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Show -NEWS- Spanish Fork B6 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2007 Reading Council Covering what matters most Reaching Out SFJH to benefit orphanage READING TIME: The Nebo Reading Council met at East Meadows Elementary on Nov. 29 for this year's presentation of "25 Best Books for Christmas" by Owight Liddiard and Katherine Beck, left. In addition to the Christmas book list, special awards were presented to Pamela Tippetts, Natalie Call and Sage Creek Elementary in Springville. Tippetts and Call received statewide awards for elementary reading teacher of the year and principal of the year, respectively. Both work at Sage Creek, which was recognized with the outstanding reading program of the year. Never before has one school garnered all three awards in the same year. Sage Creek staff, including Tippetts and Call, are pictured above. - As Assistant Principal items were a big hit, but there Scott Carson listened to Rae- was never enough to fill every Anna Christensen tell the sto- need or want. Sidewalk chalk, ry of the adoptions of her three sports balls, Barbie dolls, daughters, Marta, Anita, and stuffed animals, and AmeriLydia, the wheels couldn't can music CDs were some help but start spinning. The of the items shared. Although three girls were adopted from basic needs are well met by a Latvian orphanage by Kim the orphanages, often these and RaeAnna in 2005. These types of personal possessions three wonderful young ladies and play things are not readare now a part of a loving and ily available to the children. secure home, but many of That's where the school could their friends remained behind help. A plan evolved. in the orphanages. Ninth, grader Nate ChrisAlthough Latvia is just a tensen (himself adopted by small country (about the size the Christensens at two days of South Carolina) it presently old) and a member of the has 46 orphanages. As Rae- SFJH Student Body PresiAnna shared her experiences dency, has designed his Eagle with Carson, questions arose Scout Project to get things goas to what kinds of needs the ing. His project is being called children had and how a junior 'Toys For Joy" and will benhigh school in small town efit not only the orphanage Spanish Fork might help to that his sisters came from, but fill some of those needs. The others throughout the counChristensens were required try, depending on the success to make three trips to Latvia of the project. All commubefore the adoption process nity members are invited to was complete. During one of throw a little something extra those trips, RaeAnna filled in their shopping carts as they a bag with various toys and shop over the next few weeks American cultural items to to benefit our Latvian friends. share with the children. The Items can be delivered to the school or sent with a student if they attend SFJH beginning Monday, Dec 3. Toys such as those described above are examples of the things that would be enjoyed. The toys should be new or in good condition. Donations can also be taken to Fast Gas in Salem, where Nate works. Items will be accepted through Dec. 21, 2007. Contacts have already been made with Latvian officials as well as LDS Church officials in Latvia to set up a receiving and distribution plan for the toys. All can rest assured that donated items will go directly to the children of the orphanages. Efforts are being made to get pictures or video of the children as they receive your kind contributions. These will be shared with the community. It is the hope of the Christensen family and Spanish Fork Junior High that this will pave the way for developing a lasting relationship with the Latvian children that will become an important part of our school and community culture. Nam on Bills / Spanish Fork News "I Thought It Couldn't Be Fixed." Courtesy photo GLOBAL FAMILY: The Christensens traveled to Latvia, where they adopted three girls. Christensen family branches out One night while returning home from work, driving up the canyon, 1 hit a patch of black ice, my Tahoe flipped and rolled causing damage to every panel on my SUV. I thought my vehicle was beyond repair but Cary Robarge said it could be fixed and he was right. In a period of weeks not months, through the meticulous efforts of Cary and his crew my Tahoe was restored to mint condition.Two weeks after I got my Tahoe out of the shop they even took care of an annoying whistle due to a windshield sealing problem. The way I was treated 1 felt like a V.I.R and my SUV is perfect and looks fabulous. I would recommend Robarge Collision to anyone. \t - •• ' * i Sincerely, • Lana Hiskey, Covered Bridge 99.38% Customer Satisfaction Rating Exceptional Care, Collision Repair 798-1967 • 570 SOUTH MAIN ST. • SPANISH FORK Kim and RaeAnna Christensen are not just your ordinary run-of-the-millparents — if there is such a thing. Most couples would have been perfectly content with four biological children. In today's world that is enough to keep any family hopping. This was not to be the case, however, for Kim and RaeAnna. Like the Energizer Bunny, they have hearts that just keep giving and giving, and giving. The Christensens were married in 1973, and although they were busy raising four children — Matt, Melissa, Rochelle, and Kyle — as well as completing school, they decided early on to share their home with children in crisis as they became foster parents. By 1991, they had already taken in 100 foster children. This compassionate service and desire to provide a home and family to other children led to the adoption of Natalie in that same year. Soon afterwards, four others were added to the Christensen family: Megan, Nathan, Jacob and Lacey — the miracle baby who was bom without a brain. She passed away only . 27 months later. Kim and RaeAnna's family now totaled nine children! In Dec. of 2004, the Christensens responded to a posting they saw1 requesting six months of foster care for an 11-year-old girl coming to America for a kidney operation. Anita would be coming from an orphanage in "Latvia, a small country outside of St. Petersburg, Russia. After much thoughtful prayer, they approached the orphanage about adopting Anita. The orphanage was not only willing to allow the adoption to go forward, but asked that they also consider adopting two additional children. Anita had two sisters — nine-yearold Lydia, and 13-year-old Marta. Although they were not in any financial position to consider such an undertaking, the Christensens' heart strings were being tugged once again 1 and miracles started to happen that would make this huge endeavor possible. Financial help came from resources all around the world. In January of 2005, Kim and RaeAnna's international adoption journey began. Kim flew first to Latvia to meet the girls. His impressions were very positive, and RaeAnna followed him a few months later to meet her future daughters. She returned again in July to complete the required 10-day bonding experience with the girls. "We ate together, played together, and swam together in the river, as I learned more and more about them and their culture," said RaeAnna. Upon her second visit, she brought with her a "Mary Poppins" bag full of play things to entertain the children of the orphanage. Playground chalk, sports balls, Barbie dolls, stuffed animals, and cd's were all a huge hit. AH of the children were so happy with their new American friend — particularly Marta, Anita, and Lydia. In September, Kim and RaeAnna returned for the final court proceedings. Latvian adoption law requires that the prospective parents develop a relationship with the children before adoptions become final. The court required that one of the two stay for a period of 21 days before their adoptions could be finalized, A nearby cottage was rented for the month and RaeAnna set up house with her three girls, allowing Kim to return home to tend to the family. Many wonderful experiences followed before the four were allowed to depart for America at the end of October, bringing the total Christensen litter to 12 children. RaeAnna Christensen wrote, "As our family has blended these past two years, it has been amazing. Who would have thought that six teenagers would be so much fun? Spanish Fork and Salem citizens have helped us so much. With Natalie and Marta at SFHS; Nate, Anita and Jake at SFJH; and Lydia at Salem Elementary, there is never a dull moment in our lives as parents. Thank you! Thank you for your examples. Thank you for your children and their positive acceptance of our children. Thank you for your time in teaching our children in the schools and the churches and in the community sports and activity programs." |