Lance, always smiling!

Update

Many people have been asking where I am at in the process.  My homestudy is in progress, and because I already have a homestudy done through this agency for foster care, it is helping it to go a little faster.  I am also working on collecting everything I need for the dossier.  God has been really faithful in providing what I need financially right at the time that I need it.  One family who adopted from China gave $1,000 towards Lance's adoption, and it has been wonderful hearing about their adoption journey!  Then a friend of mine asked me to borrow a pen and returned the pen to me with a $1,000 check attached to it, even though she doesn't make very much in her job at a homeless shelter.  A couple days later I came home and there was a surprise $500 check in the mail.  So, although the cost of adoption has looked like a huge barrier to me, especially when I first started this process, God is providing the "manna" right when I need it. I was reminded of the story of Moses in the desert when I started this process, and sure enough God is providing what I need each day, whether it is the time to get this paperwork done, finances, or just encouragement in the process from people who know and love Lance.  I always love learning more about Lance and getting new pictures!  

Pictures

Enjoying Camp

A Picture of Lance in his Younger Days

About Us

We are so excited to have Lance join our family.  I have had a heart for orphans starting at a very young age.  I currently enjoy working in the field of special education, and have a great schedule for raising a family.  I went back to school to get my Masters in Social work to hopefully start a ministry for orphans/foster kids someday.  Although I have these big dreams, for right now, I am using what God has given me in the present moment.  I didn’t really plan to adopt overseas, mostly because of the huge expense.  In fact, I got my foster care license so that I can adopt a child from foster care in this country.  I guess God has other plans at this time, and I am trusting Him to provide.  Lance will join two brothers.  My biological son is 8 years old and he is half-Chinese, so they already look like brothers.  Lance’s other soon-to-be brother joined us in June of 2013 through a program called Safe Families and will be with us long-term.  We are all looking forward to meeting Lance and have enjoyed the pictures and stories from so many people who have already met him and love him.  I am amazed at how popular Lance is!

Lance - Harmony House

Here is the write-up that Harmony House has on Lance:

Date of Birth: July 2001

Came to HH:  November 7, 2012

Special Needs: Cerebral palsy. Surgery in 2006 & currently hospitalized for more surgery

Lance came from a different situation than most children who come to Harmony House in that he apparently lived with his parents until he was around two years old. He was found wandering outside the gate of a post office one evening in Bayannaoer, Inner Mongolia, and he was taken to an orphanage there until he came to Harmony House last November.  He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) when he went to the orphanage at age two.

The disease affects the right side of his body, and early in 2013 he was fitted with braces to help him walk.   Nevertheless, he takes care of himself very well. He was in a special school before coming to us, and they apparently taught him well.

Specialists have him in their care now.  He is having a series of five surgeries interspersed with special physical therapy.  At the end of the anticipated five months’ of treatment, they believe Lance will walk without braces.   Meanwhile, we are trying to raise the funds to keep him in treatment.  If you wish to help, please go back to our home page and click on Current Needs at the bottom of the page.   

Lance’s biggest dream is to have his very own Forever Family.  He is a sweet young man who is outgoing and friendly with a smile for everyone.  Not having been in regular school before he came to us, he is a little behind but can read, write and do simple math—and he is learning, although Lily says he is a little lazy with his studies.  He enjoys cartoons and listening to music, and he is quite a singer. One of China’s prominent entertainers—after  hearing Lance sing—has sponsored voice lessons for him in Beijing .

Harmony's House featured Lance in their Christmas Newsletter.

Meet Lance - Reece's Rainbow

I first found Lance on Reece's Rainbow.  His alias on there is Laurence.  (Lance is also an alias.)

Here's what his Reece's Rainbow profile has to say about him:  

Boy, born July 2001
Cerebral palsy, limb deformity

From his camp counselor- Laurence is the most loving, gracious, generous boy. The amazing thing about Laurence is that, for everything that has gone wrong in his life, you would never know it at all. Laurence is truly a happy boy and his happiness came from loving and caring for those around him as well as some of the simplest things in life (balloons, bubbles, singing… etc.). All said and done, he just wanted to love and be loved. His generosity and graciousness was so great as well to the point where sometimes it was even hard to believe. There was never a time where he didn’t thank me for every single little thing I did for him. In fact, my all –time favorite moment with Laurence was when he broke out in song while we were eating. I asked the translators what he was singing about and Laurence said it was a song just for me in thanks for all the times I carried him up the stairs. Needless to say, I couldn’t help but shed a tear at that moment. Another example of his generosity came when we gave him his first ever ice cream cone and all he wanted to do was share it with me out of thanks. The same thing happened with his first burger, popcorn, French fries… etc. Laurence’s favorite thing in all the world to do is sing. He is a great singer too! All Laurence wants more than anything in the world is a mom and a dad and multiple times he would mention it. In fact, my heart crumbled when I called him a week after he left, which also happened to be right before another surgery on his legs, and he asked me whether I had found parents for him yet or not. I know Laurence would bring nothing but a joy to any family who would take him in.

Check back often as I work to bring Lance home.