China trip

The would-be adoptive family then travels to China, accompanied by a trained interpreter-facilitator, for a two-week trip that includes a visit to the provincial capital where the adoption will be completed.

"It took us three years to get through the process. Fortunately, China has the world's most successful international adoption program and their adoption process is highly organized," said Christina, who eventually traveled to China with her husband to bring Ella back with them to her new home in Canada.

Even though the process was time-consuming and mind-boggling, it was well worth it, she said.

Records show that one in six Canadian couples is unable to conceive in their first year. Most pursue domestic adoption, but many opt to find a child abroad. However, with more stringent requirements being imposed by Chinese authorities, it is getting more difficult than ever for healthy Chinese orphans to join a Canadian family.

About 10 years ago, some 2,000 children in China waited to join Canadian families, according to Christina, who is also the summer program coordinator of Families with Children from China in Toronto (FCC).

Since 1991, Open Arms together with its former sister agency in Montreal have helped more than 1,500 children from China find homes in Canada. However, because of lengthy wait times to complete adoptions from China, Open Arms is no longer accepting new adoption applications for now.

Christina and her husband had no previous knowledge of Ella until two months before they were set to travel to China.

In 2006, when Christina first met her at the Chen Zhou orphanage in Hunan province, Ella was 10-months old. It was an emotional meeting, a lifetime memory that she said will never be erased from her mind.

"She is a tremendous gift to us," Christina recalled, tears welling up in her eyes. "We love her so much and the services from the orphanage are wonderful. We were waiting and waiting and we knew it would take a long time, but by the time it happened, we were so happy. And we had everything ready - room, dresses, diapers, everything."

But as the saying goes: A 1,000-mile journey begins with a single step. It was all starting from scratch when Christina and her husband returned to Canada with Ella.

"The smells, food, even the people were all strange to her, and she was too young to talk. As adoptive parents, you need to help the child adapt to a new life," Christina said.

In the beginning, Christina ordered Chinese TV at home to surround Ella with familiar language and music to ease her transition.

"We still do this now," she said, "we have Chinese music in the bathroom, we go out to Chinese restaurants, and we celebrate Chinese New Year every year."

Ella's good friends Madeline and Elisabeth were both adopted from Hunan, too. Their adoptive mothers Kristen and Sue are also Christina's good friends. These three families now are members of Central Ontario branch of (FCC).

FCC began in the fall of 1995 with about 35 families. Since then, it has grown to a membership of more than 350 families. As a support group for families who have adopted, or are considering adopting from China, FCC Toronto has a separate board of directors and sets its own policies and procedures.