Save Genesis!!!

UPDATE November 20, 2011!!!!!!

Genesis has a family now!!!!

They've recently begun the adoption process -- pray it goes quickly so she can get out of the institution fast!

You can read the family's blog here!

To donate to her family's adoption fund click here!

GENESIS

This morning I read a post about Genesis on another blog --

and I decided to share her story with you too --

so that you can pray for her and maybe help her find her family.

This is sweet Genesis in her baby house orphanage...

She is blind, but she looks like she is having a great time!

The sad thing is -- because of her blindness and her age (she's passed her 4th birday) she has been transferred to an adult mental institution!

Here is the first picture I saw of her after her transfer....

So sad!! Where is her joy?

The next picture does look better thankfully....

.... but how long will her smile last?

She needs outta there fast!

A mental institution is not a place for an intelligent child who happens to be blind!

She needs a Mamma and Papa to love her and believe in her!

She needs to go to school -- she could learn to read braille!

Maybe she could get a loving service dog to help her get around!

There are a lot of happy options for Genesis -- if someone will give her a chance!

Let's save her smile!

How can you help?

First -- pray for her!

Second -- donate to her adoption fund if you are able. --

at the time of this writing her grant fund has only $47.50 in it:(

Third -- share her story with others!

Fourth -- If you could be her Mama or Papa -- go for it! The biggest blessing will be yours and God will be with you all the way!

Here's is information for prospective adoptive parents -- check it out! Maybe you CAN be Genesis' Family!

This post is part of the "Forget-Me-Not Friday" Linkup!

Do check it out Here!

Please Pray for my other sweet kids who are still waiting for their forever families to find them!

Valentine -- :) Yay Valentine's has a family now (You can visit their blog here!) -- their dossier has been submitted and they are waiting to receive a travel date! (Updated 11/20/2011)

Victoria -- Still waiting :(

Emmitt -- Still waiting :(

Thanks for praying for orphans!

Thoughts on adoption -- from the kids themselves

Here is an article that tells the experience of 2 older kids who were adopted (at ages 7 and 10). It's not always easy -- the article explains some of the kids struggles and fears. Some of them have been lied to -- and this makes it harder for them to trust their new families. It's a very insightful article. Pray for the older kids, not only that they can be found, but that the hole in their hearts can be healed and they can have meaningful relationships with loving families. Do read the article!

http://www.adoptionarticlesdirectory.com/Article/Kidnapped-or-saved--How-some-orphans-really-feel-when-they-re-adopted-/115009

Where am I going? Sparrow of the week - Valentine

Valentine

IMMINENT RISK OF TRANSFER!!

Boy, Born March 2006

From his medical records: Intracranialbirth trauma. Ischemic cardiomyopathy.Anemia is the third degree.

Valentin has CP. He is able to stand with help and will greatly benefit from therapy and an encouraging family!

The facilitation team says, "He is absolutely mentally healthy, very intelligent boy, smiling and sociable." Please help us find him a family!

(The above information is from Valentine's Reece's Rainbow profile -- doesn't he sound like a great boy!)

Valentine's Question

Valentine: "Where am I going nurse?"

Nurse: "Oh, Valentine, I didn't want to tell you, but you are a smart boy and I don't want to lie to you so I will tell you. You are going to a place some distance from here where they keep older children/adults. It is a mental institution."

Valentine: "But why nurse -- is something wrong with my mind?"

Nurse: "No Valentine, you are a very smart boy. I wish you didn't have to go, but since your legs don't work right, you can't go to the institution for healthy children."

Valentine: "But nurse, I can stand with help, maybe if I had enough help I could learn to walk."

Nurse: "I'm sorry Valentine, there isn't enough money to pay for someone to help you learn. There are too many needy children and not enough money or workers."

Valentine: "What will the new place be like?"

Nurse: "Don't let it scare you Valentine, but they'll probably leave you in bed all day. The other children will be moaning and crying. There'll be nothing to do. I wish I could give you more hope, but it really isn't a nice place to live."

Valentine: "I'd rather stay here with the babies than go to a place like that."

Nurse: "I know Valentine, I wish you could stay, for I have grown to love you, but we get more babies all the time. There is not room here for the older kids to stay."

