Orphan Sunday

October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and November is National Adoption Month. And today is Orphan Sunday. Are there 147 orphans world wide?? The answer is no, there are not 147 orphans, the correct number is 147 million orphans. That number is a lot, but it probably won't make a mark in your memory. However, what probably will make a mark is the pictures of these waiting children. I am going to do what my missionary friend Andrea did for her Orphan Sunday post - show you pictures of some of the many orphans.

“Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” - David Platt

Lucas (9)
BOY, born February 27, 2007
Lucas is a handsome boy who has just recently turned 3. He is HIV positive, but is said to be cognitively normal. he can be adopted with Steven or any other child in this same orphanage.
I have $0 in my grant!

Noah (9)


Boy, Born January 17, 2008
Noah is a sweet little munchkin who is waiting for his forever family. He has blonde hair and blue eyes.
From his medical records: Heart murmur, open arterial canal, hyperplasia of aorta, open oval window.

Regrettably, this orphanage is one of the poorer ones, with very little outside aid and very little hope. All of the children are tiny and undernourished. These children are immediately transferred at 4, and have little chance of survival where they are sent. All of our waiting children need families, but these have a critical need. Please consider one of these children soon!!
MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE
I have $105 in my grant fund!

Anastasiya (9)

Girl, Born September 8, 2007

SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
Anastasiya is a darling little girl with brown hair and brown eyes. She is stuck in a crib for most of her life, and needs a family to get her OUT! Anastasiya does have an ASD (atrial septal defect) and an oval window that will need attention when she gets home. She needs to have surgery as soon as possible to correct this! She does has strabismus as well.
She is undernourished, and will blossom like a rose once home with her family.

Regrettably, this orphanage is one of the poorer ones, with very little outside aid and very little hope. All of the children are tiny and undernourished. These children are immediately transferred at 4, and have little chance of survival where they are sent. All of our waiting children need families, but these have a critical need. Please consider one of these children soon!!

I have $2135.5 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Steven (9)
BOY, born May 30, 2007

This little one is SO cute! Wispy brown hair and giant brown eyes, Steven is HIV positive and has fetal alcohol syndrome. His records do not indicate any medical complications (thank goodness), but he does bear significant facial characteristics of FAS. Steven is described as a sweet and affectionate boy. he is perfectly mobile with no physical delays. He is still quite young, so academic/cognitive delays have not been documented as of yet.
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit www.projecthopeful.org
I have $0 in my grant!

Eddie (9)
Boy, Born August 23, 2006
Eddie was born with Cerebral Palsy. He also shows many facial features of a child with fetal alcohol syndrome. Eddie has an open oval window and an extra ventricular chord in his heart. He is said to have a moderate mental delay.
I have $0 in my grant fund!!
 

Edwin (9)
Boy, Born July 11, 2006


Edwin is a handsome little boy with dark hair and dark eyes. He was born with Goldenhar Syndrome. This is a very rare condition, and is accompanied by several additional medical complications for Edwin. His medical records indicate: congenital nervous system malformation – internal obstructive hydrocephalus, subcompensated form, rickets, mental delay, right micropsia, acoustic meatus atresia – Goldenhar syndrome, delay of physical development. This little boy needs SURGERY to relieve his hydrocephaly and a family who will love him and save him from certain death in a mental institution. He is already 3 1/2 years old, and is on his countdown to transfer And regrettably, he can not be adopted from the place he will be sent. Someone please save Edwin!
UPDATE: surgery for a shunt to relieve the pressure in his head is scheduled soon.
SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
***Due to the severity of Edwin’s needs, families interested in adopting this child in particular must be HOMESTUDY APPROVED before an official match or commitment can be made.***
I have $1105 in my grant fund!

Sergey (9) Boy, Born October 15, 2007


This little monkey has a whole host of medical complications, but he is so darling and will surely perish if he is not adopted. He will end up in an institution, bedridden for his very short life. Please consider Sergey!
From his medical records: secondary post-hemorrhagic obstructive internal hydrocephalus, spastic tetraparesis, convulsive disorder, mental disorder as a result of organic affection of brain, additional chord of the left heart ventricle, partial optic atrophy, congenital nystagmus, crossed eyes, delay of physical development
Regrettably, this orphanage is one of the poorer ones, with very little outside aid and very little hope. All of the children are tiny and undernourished. These children are immediately transferred at 4, and have little chance of survival where they are sent. All of our waiting children need families, but these have a critical need. Please consider one of these children soon!!
I have $5000 in my grant fund!

