KIDSAVE

It was just past midnight, November 7, 2018, and the pilot announced that we were cleared for landing in Bogota, Colombia (South America). I remember it very clearly because it was the exact day of my 41st birthday. I met my friend who lived in Chile in Bogota and the same day we flew to Medellin to start our adventure.. my first time backpacking and living in hostels. My journey in becoming a dad started in a neighborhood called Comuna 13, where I met a group of kids. I took a picture with them and never forgot their smiling faces. However, I found out many of them did not have homes or families. It was then I knew in my heart that I would one day be a father to a child from Colombia. I was going through a divorce and had no clue how a single man could be approved to adopt yet alone be bold and say the country of Colombia. But I knew  deep down inside it would happen one day. 

Fast forward to February 2020, after watching a movie called “Instant Family” I started searching the internet about becoming a foster parent. Shortly after my search I saw an organization called KIDSAVE. My heart leaped for joy when I learned they had a weekend miracles program where I could host a child once a month to build a relationship with potentially one day adopting. But when I kept reading it was only for families in Los Angeles. There was my chance, gone. Right before I hit close on the website, I saw a program called the “Summer Miracles Program” where you host a child from a foreign country. I clicked the button and my heart dropped. The country they partnered with was Colombia! Could this really be true? I quickly signed up and by the next day I was registered to be a host dad for Summer 2020. I did not tell many people but I confided in my dear friend Holly Hassett to see what she thought. I knew she would flip but after I broke the news with her tears swelled up in her eyes. Did I say something wrong.? To my surprise she was friends with the co-founder and supported KIDSAVE for many years. I knew then it was fate.!

May 2020 I received the news that they had two siblings that were a perfect match. They asked me if I was interested in hosting them and it did not take me long to say yes. When I saw their faces and read their bio it was as if they were already my biological kids. The long wait of KIDSAVE asking the boys if they were open to a single dad was agonizing. But several days later I received the fantastic news that the boys said yes. As I prepared for the boys to arrive I received the dreadful news that I knew was imminent due to the pandemic, their trip was postponed. I knew this actually meant “cancelled” but KIDSAVE was so optimistic and did not give up on the kids.

A couple months passed and to my surprise on August 19th I received a phone call that the next day I was going to be a part of a Virtual Summer Hosting event with other families and kids. I was so nervous and literally could not sleep that night. Then the hour arrived, August 20th, I met Santiago and Julian for the first time and we had an instant connection. I was informed to not expect the kids to be very open or talkative but my experience was quite the opposite. Both kids were smiling and very eager to ask questions although Santiago spoke for his younger brother the majority of the zoom call. 

I was honored to be a part of the KIDSAVE “Virtual” Summer Hosting event. It gave me and the boys the opportunity to bond, get to know one another, learn what our favorite foods were, and most importantly, that all three of us are adventurous and funny. Because of KIDSAVE being creative and not allowing the pandemic to hinder kids from finding families, I not only met my future children on video call, but on January 22, 2021, I met them face to face and now we are an official family.!  

KIDSAVE allowed our dreams to come true. My kids wanted a Dad and I wanted sons. That would not have been possible without the love and support of KIDSAVE. 

From our home to KIDSAVE, thank you!