An older boy who desperately needs a family

"Kyle is a sweet and very handsome boy who greatly wants a family of his own. He wanted to be adopted by my wife for sure. He bonded with her during an orphans' camp that she volunteered at this last July. It was in Yantai. I believe that he could still bond with another family. He loves basketball and airplanes. He has not been in the orphanage all his life. He was placed there three years ago after his mother's death. His father died when he was about two. His surviving family is unable to support him. He won't talk about his mother's death. Some of his family believe he may have witnessed it. He is respectful and mature. His only special need is his age. He is normal in all accounts as far as we know."

"The ONLY way that Kyle is going to be saved from a life of sheer hopelessness on the streets is if a family who is already traveling to China to adopt another child feels called to add this precious boy to their adoption. He MUST be adopted before his fourteenth birthday in February."

Kyle is in desperate need of a family, soon. He is 13. That is the sum total of his special need.

See Adeye's blog here and here.

Brilliant little girl

Bethany is a little girl with brittle bones. Recently she has made incredible progress. She is now walking.

She has a physical disability but this little girl is brilliant. She turns 5 this month and she knows colors, numbers, has an incredible vocabulary, and is a great communicator, even though she's spent her whole life in the hospital. Click through to her profile to read more--there are videos of her too if you enquire.

Bethany has Asian ancestry but lives in Eastern Europe. She has a grant toward her adoption of over $12,000. She would be such a blessing to a family, and that large grant is more than a third of the cost of her adoption--she is well-loved by the RR community and I'm sure there'd be more donations and happy fundraisers if you committed to her!

She has a physical disability, and that is the only reason she's waiting. This little girl can be whatever she wants to be. She just needs a mommy and daddy to give her the opportunity.

Sweet, sweet little boy who desperately needs a family

Sorry I haven't been on top of things....

I've wanted to share sweet Maxim for a while, but I wanted to do it with a video of him playing in a ball pit.


I can't get the video to work, but you can see it here--along with some very cute pictures of this guy. Maxim loves playing with balls.

Maxim needs a family because every little boy needs a family.

Maxim would do great in a family. The missionary working with him (whose blog is linked to above) says he would be a joy to parent. She says he is doing very well, understands a lot, follows directions, loves to play, accepts affection.

Maxim needs a family so that he can have medical care.

In his country, any problem he has is attributed to his Down Syndrome. In Eastern Europe, when a child has Down Syndrome, if his abdomen is distended, it's gas and it's because of Down Syndrome. If a child is 10 pounds at 9 years old, it's because of Down Syndrome, not criminal neglect. If a child can't walk, it's not rickets or lack of stimulation, it's Down Syndrome. If a child doesn't know what to do with toys, it's not that they haven't been given a toy and played with--it's because of his disability.

Maxim needs a family to reach his full potential.

Missionaries have visited him and worked with him and he shows so much promise. Even with just an hour a day of one-on-one stimulation, he's made great strides. This kid will blossom even more with a family, medical care, and therapy.

Why doesn't he have that?

Because he was born in Eastern Europe, where if your baby has Down Syndrome, you don't bring him or her home. Because he is a little boy and not a little girl--so many more little girls are adopted. Because he has strabismus (because when he was a baby he probably was left to stare at blank walls all day). Because his tongue sticks out. Not because he's low-functioning--he seems to be doing very well. Not because he isn't worth it.

Maybe you're Mzxim's mommy. Or maybe you can give just a little bit to help bring him home. Or maybe you can share on your blog how much he needs and would benefit from a family.

David (from Adeye's blog) has a family coming for him.

Genesis' family is also adopting Dmitriy.

Each week families are stepping forward to adopt the kids the world considers the least of these. You can be a part of it.

More about Genesis' family

Genesis' new family's FSP (family sponsorship profile) is up on Reece's Rainbow! If your heart has been touched by this little girl, please donate to them--they will need the funds. They also commented on my first post about Genesis, if you want a little more information about them.

