When I see the faces on this webpage it breaks my heart, because I know that most of these children will probably never know the love of a family. These children are all orphans with Down Sydrome in different parts of the world, who are waiting...still waiting for a family to call their own.
I received an email from Andrea at Reece's Rainbow yesterday stating that the next family to commit to one of these older orphans will receive a $10,000 grant towards their adoption. I am hoping this will be incentive for someone to come forward for them.
The question is not whether these children should be loved and belong to a family, the question is, which family is missing the call of God on their hearts to welcome them home. If you know someone who is considering adopting an older child with special needs, please, please share this with them. I would love to see every one of them find their forever families.
I am reminded of this blog post by my husband John a few days ago. If you haven't read it, it is worth considering. Remember if you can't adopt, you can always help in other ways.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Posted by liesel at 9:27 AM
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3 comments:
Charissa,
I have continued to follow your story and it has brought me to tears as it has others. I have seen the awesomeness of God in your story. This summer my boyfriend is going to work with kids with autism. You could call it "babysitting" because it will be with one child at a time in their home, not in a childcare facility, but he is certified and even paid by the state to do this kind of work. I told him a few days ago that between the two of us, we are getting some exposure to special needs that makes me wonder if God is preparing us to raise a child with special needs. On the other hand, these things could be something that is shaping us for this season and have no special "meaning" for the future. We won't know until I get there obviously, but I will be interested to find out. In the meantime, you keep writing and I'll keep reading.
Aubrie
Happy Mother's Day to all of you that have modeled Motherhood for me...We sometimes get caught up in the day-to-day routine and lose sight of what we are doing long term. We need to enjoy our babies...no matter the age:) Have a happy day!
Love you all!!!
This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers
in their arms, wiping up puke laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and
cherry Kool-Aid saying, 'It's okay honey, Mommy's here'.
Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies
who can't be comforted. This is for all the mothers who show up at
work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and
diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew
Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see.
And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on
their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at
football , hockey or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth
of their cars, so that when their kids asked, 'Did you see me, Mom?'
they could say, 'Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world,'
and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery
store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream
for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten
instead, but realize how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and
explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who
wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read 'Goodnight, Moon' twice a night for a
year. And then read it again. 'Just one more time.'
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their
shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who
opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their
daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little
voice calls 'Mom?' in a crowd, even though they know their own
offspring are at home -- or even away at college.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach
aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to
get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please
pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find
the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14
year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the
mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of
their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from
school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful,
and now pray they come home safely from a war.
What makes a good Mother anyway?
Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby,
cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son
or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the
very first time?
The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2
A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want
to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your
home?
Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you
hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for
young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep
deprivation...
And mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us.
Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them
every day that we love them. And pray.
'Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall.'
Happy Mother's Day
I need to put "Sarah/A-235 Hong Kong
Born June 1995" picture up on my blog. Ever since I laid eyes on her I am drawn to her and always think what a great addition she would be too our family. But we only have a two bedroom place with five people living in it and that isn't going to change anytime soon, so I know we wouldn't ever pass a homestudy. I look at her almost every week and hope to see someone has adopted her. It is horrid to have such an attachment and I know there are just other ways I can help, but not the way I want too.
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