Haitian orphans finding their way
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The Brock family (Austin, 12, Nathan and Catrina) with their new addition, Dania, 7, one of the orphans rescued from Haiti and brought to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
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Their names are Jimmy and Dania, and their odyssey has taken them from an orphanage in Haiti to wintry Pittsburgh on a dramatic rescue mission after an earthquake ravaged their homeland.
Now they have adoptive families, who shared the joyous moment of heading home with them yesterday at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
As of yesterday, seven children had left the hospital with their new families -- out of 54 children that arrived here Tuesday from the destroyed BRESMA orphanage in Port-au-Prince, according to Marc Cherna, director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is overseeing all official business and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is handling the final paperwork for the adoptions. Seven children had no families lined up.
Mr. Cherna reported that the children remaining at the hospital seemed to be happy and well fed and that he anticipated that they will find permanent or foster homes within a week.
"I'm optimistic that all of the children will be adopted," he said. He praised the work of local volunteers and urged people who want to adopt Haitian children to register with an accredited adoption agency, such as Three Rivers Adoption Council.
Jimmy's bright smile and wave was seen on the TV news as the 11-year-old left the plane at the Pittsburgh airport Tuesday. He shared that smile again, along with two songs, as he talked with news reporters at the hospital.
His adoptive parents, Brian and Debbie Lepp, both 46 and from Colville, Wash., said they first saw Jimmy's profile 2 1/2 years ago on an orphanage Web site as Debbie and her daughter, now almost 20, were considering a mission trip to Haiti. She said although the Lepps' children were grown -- their son is 22 -- they were still intent on raising more children. Jimmy would fit into their family well, she said.
"We went there and met him. It was love at first sight," she said.
First Published January 21, 2010 12:00 am
