Lookie!! Lookie here at what I found!!!

For some reason I never went back and looked at my pictures from my mission trip to EE last summer from where I have them stored. I just went back and looked though my blog post about the baby orphanage to look for more pictures of some kids that are now listed - even though I knew I didn't post them all! I don't know what I was thinking, but anyways today I was looking for a picture and came across the baby orphanage ones I took..AND LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

For the record, I do NOT know why it looks like someone is about to bop him on the head... It might have been my arm (no I wasn't going to hit him!!) judging from where the camera was it doesn't look like it.. I have NO idea!

Do you know who that is???

If not you might recognize this picture of me and the same little boy:

Still don't know!?!? Recognize any of these pictures?

If you still don't know who he is you are obviously not paying any attention to my sidebar or you are reading all my posts through Google Reader, and you haven't left a comment lately (yes Michelle, I know that you have to leave Reader to comment... but at least you don't have to get up out of your chair! ;) If you do get up though, don't forget to lock your computer!)!

And if you do recognize his sweet little face, good for you! :) All these pictures are of sweetheart named listed on RR as Logan. Actually he isn't listed right now because Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS, which is what he has) isn't on the special needs list of children who can be adopted, so you won't find him on RR. Please keep praying that the special needs list gets expanded so he can be adopted before next year!!!

If you haven't caught it by now, he NEEDS a FAMILY!!! I posted about him here Waiting Wednesday: Logan, and you can find the rest of my posts about him here.

I do have several other pictures to share of other children at him orphanage that I found but those will have to wait because today its all about Logan!

Please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE spread the word about him!! While you can't link to him on RR right now, please feel free to link to any of my posts here about him and use any of the pictures!! Andrea posted about him also - right here, so please go read that as well!

And pray PRAY PRAY PRAY that he finds a family interested in him SOON! I know both Andrea and I would go get him in a heartbeat, but considering that countries requirements, it won't work for either of us, since neither of us are married and I need to be 12 years older!!! :)

Waiting Wednesday: Aiden

It's Wednesday, and meet Aiden!

Aiden

Boy, born May 2007

From a volunteer who spent several months at this orphanage:

Aiden is visually impaired (I'm not sure if he has some vision or if he is 100% blind). Aiden has some more significant delays however it is difficult to tell if he is cognitively delayed for medical reasons or if his delays are simply a result of institutionalization / lack of stimulation. Aiden engages in a lot of self-stimulation such as poking his eyes, tapping his head on the side of his crib, rocking back and forth, etc. When I first met Aiden he was able to walk around the edges of the crib holding on to the sides, but he would not walk independently, even while holding on to someone's hands. As I worked with him however and he grew to trust me he began to take his first steps and now he loves to walk! Still, at least while I was there, the workers never let him out of his playpen.  Aiden does not speak but he responds to his name and I believe he understands simple directions. He is not toilet trained but he is learning to feed himself.  Aiden is difficult to engage. He doesn't initiate interaction but when you play with him/tickle him, etc. he is full of smiles and laughter. I believe that this boy has way more potential than can be seen right now. Whoever Aiden's family will need to be persistent about getting in his face in order to force him to engage and patient with what may be slow progress but I believe that with the consistent love and stimulation that a family would bring this little guy has all kinds of potential.

More pictures available.

$132.50 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

In the past I've posted about (just click on their names in the WW links on my sidebar) Andrey S, Victoria, Logan, Ryan, and Brody for Waiting Wednesday posts. I've all posted about Liza (Liza Lorenz in MM links on sidebar), and Andriy (Andriy for the Burlingham Family in FF links on sidebar). All of these kids either have been at or are currently at the baby orphanage I got to visit on my mission trip last summer. Some of them I have met, some I haven't, but all are close to my heart just like they are close to Andrea's heart. Andrea spent 3 months over in that city and got to meet and hold on mostly all of the kids listed above. And today, as I feature Aiden, I'm going to use yet another post of Andrea's because she can express much better than I can how much these children need families.

