A new name

I noticed Peter more than a year ago. He has the same name as my son and my husband, and even looks kind of like my boy Peter. He's a beautiful little boy, isn't he? His last picture was awful--too bright and you could barely see his face--but even so I decided he looked like my Peter, and I liked him.

If you are on the Reece's Rainbow facebook page, or keep a close eye on the listings, you may have noticed something. Slowly but surely, additional children are getting their own pages. They are being given new names and a chance to be seen by a family as individuals. There's no new information but it makes it easier to share them, and that much easier to consider committing to them.

Peter will have his own page, too, and a better chance at a family! I am hoping that he will be able to get more exposure then instead of being buried in the middle of the additional children.

I had the privilege of naming three of these precious boys who have new pages:
Obadiah:

He shares a name with my 7-week-old son :)

Nehemiah:

Phineas:

I asked for Phinehas, but he is adorable... I think all three suit their names.

And this precious girl is now Wren:

I am especially hoping a family will step forward for her now.

This is what joy looks like

Catherine is four and has Down Syndrome in a country where that means her parents abandoned her and in a few years she will be sent to a mental institution for the rest of her unnaturally shortened life.

Her only hope is for someone to see her on the "additional children" page and take an extraordinary leap--decide with nothing more than a picture to make her their daughter and bring her home.

And yet... look at her joy:

If you bring her home, I am sure she could teach you a great deal.

Life to the full

This is Galina.

Jesus loves her.

From the beginning of time, Jesus knew when Galina would be born. He and His Father planned for her salvation. He knew that she would be born in a poor communist country, that she would be abandoned shortly after birth because she had Down Syndrome.

But Galina was created through Jesus Himself, made in the very Image of the Father. She is the work of His Hands. Every day of her life is written in His book, and His daughter is of more worth to Him than precious gold, or refined silver, or rubies. God intended Galina to know fullness of life.

Look at her sweet face.

Now, in her orphanage, does she know fullness of life?

Is this the great plan God has for her, to prosper her and not to harm her?

I don't think so.

But I believe I am a part of what God is doing for Galina. I believe God has a plan--that He intends to place this lonely girl in a family. That He has a momma for her.

God's plans may start with the additional children page. They may start with someone blogging about Galina, someone sharing her picture on facebook, someone asking a friend whether they've considered adoption.

But our Father--the Father to the fatherless--does not intend this little girl to live out her years in an Eastern European mental institution. He is calling her parents. He is calling her family to step out in faith. He will call others to give, to donate. He will bless them when they obey.

If you've read this blog for a while, you know that there are children who die in Eastern European mental institutions, children who are there just because they have Down Syndrome, children who are there because they are deaf or blind or have craniofacial differences or limb differences. Children made through Jesus. Children made in God's image. Children for whom He planned fullness of life.

Maybe you wonder how that can be.

God's people aren't doing their part.

There are some who are shouting about the orphan crisis, blogging and praying and bringing home the kids that they can. There are some who are giving. But the church seems to be sleeping when it comes to the little ones Jesus loves--they are abandoned. They are abused. They are left to die. Doctors kill them because they are imperfect--before birth here, legally. After birth, legally, in parts of Europe. After birth, illegally, in parts of Asia. And in other parts of Europe they are just warehoused until they die.

Not everyone is called to adopt. But everyone is called to help. Maybe you don't have much to give, or are giving to other good causes here. But you can pray--right now--for Galina. For children like her all over the world, dying just because someone doesn't recognize Jesus in their faces. For God to show you your part--donating? Praying? Sharing? Maybe adopting? If we all did it we could solve this crisis. There don't need to be children in Eastern Europe waiting for adoption when there are Christians who can help here.

Galina is an "additional child" with Down Syndrome, age 3 (almost 4).

Needs a mommy

Nikita needs a mommy. He will be four soon, and he's never had one.

She needs a mommy

She has a touch of strabismus (which is correctable), but isn't Sophia gorgeous? I bet she is well-loved. She is also described as sociable. I bet she gets along well with Julia, who is just 4 months older :) (I don't know if she is in the same place, but it seems likely).

Sophia needs a mommy.

sociable 4-year-old girl

This is Julia.

