Writing this post today is hard. The kids featured on this page break my heart each time I see them. They are desperately in need of families. All of them have physical handicaps. All of them remind me over and over and over again of Aaron. Kids locked away from society because their bodies are less than 'perfect'.
Many of these precious ones were on Reece's Rainbow two years ago when we first committed to Aaron. To see their faces STILL HERE just makes me sick on my stomach.
How can I begin to convey in this post the desperate need these kids have? They are trapped. They are destined to spend the REST OF THEIR LIVES locked away as if they have committed a crime against society.
Please.
Look at these kids.
Igor - sweet precious Igor is only two months younger than Aaron. He has been on Reece's Rainbow for FOREVER! He has arthrogryposis just like Aaron. He makes me weep. All the other Reece's Rainbow babes with arthrogryposis who are the same age as Igor have been adopted. Igor was left behind. Dear Lord. When I go to Shriners and see Madeline and Ben and Sophia and Gerri and Victoria and Evan and all the other adopted treasures and I think about Igor sitting in a mental institute. It is more than I can bear. He is their age. He should be in the waiting room with his Mama. He should be cared for by the doctors there. He has such amazing potential.
Please - someone out there go get him.
Will you PLEASE read Laurel's description???
Laurel has arthrogryposis — and look at that beautiful smile!
She's already 15 years old, and has less than 6 months (from January 2012) to be adopted, or she loses all hope for a future.
Laurel is blessed to be in a very good older child orphanage for those with mostly physical disabilities. Her orphanage has been supported by many humanitarian aid groups, and offers child sponsorship programs and trips for these children. Laurel does face transfer to an adult mental institution SOON, and at 16 she will no longer legally be able to be adopted at all.
An adult mental institute? Loses all hope for a family in just a few short months??? PEOPLE WE NEED TO BE SHOUTING OUT LOUD FOR THIS GIRL!! She desperately needs a family NOW!!
A family is over there RIGHT NOW and has been able to see and interact with Alexis. Please click on her link and read what this family has to say about Alexis. She is precious. Sweet. Gentle - spirited. She is smart and engaging. Though she is 10 she is small for her age. Goodness me she is a pretty little girl. She too has arthrogryposis but from everything I have read about her - she does NOT let it stop her. She wants a family. She desperately wants a family.
About a month ago a dear RR friend sent me these pictures. Rob and I looked at them and just broke down. I have seen Victoria for years but had never really SEEN her until we received the pictures.
Even without hair... She is beautiful...
Look at her eyes... Look at her smile!!
Where is her Mama?? How much longer must she wait?
Victoria has arthrogryposis also. She seems to only be affected in her legs. She is only two years older than Aaron. She was transferred a long long time ago and is again facing a lifetime behind bars. Can you imagine?
Tyler is another one who has been seen by a family adopting from his institute. They were blown away by this sweet boy.
This is from his description that they wrote JUST THIS WEEK:
"We have really enjoyed getting to know Tyler. He is such an incredible kid! You just have no idea how impressed we are with him. He is very neat and organized, and takes good care of his things. I thought at first he was quite serious, because when I met him, he was posing for his photograph. Now, we've been able to chat with him using an interpreter. He LOVES to read- carries a book with him and uses the library here a lot. His favorite thing are fiction stories. Here, they have a lot of fairy tales, and he enjoys those, but I can so easily see him flying through any of the popular Christian fiction series for boys. He's very smart, and everyone here really likes him. We've seen him with the younger kids, they all treat him like a big brother and he is so kind and gentle with them. Like the others we've met here, he seems very emotionally healthy- it's just his legs that aren't working, not his heart, mind and soul. He would just thrive in a family! The hardest part about today came at the end. He asked how long it will be before his family comes to get him from America. I don't know what to say- he's been listed for nearly a year, and no one has asked about him. He's so hopeful and trusting that he has a family and he doesn't have much time left. I don't know why he has gotten passed over- he'd be an amazing son!"
Emmitt is the same age as my son Elijah. I just could not imagine Elijah being contained in a bed day after day after day. Please. This boy has been waiting for far too long for a family.
" Emmitt has a severe deformity of his legs. He cannot walk at all. He is very friendly, funny, and talkative. He desperately seeks out attention. He was talking to my husband, and holding Zack's hand, which he then put on top of his head for Zack to rub his hair. He is extremely intelligent, and just precious! I brought him paper and crayons, and he drew me a flower "
Thank you for posting about these kids. Emmitt, Igor, and Victoria have been listed for a long time. Laurel HAS to find a family ASAP. I hope it won't be too late for any of them.
ReplyDeleteIf Victoria would have been anywhere near Joshua's region, I would have begged to bring her home, too. She is precious. And from the looks of those pictures, she's affected just like Joshua, except his feet aren't clubbed. Please, dear God, send her Mama!
ReplyDeleteEmmitt and Victoria are "my" special kids that I advocate for. Thanks so much for helping to get their pictures and stories out there! The other kids are precious too -- I hope they get families soon... before it's too late!
ReplyDeleteWe actually inquired into adopting Tyler, Alexis, and another little boy named Marcus. Our children have fallen in love with these children. My heart literally hurts to see them still listed! We "can't" have them because of our income level. But I pray that God will either move that mountain out of our way, or send another family!
ReplyDeleteDear Lord, please stir people's hearts to see what truly matters! At the end of our lives, what will have been more important than THIS??
ReplyDeleteJulia you have once again tugged at my heart until it is aching with tears for these precious children. I cannot even imagine the length of time they have been waiting and to KNOW what it means if they could only have a mommy and daddy to love them.
ReplyDeletejulia i adore these kiddies and pray pray pray...i recently teaed up with pam toadvocate for Emmitt, who i would go and get tomorrow if only i could!! as you may have seenvictora and emmitt have been on the forget-me-notfriday gallery for a long time now as well as beautiful igor!!PRAYING FOR FAMILIES TO FIND THEM!
ReplyDeleteVictoria is the child we picked for Christmas to donate money to for all our family. I even made ornaments for everyone with her picture on them to remind us all to pray for her to find a family. I just sent an update to my family to please pray that she finds a family soon. She is so tiny in those pictures for her age. I will be praying overtime for Victoria and the other children with arthrogryposis.
ReplyDeleteI am SO in love with Tyler. The newest information about him brings me to tears every time I read it. Our baby is due any day now, but if Tyler is still available when we can get an updated home study. . . .
ReplyDeleteI just wish I could go get him today.
Praying so hard for a family for Laurel too. And all the kids of 39. They all just break my heart.
Thank you for posting this.
I LOVE Victoria! Her smile is gorgeous. Every time I check RR I always "visit" her picture. Her expression just begs for love! I so hope that her family comes soon, before that spark of joy in her eyes is extinguished. Perhaps said family could scoop up beautiful Natalia as well?
ReplyDeletehttp://reecesrainbow.org/1708/natalia102
So many of these kids have touched my heart too! Thanks for posting about them!
ReplyDeleteJulia,
ReplyDeleteIf you know the link for the family visiting Alexis's orphanage, please let me know. That is our children's former orphanage. There have only ever been 5 children adopted from there, EVER. I know them all and would love to keep contact with them! Plus our girl was there for 9 years so she loves to find out where her friends go! Thanks!
I've been praying for Igor for years. Does anyone know what happened to him? His posting changed from one country to another, and then stated there was an issue with adoptions from his region. Now it appears he's no longer listed on Reece's Rainbow. Thanks for working to help find homes for these precious kids.
ReplyDeleteKathB