Todd and Cindy H.
Monahans, TX
Adoption finished June 2008

After numerous unsuccessful infertility treatments, and a short stint with both a domestic and another international adoption agency, what a relief it was to discover AIA and Olga Byrnes! From our very first phone interview, we felt that we could trust Olga to help us accomplish our dream of adding another child to our family. She was very honest and upfront about everything from wait times to expenses. We had been told wonderful things by other agencies. But it didn’t take long after we paid our initial fees to them for us to figure out that the picture they painted for us was rosier than the realities of Russian adoption. Olga did not pretend the process would be easy, but assured us we would eventually get our child. She was right and we now have a precious little girl who is a perfect fit for our family!

We signed with AIA in January of 2007. We could find nothing negative about them. The paperwork seemed daunting at first but was very doable with plenty of help and instruction from Olga. We completed it all within a couple of months; however, AIA’s accreditation expired in March and Russia was in the process of revamping international adoptions. For a time during 2007, there were no accredited US agencies at all. Olga assured us reaccreditation would eventually happen and she kept us updated as she learned new information. AIA received their non-expiring accreditation on December 28, 2007 and things really moved quickly from there. We received a referral for a precious 18 month old little girl on January 28, 2008. We met her in early March and spent a wonderful week in Khabarovsk getting to know her. She officially became our daughter on June 2, 2008!

Irina and Lena, the in-country staff, were professional, helpful, and highly efficient. We always felt safe and were positive that every detail regarding our adoption had been taken care of. Our luggage did not arrive in Khabarovsk until 5 days after we did on Trip 2. We highly recommend packing your court clothes in your carryon! We felt very prepared for our travels as well as what we should expect in court because of the information and advice we received both from Olga and Irina. We were able to take our 6 year old son with us on Trip 2 and had a fabulous time in Khabarovsk becoming a family of four!

One of the things that we appreciated most about dealing with AIA was the very prompt responses we received to our questions, and we asked LOTS of questions. Olga almost always responded the same day and we never waited more than one day for a response. There were no surprises! We would be excited to whole-heartedly recommend Alaska International Adoptions to anyone who is considering Russian adoption. Our experience in dealing with AIA was 100% positive and we could not be happier with our beautiful daughter. We are now preparing for our 1 year post placement report and are amazed at her growth and development over the past year. We thank God for this precious child and know that He led us every step of the way, including the choice of this fine agency!

Shannon and Sharon Luscinski, TN
Adoption finished December 2008

Shannon and I began our adoption process in August, 2007. We were working with a different agency and things did not work out like we were told. We were told everything but the truth. For us, we spent a lot of money and time and the adoption never took place. It was a very difficult time for us. I will never forget in April, 2008, sitting in the airport in Moscow, Russia waiting to fly home. I was watching couples bringing their children with them. It stuck out like a sore thumb who had adopted. My eyes focused on a very happy couple with their two very cute and curious boys. I held back from crying. As we took our seats on the plane, I looked around me and beside me was the same two boys and the new parents. I turned and cried. During our flight back to the states the new father told me all about his experience and I shared mine. I asked him about the agency they used. He said very proud, Alaska International Adoption. As we left the flight and went our separate ways, he gave my husband and I his business card with his email address. He said, If you all ever needed anything please write. Three months went by and deep inside I did not want to give up on our dream. I decided to write the family we met and ask several questions. They open up and shared everything about their adoption experience. They finally told me to write Alaska International and I would receive a call back. With very much hesitation, I did. It was the best email I had ever sent. This was July, 2008

I spoke to Olga over the phone and then sent her a application like she had ask me to. We talked again. Everything she told me was the truth. She responded to each email I sent to her in a timely and professional manner. The paper work was not to bad and she explained each step of it. She done everything she could to save us money during the entire process.October, 2008 we were flying to Magadan to meet our soon to be son and daughter. I will say it was a very, very long flight and a huge weather change. I have never experienced cold weather like I did in Magadan. Zoya was at the Magadan airport to greet us. Zoya is wonderful!!!! Her English is very good, she is professional, she has the adoption process down and all the paper work on her end completed. The children love her at the orphanage and she can get you through the process very easy. The children knew we were coming to meet them. The staff prepare them very well. The orphanage is clean and warm. I was very surprised. I had expressed to Zoya and Olga that we would really like to have the childrenhome by the end of December. That meant that I had to get the remainder paper work completed and sent to Olga in a very timely manner. No playing around. Olga and Zoya worked very hard trying to accommodate us. We were back in Magadan, Russia by mid December 2008. With the weather trying to make things difficult, Zoya handle our few weather related events very well. She does a real good job preparing you for court and she will have all needed paper work ready for court. With Zoya's help and guidance, court wentvery well. The orphanage prepared the children that we were there to pick them up and take them home and they were ready to leave. I was very surprised. The children are beautiful and very smart. I can say that Magadan winters are very cold, more snow than I have ever experienced but there is a beauty to it. The people are friendly. Zoya will help you with any questions you have and she will try her best to accommodate you as cheap as possible.