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Imagine living in a world of complete darkness where your only stimulation is the constant noise of crying and yelling and the occasional elbow in the ribs as another child crawls over you in the communal playpen… That is what life is like for Aiden.

Aiden is four-years-old. He has sandy blond hair, gorgeous blue eyes and two of the yummiest cheeks you have ever seen. He is also blind. Sometimes I think that blind children are the ones at the greatest disadvantage in an orphanage. Right from infancy, babies in the orphanage are not held. They are rarely given the opportunity to listen to music. The only stimulation they receive is what they see as they look around their room, watching the other children, etc. But what about the children who cannot see? Theirs is a dark, empty, lonely world.

After four long years of darkness, Aiden has withdrawn into his own little world. He spends his days rolling back and forth on the floor as you can see him doing here. He has done this so often for so long that he has a huge bald patch at the back of his head. He does not like to be held. Instead, he receives comfort and stimulation by poking at his eyes and sucking his fingers raw. 

Aiden was my greatest challenge. He did not like to be held in my arms or sit on my lap and he did not really interact with the toys I would bring. There was one thing that did break through his walls though… he loved to be tickled and would laugh and laugh as I smothered his face with kisses!

When I first met Aiden, he would often walk around the edges of the playpen, holding onto the sides. He had the ability to walk while holding onto someone’s hand but because he did not like to be held on to like that, he would most often refuse to do so. During one of our one-on-one times, I stood Aiden up on his feet and managed to get him to take one or two steps without holding onto anything. The next time he took a few more and before I knew it, he was walking all by himself! It was if he had finally developed enough trust in me to know that I would not let him walk into anything and he was loving his newfound freedom. One day I went up to his room to get one of my other kids and there he was walking around the playpen, not holding onto anything, just smiling and laughing. It was one of the greatest moments of my trip…

The sad reality is, blind children are often the last to be chosen. Out of the 500 children that have been adopted through Reece’s Rainbow over the past five years, so far only three of them have been blind. I understand the fear, the idea of not being able to see is a concept that is hard for most of us to wrap our minds around. I myself wonder if/how I could parent a child with severe visual impairment. Then I read the stories of others with visual impairment who are simply living their lives doing most of what I can do and more and I am reminded that blindness is only a limiting disability if you let it be. I worry that Aiden’s visual impairment along with his more significant delays will put him at the bottom of the list when it comes to being chosen for adoption. I so don’t want that to be the case. Even if you’re not being called to adopt Aidenyourself, you can help him find his family by spreading the word, donating to his grant fund and remembering him in your prayers. Will you help me make sure this little man has the chance to live a life of joy, meaning and potential? For more information or to donate, click here.

Patrick...

Patrick

Boy, born July, 2005

Patrick has arthrogryposis, and uses a wheelchair to get around (it's not clear if he's walking on his own at all).

This boy has had an unbelievably sad life.  His mother gave birth to a little boy with arthrogryposis, but she didn't refuse her child; they were together, only Patrick and his Mom.   The Mom had no money for treatment for her son.   In January 2011, the Mom found out that the Baby house opened a group for special needs children (like a kindergarten), and finally she would be able to find a job.  It was also important to her that her boy would meet other children with similar disabilities. So, Patrick started to visit the “kindergarten”, and his Mom wanted to find a job, but then she was diagnosed with cancer.  She was hospitalized, but any day when she could, she went to visit her son.  

In March his Mother died, and Patrick doesn't yet believe that his Mom won't come back.  It's heartbreaking to see this little boy in a wheel chair trying to find Mom's face in every lady coming to the Baby house.