This family is perfect for Genesis. They are already parents to a special little boy who they believe has the same eye condition that she does. They are also already parents through international adoption. Genesis' dad is a pastor so they can really use financial help to bring her home.

God is good. I am so glad this little girl I fell in love with has a family.

My husband and I were on the phone with them for half an hour this morning... I know their life story now :)

Genesis' mom's blog is here. They will be naming her Sarah Joy.

And Genesis...

Probably has a family.

She's on MFFM.

One who has a family, and one who is still waiting

The good news: baby Trent has a family!

So many are still waiting.

This little one is called Olga.



Olga has cerebral palsy. She needs physical therapy; she needs to get up out of her crib. She is said to be smiley and happy and lovable. She is sickly and she needs to be up and moving more to help her become healthier. Olga needs a family to bring her home and love her--she will go to a much worse place if she is transferred. She won't be loved. She will not ever leave her crib again. Her family needs to go for her soon.

Olga had a family committed to her, but they were unable to proceed because they were already in the process of another adoption. Olga's country wanted their previously adopted child to be home for a year before they adopted another child.

Have you adopted this year? No? Maybe you're Olga's mommy :)

I know it's not that easy. I know sometimes we just can't swing it. Certainly no one person can bring every child home. But somewhere, Olga has a mommy and daddy.

A little girl in a wheelchair

Reece's Rainbow calls this sweet girl Pollyanna. There's a very good chance that when she comes home, she won't need a wheelchair long--doctors think she will be walking before too long! Pollyanna has spina bifida, and has had at least one operation for that. She is described as active, outgoing, mobile, and independent, reaching out to the adults around her and communicating. Pollyanna is just 4 years old, and has a long life ahead of her. 80% of children with Spina Bifida have no cognitive involvement, and Pollyanna sounds very bright. One mommy of a little boy with spina bifida described it as a very manageable special need. There is lots of help available to parents of children with spina bifida, and this sweet girl is so worth the effort to bring her home--even though she is in a more expensive region with potentially 3 trips.

Facing transfer or transferred

These children do not have forever to wait for their families. Some will age out of the system and be locked away in institutions forever. Most won't make it that long; they will probably die, like Warner and Dakota did.

Today I wanted to point out some of the kids who I've posted here before who are in danger of being sent to institutions soon. (All of the girls at that link--except Teri Lynn, who has been adopted--are also institutionalized or in danger of it).

Kyle is one of those boys who looks a little like my son.


Kyle is 5 years old and has Down Syndrome. He'll be in a mental institution soon. His fifth birthday is this month. He has a $2700 grant.

Sergey was due to be transferred in September, but I haven't heard any updates.

(Actually it looks like I haven't blogged about him before--now I am!) Sergey is 4 and has HIV. He gets along well with other children; he's never aggressive; physically and developmentally on track, cognitively normal. There's no reason why Sergey shouldn't have a family. It's not known whether he was/will be sent to a mental institution or a boarding school for older children.

Last but not least, remember Sasha, age 7 but so tiny.

Sasha has Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, and possibly autism. No one pays attention to him or works with him. No one loves him. He lies in his crib and he chews on his tongue. At his age he must already have been transferred... he desperately needs a family. It is a wonder he has held on all these years. Sasha will need a lot of attention and care, but surely God has a reason for keeping him alive this long... perhaps because he would be such a blessing to your family. His needs would be a lot to take on... but even if you are not his mommy or daddy, you can pray for him.

Last but not least, remember Dmitriy and Genesis, who are both blind and in the same institution... they could be adopted together.


Every one of these kids deserves a family, not a warehouse. They deserve to live, not just be kept alive. Some have more difficult special needs, but sweet Sergey would fit into any family. And nearly every child would be adopted if money was not a problem--if we could fill Sasha's grant, maybe a family with a lot of love who had a heart for very special kids but not a lot of money would be able to commit to him.

