Please Pray for Blossom!

I have a special prayer request today--a girl that God's laid heavily on my heart.

This is Blossom.

She's frequently referred to as "Bubbly, Beautiful Blossom", and I think you can see how she got that name!  Look at her smile--it just radiates out from her face!

Blossom is thirteen years old.  She has spina bifida and her left leg is amputated above the knee.

Despite this, Blossom shines.

Blossom is being cared for at Shepherd's Field, a wonderful home for orphans in China.

Some of you may know that in the Chinese adoption process, once a child turns fourteen, they are not allowed to be adopted--this is commonly called "aging out".  It's a very sad thing--in some cases, a child must spend the rest of their life in the orphanage (until they are able/want to leave).  And, I've heard of cases where a child is made to move out of the orphanage on their own--to fend for themself.  Either way, a child that has aged out will never know the love of a family and will forever carry the title of "orphan".  That title is considered "unlucky" and quite scorned upon.  It could keep Blossom from getting a good job or education (to read more about this, please click HERE.  I love this article that was posted on the Love Without Boundaries blog).

So Blossom has several strikes against her.

-She has a more significant special need.

-She is an older child.

Halloween Cowgirl Blossom!

And, to top it off, Blossom's paperwork is not even ready yet--it never has been.  Therefore, that could very well be the reason she has not yet found her family.  I have confidence that Blossom has a few families waiting for her file.  I think that when she does hit the Shared List, there will be more than one family ready to begin considering and praying over her. 

But, Blossom will age out in about seven months.  If a family worked very hard and pushed to get their process expedited, they could bring her home in time before she ages out.

I have access to a wonderful, lengthy video of Blossom where she speaks in her wonderfully poised way, shows off her amazing artwork, and writes her name.  If you would like to see the video and/or get more information on Blossom, please email us at countrygirlathome@att.net.

Read about Blossom:

"She has spina bifida and her left leg is amputated below the knee, so she's in a wheelchair. She has been at Shepherd's Field since July (thanks to some wonderful sponsors!!) and a specialist there has evaluated her and thinks that she would be able to eventually walk with a prosthesis! I have pictures of her swinging on the swings and playing on playground equipment with the other kids (going up the steps and sliding down the slide) so she can certainly get around on her own and has the muscle strength!

Until she came to Shepherd's Field in July, she'd never had any schooling. She had a nanny who taught her some things and she is bright, and she is now learning at Shepherd's Field."

Blossom needs our prayers.  She needs prayer, first of all, that she will come to know Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior.  That's the most important thing.  Secondly, Blossom needs to have her file completed and sent to the Shared List--now!  And then, Blossom needs a family to sprint to her and scoop her up and love her like only a family can.

Will you join me in prayer for this sweet girl?

God bless you!

Joy :D

Faithful Fridays - And They Wait, and Wait, and Wait...

Hi everyone!  Welcome back to Faithful Fridays!  Friday has come again so quickly! 

I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day a week (although I don't think they should keep it to just one day) to share something about their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, something God's laid on your heart, etc.  To participate in Faithful Fridays, just grab the button above for your post along with a link to my blog somewhere in your post, too.  After you've published your post, please come let me know in your comment that you participated and leave me a link to your blog.  I'd love to come read your post!

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I've posted many times about orphans and I've posted the pictures and information of some kids in C*ina that are waiting to be adopted.  I ended up moving my advocacy to a website.  But today, I'd like to bring some waiting kids up to attention again...because they still wait and wait and wait. 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:27

I don't think we can even imagine what these kids go through.  I've come across kids that were abandoned at eight and six.  One little boy who was abandoned at six was "protecting himself" when he first came into the orphanage and would not let anyone get close to him.  Now he really wants a family. 

You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted;
   you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
   so that mere earthly mortals
   will never again strike terror.

Psalm 10:17-18

Before you go on to read the pictures and information of these kids, please, think hard.  Think really, really hard.  Try to imagine what these kids feel like.  What they go through.  At fourteen, they will "age out" and no longer have even a chance of getting a family.  And then what?  In China, orphans are not looked upon in a good light.

All they want is a family.  No matter if they have a speical need.  I don't think people would have much of a problem with a child that has a special need if they gave birth to the child.  They'd love the child just the same.  And that's great!  But why can't we do that with orphans?

Children are a heritage from the LORD,
   offspring a reward from him. 
  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
   are children born in one’s youth. 
   Blessed is the man
   whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
   when they contend with their opponents in court.

Psalm 127:3-5

So please, think really really hard.  Try to imagine what these kids go through.

This is precious Jessi. 