Valentine: "If only I were grown up and could care for myself -- maybe I could get a job and live in a real house."

Nurse: "But Valentine, you are 5 years old. You could never get a job at your age. You couldn't even go to school because your legs don't work right and people would stare and laugh at you."

Valentine: "But Nurse, my brain works! There is no reason I couldn't learn at school -- I'd love to learn to read!"

Nurse: "I know Valentine, but in our society it just is not possible for you to go to school."

Valentine: (Crying now) "But nurse, is there no hope for me?"

Nurse: "There is one hope for you. I've heard that in some other countries there are some people who choose to adopt children like you. They love them and send them to school, and provide therapy to help them learn to walk... I hope that happens for you!!!"

Valentine: "Oh nurse!! I would love that -- but how will they find me?"

Nurse: "Well, Valentine, your picture is listed on Reece's Rainbow -- they could see your picture on the internet."

Valentine: "But aren't there lots of kids pictured there? How will they ever choose me?"

Nurse: "You have a beautiful smile Valentine, maybe they'll notice you."

Valentine: "I hear it costs a lot of money to adopt a child. Didn't you say my 5/5/5 grant has only $341 in it -- that's not nearly enough."

Nurse: "Well Valentine, there are some kind people out in this world who can't adopt right now, but maybe if we found lots of people who could each spare $5, $10 or more... maybe it would all add up. Then maybe some Mama and Papa would fall in love with you, want to adopt you -- and without money as a barrier --- maybe they'd actually be able to do it!!!"

Valentine: "Oh Nurse!!! That would make me so HAPPY!! Just think -- my own Mama and Papa, maybe brothers and sisters, my own house, I could go to school and learn to read, maybe they'd let me have a puppy, maybe I'd learn to walk...... Oh what a beautiful dream!!! If only it could be for real!!!!"

Valentine: "Oh Nurse, I'm scared. If they don't save me soon I'll have to go to that horrible place!!! Please nurse don't let me go there! Tell my Mama and Papa and all the kind people who'll help pay for it... Tell them to hurry!!! I don't want to go to that awful place not even for one day! I want to go home!! PLEASE tell them to save me SOON!!!! I could never thank them enough but I'd give them all the love I can....."

Valentine: "Please nurse, tell them I'm waiting ......"

P.S. I do hope Valentine has a loving caregiver and is being encouraged that adoption would be a great benefit to him. Not all children are so blessed. Here is an article that tells the experience of two older children adopted at ages 7 and 10 and the fears they had because they were lied too, and because of the rejection / separation from their biological family. Do pray for the older kids -- that they not only are adopted but that the hole that lies and rejection, and mistreatment have made in their hearts can be healed and they can have meaningful, loving relationships with their new families.

UPDATE (1/21/2011)!!!! Valentine has a family now! They are working hard to adopt him! You can read their blog here!  You can donate to their Reece's Rainbow adoption fund here! (Donations are tax deductible in the US!)

This post is part of the "Forget-Me-Not Friday" blog link-up hosted by Jane. Check it out here!

On Forget-me-not Friday, while you Remember and pray for Valentine please also pray for Victoria and Emmitt and the other waiting children at Reece's Rainbow!

Sparrow of the Week - Victoria

Victoria's smile lights up the room! This precious girl is 8 1/2 years old. Because of her age and her arthrogryposis she has been transferred to an institution where she is bedridden! If she is not adopted she will stay in bed for the rest of her life! It's no wonder these children often regress from boredom and lack of love and stimulation. Imagine -- what in the world could you or I do to entertain ourselves in bed day after day? Count the ceiling tiles? Cover our ears to get away from the moaning of our suffering companions? Count to 1000 (or 1,000,000)? Try to say the alphabet backwards? (I wonder if anyone taught her the alphabet forwards?) Try to remember all the wonderful memories of times gone by? I wonder how many good memories Victoria has? Perhaps she has some memories of loving caretakers at the baby house or friends or toys there -- but she doesn't have the good memories she should have. She probably has some bad memories too.... She needs a family to help her make good memories! I'd love for her to have trips to the zoo or the beach. Hugs & Kisses from Mama & Papa. Playing dolls with a sister or friend. Storytime with Grandpa. Helping Grandma in the garden. Playing with a puppy.... Perhaps they could help the painful memories to fade.

