Adopting a Special Needs Child? What Might Happen?

Today i want you to meet a sweetheart named Justine.

Look at that radiant smile!

Isn’t she pretty? i bet you that she would be even prettier if she has lovely long hair with a pretty bow in it. But her hair has been chopped off as it always is for special needs orphans who have been sent to live in an institute, most likely an adult mental institution.

Justine has congenital microcephaly and autism but she is fully mobile and active. However, there are these cautionary notes in her file: “As with all children living in these difficult conditions, this child’s cognitive development has regressed significantly since he/she was younger. It is of crucial importance that any family considering the adoption of an older child from the mental institution setting be well prepared for what to expect with regards to how the neglect and lack of adequate medical care and nourishment has affected this child.

Sounds a little shocking, maybe even frightening?

But it goes on to say: “These children all have TREMENDOUS potential for improvement, and deserve to have a life outside these four walls.

And indeed they do have amazing potential… i have read about the amazing improvements these precious ones have made with the aid of a loving family, many times over, in my year advocating for these orphans.

i recently read a most wonderful post from a wonderful mummy who just came home a few months ago with her beautiful daughter from Eastern Europe. Her daughter has many needs and they have a long journey in helping her recover from the lack of medical care in the institution she was at. And yes some of her issues will be long-term and some can sound quite scary but she is now loved with all the love a family can give and that has made all the difference.

Listen to what this wonderful mummy says might happen to you if you adopted a special needs child:

It might make you keenly aware of how fragile the human body is, and how amazing the human spirit is, and how quickly things can change – every. single. day. And you might come to realize what a good thing this daily reminder is. It is not a curse or a burden, it is a BLESSING. Because you begin to understand that so many things you worry about are frivolous and insignificant. When you begin to realize this, you start to loosen your grip on those things and turn more of your attention to the things (ie. people) that do matter. You might go out and enjoy watching your kids play in the backyard today because you know that you could be at the hospital with a child who has broken a hip or needs neurosurgery tomorrow.

Yes you read that correctly… “it is a BLESSING.”

So do you think Justine is that blessing which has been missing from your family? If so, please contact Reece’s Rainbow for more details.

Even if you are not Justine‘s forever family, you can help her in her journey to having a caring family. You can share her story so that others may come to know about her and share about her and who knows, you might just be that link to her forever family.

You can also pray for Justine‘s daily needs and for her forever family to come for her as soon as possible.

You can make her forever family’s journey to her that much easier by contributing to her adoption grant. International adoptions are ridiculously expensive. Please help by clicking on her name or picture to go to her profile page to donate.

Thank you.

syc

Please go here to read the whole post i quoted from.

The Results Are In…

The Forty to Forever Campaign has finished and the results are in! We raised US$10,000 for all our families and children. Please head over there to see if you have won.
We would like to Thank Everyone who took part, whether in giving, praying or sharing… it was a wonderful Lent journey with you.
syc

fortytoforever's avatarForty Days to Forever

***Please take our quick survey and let us know how we can improve for next year.  Thank you!***

So sorry it has taken me so long!  We have had some family emergencies and medical issues this week.  (Glad they waited until after the campaign!)  But it has kept me from posting our FINAL results!!  I have been so excited not only to draw winners for the giveaway, but also to tell you the amazing results of all our hard work fundraising.  It was a great year and I am so glad that all of you took part in it.  Thank you so much to everyone who prayed, participated and donated to make this a success!

We raised $10,000 for our children, families and for Reece’s Rainbow!  Not only that, but one precious little boy found his family because of our campaign!  Praising God for His great blessing on this journey…

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Should Not Matter Less…

i posted this on my Facebook just yesterday.
i posted this on my Facebook just yesterday.

i sometimes tell my son, “It’s OK. It does not matter.”. Do you say that phrase “does not matter” very often? What are you referring to? Quite often, i’m referring to an incident or maybe some spilled water or some mark on his shirt.

Have you heard “does not matter” being used to refer to people? Or maybe not those exact words but you sensed in the attitude and behaviour of people that someone mattered less? That someone’s opinion or action was not given the attention it should have? Is that OK?

What if “does not matter” was used to refer to people not because of what they said or did but they were referred to as mattering less just because they are who they are? What if “does not matter” was a label given to children who were born less than perfect? Is that really OK to say to a child, “You do not matter because you have such and such a medical condition.”?

NO! It is NOT OK. Every person matters. Especially children, who need to know that there are people they can depend on to always be on their side, people who will love them simply because they are who they are, special needs or not.

Today you can help show 2 sweet children, who have been left in orphanages likely because of their special needs, that they do matter, the same as you and i matter.

Meet Brody and his brother Auggie.

This is Brody! Love those blue eyes.
This is Auggie. Such a cutie.

They are brothers by birth but they now live in separate orphanages and do not see each other at all. They both have mental delays and Brody is said to exhibit signs of autism. Auggie has partial atrophy of eye nerves, cerebral palsy and episyndrome. BUT have you noticed something else? They have smiles which would turn winter into summer instantly. They seem to have responded to some therapy so there is much hope that they will be able to thrive in a loving family environment.

Are you that loving family? If you feel the call to make them part of your family, please do contact Reece’s Rainbow for more information.

Not everyone is called to adopt but you can still show that these boys matter. You can share their story with everyone you know so that their family can be found. It could be a matter of you tell someone who tells someone else who just might be their family.

You can pray for them; pray for their daily needs, pray for their forever family to step forward as soon as possible.

You can also contribute to their adoption grant so that their forever family might have an easier journey to bring them home. Click on their names or pictures to go to their profile page and donate.

Please show that these Brody and Auggie do indeed matter, just like you and i or your own children or family members matter.

Thank you.

syc

Here are 2 more posts about Brody and Auggie: Swissmaman and SavingHisSparrows.