Every orphan is in need, but when I think about adoption, I find myself searching out the greatest need. Who is being passed over? Which children aren't being taken?
In my many years of researching and orphan advocacy I've found several groups of children who are being passed over because of a lack of information.
Adoptive families don't always consider these children because they either don't know they are available or are not educated about the needs.
Below are 3 of the needs I've found.
Families needed for orphans with HIV
MY FAMILY FOUND ME!
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
Mark 1:41
Okay people, the 80's are well over 30 years behind us! It's time to move into the new era of living with HIV.
Can I get HIV through casual contact?
Experts agree.. absolutely not!
HIV is NOT transmitted through casual, everyday, household contact.
HIV is NOT transmitted by saliva, so it is impossible to get it through sharing a glass, a fork, a sandwich, etc.
HIV is NOT transmitted by day-to-day contact in the workplace, schools, or social settings.
HIV is NOT transmitted through shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, a drinking fountain, a door knob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets.
There is no need to wear gloves when changing the diaper of a child with HIV because feces and urine do NOT transmit HIV. Saliva also does NOT transmit the virus so there is no worry about spit, vomit, sneezing, etc.
Medication
Medication for people who have HIV has come a long way! In most cases, the HIV virus becomes almost undetectable when a person is taking their medications. And you don't have to be a millionaire to be able to afford them.
What about the future?
With modern medications, people with HIV can live well into their 70's almost the same life expectancy as anyone else.
Also thanks to modern medications, people with HIV can get married and even have children!
But what about a blood spill?
A family might worry about being exposed to the blood of their child with HIV and wonder whether this puts them at risk. However there has NEVER been a documented case of household transmission in a normal family environment.
According to the US Center for Disease Control, the 3 main methods of transmission are sex, needle sharing, and birth/breast feeding. Outside of those 3 methods, transmission is virtually unheard of.
Today's medicines work amazingly well by drastically reducing the viral load and, thus, the transmission capacity of the individual. In fact, many children who are on medication today have a medically defined 'undetectable' amount of HIV in their blood.
If a blood spill accident does occur, simple universal precautions (wearing gloves or using a paper towel as a barrier when wiping up spills, properly disposing of waste) are all that is needed.
The only difference between handling the scraped knee of a child with HIV versus a child without HIV is basically a napkin or a plastic glove.
In this video, adoptive parents share about their experiences of adopting a child with HIV
Great links for learning more!
You can learn moreabout what it's like to have a child who's HIV positive at:
Project Hopeful
Positively Adopted
Project Hopeful
Positively Adopted
Families needed for Toddler boys in China
When people hear how my family has adopted from China they assume my siblings are all girls.
The answer is no. My siblings are not all girls. CHINA HAS BOYS! LOTS OF BOYS! Spread the word. China first came onto the international adoption scene because of their many "healthy" baby girls. Now the wait for a healthy girl is about 7 or 8 years with few if any agencies taking applications for that program.
But that doesn't mean there aren't any children waiting in China.
A lot of families adopting from China are still desiring to adopt special needs little girls. Now there's nothing wrong with adopting a little girl. They're great! And need homes too.
But because of the "no boys in China" confusion fewer families are looking to adopt a little boy, and there are SO many special needs baby boys waiting for a loving forever family!
A lot of these toddler boys have Cleft lip and Palates. Believe it or not, a repairable condition.
When we showed off this picture of my little brother to friends the number one response I got was, "Can they fix that?"
Yes, they can!
The Medical Scoop
It usually takes a few surgeries to close up a cleft lip and palate. Depending on the severity and if anything has already been done in China.
They also may need a future surgery when they are older to tune up their lip or nose, or if they need to repair their gum line.
Orthodontics is necessary for children with cleft palates.
And speech therapy can help a child who has had a cleft lip and palate though it is not necessary to hire a professional if you wish to do your own work with them at home.
Family Life
I have 4 siblings who had cleft lip and palate. They aren't any different than any other child. When you look at kids like Hao, you wonder how they eat? But believe it or not they make it work. They tuck food under their tongue, flip their spoon upside down in their mouth, etc. All 4 of my siblings with cleft lip and palate have LOVED to eat.
Their speech has progressed slower than other children, but they still LOVE to talk! You just have to remind them to slow down sometimes to make all the sounds. The more you work on speech therapy the better they do.
