Newspaper Page Text
Telling ‘your
story’ in 15
seconds
I was attending a banquet
a few weeks ago to get a
story and photos for the
newpaper. These are usual
ly just a little socially awk
ward as everyone is there
with their family and, as
I’m working. I am alone.
Everyone has their group to
sit with for the evening.
I usually find a seat as
close to the front podium or
stage as possible. That way
I can get photos without
having to be too disruptive.
At this recent event, I
had my spot near the front
when a man I hadn’t met
before sat down across
from me. He said, “Tell me
your story in 15 seconds.”
Well, that was a chal
lenge. Where do you start?
Where do you end?
What about my life is
important or even interest
ing to a stranger?
It’s interesting that I went
with work as I quickly
told him about my life. So
often, we do think of work
as defining who we are.
This is especially true for
me since I’ve had the same
job for 32 years.
While many people
do describe themselves
through their work, it’s
probably not the most fas
cinating way to describe
yourself in 15 seconds.
I decided to work on this
so I will be ready next time
a stranger slides into the
chair across from me and
asks for “my story.”
So, here goes:
I love to travel, whether
it is to the mountains or
the coast of Georgia or to
the beautiful beaches of the
Caribbean or the wide open
plains of Nebraska or the
hustle and bustle of New
York City or the comforting
mountains of North Caroli
na that soothes my soul.
It doesn’t matter if we are
traveling by car, airplane,
boat or train. I’m up for any
kind of travel.
I am also ready to head
out on the road with only
a moment’s notice and
the destination isn’t really
important. What is import
ant is the journey to get
there and what you learn
along the way.
I love trying different
kinds of food. I love cats.
I can’t pass one by without
speaking to it. I love to read
mystery books. True crime
shows are my go-to when
watching television. I must
confess that I also some
times watch those reality
shows. Makes me appreci
ate my life more. I love a
rainy day but sunny days
are great too.
Other things that make
me who I am and are very
important to me are family
and faith. Any conversation
with me will include those
two topics. I can talk for
hours about my family and
my faith, but I’ll stop since
I have only 15 seconds to
tell you my story.
That’s my story, in 15
seconds. What is your
story? Think about it
sometime. Decide what is
important in your life and
how you would sum it up to
a stranger. Avoid your work
or what takes up most of
your time and think about
the things that you really
enjoy. That is “your story.”
Angela Gary is an edi
tor with MainStreet News
papers Inc. She can be
reached at Angie@main-
streetnews.com.
The Jackson Herald
Friends
Oct. 11, 2017
Do you have an idea
for a feature story?
Email Angela Gary at
Angela@mainstreetnews.
com or call 706-410-1022.
Section C
‘Angels in Adoption’
Woman recognized for journey to adopt two Russian children
WITH YURA
Mark and Pam Romano are shown with Yura, one of the boys they have been
trying to adopt from Russia for more than five years.
BROGDAN
Pam Romano is shown with Bogdan, the young Russian boy she first met
when he visited her church.
BY ANGELA GARY
A Jackson Coun
ty woman who has been
trying to adopt two chil
dren from Russia for six
years has been honored as
an “Angels in Adoption”
recipient due to her advo
cacy for foster children
and orphans.
Pam Romano was nom
inated for the recognition
by Rep. Doug Collins. She
and her husband, Mark,
attended the awards recog
nition ceremony in Wash
ington, D.C.
Each year, the Congres
sional Coalition on Adop
tion Institute selects indi
viduals, families or orga
nizations across the nation
who have demonstrated a
steadfast commitment to
enriching the lives of foster
children and orphans.
The Romanos began the
process to adopt two chil
dren, Bogdan and Yura, in
2012 but Russia shut its
doors to allowing Amer
ican adoptions later that
year.
The Romanos were
among 259 families
nationwide in the process
of adopting when Presi
dent Putin signed the ban.
“Our hearts were bro
ken when we met Bogdan
at age four,” Mrs. Romano
said. “He was here on a
program hosted by a fam
ily in our church. He was
returned to Russia with no
obvious hope of a forever
family. I began advocating
for him, sharing his photos
and bio on social media,
pleading with friends to
please share his informa
tion.
“Months into my advo
cacy efforts, I very clearly
heard the Lord say to me:
‘You are never going to
find him a family because
you are meant to be his
family.’ It came as a com
plete shock to me as I had
not once considered that
the Lord may be calling
my family to this.”
In September of 2011.
the Romanos began the
journey to adopt.
