WHAT ALMOST HAPPENED

In Russia and most eastern Europe countries, the standard procedure is to allow a child to stay in the orphanage until 4-5 years old.  At that age, the child is then often transferred to a mental institution.  

This was the case with our Ben.  It was only because we were in the process of adopting him that he was allowed to stay in his orphanage past his 5th birthday in June 2015.  

At our hearing in July 2016, the orphanage director told us that if this adoption had not went through, Ben would have been transferred to institution in August 2016 at the age of 6.

That is what almost happened.  This is what happened instead:

HE BECAME PART OF A FAMILY: OUR FAMILY.  

Thank you Lord for rescuing this precious child from a life of loneliness and hopelessness. 

Andrew and I just read the book Boy From Baby House 10 .  Even though this is a story about a boy adopted from Russia, it was a very good read for us for several reasons:

1. It clued us into some of the reasons for the attitude and mindset we encountered in Ben's country.

2.  It showed us what life may have been like for Ben if he had been transferred.

3. It made us very grateful for how progressive and forward-thinking Ben's country is becoming in terms of dealing with children with Down syndrome.  It's not where it should be yet, but at least there are steps being made in the right direction.  Truly a miracle of God!

Please read the book if you can or here is the link to the NBC documentary based on the book:

2011 NBC Documentary on The Boy from Baby House 10