Sorry it's been so quiet lately but  . .  . we are now successfully moved in and it's been an undertaking. Despite walking our little guy through the steps, involving him in packing, showing pictures of the new house, watching the truck load/unload, and setting up his room asap his poor brain is overwhelmed to the point of melting down whenever he sees a box and reverting back to mostly communicating through echolalia,  As a house we're exhausted even with the supports we've put into place and all the incredible growth our little J has made thanks to the therapists and autism support we have access to locally.

Which makes me think of 100 other children all with needs far greater than our little J, with far less supports, and no one walking them through the confusing twists and turns of shifting orphanages and transfers to institutions  or older children's homes if they're lucky when they should be getting excited about Santa and Kindergarten. 

I see  the confusion in my little boy's eyes as he surveys his room and methodically checks for his safeties and wonder how many children in the MACC feel safe tonight,  how many have carers  who can take a minute to cuddle a scared child in a room with too many children and too many worn out staff.

I think of one little girl who's file hasn't been updated in so long I can't remember if it has ever been updated. 

Who remembers the children as they threaten to slip between the cracks?

Ginny is 8 years old this year. In her country  she's most likely been moved around at least once. She was probably not walked through the process and in her country pictures would most likely have made things worse. After reading some stories, I don't want to imagine where she is or what regressions she may have experienced because I'll be honest, it's heartbreaking to see what happens in laying down rooms.  Day in and day out those are living, breathing children who deserve so much more than what is waiting for them at the end of that road and it's easier to imagine these kids frozen in the moment of time their picture was taken.

The truth is every single child in the MACC is facing a bleak future without intervention and while staying in the bleakness of this future seems even less palatable during the holiday season it should spur us on towards the hope that marks these holidays.  

MACC exists to raise awareness, funds, and find families for these children and what is more hopeful than that?  Children who were on Angel Tree last year are on their way home for Christmas this year and while the journey may be difficult there is still hope in the redemption and introduction of a life with possibilities. 

So please take a minute and share, let's face it most of us spend too much time  on social media anyway (am I right?), incorporate RR into your Christmas gifts, pray for these kiddos, or maybe even examine whether or not 2017 is the year your family looks into adoption. Who knows maybe the person who pulls a child back from the cracks is  you/