$600.90 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

Isn't he sweet? My heart broke when I heard his story on Julia's blog. Tonight... we found out he has a FAMILY!!! I am sooo excited for him! :D And I was going to post about him tomorrow for Waiting Wednesday, but I guess he'll have to wait until a Friday! :) I am soo happy for his family, and I hope I get to meet them and their precious boy someday! :) And please don't stop donating to him!!! He only has $600 dollars in his account, but he needs over $20,000 to get home. Just because he has a family doesn't mean they don't need donations!! And keep checking to 'meet' his family on the New Commitments page! :)

And thank you everyone for your suggestions for 'Mazing Monday! Michelle, Lilya is coming on August 15th! :) And Andrea, thank you so much for the whole list! I will definitively be using it! :) And everyone else, I'm not done taking suggestions! (See previous post) I will also open it up to Waiting Wednesday, even though I don't usually have problems finding someone. Thank you all in advance!

Taking Suggestions for 'Mazing Monday and Faithful Friday!!!!

No one replied to my post earlier when I asked about who to do for 'Mazing Monday!

So does anyone know of any kids that are doing amazing and thriving at home that I could do for 'Mazing Monday? (Monday, August 8th is taken for a very special little boy, and nope he's not one of my little brothers!) If you know of any awesome kiddo's I could feature, please comment here or email me at forhisgloryhandiwork (at) gmail (dot) com!

And Faithful Friday!! Any lovely families who need help or support as they are trying to bring their kids home? Is it you?? This Friday is taken but no one is lined up for the next few Friday's! Again please comment here or email me at forhisgloryhandiwork (at) gmail (dot) com! They don't have to be families whose blogs I'm following either!

Thank you all! And don't be afraid to leave me a comment! It's not like I hate them or anything!! :)

Joshua Warner is coming HOME!

This sweet boy...

Is coming HOME! I posted a prayer request here - for the the Warner family, everything was going wrong as they were trying to get the last papers done to get him home.

From his mama's blog:

We are ALL coming home!!

Not sure if I will get a chance to post later as we are going to be pretty busy gathering things and getting ready for a 3a departure for the airport but as the title said:
WE ARE ALL GOING HOME TOGETHER!

She started first to listen to him and she said it was unclear in her mind if the x ray would be improved enough but that she promised a new x ray so she ordered it.

After what seemed like too long she came back and exclaimed much much better and she said she would be able to move him up a classification in order to allow him to fly. She said she had to contact the embassy to make sure it would be accepted and the proper way to do it since we did not follow the CDC exactly. They told her what they would accept and she was filling it out when I left to take Joshua back for a short nap.

Plan- embassy later today for final appointment and get visa. Buy more baby food for the trip home. Pack and at 3a Kiev time we head to the airport for our trip home. We will have a lay over in Frankfurt and Chicago but will be in Detroit at 6:38p est.

I can't promise a blog update right away. As you can imagine and can understand that by the time we drive the 2 hours to our hometown and spend the time with my parents and my children. I might very well be emotionally and physically drained. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your donations that allowed us to be able to stay the additional days needed for this mess to be sorted out. Thank you for the prayers! It really took an act of God since the doctor did not give us much hope at first this morning. She said it was unclear to her and I bowed my head, prayed and said well it isn't unclear to God and we could only see if it was his will. We feel absolutely blessed it was!

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Please continue to keep his family in your prayers though, as his new mommy has to go home and bury her sister this week.

Anyone have any idea for 'Mazing Monday??

Urgent! Vanya needs a family!!!

Vanya.

A 13 year old Ukrainian boy who needs a host family.

He is already on his way to America, and may be already here. All of the 15 children coming have families, except him! Here is a post from An adoptive mommy - Janice at We're taking Baby Steps.


This morning I am reaching out to you-- my friends, my co-horts in adoption, my family members and my bloggy readers-- for help with something very important and very close to my heart!

This Saturday July 23rd, just four short days away, a group of 15 amazing children looking for a family are coming to the United States from the Ukraine.  These are children who range in age from 5-13 who have lived their entire lives in orphanages, and now through the help of a group called Redline United, they have the hope of finding families to love them and call them their own.

Each of these children, or sibling groups, get assigned a "host family" for the three weeks that they are here-- July 23 thru August 13th.  Each of the host families pays for the costs associated with getting the child they are hosting here to the US-- plane tickets, passports, etc.  The total cost for this is $2750.

