Stahlke Adoption

The Story Behind the Photo

Many years ago, a young woman of Ukrainian descent grew up in Chicago, and her family members were active in the community of Ukrainian Village. She attended Georgetown University and the University of Chicago and then began a promising career in business. Her employers included the U.S. State Department, the Reagan White House, and the U.S. Treasury Department. When the chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine visited Chicago to establish better diplomatic and economic ties, she participated as a member of the U.S. delegation. Eventually she and the bank chairman fell in love, married, and raised a family of their own. In 1999, the bank chairman became prime minister of Ukraine, and in 2004, he ran for president of Ukraine, sparking the Orange Revolution.

Viktor Yuschenko is still president today, and Kateryna Yuschenko's primary focus as First Lady is to improve the lives of Ukrainian orphans. During the last four years, the adoption system in Ukraine has changed a great deal. The government is working to convert the orphanage system into a foster care system, and incentives have been established to promote foster care and adoption by Ukrainian citizens. There is strong interest in keeping the children in Ukraine.

The First Lady visited Mikola's orphanage on September 18, 2007. The children dressed in traditional costumes and presented a program of dancing and music. The First Lady took notice of Mikola:
president.gov.ua/gallery/841.html
Go to the bottom and click page number 4
Look at the fourth photo on the top row (html#10476)
Mikola bows in the foreground, as the First Lady watches him.

Kateryna Yuschenko asked the orphanage director for specific information about Mikola. The director explained that he had lived at the orphanage for most of his life. His brothers and sisters had been adopted by a Chicago couple in 2005, but Mikola's adoption had been delayed due to legal complications. In the meantime, several Ukrainian families had requested him as a foster child, hoping to eventually adopt him. Since the paperwork for the Chicago couple was taking so long, the director asked the First Lady her opinion: Should Mikola stay longer and wait for the Chicago family, or should he be adopted by a Ukrainian family?

The First Lady replied, "He should definitely be placed with his brothers and sisters in Chicago."

posted by Stahlkes @ 11:16 AM