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Lisa Mariana (7), Kendra Nasrin (9), Wesley Elias (10)

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Lisa, Kendra and Wesley are siblings who are very close to one another. The children were seriously neglected in their home, sometimes left for weeks without any supervision, so all three are very independent together - but at the same time, very dependent on each other. They came to our orphanage a few months ago, after they were found, almost starving, in their apartment. Their parents (who had adopted them from Iran - and changed their names - when Wesley was three, Kendra was two, and Lisa was a newborn) were not very loving even when they were home.

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Lisa is very outgoing and loves to draw and paint. She's a natural at making friends. She's got short black curls and striking greenish-gray eyes. Kendra is somewhat reserved and very wary of strangers, not sure who to trust. Once you get to know her she is the most loyal friend you could hope to have, and you'll find that she loves to dance, particularly traditional Middle Eastern dancing. She likes the name Kendra, but insisted on keeping her original name Nasrin as her middle name. Wesley is particularly guarded and very protective and independent. He likes doing things for himself, and resents being told what to do. However, he's a very nice boy who will warm to you when you gain his trust. He loves cats and wants to be an architect when he grows up.

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Please keep us updated on how the kids are doing!

Please welcome Nicholas Charles "Nick" (17) and his son James Wentworth "J" (2)! Sara's mother Elizabeth passed away just after Sara was born, and this has torn Nick apart. He is very close to J, and cannot stand being away from him. Since Elizabeth's death, Nick's parents had been taking care of Nick and J, but recently, there was a plane crash that took the lives of Nick's parents. Nick was flying the plane, and though it was a horrible accident, Nick feels responsible. Nick suffers from depression because of the losses he has suffered, but he is determined to be a good father to J. Nick enjoys flying and wants to be a pilot, though since the crash, Nick hasn't flown. It would be very important to help Nick move on, because he is a very skilled pilot and he really always wanted to be a pilot. J is a bubbly baby can cheer Nick up like no other.

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Please let us know how Nick and J are doing!

Chelsea Rose (3), Jesse Mychal (3), Alexander Jared "Alec" (7)

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Chelsea, Jesse, and Alec were left with us when Alec was 4 and the twins were newborn. All that Alec has been able to tell us is that he had an older brother named Carter who we assume is still living with their parents. Chelsea is a very sweet little girl with curly blond hair. She loves to laugh, and enjoys playing with her brothers. Jesse has curly blond hair like Chelsea, and likes playing with toy trucks. Alec takes care of his younger sibs, and we think that they might have been living in an abusive situation because of how Alec refuses to talk about the past. Alec has straighter blond hair and is rather pudgy. He wears glasses and really likes reading.

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Please keep us updated on how they're doing!

Seth George (18), Katie Lyn (15), Tiffany Ann (10)

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Seth, Katie, and Tiffany are all siblings. Their single dad lost his job last year and couldn't make ends meet for three kids, so they were sent to us. Seth is very protective of his sisters, and plays football. He's been offered a scholarship to the University of South Carolina for football, but is considering not taking it so he can be close to his family. Seth is tall and skinny with short black hair and dark eyes.

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Katie loves acting and wants to become a stage actress after high school. She has always been in drama club at school, and hopes to do some community theater some time soon. She gets along well with Seth, but finds Tiffany kind of annoying - though they love each other. Katie recently got purple highlights in her dark brown hair.

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Tiffany is very nervous about leaving her dad, because she feels as if he won't be able to go on without her, Katie, and Seth. However, she's excited to be in a new situation. She is a paraplegic and has been since a car accident when she was two years old. Tiffany wants to walk one day, and is determined to find a way to do it. She wants to be a surgeon when she grows up so she can help people like herself. Tiffany has curly black hair that she usually wears in a ponytail.

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Please keep us updated on how the kids are doing!

Jae (8), Victoria "Tori" (10), and Christine "Chrissy" (12)

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Jae is eight years old and was left with us as a newborn baby. She is very lovable and loves all kinds of cuddly animals. She has very curly bright red hair and enjoys playing dress-up and pretending she's a princess or a mermaid. She is somewhat afraid of the dark, and likes to have a night light.

