So here's a picture of another little boy with HIV: Xander.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
I've said about everything
I've said a lot on my blog post--about adoption, about international adoption, about children with special needs. Not everyone can or should adopt. But if you want another child, if you have room in your heart and your home--if that's what God has for you--I hope you will step out in faith.
So here's a picture of another little boy with HIV: Xander.
So here's a picture of another little boy with HIV: Xander.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Guest blog by my daughter
Guest post about a three year old, by a three year old:
This is Sophia. We love her very much. She is three like me. I had a birthday and then I turned three. She likes toys. I like toys too. I'm glad I have a family. I think Sophia wants a family. She will like having a mommy and daddy and brothers and sisters and toys and birthdays.
Thank you God for Sophia and she loves toys. Please give her a family. Amen.
This is Sophia. We love her very much. She is three like me. I had a birthday and then I turned three. She likes toys. I like toys too. I'm glad I have a family. I think Sophia wants a family. She will like having a mommy and daddy and brothers and sisters and toys and birthdays.
Thank you God for Sophia and she loves toys. Please give her a family. Amen.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Babies
Who doesn't love babies? Probably not anyone reading my blog.
This is Arden. He's only 6 months old, and there's a chance he could be home by his first birthday if his family acts quickly. My daughter said this post should be about him :) ("the bandaid one"). She says to say that we love him very much. She suggests that we should adopt him too. But that's not going to happen at least until we're done with our first adoption, and he's so little I hope he gets picked out quicker than that. She says we need a baby because her brother is a big boy now. There are a few other really little babies on Reece's Rainbow. There are little ones under one with Down Syndrome, HIV, and other special needs. Adopting children and toddlers is great, but there is a need for families willing to adopt little babies with special needs too, both in the US and abroad. Arden deserves a family to love him and advocate for him. He is a precious little boy.
This is Arden. He's only 6 months old, and there's a chance he could be home by his first birthday if his family acts quickly. My daughter said this post should be about him :) ("the bandaid one"). She says to say that we love him very much. She suggests that we should adopt him too. But that's not going to happen at least until we're done with our first adoption, and he's so little I hope he gets picked out quicker than that. She says we need a baby because her brother is a big boy now. There are a few other really little babies on Reece's Rainbow. There are little ones under one with Down Syndrome, HIV, and other special needs. Adopting children and toddlers is great, but there is a need for families willing to adopt little babies with special needs too, both in the US and abroad. Arden deserves a family to love him and advocate for him. He is a precious little boy.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Big things
One of the children I mentioned on this blog found a family--Teri Lynn. It is the first time since I started this blog, so that's kind of exciting, even though I knew when I posted about her that she was bound to find a family soon.
The unusual part is that when so many people were fundraising and advocating for Teri Lynn, she already had a family coming for her. Her ransom was already paid when twenty thousand dollars were given for her. So all of that money will be redistributed to help other little girls who need the money--girls like Alice, Cora Lynne, Celine, Jillian, and Robyn.
The other big news is that we have finally heard the official word from the agency we've been in contact with that they can do the home study for our adoption. We have been assigned a social worker! So keep praying for these girls in Russia, and also for our family and the little girl we hope to bring home.
Ksenia no longer appears on the "additional children" page for region 30. I do not know what that means. Hopefully that she has been adopted... maybe that she is no longer available... maybe that she is deceased.
The unusual part is that when so many people were fundraising and advocating for Teri Lynn, she already had a family coming for her. Her ransom was already paid when twenty thousand dollars were given for her. So all of that money will be redistributed to help other little girls who need the money--girls like Alice, Cora Lynne, Celine, Jillian, and Robyn.
The other big news is that we have finally heard the official word from the agency we've been in contact with that they can do the home study for our adoption. We have been assigned a social worker! So keep praying for these girls in Russia, and also for our family and the little girl we hope to bring home.
Ksenia no longer appears on the "additional children" page for region 30. I do not know what that means. Hopefully that she has been adopted... maybe that she is no longer available... maybe that she is deceased.