She is ten years old (born in February 2001) and her special need is scoliosis.  Isn't she pretty?  Here's a little bit more about her:

"This little girl was about 8 years old on admission, normal intellectual development, able to take care of herself, but walked slow and easily fall down because of the illness.  She was integrated into the life in the institute soon and now studying in Peizhi Class of this institute, she could be concentrated in the class, and she is a kind girl, can get along well with caretakers and kids and living a happy life in the institute.

 

She likes the fine arts, writing, paper folding, also loves watching TV, listen to the music and play games, etc.
She is introverted, likes doing things quietly, she is polite to teachers, can greet teacher actively, she likes to be beautiful and always keeps herself clean, everyone loves her. Now she is living a happy life in the warm family. She understands she is just living in the institute for time being and one day she will have her own family, so she expressed she is willing to be adopted."

 

This is determined Scott. 

 

 

 

Scott is thirteen (born in January 1998).  This means that he will age out in less than a year!  He needs a family to step up quickly to adopt him.  Scott's special need is repaired club feet.  Here's what's written about him:

 

"Scott is a shy, honest and responsible boy. He has been in the orphange for 4 years now and has adjusted well. He gets along with others well and is very caring. He buys snacks with his allowance and shares with the other children. He does a good job with his chores. Before he came to the orphanage he had not received proper education, so he has some difficulty in school from his lack of foundation. He gets extra help is very studious and determined. He likes to draw is currently learning to draw in the big sisters program. He likes to read all kinds of children's books and novels. He is honest and a good and sensible boy."

 

This was also written about him:

 

Scott is an incredibly determined and brave child. Through his rehabilitation training, he never gave up, even when he was covered in sweat. He takes the role of monitor at school and helps the other children. At the orphanage he also helps the other children with basic daily living tasks, like washing their faces. He is extremely generous and shares his delicious food and favorite toys with others. He is part of the Half the Sky program and cherishes his opportunity, so he studies hard. He has an excellent memory and can remember what he is taught. In his free time, he likes to read poems and sing. He is excellent at math. He didn’t think he could draw very well, but saw a beautiful picture and the teacher encouraged him to try to draw it. He tried after some convincing and drew a beautiful picture. He sees his foster brothers and sisters get adopted into families and very much wants a family of his own."

 

There is a $5,000 grant for Scott's adoption through the adoption agency ASIA. 

 

This is beautiful Beth. 

 

 

 

Beth is seven (born in March 2004).  She is a Special Focus child.  Here's a little bit written about her:

 

"She is described as being a little shy around strangers, but when she becomes more familiar with people she is very talkative. Her caregivers are obviously quite fond of her because they describe her as "naughty" which is seen as a very positive trait in a young child and is often used to describe a child who is inquisitive, active, and curious. She likes to sing. She enjoys going to school where she can play with toys, especially the bikes. When we asked her what her favorite animal was, she said that she likes little dogs. She was born with a cleft lip and palate as well as other facial abnormalities. Her speech is very clear and her nanny says that she is just as smart as all of the other little children. She lives in a foster family. She is very affectionate and we saw her take her caregiver's hand several times for comfort while we asked her questions. By the end of our interview, she had warmed up enough to pose for the camera."

It's also been said that "she is an affectionate child who needs the love that only a permanent family can give her."

 

There is a $4,200 Promise Child grant for eligible families for this adoption and a possible additional fee reduction.  You can contact me about Beth for more information (email below Timothy's information). 

 

This is sweet Timothy. 

 

 

 

Timothy is six.  Isn't he a cutie?  Here's what's written about him:

 

"Timothy's special need is corrected bilateral clubfeet and deformed shoulder joints. His clubfeet were corrected successfully at the House of Love with the Ponsetti casting method. He walks and climbs independently without problems. Timothy has blossomed into a smiling, joyful and happy little boy. He is polite, social and loves to build things. Timothy is fostered in a family that is teaching him English. He speaks many English words, writes words, draws pictures and has a very pleasant personality. Timothy is well adjusted to family life. He attends school and does very well in school. Timothy has some joint deformity in his shoulders but he is very high functioning and independent. He has great use of his hands and fingers. Timothy also eats well without digestive issues. Timothy is a smart little boy and there are no limits to what he could accomplish with a forever family. Just look at that winning smile. Look at the kindness in his eyes. Can you see the potential in this little boy? Could he be your son?"

 

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If you are interested in any of these kids, send an email to my mama's email address and I will get back to you.  Her email address is countrygirlathome@att.net. 

God bless you!