Whatever we do for these little ones, we do for Jesus.

Tiny baby boy with no arms

This little guy is called Trent.

He is so little--born this October! Very, very rare to see a child from Eastern Europe listed this early. He has so much potential--if his mommy and daddy find him soon, he could be home while he's still a baby. He will have access to early intervention, physical and occupational therapy, maybe prostheses. He has no known medical issues apart from his limb differences. Couldn't you just snuggle this sweet boy all day long?

This family has a little boy with limb differences adopted from Eastern Europe. Sasha is doing great and learning to use all sorts of attachments to help him move around and play.

Alix is an older boy waiting for his family on the Reece's Rainbow photolisting.


Alix is smart, mobile, plays with toys, and is even said to be a leader in his group. And that's a young man who probably grew up in an orphanage all his life! That gives you a little bit of an idea what Trent can accomplish. (And if you are one of those who would rather adopt an older boy, Alix sounds like he'd make a great son too).

Kids with limb differences are not accepted in Eastern Europe, and they very much need families to help them be all they can. But there's a lot of adaptations available to them here (check out Sasha's family's blog) and none of these kids appear to have cognitive differences. They look differently, and move differently, but inside they are just like other boys their age (or girls--I'm sure there's girls with limb differences out there too).

Responding to a special plea for a special family

This sweet boy is David:



You won't find him on Reece's Rainbow. You won't find him on any site listing waiting children. No, I'm not pulling another fast one on you... David really does need a family.

David has an ANG tube and is diagnosed with epilepsy, developmental delay, acid reflux, and brain damage (possibly cerebral palsy). He has also had heart surgery. At this point, David does not eat by mouth.

God loves this precious little man. God is preparing a family for him. But how can they hear if no one tells them? How can they see if no one shows them? David's country does not believe anyone would want a child who weighs only 17 pounds at 3 years old and who cannot walk or talk. He is not played with, touched, or even taught to sit. He lives in a nursing home because no one else would take him. And no one from his country has tried to find a family for him. That's where you come in. If you have a blog--ESPECIALLY if it's not an adoption blog--if you know someone interested in adopting a child with special needs--if you visit an adoption forum--please share David. His mommy or daddy might be reading.

But look at this sweet little boy inside, who never had to be taught to smile! (Please see the video on the original blogpost; can't figure out how to post a video).

David has no hope where he lives now (an Asian nation). But if someone loves him enough to bring him home, David has hope and a future. He doesn't have to stay in that crib until he dies of old age in that same nursing home--or more likely dies of neglect a good deal sooner.

These are his country's "preferences" for an adoptive family:
~~ Both spouses should be under 50.
~~ Judges prefer smaller families--but there is some flexibility.
~~ Around $4500 for in-country fees (legal, translations, etc.).
~~ A homestudy costing $1500-$3000, depending on where you live.
~~ Travel and accommodation in-country.
~~ Visas, etc., stateside.

David can be adopted. He just needs a family willing to go and bring him home. The adoption should be affordable--which in the adoption world probably means between $15,000 and $20,000. The process would take 6 to 8 months. Since these are preferences, not requirements, if you don't meet one, or even a couple, you may still be able to bring David home! So if one of you is 51, or if you aren't sure your family is small, but you really think you may be David's family, you could try.

Serious inquiries only, by families hoping to adopt David, may be sent to mlhadoption@gmail.com

I got this information from Adeye (No Greater Joy Mom), who received it from a missionary in David's country.

We serve a God who loves to take on desperate cases. We serve a God who does miracles. Surely He is a God who can find a family for a little boy who's never had a mommy and has a smile as wide as his face.

And a God who can find a family ready and eager to love a deafblind daughter.

Genesis

This is not how I had hoped this post would go. I had hoped that when I finally posted Genesis, I would be saying she was going to be my daughter. But now I have to say that she isn't.

