Register Now for the 2008 HOPE Youth Corps! You can now register for the 2008 HOPE Youth Corps at HOPE worldwide’s webpage, www.hopeww.org.  HOPE Youth Corps is a summer volunteer program for high school and university students focusing on spiritual leadership training and community service   in developing countries as well as in America's inner cities.   Participants work with the underserved, face challenges that take them to new levels of commitment and build life-long relationships with strong peers. The HYC volunteers radically deepen their compassion and gain a profound appreciation for what they have been given in their own lives.  In 2008, HYC volunteers will serve in: Philadelphia, Baltimore, Seattle, New Orleans, Cambodia, Jamaica, and Indonesia. HOPE Youth Corps participants are selected based on their registration, recommendations and heart to serve.  Students 16 and older are eligible to apply for HOPE Youth Corps.  All domestic sites and Jamaica are open to high school and university students.  All other international sites are open to university students only.  Participants are accepted on a rolling admissions basis.  Also, students 17 and older may apply for an AmeriCorps internship which provides a $1,100 living stipend as well as a $1,000 educational award in return for 300 hours of service. For more information, and to apply, click the link below: http://www.hopeww.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?&pid=513&srcid=513   HOPE FOR CHILDREN, INC. 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 250, Atlanta, GA 30346 James 1:27 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. INDIA: HOPE for Children, Inc. has received referrals of children who need to be adopted.  Below is the current information we have on the children from India who need families.  Sonu Rajuis a handsome 10-year-old boy who ran away and has been in the orphanage for 2 years. He was found abused with scabies and tuberculosis. He is very excited to go to school and learn and loves to draw. Sonu is now healthy and gets along well with others. Gaurav is an adorable 7-year-old boy.  His birth mother surrendered Gaurav the day after his birth. He has severe myopia in his right eye and shows weakness in his limbs on his left side. He attends school and is also responding well to physical therapy. Gaurav is physically impaired, but is able to walk, run, and climb. He is intellectually normal for his age.                         Ashimais a 15-month-old little girl with special needs.  She was born after   36 weeks of gestation with severe birth asphyxia and sepsis with thrombocytopenia.  A highly specialized therapist and support group with early intervention, neuro-development therapy, and sensory integration treated her.  The developmental milestones achieved by 13 months are as follows:  social smile and eye contact (6 months), neck holding - prone & supine (9 months), and turns over on side (10 months). She appears to recognize her close caregivers, though she has no vocalization.  She is not able to sit up with support. Animesh: 5.5 year old boy, healthy but low weight. He is intellectually normal.  He is in an orphanage in Mumbai. Pictures available soon. Babli: 7 year old girl. Intellectually average and has one weak leg. She loves to play. She is currently  in an orphanage in Mumbai. Diya: 3.5 year old girl. Healthy but has lower leg deformities & is missing 1 finger on each hand. She is very bright intellectually & would benefit from surgery & possible prosthesis. She is currently in a Mumbai orphanage. Devika is a 9-year-old girl.  She is well behaved and well mannered.  She is recites Marathi and English poems and songs.  She is a top student in her class. She is up to her physical and mental growth milestones.  She is of brown complexion and has a lot of black curly hair and big black eyes.  She is well behaved and presently weighs 22.2 kilograms.  Devika has a glycogen storage disorder and myopic vision.  She is sometimes shy.  She wants a family of her own.  She plays with the children of her age and is protective of younger children.  Her date of birth is 9/14/1998.  We should be receiving a picture in the near future. If you are interested in learning more about one of these Indian children, please contact Melinda Szegedi at melinda@hopeforchildren.org or by phone at 800-522-2913. Ukraine Please review the medical information for these children from Ukraine. They are considered “Special Needs” and some do have unique medical conditions ranging from mild to severe. However, many of these children can grow and develop and become more independent with the right medical care and family situation.  Unfortunately, there are not enough funds in the child care system, so some children are given labels that are not entirely accurate and are even placed in a “Special Needs” orphanage due to there being no vacancies in regular orphanages. This often results in many of the diagnosis given to the children being inaccurate or exaggerated.  We encourage you to have an International Adoption Specialist and Medical Doctor review any and all information in order to assist you in making an informed decision on pursuing the adoption of a specific child or children.    If you would like more information on any of these children, please contact Melinda Szegedi at Melinda@hopeforchildren.org or by phone at 800-522-2913. Natalia  - Natalia was born on March 6, 2003.  She has blue eyes and brown hair.  She has some mental retardation and has a epileptic syndrome. Natalia can speak and is currently learning a poem.  She walks, has a sweet disposition and comes through as a clever girl regardless of the diagnoses. Natalia has a sister, Svetlana, however, since Natalia is special needs child separation from her sibling is problem free. Since Natalia is specials needs the adoption process would go faster than normal (less than 9 months). Margarita - Margarita was born on July 25, 2001.   Caretakers describe her as a friendly child and feel she has great potential.  Margarita walks, is potty trained and smiles a lot. Margarita’s has Down syndrome and mental retardation.  Since Margarita is specials needs the adoption process would go faster than normal (less than 9 months). Katerina -  Katerina was born on May 10, 2001.  Katerina has Down Syndrome and mental retardation.  She can walk independently.  Her caretakers feel that she has great potential if taken into a loving family. Since Katerina is specials needs the adoption process would go faster than normal (less than 9 months). Sasha - Sasha was born on January 5, 1999.  Sasha does not speak very much.  He walks like a regular child.  Sasha’s official orphanage papers say he has retardation in all spheres of child development.  Since Sasha is specials needs the adoption process would go faster than normal (less than 9 months). Christina   - Christina was born on January 17, 2002.   She is walking independently.  Caretakers describe her as nice, shy, positive and sweet. More info can be received upon request. Christina has a sister Karina  who is in another orphanage who is also available for adoption. Maria  -   Maria was born on September 9, 1993.  She is suffering from  Franchesketti Syndrome(Trigger-Collins).  Birthdefectofhearing  analyzed:  atresia of hearing cannal from both sides. Microgyria.  Functional cardiopathy. Delayofpsychologicalandspeechdevelopment. Active child, formed the skills of self service, understands the address of an adult, performs simple task, interested in toys.  She can separate objects by form and color, speech is not fully developed.  She likes music lessons and likes to move and dance.