Joy

Faithful Fridays~Adoption

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Faithful Fridays!  My mama and I started this so that Christians can weekly post about their Faith...prayer requests, praise reports, etc.  If you participate, please let me know in a comment and give me a link to your blog so that we can come visit you!

Now, you know me with my adoption craze.  I can't help it...those kids need homes and they need them fast!

I would like to share a few videos and a few of my thoughts on adoption and why we should pursue it, especially as Christians.

So this first video...by Eric Ludy (who, by the way, is awesome!  Mama has been reading the book that he and his wife wrote, When God Writes Your Love Story, aloud to me), is one of my favorites.  It's so worth it to watch it.  It will truly move you.



Next is a video by Randy Bohlender, from the Zoe Foundation.  I'm really not familiar with that organization, but I found the link to this video on an advocacy Yahoo group. 



I've shared some things about adoption before, but I would like to bring my points up again.

1.  Money

This is a BIG thing with people...they say, "I'd love to adopt, but we just don't have the money."  Let's rephrase that statement.  "I'd love to go get my child who is stuck in an institution on the other side of the world, but we just don't have the money."

"Now wait a minute," you exclaim, "that is NOT the same thing."  Are you sure?  When my mama and I saw my little brother's face in his referral photo, we KNEW he was ours.  He just was.  And he had been our child from the very beginning.  God had known all along, even if we hadn't. 

As Mr. Eric Ludy said, what if that was your child over there?  Your Emily?  Your Jacob?  Your Ellie?  Your Jack?  Your baby boy or your baby girl? 

Don't you see?  "I'd love to adopt" is the same as "I'd love to go get my child from across the globe."  And you wouldn't dare say that.  You would hop on that plane and you would fly over to your child as fast as you possibly could.  You would do whatever it takes.  You wouldn't worry about money.  Money would be nothing to your concern at that moment.  It would be your child. 

And if you are concerned about living expenses for when you get home...think about this:  If God wants you to have this child, won't he take care of living expenses?

Matthew 6:25-34 says

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 
  "And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the lillies of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that dot even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And if it is God's Will that you adopt, don't you think he'll provide the money? 

2.

Too old.

How many times have I heard this?  "Oh, I want to be around for them."  Yes, you want to be around for them.  You want to be there for them.  You don't want someone else to have to take care of them.  And yes, that's understandable. 

But even young people can die.  A 30-something year old could adopt and then months later die in a car accident.  You never know what will happen.

And don't you think that if God wants you to adopt, he will make sure that either you are around for them, or that they have someone there for them who can watch over them and train them?  Stop worrying!

3.  God's Will. 

Really, I can't argue much over this one.  Because I think that God's Will is different for each person's life.

So, you must seek God's Will.  You may find it by seeing a specific child's face and just knowing.  Or it may be that several events just happen to occur at just the right time (I don't call that coincidence, I call that GOD), or it may be that God makes all the pieces fall into place.  Or it may be something completely different.

But if it isn't any of these things, what if--well, what if you were to let the ball start rollin' and just see if God opens the doors?  If He closes them, you know that it is not God's Will that you adopt.  If he opens them, you know that He wants you to keep moving on.  He will show you.  You just have to trust Him. 

Really, in all of the adoption process--the consideration of adoption, the beginning of the process, the middle, and the end--through all of it, you have to trust God.  Trust the Creator of the universe.  The Deliverer.  The Savior.  The Author of Salvation.  The Implementor of Mercy.  The Giver of the Ultimate Happiness.

I think he can handle it.

This Week's Waiting Kids!

Update! Sara has found her family! Thank you, JESUS!

Hi everyone! I want to focus on one precious little blessing this week.

This is adorable Jonathan! He is with BAAS, and is about 18 months old. Oh my goodness! He must be a very, very, very sunshiney little blessing! Just look at those pictures! Here's what's written about him:

Updated report on Jonathan (December 2010):

Jonathan was born in October of 2009. His special needs are cleft lip and palate; hernia. He is being cared for at the Half Sky program.
His weight is 7.30kg, height is 71cm, and his head size is 46cm. His chest size is 46cm, and his number of teeth is 6.

He can sit on his own, stand holding onto something and take steps holding hands with someone. He is bright, curious and good-natured. He loves to smile and communicate with others. He understands instructions and loves to listen to music.

Jonathan is from Luke's orphanage (and just as a side note, that orphanage was very good about corresponding with us when we asked through care packages). He is so young! He could be adopted and grow up with an earthly family (because Jesus is our Father, of course, if we ask him into our heart) and hopefully know his Heavenly Father!

Please pray for Jonathan.

Pray that, if it's in God's Will, to please give this beautiful child a family.

