Jay and Trey

We were just informed also that China’s national child welfare organization (CCCWA) realizes it's “system” is inefficient and is closing from December 28^th for a week to re-organize. This could mean things will get a lot quicker! This could also mean things will slow down for a learning curve.  I’m learning not to like knowing practically nothing about the progress of our case, but resigning myself to it.

All this to say, it’s a brutal process, this road to adoption. And yet, I am going to keep advocating for it. Our social worker just asked me today “Do you think you might know anyone who would want to adopt Trey?” He had a family pursuing him, but then it just fell thru this week.  Another little boy, "Jay",too, had a family pursuing him who changed their mind on him a week or so ago.

Both Trey and Jay were sitting next to Peng in the first picture we ever saw of him.

If there is ANYTHING good about the orphanage taking SO LONG to prepare these kids files, it’s that it gives our agency a few extra months of trying to find homes for a few of the children.

This means that a family who has not started the adoption process AT ALL, probably has time to begin a home study, prep their dossier and get going to submit a Letter of Intent to China to adopt one of these little guys.

But that family would have to act fast.

Once the boys are registered, a two month clock starts ticking. If our agency can’t find homes for them, they go to a master list where it is not uncommon for children to sit for years because no one is specifically advocating for them.  If they do end up finding a family, it will be hard for us to find that family.  My prayer and hope has been for Peng to be able to keep the door open to know where his buddies from his early years will be.  In a dream world, they’d be in Minnesota! If not, it would be great to at least know where they are so the boys could have this link to their past. They will have lost so much, including the link to their birth parents. My hope is that they could at least they could stay connected to each other.

I guess, what I’m asking here is….

I wonder if someone reading this post is open to adopting Trey or Jay. 
 

I would love to share more about them.

Trey
 

Trey is an adorable almost 4 year old boy in our Yangzhou partnership orphanage. His file is being readied. His classification will be LID only, because he was treated in the first two weeks of life with antibiotics for a condition he was exposed to. All gone and no residual effects! He looks so serious, and he can focus well, but he knows how to have fun too. He has a buddy(Jay), and they are a riot together!!! He has normal development.

Trey

Trey

Jay

Jay was a little delayed because of his cleft, but in the past year or so has caught up in all areas.  He can speak, but his speech is not entirely clear. His receptive language and understanding is normal. He is a very animated and playful little boy. He is sociable, but has a best friend and shares a room with him. They were observed together and they do seem to share a bond of friendship.  They both loved popping bubbles from a bubble machine and laughing hysterically. Jay had surgery thanks to a medical team from Hong Kong that comes to the area once a year to provide surgery.  The lip was neatly repaired. Jay attends preschool class in the orphanage.  Jay takes directions well from adults and behaves well, despite his playful nature.  Very cute boy with a great personality! 

 

Here is a video highlighting Jay. This was just taken last week! (Trey is in the background in the red shirt)
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljTtvcOpeTw&feature=youtu.be
 

During this waiting time for Peng's file to be registered, I am trying to utlize the connections I have made and be pro-active in advocating for the other kids who are still waiting for families.  If Peng could know Trey and Jay as they grow up, it would be a gift to all three boys.

Adoption is not an easy path. This process alone can be brutal...wait, I already said that, didn't I? But I imagine the harder parts are yet to come as we walk with Peng through the grief, loss, frustration, and all the ramifications that institutional life can have on a child.  Even through all this - I believe it is worth it. These little lives are worth it. They are young and they can heal with the proper support.

Please consider if God is asking you to be the one to journey with them.

If He's not, pay attention to your heart as you pray for these boys and if someone comes to mind, would you forward them this blog?

Don't limit your thinking to families who have no biological children. There are many who may be willing to take this step of faith to see God's healing hand in a child's life, but just need an invitation. And if money is the issue, please encourage them that there are many financial resources out there as well as the reality that God is bigger than money.

The contact for learning more about Trey and Jay is Pam Thomas at Across the World Adoptions. atwachina@gmail.com

Thanks for caring about us, our journey, Peng and his buddies too. 
Happy week to you all :)