For years, Holly den Ouden and Jeremy den Ouden had plans to grow their family through adoption. The couple has two biological children and a few years ago, they pursued adoption.
“I always knew that I wanted to adopt,” said Holly den Ouden.
“We saw the beauty that can come from adoption. … Ultimately we believe that every child deserves a family.”
The family said they had friends who had adopted children through Ukraine; they also had a personal connection to Ukraine, having friends and family who lived in the eastern European country and believed it would be a perfect fit for the family.
“We have a number of friends who adopted from Ukraine. We have friends and family in Ukraine,” den Ouden said.
In 2019, they met Nastya through a hosting organization. Nastya, who is a teenager, was living in a Ukraine orphanage at the time.
“She was able to come and visit our family twice in 2019. She spent time with us. … She bonded with us, she bonded with our biological boys and they all deeply love each other,” she said.
The family decided to begin the process of formally from adopting from Ukraine and was matched with Nastya in January 2022.
“We first had through a rigorous home study process: medicals — everything you could imagine — looking at finances, all of the things to make sure that Canada agrees we would be a good adoptive family,” den Ouden said.
“Once we through that, we began compiling our dossier to have than sent to Ukraine. Ukraine then takes that information … and they decided whether or not we should be approved to adopt from Ukraine and they said yes.”
In January 2022, the den Oudens were able to go to Ukraine and express their desire to be matched with Nastya and they received the approval.
“We were waiting for a phone call to return to Ukraine to have our court appointment at which time we would be given custody of Nastya,” she said, but just as the family was waiting for the call, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.
Alysha Buck, chairperson for UAS Eastern European Adoption Inc. board of directors, said the war in Ukraine has brought adoptions processes to a stop.
“We have no choice but to put our program on hold. There is some administrative work we can do but anything that requires the Ukrainian government or Canadian embassy, it’s not happening right now,” she said.
“So our hands are tied.”
Buck said since 2004, UAS has facilitated over 100 adoptions for close to 70 families in Manitoba and throughout Canada.
The organization has three active files that are on hold for its Ukrainian program, and all other families who were in the starting stages have chosen not to pursue adopting through Ukraine because of the war.
Buck said most of those families have chosen to pursue adoption through other programs.
“It’s an impossible situation,” she said.
Buck said obtaining visas has been a challenge and she said she would like to see the Canadian government help make the process easier for parents and adopted children.
Global News has reached out to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada but has not received a response.
The den Ouden family has issued a public letter asking the Canadian government to urge the Ukrainian government to issue immediate evacuation orders to orphanages and trade schools in Ukraine.
They are also asking the feds to waive the visa requirement for Ukrainian citizens and prioritize the entry of unaccompanied minors into Canada who are either displaced by war, or are in danger.
“Just fearing for her safety and countless other innocent lives,” said Jeremy den Ouden.
Holly den Ouden said their priority is getting Nastya to safety.
“The ultimate goal in this moment is to get her to land border to safety. The next goal is to get a Canadian visa,” she said, adding the ultimate goal is get her to Canada where she can join the den Ouden family.
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