Redline's mission with each of these children is to find them a home first and foremost.  It could ultimately be with the family who hosts them, or a different family whom they meet through one of many activities and informational meetings they set up throughout the weeks.  Last year ALL of the 16 children who were hosted found families!!!!  All of them have been adopted already or are in the process of being adopted!!  Amazing.

Well this year there are 15 children coming, and all but one of them have host families.
Just one child, sweet 13 year old Vanya, is without a family to stay with here in the US.

Can you help us find him a host family???

The program is held in the Raleigh, NC area but you don't even have to live there to host this precious boy!  You can live anywhere in the United States.  Living in this area would give him access to the three week camp and activities, but their primary objective is to find this child a permanent home after camp is over, so they are open to host families anywhere.

The main deterrent for many families in hosting is of course the cost. 

Can you help Vanya find a host family by donating what you can to help cover his hosting fee??

I am setting up a chip-in on the side of my blog  (bottom of this post on Matthew 18:14) for donations.  Please, please consider donating!!  Every little bit can add up for this child!!!

Donations toward his hosting can also be made on the Redline website (so that they are tax deductible) athttp://www.redlineunited.org/donate/family-assistance-2/ with "Vanya hosting" in the memo, or checks can be made out to Redline United with the same (mailed to PO Box 31045, Raleigh, NC 27622-1045).

So Come On Everyone!!!  $2750 is not that much when divided up between many!!!  We can do this!!!  God can do this!  This child needs this opportunity to find a family of his own.  He needs to be able to come to the US with the other children and know what being in a family feels like.  Let's help him to have a CHANCE!

Please help by donating if you can!!!

Below is a little about Vanya, and the program, sent to me by one of the program's coordinators Amanda Devore:

"Vanya is 13 years old.  He is a quiet and sweet young man and is the oldest of all the children coming for the hosting program.  He lives in a poor rural orphanage in the Crimea region of Ukraine and has been in the orphanage system for at least 3 years. 

Redline United has been doing mission work in Ukraine since July 2007.  Our key focus has been to bring the love of Christ to orphans that are otherwise alone in the world.  We fell in love with these children and wanted to be a part of God's plan to place these lonely children into loving families (Psalm 68:6).  Last year we brought 16 children to Raleigh, NC to be hosted for a three week trip of a lifetime with a family.  While the children are here they get to learn about Jesus in our vacation Bible school camp, take English lessons, visit doctors, and experience things they could have never imagined -- like seeing the ocean for the first time and riding a bike.  The best part of the experience for them, is getting to be a part of a family - for some of them it's their first time.  This year we are bringing 15 more children.  We are hopeful that while the children are here we may be able to introduce them to a forever family!"

We helped out with this program last year and got to meet all the incredible children who came to the US last summer. Let me just say, it changed our lives and the lives of our children.  We only got to assist with this camp for two days, and that was all it took to open our hearts and our children's hearts to the plight of the orphan.  Our kids got to see that those children were just like them!  They loved to play, have fun and learn.  And they wanted the love of a family.  It was a major catalyst as well in spurring us on towards the adoption of older children.

Let's help Vanya know the love of a family.  Give him the opportunity to be one less orphan in this world.  Please.



Janice posted another post about him here - They are Arriving Soon! But he still needs a host family! Spread the word, and donate to his Chip-In!

Another place that needs families to host children is the Fresh Air Fund! Even though summer is started, they still needs hundreds of families to host! Please click on their button below to find out more!

Speaking for the Silent!

One of my favorite things (besides seeing them find families, come home, and blossom!) about advocating for these precious children is the people I get to meet along the way. One of the people I've met who is a fellow advocator - Caleb Lococo!

