As many of you know William and I have so joyfully adopted 4 girls in the last 4 years....all international adoptions (Guatemala, Colombia and Trinidad/India....just born here in the states) and 3 of which have Down Syndrome.....just a little something extra special..... I was looking at different friends blog's and come across this....I am so passionate about adoption...so passionate about Down Syndrome....and I think that she did a fabulous job at putting this to words. October is Down Syndrome awareness month and then November is National Adoption Month....wont you help make Oct and Nov 2008 a very special year for a lucky family celebrating their new little DS angel????? Any amount will help that happen......read below. This may be disturbing to some, but it is reality!!!! I am so thankful we heard the Lord's calling and forever changed the course of their life for our 3 little angels with DS.
Imagine for a moment that you lived in a foreign country, perhaps somewhere in Eastern Europe, or Asia or Africa. You found out that you were expecting a child. The day of your baby's birth was finally here but instead of smiles of joy, a solemn and grim silence filled the delivery room. The doctor's words- "Your baby has Down syndrome (or cerebral palsy or spina bifida). There is no hope for this child, he will be a burden to your family. The best thing would be to release him to an institution. " You do not have a lot of money and there is not much of a support system in place to help, so you do as was recommended and send your new baby away.
He is taken to an orphanage where little if anything is done to assist him to develop to his full potential. When he reaches the age of 4, he is sent to an institution.
Recent reports have come out about the realities of some of these institutions in Serbia. A life spent living in conditions like these is basically a death sentence and most certainly torture. Many of these children spend the rest of their lives restrained to the same crib they slept in as a baby, even as adults.
Many turn to self-destructive behavior due to the lack of stimulus (they would rather feel pain than nothing at all).
Some of these images are graphic but unfortunately this is the reality of life for many innocent souls who did nothing wrong but have a condition that ANYBODY (including us and our children) could have been born with.
Being the typical kind of person living here in America without a ton of money or influence as I am, it is really hard to know what to do to help or even if it is possible for me to do anything that could improve this situation.
But there is something..................
Reece's Rainbow is an organization that brings hope to the hopeless and joy to a family that has been searching for their forever son or daughter....I am a part of this group online and are very proud to spread the word!!! Their purpose is to facilitate overseas adoptions of children with Down syndrome and give these kids the priceless gifts of family, love and opportunity the all so deserve!
Spend a minute looking at the faces of these children waiting for a home to call their own, waiting for a chance at life.
I realize that most of us are not in a position to adopt a child from a foreign country with special needs but there are families who are! There are good people who want to make the world a better place for a child and are willing to put their actions where their heart is. We can help these families bring the children of
Reece's Rainbow home by giving any amount of donation to sponsor. Unfortunately adoptions are expensive and the cost is a limiting factor in what many families can do.
Many of them are approaching the age in which they will be sent to an institution (and will loose the chance of having a family of their own) if they are not adopted soon. A few are from Serbia.
Helping these children by donating or even just spreading the word can truly save lives.
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