She is actually the second "Julia M." listed in "Region 23."

She is about to turn 4 this month. She is sociable! I have a four-year-old girl myself, so I certainly find that believable. Four-year-old girls can talk your ears off.

If they have someone to listen to them. If they think you might care.

I bet Julia would love to have pretty ponytails... to learn how to dance and play baseball and slide down a slide and swing... to be your daughter.

I don't get...

I don't get the bonnet. (It's just gotta be said.)

I do get that somewhere in Eastern Europe, there is a four-year-old boy who needs a family. You can call him Cyril.

I guess I don't really get it, because I have always had a family. I can't comprehend his loneliness, his isolation, his lack of hope.... but I do know that Cyril is a real, living human being. And I know he deserves better than an orphanage.

For Jesus

Ivan is another little boy with Down Syndrome. Just 4 years old.

Just another face on the list.

He does have quite the description: calm, emotional, active, interested in toys, gets tired quickly

When I looked at Ivan this morning, a song came to my head:
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary.

Obviously this little boy isn't Jesus... but Jesus did tell us what we do for the least of these we do for Him. Ivan needs a family. Hope. Love.

Do you have these things?

What if Jesus were four years old, alone in an orphanage, faced with the prospect of growing up in a mental institution? How much paperwork, family upheaval, travel would He be worth?
God made Ivan and stamped him with His image. God says if there is something you want to do for Jesus, do it for Ivan instead. For the "least of these."

Someone's little boy

Aidan is 3 1/2. He is an orphan with Down Syndrome. He deserves to be someone's little boy.

Imagine him in your house... playing with your kids... hugging you good night. It would be hard but you would never regret stepping out for him... because he is your son.

Another orphan

Dmitry will turn 4 in November. He is an orphan. He needs a mommy and daddy.

Little boys and opportunities

Stanislav is a handsome little boy with Down Syndrome. He was born 3 1/2 years ago in a country where his diagnosis meant life in a crib... where his family was encouraged to give him up... where he will never get the chance to show everyone how much he can accomplish.

Sometime very soon--maybe today--I am going to give birth to a little boy. To my knowledge he does not have Down Syndrome. But if he did, he would never see the inside of an orphanage, let alone a mental institution. He would still come home with me and be loved by his brother or sister. No one would suggest maybe I should just leave him at the hospital and try again for a healthy baby. He would be eligible for many services, and likely attend a public school alongside typical peers, unless I decided to homeschool him. If I didn't feel equipped to be his parent, many families would be willing to adopt him. I know families right now who would love the opportunity to parent my son if I felt I could not handle a baby with Down Syndrome. I could visit him, receive pictures, and be part of his life. There would be no reason to be ashamed of my son.

That's not because something is different between a little boy with Down Syndrome born in Eastern Europe and one born in the US. That's because in our country we've decided that people with Down Syndrome matter, that they deserve the opportunity to flourish to the extent of their potential (if they are born, anyway). And if a family here decides that Stanislav is their son, he will have all those opportunities too. And he will have a family. He deserves all of that.

Her picture is blurry, but isn't Anna a beautiful little girl?

She likely has Down Syndrome and is described as calm.

Around Christmas time Anna will turn 4. She won't have brothers or sisters to celebrate with her, or even parents. She won't have a princess party or a Minnie Mouse balloon. Her friends won't bring her homemade cards. At Christmas she won't get any games or toys. Not only is Anna an orphan, but she has Down Syndrome. So where she lives, that means growing up in an institution. It means that it has been decided she has no potential, and that her life isn't worthwhile.

But Anna is worth it. She is worth the money, the travel, the risk. She is worth it because she is someone's daughter... maybe yours?

friendly and curious

Look at sweet baby Catherine:

Catherine actually will turn 4 in November. I am betting her picture is way out of date... but Catherine is lucky. Someone cares about her.

Check out her description: Character: friendly, curious, willing to play with toys

Someone cares enough to give her more than a one-word description. Someone cares enough to notice her positive traits. If that description is still true, if that special worker is still around to invest a little bit of attention in Catherine's life... she will blossom in a family! And if that person isn't around, and she is now another little girl who lays in a crib... well, God will still bless you if you step out to adopt her. God will make a way. He cares about her; He cares about you. If she is your daughter, he will lead you to her and give you what you need to be Catherine's mommy or daddy.

