Praying for children to find their forever home

I have had many posts in mind relating to different subjects, but I have not been able to stop thinking of something constantly that has tugged at my heart since I first heard this story and saw this picture.  My life is full of good things, so my stories can wait.  This boy coming home to his family cannot.

Kirill waiting to come home with his mommy.

This picture speaks me to each and every time I have looked at it.  In this picture this little boy is right where he needs to be, in his mommy's arms being loved on.  But, he isn't in them permanently yet.  He was denied his family. Since this story broke about the Davis family (who I don't know), we have seen our community come together to share his story. The Davis family is appealing this decision so that he can come home where he belongs.  You can follow Kirill and the Davis family here.  Please be in prayer for them as they continue to lay before God their hearts desire, one of which is to complete their family.

We have two more families standing before the judge who denied Kirill a chance to come home.  One family, the Hooks, met the judge yesterday.  Court was dismissed until tomorrow, so we are praying that this judge is going home to think of how she can forever alter the story of a child who has no voice in the system there.  Another family, the Moreno's, will also stand before this same judge soon.  Pray, pray, pray people.  The fate of these children lie in this person's judgement.  Kirill was the first Down syndrome adoption attempted out of this region.  There is still so much work to be done on behalf of these children as evidenced by the decision to say no to someones future.  

I read a book the other day.  I honestly wanted to read it because I don't want to ever forget what these children need.  That we are the voices for the unspoken.  The book I read---The Boy from Baby House 10: From the Nightmare of a Russian Orphanage to a New Life in America, was about a young man who was able to leave the system.  The link to this book is here.  He remembered his time in his baby house and in a mental institution before coming home to his mom.  Very moving book about Vanya and those who helped him to a new life.

The baby homes are the better places for these children when they are dismissed from their families.  It is far better than the alternative.  They are taken much better care of than in the mental institutions where they are assigned and sent as young as 5.  How could children be made to live with grown adults?  There are horror stories of what happens in these places.  I cannot turn a blind eye or ear to what the fate of these children are.  I think of those children being fed assembly line, never knowing how a sweet, ripe, juicy strawberry will taste.  I think of those children lying in their beds with no soft touches, no sweet kisses, no I love yous being spoken to them, their cries unheard.  I think of these children never given a chance because of circumstances beyond their control.  I think of how lucky my Katie is to be here with me.  That she has a chance to live a good life.  We have to remember that even 50 years ago here in the United States, many children were sent to institutions here.  In the United States, we have shown the potential of these children when given a chance to be loved and to be raised in a home.  We, the families of those who have children with Down syndrome, are the examples for the countries who still put their babies in these homes because they have been told there is no future for them.  The pioneers of this movement belongs to those such as Andrea Roberts with Reece's Rainbow,  who help bring the faces of these children and their stories to us here, to those of us who can help them. 

It would be easy to be bitter and full of dislike for a judge who said no, but this is far bigger than a judge.  This is about working on this judge's mind and heart.  It is about making this judge see the potential of the life that they can be a part of if they aren't sent to an institution.  It is about knowing that love, comfort, praise and believing in someone can be the catalysts for a different path in their life.  Something is bigger than this judge or even anyone who doesn't believe in our children.  His name is God, our Lord and Saviour, the reason we exist.  The reason Katie and Kirill exist and all those with an extra chromosome.  My fellow believers of Christ, please take a moment to pray.  Pray for those who need our voices to be heard.  Pray for those that don't know you, don't realize the redeeming love and life you bring to us.  Change their hearts by changing their minds. 

Cry out for insight and understanding.  Search for them as you would lost money or hidden treasure.  Proverbs 2:3-4

Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier.  ~Author Unknown