"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." - Johann von Goethe
Home. Family. Backyard cookouts. A table laden with more than we can eat on Thanksgiving day. These things ground us, offer us stability, and give us an environment where we can learn, explore, grow, and even self-actualize.
Yet for 210 million children, these basic human needs will never be met because most of these children will come of age in an institution, never knowing a family, never experiencing the warmth, joy and acceptance of a home environment.
These children are orphans. And for them, finding a family is like winning a lottery. It is a dream come true, when all the pieces fall together and home becomes a reality.
Those who never find a home face hurdles and burdens that no child should bare. They face years of loneliness and despair. Many fail to thrive in their institutions, most experience developmental/language delays and grow slowly. A general rule of thumb, children raised in orphanages lose approximately 1 month of linear growth for every 3 months in orphanage care.
The good news is that many of these children will make a complete recovery after adoption. Within just a few years, some of them will have caught up physically, mentally, and emotionally to their home grown counterparts. Others progress more slowly, but they all progress given the right environment.
Many warm, loving families want to bring these wonderful kids into their homes. To take them in, love them, nurture them, and support them. In fact, there are many couples who would jump for joy at the chance of adding an orphaned child to their family. Adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, immigration fees and so on quickly pile up. Before a prospective couple or family can even begin to look for a child, they know theyll have to overcome the biggest hurdle of all the $20,000 or so price tag.
Unfortunately, most good, prospective parents cant afford to pay even a fraction of these costs. So the children sit and wait.
Private and community efforts can change all that they can bring orphans home to the loving parents that so desperately want them.
Just imagine seeing the glee in a young boys eyes the first time he sees his new home. Not just any home, but one with a mom and dad he can call his own.
You can help make that happen as a volunteer and donor for A Childs Desire or any one of many organizations which provide financial assistance for adopting families. And A Childs Desire makes it easy for individuals and groups to get involved in a volunteer program and to play a central role in providing adoption grants for children who have waited in an orphanage for more than a year for a family to choose them.
Youth groups, scout troops, social clubs, etc. can sponsor a child and if all goes well see that child find a family and a home just for him. There are volunteer programs suited for home-schooled teenagers, for college students and for senior citizen centers.
Even if you are unable to adopt a child yourself you can still make a difference by volunteering your time or through making a donation, which will enable another family to overcome the hurdles of adoption. All children deserve to have families and homes. Dont make a lonely child wait, together we can make his dreams come true.
About The Author
Tanya Sturman is the volunteer director for A Childs Desire, Inc., a 501 c(3) childrens charity. More information can be found at www.achildsdesire.org
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..Dining in a restaurant with kids can be very enervating... Read More
She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her... Read More
There is a new stage of development for parents to... Read More
I am a single mother of a 17 year old... Read More
Most teens go into the work world ill-prepared to manage... Read More
Family decision-making is an intriguing phenomenon. Many factors become part... Read More
Do you have a wild child? Then this article may... Read More
Did you know that the number of twin births have... Read More
I never dreamed that I would be in a position... Read More
Arabella Greatorex, owner of The Natural Nursery, reports on the... Read More
To every thing there is a season, and a time... Read More
John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comLegacy to Your ChildrenIt's 6:30... Read More
Throughout the year, many days of celebration are tucked capriciously... Read More
Research literature, recent books, and common sense, all point to... Read More
1. Encourage Questions.Don't answer every question, instead ask what do... Read More
Thank you for all that you do in the classroom!... Read More
Here in Kansas, where we live, the leaves are turning... Read More
Did you know that you are the most important person... Read More
Assuming there are no serious motor problems present, what can... Read More
To protect children's self-esteem or deflect complaints by parents, many... Read More
Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman... Read More
The law of -ing.The law of -ing refers to a... Read More
How excited do kids get with the start of school... Read More
Young people generally want to fit in to their various... Read More
Child Party Planning Guideline #1)Pick the ThemeYour child is going... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only... Read More
I recall somewhere in the recesses of my aging brain... Read More
I know as a single parent or even with 2... Read More
Sometimes dreams really can come true! May 8th - 11th,... Read More
From the time the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in... Read More
Your child's first year of school should be a fun... Read More
There are many reasons for treating your twins as individuals... Read More
The legend and myth of the Tooth Fairy is a... Read More
Search for Assurance: The Power of BelongingThe job hunt is... Read More
Q. I don't like my children spending so much time... Read More
Julia Roberts recently gave birth to twins: Hazel and Phinnaeus.... Read More
Some years ago when touring the Scottish Highlands, a man... Read More
Saturday mornings. Cold cereal and Scooby Doo. How many parents... Read More
Younger generations unfortunately will not understand how larger than life... Read More
If you are currently homeschooling or considering homeschooling your child,... Read More
Get into their world. The world that teens are growing... Read More
You want your daughter to wear a dress to the... Read More
Are you worried about your child's reading habits? Perhaps you... Read More
Bullies are an ugly but very real part of childhood.... Read More
Are your children truthful, kind, and helpful? If so, read... Read More
Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down... Read More
Q. I need your help with a question about my... Read More
Ever feel like you're out of the loop when it... Read More
As the kids go back to school, you can go... Read More
As a hypnotherapist, I am acutely aware of the power... Read More
Parenting |