The least of these

Julia turned 4 in April.

She is an additional child--who needs a family no more or less than those with their own page and funds.

Our God, who sets the lonely in families, is pleading with his church to go and rescue his precious sons and daughters. The ones we call the least of these... but I don't think that's what He calls them.

He calls Julia Precious Daughter. Redeemed. Beloved. Made in His Image. Bought by His Blood. Above Rubies. Like Refined Gold. Created Through Christ.

Who does God think are the least of these? I think those who are concerned with themselves... those who look down on others... those who think some people's lives just aren't worth the time and effort. But these people too were worth it to Jesus. He died for them with no more hesitation than he died for sweet Julia.

And he called us to die to ourselves and to follow him.
That might mean travelling around the world to adopt a little girl who desperately needs a family... or it might mean supporting a family who did so... or it might mean fostering a child in your community, or helping the single mom next door with groceries, or working for one of many other very good causes.

I don't condemn you if you can't adopt Julia. I am not going to adopt Julia--I hope to adopt one day, but if I could adopt right now--I can't--she isn't the little one I'd be inquiring about. I don't condemn you if you can't donate to RR right now--there are other causes and we are called to take care of our family first.

But there are two things you can do, and I think you should. Consider, if you have not, whether you might be Julia's mom (or dad). Could you open your heart and home to another child? Could she be the one? Maybe you know it's not the time to adopt, or that you will never have that opportunity. That's okay. But make sure you've considered it... and if it's been a while, consider it again.

Pray for Julia. Pray that she is loved and cared for now. Pray that she will find a family, that someone will recognize her as the daughter of their heart. Because you can always pray, and it matters.

If you have prayed over Julia's situation and your own, and you know that's all you can do... thank you. You're making a difference.

Down Syndrome means....

Francine turns 4 in August. She is such a lovely little girl--I am betting the picture does not do her justice.

Imagine her smiling and playing. Imagine her reaching for you... calling you mommy. If she understands that she does not have a family, and what that means, and what a family could mean... that's her dream too. And if she does not understand, she needs a family no less.

Francine is "calm."

In our country, Down Syndrome means special education and services. She would receive many supports, and therapy. Some people might be biased against her... but she would have the opportunity to prove them wrong. Where Francine lives, Down Syndrome means a lifetime in a mental institution. No chance to show what she can do. Once she leaves her baby house, not even a chance at therapy or education.

She's a little girl who deserves a chance.

She's not busy.

I have been busy... I have been distracted... I have been living my life.

Amina has had no such luxury. Every day is like the last. She may have toys... she may have some affection... she may have enough food... but she may not.

Amina does not have a family. It is unlikely she receives education. At almost 4 years old--not much younger than my daughter--this little girl has nothing she can call her own.

You can change that.

You could be her mommy--or share her picture, and help her find her mommy.

Amina is calm.

Beloved by God

Do you remember this line?

"She kept asking 'And Tania? And Tania?' She would sob when we would leave her with the groupa."

Tatiana won't be left behind much longer... she's going to have a family! She's on MFFM! Praise God!

Will it ever happen for Daniel--almost 4 years old, calm, likely has Down Syndrome.

Beloved by God. His son.

When God adopted me, my prognosis was pretty poor. I was already a sinner. Likely no matter what my Father did to help me, I'd be a sinner still. I wouldn't ever get better from it. But he decided that I was his daughter, and he didn't care that I wasn't perfect. He wasn't looking for a perfect child. He already is perfect... He wanted a child to love.

That's what Daniel deserves. Not a family who wants a perfect child, just a family with more love to share. Maybe that's your family.

Waiting on God

Have you ever had to wait on something? Maybe it took a long time to get a degree... to find a spouse... to have kids.... Likely, though, you were doing something in the meantime. Working at it. Working in other areas of your life. Adam has waited almost 4 years for a family.