Genesis is a beautiful, sweet girl who needs a very special family. She is deafblind. We knew when we started working toward adopting her that she was blind. She has some hearing, she may even have some vision. She may be a candidate for a cochlear implant, which would restore some of her hearing. She is considered severely retarded. This could mean exactly what it says--or this could mean absolutely nothing, and she might have this diagnosis simply because she is deafblind, and it's hard for her to perceive the world around her, and the world must be brought to her fingers so that she can engage with that. She could have that diagnosis even if there's no cognitive involvement. At least one person who met her felt that she was very high-functioning. At this point she does not speak or walk. But how would a deafblind child living in an orphanage know that speaking and walking are things people do? How would she get the input to show her that one should move around on two legs when falls are much more likely? She can pull up to standing, and ride on a rocking horse, so if she does have a little bit of complicating cerebral palsy, it is not severe. She is almost certainly capable of walking--she just needs to be taught. It's even possible that she was not walking due to regression after being institutionalized, and she used to be able to walk.

Genesis is in a mental institution. She will turn 5 in December. She does not deserve to be where she is--there shouldn't be any little girls or boys there. She is blessed now to have a one-on-one caregiver, paid for by her prayer warrior in the US. (This program, through Life 2 Orphans, provides one-on-one caregivers to children at her orphanage. This can be a difference between life or death, or between surviving and thriving, and I would encourage anyone to support it.) It is through this program we received the update on her--but the update is from when the caregiver had just started working with her. So what we know about is really her low point, not her full capabilities.

She had lost weight. She had been taken away from everything she knew. If she had a strong bond with a caregiver, if she had a very special friend, she had just lost that. But even at her low point, I could see some hope. She smiled and laughed and showed affection. She had a short attention span--which means that, at least for short times, she could be engaged. Somehow, this caregiver had started getting through to her.

Genesis is not hopeless. She is God's daughter if not mine. She has so much potential. But she will also need a lot of one-on-one attention. She probably needs a mommy and daddy without 2 or 3 younger kids. She needs a family that can spend a lot of one-on-one time helping her learn about her world. And even as I write this, I am wishing so much it was us. I wish that I could help her explore the world, put pretty bows on her poor shaved head, cuddle her when she needed comfort. I wanted to be her mommy. Maybe I still do. If I thought I could make it work....



I don't know what her capabilities are. It may not be possible to know that until her mommy and daddy meet her. It may not really be known until she's been home for years. Even with no cognitive involvement, you couldn't just throw a deafblind child into a family and expect that she'd go with the flow. I don't know if she can even communicate at all. I don't know if she will learn. If I knew for sure that she had no cognitive involvement, or if we knew for sure she could hear and see a little, maybe we could go for it and there'd be reason enough to expect she would become somewhat independent. I'm not looking for a daughter who will become a Nobel prize winner, solve world hunger, or even necessarily live independently or go to college. But I have a 22-month old now, and I don't know if I can commit to a child who would function at a toddler level all of her life. And Genesis' parents need to be ready to be her mommy and daddy no matter what life brings. They need to be ready for a little girl who may never eat her own food, be potty trained, or walk. They need to be ready to provide a lifetime of care to a daughter who will never say thank you. They may end up with a daughter who is very bright, who can live independently, who can hear and speak and read Braille and sign. But they need to be able to commit to this little girl for her whole life, no matter where on that spectrum she is.

If I could know for sure that Genesis were my daughter, none of that would stop me. If God supernaturally told me I were her mom, or if she had been born to me, I would stop at nothing to give her everything she needed. I would find a way. But God has not told me I'm her mommy. It seems God has been very gently telling us that we are not her family. But I do believe she has a family!

How sad is it that if you travel backwards through Genesis's life, she becomes higher functioning?

She so needs to come home to a family.

