Let's Celebrate Victoria's Birthday Week!!!

November 13, 2005 is Victoria's Birthday!!!
I wanted to send out birthday invitations to all of her friends and let them all know that she isn't looking for toys this year but was hoping for a family instead :) She is even willing to take donations for her family to help them find their way to her.
The fact is she turned 6 years old this year and has probably never had a cake, gift, party, or anything that would resemble a celebration of her birth.
If you were invited to her party how much would you spend on a gift???

Consider yourself invited!!! Let's see if we can get her closer to her family this week!

Meet Victoria

Girl, Born November 13, 2005

Victoria is too cute! She has brown hair and blue eyes. Victoria is a smart little girl and very *able*. From her medical records: congenital cataract of both eyes (blind), microphtalm, delay of psychological development. Outgoing, can walk independently, knows her way around in her group, is interested in studies, responds well when adults refer to her.

From a missionary Victoria: "What a sweetheart! Gentle, calm, outgoing, and very affectionate. She has made a lot of progress since she was at the baby orphanage. Vika has had some self-harming tendencies but the workers have been working with her on that… Whenever she would start banging her head they would pick her up, lay her across their lap and start massaging her back. Now, when she gets upset she goes to them and lays across their lap all on her own, no longer resorting to self-harming behaviors. Vika is independent and was walking around all over the room hardly ever bumping into anything. She doesn't speak much but she does say "Mama". She also knows how to let the workers know when she needs to go to the bathroom. They also said that her fine motor skills have greatly improved as well. Finally, she is a real snuggler. First thing she did when I called her over to me was climb up onto my lap. I tried to get better pictures of her but all she wanted to do was cuddle in close… how could I say no to that???"

This orphanage is one of the good ones. Small, with all higher functioning special needs children of "preschool" age (ages 4-8). There were only 6 kids in Victoria's room and two workers caring for them. It was clear that workers care about them very much and showed them plenty of love and affection. The director is not only open to adoption, she is actively looking for families for all of the kids so that they don't have to be transferred once they turn 8-years-old! Vika is in the lowest functioning group and they usually have a hard time finding families for those kids… but maybe that's something RR can help with :)

I think pictures speak louder than words.

I will show you Victoria growing up in pictures, inside an orphanage.

Age 3

Age 4

Age- just turned 5

There is a great article written by the adoptive mother of three girls with visual impairment (VI) which talks about the amazing ability of children with VI to do just about everything that seeing children can do. I encourage you to read it here and allow it to challenge your thinking around what is often seen as a very intimidating special need. In the meantime, you can help Victoria find her family and reach her fullest potential by donating to her grant fund, sharing her story and remembering her in your prayers. For more information or to donate, click here.

(she is in the background)

Taken about six months ago, look how she has grown.

Age-5

Don't let her spend the rest of her life in an orphanage :(

GO HERE TO DONATE OR GO HERE TO CONTACT RR TO INQUIRE ABOUT ADOPTING HER.

An amazing child!

Thanks to Natalie a missionary in the Ukraine, we have new pictures of Victoria to share with you (you can read other posts about Victoria here and here).

Isn’t she darling with her long ponytails? Little Vika is growing into such a beautiful young girl, still feisty and full of spunk.
And doesn’t she have just the best laugh?



Vika’s speech has improved since the last time I saw her and, as you can see in the video above,
she is even beginning to recite little songs and poems.

May I remind you however that Vika has only two years left in the orphanage for preschool-aged children; a place where she is loved and cared for and given the opportunity to learn. Once she turns eight-years-old, Vika will be transferred to an institution. Vika may be blind and developmentally delayed but she still has so much potential. A potential that, unfortunately, those in her country do not see. Just today Natalie was talking to Vika’s caregivers about the possibility of her being adopted and their response was, “But who would want her?”. Given the society they live in, they just cannot comprehend why someone would cross the oceans to bring a child like Vika home. But I get it and I think a lot of you do too. Will you help me prove to Victoria and her workers that she is a beautiful treasure of immeasurable worth by sharing her story, donating to her grant fund and praying for a family who will gladly cross the oceans for her? For more information or to donate, click here.