Special Needs Children

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.  -Helen Keller

Many things in life start off looking kind of rough.  When you only have a puzzle piece or two, it's difficult to see the whole picture.  You don't see a beautiful cake at first, you see a bowl full of flour, eggs, water, and whatever else goes into a cake (apparently, I'm not a baker).  The butterfly starts off as a yucky caterpillar. The wildflower starts out as a tiny brown seed. It takes time to develop into the finish product.

I was asked this week, "why would you want to adopt a special needs child?"  Well, every child deserves a chance to succeed and a have a family. But my biological son Brody is one of the biggest reasons for the desire to adopt a special needs child. He was born three months early weighing 2 lbs. The beginning of his life started off very grim. Had he been an orphan and families were reading his medical records, there would have probably been a lot of "no, thank you's."

Sitting in the waiting room outside of the NICU for many weeks, I saw children being given up because "it's too hard," "we want a normal baby," etc. So many times I've thought about my precious Brody in regards of what if he had been born into another family.  Would they have wanted the challenge of a difficult beginning? Would he have been loved just as he was, but also given every opportunity to overcome his circumstances?  Just the thought of someone not wanting him, breaks my heart.  He has been a delight every "ounce" of the way. Has it been easy, no. Has it been worth it, yes Yes YES!  He is what makes me want another child with special needs.

Brody is about to turn seven in a couple of days, and most people would never know the rough start he had.  He is miracle! I was told he would never live a "normal" life. Brody proved him wrong! Does every child have this success story? Sadly, no. But wouldn't it be great if every child got the opportunity to be love and cared for?!?!  It's ok to be nervous when thinking about adding a child with special needs into your family.  Those big medical terms and procedures are overwhelming.  Just remember it's just the beginning of that's child story...it doesn't have to be their ending. Love does amazing things! 

Happy Birthday Ryan and Brody!

They Cry Out "Love Me!"

I have come to realize more and more that the greatest disease and the greatest suffering is to be unwanted, unloved, uncared for, to be shunned by everybody, to be just nobody (to no one).  -Mother Teresa of Calcutta

UNICEF estimates the number of orphans at 210 million in the world in 2010. This includes the estimated 86 million orphans in India, 44 million orphans in Africa and 10 million orphans in Mexico.

That's a lot of children crying out "Love ME!"  My heart breaks thinking about 210 million children who feel unwanted and unloved.  I was talking with a friend this week who has adopted a little girl, and she said something very important and inspiring to me.  She said, "We just don't talk about orphans enough."  So today I'm going to talk about them.  Maybe so many children are not adopted because people are not aware of the great need to help these children.

Statistics of Orphans:
-Every 15 SECONDS, another child becomes an AIDS orphan in Africa
-Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans
-Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans (in Africa alone)
-143,000,000 Orphans in the world today spend an average of 10 years in an orphanage or foster home
-Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…
-Every YEAR 14,050,000 children still grow up as orphans and AGE OUT of the system
-Every DAY 38,493 children age out
-Every 2.2 SECONDS, another orphan child ages out with no family to belong to and no place to call home
-In Ukraine and Russia 10% -15% of children who age out of an orphanage commit suicide before age 18.
60% of the girls are lured into prostitution. 70% of the boys become hardened criminals.
-Many of these children accept job offers that ultimately result in their being sold as slaves.  Millions of girls are sex slaves today, simply because they were unfortunate enough to grow up as orphans.

Well reliable statistics are difficult to find, even the sources often list only estimates, and street children are rarely included. But even if these figures are exaggerated by double, it is still an unacceptable tragedy that over a million children would still become orphans every year, and every year 7 million children would still grow to adulthood as orphans with no one to belong to and no place to call home.  They are totally vulnerable and easily fall prey to predators and slave recruiters. The disastrous outcomes of most children who age out of institutional care is evidence that these children don’t know the meaning of love.

There are so many children who just want to be loved.  What will we all do about them?  Will we act like they don't exist or will we find ways to support them?

Support them by prayer

Support them by adopting

Support them by helping others adopt

Support them by helping their orphanges

Support them by being Foster parents

Support them by encouraging those who have been adopted

Support them by being a voice for them

Support them by however God leads you to love them

Just

 Support

Because

every child deserves to learn what it feels like to be loved

These are all pictures of children who are orphans.  Aren't they just beautiful creations!

I'm sure they all cry out "Love me!"

Will we love them???