Wrapping It Up!

As I look back over November and all of the posts written about these amazing kids, I am absolutely amazed.  From the children that have been profiled here (as well as a couple of other places), THREE of them are now matched with their forever families!  

There are at least 2 other featured children who have families seriously considering bringing them home!  

I am SO excited to watch God set the lonely in families!  

It.NEVER.gets.old!  

So I leave you with one more kiddo that I should have posted on the 30th.  His name is Kieran.  

Kieran is 7 years old and has the CUTEST lips ever! :-)  He is a smart little boy who loves to play with blocks.  His favorite foods are chips and chocolate!  I told you he was smart! :-D

Kieran has been diagnosed with a urinary tract/kidney issue for which he has already had multiple hospitalizations and surgeries.   This little guy needs a mama and baba to be proactive in his treatment and advocate for the best care available!  He needs a family.  

Kieran's file is currently on the shared list.  This means that any agency with a China program can help with his adoption.  If a family chooses to use WACAP to complete his adoption, they may be eligible for a $4000 grant.  If you feel that Kieran could be the missing piece in your family, please message me.  You could also contact WACAP directly and reference "Kieran."

So as we kick off this season of Christ's birth, I ask you not to forget about these children and the other 150,000,000 just like them that are without a permanent loving family.  After all, the ultimate adoption story all started with that baby in a manger!  

Day 27...So Thankful!

Today, I am thankful that several of my advocacy kiddos have been matched with families this year.  

Some are already home, others are almost ready to travel, and still more have very recently been found and it may be several months before their parents will arrive.  

By this time next year though, all of their families will be celebrating Thanksgiving with their new treasured sons and daughters.  

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

James 1:17

Day 21...Be Still My Heart!

Meet Harriet! 

Adorable Harriet, born April 2011, is now 3 years old. This shy little girl also has a fiery side! Her cute expressions often bring laughter to those around her. Harriet is sure to bring joy to her family…as soon as they find her! 

Left alone in a hospital for children, her birth parents undoubtedly knew that their daughter needed medical care. At approximately 4 days old, after a failed search for her birth family, she was taken into care at her orphanage. Harriet joined her foster family in 2012. 

 A year later, her file stated that she is very attached to her foster mother. She can crawl, walk freely, and even go up and down stairs unassisted. Her fine motor skills are noted to be on target for her age. She can imitate words and speak in short sentences. She can express her needs using words, is fond of playing games, energetic, and sometimes impatient. She loves spending time outside and unpacking new toys. Although one place in her file notes that her intelligence development is slower than her peers, she seems to be quite capable in most areas. Harriet loves to be cuddled and touched. And when she is unhappy, she is better when she gets a new toy! 

 Harriet received surgery in 2011 for an intestinal need from which she recovered well. In order to tell if her condition is completely corrected, further examination is necessary. Currently Harriet cannot control her bowel movements, so she wears diapers. She can control her urination during the day. There are detailed hospital discharge summaries available in her file. More information on her need can be found here. 

An update from September 2014 states that Harriet is currently 86cm tall and weighs 12kg. It notes that she does not have an eating issue, but does need to avoid certain types of food since they adversely affect her bowel. She does not have a breathing issue or an orthopedic issue. She can run and jump well and speak with 2-3 Chinese characters.

Harriet's file is currently with WACAP and there is a $2000 grant for qualified families.  If you think that Harriet may be the missing piece in your family, please message me or contact WACAP directly.  

Today I am praying for Harriet's family to find her soon! 

Day 20...Forest!

Meet Forest!

Or maybe I should call him Mr. Adorable!? 

Seriously...

Forest recently turned 4 and is described by his caregivers as an "outgoing, nice, endearing little boy."  Not that it slows him down at all, but he was born with a differently formed left hand/arm.  He is able to hold object with his left hand and can even stack blocks!

Forest was also born with a sensitive excretory need that has been corrected with surgery.  It is unclear whether or not it was completely successful.  Additional information is available to families considering adding Forest to their family.  

Forest speaks clearly and is able to use simple sentences.  His caregivers feel he is a very good boy who needs a family to help him with his challenges.  

Currently, Forest's file is with WACAP.  If you feel that Forest could be the missing piece in your family, please message me or email WACAP directly.  

Today I am praying for Forest's forever family to find him soon!  

Day 19...H.E.A.L.T.H.Y.

Meet Finley! 

This handsome guy has waited for 10 years, and guess what??  He is HEALTHY!  Although it is reported that he had a lump on his neck when he was a newborn, it went away on its own and never returned.  

And do you know what is really cool??  Finley and some of his friends are taking a HUGE field trip to the United States in January 2015!!  

Finley's file was with WACAP for several months.  Typically after 3 months, the children's files return to the shared list where they can be picked up by other agencies who then try and match them with their families.  

Finley's file is now with Cradle of Hope.  Cradle of Hope has given him the advocacy name "Luke."

There are still host families needed for this upcoming trip.  If you are interested in hosting Finley/Luke, or perhaps another child, please check out this website for more information.  

If you think Finley/Luke may be the missing piece to your family, please message me or contact Cradle of Hope directly.

Today I am praying for Finley and his forever family! 

