Madison Families with Children from China:
Home, sweet home for adoptees
Home, sweet home for adoptees
Feb. 16 was a very chilly day in Fitchburg, just like in many cities and suburbs in the state of
Wisconsin that have been experiencing the worst winter so far in many years! But at the
Fitchburg Community Center, this was an extraordinary day, full of the warmest of smiles and
love from Madison Families with Children from China (MFCC). Hundreds of American parents
with their adopted children came to celebrate Chinese New Year with cultural performances
from local talents, including students from the Madison Hope Chinese School, the UW-
Madison Asia Pacific Dance Study Group and the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association. A parent
shared her wonderful experiences as an adoptive parent, and proudly presented her daughter,
the gem and pride of the family.
Happiness was visible on everyone’s face, as parents hugged their children or clicked their
cameras as they played with other children or performed during the program. To the parents,
there’s nothing like having a child, especially if the child truly needed a parent to love him/her.
Most of the children came from orphanages in China and were adopted when they were still
very very young, although others were a little older than newborns. These children have been
given a new lease on life and are offered a warm home with loving parents and a hope for a
brighter future. — Heidi M. Pascual
Wisconsin that have been experiencing the worst winter so far in many years! But at the
Fitchburg Community Center, this was an extraordinary day, full of the warmest of smiles and
love from Madison Families with Children from China (MFCC). Hundreds of American parents
with their adopted children came to celebrate Chinese New Year with cultural performances
from local talents, including students from the Madison Hope Chinese School, the UW-
Madison Asia Pacific Dance Study Group and the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association. A parent
shared her wonderful experiences as an adoptive parent, and proudly presented her daughter,
the gem and pride of the family.
Happiness was visible on everyone’s face, as parents hugged their children or clicked their
cameras as they played with other children or performed during the program. To the parents,
there’s nothing like having a child, especially if the child truly needed a parent to love him/her.
Most of the children came from orphanages in China and were adopted when they were still
very very young, although others were a little older than newborns. These children have been
given a new lease on life and are offered a warm home with loving parents and a hope for a
brighter future. — Heidi M. Pascual
(Top) Michelle Martin
with daughter Julia, 3
years old; (Above) Mary
Erickson Gerbig with
daughter Annelise, 3
years old
with daughter Julia, 3
years old; (Above) Mary
Erickson Gerbig with
daughter Annelise, 3
years old