Please pray and ask God if this little guy or another orphan might be your child.

Pray for any families that might be considering Jonathan; pray that God will give them wisdom and confirmation on whether this is their child or someone else's, and pray that he will give them courage to face whatever the adoption of a beautiful orphan may bring.

Please pray that Jonathan will come to know Jesus very early on in his life so he can share The Good News with those around him; nannies, children in the orphanage, and everyone else he knows.

Pray that He will help Jonathan if he is bullied or looked down on, and ask Him to help Jonathan to have courage and endurance and hope through HIM throughout the time he is in the orphanage.

Please pray and ask Him to help Jonathan battle his special needs and keep him safe, blessed, and provided for, and that he will stay healthy and have the best care possible.

Please pray for all the orphans, in China and other countries, all the people who need HIM, that they will be blessed and provided for and protected and that they will know Him.

Please pray for the new Christians and the missionaries and pastors in other countries to have faith, courage, hope, love, protection, provision, and blessings in their life and that they will be very, very, VERY close to God.

Blessings,
Joy :)

This Week's Waiting Kids

I know there's alot of us who cannot adopt; but want to help, so I thought I'd list a few ways you can help.

1. Donating. There's bunches of places to donate to (click the names to go to the sites). Holt International is one, where you can now send a bunch of different gifts(like goats, cows, chicks, mosquito nets, stuff like that), some to specific places like China and Ethiopia. Also, there's An Orphan's Wish and Starfish Foster Home. You can also donate specific needed items. As far as I know, An Orphan's Wish and Starfish.

2. Volounteering. A good way to go about this is through Starfish Foster Home, which is listed above. The info for that is under "Daily Needs and Volounteering". I think you can also volounteer by getting in touch with the director of an orphanage and asking if they need volounteers. If you know of Anne of Red Thread, you can ask her to ranslate a letter/email and then ask her for the orphanage address(or if you have it then you can send it on in). You can also volounteer at New Day Foster Home (click the name to go to the volounteer site).


3. Sponsoring. You can do this through Starfish, Shepherd's Field, and New Day Foster Home (click the name to go to the sponsoring page) easily.


4. Fostering. Unfortunately, I don't know where you go to do this...but I do know a lady who goes to China every now and then to foster some children, so that's a way.

So without further ado, here's a few of the children who need families!




Three Beautiful Starfish children are special focus kids waiting on their forever families. Jack, Kaitlyn, and Thomas all need families. My friend has the agency they are listed with for anybody who would like to know all 3 are with a different agency and 2 of the 3 would transfer no problem.

Jack was born November 2007 and has Spina Bifida, Micro/Macro cephaly he has had surgery for both and is waiting on an agency specific list with a 4200 grant towards his adoption cost! This little boy stole my friend's heart!!



Precious Kaitlyn was born October 2007 and was born with Meningocele at the base of the neck. Kaitlyn needs a mom and Dad who are willing to accpect the unknown she is generally a very happy girl but everyone knows when she is upset.



Sweet Thomas was born July 2008 he was born with TOF (first surgery complete will need another one) and an exposed bladder which is on the less severe side. He is a darling little boy who needs a family and a mom and dad willing to fix his heart he has so much love to offer. His TOF does not hold him back he is able to do most things any other child his age can do. My friend has Thomas's medical file.

This is cutie Luke, a Special Focus child through FTIA. Look at those eyes!!

Luke’s special need is clubfoot and mild cerebral palsy.
Luke arrived at the clubfoot casting unit in August 2010. After settling in, he soon began charming the carers and earned his nickname of Mr. Happy. He is a giggly little boy who loves to go around on his tricycle. Luke just had surgery to repair a hernia in his diaphragm and is doing well. We are looking forward to seeing him gain weight, grow and to continue with the casting treatment for his clubfoot. He brings much joy to the House of Love and would bring much joy to his family too.

This is Snow, from BAAS. Can you believe that curly hair?? And what a little grin!

Snow was born on 10-9-2007. She has deformed hands and feet. She can walk, jump, run and pick up things without problems. She is a friendly and good natured child.

This is a little girl from Holt who is eleven. Her ID number is G10_91.



This beautiful, shy young lady with dimples is currently in a loving foster home. She can say a few simple words in English, and enjoys surfing the internet, watching TV, and drawing. She was found in February 2000 with a birth note that stated she had epilepsy, and she entered foster care in January 2001. She was noted to have seizures often and began taking medication to control them, and has been seizure free for over 3 years. An EEG test result was normal. She is currently in the 5th grade of elementary school, and her grades are stated to be poor. She has more than 5 very good friends who help each other when they have problems. She is very attached to her foster family and loves to help with house chores such as washing dishes and clothes. This older girl is in need of an adoptive family who has experience with adoption and parenting past her age, who are prepared for grief and loss issues, and who are able to provide and advocate for the resources that she needs.