Camille (9)

Girl, Born June 4, 2007

Camille is a beautiful girl who deserves a life outside of this crib! She is diagnosed with hydrocephaly and CP. She has a precious smile (please inquire for more photos) and a will to survive and THRIVE!
From her medical records: hydrocephaly, symptomatic epilepsy, deep mental delay, kidny development pathology, extra right kidney, partical otrophy of vision nerve, flat feet
I have $0 in my grant!

Masha (9)


Girl, Born January 10, 2007
Photo dated Feb 2010. This beautiful muffin…..Masha struggles with many symptoms of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome).
From her medical records: Diagnosis: mother had syphilis and was alcohol addict, congenital malformation of nervous system, encephalitis, secondary hydrocephaly, mental disorders as a result of organic affection of brain, chronic pyelonephritis, congenital malformation of genital system – reflex uropathy, crossed eyes. She HAS been tested for syphilis and is NEGATIVE, even though her mother was carrying at the time of her birth. This little one has so much potential, even though her records make her sound like she’s in a vegetative state (which she clearly isn’t!) My goodness, what a loving family can do for her, she will truly blossom!
Her strabismus has gotten worse, and at 3 she is still not walking. Masha needs a family to help her be all she can be!
If you are unfamiliar with FAS, please spend some time researching this condition. Just as with Down syndrome, FAS and FAE have a wide variation of effects on each child, both medically, physically, and cognitively. This is typically dependent on how long during the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, and of course, how much. There is no way to know this ahead of time.
Regrettably, this orphanage is one of the poorer ones, with very little outside aid and very little hope. All of the children are tiny and undernourished. These children are immediately transferred at 4, and have little chance of survival where they are sent. All of our waiting children need families, but these have a critical need. Please consider one of these children soon!!
I have $0 in my grant fund!

Mila (9)

Girl, Born July 5, 2006
FAS and cleft palate
SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
Look at this darling little cupie doll! Mila was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and several complications from that exposure. Her medical records indicate cleft palate, oval window (heart condition), strabismus, and microcephaly (all common symptoms of this condition). But she is also friendly and happy, loves attention, and desperately needs a loving family.
From an adoptive family who visited with her in August 2010: “She was in a group with two other children. The two little boys were in the playpen. She was free to wander but she stayed in the little area for her group. When she would get a little too close to us, her caregiver would say something quietly and she would turn around and return to her group. I was impressed with her ability to follow instructions.”
“The afternoon before, I spied her playing and babbling by herself in a shady spot by the front drive. I did not see more than a few children with her. I have seen her playing with others on other days though. Truthfully, there are children here who are probably not going to fit in with a typical family. I don’t see Mila as one of those children. She is probably the height of a three year old but wirey, thin, skinny!”
If you are unfamiliar with FAS, please spend some time researching this condition. Just as with Down syndrome, FAS and FAE have a wide variation of effects on each child, both medically, physically, and cognitively. This is typically dependent on how long during the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, and of course, how much. There is no way to know this ahead of time.
Regrettably, this orphanage is one of the poorer ones, with very little outside aid and very little hope. All of the children are tiny and undernourished. These children are immediately transferred at 4, and have little chance of survival where they are sent. All of our waiting children need families, but these have a critical need. Please consider one of these children soon!!
I have $620 in my grant fund!
 

Tina (9)
Girl
FAS
If you are unfamiliar with FAS, please spend some time researching this condition. Just as with Down syndrome, FAS and FAE have a wide variation of effects on each child, both medically, physically, and cognitively. This is typically dependent on how long during the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, and of course, how much. There is no way to know this ahead of time.
Regrettably, this orphanage is one of the poorer ones, with very little outside aid and very little hope. All of the children are tiny and undernourished. These children are immediately transferred at 4, and have little chance of survival where they are sent. All of our waiting children need families, but these have a critical need. Please consider one of these children soon!!

Violetta (9)
Girl, Born September 11, 2007
This beauty was born with significant effects from FAS FAS, syndrome of movement disorders in form of two-sided pyramidal insufficiency, condition after surgery: abdominal incision, bowel resection (September 19, 2008), end-to-end abdominal anastomosis as a result of enterocolitis and serous peritonitis, examination stage and assumption of partial optic atrophy, slight protein-energy malnutrition, defficiency anemia.
I have $0 in my grant fund!




These are just a few children in Elijah's orphanage, but I hope these pictures made a mark in your memory, and please consider visiting my mom's Orphan Sunday post. Thank you for reading!!