Please, if you are reading this and think you might be her family--if you are thinking "I would adopt her, but..."--let me know and maybe I can help. I've done a lot of research now on educating and communicating with deafblind children. There is actually a school for the blind with a program for deafblind children only an hour from my house; I know of another in Alabama. This girl is so precious, and it is so important that she gets a family. Please pray for Genesis.

Dear Father in Heaven,
We pray for your sweet daughter Genesis. We don't know for sure what her needs or capabilities are. We don't know for sure what being her family will entail. We do know she is a precious little girl made in Your image. We know that Your Son Jesus loved her so much He died for her. We know that Genesis deserves every good thing, and we pray in faith that You would bring forward her family. Please, Lord, give her a mommy and daddy who can show her Your love and help her reach her full potential, be everything she can be, even while being willing to parent her if she is what the world would call the least of us. Please, Father, we pray in Jesus' name--show Genesis's mom and dad who they are. Teach them how to love her as you love us--not saying that our needs are too great, our potential too little, the cost to rescue us too much, but simply saying, my daughter, I love you.
Amen.

Some updates

Check out this beautiful new picture of Mandy, who was not showing off for the camera when I featured her previously:



I would bring this little girl home in a heartbeat... but so much stands in the way of adoption, doesn't it? Mandy deserves a family who can bring her home! She's very little and shows so much promise.

Vika, the girl with a $20,000 grant who is in an expensive place, has found a family!

Juris, who has a very significant grant, will have a family! His mommy and daddy, the Kirklands, already have over $20,000 to help bring Juris and his new brother Vilis home.

That's all easy news to write. The next isn't.

"M." is not my daughter. Her needs are not something our family can handle right now. I hope and pray there is a family for her--but it's not us.

Right now my family is not pursuing adoption. Our agency will not complete our home study for another year and a half, for reasons that I don't completely agree with. At this point it does not make sense for us to switch agencies, but by around this time next year, if we feel we are in a good position to welcome a son or daughter, we may begin the process with another agency instead. Rest assured that we are not completely giving up. Someday we plan to adopt. We are waiting because we believe God has told us to wait through a variety of circumstances that have come up. We do not believe that adoption is second-best; we believe that adoption is something God smiles on, and that a son or daughter by adoption would be a blessing to our family. Thanks for following us through this process.

I will keep updating this blog, because even if we are not adopting now, children like Mandy and Sammy and Jeremiah need homes. I don't know if I'll be going back to once-a-day or not, though. I probably didn't help Josiah or Valentin find a family--but these little boys who so needed a mommy and daddy will get them in part because of those who advocated for them, and the more advocates these kids have the better!

Same age as Hannah

Gaia is the same age as my daughter, born in the same month of the same year. Sweet, sweet little girl. She is HIV+, and orphanage life has led to a speech delay. She will blossom in a family.

A precious girl who needs a family

Marcia has spina bifida. She is 4.



She is delayed in many areas, but makes progress when she is given an opportunity. When she got speech therapy, the therapist was happy with her progress. Doctors feel she will one day walk unassisted. She's had surgery that has gone well.

But Marcia is not thriving in an orphanage. She needs a family to give her that stimulation and opportunity to thrive every day.

Every child deserves a family

Doesn't Diane look like a sweet girl?
She probably has Angelman Syndrome ("Babydoll Syndrome" in her profile is probably a poor translation).

She is just 2 years old and deserves a family of her own.

A sweet girl who needs a family

Kacey will turn 3 this month. She has Apert Syndrome. Kids with Apert Syndrome have fused fingers and toes and problems with the way their skull grows. Kacey will need craniofacial surgery as she grows, and surgery on her hands as well. She may need surgery on her feet.

She is a beautiful little girl made in the image of God, and she would make you so proud to be her mom.

Little boy with Down Syndrome

Elijah is only 3. He has a heart defect and struggles with chronic bronchitis (but lots of kids have respiratory problems in EE that get better in the US--there are many more smokers in Eastern Europe, and the areas it is done are not restricted, so chronic smoke exposure causes respiratory problems for some kids). He also has Down Syndrome.