Don't forget the children who need to be sponsered, like...

Lexi,




Gunner,



And Shanna


And thank you for your prayers and blessings...because Zoe, Penny, Landon, Liam, Kent, and Jillian have found their families!


If you are interested in any of these children, leave a comment with your email address.

Also check out my advocating website, Waiting on Their Family.

Thanks so much, please continue to search your hearts...for the orphans!

Blessings,

Joy

I Will Not Let Go + This Week's Waiting Kids

I wanted to begin this week's waiting kids post with something that's been on my heart for a while and I've just now been able to put into words. You see, it wasn't just in China that did this to me. Maybe it was before we adopted Luke. Maybe it was in the process. Maybe it was after we got home and I started doing advocacy work. I'm not really sure, all I know is that somewhere along the line, my life was changed. My mind was blown. And my perspective on life and my priorities have changed alot. I'm not worrying about whether or not I'm going to be missing my favorite TV show. Hey, I never watch TV anymore at all. In the good words of a advocacy friend, Ashton, "Never again was I going back to the sitting on the couch flipping the channel when the commercials we all know about came on. Those days were gone. God changed my heart. He broke me into 10000 pieces for the Orphan. the Forgotten." In fact, Ashton's whole post and the blog that she shares with her friend Taylor speaks just what I feel. Please visit it here. You can look for the post, "Forgotten" by Ashton. For me, this just describes in another way what I'm telling myself and anyone who will ask why I care so much about the orphans in China. I will not let go. I won't allow myself to overlook them because I have my life safe and good.



You don't understand the love for the Chinese that we have until you go there yourself. It's an over populated, communist, down in the dumps country, but the people are sweet as sugar. They are some of the nicest people I've ever met-nicer than alot of Americans and above all they need the Word of Jesus. They(the big majority) don't look up to their government, at all. Our guide in Beijing took us by Tianmen Square, and across from it stands the huge building with the big picture of Chairman Mao on it. Our guide said,"The picture is re-painted every seven years, to keep Chairman Mao looking good." In not so many words, Candy was revealing to us some of the secrets of her communist government. From what I understand, Chairman Mao is the man who started the country in communism.

You see, I don't think anyone is "unfit" to adopt. James 1:27 NIV says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. " There it is, in print, from a Christian Bible passage look up site that I found. In my KJV Bible, it's printed, right there, the word of Jesus, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Farther is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep one-self unspotted from the world." And also, there is a verse a little more known, found in John 14:18, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." and in NIV, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." So who else may come to them but us? God can't adopt them all into Heaven before they age out. He can't let them come to Heaven when they die, whether or not they have had parents to share the Good News of Christ with them. Believe me, you will see me one day in the Nursing Home telling the residents that they need to get better and get out so they can adopt! :) People say all the time that we can't just sit around and wait for someone else to do missionary work, or someone else to invite a person to church, or someone else to tell the gospel. Why is adoption any different? God has a heart for the orphans, so why should we, made in his own image, not also care for them? Whether it be advocacy, adoption, fostering, or donating to families in need of funds to adopt. Maybe even offering encouragement and websites and agencies to help them dive into the process of adopting.

There's several things that keep people from adopting.

One: The overall newness of it all. Since it's natural for people, human beings, to be afraid, it's also natural for us to fear the unknown. Not until you really dig into other people's stories do you get used to the idea and all the adoption lingo...PA, LOI, LOA, TA, CA, the list goes on! It's especiallly frightening to alot of people to adopt Special Need. That brings me to another point; Special Need is not a logical term. Cleft lip and palate? That's not a special need, that's a birth defect. Clubbed feet? That's not a special need, either. Neither is limb difference, or missing limbs, either.

Two: Finances. A friend of ours is adopting from Eithopia, and she is asking 300 people to donate $100. That would cover the cost of the adoption. She has it on her blog, and they're not there yet, but can you imagine how quickly that might happen? Someone on the yahoo group I'm on had a big Christmas fundraiser. They rented a Santa, used their camera to take santa pics, and a friend of theirs lent a digital printer for santa pictures to be printed. They had several buisnesses donating prize baskets to raffle off, and they raised a good deal of money. You can do that, trusting God, and earn the whole amount to adopt. You read right. The whole amount. Yes. And as far as taking care of your children after you're home...well...if God provides for the adoption he'll provide for the home, right?