You can find him on his blog Swimming AGAINST the Tide, but he is most known from the ministry he founded with a few others - Speaking For the Silent. I've had the pleasure of getting to know him in the last few months. He met my mom and my Auntie Debbie in Ukraine when they were bringing Elijah home, and he was helping to bring his sister home. Boy, are he and his family awesome!!! We both have a ton of things in common (lots of younger sibling, adopted siblings, similar family vans, orphan advocators, etc) and he has helped me with a very special mission! ;D

Here is a post from Caleb:

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Explaining the Call (2 Weeks for 200)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Orphan Ministry is a special calling for a special group of people. While that doesn't make it exclusive or anything of that sort, Ministry requires superhuman amounts of emotional strength and perseverance. And if you don't feel compelled or driven, you'll probably find that this isn't quite your thing. No matter, though, everybody has a different calling in life. God knows where you'd fit best, and if it's not orphan care, its not Orphan Care!

At the same time, though, I feel like not enough people- especially guys, Christian and non-believing, try and get Orphan Care. Even if they're not called to it, at the very least, care of orphans falls into  the category of Human decency.  But anyway, I digress.

The purpose of following God's call in your life is, from my humble perspective, a matter of being a prophet for it and getting the Word out. Not just THE word (cue thunder and lightning) like the Gospels, but proclaiming that which God has drawn you towards to the rest of the world.

And in order to do that, I've made a short Promo Video, explaining our mission and what we're all about.


Speaking for the Silent Promotional Video from Caleb Lococo on Vimeo.

My hope is that through this video, the blog can get more circulation in a far easier fashion. I know I write insanely long posts. I thank all of you wholeheartedly who forge through them. But in a society of tweets and 420 character Facebook Statuses, I needed something short and sweet, yet affective.

Which brings me to the meaning of the title in Parentheses. Today, Tuesday, July 19th, I'm putting out a request for everyone to share Speaking for the Silent in some way, for the final two weeks of July. Yes, I'm aware that the final Tuesday is technically August 2nd. Oh well. In those two weeks, I'm asking every single one of you to share Speaking for the Silent in some way, shape, or form, and my hope is that by the end we'd have 200 likes on Facebook. If we can get a couple more followers on blogger, or even 200 views on the Promo Video, then by all means. But the purpose of this goes beyond numbers and statistics: the purpose of this is to spread word for the Plight of the Orphan and bring as many people as we can close to what I humbly believe is a large part of the Father's heart. Let's see where we can go!

Thanks a TON in advance,

Caleb

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Did you hear that? They want 200 likes on their FaceBook page! They have 118 right now, and they were just at 89 yesterday! Let's get them up to 200! The link is here (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Speaking-for-the-Silent/181147985252432), GO LIKE THEM!! 

This isn't about making their ministry bigger, it's about spreading the plight of orphans in EE, and that's what I'm all about!

And you can grab their button to help them spread the word!!

<br /> <a border="0" href="http://speaking4thesilent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k555/horsearoni/Buttons/S4TScollage.jpg"/></a><br />

Faithful Friday - The Plummer Family

Today, meet the Plummer family!

They are bringing home two little sweeties - Barbara and Matthew!

BARBARA & MATTHEW for the Plummer family–Lapeer, MI

UPDATED:  The Plummers have decided to bring home Matthew, too!

Jason and Ann have been married just shy of fourteen years. They have three biological children 11,9 and 6 years old. Jason is an auto cad engineer and Ann is a stay at home mom and also homeschools. Ann has always known there would be more children in her family but to her and her husband's surprise, the child they feel led to adopt has Down syndrome.   They are taking this journey of faith and know that God has walked before them beside them and behind them. They will continue this journey knowing that He is their biggest fan!   Your financial gifts will greatly help this family as they step forward into Russia to adopt Miss Barbara!     