He is "calm." He has Down Syndrome. His one chance is a picture on a list of additional children. Likely he will never get what he's been waiting for... what he needs. Likely he will age out of the system in about 12 years and die of "old age" in a mental institution. In his 30s. If he lives long enough to age out. But maybe someone will find him and see he is their son. God, please bring a family for Adam. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Four-year-old girl

Catherine turned 4 in March. She's dressed up in an outfit (and haircut) that make her look like a little boy. She needs a mommy and pretty dresses and big sisters. She is considered calm and passive.

One post for Dylan

In going through all the kids of "region 23," I find myself sometimes at a loss as what to say. It's easy with the kids who look more appealing, who have a smile or a story or even just a name that helps them stand out. I tend to see the cute kids, the kids whose names I like, or the kids whose story touches me. Sometimes the kids in bad condition. Sometimes a kid with a bad picture who grabs me. I don't think Dylan would have grabbed me, but what if this boy never grabs anyone? What if this is the only post anyone ever writes on Dylan--what if this is the only place his picture ever is apart from Reece's Rainbow? Dylan has potential. He is more than a picture, more than a diagnosis. He will turn 4 around when my daughter does, in May. He is sociable. I bet he'd have fun at her party. He likely hasn't been to a birthday party before.... Dylan is just one more little boy who needs a family. But he was created by God and is loved by him. And if someone brings him home... well, for them he won't be just a name and a word of description on a photolisting. He'll be their son.

somebody's little boy

Denis looks like a sweet little boy with a lot of personality. He's 4. He is calm. He deserves a family.

Daughter

Deirdre is beautiful. They say that a big hairbow often means the child is a favorite with her caregivers. She is almost 4 and is said to be sociable. Having a caregiver, even one who loves you, isn't the same as having a family. Deirdre needs a mommy, daddy, and siblings who will love her forever. Who will not leave her because they move away or find a better job. Who don't go off duty at night. Who don't have so many other little charges she gets lost in the crowd. Can you be the one to tuck her in at night, give her a bubble bath with her sister, teach her to ride a bike and pump on a swing? Can you show her what mommy means? She doesn't have to be an additional child --she could just be a child.

All things are possible with God

What do I say about Irina? She just turned 4. She has Down Syndrome. She needs a family. She is described as passive, displaying little emotion. It's all been said before of so many. She isn't one of those really adorable kids who grabs you... not one with a story, happy or sad, that we know... not even a smile on her face. She's worth it, she deserves to be a daughter, but will she ever have that? All things are possible with God.

God's son

Artem is a cute, smiley little boy who it is easy to fall for... but Boris is not smiling. His picture is dark and unflattering. It looks like he cannot sit up on his own. He will be 3 around the time my baby is born (he is just a month younger than Artem.

Boris is listed as "moderately excitable." :)

Why the difference? Does Artem get more help or attention? Is it just genetics, or differing ability for no known reason? I don't know.

I do know that Boris is a precious son of God, made in the image of his Father. I know that this little boy has worth and potential. I know there is a family for him.

I know he's worth it.

something to smile about

Look at this adorable boy! How could anyone resist a smile like that?

Artem is almost 3 and is described as calm.


He deserves a reason to smile... a family. A forever home.

Can you give him that reason?

Quick break to see some other precious children....

Remember Owen?

Click here to see some more pictures of him, including a sweet baby picture.

Remember sweet Kacey with Apert Syndrome?

Here is a post from a mom who met her... she would do so well in a family.

I don't think I'd mentioned Tamara before... but she seems so sweet.

She had a family coming but they are not able to complete the adoption. She doesn't deserve to be sent to a mental institution. No child does... but Tamara is facing this only because she looks different. Could she be your daughter?
There is a mom who has met Tamara as well; if you contact Reece's Rainbow they could put you in touch with her.

Keegan is a sweet little boy with Down Syndrome.

He has a heart defect for which surgery is not recommended and a bit of strabismus but nothing too serious... and at the ripe old age of 1 is facing the institution because his baby house is closing.
If a family were interested, he could be adopted with Ollie, who is also under 2. Ollie has a heart defect which is more serious and will need attention when he comes home. He is not in the baby house that is closing, so he is not in immediate danger of transfer.


And Genesis is now officially adopted! She has a mommy, a daddy, three brothers, and a sister. Her new name is Sarah Joy.

