FAMILIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ADOPTING BABIES FROM 
CHINA IN RECORD NUMBERS. TO DEAL WITH THE CULTURAL IMPACT OF 
THIS TREND, THE AMERICAN PARENTS HAVE ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATIONS 
IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH PLAN CELEBRATIONS FOR CHINESE HOLIDAYS
AND CLASSES IN CHINESE LANGUAGE AND TRADITIONS.  

THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN ADOPTED FROM CHINA HAVE MOVED 
QUICKLY TO ESTABLISH AN ORGANIZATION TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES 
AND RESOURCES. IT IS CALLED "FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM CHINA."
SINCE ITS INCEPTION A FEW YEARS AGO, IT HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE 89 
CHAPTERS WORLDWIDE, MOST OF THEM IN THE UNITED STATES.

ONE OF THE LARGEST OF THESE IS THE NEW ENGLAND (NORTHEASTERN U-S)
CHAPTER, REPRESENTING ABOUT 600 FAMILIES. IT IS HEADED BY 
INVESTMENT BANKER SHANTI FRY, HERSELF THE MOTHER OF A YOUNG GIRL 
ADOPTED FROM CHINA.

         CHINA IS THE MOST POPULAR COUNTRY FOR AMERICANS TO GO TO
         ADOPT IN. IT HAS SURPASSED BOTH RUSSIA AND (SOUTH) 
         KOREA. MORE THAN SEVEN THOUSAND CHILDREN HAVE NOW COME 
         OVER FROM CHINA TO THE UNITED STATES AND IT HAS ALL BEEN
         IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THERE ARE ABOUT THREE 
         THOUSAND KIDS PER YEAR THAT ARE BEING ADOPTED. THE 
         HIGHEST RANKED REASON PARENTS GIVE FOR GOING OVER TO 
         CHINA IS THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHY CHILDREN.

MS. FRY SAYS MANY AMERICANS TURN TO CHINA FOR ADOPTIONS BECAUSE 
OF THE LONG DELAYS, HIGH EXPENSES AND FRUSTRATION OF TRYING TO 
ADOPT IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES. SHE SAYS THEY 
ARE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY THE RECEPTION THEY ARE GIVEN IN 
CHINA.

         THEY FELT THEY WERE TREATED VERY WELL BY THE CHINESE 
         OFFICIALS. WHEN YOU TALK TO PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN TO 
         OTHER COUNTRIES TO ADOPT, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE 
         EXPERIENCE. THEY COME BACK VERY FRUSTRATED BY THE 
         EXPERIENCE IN THE ADOPTING COUNTRY AND CHINA IS IN STARK
         CONTRAST TO THAT.

NEARLY ALL OF THE CHILDREN ADOPTED FROM CHINA ARE BABY GIRLS.  
THIS GENDER IMBALANCE IS THE RESULT OF A TRADITION IN CHINA AND 
MANY OTHER COUNTRIES OF GIVING GREATER VALUE TO MALES.

THE LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN PUT UP FOR ADOPTION HAS ALSO BEEN 
FUELED BY CHINA'S ONE-CHILD POLICY, UNDER WHICH THE STATE HAS THE
POWER TO PUNISH PARENTS WHO HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD. AS A 
RESULT, SOME CHINESE PARENTS, PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS, 
SECRETLY ABANDON THEIR FIRST CHILD, IF IT IS A GIRL, AND HAVE 
ANOTHER CHILD, HOPING FOR A BOY.

THE ORGANIZATION "FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM CHINA" WANTS TO 
HELP ADOPTED CHILDREN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE ORIGINALLY 
ABANDONED OR ORPHANED. MS. FRY SAYS IF CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THEY 
WERE PUT UP FOR ADOPTION AS A RESULT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY AND 
SOCIAL NECESSITY, THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO FEEL A SENSE OF 
PERSONAL REJECTION. MS. FRY SAYS THE ORGANIZATION ALSO WANTS TO 
TEACH THE CHILDREN TO BE PROUD OF THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE.

         WE WANTED OUR CHILDREN TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR CULTURAL 
         BACKGROUND, ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY THEY HAD 
         COME FROM. WE WANTED THEM TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE KIND 
         OF FOOD IN CHINA, MUSIC, ART, ALL THE THINGS THAT GO 
         INTO MAKING A CULTURE, SO THAT SOME DAY, WHEN THEY GO TO
         VISIT CHINA, WHEN THEY ARE OLDER, THEY WILL FEEL 
         COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY GO OVER THERE.

THE RAPID EXPANSION OF AMERICAN FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ADOPTED IN
CHINA IS NOW LEADING THE ORGANIZATION TO EXPAND ITS ACTIVITIES 
BEYOND THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE ADOPTED CHINESE CHILDREN. MS. FRY 
IS LAUNCHING A FUND RAISING APPEAL AND HOPES TO RAISE 80-THOUSAND
DOLLARS THIS YEAR TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN CHINESE ORPHANAGES.  
MONEY WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE WASHING MACHINES AND EDUCATIONAL 
AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES. SHE SAYS SHE ALSO WANTS TO HELP 
COMPUTERIZE CHINA'S ADOPTION PROCESS, THEREBY ALLOWING THE 
PLACEMENT OF MORE CHILDREN WITH ADOPTIVE FAMILIES FASTER.

IN THE LONG RUN, MS. FRY SAYS, ADOPTION OFFERS IMPORTANT BENEFITS
TO BOTH CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES.

         THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AMERICA AND CHINA THAT HAS
         REALLY WORKED FOR BOTH SIDES. WE HAVE COME TOGETHER AND
         SOLVED A MUTUAL PROBLEM AND THE RESULT IS WE HAVE GOT 
         THESE WONDERFUL GIRLS WHO ARE LIVING VERY HAPPY LIVES 
         AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE BROUGHT UP TO HONOR THE COUNTRY
         THEY WERE BORN IN.

THE TYPICAL COST FOR AN AMERICAN FAMILY TO ADOPT A CHINESE CHILD 
IS BETWEEN 15 THOUSAND AND 20 THOUSAND DOLLARS. A GOOD DEAL OF 
THIS GOES TO THE COST OF TRAVELLING TO CHINA TO PICK UP THE 
CHILD.

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