Emerson is a shy, quiet, and lovely boy. Though he’s fairly introverted around strangers, once he’s in a familiar environment he’s quite lively! He loves playing with blocks, and even by himself he will be very quiet and focused when building with them! Emerson was initially diagnosed with liver dysfunction, but when it didn’t respond to treatment they tested for muscular dystrophy (elevated liver enzymes are often found in children with MD from the muscle breakdown as opposed to a liver dysfunction), and found he was positive. Currently they don’t see any symptoms of the muscular dystrophy- he can sit, crawl, and walk while holding onto something! Emerson also demonstrates good fine motor skills; he can scribble with a pen, pick up small objects with his thumb and forefinger, stack two blocks, and turn the pages of a book. When looking at books he loves to point out the pictures. He can feed himself finger foods, and cooperates when getting dressed. He understands simple instructions, like being told to pick up his toys, and can point out his eyes and nose when ask. Emerson is able to imitate simple words like “mom” and “dad.” This sweet boy is waiting for his family.

Sweet Cyndi doesn’t let her diagnosis keep her down. She likes getting cuddles from her caregivers and is a very happy little girl. Cyndi’s caregivers say that she is a cutie that likes to babble a lot. Her current agency is trying to get an update since her file is a bit outdated. Are you the lucky family that will get to see this smiling little face every morning?

Meet Crew! Crew loves to smile and play with others! Crew enjoys playing with toys and anything that’s bright colored attracts his attention! Crew is developmentally delayed but has a great big heart! Crew recognizes his name, and will give you a big smile when you call him!

Chayton is diagnosed with deformity in spine, left shoulder, and right lower limb and he has an sensitive special need, which can be corrected with a simple procedure. None of these diagnoses keep Chayton from getting around. At the age of 3, he could sit, stand and walk independently. He could jump and run and go up and down stairs with help. He really likes toys that make sounds. While listening to music, he likes to clap and dance. He is always smiling and he gets along well with his peers. He is a good sleeper and eater. Chayton really likes going down the slide the best! What he needs most is a forever family of his own!

Are you ready for this cuteness? Chase is listed as having psychomotor delays. Chase is very mobile and has good movement. He has received daily therapy over the past year to help with his motor skills and is learning to crawl and walk. It takes him some time to learn these skills. While he does not learn quickly, he does try. He is not potty trained yet, but when they put him on the toilet, he will go. Chase lives in the orphanage and he seems to be a very happy boy. He does not seem to be slowed down by his special need.

Precious Cai was living in an orphanage where his needs were not being met and he was seen to have developmental delays, especially in the area of language. He is now in care of an amazing foster center where he is receiving phenomenal care. It is clear that he is happy, loved, and doing quite well! Cai is now treasured and is thriving. What he really needs most is a forever family of his own!

From his file: Cai likes playing in the activity room and is fond of listening to music and playing with toys, especially balls. He is attached to familiar people and he enjoys the care and comfort of others. Cai understands the instructions given by his caretakers. He has a ready smile, gets along well with others, and he is a pretty happy boy most of the time!

Adorable Bobby is diagnosed with Progressive Muscular Dystrophy. From his file in June of 2014, his caretakers say they have not yet seen a negative impact on his physical development. He is already on a steroid regime and can walk, run, jump and climb up and down the stairs. His caretakers say he is an active and cute boy who observes his surroundings with bright eyes. Bobby loves to play with blocks and cars. He also likes to listen to music. He will clap his hands and shake his body and dance to lively music. Bobby likes to play outside and laughs every day as he plays with the other children. He has good self care skills. Bobby can feed himself, dress and undress and sometimes he helps the other kids collect the toys in the toy basket. His caretakers and teachers are very fond of him. This adorable little boy is waiting for a family to call his own who can help him access the most up to date medical care.

Athena is a sweet little girl who has been diagnosed with congenital cleft palate and a slightly dilated ventricular system.

Listed: Feb 22, 2013

Athena is an active child who likes riding on the wood horse in the institute. She likes playing with toys and rattles and her favorite toy is the toy bee. Athena likes communicating and playing with her caregivers. She likes to crawl and receive hugs too.

Update 2015:
Athena is a delicate little one who will be 5 years old in February. She came into care when she was about 5 months old and was found to have a cleft palate (no cleft lip), pneumonia, and lots of insect bites. Athena’s main file is almost 3 years old, although there is a brief update and photos from last September. Athena has some slight dilation of the ventricular system, per her medical. As of 4 months ago, she could crawl, and stand with assistance, but could not stand or walk without help. Her palate has not been repaired, thus her speech is very delayed. Athena is active, and enjoys riding the rocking horse. She has favorite toys, and delights in getting them before the other kids! They do not know the cause of Athena’s motor delays, but we do know she needs a loving family and good medical care. Athena is a very loving little girl, who asks for hugs. Are you her family?

Ashton is a lovely boy who struggles with some mental developmental delays. He is timid at first, but after warming up he is a very compassionate and apathetic child. Though he has little verbal ability, he demonstrates his emotional reactivity with his actions. He enjoys connecting with teachers and eagerly searches out emotional connection. He loves playing with toys, walking with a walker, and smiles while playing with others!

Angela is smart, cute and active, and has dimples when she smiles. She gets along well with other kids, and is willing to share food and toys with other kids, willing to do something within her power. She has good physical quality, seldom gets sick, and she is an obedient and cute girl.

From an adoptive family who met her: she was very sweet. She leaves each day to go to regular school in the city. She just finished 2nd grade. She said her favorite class is music class. She walks with a slight limp but gets around very well. When we were visiting she was helping take care of some of the severe needs kids in her class. She seemed shy but she did talk to our interpreter a fair bit.