Three: Being too old. I have three words for you. Sarah and Abraham. At that time, they were probably in their nineties, if I've heard right. And God wanted them to have children, so he let them. Age doesn't matter to God. That's why he sends angels to children. Age is just a number. I know someone who just became a father in '08 when he was 54. Another adoption was completed after that, and now, at 57, he is again going to be a father to a nine year old girl.

Four: God's will. Q: Is this God's will or not? A: You'll never know until you try. You have to try it first. If God wants it to happen He'll open doors, if he wants it not to happen, he'll close them.

So now that I've had my share in talking out my feelings for the orphans, I'l climb off my soapbox and continue with the waiting kids. :)

To recieve more information on these children, leave a comment with your email address!

This is Mei, from BAAS. She is 10. She's beautiful now-Can't you imagine her with long, silky, dark hair? She seems a very nice girl! :)



Her special need is Hepatitis B positive. Mei is a lively, helpful and bright girl who has outgoing personalities. She loves to dance, sing and draw. Updated report on 9-29-10current measurement: height: 123cm, weight: 21kg, head size: 48cm, chest size: 56cm, length of her feet: 19cm Now she goes to a public elementary school and is in third grade. Her personality is lively and she always has a ready smile. She gets along well with teachers and classmates and she is very friendly toward children at the institute. Her grades at school is relatively good and she likes to draw and listening to music.

This is another little girl from the BAAS listing, named Quinn. Quinn is three. Such a sweet face!



Her special need is having club feet. Quinn's physical and mental development is about the same level as her peers. She likes puzzles and blocks and has good fine motor skills. She understands and follows daily instructions. She can say simple words like "Yes, Good, Ma Ma, Ba Ba" etc

This is Hunter, from FTIA'S Journey of Hope. He is four and a half. Doesn't he look entergetic?



Hunter was diagnosed with congenital brain underdevelopment. Hunter understands what others are saying to him and can express himself well, although his speech is not always clear. He can speak in complete sentences, makes good eye contact, and is eager to participate in most any activities that are going on around him. His caretakers say that he likes all kinds of food, can feed himself, and is full of energy.

This is Matt, also from FTIA. He is ten and a half. He looks very gentlemanly, don't you think?



Matt is a stunningly handsome 10 1/2 year old boy. He has such a gentle way about him that makes others greatly enjoy being with him. Matt’s mobility and dexterity is amazing! He has deformity of his right and left hands and a missing fibula bone in his left leg. He moves very quickly with the aide of a single crutch. He is completing the 2nd grade and is considered a smart boy, who does well in school. His caregivers state that Matt “wants to be the best at anything he does.” His happy, extroverted, positive attitude is alluring.

And Chase, also from FTIA. He is seven. Doesn't he looked loved? Look at the admiring face of the lady next to him. :)



Chase is a vibrant 7 year old boy. He is so handsome and has such a great attitude. Chase has congenital deafness in both ears. He signs to communicate and even performed a beautiful song at the opening ceremony with sign language. Chase is independent in his daily care. He is described by his caregivers as a happy boy, who loves to eat! They even said he could be mischievous. He is extroverted, has a good attention span, and good memory. He will likely need a hearing evaluation by an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist.

And this is Ben, from Lifeline. He is four and has a $2,250 scholarship available. Doesn't he look so stinkin' cute!!!



Ben's special need is CHD. Ben is stated to like to listen to stories told by his teacher’s. He also likes to play with toys.

This is a girl from the shared list, whom I will be calling
EmmaMarie(I give all children with no English names a made-up name). She is nine years old. She looks well taken care of, and very sunny!



She has what is listed as a black, hairy nevus. About this delicate, beautiful girl: This active young girl is described as happy and contented by her caregivers. She has had several surgeries for multiple nevi. She has normal physical and intellectual development and is very self sufficient with her daily care. She says some simple English words and tells simple stories.

This is "Abi", also from the shared list, who is eleven.
She is listed as healthy! And what a cutie. :) I see lots of personality on that face!



This is a boy from China, listed with Holt, who is about to age out. So so sad. :( His ID is B09_220. He is 13. Doesn't he look so happy? I'm sure he'd be so much happier with a family. :)



This sweet little boy came into care in June 2001. He has been surgically treated for cleft lip and palate and also has been diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy. He had surgery in November 2007 to help improve his mobility. He is able to stand, sit and walk short distances without help. He usually requires assistance with stairs. He has some vision problems and his left eye is crossed. He sits in the front of the class so that he can see the blackboard. He is described as an extroverted and clever boy who helps out with the other children. When asked, he stated that he would like to be a pilot when he grows up because he could fly in the sky. His favorite animal is the snail and he also likes the colors yellow, orange and red. He is in need of a family who has experience parenting past his age and is able to provide him with any medical care or therapies that he may need.

