Adoption News, Blogs, and Stories
Progress on our 28 Families campaign!! We are SO happy...
August 9, 2009
I wish you could all hear Vivian, LinJing and I when we see each other. We can't get the words out fast enough..."Did you hear? We have a family for the Deaf boy's friend!" "A family called today about the girl in the blue dress!" "A family is considering the boy with the cleft lip and palate!" "Someone has asked about The Little Man!" "Another family said 'yes' today!" As of last week we had AT LEAST TEN children being considered. It is like music to our ears. And not only for what the families will give to these children but also for what the children will give to these families.
Over the past several days I decided to take on the task of spreading the word about the six Deaf children we are looking to place; although we have made strides in matching some of the other children, we had only had one person come forward regarding these kids. A few nights ago I drafted an email and sent it to 4 places that serve people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The next day I received a reply from the Executive Director of a School for the Deaf who asked to meet with me because he wants to help find families for these kids. I am SO GRATEFUL for his assistance, and look forward to our meeting--first thing tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, another inquiry I sent out was to a Jewish Congregation for the Deaf in California. The administrator there forwarded my email to their members and one of those members posted in on a Deaf/Hard of Hearing listserv. Within 24 hours I had received FIFTEEN emails from people all over the country who are interested in adopting these six children. I spent much of my weekend exchanging emails with people regarding these children. I'll admit to being a little worn out--BUT I AM SO HAPPY I can barely contain myself.
This experience with reaching out on behalf of the six Deaf children has turned out to be such a great model for what we are trying to do. If we can find a way to spread the word about older children in China who need families, or about children in China with cleft lip/palate issues who need families, or about children in China with vision issues who need families, etc. etc. we CAN succeed. But we know that we cannot do it alone.
Many years ago I read the book "The Little Prince." In it, a little boy falls in love with a flower. He explains that he has "tamed" it, meaning that he has come to know it and value it as something unique and special and different from all the flowers. He goes on to say that "You become responsible forever for what you have tamed." Well, we have been "tamed" by these 28 children, and now it is our responsibility to help find families for them. I know that you know these children only through my words, but it is my hope that you, too, will come to know them and to appreciate them and will allow yourself to be "tamed" by them. I should tell you that letting yourself be tamed carries a degree of responsibility--but what you receive in return is so incredibly sweet.
Until another day...Renee
I wish you could all hear Vivian, LinJing and I when we see each other. We can't get the words out fast enough..."Did you hear? We have a family for the Deaf boy's friend!" "A family called today about the girl in the blue dress!" "A family is considering the boy with the cleft lip and palate!" "Someone has asked about The Little Man!" "Another family said 'yes' today!" As of last week we had AT LEAST TEN children being considered. It is like music to our ears. And not only for what the families will give to these children but also for what the children will give to these families.
Over the past several days I decided to take on the task of spreading the word about the six Deaf children we are looking to place; although we have made strides in matching some of the other children, we had only had one person come forward regarding these kids. A few nights ago I drafted an email and sent it to 4 places that serve people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The next day I received a reply from the Executive Director of a School for the Deaf who asked to meet with me because he wants to help find families for these kids. I am SO GRATEFUL for his assistance, and look forward to our meeting--first thing tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, another inquiry I sent out was to a Jewish Congregation for the Deaf in California. The administrator there forwarded my email to their members and one of those members posted in on a Deaf/Hard of Hearing listserv. Within 24 hours I had received FIFTEEN emails from people all over the country who are interested in adopting these six children. I spent much of my weekend exchanging emails with people regarding these children. I'll admit to being a little worn out--BUT I AM SO HAPPY I can barely contain myself.
This experience with reaching out on behalf of the six Deaf children has turned out to be such a great model for what we are trying to do. If we can find a way to spread the word about older children in China who need families, or about children in China with cleft lip/palate issues who need families, or about children in China with vision issues who need families, etc. etc. we CAN succeed. But we know that we cannot do it alone.
Many years ago I read the book "The Little Prince." In it, a little boy falls in love with a flower. He explains that he has "tamed" it, meaning that he has come to know it and value it as something unique and special and different from all the flowers. He goes on to say that "You become responsible forever for what you have tamed." Well, we have been "tamed" by these 28 children, and now it is our responsibility to help find families for them. I know that you know these children only through my words, but it is my hope that you, too, will come to know them and to appreciate them and will allow yourself to be "tamed" by them. I should tell you that letting yourself be tamed carries a degree of responsibility--but what you receive in return is so incredibly sweet.
Until another day...Renee
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