Meet Carla.
Meet Jen.
Meet Leila.
Here he is again. So, so precious, this boy.
There are a few things I'm passionate about in this life. Okay, maybe more than a few. But anyway, the adoption of children with medical needs is one of them.
This is a cause near and dear to my heart because, friends, I have four adopted children. Including two daughters born with Down syndrome and who, as a result, were also born with severe heart defects.
So I have seen first-hand the vulnerability and lack of opportunity for a child with medical needs and developmental delays living in an orphanage--even in a good orphanage. Both of my little girls have come SO FAR since coming home six months ago. They are thriving.
Now please hear me when I say that the orphan crisis (both internationally and domestically) is an incredibly nuanced thing. Not all orphans will be adopted, many of them are not legally clear for adoption, and most children classified as orphans around the world have at least one living birth parent.
Messy, right?
Well, yes. But.
There are many, many children languishing in orphanages and legitimately waiting for a family. These children will not be reunified with a birth parent, and these are not the children fetching high premiums for an agency or facilitator. These are the kids who've been deemed by society (and oftentimes biological family) as unfit and/or less deserving of life. They may have been born with a genetic condition or cerebral palsy or perhaps they contracted HIV from their birth mother. Either way, they sit for years in an institution where, quite frankly, even the most resilient child will be kept from realizing his or her potential and basic human dignity.
So, today I'm using my blog to speak up for these children and to tell you about one in particular, Malcolm, who needs him a family.
Because if no one comes forward for him? He'll be transferred to a mental institution. Next month. Where he will surely not survive.
If you are interested in giving a little (or a lot) towards Malcolm's future and playing a role in this sweet boy's story, please consider making a donation to his adoption fund at Reece's Rainbow.
Children with fully-funded adoptions inevitably find a family.
And if you are interested in the adoption of a waiting child (possibly even Malcolm), please don't hesitate to contact someone (email me if you'd like) with your questions or ask an agency for information. Sometimes the first step is the hardest, but really, it never hurts to gather information and become more informed. You can read about my own discernment process here.
So let's do this. Together, let's get Malcolm's adoption funded and bring hope to this precious boy created by a loving God. A God who is, mercifully, all about the business of redemption.
