Left Behind

I'm not talking about that book series on the rapture, I'm talking about the children in Darya's orphanage.  When we saw all those precious children who knew no other home outside the orphanage gates, it was hard not to be broken hearted for them.  It is hard to forget them. To leave them behind.  Many of them seemed to be happy children, unaware that in a short while, their lives were going to change. They were going to leave the orphanage, the only home they knew.  They would be sorted like sheep.  The more "disabled" ones would go to the mental institution, while the more "abled" ones, would get sent to an older children's orphanage (though at 16 years old they will be sent out of the orphanage and statistically likely to end up involved with drugs and/or prostitution).  Either way, it meant their chances of finding a family were getting slimmer and slimmer.

We are so thrilled and blessed that Darya will live a life the way God intended - in a family.  She will have brothers to play with her, a mama to kiss her, a daddy to tuck her in at night and pray for her;  she will go on fun family vacations to the beach, be part of a church family, blow bubbles at the park.  She will probably never remember the orphanage. But what about the others?  Are families coming for them?  Who will show them Christ's love and embrace them as their own? Who will step out and mirror God's act of redemption and adoption of us as His children by taking in one of the "least of these"?  There are so many orphans that it can be overwhelming at times. But there are also lots of families willing to open their homes for which I am so grateful.  Every day my boys continually pray that the orphans will find loving Christian families.  May God continue to answer their prayers!  Adoption is not easy, in fact it's one of the hardest things I've ever done - but so worth it!!  Darya has changed my life for the better.

When will a mama or papa come for them?

When will they be able to go beyond the blue gate?

A couple of the children really left an impression on me.  First and foremost, please meet Bethany.  My, oh, my is this girl delightful!  She was such a happy little girl, always smiling!  We saw her outside quite often with her groupa.   She would give us the biggest grins and wave at us.  I just know she would make a wonderful daughter. (We honestly didn't know she was a girl because of her short hair and the way she was dressed, until she was posted on Reece's Rainbow.)   She is close to aging out of the orphanage.  I would love to see her get a family before then!  She will be 5 next month.  But because of her label -  "HIV clinical staging 3, delay of psychomotor and physical development, tuberculous primary complex" her chances of finding a family are slim.  Because of the 1980s stigma of HIV she will be shunned for life in her society.  HIV today isn't what it used to be. It is very manageable and there are no records of HIV ever being transmitted in a normal family atmosphere.  In fact, with today's medicine, sometimes the virus is undetectable (though not cured)!  That's something I recently learned :-)

And please meet little miss Francine.  Despite her CP she was walking around and playing with the kids in her group.  Her pictures don't do her justice - she is a gorgeous little girl! She has such a sweet and gentle spirit about her.  She has dark hair and beautiful light blue eyes.  One of her caretakers who spoke English spoke highly of Francine and said she is so smart!  She really wants her to find a family!  She, too, will be 5 soon (in May).  Wouldn't a family be the best birthday gift ever?  Here are what her medical records indicate: "cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia, delay of psychospeech development".  Those labels shouldn't define who this little ray of sunshine is.  She, too, would make a wonderful daughter!

Here's one I took (those bars are symbolic, don't you think?):

Both of these girls, through no fault of their own, will get the short end of the stick in life unless they get adopted.  Please help me pray for and advocate for them! The biggest thing standing in the way of them getting families is the money.  I know from our own experience, that was the main obstacle. But God is bigger than that!  He paved the way for us in a way we could never imagine.  I just know He can raise funds and families for these precious girls.  Please, if you are able can you donate just a little something to their adoption grants? Go here and scroll down.  It's super easy, you can even use Paypal!  But most of all, please pray for them. They weigh heavy on my heart.

And to leave things on a brighter note, a bit of cuteness for you all: