The Children Who Are Chosen

Antonio...Evan...Dariya...Darren...Vanessa...Graham...Wilson....Rachel...Phoebe...Warner...Hunter...

.....What do they all have in common?

They all have Down syndrome, they are all from orphanages in various countries, and they are all waiting to be adopted.

They may have been abandoned by their birth parents, but there are other parents, other families, whole long lists of families wanting and hoping to adopt a child with Down syndrome.

And now you're thinking what wonderful families these are, what a sacrifice they are making, what a gift they are giving to these poor orphaned children.

Yes, maybe so.

But I'm guessing the greatest gift is to the families themselves whose lives will be enriched beyond measure.

Reece's Rainbow is a charity that raises funds for the international adoption of children with Down syndrome. Hundreds of families in the US and Canada are waiting for funds to adopt these children. Reece's Rainbow has already found homes for over 400 children with 350 more children still waiting.

We have a family in our local support group who adopted a darling little boy from Bulgaria through Reece's Rainbow. See more of their story here. I especially like the Dad's comment in the video that even if Gabe would do nothing else in all his years, his life would have been worthwhile just by the change he brought to their family.

We often think that if we had a gift to bestow on the world it would be to wish each family the Essence of Wade.

Here is the beautiful blog of another family who had three boys and then discovered the Essence of Hannah-Claire, Haven, Hailee, and Harper.

And when I read the stories of families like these, I'm reminded of the words of the Greatest Man who ever lived...."Let the little children come to me....for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."