided they wanted to adopt a baby, they contacted Ed and Karen Willis from Usborne who had already adopted a Chinese baby. The couple has started a non-profit organization, Canada -China Adoption Association (CCAA). Partner Yue Chi works in the travel business in Toronto and does Asian tours. Along with another woman in China, th co Karen and Chi help couples navigate se the bureaucratic maze of.adoption. cu "It went very smoothly," Brad said. " Once the Skinners started the paper-. fo work -the process took a year before B they travelled to China to receive Rikki- di Lee. And although the wi g process went fa smoothly, Sandi said they didn't want " to get their hopes up until they finally refl saw a picture of their baby girl. S The process includes collecting 12 ple documents, reference letters and finan- car cial information. A social worker also did an assessment of the Skinners. "They (CCAA) have the process laid out. You hope you don't get caught in a snag," Sandi said. "With Karen and Ed being in the same county, they made it personal, 'Sandi said, adding they visited the Willis' in their home, .niet their chil- dren. Nicole and Brandon and estab- lished a friendship. Sandi ,said it helped that a couple . an ed from Chatham was also going through invo the process who they could talk to and . from travel to China with. Once the a class Skinners and Chatham couple receivflewt to he l lao ta China. Sand Although the Skinners had herd the effecta Page 33 c trip could be harrowing, theirs was a positive experience. "We had a wonderful time. No glitch- es or problems," Sandi said. CCAA made all the travel and accom- modation arrangements. Going from Stephen Twp: to Beijing was a bit overwhelming. "We found it kind of intimidating at first," Sandi said. She described it as "Exeter on a Friday afternoon" with masses of peo- ple, Ianes.of bicycles and traffic jams. Two days later, they received their new daughter from a government orphanage in Changsha. "Once we received the babies, we were quite an attraction," Sandi explained. During the second week, the Skinners mpleted paperwork and approvals at e Canadian embassy, did some sight- eing and learned about Rikki-Lee's Iture. It was nice to have the time in China r bonding," Sandi said. rad said life has been "quite a bit fferent" since they returned home th an overwhelming response from mily and friends. She's caused quite a stir," Brad - ected. andi admits they're a .low-key cou- and have been surprised at all the ds, gifts and baby showers. "It's felt like Christmas since we got back," she said. The relationship between the Skinners and the orphanage hasn't ended. They are sending a package to_ the orphanage that includes children's clothing. "We're hoping it becomes a tradition with our Christmas," Sandi said. The students at McCurdy Public School in Huron Park where Sandi is ucation assistant, are also getting lved by donating the proceeds a recent pizza lunch. The -Gr. 2/3 is including its non-perishable ween candy in thepackage. s special they were thinking;" i said. "Rikki-Lee's really had an on these people." civil service official. Our new baby girl. Sandi and Brad receiving Rikki-Lee from the the Karen and Ed Willis and Yue Chi started the Canada -China Adoption Association, a non-profit organization, in 1997 because they felt there was a need for a service In southwestem Ontario to help families adopt children from China. A Mend of Chi's in China looks after the details In China. Willis and Chi deal with the Chinese government's China Center of Adoption Affairs. • Karen says there are rules and regulations and couples have to qualify before they're able to adopt a child. "China Is pretty straightforward compared to some other International coun- tries," Willis said. A booklet from CCAA outlines the complete ily collects the documents, Willis and her team look afterp tionpthe deta sir the fam- Only two families have adopted babies so far through CCAA but eight babies will be adopted through the association In the New Year. Willis said she receives many calls from Interested families and encourages people to cap her at 229-8811 for more information.