Don't worry, Elijah is fine. He's healthy, gained a ton of weight, smiles all of the time, is learning new signs everyday, loves wrestling with his brother, and just LOVES being LOVED. Why??? Because he has a family!!! God ordained us his family from the moment he was born. Of that, I have NO doubt. Absolutely none. (Sometime, I'll have to do a post about how the Lord has been preparing me the last 20+ years to be his mother. The more things I remember, the more it amazes me.)
People have asked me what the most difficult part of the adoption process was. Two things stand out to me. First, meeting Elijah's birth parents. I can't imagine the continued depth of their pain. Please pray for his mama's heart to be healed. Second, THE most difficult thing was leaving those children left behind. I knew that going in. I just never realized how difficult it would be. Debbie realizes this now too. I was able to become a bit emotional numb though. I needed to in order to cope and not leave the visits in tears - every.single.day.
Today, we learned from a family that is at Elijah's former orphanage right now, that sweet Masha will be transferred within the WEEK! By saying "transferred", I mean she will be sent away from the only place she's ever known to a horrible "home for the invalids". That's what the locals call it anyway. It's a mental institution, insane asylum...whatever you want to call it. You get the point. This is NO place for a child of ANY age, let alone one so full of life! I posted about Masha a little while ago here. Several people have posted about Masha today, including Stephanie who is still raising funds for her, Summer, who also met Masha, and my friend, Ashley, new to the blogging world, who shares about her Aunt Marsha with Down syndrome and Masha. Precious!
WE NEED TO STORM HEAVEN ON BEHALF OF THIS LITTLE GIRL! Please pray for a miracle to happen! A "paper ready" family needs to step forward ASAP to possibly save her from transfer. If/when they do, please pray the director consents to keeping her there until her family comes. Also, please pray for her grant to continue to grow. Thank you!
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My heart is also VERY heavy for another little person at Elijah's orphanage...Eddie. He turned 4 in August. My gut tells me that the doctors that were checking out Masha today, also visited Eddie in his grouppa room on the other end of the building, preparing for his transfer to this same place. I don't think I've posted too much about Eddie before. It's been too hard for me to write what I want to say, what I can say, and what I should say. Eddie was NOT liked by the nannies, for whatever reason. None of them. They treated him like an animal. Yes, I saw this first-hand with my own eyes. He was shut away in a dark room because he fussed to get out of his
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| Introducing EDDIE!!! This is where he spent most of his time. Rarely was he allowed to be "out and about" to play with the other boys. |
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| You should have seen his face light up when I gave him just a few seconds of attention. So cute! |
There's more...please keep reading.
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Remember Shea???
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| Shea is on the right. His smile totally lights up a room! |
PLEASE PRAY SHEA IS HELD AT THE ORPHANAGE UNTIL HIS FAMILY COMES FOR HIM!!! A transfer to the institution would be devastating for him. He is loved by the nannies, and frankly, a bit spoiled by some of them. :-) I can't imagine what a life in a crib in an institution would do to him until his family comes for him.
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All of this talk of transfers to institutions would not be complete with out mentioning "Tori". Tori's new name will be Reagan! Her family is adopting a beautiful little girl with Ds from Elijah's former orphanage, as well as Reagan.
Reagan WAS transferred probably close to a year ago. Her family will be the FIRST family to adopt out of this institution, thus blazing a trail for other families coming behind them (like Eddie's family!). Since they have gotten to her region, they have heard all about how "difficult" the director of this institution can be to work with and that she will NOT allow adoptions out of this institution because she feels they have no worth.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE LORD TO KNOCK DOWN THIS "MOUNTAIN" AND FOR HER FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO BRING HER HOME!!! Please pray specifically for this director's heart to be softened towards the Burmans and to allow them to adopt Reagan. I'll try and keep you posted on this, as their blog is private.
Thank you all so much for your faithful prayers! May the Lord bless you!
4 comments:
I thought of you this morning, as I was posting new HUGE grants for Eddie & Masha!
Things are moving & a-shaking ... here's hoping those babies get to come home!
Did I mention their grants are HUGE?! :)
I would so love to be able to go get Masha!! Praying that their families come soon!!!!
I remember when adopting our little one with DS, I brought a photo book full of pictures of my older two boys (both Russian adoptees). One boy is in a wheelchair, and the other wears prosthetic legs. The pictures showed them smiling, happy, doing all kinds of neat things (like flying an airplane!). I know that those pictures deeply influenced the jurors and the other court people, as well as the director, etc. Maybe those of us who have adopted special kids from other countries could join up some family pictures for an album to show these people who don't understand that these kids live as normal lives as other kids?? It's just an idea. I'd certainly be willing to submit some photos for a book like that.
Praying too, especially for Masha, Eddie, Sergey and Camille! Come on Lord, open the doors!! We need miracles for these babes! Could these four be adopted together if a family came forth for them? Jennifer
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