As Kim and Michael York’s kids were getting older, they knew they wanted to have another child in their life, they just weren’t exactly sure what that was going to look like.
Kim had looked into being a volunteer for a program like Big Brother/Big Sister or becoming a foster parent in their local community, but nothing seemed like the right fit. Then one day she read an article in her local newspaper about a family who hosted and then adopted a little boy from Colombia through a program called Kidsave.
“I remember the little boy’s name was Sebastian,” said Kim. “I cut out that article and I saved it for quite a few years. My children were young teenagers at the time, and we were very busy. But as empty-nesters, we decided this was a good time for us—we had a lot of energy and time and ability to raise another child and really focus and spend a lot of time with him—so that’s when we decided to reach out to Kidsave.”
That first summer, Kim and Michael became what’s called a Summer Miracles “visiting family” or a family who attends community events to get to know the kids and families participating in the program. The more they learned about the program, the more interested they grew. The following summer, the Yorks took the plunge and applied to be a Summer Miracles host family.
The Yorks were open to hosting to adopt, so they began working with one of Kidsave’s partner adoption agencies, Holt International. They were matched with a social worker to complete the necessary paperwork and processes, and Kim found that their social worker was one of their biggest allies through the experience.
“That’s one piece of advice I would give,” said Kim. “One of the most important things is to work with an adoption agency early on while you are working with Kidsave if you think you may adopt.”
The summer of 2022, Kim and Michael hosted 12-year-old Matteo.*
“From the very first moment that we saw him when he got off the plane at LAX, there was a connection,” said Kim. “He ran straight to us, and there was this comfort level from the very beginning where it just felt very natural and very organic and easy.”
Kim and Michael gave Matteo the full California experience. Matteo had never been to a beach before, so that was one of the first things on the list. Michael taught Matteo how to swim, and Matteo even took surfing lessons which he loved! The family also visited Seaworld, Legoland, and the local space observatory.
“We had read in his profile that he loved astronomy. I did some research and learned that there was a special nighttime program at our space observatory about nebulas and that kind of thing, so we took him,” said Kim. “We knew we wanted to tailor the summer to his interests as well as introduce him to new things.”
It was an exciting summer of firsts and getting to know each other as a family. Along the way, Kim and Michael learned that, unlike a lot of other Colombian boys his age, Matteo wasn’t into soccer, so they decided to forego the soccer camp they had previously planned. Instead, he preferred spending time at home with the family, swimming or at his surfing lessons, or studying the stars.
“I think it's important to be flexible and have some things planned but know that your plans may not match up exactly with their interests,” said Kim. “So be flexible and talk to [the kids] about what they envision and what they would like to do while they're here and just be prepared to pivot if you need to.”
The five weeks flew by, and it was time for Matteo to return to Colombia. The process requires that the children return to Colombia, even if the prospective parents are interested in pursuing adoption. Fortunately for Matteo, it only took nine months for the process to be completed before he was back in the U.S. with Kim and Michael.
“It was a very smooth transition for us overall,” said Kim. “But for a lot of kids it does kind of hit them after they’re here, like, ‘Wow, this is really real, this isn’t just a vacation.’ It can take them a while to process it. Our son never withdrew from us or anything, but I do remember him saying it felt like it all happened quickly. Although he didn’t say it, I think there was some homesickness. That is only natural, but eventually he said to me, ‘We have the perfect life here, mami.’”
Miguel started his new life in California, and Kim and Michael made the decision to start Matteo in a full-immersion school rather than one with an English Learners track. He worked with a tutor and received translation help on tests and assignments as he learned English. Despite the challenges of a new school, learning a second language, and a new culture, Matteo quickly made friends and is doing well in his classes.
“We are so proud of him,” said Kim. “He’s adjusting very well…People can’t believe how well-matched we are. We like the same foods, we have the same sense of humor, we like to explore new places together…we’re a pretty tight unit.”
*Name changed to protect the child’s privacy
About Summer Miracles
Our Summer Miracles program gives older orphans who are overseas a chance at a family. The Summer Miracles program provides older kids with no possibility of reunification – and little likelihood of adoption in their home country because of their age – the opportunity to stay in the U.S. for five weeks in the summer (three weeks in the winter). While here, the kids stay with host families, learn about American culture, create lifelong memories, and connect with potential forever families. Book a call with our team to learn more.
Kidsave’s 25th Anniversary
Join us as we celebrate our 25th anniversary! Are you a Kidsave family who wants to share your story? Learn how here.