“We were finally invit
ed by the Russian govern
ment to travel to Russia in
November of 2012,” Mrs.
Romano said. “We spent
a week with our sons,
Bogdan and Yura. We told
them we would soon be
back to bring them home
to the United States. One
month later, President
Putin banned all adoptions
by Americans, making no
provisions for the chil
dren who had already met
their adoptive parents. The
State Department refuses
to negotiate for the 259
affected children.”
In his nomination of Mrs.
Romano as an “Angels
in Adoption” recipient,
Rep. Collins stated, “You
and your family’s uncon
ditional love and support
of Bogdan and Yura and
your advocacy for chil
dren everywhere are shin
ing examples of your care
and dedication. Your com
mitment to advocacy on
behalf of the millions of
children waiting for a lov
ing family to call their own
serves as an example to
all of us. It is an honor to
serve as your representa
tive in Congress.”
Mrs. Romano has trav
eled to Washington, D.C..
seven times to meet with
members of Congress.
During one of the trips, in
June of 2016, Rep. Col
lins hosted a congressional
screening of the Holly-
wood-produced documen
tary about the adoption
ban, “To the Moon and
Back.”
The Romano family was
featured in the documen
tary. Both Mrs. Romano
and her daughter, Jamie,
addressed the gathering.
The family has also been
featured in one other doc
umentary, as well as on
the “Full Measure” news
show, on a CBS special
and in numerous print arti
cles.
Rep. Collins said that
Mrs. Romano has been
instrumental in informing
his office about the issue.
Congressman Collins has
worked on behalf of all
the stuck children since he
came into office in Jan
uary of 2013, just as the
Russian ban on Americans
adopting became law.
“I was extremely hon
ored to be among this
year’s honorees,” Mrs.
Romano said. “My nom
ination by Representative
Doug Collins came as a
complete surprise. To me,
he is the real angel; I have
nicknamed him the ‘Hero
on the Hill.’”
Congressman Collins,
together with a bipartisan
group of lawmakers sent a
letter to Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson requesting
his assistance in the adop
tion ban.
An excerpt of the let
ter includes the following:
“Loving parents in Ameri
ca have invested their love
and personal resources in
creating homes for Russian
orphans, and we’re asking
Secretary Tillerson to act
on behalf of these families,
who have waited years to
be united with their chil
dren. It is our hope that
both countries will find
a way to act in favor of
children who have suffered
more than their share of
loss.”
Mrs. Romano states,
“While there has been no
progress made in reuniting
the 259 Russian orphans
with the families they had
met and bonded with, we
remain hopeful that one
day the two countries will
put their differences aside
for the sake of the still
waiting children. Mark and
I give God all the glory
for the platform he gave
us while in Washington,
D.C. Hundreds of people
were educated as to the
ongoing plight of the stuck
Russian orphans. Many
people heard the details of
our personal journey that
the Lord Himself called us
to in 2011.”
Mr. and Mrs. Romano
have been foster parents,
orphan hosting parents,
and mentors.
They minister on the
streets of Atlanta with
Out of Darkness’ Princess
Night ministry. They have
also volunteered with the
Atlanta Dream Center,
delivering Christmas pres
ents to the at-risk impov
erished children in Atlanta.
“I personally have been
to orphanages in Mexico.
Ukraine and Russia,” Mrs.
Romano said. “Our daugh
ter, Joy, ministered to
orphans and street children
in Bulgaria. Both of our
girls have ministered to
at-risk children on a Native
American reservation.
Jamie traveled to Kentucky
where she helped enrich
the lives of some of our
country’s poorest youth.”
The Romanos have also
attempted to adopt in the
United States.
“We are keenly aware
of the great need for foster
and adoptive families in
the United States,” Mrs.
Romano said. “We tried
to once again become one.
but were rejected due to
our inground swimming
pool. We are ultimately
on a course that the Lord
Himself called us to. I pray
that our story will not dis
courage others from pur
suing adopting, but rather
may it pierce the hearts of
readers for orphans world
wide.”
International adoptions
are down 74 percent since
2004. In 2016. only 5,600
international orphans were
adopted by United States
citizens, the lowest since
1981.
“Millions of children
languish on the streets
and in orphanages around
the world,” Mrs. Roma
no said. “We must con
tinue to raise awareness
and we must hold our
government responsible
for helping facilitate those
adoptions. I applaud the
Russian government for
implementing incentives
Continued on page 2C
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