He needs a family.

7-year-old boy in China

Zane is estimated to be 7 1/2.

From his Reece's Rainbow profile:

He is reported to have adapted will to life at the orphanage and has made many friends. He is very helpful to the teachers and care givers. He is able to take care of his daily needs, and speaks a few words. His caregivers find him to be loving, humorous, very adorable and having a kind heart. This lovable boy needs a family that is experienced with childhood delays and can be strong advocates for him.

Older boy with Down Syndrome

Michael is active, loving, affectionate, and well-adjusted.



He is almost 11, and his adoption will cost "only" $20,000. Michael lives in Latin America.

another older boy

I think the next couple posts I do probably aren't going to have a whole lot of commentary... not much emotional energy right now.

This is Patrick:


Patrick is 8. He has CP and possibly FAS. He is very high-functioning, and he wants a family and fears transfer.

Praying for a sign

We got some more information on M. Saturday. It was kind of a shock.

I've posted a bit on what you can't see on a photolisting. What happens when you see a child and a list of her weaknesses with none of her strengths. This was a whole lot more of weaknesses than strengths.

She does not walk. She does not talk. She is not potty trained. She is of an age where one would expect a child to walk and talk and use the bathroom independently. (If she were two, all that wouldn't be a huge concern).

She is described as severely mentally retarded.

She has an additional physical disability which greatly impacts how she perceives and interacts with the world... in addition to the one we knew about. This would make communicating with her very, very hard, unless one of these disabilities can be corrected (possible with the new disability we just learned about). The combination of these difficulties could be part or all of why she does not have the affected physical, verbal, and self-care skills. Her difficulties in perceiving and interacting with the world around her could also have resulted in the diagnosis of mental retardation, even if her disabilities did not affect her cognitively. So there could definitely be an element of once we can get through to this little girl, she will blossom.

She does not have a special attachment to any caregiver--but due to other circumstances (recent moves before the information I received was written) this may not be indicative of a problem.

She is smaller than I expected--the height of my three-year-old and barely heavier than the weight of my 21-month-old. I do have reason to believe this was also due to a move, and she's put on some more weight since then. It is hard to tell whether she may have regressed in other areas since her move.

There is a little good news, if I read between the lines. She is comforted by physical contact. That means she is not afraid of touch! She shows affection with smiles and laughter. She shows affection! This also makes me a little less worried about RAD, despite the information that she doesn't have a special attachment right now. She has a short attention span and doesn't show much interest in her lessons--Praise God! A caregiver is getting through to this little girl somehow. A short attention span is miles from so disconnected from the world she can't be reached. Still....

Unless we get more information on her--which might itself be a miracle--we have no idea what her future looks like. We have no idea what she is capable of. We have no idea how intense the care she will require would be.

Our family could probably handle a child who would require the level of care a 7 to 10 year old would require throughout her life. I could handle it if she were never really independent but could be semi-independent most of the time. What I'm not sure we could handle is a child who will require the level of care a two-year-old needs all her life. Constant supervision and help. Constant redirection to keep her out of trouble. All of that compounded by the size of an adult, who could reach anywhere, open gates and locks, and has the physical strength to get into bigger trouble.

Unless she made big improvements since this report--which is a possibility due to changes which happened a short time before this report was written--we would have no clue what sort of prognosis M. would have until months, possibly more than a year, after she came home. If the new disability we learned about were corrected, would she blossom? Or is the diagnosis that she is severely cognitively affected correct, so that even if her other difficulties were taken away, she would still function at a toddler level all her life?

If she were born to me, I would never doubt M. were my daughter. I would do whatever I could to give her the best quality of life I could.

On the other hand, if all I know now had been available to me initially, I never would have thought she might be the little girl God had for us.

Is He giving us this information now, rather than before, so we had a chance to bond to this little girl and hope she might be part of our family? Or is He giving us this information now, rather than later, so that we will pursue the adoption of a different child? Is M. the little girl He wants in our family? Or... not?

