For the past six weeks, I’ve been working hard to fundraise for a precious little four-year-old boy who desperately needs a family. He lives in an orphanage in China, and by all reports, this is not a “good” orphanage. Although, really, there are no “good” orphanages, but some do provide higher quality care than others. This little boy is in this cold orphanage instead of a loving family because he was born missing a hand. That’s it. Just a missing hand. I’m guessing most of us here in the U.S. have met someone with a missing limb or a limb that is formed differently. And usually, it doesn’t really slow them down at all because a missing hand is not a big deal.
So this little boy was abandoned and has spent the last four years in an orphanage. He is now showing significant developmental delays in addition to his missing hand. And that scares away potential families. They think, “What if he can’t catch up?” And I say, “Yes, what if? Does that make him less of a person? Less deserving of love, medical care, therapy, education? Does that mean he doesn’t have potential?” The question that scares me is “How much of his potential is being lost every day he sits in that orphanage? What if he never even has the chance to catch up because no one will take a chance on him?”
Our Kellin is still significantly delayed after almost two years home. He is still mostly nonverbal and needs a lot of help with all his self-care. But two years ago, at age 3 ½, he was too weak to sit up, couldn’t tolerate touch, and ate only from a bottle. He’s come SO FAR! And the update on Quinntavius from when he was 3 ½ shows that he had many more skills than Kellin did.
I can tell you that I personally know of two families who adopted children around 4-5 years old with limb differences. Both of these children were malnourished and more like infants developmentally. And now both of those children are rapidly catching up to their peers. They are walking, talking, and playing. What if this could be Quinntavius’s story too, if only someone would take a leap of faith??
And even if Quinntavius is meant to follow a different path, that doesn’t make his life any less worthy or perfect, just different. I have no doubt he will bring so much joy to a family, as Kellin has brought to ours.
I am truly thankful for every person who has donated and bought bookmarks or muffins to help build Quinntavius’s adoption grant. Every dollar in his account raises the chances that a family will be able to bring him home. The money is important. But a family is more important. Could you be that family for him??
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| http://reecesrainbow.org/93916/quinntavius |