We met Andrei in Moscow. He is a man of few words but will get you through the process.The children have blessed our life in several ways. They are beautiful, smart and healthy.The language barrier was not that difficult and within 3 months they were speaking all English. For all the couples thinking of adopting older children, please don't think twice. They need a home and family as well and it is not a nightmare like you hear. We will highly recommend Alaska International and if I am lucky enough to get the opportunity to adopt again, I will not think twice about calling them. If anyone has any questions, please call us. 615-907-0346 ( Tennessee ) We landed in Nashville, TN with our new daughter, Sasha Marie, age 3 almost 4 and Aleks James, age 5 New Years Eve night 2008. We all indeed had a very Happy 2009. God had it planned. He placed the couple beside me on the flight from Russia and that is how I found out about Olga and Alaska International Adoption.

Todd & Michelle H.
Benton, LA
July 2008, Magadan

My husband Todd and I had 2 biological children who were busy in school and had active church, social, and sports schedules.  An outsider would have thought we looked content as we had every reason to be.  However, I often felt a “nudge” to add to our family, even though it didn’t make sense to do so.  After all, we were busy and life was full!  Todd and I enjoyed our time with Emma and Andrew and our extended family and friends.

Sometime in 2004, I became tuned in to the plight of orphans around the world and began looking for what I could do to contribute.  I decided to be a monthly sponsor to a child through a humanitarian agency; and for awhile that satisfied my need to help.  Eventually, I found myself tuning into articles, books, and television programs devoted to orphan adoptions.  In 2005, I looked in to international adoption, and paid hundreds of dollars to a large Christian adoption agency so that I could receive their information packet.   I couldn’t even communicate with anyone in person from that agency until I had paid for this packet.  Their contract required a large up front sum of money with NO guarantee that an adoption would be successfully completed.  In the event of a failed adoption, any money from us would be applied to their mission work.

To us, this was unacceptable!  We knew that a failed adoption would be extremely stressful and not fair to our children who were then 9 and 12 years old.  We assumed all agencies would have this type of contract, so we found ourselves waiting and wondering what the right decision for our family would be.  Life continued to be wonderful as long as we kept busy! 

However, the nudge continued and “adoption” became the most used word around our home.  On my daughter Emma’s 13th birthday, she said she didn’t want to hear anymore about it unless we were seriously going to do it.  The little nudge became a kick in the pants!  We began our homestudy process in June 2007 still very unsure of which agency to choose.  We felt no particular allegiance to any country...just to a child in need of a family.  Our prayers were answered when our social worker gave us a very short list of agencies which she had heard only positive feedback.   Alaska International Adoption Agency (AIA) seemed to jump off the page.

That same day we emailed Olga Byrnes and she called us immediately.  She was so easy to talk to about the process.  She took the time to share her history, address our concerns, understand our family’s needs, and settle our uncertainties.  It was a great phone call that let us know we were on the right path! 

The AIA contract was simple and easy to understand.  Olga took the time to discuss the adoption process with us and answered all of our questions in a timely manner.  We joined AIA’s weekly online Chat (a support group of other families who have completed or are in the process of adoption) and we began to see a common theme—each family was happy with the AIA process from beginning to end. 

The AIA staff who assisted our needs in Moscow and Magadan were very professional. It became apparent that they work under very tight government regulations and have to meet strict time constraints to ensure the adoption process stays on schedule.  We were impressed with Andrei and Zoya’s abilities to quickly address and accommodate any changing paperwork needs while in-country to keep our process on schedule.  We came to fully appreciate AIA’s professionalism while we were at the American Embassy in Moscow listening to the other families discuss their agencies.  We were the only family that had no complaints!  The other families told tales of schedule delays, unprocessed paperwork, travel dilemmas, long in-country stays, visa/medical problems.  Looking back at our adoption process, we can clearly see that the AIA staff was quietly working our case through the Russian system, addressing any problems or changes in advance of our arrival to ensure a seamless process once we were in country.

In summary, AIA performed flawless during our adoption process.  All aspects of the process were performed on-time, on-budget, and in a compassionate and ethical fashion.

It was an easy and right relationship from the onset and that never changed through the entire 9 months we worked them.

By the way, we did bring home two healthy delightful siblings who have added an extra dimension of joy to our family!  Our nudges coincided with their need…and we have all been so enriched by this experience.  Please feel free to contact us at 318-965-1965 should you have any questions about our adoption journey with AIA.