The Wall of Fame

May 18,2012 Update:  Rose was found!  Today we learned that God moved and answered our prayers.  Rose has a family working towards bringing her home.  Praise God!!!

If you've been to my house you know I'm not a super fussy home-maker.  I like things picked up and clean (as clean as you can get with 4 little ones, 2 bunnies...blah blah blah...excuses...), but I'm not picky about decor or "the look" of my house.  I like my house to feel cozy and welcoming.  That's what's important to me. I want others to feel like they can cozy in and stay awhile.  No need to worry about rings on the coffee table, there's already dried playdough on it that has been stuck for longer than I'd like to admit.  When I want to change things up a bit and move the furniture I don't dare do it on my own.  I have no eye for things like that!  Jed is better at it.  We rely heavily on our friends Eric and Hannah for any choices having to do with paint colors and room rearranging.  Eric and Hannah are moving away soon...that makes me nervous. 

 I can't do it on my own!  I just can't!!!!

There's one spot in our house that I think is just beautiful.   To the casual observer it might just look like a bunch of scribbled on pictures tacked up on the wall.  To us it's much more than that.  Those pictures represent lives that we have grown to love and care about.  It also represents answered prayers.  It's a faith-building wall for me!

When we first discovered Reeces Rainbow back in the Fall of 2010 I had each of the kids pick one child from the site that they would pray for.  We printed out the pictures, the kids colored on them, we hung them up and started praying.  I wrote about what happened here.  To sum it up, God answered our prayers in big way!!!  One after another the kids on our wall were picked by families and snatched out of death into life.  We rejoiced with every single answered prayer.  It was so incredible to see God at work.  He really does answer prayer, folks- and my kids got to witness it. 

A couple days ago Jed noted the wall looked pretty empty.  Yep, he was right.  Time to pick out new kiddos to pray for!  Today was the day.  Each kiddo had their turn at the computer with Mommy.  They chose, on their own, who they would pray for.  It was so cute to hear the reasoning behind their choices.  

So......without further ado.....

THE JOHNSON FAMILY WALL OF FAME 2012

(The names of the children listed here are not their real names, but names given to them on Reeces Rainbow to protect their privacy) 

Havalah's pick:

LANIE

 Havalah picked Lanie because "She has glasses like me and she has a baby like me!"

Isn't Lanie a doll!!!  She was just recently listed on Reeces Rainbow and I hadn't noticed her yet.  I'm so glad Hava did!  Lanie will be 6 years old in August and lives in Eastern Europe.  Here's what's said about her on Reeces Rainbow:

Developmental delays; moderate level of hearing loss
Monitored by cardiologist:  auricular septal defect, but no restrictions.  History of tuberculosis of lymphatic nodes in her babyhood.
Laura is very quiet, deliberate, she likes to play individual games. She builds towers from the toy-blocks, puts the pyramid from the rings, likes to play with Legos, flips through books, tears to pieces sheets of paper, she takes items from one box and puts into another.  The functional playing dominates in her games.  She is interested in various toys and activities. She explores the surroundings, likes to smell the objects. The focus of attention is not sufficient, she gets quickly distracted.

Fron 2011 Report:  She is eager to communicate with adults. She does not differentiate between familiar people and strangers. Her language is incomprehensible. She likes to look over and notices the details of the clothes and jewellery. She watches her surroundings and actions of the other people. She says some meaningful words: “bye”, “mummy”, “what’s here”, “I want to poop”. She tries to repeat the words and movements: clapping “katu-katu”, “viru-viru kose” (it is the game played counting the fingers). She understands some of the words, which describe the movements. She can show the clothes, which she wears, and some parts of the body also. She tries to take off and put on her shoes and socks, to button the buttons. She performs simple tasks. She feeds herself and drinks from the cup independently. She draws the lines on the paper and is very interested in these lines. She has started playing story-games: she carries and cradles her dolls, makes the porridge and tea on the sand, offers to drink it and etc.

Sweet Lanie is trying so hard!  It sounds like she has so much potential.  Could you be her Mommy?

Ezra's Pick:

Seth

Well, if you know my Ezra at all it won't be hard for you to discover why he picked this little lovebug!  Ezra absolutely ADORES his little brother Seth.  He knew he wanted his choice to be a baby boy with Down Syndrome, and when we saw a baby named Seth the choice was made.  Ezra is in love.  I think I might be too.  :)  Seriously- they don't get much cuter than this little Seth!  Seth lives in Eastern Europe and will be 2 in July.  Please, please help me find a family for Seth.  He is so young.  If a family is found soon he will never see the inside of an institution.  There is no future for him if he's not adopted.  I can't bear to think of this sweet, chubby little face sitting, rocking, bored in an institution.  Let's get him out while he has a chance to thrive with Early Intervention and the arms of a Mommy and Daddy! 

        Addy's Pick: FOUND!!!!

Rose

Rose

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!!!!!  Rose is too adorable for words.  I can't stand it.

Here's what Reece's Rainbow has to say about her:

Diagnosis: Down syndrome

Sweet Rose is 4 years old now.  She has been living in a foster family her whole life.  Isn’t she darling!?   With a glowing smile she waits for her forever family.  She has had surgery to correct some valves in her heart, she is healthy now.  She is described by her caregivers as happy and affectionate.

Full medical info avail from the agency partner.