Grant money
Adoption isn't cheap. It generally costs between $25,000 and $38,000 to adopt internationally. That includes the cost of travelling overseas, preparing documents, court fees and mandated donations, and fees charged by agencies or the country. These costs are on top of the costs any family might have when adding a child--clothes, food, a bed, a car seat, a larger vehicle, and any sort of changes that might be needed to accomodate a child with special needs.
It isn't any cheaper to adopt a child with special needs. In fact, the changes a family may need to make to their home and lifestyle probably mean it is much more expensive. Part of how Reece's Rainbow helps families who want to adopt a child with special needs is by raising grants for these children. After a family commits to a child, they can continue to raise money with Reece's Rainbow, and donations through Reece's Rainbow are tax deductible. Many families are able to get their adoptions fully funded, though they are still responsible for initial home-study costs and a few other things. Children with large grants get families. Children who are fully funded get adopted. The child with a $20,000 dollar grant find a family, every time. Many people cannot adopt because of the incredible cost of international adoption. They have the love, the space, the income--just not the huge sum of money to go get their son or daughter. Does that describe your family?
This is Juris. His grant is at almost $12,000. I'm not sure what country he is in (and couldn't tell if I was), but that may be over halfway to the full cost that would be needed for his adoption.
Ten thousand dollars is still a lot of money. But it's also a lot less than twenty thousand. Obviously someone cares enough about Juris to do some fundraising for him--or a lot of people cared about Juris enough to donate. Either way, if he's your son, there are people who love him and would love to help you bring him home. If people donated over eleven thousand to Juris, not knowing if he would ever have a family, just to help give him a chance, then he can be fully funded if you need it--even more people will want to donate knowing that it will bring Juris home!
It isn't any cheaper to adopt a child with special needs. In fact, the changes a family may need to make to their home and lifestyle probably mean it is much more expensive. Part of how Reece's Rainbow helps families who want to adopt a child with special needs is by raising grants for these children. After a family commits to a child, they can continue to raise money with Reece's Rainbow, and donations through Reece's Rainbow are tax deductible. Many families are able to get their adoptions fully funded, though they are still responsible for initial home-study costs and a few other things. Children with large grants get families. Children who are fully funded get adopted. The child with a $20,000 dollar grant find a family, every time. Many people cannot adopt because of the incredible cost of international adoption. They have the love, the space, the income--just not the huge sum of money to go get their son or daughter. Does that describe your family?
This is Juris. His grant is at almost $12,000. I'm not sure what country he is in (and couldn't tell if I was), but that may be over halfway to the full cost that would be needed for his adoption.
Ten thousand dollars is still a lot of money. But it's also a lot less than twenty thousand. Obviously someone cares enough about Juris to do some fundraising for him--or a lot of people cared about Juris enough to donate. Either way, if he's your son, there are people who love him and would love to help you bring him home. If people donated over eleven thousand to Juris, not knowing if he would ever have a family, just to help give him a chance, then he can be fully funded if you need it--even more people will want to donate knowing that it will bring Juris home!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
A rare opportunity in international adoption
This sweet boy is listed on Reece's Rainbow as Riordan.
In international adoption, children with special needs most often are not orphans. They are very often relinquished to the state at birth or when their disabilities become apparent. Sometimes this is due purely to prejudice against people with disabilities, and their families don't want them because they have special needs. But sometimes it is because they don't feel equipped to care for them, and their society doesn't value people with special needs and doesn't make a place for them (other than in mental institutions... even if the child's need is purely physical). Some of these children have relatives who visit them periodically. Usually the children whose families are still involved in their lives are not available for adoption. It makes sense that if their families are still involved in their lives, and want to remain parents to the children, and that way the children can remain in their own country and culture.
