Mother’s Day is meaningful to Heather Yaeger, not only because of her own three children, but also because it reminds her of all the older children in the Philippines who need homes.
Yaeger is the executive director of adoptions and out-of-home care for Lutheran Social Services. She lives in the town of Wittenberg with her husband, David, sons Trey, 21, Logan, 18, and daughter Abbey, 16.
Last year at this time, Heather and Abbey, a sophomore at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School, had just returned from spending about a week in the Philippines, mainly in Manila. They were taking part in a global effort called the Philippine Ambassador Program.
“The people are so nice and welcoming,” Heather said.
The program is for older children who the government there says have no opportunities for adoption in the Philippines.
The Yaegers spent a week of their visit with children 9 to 14 who are looking for homes. Abbey went as a volunteer ambassador and got to know several kids. She said they were shy at first, but by the time Heather and Abbey left, they were friends, talking and laughing with them.
“We do believe all kids deserve a family,” Heather Yaeger said. “As a mother of three, you love your own children so much, but when you’re there you can fall in love with another child, too.
“Mothers all have the capacity to love children. They’re a gift.”
The children, who are in orphanages run by Christian organizations, have been left homeless by natural disasters, disease or families who can’t support them.
Adoptions take approximately 18 months. Each child and prospective family are thoroughly screened.
“I think sometimes people get overwhelmed at how many orphans there are in the world and think they can’t make a difference or are too old to adopt,” Heather said. “They would be making a huge difference.”
She noted that many people don’t think about adopting older children, but it can be a good fit for some families. One family had an interesting perspective.
“It was like someone else raised my child until I got him,” Heather said a mom told her.
Heather and Abbey became attached to several kids, including John Rod, who loves basketball. He was the oldest boy at his orphanage. When the children reach 15½, they are no longer able to be adopted.
“They know this is their last chance at a family,” Heather said.
Kids who aren’t adopted have to leave the orphanage and often end up living on the street.
“Every kid deserves a home, a mom and dad, and experience the same things I do,” Abbey said. “They deserve to be loved.”
Heather’s area for LSS includes Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota, but the organization can facilitate adoptions for anywhere in the United States.
About 35 children have been placed since the ambassador program began in 2007. Some of them are now in college..
“The kids have been successful who were brought back,” Heather said.
Heather and Abbey want to go back some day, saying it was heartbreaking to leave.
“I cried on the plane,” Abbey said. “The hardest part of the whole trip is leaving them. Although I wanted to come home, I knew how hard it would be to share their stories and just how much they all want a family.”
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