Additional photos available.

Anah is a little love bug! She loves being held when she is sad and is easily comforted. Anah loves to eat! She is not picky and will eat any and all foods. She likes to watch TV and listen to music. Anah’s motor development is lacking. She is only able to sit on her bed and she cannot stand. Her language abilities are also rather lacking and she is unable to talk. We hope a family will open their hearts to little Anah!

Addisyn is an adorable little girl who came into care when she was 2 years old, and was found to be thin, with little strength in her hands and feet. With the care of her nannies, she gained some weight, and soon was in good health. They noticed she was able to stand and walk a bit with assistance, but not on her own. A CT of her brain showed no abnormalities. As of her report (in October 2013), she was still walking only with assistance. They assumed at that time that her intelligence was not equal to her peers. In an update from 2/2015 Addisyn is not talking and still unable to walk unassisted. They estimate her physical and cognitive development at about the level of a 15 month old child. Addie is a sweet and loving little girl, who always wants to join in with the other kids in play. The agency has several photos and video of this precious girl. She needs a family to help her reach her full potential.

Acer is quite the cutie! Acer is diagnosed as having lower limb weakness. He came into care at the approximate age of two, so he has only been in the orphanage for a little over a year and a half. His nannies report that he has big beautiful eyes and is very handsome….that is clear from his pictures!

When his file was prepared in Oct. 2014, he could stand up and walk while holding onto something or holding someone’s hand. He could also walk by pushing something like a small stool. He is cooperative and can help put on and take off his own clothes and shoes. Acer’s favorite toy is the wooden rocking horse! He can get on and off of it and likes sitting and riding on it. Acer likes to hold the milk bottles to help feed the younger children. He also likes playing outside. The slide and swings are his favorite, but he enjoys playing with balls and toy blocks too. He can build a tower with 5-6 blocks. He doesn’t want the other kids to touch his blocks or he’ll cry. Acer likes taking baths and playing in the water. He eats noodles, eggs, and bread regularly.

Acer receives some physical therapy, but would benefit so much more from the love and support of his own family.

Zeke has a pair of small eyes, but his eyes are bright. He is an obedient child, is active. Every morning he helps mom to fold up a quilt, clean and take care of young sister; he helps sister to put on clothes and he is very diligent. He holds sister’s hands to go to school and helps sister to go upstairs when back home after school; he teaches sister to sing children’s songs, play games, draw and he watches carton with sister together; he puts food onto the plates of sister when having a meal; he is a little sweet guy and is so caring. He speaks clearly.

Zeke gets along well with classmates in the class; they like to play with him. When his foster mom takes him to play outdoors, he always runs around mom and doesn’t let her out of his sight; he is naughty and adored. He loves sports, loves to run, loves to jump and loves small toys. He likes to take photos and is good at making pose; he always makes a handsome pose to ask mom to take photos for him.

Zeke is very clever. He loves to learn, to use his head and has good memory. He knows the knowledge taught by the teacher and is able to finish his homework alone; he would teach sister to draw and write after school. He is careful in learning; he also likes to play puzzles with sister and spell outs various patterns.

Zachary has good physical development, can walk with holding rails, mental development is normal, can speak simple language, can cooperate when dressing, can undress clothes. He is active, talkative, ready to smile, likes music, likes playing games, likes playing balls and can get along well with other kids in the same room.

From Zach’s host family (hosted December 2014)
Zach is a lovely 6-year-old boy and an absolute delight. He has a joyful and cheerful disposition, a sweet spirit, and an infectious smile. He is smart and resourceful in his interactions and playing. He enjoys playing with cars, dolls and animals, flying helicopters, and almost any mechanical objects. He enjoys playing pretend games, like pulling pretend luggage around the house and pretending to cook and serve us with play food, plates, cups, saucers, etc. He loves music and often sings as he goes about his day, and he’s been enjoying learning to play his new harmonica. He interacts well with other children: in our case with our 7- and 8-year-old daughters. He also has a good memory and surprised us by quickly learning things like where all of our dishes go and where we turn to get to our house. He has adapted so well to life in a family, and loves the bedtime rituals of bathing, brushing teeth, getting into his pajamas, and reading; but he also has an endearing habit of making sure the proper lights are turned off, doors are locked where they need to be, etc. He clearly is proud to show he can take on big-kid responsibilities. Zach has to work harder than most children to climb up steps and to get himself up off the floor. But he does navigate steps well, though he needs a boost at times getting into vans or other high places. In December, he was still able to walk normally, except that he has to be more careful than other kids in negotiating uneven surfaces, and steps. He doesn’t let this slow him down or limit his activities. On playgrounds, even with many unfamiliar children, he is not inhibited about climbing the equipment and riding down slides. He accepts help sometimes from us or from our children; other times he wants to show that he can do things alone even if it is harder for him. Zach can sometimes act like a much younger boy. He has a strong stubborn streak, which will sometimes manifest itself in a tantrum. Those tantrums did lessen over the weeks, however. He also enjoys being held, cuddled, and paid attention to and will come and say “Mama bao bao” when he wants to be picked up and carried. As our 7-year-old (without prompting from us) wrote in her journal, “Zach is the best boy I have ever met. He is cheerful and happy.” The medical evaluations we were able to do point to significant medical challenges ahead for Zach, and he will need a loving family to support him through those and ensure that he has the best care possible. Zach loves being a part of a family and will be a blessing and joy for whomever is lucky enough to adopt him.