Other times, parents look at the lives available to their children in countries with few resources for children with special needs, and the richness of acceptance and education and opportunity that is offered to children with special needs in countries like the US, and decide that adoption is the best decision for that child. Much like most parents in the US who choose to make adoption plans for their children, they want their child to have a better life. They want their kids to have things that those kids can't have with their first parents. In the case of international adoption, that means a society that accepts them, makes a place for them, and is invested in seeing them live up to their potential, and parents who can advocate for the little boy or girl in his or her new country and make sure that happens.
It sounds like Riordan's family is one of those families that have decided that as much as they love their son, they need to choose international adoption to give him the greatest range of opportunity in their life. Riordan's profile says that his family is involved in his life but he is free for adoption.
It is rare in international adoption to have the opportunity to have a relationship with a birth family. Riordan's adoptive parents will have a great opportunity to get a sense of who he will look like, learn more medical history, and be in contact with people who are still immersed in his birth culture. They will know why his family made their decisions and be able to give them peace about it by sharing his progress with them. Growing up, Riordan may be able to learn about his birth family firsthand instead of reading dry reports, guessing, or wondering. Biological parents and heritage and genetics are important--to adoptees just as they are to the rest of us. I think it's awesome that Riordan will have that opportunity. If this is the kind of adoption you are looking for, maybe Riordan is your son :)
In international adoption, children with special needs most often are not orphans. They are very often relinquished to the state at birth or when their disabilities become apparent. Sometimes this is due purely to prejudice against people with disabilities, and their families don't want them because they have special needs. But sometimes it is because they don't feel equipped to care for them, and their society doesn't value people with special needs and doesn't make a place for them (other than in mental institutions... even if the child's need is purely physical). Some of these children have relatives who visit them periodically. Usually the children whose families are still involved in their lives are not available for adoption. It makes sense that if their families are still involved in their lives, and want to remain parents to the children, and that way the children can remain in their own country and culture.
Other times, parents look at the lives available to their children in countries with few resources for children with special needs, and the richness of acceptance and education and opportunity that is offered to children with special needs in countries like the US, and decide that adoption is the best decision for that child. Much like most parents in the US who choose to make adoption plans for their children, they want their child to have a better life. They want their kids to have things that those kids can't have with their first parents. In the case of international adoption, that means a society that accepts them, makes a place for them, and is invested in seeing them live up to their potential, and parents who can advocate for the little boy or girl in his or her new country and make sure that happens.
It sounds like Riordan's family is one of those families that have decided that as much as they love their son, they need to choose international adoption to give him the greatest range of opportunity in their life. Riordan's profile says that his family is involved in his life but he is free for adoption.
It is rare in international adoption to have the opportunity to have a relationship with a birth family. Riordan's adoptive parents will have a great opportunity to get a sense of who he will look like, learn more medical history, and be in contact with people who are still immersed in his birth culture. They will know why his family made their decisions and be able to give them peace about it by sharing his progress with them. Growing up, Riordan may be able to learn about his birth family firsthand instead of reading dry reports, guessing, or wondering. Biological parents and heritage and genetics are important--to adoptees just as they are to the rest of us. I think it's awesome that Riordan will have that opportunity. If this is the kind of adoption you are looking for, maybe Riordan is your son :)
Monday, August 1, 2011
I love these kids
I just love Jesse. I love that smile. Love those chubby cheeks. I love his name (which isn't his real name, of course--nor are Lindsey and Rebekah and Peter's names their "real" names.
We use that expression a lot, don't we? "I just love that."
I bet you could find a lot of people who just love this little boy.
But do I really love him? Do I love him enough to spend months having my parenting abilities evaluated, to fill out stacks of paperwork, to spend huge amounts of money, to cross the ocean and spend weeks in a foreign country? Well, maybe. But there's another little girl I'm going to do that for. I don't think I'm going to be the one to love Jesse that much.
I don't love him enough to call him my son. I don't love him enough to bring him home.
If you clicked on the link, it's pretty obvious I don't even love him enough to put a couple dollars in his grant fund. I don't "just love him" that much.
It doesn't look like anyone loves Jesse enough to adopt him. And that is the kind of love he needs.
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