In a few weeks they will all be together at home.
Yvonne (Sarah's mom) is pleading for a family for Angela, who she sponsors through Life 2 Orphans and was able to hold at the orphanage.

From her RR profile:
"Diagnosis: severe grade of the mental delay, hydrocephalus, fibrosis of hyaloid, secondary glaucoma, exfoliation/detachment of retina, congenital defect of the heart partition"
I don't know what all of that means, but it sounds like she has blindness, hydrocephalus, and a heart defect....

Ivan is also still in desperate need of a family.

Worth it

Believe it or not, this is a little girl too. And she just turned 3 (though the picture is quite likely out of date). Valeria is smiling and sociable.

To adopt Valeria (or another child from her region), 3 trips would be required. Both of her parents (single moms are not accepted) would travel for a week to meet her and be officially referred. They would wait 2 or 3 months for a court date. Then, they'd take another week-long trip which would include their court date (when Valeria would officially become their daughter). There would be a month-long waiting period, in case one of Valeria's biological relatives wanted to step back into the picture and bring her home. Finally, at least one of her parents would go back to finally bring her home (also a week-long trip).

Valeria's parents would need to be under 48 (no more than 45 years older than her, and under 50 for older children). They could not have more than 3 children at home. They would need a completely clear criminal and mental health background (no depression, bipolar disorder, etc.). They could not adopt more than one child at the same time.

It would cost around $33,000 to adopt her. And her parents might not know her needs until they met her (and even then the information they received could be wrong).

Why would anyone do that?

Well, wouldn't you do that for your daughter? It's that simple.

If you don't feel "called" to adopt, that doesn't mean you can't. If you don't fall in love with a sweet face on a photolisting, it doesn't mean you don't have a son or daughter out there. Don't let it stop you if God isn't sending you a neon sign emblazoned with "Go adopt Valeria now!"

But sometimes people say they do know. They say they looked at a certain little girl or boy and just knew that one was one of theirs. And they'd do anything for their daughter or son. And even if that's not you, at the end of the process you will have a son or daughter, and it all would have been for him or her.

Either way, once Valeria's family brings her home, she will be worth it.

passed over

I don't quite know why I am doing this project... posting about each of the additional kids in this region. Oh, there is one I've blogged about before because he caught my interest. And a lot of them are cute. But for some reason I didn't just post a few of the cutest, or the ones that caught my attention. For some reason--and I do think it was God's leading--I decided each of these children deserved their own post. And they do. More than that, they each deserve their own families.

Even a little girl I might pass over if I hadn't decided to do this. Even a little girl whose haircut looks like a boy's and whose clothes don't match.


Anna is just two years old. I don't know how much stimulation or attention she gets, but she's certainly sitting independently here, which is a great sign. She didn't grab me, and my thoughts about her were more along the lines of "That's a girl?" than "What a gorgeous child!"

But God doesn't see what man sees. God looks at the heart.
If Anna were my daughter, I would love her. And she is God's daughter. And she deserves a mommy. And she is pretty--if you don't let the hair and the crazy cloths throw you.

So today, don't pass over Anna. There's not much we can do for additional children. We can't donate. We can't share information other than a picture. But there is one thing we can always do. Let's pray for her together.

Dear God, we pray knowing that You love Anna and knew about her when You laid the foundations of the earth. You had a plan for her life. You planned for her to be born. You planned for her mommy to love her... but where she was born, even if her mother wanted to bring her home, the odds were stacked against it.

But You knew that people who call themselves Yours would be everywhere in the world--in Anna's country and in mine. You knew that You would give out more than enough love and money for another family to step in and do what Anna's birth family could not or would not--show this little girl Your love and all the best life has to offer. You planned another family for Anna.

God, I don't know if her family has felt Your call or not. I don't know if they even know You yet. I don't know if they are held back waiting for Your perfect timing, or held back by their own concerns when You are urging them to go to Eastern Europe and adopt a daughter with Down Syndrome.

