
To inquire about this child, email childinquiry@reecesrainbow.org ***
**** I am eligible for an Older Child Grant! Grant funding is dependent on a completed application and available funds. For more information, visit: Other Angels Older Child Grant ****
To inquire about this child, email childinquiry@reecesrainbow.org ***
Connor is being raised in one of the biggest orphanages in Bulgaria where children often suffer from severe malnutrition, muscle hypotrophy and have severe delays in the neuropsychological development. He has a polymalformative syndrome, but one could see a dramatic change in his appearance in just two pictures- the first one taken in the end of November 2014 and the second one in June 2015.
He grabs a toy that is handed to him, holds it for a while and manipulates with it. He has started to more and more often reach with his hands and manipulate with hanging toys independently.
While involved in active interactions with adults, he would make his emotional responses known with his nonverbal behavior. He seeks contact with familiar adults by reaching out his hand, grabbing an adult’s hand and he would even sometimes direct an adult’s hand towards his face so as to be caressed.
He falls asleep easily and his sleep is calm. He is fed with a bottle. He gets anxious while his clothes are changed and while bathed.
She has been transferred and is not in the baby home anymore.
From a family who visited him in 2015: He is calm when being walked around but becomes over stimulated easily. He is getting close to being transferred and this will be terrible for him. In the baby house the caregivers have more time to spend with him. In an institution I can see him just being constantly sedated… This handsome little guy needs out now!
From a family who met him in 2014: Wylie is a sweet boy, and obviously loved by the nannies. They often stooped down to talk to him, and walked hand in hand with him. He walked constantly, clapping his hands and smiling. He exhibited what I would describe as autistic tendencies. I don’t recall ever hearing him speak. One day he wondered out of his groupa (apparently the door wasn’t latched) into the common area we were visiting out son in. My husband took his hand and led him back. He has a special place in our hearts and we pray someone will see him and choose him. I would be glad to talk to anyone interested. He is precious. He’s at a great baby house, that is very pro-adoption, and in a faster region than most.
*** This child has significant facial features of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome). This is a cautionary disclosure to better prepare our potential adoptive families. Families considering this child should research and be prepared for the challenges that can come with this condition. You can learn more about FAS here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetal_alcohol_syndrome and post to our Facebook group to ask other adoptive parents about the challenges and blessings of children with FAS. ***
Wilson is a sweet, happy, playful boy. He is great with little kids and bigger kids. He loves to play legos, color, watch tv, go to the beach and just be with those who care for him. He spent one summer and winter break with a host family, he bonded well with them. He is affectionate and makes good eye contact.
He has a progressive form of Muscular Dystrophy. He can no longer stand, walk or crawl. He can still sit upright by himself. He does require help dressing, bathing and some help with eating. He is toilet trained but needs help to get to the toilet. He longs to belong and be given love and attention. He adapts well to new adventures, people and places. He will be a blessing to any family.
Would any family take a leap of blind faith to save her? She will remain bedridden the rest of her short life if not. A potential adoptive family needs to be prepared for the effects of years of institutionalization.
Wendy is a beautiful girl with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. She was born quite premature (not sure which gestational week, but it is listed as “4th stage”).
Update June 2013: Vera is doing well! She looks good — but she still spends too much time in her crib. Vera needs a family!
This child shows significant facial features of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome). This is not a diagnosis, but a cautionary disclosure.
Every time I saw him there was vomit on the blanket next to his mouth. I suspect it is due to improper feeding. Like Janna, Travis is living at the orphanage on borrowed time.
Please friends, let’s not let Travis give up on life. I don’t know what his future ability would be in a family but even if it never changed isn’t he deserving of the love of a family? Please…someone…rescue Travis.
Update March 2014: He is not doing well. He appeared very drugged. He just rocked his head back and forth and ground his teeth. He occasionally would moan and he was salivating a lot and drooling on himself. He did not respond to me when I approached at all, he just kept rocking his head back and forth…which is why the picture is a little blurry…he never stopped.
Mental delay, rickets, strabismus (crossed eyes), epilepsy, and a speech delay. She does not talk at all. She prefers to be alone. Some of her behaviors remind autism but she was not diagnosed with it. Her epilepsy is well controlled by medications. It has been suggested that Tessa may have Angelman Syndrome, but this is not confirmed. She is able to stand and walk independently. She does not have a diagnosis of CP but she walks unsteadily. She was previously diagnosed with microcephaly.
She deserves a loving family and a chance to reach her potential, not to be hidden away in a mental institution.
This child shows significant facial features of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome). Please research and prepare yourself for the challenges of children with this condition.
Simeon is a beautiful Roma child with dark hair and big brown eyes. He is significantly delayed, and diagnosed with cerebral palsy. We are trying to get more information on his social history. Simeon is a fraternal twin, whose sister has already been adopted.
Simeon is described as mostly non-verbal, and is not able to walk on his own. There just seems to be so much potential for him in a family environment. He is already an outcast because of his darker skin and will be left institutionalized – and likely bedridden — if not adopted.
From a family who visited with him in 2011: Simeon is barely responsive to stimuli, but I believe that could change if he received regular, loving attention. I didn’t observe any of the orphanage workers spending much time interacting with him. There were times that I was able to get him to smile and grip my hand. After a few days, he was even able to clap! But most of the time he is staring off in any direction and seems completely unable to control most of his movements. He was always either lying down or propped up in a sitting position. I never heard him speak. I also never heard him cry or fuss. Overall, a very calm child.
