ONE TOUGH MOTHER

he was on the bottom of the list to
adopt a child in B.C.

Now Sheila Paige is on top is the
world with three children of her own
from Guatemala.

“For the most part it's wonderful,”
the good-humored single mother
says of her six-year old daughter
and two year-old twins.

Paige, 43, who now heads the
foreign adoptions committee for a
non-profit adoption agency, once
doubted she'd ever get a shot at
motherhood.

The Douglas College teacher was
single and nearing 40 when she ap-
plied to the Social Services Ministry.

Couples normally must be legally
married and under 40 to qualify.

“The only reason they would even
consider me was that | wanted a spe-
cial-needs child," she says.

But Paige got tired of waiting, Three
years ago she decided to take mat-
ters into her own hands. “I gotona
plane and went to Guatemala. |
went to work at an orphanage as a
volunteer."

Two months later she met Jennifer,
then three years old, orphaned and
badly in need of a mom.

“They were afraid she would just
give up and die,” she recalls.

Within months, Paige was home in
Port Coquitlam with her daughter.

Just over a year ago she learned
that a poverty-stricken mother was
offering her 10-month-old twins for

adoption. Paige went back to
Guatemala and returned with her
new son Matthew and daughter
Maya.

But she and other experts on foreign
adoptions warn that adopting a child
from a Third World nation isn't the
answer for everyone.

"These children are classified as
special-needs," said Derry Lubell, a
social worker who interviews
couples interested in a foreign adop-
tion.

"The child may be older, you may
have no background on the child,
there could be language problems
and you may have no information on
what has happened to the child."

The Province - August 16, 1987

 

NEW DEAN OF
APPLIED
PROGRAMS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANNOUNCING...

 

 

The new Dean of Applied Programs,
Dr. John McKendry, will be joining
the College November 1, 1987. Jim
Sator has agreed to continue as Ac-
ting Dean of Applied Programs until
October 31. From October 31 until
December 31 Jim will be assigned
responsibilities as Associate Dean of
Applied Programs to provide advice
and assistance to the Dean and to
carry out staff projects for the
Division and the College. As of
January 1, 1988 Jim will resume his
responsibilities as Director, Com-
merce and Business Administration.

Connie Land will continue as Acting
Director, Commerce and

Business Administration until Decem-
ber 31, 1987.

Gordon Gilgan, Acting President

Douglas College's new Dean of Ap-
plied Programs is Norman John Mc-
Kendry. McKendry comes to this
position from Saskatchewan where
he is presently the Executive Direc-
tor of the University Affairs Division
for the Government of Sas-
katchewan. He brings with him an
extensive background in the Educa- .
tion field. Educated both in Canada
and the United States, he has pre-
viously held positions in both
countries. He currently lives in
Regina with his wife and one
daughter, Kristin. His wife, Shirley
Ruth McKendry, is the director of the

- Provincial Daycare for the Govern-

ment of Saskatchewan.

Amongst his responsibilities with the
University Affairs Division are capital
budgeting for universities and col-
leges, resource allocation, facility

. Management, and human resources

development and labour relations.
Previous to that his history of
employment is long and impressive.
In 1963 he worked for Canadian
General Electric. From there he
worked for such companies as The
Continued on page three _