As Kidsave celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are speaking with Kidsave alumni—many who have families of their own now—retired staff, friends, dedicated volunteers, and families formed through Kidsave across the years as we celebrate 25 years of love and family.
To think that fourteen months ago, siblings Diego and Valentina were living as orphans in Colombia, knowing no English, unsure if they were ever going to be adopted, much less together. Their whole lives have changed because of a three-week stay with the right family, and now, a bright future full of laughter and singing (and longer school days) lies ahead of them.
Deborah Manaloto said her interest in adoption started when she was a child. She had a classmate who was in foster care, and that early friendship sparked a passion in her.
“Since the sixth grade, I knew I wanted to adopt,” said Deborah. “Luckily, when I met my husband and I told him, he was on the same page.”
Deborah and her husband, Paul, first learned about Kidsave and the Summer/Winter Miracles program while working with the adoption agency Holt International. They began looking into the program, learning about how older orphans from Colombia are brought to the U.S. to stay with host families, where they can experience the culture and meet potential adoptive families.
As a former junior high and high school teacher, Deborah had experience with older kids and understood that they were most often overlooked in adoption. Deborah and Paul were also open to either domestic or international adoption, so they decided the program would be a good fit for their family. In 2022, they were introduced to Diego, age 12, and Valentina, age 8.
Before the kids arrived in Chicago that December, Deborah and Paul had only seen photos and videos and introduced themselves in a letter, but there was already a connection.
“[Kidsave] sent their video to us, and we just fell in love,” said Deborah. “They looked so sweet, and when we read their bios, it seemed like it would be a good fit.”
And that feeling of instant connection was mutual! There was a buzz in the air on the day of the kids’ arrival, and no one was more ready than Diego and Valentina.
“It was amazing. We were so excited, and they got off the plane, and Valentina came running to us and gave us a big hug, and Diego wasn’t far behind,” said Deborah. “The first thing Valentina said to me wasn’t hi, it was, ‘Do you know how to do hair differently every single day?’ Because she loves getting her hair done. So, we knew that she would be a little bit of a firecracker.”
Valentina and Diego’s enthusiasm continued throughout the three-week stay. Deborah shared memories of the two of them giggling and laughing in the back seat after getting ice cream, experiencing snow for the first time, asking Alexa to play music so they could sing together, and cooking together. Deborah and Paul also introduced them to Christmas traditions like building gingerbread houses, decorating the tree together, and doing activities from the Advent calendar.
One of the most special things about sharing the holiday with Diego and Valentina, though, was introducing them to the family.
“It was amazing to see them just kind of blend very seamlessly in with our extended family. There was a lot of family time, and that was just wonderful to see them enjoying everyone,” said Deborah. “A lot of these kids just want to hang out at home with a family. We did a lot of activities, but I feel like they probably enjoyed just being around a family more than anything.”
After the holidays ended, so did the hosting period, and Diego and Valentina had to return to Colombia. Luckily for them, Deborah and Paul worked hard to complete all the necessary paperwork, and within eight months, Diego and Valentina’s adoption was finalized, and they came back home!
“We got to see them again after eight months and hug them. Diego was crying out of happiness. Those are all things we’re never going to forget,” said Deborah.
Although eight months is a very short turnaround time for adoption, the kids weren’t coming back to the U.S. for just a few weeks—this time, they were coming back for good. Even though Valentina and Diego were ecstatic to be adopted and loved Deborah and Paul, it would be a big adjustment. Luckily, Deborah is a therapist and had ideas about how to make the transition easier for them.
While the longer school day has been a challenge (in Colombia, the school day ends at noon), the kids are otherwise thriving. They are both involved in ESL classes where they’ve made many friends. They have picked up English incredibly quickly and are almost fluent after only five months. In addition to classes, the kids are enrolled in at least one extracurricular activity to help them get involved and find interests at their new school.
Deborah also credits their pets with helping the kids get used to their new family. “We have three dogs, and I think they like the dogs better than us,” she joked. “I’m a therapist, so I think animal therapy is so wonderful.”
One area the dogs haven’t really helped in, though, is the food. Diego and Valentina aren’t big fans of American food, so the family enjoys a mix of American and Colombian dinners. While Deborah hopes the kids grow to enjoy American foods, having Colombian dinners has helped them feel more at home during the transition, and it reminds them of the fun time they had cooking Colombian food during their hosting period.
Today, Diego and Valentina have two loving parents, three devoted dogs, and many friends; they are almost fluent in English, are in extracurricular activities, and enjoy frequent family game nights. But while the kids enjoy all the benefits of moving to America, nothing is more meaningful to them than finally having a family. Valentina’s letters are evidence. Deborah says “She’s very loving. She won’t really show it, but she’ll write us cards that say ‘I love you. I love this family.’” Reflecting on this sweet memory, Deborah says, “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”
To learn more about the Summer/Winter Miracles program, and how you can become a host family, visit www.kidsave.org/summer-miracles/.
Kidsave’s 25th Anniversary
Join us as we celebrate our 25th anniversary at the Kidsave Miracles Gala! Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now. Are you a Kidsave family who wants to share your story? Learn how here.