7/14/11—FIRST TRIP JULY 20

 Follow the adoption journey of the  Plummer family on their blog at  www.TwoLivesOneJourney.blogspot.com

$22873.64 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

Aren't they both just sweet?!? If you have been following along for awhile you'll remember sweet Matthew's face! My friend Rachel fell in love with him, and we started advocating for him! I posted about him here - Matthew's Jars, reposted a post about him here - You Can Make a Difference, and here when he found a family - MATTHEW IS FOUND! And guess what! Matthew and Barbara get to meet their new mommy and daddy on Monday! :D I am soo excited! 

But, here's the catch - they still need $7000 to get Matthew home. They have just over a month to get it. Don't think it can happen? I'm gonna let you in on a secret - We serve one BIG GOD! And nothing. nothing. nothing. is impossible for our big God!

From Matthew and Barbara's mommy on her blog - 

We did receive permission to pay Matthew's commitment fee before our second trip which is $8250 so that means we have a little, not a lot, a little time to raise the last $7000. A few people have read and copied and old post of mine thinking we still need $9000 and little time to get it. I suppose some people may say $7000 in about 6weeks is not a lot of time either but if you know me I would say there is no time line God can not reach and the money issue has always been in his hands from the beginning.

Thank you all who have donated. Thank you for your love and support. We will be having a fundraiser sale the weekend we get back, praying it is as successful as the one last year.
I have added our donation links to the side bar. Please remember every dollar counts. We are blessed for what ever you are willing to give.

Won't  you join forces with me, Rachel, the girls at To Love the Unloved, and others to get these treasures home???


And here's a special deal, just for you - If you donate $10 to the Plummer's FSP, you can get and adorable Sock Monkey!

Just go to this post to see all the details! :) And you can enter a giveaway for this beautiful necklace!

It's $5 a chance, and $10 for 3 chances, just go here to this post to get in! All this is for Barbara and Matthew, so let's get them HOME!

In an institution...

Lay two sweethearts that need a family. I've posted about them before for Waiting Wednesday posts, and today they are heavy on my heart. Genesis and Natalia (RR links here and here).

Genesis' old photos:

When she first got listed

After she was transferred to an institution

Shortly after the last photo

Genesis' newest photo:

Natalia's photo:

It plain and simple breaks my heart. I started crying after seeing Genesis new picture. She's adorable, but they shaved all her beautiful hair off! I'm so glad she looks happy in the picture, but I bet as soon as whoever took the picture left the room, her toy was grabbed away from her, and she was pushed off whatever she was sitting on. :(

I don't have a new picture to share of Natalia, but she is 8, and very tiny. She has gorgeous blue eyes, and she needs a family NOW!!!

I ask you to please PRAY for these two sweeties! Not only pray for families, but pray for them! They are living in horrific sistuations, and need out before they perish!

And please don't forget Teri Lynn!

Her Grant now says:

$16428.30 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

Did you read that? That's as much as Eddie had in his grant! Please email Marianne at Marianne@reecesrainbow.org to make an inquiry to adopt her! She needs you NOW! She needs a family to CHERISH and LOVE her as my dear friend Rachel said in her post about her.

Pray. Please PRAY. And then ACT.

Waiting Wednesday: Maxim

This Wednesday (since it should actually be Waiting Wednesday instead of Mazing Wednesday!), meet Maxim!

Maxim (7)

Boy, Born September 15, 2004

Maxim is a precious little boy who has already been sent away to the institution. He needs a family immediately!! He is 6 years old, with blonde hair and blue yes.  He struggles with strabismus in both eyes and a significant tongue thrust, but surgery/glasses and OT will help with that!  Please give Maxim the chance to grow up in a loving family, so he can realize his full potential!!  We have already had a family adopt from this institution, so Maxim still has an opportunity to be saved and to live the life he so richly deserves!

From one of our adoptive families who visited with him in October 2010:   I don't know if I can openly share how the whole encounter went so I will just say that we were able to go and while we were there I was able to see Maxim. To hold him and love on him. To laugh as he passed gas and laughed about it. That was one of the best parts of the visit, how he thought "tooting" (is it called that when boys do it?) was just the funniest thing – just like any other 6 year old little boy would. He was so sweet and so alert and attentive to those who had come to visit with him. Here's a little rundown of his abilities that I witnessed first hand:

• He can pull up to stand and walk with assistance.
• He knows his name and responds to it.
• He has a sweet nature, personality, and sense of humor
• He copies hand motions (I believe he could learn to sign)
• He can crawl
• He likes cars!  They said he crawls through the window to look out when the car comes to their building.