• Single parents may adopt
• No family size restrictions
• Both parents must travel to the country and stay until completion of adoption — approx 5-7 weeks (one parent may leave after a week or two)
• Estimated total cost $21,000-24,500
• Multiple unrelated children may be adopted together

Addy"s Second Pick (She's like her Mommy...how can you pick just one!):

Gemma

Addy loves the children with Down Syndrome.  You should have heard her as she scrolled through all the pictures, "Mommy, oh look at this one!  Oh this one is so cute!  Oh I love her..." And on and on and on.  She kept coming back to Gemma, so Gemma it is!  Gemma turned 5 in January and she has already been transferred out of her baby house. :(  I'm so happy Addy chose her.  She's one of the ones I've never noticed before and this sweet little one needs our help.  Please pass her photo around.  You just never know!  It only takes that one special person seeing it to change Gemma's life forever.  She has no future at all if she's not rescued.

Mommy's Picks (Yes, I know, I have 3...what's a girl to do???):

Heath

You've probably heard me talk about Heath before.  :)  Heath is pretty special to me.  He's a "Lost Boy".  Oh my word, when we were there, in Heath's orphanage I was looking around constantly to see if I could catch a glimpse of him.  No such luck.  You can read about last month's miraculous visit to the Lost Boys here.  Heath has many people around the country that love him very much and would totally get behind any family that committed to going after him.  You would not be alone in this rescue operation.  Please consider Heath!

Here is his summary on Reece's Rainbow:

Heath is an eleven year old boy with Down Syndrome. He is tiny in stature. His feet hardly reach the edge of his shared wheelchair. Because of his age, he has already been transferred from the stimulating environment of his baby house to a dull and underfunded mental institute for boys ages 6-18. He is no longer the youngest boy in his group, but he is certainly among the smallest.

Heath is not a recent transfer. He has lived in the stifling boredom of institution life for a long time. He has lost the vivacity of life at the baby houses. In his three years at the institute, he has been given nothing of his own. He has not seen a book or a toy. He has never been gathered into anyone's loving arms. He is a very lonely little fellow in desperate need of love and comfort.

We have few other details on Heath. He has been seen in a wheelchair, so he may not be able to walk. We don’t know if or how well he talks, or any other details on his medical condition. We do know that he is a cute, chubby-cheeked, dirty and neglected lonely little lost boy who needs a mother more than almost anyone else in the world.

Next up....

Hanson

Hanson is another Lost Boy.  He lives in the same orphanage as Heath.  Hanson is 7 years old and will be bedridden for life if something doesn't change.  Hanson represents the burden and passion that God has put in our hearts.  He lays down.  He most likely never sees the outside of his crib.  He most likely never feels the sun on his face.  That will be his fate for the rest of his certainly short life if he is not saved.  Sweet, sweet boy.  Please look beyond the horrible outfit he's in.  Please look beyond the disability and see the child of God, created precious in God's sight. His beloved baby...this can not be his destiny!!!  There are certainly many challenges facing Hanson's parents (I know they're out there!) once they get him home, but I know God will give abundant grace and joy in the journey.

Here's what Reece's Rainbow says about Hanson:

HELP!   I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED!

Don't mind the pink shirt, this is a boy!  

From his medical records:  Congenital defect of the central nervous system, rachischisis of transverse part of spine, internal hydrocephalus, ventriculoperitoneostomia, flail legs (low extremities paraparesis).

Hanson has been transferred to the mental institution already.  He is living in a very rural place, and is a "lost boy" now.    Hope someone will advocate for him!

Last, but certainly not least!!!

Aiden

My Boy

Oh my dear, sweet Aiden, the child of my heart.  Last spring, after Jonah was taken home by his family, my pick was Aiden.  When everything fell through I was sure Aiden was the one meant for us.  God had other plans.  I love this boy so much it hurts.  No, we've never met.  I love him still.  He sits alone, he pokes his eyes for stimulation.  He sits alone.  I am desperate for him to find a family.  Aiden is the one babe on our Wall of Fame that has stayed.  All the others were snatched up by their families (Praise God!), but Aiden stuck around.  I love seeing his sweet face on the wall, but oh how I wish I had a reason to take it down.  I know why he keeps being passed over...his family just hasn't seen him yet! :)  Please help me find them.  I know right now I can't be his mommy, so I'm desperate to find the one who can.  Are you his Mommy?  If not, can you help me find her? 

Here is his Reece's Rainbow file:

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.

From a missionary who spent several months at his orphanage at the end of 2011:

Aiden is a complicated little boy. His years of minimal attention and probably some sensory issues seem to be the biggest of his struggles. He does at times hit his head or bite his hands to self stimulate. He let me hold and comfort him when he hit his head harder than he meant to one time, which was a great sign as far as attachment and trust goes. I like to refer to Aiden as my "mouthy" boy. He loves to chew on hard toys, and he very much enjoyed holding a slinky in his mouth and shaking his head to make it fly back and forth. He does not seem to have any vision at all. He navigates fairly well despite his lack of sight. His favorite thing ever is to be tickled. He has a wonderful smile and laugh. He will need a lot of attention and stimulation to help him to recover from all he has experienced, but I think he would really blossom with the right family!

More pictures available.

There you have it!  If you've stuck with me this far I applaud you.  Please help me pass the word about these babes.  We would love it if you would pray with us for God to protect them and keep them until their families find them.  We are believing that He has a plan and a purpose for each of them!

You can click on any of the names below the pictures to go directly to their page on Reece's Rainbow.  

I can't wait to see who we get to take off the wall first!!!