Oscar Ventura-Castillo had a beautiful wife, a healthy and happy young son, a good job, and a nice home. He had always told himself that when he became successful, he would help others. He and his wife Monica decided the best way to give back was to become resource (foster) parents. He contacted Hillsides’ affiliate, Bienvenidos, which runs a foster care and adoption program, and the couple became licensed resource parents.
After fostering several children, three-week-old Mia came into their lives. They named her Mia because Monica is originally from Colombia and “mia” means “mine” in Spanish. “Already, we felt she was a part of us,” said Oscar.
Months went by, and Mia turned one. “She had me completely wrapped around her finger,” he said. He and Monica couldn’t bear the thought of giving her up, and, Mia was available for adoption. However, there was one glitch: Oscar, 53, felt he was too old to adopt a baby. However, his attachment to Mia won out, and the couple started the adoption process.
The adoption procedure can take time, and two years passed before Mia become an official member of the family. “On the day, I broke into tears, thinking about how privileged we were to bring our story to a happy and beautiful end,” said Oscar. “I can only compare it to the day our son was born. Our family is now complete.”
