By Benjamin Rosas
“I was happy, excited, because I was going to a different country. It was my first time, so I was nervous.”
Fourteen-year-old Yonatan Herrera found his forever family through our Summer Miracles program. This initiative gives older orphans from Colombia, who have little to no chance of adoption in their home country, a chance to connect with an adoptive family in the United States. The kids travel to the U.S. and stay with host families, experiencing daily life in America and connecting with potential adoptive families. When the program ends, families and children can explore adoption and the possibility of building a future together. Since 1999, Summer Miracles has helped more than 2,000 children from Colombia find permanent, loving families. Yonatan is one of the many success stories that show how the love of family can change life's trajectory.
For Yonatan, that family was Valerie Goldstein. Having grown up with parents who welcomed foster children into their home, Valerie followed in their footsteps. Their journey began unexpectedly; Valerie stumbled across Kidsave’s photo of Yonatan while scrolling on Facebook, a moment that would forever change both of their lives. She recognized immediately that Yonatan was meant to be her son.
Once a connection was made and all the paperwork was signed, Kidsave brought Yonatan to the United States.
“I was so excited to see him,” Valerie recalls. “He was smiling and came straight to me. It was a life-changing moment. Immediately, I felt this was my child.”
Over the following five weeks, Yonatan lived with Valerie, building a bond, establishing trust, and adjusting to this new environment. At the end of the summer, Yonatan had a choice: he could continue living in Colombia or begin a new life with Valerie.
But in truth, his decision was evident from the moment they met. Yonatan wanted to stay with Valerie.
Although their bond was strong, Valerie shared that the first two months after Yonatans arrival were difficult for both. While Yonatan was new to life in Chicago, Valerie learned raising a child from a different culture brings its own unique challenges. Grateful to Valerie for adopting him, Yonatan struggled to adjust to his new environment and missed his friends back in Colombia.
Valerie was determined to establish a connection with her son despite the language barrier between them. She sought help from her father and drew on his wisdom as a former foster parent.
Her father gave her this advice: the best way to support a child is by simply being present, while honoring who they are and where they come from.
Summer Miracles is not about asking children to abandon their culture or replace it with another. It’s about finding their identity, preserving where they came from, and giving them a chance to embrace new experiences within a family. To help her son feel at home, Valerie studied Spanish for hours a day and surrounded him with a Latino community so he could speak his first language. She also encouraged him to pursue his passion for soccer. As a child in Colombia, Yonatan often had to move from home to home, so he rarely had time to relax or simply be a kid. Now, he is finally able to enjoy his hobbies and experience a childhood filled with love and possibility.
A common misconception among adopting parents is that older kids with trauma will inevitably cause trouble or become hostile in society. This belief leads families to seek out younger children, rather than older kids who need structure in their lives. But Yonatan is living proof that with guidance, stability, and love, older children can overcome their trauma and start to heal and grow.
“The best thing about having a family is you can have fun with them; they will support you and are going to be there with you,” says Yonatan. Yonatan found his forever family in Valerie and is en route to following his dreams and becoming the best possible version of himself.
You can change a life—including your own—through the Summer Miracles program! Learn more about Summer Miracles and start your journey today!