Day 9...The Boy in the Red Hat!

Meet Marko! 

Five year old Marko is quite a kid!  Despite his diagnosis of CHD, he is quite active.  He goes up and down stairs unassisted, jumps with both feet, can catch a ball.  Not only are his gross motor skills on target, but his fine motor skills are as well!  He can tie his shoes, copy shapes and lines, and draw people showing at least three parts.  He seems to be a smart little one, too!  Whether it is shapes, colors, numbers or knowing the difference between left and right, Marko has it covered.  He speaks in 5-10 word sentences and does a good job expressing his needs with his words.  Marko loves to talk, play games and smile.  However, he can be a tad bit obstinate and impatient at times.  Sounds like your typical 5 year old boy!

On a recent visit by WACAP, it was noted that he gets tired when he plays hard.  He eats well and is potty trained.  At the time of the visit, he was in foster care and was the only child.  His caretakers said that he is currently in school and felt he has a normal IQ.  

Marko has been diagnosed with TGA, VSD, pulmonary hypertension, and moderate tricuspid regurgitation. Although his lips were pink when WACAP staffers met him, his fingers do show clubbing and cyanosis.  Marko is post-op for the Glenn procedure, but does face future heart surgeries in the years to come.  He is scheduled to have another medical checkup in November at which time the doctors will consider his second surgery.  

There are many resources available for families parenting a child with CHD.  Below are a few sites to visit.  We also have a few CHD mentor parents that would be happy to discuss parenting their sweet children! 

Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital

Little Hearts

Kids with Heart

Congenital Heart Information Network Resources

Yale School of Medicine

China Heart Children Yahoo! group

Marko needs a family to step forward for him soon and give their input on his care.  Although he faces difficult days due to his CHD, the love of a family and great medical care is most important!  

Currently, Marko’s file is with WACAP.  For more information on Marko, please contact the Advocacy Team or WACAP .  You can also read about Marko at Red Thread Advocates.

If you think that Marko might be the missing piece in your family, I would love to chat with you!  Feel free to message me (side bar) or contact WACAP (above).  

Today I am praying for Marko's forever family to find him soon!  

Day 8...My Sweet Louise!

Meet Louise!  

Louise is 10 years old and holds a special place in my heart. She *almost* shares a birthday with my handsome 10 year old; she shares a medical condition with my youngest; she is the first girl I ever really advocated for; and she has a very special English name.  It belongs to my Mema who went to be with Jesus last November.  It makes me sad that she still waits.  Oh, how I pray her family finds her soon!

Most 5 year olds I know have their world rocked when they start Kindergarten.  Louise had her world rocked at 5 years old because that is when she was abandoned.  I cannot even begin to understand the why.  

Understandably, when Louise first came to the orphanage, she was very shy and quiet.  When anyone would talk to her, she would lower her head and rarely speak back.  Can you imagine?

At 6 she was placed with a foster family.  She enjoyed this very much!  She is very close to her foster brother who is wheel-chair bound.  After almost 4 years with her foster family, she is a more confident child.  

She enjoys school and will answer questions out loud in class.  Louise loves to help!  She will often help her teachers with classroom jobs.  Helping her fellow classmates and her foster brother puts a smile on her face!  Her shyness has all but disappeared, and her caretakers say she has an “inner heart as bright as the sunshine!”

When looking at a list of almost 2,000 children, how do you decide which ones to advocate for?  They are all so deserving of love and a family!  Looking through the shared list that day, I did a search for congenital adrenal hyperplasia...after all, I am now very familiar with that special need.  I only found 2 children with that search, and I knew that they were where I would begin.  

Louise is currently on the shared list.  This means any agency with a China program can help with her adoption.  There is a $4000 grant through WACAP for families that choose to use them for her adoption.  

If you think that Louise may be the missing piece in your family, please message me through the form on the sidebar!  I am happy to provide the information your agency would need to locate her file for review.  

Today I am praying for Louise's forever family to find her soon!  

Day 1...Archer

Meet Archer!

Archer, born October 2002, is a charismatic boy, who is not shy when WACAP staff saw him on a recent trip. He seemed to enjoy having an audience, and performed some cartwheels and breakdance moves! Caregivers report he loves all sports, but especially basketball. 

Archer is deaf and does not speak. He attends a boarding school for the deaf Monday through Friday and has learned simple sign language. With orphanage caregivers he uses gestures and body language to communicate. They say he cannot read lips, but he was very skilled at sensing what our staff was asking him to do and responding appropriately. 

When not at school, Archer lives in a foster family unit in an apartment at the orphanage. A married couple cares for 5-6 children of various ages. His foster mother reports he is a big help with the other children, and voluntarily helps her with cleaning and chores. He is also a carrier of a blood condition, though it is not active. Archer is a happy boy with a great laugh, who would surely blossom in a family of his own. 

Silly face!!!

Archer's file is currently with WACAP.  They have lots of photos and even video of this handsome guy!  There is a $4000 Promise Child grant available through WACAP for qualified families.  If you feel he may be the missing piece in your family, email me or contact WACAP directly at kids@wacap.org.  

Feel free to share this blog...you never know who may see this!  It may be his mama!  I am praying that Archer's forever family finds him soon.