Trip preparations.

This time is filled with so many tasks and so much excitement.  We are preparing to go to China and it feels like we will need a moving van to get there.  There are cleft bottles, photo supplies and printer, Toys, developmental screening tools, bubbles, hair bows and baseball caps, a walker, all things electronic,computers, video cams just to name a few.  The list is endless.  We all have nightmares of what we will forget.  How full will our suitcases be?  Will we be over the domestic weight limit?  I think by the time I pack all the supplies there will be no room for clothes.

At the same time on the other side of the world there are beautiful children we can help.  We can screen them and make suggestions to their nannies.  We can carry back their information and say to the rest of the world, "we are here and we matter".  At the same time on this side of the world we are advocating for a new bunch of children whose files are in.  Some we have met and some we have not.  Each and every one special, beautiful and perfect in who they are.  We know their names which makes them hard to ignore.  We have met many and held many of them.  They are so much more than a name or a special need.  They are our kiddos until we pass each and every one of them on to you.  Till they become your sons and daughters. These children are so special and we just all want to love them till you can.

We will be delivering loads of hugs from waiting parents to waiting children.  At times we may get to deliver a hug back to those parents. Sometimes something special happens.  We find a child that really opens their heart a bit wider than usual like a beautiful amazing girl who when I asked her what she wanted to tell her waiting parents, she said "Mother, Father, I love you already".  There was not a dry eye in the room. It just shows how

 that all these children are there just waiting for your love.  Special need great or small they are amazing individuals waiting to be part of a family and blossom.  

Here are some of the beautiful waiting children who are ready for Moms and Dads.

For more information about  any of the beautiful waiting children   please contact patriciamarcuspt@gmail.com

Advocacy Monday- Adam

I want to introduce you to a really exceptional boy today.  Adam is a wonderful, out-going, 13 year old young man.  He loves to perform for people.  He can sing and dance and likes to play the host when someone visits the group foster home he is in.  He makes friends very easily.  He has a charming, ready smile.  Adam has had some surgeries for his heart.  

Adam was met by the Superkids team in June of last year.  He loved the attention and being with us.  He especially loved having his photo taken and then watching it print.  He understood why we were there and told one team member that he really wants a family.  But here is the thing, his time is getting short to make that desire a reality.  In about 9 months Adam will no longer be eligible for adoption due to his age.  We can't let this very special young man age out!   

Adam's favorite color is red.  He likes spicy foods but doesn't like vegetables.  He goes to a school off campus. His favorite classes are music and cooking.  His learning is somewhat delayed, but he memorizes things easily even when he doesn't fully understand concepts.  Oh yes, and he loves to sing!!!

He can do some basic sports activities.  And, listen to this, he does simple housework such as folding quilts and washing his own clothes! 

But what is the thing that makes him the most happy? Making new friends!

Could Adam be your son? 

I am asking a favor of all our readers, this boy is so special, could everyone who reads like and share this post.   It will help a wider audience know about this special boy!!

For more information about Adam please contact patriciamarcuspt@gmail.com

A Heartfelt Thanks!

Today Erin Martin shares with us a very special story!!!  One of her special friends,Kelly, also has a special place in my heart.  You see she sent a special birthday cake to a beautiful baby we saw last year waiting in China. This is baby is not even hers.  She has a full house but she wanted this sweetie to know she was loved and cared about.  So not only is she a special friend to Erin, but to me as well.  Thank you!! for all you do!  all of us and the children who wait are so thankful. You Both ROCK!!!! 

I have a very special friend whom I've never met in person.  We message back and forth all of the time.  We have spoken on the phone a few times.  Almost always our conversations center around children who are waiting for families. (Except for when we share photos of our own adorable babes, of course!)  When one of our Superkids kiddos family finds them, I message her as soon as I can.   And we rejoice together with many exclamation points and capital letters.  She is that kind of friend.

As we have been talking about preparing for the Superkids 2014 trip to China, my friend said they want to donate some bottles for babies born with cleft palates.  I was thrilled!  Last year we saw so many babies with cleft palates and we would always ask if the orphanage had special bottles for them.  Always the answer was no.  These babies have a hard time getting sufficient nutrition without these special bottles.  I was hoping to have enough bottles to give a few to each orphanage.