We are still processing all the new information. We honestly don't know how to proceed.

I am asking God for a sign. Please pray that for us.

At this point, I was just starting to see this little girl as my daughter. I was thinking about bringing her home, teaching her, finding her the resources she needed. I had started to find clothes and toys I thought she would enjoy. I have named her in my heart.

But to bring home a child with such severe multiple impairments, whose prognosis is a complete unknown--is that really what's best for our family?

At this point I would need a sign to give her up. And I would need a sign to bring her home. So I ask that you would pray with me for a sign. Pray that God would grant it to my husband as well as myself. Pray that He would speak wisdom to our hearts--He gives wisdom to all who ask. Pray that He would prepare our hearts for whatever child He has for us, and heal our hearts--especially my daughter Hannah's heart, who so wants M. to be her sister--if we are not supposed to bring M. home. Please pray for M. too! Pray that she is learning and growing as much as possible. Pray that she is loved. Pray that her family is being prepared for her, whether or not it's us. Pray that if we are not her family, her family will step forward as soon as we step back (and pray that we know when to step back, if that's His will). Pray that M.'s family--us, or not--will love her forever, stand by her through every difficulty and all of her needs, and help her to become all that she has the potential to be. Whatever God's plan for M., may she be richly blessed, and be a blessing to all who know her. Father, protect her and guide us. Give us the courage to follow you, no matter what your answer.

In the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Commitment

Because Reece's Rainbow allows families to "commit" to an orphan on their site very early in the process--before their home study is complete--families have more time to raise funds. Sometimes, though, a family cannot complete the adoption process who thought they could, and then the little girl or boy they thought they would be bringing home becomes available in.

Because M. is in an institution, we will not be able to commit to her until we finish our home study. I hope that will be soon, but our education phase is taking a long time--we have so much going on with just our two kids at home that my husband especially does not have much time for reading. But I am hoping that soon we will have our homestudy finished, and then we can get those formal commitment documents done up, and then we can tell you who M. really is.

Another family had hoped to adopt a little boy who had just turned 6. However, they were not able to complete the process.

This is Preston.














Preston is still waiting for a family, and now he has a $10,000.00+ grant. That's around a third of what his adoption will cost. He's worth every penny!

Do you think you could be the one to bring him home?

Children with HIV

I read a great article on adopting a child with HIV on Friday, from a family who were in process to adopt an Indian infant when they discovered she had HIV. They didn't have up-to-date information on children living with HIV at first; I remember that long night of internet searching myself.... I was willing to adopt these three little children, one of whom had HIV, even not knowing the life expectancy of that youngest child, who looked so much like my Peter. But I cried tears of joy when I found out how GOOD things were for people with HIV, how much things have changed. The little boy will likely live a long, healthy life and grow up to do whatever he wants with his life.

By the time we called to inquire about these three siblings, however, they were no longer available. Lots of people who are adopting know that HIV is just not a big deal.

(For the record, M. does not have HIV. But it is a special need we are open to.)

Here are three children who are living with HIV and doing really well:
















I am always struck by how Marjorie, Christian, and Octavia look like they could be siblings, but all three were born in different months of 2002. They are nine years old, born in April, June, and September. It's quite possible they could all be adopted together; they are in the same orphanage, and have likely known each other quite a while if not all of their lives. Their country allows the adoption of unrelated children. Of course, it's also possible to adopt any one of them separately. There's not a whole lot of information on what they are like. Marjorie is smart and wants a family. Christian is well-liked. Octavia has ADHD (and possibly fetal alcohol syndrome too, or instead). She is noted to have a mild delay.

These kids are likely in a very good home--children with HIV go to school and sometimes are adopted in their country. They would probably do very well in a family. Is one of these three your son or daughter?