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Tori is a very fun-loving ten year old. She loves doing her hair and nails, and wants to wear make-up (we have a no make-up until age 13 policy at the orphanage). She loves playing tennis and loves watching Andy Roddick play. Tori is black and has silky black hair that she always wears with beads.

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Chrissy is a pretty reserved kid, and was left with us after confiding in her mother that she had a crush on a girl at school. Her biological mom is very young and also very conservative. Chrissy gets made fun of a lot at school, but she's very good at dealing with it. She likes drawing a lot, and her favorite books are the Harry Potter series. She's very smart, and her favorite subject is English, though she loves art too. Chrissy has long blond hair and blue eyes and is very tall and thin.

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Please let us know how Chrissy, Tori, and Jae are doing in your family!

Nathan David (14), Dustin Lee(14), Michelle Anne (9)

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Nate, Dustin, and Michelle's parents were both sent to jail last year for abuse and neglect. The kids have been with us ever since. Twins Nate and Dustin were both beaten very often, and taunted cruelly. Michelle was sexually abused on a regular basis, and also subjected to beatings and verbal abuse. All three are very shy, though Nate has sort of taken the 'big brother' role on in that he is very protective of his two sibs. Dustin cries a lot, but doesn't like anyone to know about it, and he'll get very defensive and angry if anyone tries to comfort him while he's crying. Michelle hasn't spoken in the time we've known her, but Nate says that she used to talk all the time. All three have blond hair and green eyes, and Nate and Dustin are pretty hard to tell apart, though Dustin's hair is a little longer. Dustin and Nate both enjoy playing hockey, and Michelle's passion is basketball. They didn't get good educations in their old home, so they'll be a bit behind in school, or you may choose to homeschool them, which might be a good idea.

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Please let us know how Nate, Dustin, and Michelle are adjusting to life with your family!

Tionna Marie is 16 years old, and eight months pregnant with a baby girl, who she'd love to name Melody. Tionna was living on the streets when we found her about one month ago, and she had been homeless for about three years after her single mother went to a mental hospital. When she was nine years old, her teenage brother Toby joined a gang, got caught robbing a store, and was sent to jail. He is now twenty-two years old, and living in LA. Tionna would like to write to him a few times a year. She'd very much like to see him once or twice a year, but understands if you would be opposed to that. She's a very independent girl, and she loves to write songs, which she'll be happy to play for you on her guitar. Tionna is a helpful girl and she likes cooking and looking after kids. She wants to be a teacher. Tionna is very tall with long, straight black hair and blue eyes. She is happy to have found a home, and especially looks forward to having lots of brothers and sisters!

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Please keep us updated on how Tionna and her baby are doing!

This message was edited 5/18/2008, 1:10 PM

Erica Ann (17), Augustus "Gus" Vincent (17), and Heather Teresa (11)

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Erica was disowned by her parents a few months ago when she told them she was pregnant with Gus's child. Heather was adopted by Erica's parents at age 7, after severe sexual, physical, and emotional abuse by her biological parents. Erica is the only person Heather feels comfortable with, and so when Erica was kicked out, Heather became severely depressed. Erica's parents then kicked Heather out too, saying if she wasn't a contributing member of the family, she would have to go.

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Gus has been with us since he was nine years old after his single dad died in a car crash. He met Erica at music camp over last summer and they began their relationship. They are now six months pregnant and very excited and nervous about being parents.

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Erica loves to sing and play the piano, and is very headstrong and opinionated. She loves helping people, and takes care of Heather like a mother. Erica has short dark-brown hair and olive skin. She has very lovely dark eyes and a nice smile. Gus plays the cello exceptionally well. He is kind of shy at first, but once he gets to know you he's quite the chatterbox. He's got short blond hair and green eyes. Heather enjoys reading and is very shy around most people. She is very sweet and kind-hearted though. Heather has dirty-blond hair that goes down to her shoulders. She's got light blue eyes and very pale skin.

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Please keep us updated!