In the one pic above where  you see his hands, he kept touching his thumbs together and so I put his pointers togehter to make a heart and after that he kept trying to do it himself. His worker was a really sweet lady who obviously believes that people with DS are capable. She hopes to see change in her country someday. That really touched my heart to know that he is being cared for by someone who believes that he can be something if given a chance. AND HE CAN!

I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT

Maxim's Mom and Dad? Where are you? I've seen him. I've held him and kissed his sweet face. He is waiting patiently for you to come for him. I KNOW, I just KNOW, that he will be the biggest blessing to his family. Please hear the call – for Maxim.

I've mentioned in several of my Waiting Wednesday posts (Logan and Ryan), and in one of my 'Mazing Monday posts (Liza Lorenz) that I visited their orphanage (orphanage (14) on RR) on my mission trip last summer. During my trip we not only got to visit the baby orphanage, but also the children's handicapped home in the same city! This children's handicapped home also happens to be orphanage (7) on RR! Even though I didn't get to see Maxim (we only played with the kids outside, and I'm guessing from his profile he doesn't get outside much), I was at his orphanage, and he is close to my heart as with all the kids of (14), (7), and (63)! Note: these numbers are made up by RR, they do not relate to the orphanages at all. 

I wish I had some photos to share of the other kids in his orphanage, but I was having so much fun with those precious kids that my camera didn't even make it off my hip! :) So I am going to share a post from Andrea G, who has met him, and posted about him for her Forever Family Friday post a week or so ago.

Maxim is at the special needs orphanage and although he is not in one of the groups I was working with, I have met him and can tell you from personal experience that he is a very sweet little boy.

I first met Maxim back in October when Liza’s parents were in country waiting to bring her home. Liza’s mom Melissa had fallen in love with Maxim on Reece’s Rainbow so we spoke with the director at the special needs orphanage and arranged to visit him. What a sweetheart! He was a tiny little guy with a shy smile who was proud to show off his standing/walking skills and then simply cuddle in our laps. We didn’t get to spend much time with him but by the time we left, there was no doubt that Melissa and I were both smitten.

 

A month or so later I got to see Maxim again when I went to visit another little girl from Reece’s Rainbow who was in the same group as him. I got to spend a little more time playing with him this time and once again, little Maxim captured my heart. He is such a happy, joyful little guy and as we played ball together I got to hear his adorable little laugh before he came to snuggle with me once more.

A while back Melissa wrote a very touching post about Maxim where she pointed out something that she had not noticed before. In one of the pictures she took of Maxim during our visit with him, Maxim was signing family!

 

The sign for family

When I first read that and looked up the sign for family, I literally got goose bumps – Melissa was not exaggerating, Maxim was doing it perfectly! Do I believe that Maxim miraculously learned sign language and was consciously letting us know what he wanted? No, but I do believe that God used that little boy’s hands to let us know what he truly needed – a family of his very own.

Maxim is nearly seven years old and with every birthday his chance at a family grows slimmer and slimmer. Maxim is loved by his caretakers who would love to see him find a family and be able to reach his fullest potential. Unfortunately, there are some changes going on in his orphanage right now (change in management, lower staff-to-child ratios, etc.) that have me concerned for Maxim’s wellbeing. Maxim has waited long enough, he needs a family now. Like Liza, because Maxim is considered an “older child” he does not have a grant of his own but right now there is $826 in the older boys’ grant so if you’re considering adopting Maxim, that grant could be his if you act fast. You can help Maxim find his family by sharing his story and praying that this forgotten little boy would be forgotten no longer. For more information or to donate, click here.