And this is Dalton, from WIAA. He is 3 and a half. Wouldn't he be fun! And he sounds like such a sweetie.



Dalton is such a cute, happy little guy! He is fortunate in that he is part of the Love Without Boundaries program. This program provides excellent education and medical help for him and other children at his orphanage. Dalton has had surgery for a cleft spine and has a shunt for his hydrocephalus. He has had no problems or issues with the shunt and walks and runs. He is right on target with his learning and physical growth. His surgery left him incontinent but we hope an additional surgery may correct his situation. Dalton had a best friend from the orphanage who was adopted two months ago. The mother of his best friend is so anxious for someone to bring Dalton home. She says the following about him:

This sweet one is such a happy little guy! During our trip to bring our son home (Sept. 2010), we were given the great privilege to visit the orphanage. There were 3 boys there that are my son’s best friend so when he saw us come into the orphanage he came running over to see us. He was so happy to see our son. He then began to call me ‘mama’ and reach up to me. He would hold onto my leg and he kept saying that he wanted a mama, too. Through the entire visit, he followed us around. He was walking and running to make sure that he kept up with us. It was absolutely precious! He was extremely social with us and I am forever in love with this little one. Grant funding in the amount of $2500 is available for qualifying families.
Won't you please bring this precious child home and give him the "mama" and "daddy" he so desperately needs.

And this is Sara, or Natalie, who is currently with Lifeline. This is a post from LWB. She's really just been waiting too long, and she is such a sweetheart, you can tell from her info.

Dance is the hidden language of the soul. – Martha Graham
I wonder what we would learn about Sara if we could but read the language of her soul. She loves to dance. If music is playing, Sara is dancing. For much of her eight years, she struggled with spoken language; perhaps dance became her language of expression at an early age. Now that she speaks fluently with her friends, aunties, and teachers, she still loves to express herself through dance.


Dance is about never-ending aspiration. – Judith Jamison
If you asked her, Sara would probably say she aspires to be a great dancer someday. She has been blessed to have a teacher at our “Believe in Me School in Shantou” who loves to dance and to teach the children the art and beauty of dance. Undoubtedly she would also say that she aspires to have a family of her own — parents who will take video and photos of her dancing and show them to everyone they know, bragging about their beautiful daughter. Sara aspires to feel the security of knowing she is loved unconditionally and will never be abandoned again. She aspires to be loved by someone who will do everything possible to give her a hope and a future – not because of what she achieves or accomplishes, but just because she is precious Sara. We are so lucky to have a short video of Sara dancing with some of her friends. On this website her English name is “Natalie,” and the password to view her video is “natalie2010.” What does her dance say to you? Sara, age nine, first became a student at our “Believe in Me” School in Shantou in 2007 and was previously mentioned in this blog (Sarah: Once Shy, Now Sunny. Still Waiting) in May 2010. This “pretty-eyed, pirate-smile” tiny dancer has danced her way into our hearts and hopefully will dance herself right into a family’s arms.

Don't forget the children from Shepherd's Field who need to be sponsered, such as

Lexi

and

Melanie


and



Ethan

Leave a comment if you want to know more about these children or any of the numerous others who need to be sponsered/adopted!

Thank you and please remember to pray for these kids who need a home and a family. Pray and see if you just might be it! A friend of ours who just got home with her third adopted child posted this on her blog when she had an advocacy post. I thought it was very sweet.

What if you had another seat at your dining table? A little bed and some pretty dresses? A bookshelf with books? Some ribbons for her hair? A carseat for your car? A few minutes a day to hold her and read to her? A little stool for your bathroom sink? Maybe a swingset? Maybe your family has a sister or a brother for her to play with? What if she is your daughter and she is lost at the bottom of a list with no one looking for her but you? -Redeemed Mama

Or maybe, an old bunkbed and a pair of footie pajamas? Some baseball caps? An old Tonka truck? Some older brothers? A tire swing? Some Thomas the Train videos? A child's tool box? Maybe a little bit of time to play soccer in the backyard? What if he's your son?

Blessings,

Joy

http://www.waitingontheirfamily.weebly.com/

This Week's Waiting Kids!

Hey everyone! I meant to do this soo much earlier this week, but time slipped away. So I made a point to do it today before the week ends!

First, we have sweeet Sean.