Imagine my surprise when 108 bottles arrived on my doorstep yesterday!  One hundred eight!!  My eyes fill with tears just thinking of all of the tiny little bellies that will be full and satisfied thanks to this very generous gift.  Each orphanage will be able to receive numerous bottles, benefitting so many little ones!

I do not know the full story, but I do know that part of the reason they were able to send so many bottles is because of a very generous gift that was given to them.  So, friends of my friends, I do not know you, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart!  Eli and Kelly, thank you for recognizing the need and doing something about it!  We, the Superkids team, thank you.  We are honored to be the couriers of this amazing gift of love! 

This is just another beautiful example of many people working together to make a difference.  We can all do something! 

Blessings,

Erin

http://martinsinchina1.blogspot.com/

And Away We Go!!!!

Well not quite yet, but in my heart I am already on the plane.  We wll be in China from the 20th of June on. We will all return at different times but we are so excited to go.  We are excited for several reasons.   More than anything we want to see the children we saw on the last trip again.  We have news for so many of them, YOU HAVE A FOREVER FAMILY!!!!!!!

What could be better news.  We so love these cuties.  For the ones who do not have a family, we will continue to try for a family for each and every one.  We are excited to meet new children too!  So many cuties to hold and love on.  SO thinking about it,

find us a plane we are all ready to go NOW!!!!!  Stay with us and follow along!!!  

What happens to them?

 Recently I am struck by how many orphans there are just waiting.  The numbers of boys greater than girls and what happens to those children who no one adopts.  I see many children with cerebral palsy on the shared list that I know have the ability to walk.  They will need a great deal of rehabilitation but I know there are things that make me see they have the ability to learn to walk.  I see these children and know that they are crawling on hands and knees.  Or only able to sit when moved by an adult.  What type of life is that. I also see children with spina bifida with the same problems.  No braces, not enough rehab, and not enough equipment.

Sometimes I bring positioning equipment.  Sometimes walkers and wheelchairs. But all this does not solve the problem.  What happens when these children grow up.  Maybe they are in an orphanage that they can stay in till they age out.  Then what?

It can all get entirely overwhelming.  So we slow down and help each child, one at a time!  Do the best for each kiddo we meet. We may not be able to change the world but we can change the world for that child

Here are two children who we helped along this journey

Here are three children who wait and I wonder what their adult world will be like

Here are some of our sweeties that will be coming home

One Child at a time if we need to.  Every precious child one at a time!    

 

Planning a Trip

Sounds easy but really quite complicated and hard.  We are planning our next Superkids trip.  We have a number of volunteers and projects that will be moving forward for all of them. We are planning pictures, and drawing and hairbows.  And the photo printer.  Loved that photo printer.

The children so rarely get to see their own image that we wanted to have them be able to reflect and build positive self image.  Well we prettied everyone up.  put on hair bows, and gave the boys pocket mirrors. What happened was pure magic. See some of this below.  These pictures are worth a thousand explanations.

So what happened was a little care and love we showed these waiting children transformed faces and lifted hearts and we were able to give them a mommento of the day to take with them. Their own picture.  We also had the older ones draw a self portrait.  So amazing the results.

All these children needed was a litttle cuddling and a hug and care.  They were so happy and smiling. All they needed was love.  Even though the love of the day would be fleeting, it was wonderful to see that their hearts are open.  We have much work to do for these kiddos when we come home.  The most important thing we can help them with is finding that forever family that will love them forever.

So in preparing for this trip we are looking for short term plans and long term solutions.  We prepare to be so emmersed in this for the next three months.  We prepare to have heartbreaking moments and great joy.

We can't wait!

They Occupy a Big Place in our Hearts!

We are thinking about all the families who are starting to travel now.  And the children that still wait.  We love them all and can't wait for everyone to find their special forever family.  We leave you with a few pictures of some of the children that we think of.

Oh and by the way, we are in the midst of planning our next Superkids trip!