Simeon’s sister Charlotte has aged out, and is not longer available for adoption.
2013: This sweet little tyke needs a family to love an care for him — he’s said to have frequent seizures, so a neurologist should be overseeing his care and medications.
Seth does have additional needs. His Cleft Palate has been repaired at some point, and we had no issues regarding his cleft palate during his month with us. When adopted, he will need some speech therapy. But that does not stop him from communicating!!! He can speak some English, and LOVES learning more English! Every day during hosting, he would sit down and do English lessons, and openly try to engage in English discussion. However, when nervous, Seth has a slight stutter. He is proficient at using a translation service like google, and his favorite thing to write was: I love you mom.
Seth is a funny kid, and has a great sense of humor. We would openly joke for Christmas all he was getting was underwear (he wanted a digital watch)…and it was an ongoing joke with him all hosting. He also loves all other boy things: legos, playing games on the tablet, and going for walks to the playground. He hesitates to try new things, but once encouraged…he was unstoppable! He loves the trampoline park and bowling. His favorite food is pizza. He also can eat applesauce by the jar full, as well as crackers.
Seth is a big helper, and really loves to try to please. We do not require our host children to assist with lots of chores, but every day he would find the broom, or mop, or vacuum and he’d busy himself. All he wanted in return was praise and a hug. Seth was really open with affection, and loved to hold hands, be rocked, he loved bedtime stories, hugs and kisses, and would love to show off his video games. He related well to anyone in his host family, but did struggle with meeting strangers. He did warm up to people once he realized they were family friends. He would comply with just about any request (not so much on eating vegetables, but everything else), and was very appropriate with his interactions with his host family. We had no major behavior issues during his month-long hosting.
Seth bonds well with family. He longs for a connection. He is meant to be someone’s son. His ideal family would be aware of cognitive delays associated with FAS, and be trauma informed with an understanding of institutional life. He has spent a large portion of his life in an orphanage. His orphanage director is very eager to find Seth a forever family, and very supportive of his future.
While in America, we asked Seth his birthday for paperwork we were completing for the trampoline park, and he has no idea when his birthday was. He said no one had ever celebrated him. A few days later, all the host families came together for a birthday celebration for Seth. He was so pleased to have his very own cupcakes, and grinned all evening as we looked at pictures. On departure day, he was very very sweet and cried a lot as he boarded the plane. He’s still very young, he needs family to watch out for him, to teach him, and to love him for the amazing little boy he is. Seth is very capable of learning, his behavior issues were very minor, he has the worlds best smile, and a heart of gold. Seth would thrive in a family where a mom and dad could love him.
New pic January 2017!
From an adoptive family who met him: I met Sammy in May 2012 and he was one of the sweetest kids I had ever met. Always ready with a smile and a hug! I brought things for all the kids in his group and he waited so patiently for his turn and gave me a big hug after. He was very kind and gentle with all the other kids, especially the one girl in the group. He and the other boys in his group (Troy and Garrett) are very well loved by one of their care-takers and it shows. It is obvious that they have been taught manners and cooperation and they are very kind to one another. They are taught at least several days a week so do not let the diagnosis deceive you, they are fairly smart boys.
They all have obvious delays but never had any problems following instructions and they understood everything they were told and all seemed to love to be helpful. When I show our son (who was adopted from this group) their pictures he remembers their names and tells me they were his friends. He told me he wants them to be adopted and to come to the U.S. How I pray that happens for Sammy and the other boys! Sammy is so sweet and innocent, I hate to see what will happen to him if he ages out of the orphanage.
Travis, Troy, Jake, Nathan, Arnold, Garrett, Sammy, Harold, Harriet, Jordan and Russ were all listed together and may still be in the same region, if not orphanage.
Kristina, on the left: Microcephaly, Moderate intellectual disabilities, ADHD (hyperactive), Esotropia, Hypermetropia, Cardiomyopathy (unspecified), Scoliosis
Samantha (the oldest), on the right: Microcephaly, mental retardation, crossed eyes, physically capable, friendly and affectionate girl, will do well in family environment. High likelihood of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Kristina, on the left: Microcephaly, Moderate intellectual disabilities, ADHD (hyperactive), Esotropia, Hypermetropia, Cardiomyopathy (unspecified), Scoliosis
Kristina is cognitively delayed, physically capable, helpful, friendly, likes to play, good girl.
The girls are NOT in the same orphanage, but are in the same region and need to be adopted together.
*** This child has significant facial features of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome). This is a cautionary disclosure to better prepare our potential adoptive families. Families considering this child should research the challenges that can come with this condition. ***
Not much smiling. He speaks.
He is visited by his grandmother but she does not take him home.
It has been suggested that his ‘goloproentsephaliy’ may actually be holoprosencephaly.
He is said to have encephalopathy (unspecified disease of the brain), Childhood autism, and moderate mental delays.
He also has vision problems: Convergent concomitant strabismus (crossing eyes) and hypermetropia (far-sighted); and is said to be anemic.
Regina needs corrective surgery for her hands, feet, and face, to help her be all she can be. A loving family would give Regina a future outside of a bleak institution.
Many additional pictures and videos of Regina are available upon inquiry.
Updated Nov 2013: He is a very sweet child. Seemed to listen to instructions well. Participated in group activities (like dance and singing). Longing for attention, affection, and stimulation. He does not currently have leukemia; but he has mental delays, and his head is very flat.
Diagnoses are outdated, from when he was a baby; so many things could have gone except for HIV.
He has been transferred to the adult mental institution. He needs out NOW.