When Des Aronson was adopted from Ethiopia, he was old enough to recognize that his feelings were often times confounding. Des, one of 153 million ...

Since Haiti's devastating earthquake two years ago, WWO has been in the process of adapting our current program models to fit the needs of children who have been affected by the horrific tragedy.

When I saw this little boy's photos in my inbox, I was eager to learn about this child. He was sweet and shiny and alert, just a few months old, and I felt hopeful for a moment. Then I read the social history.

Why did we create such a marvelous bureaucracy to improve international adoption practices and not pour some of that money into the welfare of mothers in these countries?

My adopted sons will not be able to remember many of the details of the fun they had at the amusement park this Labor Day, but that's okay because that is what childhood is all about.

At the end of the day, being alone and isolated is not a viable way to live. Humans are not constructed to be successful without interdependence and independence... not just one or the other.

I cried with joy for her and those like her who have a permanent family through adoption. And I cried with a deep longing and yearning, for those who have none of this and who deserve it.

The task of reuniting orphans living with HIV with their family was daunting from so many angles. To have their families take them back into their hearts is a gargantuan achievement.

My recollection of Monley, a 6-year-old Haitian boy, is that he was trapped under rubble and curled up inside a metal stand for nine days after the Haiti earthquake.

Emptying institutions -- although desirable -- cannot happen carelessly and swiftly. It must happen with loving care and strategic planning over a decade.

I am reminded painfully of how children essentially can end up lost in rhetoric and good intentions. Agencies are well-meaning, but slow-moving and bureaucratic.

Yet, in the midst of such poverty, there is hope for orphans. The government, NGOs and other charitable community-based organizations are supporting smart plans to help children in need.

I write this note to honor the philosophy and importance of mentoring for my personal vision in the developing world because I lost a mentor on April 8.

Of the 2.2 billion children that populate the world, 163 million of them are parentless. It's a staggering number -- and one that continues to grow with the persistence of disease, poverty, and warfare.