I know Anna is precious in Your sight and You have a great plan for her. Please bless Anna, her family, and each person You have placed in her life or intend to. Bless those who will donate to her adoption, and bless those who pray for her, and bless those who would bring her home but can't. But most of all, bless Anna's family with her, their daughter. Make it clear what a blessing she will be, how much joy and love she will bring. And bring her home.

In the name of Your Son Jesus, who paid the price for our adoption. Amen.

Hunger

Look at this pretty girl's big blue eyes! Elizabeth is 2 and she needs a family badly. She doesn't look mistreated but the sores around her mouth are likely a sign of a nutritional deficiency. Even when orphans get enough food it may not be the most nourishing...

Many little girls and boys are fed little other than a porridge-like food. This is often not cruelty or uncaring but simple poverty... in a country where many families can't provide for their children well it isn't surprising that orphans are worse off. I read about orphans who when they first come home eat everything, sometimes more than is healthy... or orphans who will eat everything but oatmeal.

I am not big on variety, but I will tell you I would get tired of an oatmeal diet pretty quickly. I am sure you have family members who would complain if they got the same food two nights in a row... or for some foods, two nights in a month. Imagine eating the exact same food every day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even if it's your favorite food, I bet you'd get tired of it before a week was out.

I don't know if this is true for Elizabeth... but some orphans get the same food every single day. Often it is not as much as they really need. Even if the serving size is reasonable, think about your toddlers... don't they cycle in how much they eat? Don't they sometimes eat as much as a grown man when going through a growth spurt? It is probably rare for allowances to be made for that in the orphanage. If Elizabeth is lucky, she may have different meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She may get the occasional piece of fruit on a special occasion. If Elizabeth is not so lucky, she may not have ever even had someone try to teach her how to eat. Her meals may be porridge in a bottle with a nipple that has a big hole in it. Just because orphanages are poor and understaffed and no one can spare the time and effort to spoonfeed 20 kids or teach them to eat or clean them after they try it. Again, I don't know what Elizabeth's home is like... either end of the spectrum is a possibility. But it is common for kids who are raised in orphanages, especially if they have special needs, to be undersized due to chronic undernourishment.

Because if your daughter is hungry, you feed her. If your son is going through a growth spurt, you feed him more. But if you are responsible for 20 or more babies and toddlers, and they are all screaming and moaning and wandering off, all desperately in need of attention and stimulation, you may not know one is extra-hungry today. And even if you did, you have so much to do--change diapers occasionally. Feed them all, simultaneously. If the orphanage is a good one, they may go to different rooms for therapies. They may go to play outside. They may need to be cleaned a little. And they all desperately need love and attention--and being human you may have a few favorites you try to give that to, or you might try to spread it out a little more and give each one a little bit, but you just can't be mommy to 20 toddlers all at once. The quiet ones--Elizabeth is "calm"--may just be ignored.

Remember these words?
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Orphans are hungry. They are thirsty. (Even in better orphanages sometimes their liquid is very limited because diapers are so expensive.) They are strangers, but we can make them family. They may wear only one or two outfits for over a year, and never even own those--or they may be designed for a child of a different gender. They do not likely get special treatment when they are sick, and if they do, it is isolation and perhaps medicine, not chicken soup, cuddling, and favorite cartoons. They may or may not be allowed outside, and certainly not off the property.
And then a family comes. They feed their child, give her juiceboxes, find her a pretty new dress and bows for her hair, love on that little one even when she's in a bad mood. And they call her daughter and bring her home, as God does for us.

That's what Elizabeth needs.

Smiling, emotional, sociable

Julia is 2 and only a couple months older than my son. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and is really gorgeous. And she has Down Syndrome.

She has a lot of information for an "additional child" in her region: "smiling, emotional, sociable." Someone likes this little girl. Someone thinks she has potential. Hopefully she is getting the love and nourishment (emotional and physical) that she needs. (FWIW emotional may well be a positive, in that she expresses emotions well... remember these descriptions are usually translations done by a computer, not a human translator.)

Not everything is in Julia's favor, though. She does have a special need. She doesn't have her own page on RR. She can't have a grant. Her medical status and any other special needs she might have are unknown.

But maybe she's so sweet someone will take a chance and do what it takes to bring her home.

Summed up

Two years old.
Down Syndrome.
"Tranquil."