Sweet girl in China

This is Tara. Doesn't she look like a sweetie? Sounds like she is adorable--expresses emotions well, developing physically, loves to dance.

Tara is nine years old. But that's not too old to need a mommy and daddy. It's not too old to need a family who will take care of her and teach her and love her all of her life. It's not too old if you're her mommy. And she needs a mommy.

Update on one of my favorite little girls

Can you tell who this is? It's Xenia!

Xenia's doctor is not worried about her vision--so while there may still be some issue, it seems likely to me now that it was just the way the light/camera caught her eyes before that had people worried.

Here's hoping that this will lead to her getting a family soon!

Sweet 4-month-old boy

Justin is just 4 months old. If you started the process to bring him home today, you could have him in your arms before his first birthday.

Justin has Down Syndrome. So many therapies and treatments are available today that there's less and less difference between kids with Down Syndrome and their typical peers.

Adopting a young baby is not without challenges but most say it's a lot easier than adopting an older child or toddler... and kids like Justin need families too. He doesn't ever need to be transferred, or malnourished, or watch mommies and daddies coming for younger kids... but if no one goes for him, it will happen. It's great to help a kid who was in an institution bloom, but it's great to keep a kid from ending up there too.

And don't forget my Hannah's favorite sweet baby Juliet, who is still only nine months old.

Juliet and Justin are both in Russia waiting for their families to find them.

Is he yours?

Mickey is musical and cooperative, kind and loved. He will be a great son. Do you think he might be yours? He is six and it sounds like he's doing great. He looks so happy... wouldn't you just love having this guy around?

What is the difference?

These two boys are Keith and Steven.
















These two boys are Mark and Jonathan:
















How are Mark and Jonathan different from Keith and Steven?

They aren't. All four boys have Down Syndrome. All four boys are precious to God. All four boys need families.

But Keith and Steven have families coming for them, and Mark and Jonathan do not.

Mark is in Latin America and has a $3000 grant. He's five.
Jonathan is in Russia and will turn 3 in February. Reece's Rainbow does not have his complete medical information.

Someone thinks that Keith is worth taking a chance. Mark is too.
Someone thinks that Steven is worth all the money international adoption takes. Jonathan is too.

But there just aren't as many families stepping out as there are children who need families. God wants these little boys to have mommies and daddies, maybe brothers and sisters. He has a plan for Mark and for Jonathan. You just might be part of it.

another blind girl

Wendy is 5 years old and blind. She was born quite prematurely. She also has CP. She is a beautiful little girl. She is facing transfer very soon--she may have been transferred already. Wendy deserves a family.

A little boy who has a family

This is Andriy.

Andriy is blind. However, he does not need a family. His family, the Burlinghams, are planning to go and bring him home soon. But Andriy's needs didn't end when he found a family, as great as that is. Andriy's mom and dad, like most of us, didn't have $25,000 or more in the bank account when they committed to adopting their son. Andriy's family needs a lot of money so that they can go get their boy.

Maybe you aren't called to adopt or advocate. But if you are reading this, you are reading because you care about these kids who don't have families. So I challenge you to examine if perhaps you are called to give something--anything--to help Andriy come home. Twenty dollars. Ten. Five. No commitment; no monthly donation; no guilt-inducing letters later pleading for more. Andriy's mom helped me decide I wanted to commit to my daughter M. If you've been reading hoping to donate to me, don't. Just give it to Andriy. He needs it more. M. is getting home. There really is a chance Andriy won't. Unless my situation changes drastically, I will never be on here begging you to donate to M.'s adoption fund. But I am asking you today to send what you can to Andriy's family.

They have a giveaway too. And pie.


If you do want to adopt a little one who is blind yourself... this is Jeanne:


Jeanne has a birth defect of her eyes. She is definitely vision impaired; right now RR does not know what the nature of her disability is or how much vision (if any) she has. More information could be obtained if a family had a complete homestudy. Jeanne is 5 and has a $3000 grant. She lives in Russia.