Graduate School of Social Work associate professor Patrick Bordnick arrives at the Hope Trip Camp today in Beijing.
Bordnick will work with the Austin-based Great Wall China Adoption agency at the camp to educate special-needs children about American culture and evaluate feedback from the children to improve their chances for adoption in the U.S.
‘It’s a good opportunity for the university,’ Bordnick said. ‘(It) shows that we are engaging not only the local and national community, but it shows that we reach all the way to the international community. UH spans the globe rather than just outside our door.’
Bordnick packed lassos, cowboy hats and other Texas items in his luggage for the rodeo-themed camp to use for activities with 46 children. Bordnick will teach the children about Texas culture through a few activities, which include decorating cowboy and cowgirl hats, lassoing a horse figurine and learning the ‘Texas Star’ song.
These activities will allow the Great Wall staff to spend quality time with each child to learn more information about them.
‘Every child who is eligible for adoption has a standard file that has medical and developmental information about them. What we will do is get more details about their personalities and their feelings about adoption,’ Stephanie Crouch, Great Wall China Adoption agency program manager, said. ‘(Bordnick’s) job is to talk to the kids and do face-to-face evaluation with them.’
The procedure for gathering information additional to the medical and developmental information is new.
‘Two other agencies in the last couple of months have done some other things with different children and orphanages,’ Crouch said. ‘For our agencies, this is the first time we are doing it.’
Bordnick’s work at the camp is a reflection of his daily life. He is the father of three adopted daughters from China, one of whom suffered from a heart defect at an early age that was later repaired.
The camp will include children with similar special needs. ‘ ‘ ‘
‘If at least one of these kids finds a home by my going there and doing this camp and providing and gathering information about these children, I will be thrilled,’ Bordnick said.
Great Wall chose Bordnick for the trip because he is a licensed social worker, speaks Mandarin Chinese and has felt the benefit of the agency in his own family.’
‘We have a professional and personal relationship with him and his family. He was definitely the first choice for the job,’ Crouch said.
Great Wall is a recognized leader in U.S. adoption from China. The Chinese government has incorporated some of Great Wall’s file-keeping procedures into its China Center of Adoption Affairs, which has helped 8,000 children find families since 1996, according to its Web site.
The CCAA approached Great Wall on March 1, asking the agency to bring the Hope Trip Camp to Beijing, Crouch said.’ ‘
Interested parties can keep up with Bordnick and Crouch at the camp as Crouch will be blogging from Beijing on the Web site’s forum.
For more information, visit the Great Wall China Adoption Agency’s Web site, http://www.gwca.org.
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