Some day each of us will be summed up with a name, an age, and a few quick words.
Dedicated Christ-follower. Loving mother. Devoted daughter. Creative engineer. Inspiring teacher. 1983-2067.

Dmitry didn't pick the words that are used to sum him up. They don't speak to his strengths.

But this little summation of Dmitry's life isn't to memorialize its ending--it gives him a chance, however slim, at a new beginning. Dmitry's life is just beginning, and you could be part of it. Some day, when his full life is summed up, there may be words like "son," "brother," and "Christian." And it's likely that no one will point out his difficulties in a quick phrase about his life.

If all we have is the dash, as they say--if all we have is that short time--how are we using it? Is God glorified? Because that is eternal.

If Dmitry is not adopted there may be no one to remember him. He may never have someone who loves him as he is.

Imagine if all anyone ever bothered to write about you was "tranquil"--a word that said more about your opportunities than your true personality.

But for Dmitry, in this picture and one-word description, there is hope. Can someone bring him home?

Isn't she beautiful?

Vasilisa will be 3 this summer. She might or might not be allowed to even play outside in the sun. She won't have brothers or sisters to chase around. She won't have a mommy to comfort her if she falls down and gets hurt. She almost certainly won't get to go swimming or run through a sprinkler.

But if she were your daughter, she could experience all the things God meant her to, all the things a childhood summer means to you.

She seems like just a picture and a name on a list. A word of description ("sociable").

But Vasilisa is a real little girl, a human being. She gets hungry and thirsty and lonely and hurt--and hopefully she also knows what it is to be happy and to love and be loved. She looks and sounds like she knows what it is to play, to laugh, to get attention, to talk to a friend or caregiver.

This little girl could really snuggle in your arms or chase you around growling like a monster or cheer when her daddy comes home or beg to have ice cream for dinner but settle for macaroni and cheese when you said no.

Yes, there are hundreds of little girls just like her on Reece's Rainbow. And every one of them is special. Vasilisa is special too. She's made in God's image. She's his daughter.
And she deserves to be someone else's too.

This little guy is a cutie

Have I ever mentioned I'm a sucker for little boys named Peter?



"Peter P." is just 5 months younger than my Peter and almost exactly 2 years younger than my eldest. He is described as tranquil. Soon he will be two.

This little guy would do great to come home at this age. Looks like he's doing pretty well. Is he your son?

Smiles

What a sweet, smiley little boy. Carlton is 2 and likely has Down Syndrome. He deserves a chance at a home, a mommy and daddy, a life outside an institution.

Wouldn't it be neat if this smile was for you?

to be known

Isn't Ariana an adorable baby? Unfortunately, she is now 2 and has no family, and not even an updated picture. Her only chance is that someone scrolling through the additional children sees her and wants to know more.

That desire we have, which comes from God--to know and to be known--for Ariana it would make a world of difference.

praying for this little boy

Artyom is unusual for an additional child is that he has a prayer warrior who blogs specifically for his adoption.

I am not a prayer warrior, but I do pray for children on RR... and if you want to and you are on Facebook you should "friend" Connie Clark Lindquist (adopting Ethan), who posts a child to pray for every day.

Prayer is a powerful thing. I would ask you all to pray for Artyom today.

Dear Father, I pray that Artyom would soon be blessed with a family who falls in love with him, who wants him whatever challenges he may have, who will be blessed by him. Please touch hearts for this sweet boy, only 2 years old. Please bring him a family. In the name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.

Sweet child who needs a family

This little one will turn 3 in May. The name is listed as "Nick B." but the gender is listed as female... I'll call this one Nicky I guess. Nicky probably has Down Syndrome. Nicky definitely needs a family, and Nicky's family will be blessed to have Nicky as a member.

He deserves a mommy

Nicholas turns 3 in May. He is described as quiet. He needs a mommy.

Another beautiful "additional" girl

Antonina will be 3 this month... isn't she gorgeous? She is described as 3. She needs a mommy and daddy to give her kisses and hugs, to teach her all she needs to know that she's been missing out on... what a blessing to be her parent! I can't help but think if this sweetie had her own page (instead of being an additional child) she would have been adopted by now.