Save Valentine! (Updated!)

(In light of new developments I've added an EXCITING update to Valentine's story and a plea for another dear little boy I'd like you to meet...  The update is at the end, but if you haven't read the original post already I hope you will take time to read from beginning to end to get the full impact!)

(Original Post First)

Want to know what a "laying" room does to a child?

What happens when a child spends all their days in bed...

With no stimulation except banging their head or biting the bars of their crib?

This is Valentine

See his beautiful smile...

See his intelligent eyes...

Valentine has been in the laying room for a year...

Two families adopted children from that room...

They testify that he was intelligent and interactive about a year ago...

They saw him.

How he must have  longed to get out of that crib...

Please read Autumn's (Bohdan's Mama) and Carey's (Julia's Mama) posts about him!

They met him!

Last week a family met him...

And he was a different child...

He had regressed significantly...

His eyes are more vacant now...

He bangs his head for stimulation...

He screams...

The laying room and the boredom...

 Have caused this sweet intelligent boy to regress and deteriorate terribly!

He had family that planned to adopt him...

But because of his regression they felt they were not able to give him the level of care that he now needs...

They are devastated...

Please pray for them!

You can read what they wrote about him on their blog...

And leave them a word of encouragement!

And please pray for Valentine!

There IS hope for him!

Here he is last week trying to color...

He needs a special family...

To encourage him...

And help him to heal...

So he can recover and learn and grow!

He needs OUT of that crib!

Before long he will be transferred to an institution...

What will happen to him then?

How long can he survive the deprivation?

Please someone...

Save him!

And before you despair...

And think that Valentine is now a hopeless case...

Please go to this blog...

And read about Seth!

He was institutionalized...

But is making great progress now that he has a family to love and encourage him!

Here is Seth before transfer...

Here he is the day his family met him at the institution...

How could he not regress when he had to sit here everyday?

With nothing to do but listen to the moans and groans of his companions...

And watch them writhing in misery?

But...

With the love of a family...

He is progressing!

Here he is with his brother after being home for a little over a month...

After seven weeks home...

Feeding himself AGAIN...

A skill he LOST in the institution...

Learning to walk...

Here's what his mama says about him!

Seth is starting to speak English, and he understands us.  He is wearing his glasses most of the day.  He has AFO's.  He's playing with toys, engaging with his brothers, laughing more, sleeping well, understanding what it means to be loved and learning more every day.

See what love has done for Seth!

There IS hope for Valentin too!

Please help save him!

Here are some ways you can help!

Pray...

Donate to his fund...

Advocate for him on blogs, facebook, etc...

And if perchance he could be your son...

Please don't delay!

He needs to come home ASAP...

Before it's too late!

You can find his Reece's Ranbow profile here!


(End of Original Post)






EXCITING UPDATE!!!!!!!


I found out yesterday that Valentine has a family who plan to adopt him!
(I learned this from this blog! I read another post with more information here today.)


And Valentine is on the My Family Found me Page today!!!!


You can read his family's blog here!!!




I wrote this post earlier this week and planned to link it up on the Forget-Me-Not Friday linkup...


This little boy needed the word spread...


He needed a family ASAP!!!


Before Forget-ME-NOT Friday came, however, God had already answered our prayers!


I am linking this up anyway for a few reasons...


1.  Valentine still needs donations to his fund and prayers for a speedy adoption process so he can come home ASAP!  (His family has completed TWO adoptions in the last couple of years - the most recent adoption was in October 2011.  They would be greatly blessed by any donations you can give to help with the Valentine's adoption expenses!)


2. And so you can rejoice with me at God's answer to our prayers!



3.  I didn't get another post written yet, just arrived home from vacation this evening, and am exhausted., so I want to save the writing of a new post for another time...



4. And many other children are in laying rooms and institutions...


They need to be rescued too - and there is hope for their improvement as Seth's story illustrates (See original post above for more links & pictures of Seth!)...


For example...




Consider sweet Silas!

How is it that no one has yet chosen this darling little boy?

From his profile...

"Silas is a handsome little boy with brown hair and big brown eyes.  He is affectionate and has a glowing personality.   He is engaging, alert, and aware....


"Silas has already been transferred to the institution, and will remain bedridden the rest of his life is he is not adopted soon."


These words were written some time ago...

Silas is now 7 years old...

I hope he still has his sparkle...

I hope that the institution and life in bed have not stolen all his hope...

Silas has $11 dollars in his grant fund...

He needs a lot more!

Please pray for Silas!

Pray that his dismal life does not crush his spirit...

Pray that a family chooses him soon - before it's too late...

Donate if your are able!

Share Silas' story and picture and Reece's Rainbow Link...

I'd love to see him on the my family found me page and to watch him blossom with the love of a family!  Wouldn't you?

This post is a part of the Forget Me Not Friday Linkup organized by Jane!

Please check it out here! And consider linking up a post of your own!

Here post this week can be found here!

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!