I love shouting for these kids. Getting them out there. But what I love even more is watching kids come home and change immensely. Happier, fatter (in a great way :) ) and most of all, loved. Some of these kids waited sixteen years without being loved. Remember Salome? I yelled for her for months. Up until her aging out date. Then I just stopped because I thought there was no hope left for her. Then just a few days later, she was on the My Family Found Me page on Reece's Rainbow. Now check out this blog post. This is an update on my friend Salome.
Meet Mikah.
He has been in his orphanage for twelve years. That is twelve Christmas's that he has spent alone. Twelve birthdays that went without celebration. Mr. Mikah has hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy.
This is an old picture of Mikah. Someone who met him just last month took new pictures of him. They also said he was happy and engaged when they were visiting him. That is wonderful. He looks so unhappy in the photo above. So sad and depressed. Longing for a mommy.
He looks so much happier. He is still waiting for a mommy. Longing to be loved for the rest of his life. Love that he can feel. I love him and many other advocates love him but he can't feel it. He doesn't even know we exist. He needs a mommy to hold him, to rock him to sleep, to comfort him when he has a bad dream, to hug him when he is crying.
His orphanage has made a huge change in how they care for kids. Just by looking at sweet Mikah you can tell.
Now meet Brandon.
Brandon is in the same Region as Mikah. Brandon is 10 years old. He has spastic diplesia cerebral palsy. He lived the first eight years of his life with zero medical attention.
This picture is before he started getting proper medical help. I am so happy that he is receiving medical care, but there is always more that can be done. He has spent ten years in his crib. Rarely being taken out. He needs a momma to hold him and love him. He doesn't know what love feels like. Instead of wishing for a PS3 or an iPhone all Brandon wants for Christmas is a family.
Look at Brandon two years after receiving professional medical care for the first time. He looks so happy. Imagine how happy he would be if he was in a home with a momma and daddy and brothers and sisters. The smile I see on Brandon's face melts my heart. The agency representatives that visited took the more recent photos in fall of this year. They reported that Brandon is responsive and interactive. They watched him play with a light up toy with buttons. *imagining his face on Christmas morning playing with a new light up toy*
These boys make my heart melt. They are so much happier. BUT they could be happier in a loving home. Please pray, shout, advocate, and donate to these sweet boys. Pray for their families. If they already know that one (or both) of these boy's are theirs. And if they don't that they would realize it and start the process to bring them home.
Remember that every dollar counts. Every penny is one less penny the family has to worry about while they are working to bring their child home. Every dollar, one hundred less pennies that the family has to worry about. Even if you can't donate, pray. Pray for their families and that God would lay it on their hearts to reach out for them.
Thank you!
Merry Christmas