He is listed with FTIA's Journey of Hope program. Here's what's written about Sean:

Sean is a bright 11 year old. He has been in a foster family for 4 years but desperately wants a forever family - maybe with an older brother and sister. He’s in 4th grade and his favorite subject is computer. He enjoys reading about science and technology and his favorite sport is soccer. Sean’s personality fills a room! He is great with the younger kids and was nicknamed the “Little Director” because he was keeping them all in line for their program. Sean was disappointed last year when he participated in another Journey of Hope program but did not find a family. He wants to live in America because everyone has a house! Sean was born with cleft lip and palate and has had surgery for both. He may need some reconstruction and some dental work; however his speech is excellent and he liked practicing his English on us! Click here to see a video of our interview with Sean. If you would like more information on Sean, leave a comment.

Next is precious Rochelle.

Rochelle is listed with LWB. Here's what's written about Rochelle:

Rochelle is a lovely four-year-old child with an artistic streak that she uses to express her sunny personality. Though she cannot stand or walk, she has very creative hands that can do wonders. Rochelle loves to draw colorful pictures of flowers and the sun! Her painting is full of creativity and features quite unusual shapes. Not wanting to limit herself to one art form, Rochelle is surprisingly good at paper-cutting (for a four-year old!) and can cut shapes such as flower baskets, planes and birds.

Rochelle’s artwork is a reflection of her sweet and loving personality. The nannies tell us that whenever a nanny is tired, Rochelle crawls to her side and gently pats the nanny on the back. So sweet!

Currently, Rochelle lives at the LiShui orphanage in Zhejiangwhere LWB has an Orphanage Assistance program but she would love a family of her own. She is on the shared list, so please contact your agency or adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com for more information about this budding artist!

And then you have beautiful Tina. Tina is listed with FTIA's Journey of Hope Program.

Tina is a petite 3 year old girl with a congenital heart defect. She has had one surgery for pulmonary valve repair, but is scheduled for another surgery soon. She also has an umbilical hernia and the medical team noted a heart murmur and club foot. Tina was very quiet around us, not quite sure of the situation, but her caregivers report her to be very lovable, extroverted, and always laughing.

And handsome Kaden! Kaden is listed with LWB. Here's what's written about this cutie:

Kaden is a very shy boy who lives in the Deyang orphanage in Sichuan Province who has just celebrated his third birthday. He really doesn’t like having his picture taken…can you tell? He entertains himself very well and is somewhat reticent around strangers….even strangers who come bearing food! From this gallery of photos that our China nutrition program director has taken of Kaden over the past year, you can really see how camera-shy he is. We did manage to capture one photo of him smiling as he plays in the water!



Despite his bashfulness, Kaden’s curiosity is alive and well, and he is quite interested in any visitors to his orphanage…even if he doesn’t want to pose for a picture. His special need is that he has a hearing impairment, which may have quite a lot to do with his quiet demeanor.



Finding a family who is willing to help Kaden communicate better despite his hearing impairment will undoubtedly make a real difference in this little guy’s life. Kaden is currently on the waiting child list, and we look forward to someday soon receiving smiling photos of him with his new family! If you're interested in Kaden, leave a comment!



And then there's beautiful Penny! Penny is listed with LWB. Here's what's written about Penny.

Little Penny is waiting so patiently. At two years old, she’s not too talkative yet, is a little bit afraid of strangers and doesn’t talk much when someone she doesn’t know if around. However, she will let you know what she wants with her eyes! If someone in the room has snacks, she does not ask but stares at the food non-stop until she gets her share. We love the story that these three photos of Penny tell!



Penny is a quiet girl with a mild, gentle personality. Despite a birth defect called syndactyly that has resulted in several of her fingers being fused together, she is able to use her hands to hold most things, including…



Penny holds food using both hands and is able to easily feed herself, as well as play with toys. The orphanage staff report that they don’t see too many difficulties in her daily life since she uses her hands so well.
We are excited to recently learn that Penny should be available for adoption through CCAA’s Waiting Child List. Penny is excited too – but mostly about the cookie so far!


Please consider giving Penny something more to be excited about, and feel free to share her story with others. It’s our hope that this darling girl will thrive and blossom in a loving home — and have a family of her own to share cookies with! If you would like more information on Penny, leave a comment!

Thanks for checking out the post! It's so encouraging to know that someone out there reading this just might look into one of these kid's files. If you would like to advocate, here's some sites for you to check out. Usually I just go to the sites, pick out a few kids I would like to put on my blog, and then email the agency and ask!

LWB

CCAI

FTIA(JOH program)

Blessings,

Joy :)