Waiting Too Long

One of the things I wanted to be able to do with this blog is advocate for some children who are available for adoption. In the process of finding my daughter in China, I became aware of so much more. These children in China are available for adoption and have been waiting too long…

“William,” a 5-year-old with a brachial plexus injury has been listed with Adoption Advocates International since December. I saw his description on a website and it caught my attention since he has a BPI. I’ve had his photo on our fridge since before Christmas to remind myself to say some prayers for him. I’ve checked in with the agency’s China coordinator a couple times and posted his info on a couple of large adoption forums in the last few months. I checked with her again and he’s STILL waiting. I haven’t seen his file but he’s adorable and is said to be otherwise healthy. He’s playing on a playground in the photo that I have and he's smiling. The CCAA doesn’t permit posting of photos or any identifying info otherwise I would! You can find out more info on William by contacting ky@adoptionadvocates.org.

“Caroline” is a sweet 3-year-old little girl that is on the shared list but her file can also be found on Madison Adoption Agency’s yahoo group. She has left sided hemiplegia, which is what Ella was suspected of having when she first came home. She gets along well with other kids but sometimes fights for toys. ;) She’s one of hundreds of children that are on the CCAA’s shared list at any given time.

Bethany participated in a Hope Camp in December last year and was given the opportunity to find families for 81 children in Beijing. They matched about 30 of them with families and there are over 50 kids that remain. There is a 9-year-old little boy that has mild scoliosis as well as a BPI. He would like to live in the U.S. and have a big brother and a big sister. He has seen several of his good friends adopted by American families... but he remains in an orphanage. Can you imagine? There are many more stories like his.

Bethany has committed to participating in a couple more of these camps in which they send their social workers to China to meet and assess groups of children to become available for adoption. Please pray for these children-that they will one day have families to call their own, and for Bethany as they continue to find families for these children.

This is from Bethany's China blog, written by Jaclyn, the China program coordinator (and the person who matched me with Ella!) on the Hope Camps:

"As we meet with these children, their spirits come alive with hope and their faces share experiences of survival. Many of these children know of no life outside of their institution. Some of them have not had opportunities to go to school, get adequate health care, celebrate the birth of Christ, fight with a sibling or even celebrate their own birthday. Observing each individual child is amazing and reminds us of why He has given us the Gift of children. Many of the children are active and as “happy” as one would expect an institutionalized child to be, although others are lethargic and not engaged or connected to the activities. These children have spirits and souls, they are not just pieces of paper or numbers assigned a medical diagnosis. As BCS practices our Mission, we are challenged to find as many adoptive families to welcome these children into their hearts and homes.

As I tucked my son into bed tonight, I thought of all the millions of orphans in the world who go to bed without a bedtime story, on an empty stomach and with cold feet, without the safety of a roof over their head or the protection of a parent to keep them from harm or without a kiss on their forehead. Many of the “Hope Camp” children have special needs that prevent them from being “desired” for adoption. As you go to sleep tonight, please include these children in your prayers; that they too may one day have a loving family and a safe place to call home… and a bedtime story."