Victoria has arthrogryposis, so her legs are stiff & her feet are twisted, but with proper treatment available in the US I think she has a chance of learning to walk! To see what can be done with medical treatment check out this post about Gerri, a former orphan with arthrogryposis -- she is making great strides! Here is a video of Gerri walking.

Victoria needs to be rescued soon. Judging by the following note that is posted on many of the children from her institution (#1), she REALLY needs to get out of there fast!

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. These children all have TREMENDOUS potential for improvement, and deserve to have a life outside these four walls.

These children are truly living on borrowed time, and families should be home study approved before an official commitment can be made for this child.

To read more about Victoria click here! If you know someone who would like to be her Mama or Papa -- please share her story with them! Her birthday is December 12 - just over 5 months from now. I'm praying that her family finds her fast and that she can be home for her birthday! Will you join me?

One more thing, Jane has begun a blog linkup each Friday featuring waiting children that are dear to the hearts of those who write about them. Check it out! You can join and advocate for your favorite orphans too. If you let her know in advance that you plan to link up she will post your orphan's picture in her Forget-Me-Not-Friday post! The linkup is not limited to posts about orphans though -- click here to find out more.

Click this button on my sidebar on Fridays to check out the Forget-Me-Not-Friday post and linkups! Or click it any day to check out Jane's blog.

Jane is raising money for Francine's adoption grant fund -- if you can help her, I know she would appreciate it! Here is a picture of her button! Anytime you are able to contribute to her grant fund you can click her button in my sidebar and you will be taken to Francine's Recce's Rainbow page where you can donate.

Sparrow of the Week - Alex

Look at this precious boy! Notice the description says he is "VERY smart." Becuase of his age and physical disabilities he will soon be transferred to an institution where he will be BEDRIDDEN!!! Imagine how boring that would be to spend all your days in bed with nothing to do! This boy needs education -- food for his bright mind! He needs therapy to maximize his physical abilities. Even if he has to use a wheel chair, there is a lot of life and potential for him if someone will only give him a chance! He looks like such a happy child -- a delight to be around. It would be such a shame for him to become depressed and regress in an institution! Are you his Mama or Papa? If so, please click here to find out how to become his family. If not, please pass his story on to others, pray for him, and donate to his fund if you are able.

Alex

BOY, born September 2006

FACING IMMINENT TRANSFER

Sweet smile! Alex was born with CP. Alex is a sweet boy. He is described as VERY smart, and the orphanage staff desperately want a family for him. He is not able to walk at this time, and he does have a functional systolic murmur in his heart.

Alex will remain bedridden when he is transferred to the institution. Hope we can find a family for him soon!

MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE

$508.50 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

Help me reach my 5/5/5 goal:

$1125 / $5000.00 raised

Guess who I saw on the "My Family Found me Page"!!!!

Anthony!!!!! Anthony's family found him! Can't wait to see who they are and check out their blog! When I first saw Anthony's picture, his grant fund was very small. Over the months I've watched it grow and grow. I know he must have "fans" out there! His account grew until it got to a little over $20,000! Still, I was waiting and hoping someone would choose him. This evening I was sooo excited to see that at last his family has found him and has committed to adopt him! He looks like such a nice little boy, but he was destined for an institution where he would likely have been bedridden and neglected for life. Now he will receive the love of a family and the therapy he so much needs! Pray for his family as they jump the paperwork hurdles so they can get their boy home! Also pray for Anthony as he waits for them to arrive.

Update: Since I originally wrote this I learned more about Anthony's new family. The amazing thing is -- Anthony will have a new brother named ANTHONY who also has Cerebral Palsy! This family is well prepared to love and care for Anthony and to take care of his medical needs! God is so good --- he loves to work out details in amazing and perfect ways! To read about Anthony's new family (and donate if you feel so led) click here!

This post is part of the Forget me not Friday link up! Check it out here! This is a "good news" post about child that has been found - forgotten no longer!