LID Only
China's special needs kids are in primarily 2 categories. Special Focus and Log In Date (LID) Only.
LID Only children are usually the younger children who have minor to moderate conditions.
Cleft lip and palate usually falls under this category.
Now there are plenty of cleft lip and palate boys available, but you must have your dossier logged in, in China before your agency can match you with a little boy or before you can select a LID child from your agencies list.
Links:
Families needed to Adopt One
This precious girl is waiting for a forever family.
The Lord writes every families adoption story uniquely. Some families adopt from foster care, other's adopt internationally; some adopt younger children, others older children; some families adopt siblings, or multiple children at once; some adopt special needs, while others adopt healthy children; some adopt lots of kids, and others adopt just one.
Every member of the body is needed and every kind of adoptive family is needed.
When people find out about my family adopting the number one thing I hear people say is. "We thought about adopting."
In the most loving way I wonder, What stopped you?
Not everyone is called to adopt, but if the Lord has called you, don't let fear stop you from following through.
I dream of filling a 12 passenger van someday with children, but I see another need out there that I pray the Lord will empower the families He's called to meet.
Would you consider one?
There are some orphan children out there, who would do best as an only child, or as the youngest child with teenage/adult siblings.
Whether it be because of their personality, the painful past they've come from, or their special needs, they need the undivided love and attention of a mom and dad.
Older Parents
Perhaps you've already had kids and now they're all grown up. Could the Lord be calling you to love one more?
You don't have to be young to adopt. Older parents have a lot to offer! You're established, experienced, and now have time to pour into the life a child who really needs a second chance.
Olivia, is 13 years old and craves quietness and routine. Olivia is in the U.S. but was originally from Eastern Europe. It is believed that she would do best with older parents who could help her learn all the things she missed from spending years in an orphanage.
Would you consider one?
Perhaps the Lord has put special needs on your heart. There are a lot of children with more severe and involved special needs that need a family who can commit to their lifelong care. These treasures need loving homes too!
Todd is 6 years old and said to be very smart, testing normal on intellectual development.
But he needs a family that can help him with his multiple special needs.
A person who met him back in 2013 said:
"We had a chance to meet this little boy... last week. He is a very smart and vibrant little boy. My heart breaks at the thought that if he is not adopted, he will be sent to an institution to live out his days.
This boy needs a mom and dad to care for him and tell him he is loved and valued."
Would you consider one?
Antoinette is 2 years old and is blind, has significant hearing loss, and cerebral palsy.
This beautiful little girl has many strikes against her, but what about the little girl inside that shell?
Her body is very limited, but if someone took the time, to love her, research her options for hearing aids, work with her in physical therapy, what would they find?
Would you consider one?
A Chance to be a Kid
I've seen many children in the foster care system who's caseworkers believe it would best if the child were adopted into a family where they were the only child or the youngest with only teenage siblings.
Many of these kids have had painful past experiences and need patience, love, and time to heal.
Tanika is 12 years old and just one of many children in the foster care system waiting for a forever family to treasure her.
This young lady likes the usual girls things of painting her nails and dressing up. She's very intelligent and does well in school. Still she lacks one thing. A family. A mom and a dad who will commit forever to her. Who will love her and stand by her. Kids aren't the only ones who need families. Adults need families too. Who will help her fix her car when it breaks down? Who will drive her to college as a freshman? Who will give her away on her wedding day? Who will call her every year on her birthday? Who will be her home?
Would you consider one?
Conclusion to the whole matter
This little boy is home with his forever family.
Children need families. Whether they are HIV+, a toddler boy from China, or one from some other walk of life, they all need a home.
If the Lord has called your family to adopt, He already has a child specifically chosen for you. Open your heart to Him and allow Him to lead you to the child or children He has. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing, do what He has called you to do.
Adoption can't be about trying to solve the worlds orphan crisis, it has to be about one. The Lord sees these millions of orphans as individual people and so must we.
You may only get one, and compared to the orphans still out there you may wonder what good have I done? But that one life matters to the Father. He has a plan for them and for you. People on the outside always say that the adopted child is so blessed, but adoptive parents know that they are the blessed ones.
No matter the struggles, no matter the challenges, when you look that child in the eyes and know what they once were and where they would be today if the Lord had not plucked them out, you cannot deny that every ONE matters.
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him,
and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."
Luke 9:47-48
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