Advocating for Ruslan

When we adopted our kids, we met some other parents who were adopting from the same orphanage, and some who had already adopted from it, and in a way, it felt as if those kids were our kids' siblings. We got to see pictures of our children that other parents had taken when they were there to get their kids, and some of the children were in the pictures over and over again.

http://reecesrainbow.org/1134/ruslan
This is a little guy who was in some of the pictures of our kids from when they were younger. He also has Down Syndrome, and he aged out of the baby house, and was transferred to the mental institution. He is still available for adoption, and he would still be blessed to have a family to belong to, who would love him and cherish him for the unique person he is, made in the image of God.

For the last few weeks, he has been on my heart and mind, and I've been praying for him. I know that God knows the name of each one of these children, and I believe that he has put this child on my heart for a specific reason.

Apparently, I'm not the only one God has stirred for this child. On Facebook, Andrea Roberts, founder of Reece's Rainbow, sent out a post advocating for Ruslan, and I was startled that God was speaking to someone else about him.  I guess I shouldn't be startled anymore, since I've seen God work in amazing and really big ways.  Anyway, I thought that maybe I would ask her to make Ruslan the child of the month, although I thought it might be a long shot, since he's older, and his chances of being adopted would be slim.

Of course, with God, it's never about chances, is it? It's always about his will, and he will accomplish it as he chooses and pleases.  I was amazed and excited to see that Ruslan is already the April child of the month for Reece's Rainbow.

If you are Ruslan's parents, he is waiting for you.

If you are able to donate, it would really help Ruslan's parents to accomplish their mission to bring their son home. If you are unable to donate, please pray for Ruslan, specifically. There are many children that I prayed for fervently, though I wasn't able to donate to their adoptions, and God was faithful to answer and brought them into families. Clearly, money is not the only currency in God's view. We are so grateful to the people who helped us accomplish our mission to adopt our children, and the love and support we felt really carried us during some difficult moments. Best of all, God is able to provide! When you are in his will, there is nothing insurmountable.

I don't want to sound Pollyanna, but that knowledge sustains me. When things have gone bad (in my opinion) I ask myself, am I in his will? If I can say yes, I am, then I know that he has a reason and purpose for allowing the situation, and whether I live or die, I know that he is in control. Very comforting in the midst of a storm.

Back to orphans; every one of these children changes like a butterfly when they are loved. That was my favorite part of following other people's blogs. To see a change so radical and beautiful, wrought out of something so sad and ugly, as a child with no family and no future. What a miracle! God believes in adoption, and he believes in children.

Witness: from this...

sad bug...

to this!

happy girl!

beautiful girl!

treasured girl!