tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post4282070937952959733..comments2024-03-08T13:52:22.224-07:00Comments on LAJOY FAMILY: Orphanage Life is Great...NOT!!!!Cindy LaJoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486626867331586704noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-3778107564809342852011-04-04T19:36:43.949-06:002011-04-04T19:36:43.949-06:00I agree with Julie's comment, above, I will ne...I agree with Julie's comment, above, I will never <br />forget those left behind -- <br /><br />Peggy in VirginiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-91390093207517487482011-04-02T20:58:34.992-06:002011-04-02T20:58:34.992-06:00I completely agree. And when I read articles/edit...I completely agree. And when I read articles/editorials/comments from those who shun adoption as baby-trading, etc. - particularly those who have had zero experience with adoption - it just makes me seethe. Both of our children came from the same BH in Kazakhstan. It was run pretty well and our son was a favorite so well loved and well taken care of. Our daughter is special needs and had a much different experience (she was put in the special needs toddler room early on where they got much less stimulation and interactioni). We are dealing with the after-effects of that experience still. Another family there with us truly saved teh life of her son who was deemed failure-to-thrive and had feeding difficulties. Once they got him home he was so underweight and was so bound up from not getting solid food (at 16 mos) that he would have only lasted months if they hadn't had intervened. And this is in one of the better run orphanages that gets a significant amount of donations from adopting families. Sad. Very sad. Every family who says to me "wow, you are so brave/caring/generous/etc to adopt a child - I'd love to do that too" I want to shake and say JUST DO IT! It was the most challenging thing but the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life.Kelly and Snehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12694012810022647105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-49274315082044972452011-04-01T19:54:52.844-06:002011-04-01T19:54:52.844-06:00Thank you for reposting this :) I couldn't agr...Thank you for reposting this :) I couldn't agree more!<br /><br />SarahSarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08935757091952994294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-15914808275221115892011-04-01T13:30:10.457-06:002011-04-01T13:30:10.457-06:00Cindy
I cannot agree more. As an adoptive mom fro...Cindy <br />I cannot agree more. As an adoptive mom from Kazakhstan, my daughter would NOT have been better off in the orphanage. I still cry everyday remembering those other little faces, who were not being adopted. I hope they found homes, but know thats probably not true. And although I would say that my daughters orphanage was good, shes still tiny for her age. I thank God daily though, that we were allowed to adopt her as an infant. It's why I believe she has no serious delays. And shes more loved here, that she would have been in an orphanage.<br />JulieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-12716094388578776382011-04-01T07:45:11.802-06:002011-04-01T07:45:11.802-06:00Only when we define family as those who gather tog...Only when we define family as those who gather together to make a loving, supporting home for each other will we begin to end orphanages, foster care, years of institutionalization. Whites cannot adopt blacks, non-Native Americans cannot adopt Native Americans, gays cannot adopt, three sisters cannot give a home to three children, one with Down's syndrome, citizens of one country cannot adopt from another, on and on we judge by criteria other than ability to love, care for, support, and cherish. Only when we widen our definition of family can we begin to widen our definition of world. Only when we cherish and care for those with the least power will we quit destroying each other and the world we live in.<br /><br />LaelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-23474753677833318082011-03-31T23:18:56.561-06:002011-03-31T23:18:56.561-06:00My son was 2 and weighed 19 lbs. couldn't even...My son was 2 and weighed 19 lbs. couldn't even crawl and was covered with bruises and a rash when we adopted him from an orphanage in Kazkahstan in <br />Aug. 05. We were told that he wouldn't be able to walk, ever.<br />Today he is 7, skiing all the black diamond runs at our local ski resort, takes hip hop and loves his quad. He is a very happy kid and brings us great joy everyday. The only thing wrong with his legs were that he was never taken out of his crib in the "Baby House". Enjoy reading your blog.Tonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763049371528555461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-56450838513143182972011-03-31T17:32:22.108-06:002011-03-31T17:32:22.108-06:00When will adults start behaving like adults? Inst...When will adults start behaving like adults? Instead of fighting and bickering over small things, sitting down and solving the big problems? Thank you for this post, it is much needed and crystal clear. May it reach the right ears to move things forward.<br /><br />KellyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-50033438243267977222011-03-31T16:47:05.030-06:002011-03-31T16:47:05.030-06:00My son left his Rwandan orphanage at 12 months hav...My son left his Rwandan orphanage at 12 months having been there for 8 months. He was healthy and happy. He also took his first independent steps on his first birthday, and did that before crawling, because he hadn't been on the ground out of his crib enough to learn how to crawl. He had been dearly loved and well cared for by the staff, including the nun who was in charge of the orphanage part of their work. But she was also a woman with 130 other babies and toddlers to take care of, including new children being abandoned there on a daily basis. She KNEW she couldn't give him a family, no matter how much she loved him and how seriously she took her calling, and in the end, not having a family would devastate his life. So when the time came, she stifled her own tears, raced in to get him a St. Christopher medal to keep, and said thank God another one is safe and out of here. There was no hint by anyone in Rwanda that adoption was somehow second-best. Everyone in the govt, everyone at the orphanage, everyone I met thought it was great. They knew they had a good orphanage, but they certainly weren't going to delude themselves or anyone else that that was the same as having a family. I can't believe what a contrast it was to my trip to the orphanage in Kyrgyzstan just a year earlier, when I walked away horrified by every single aspect of their warehousing of children while being suspicious of me for wanting to bring a baby home (which, of course, I was never allowed to do).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-72380535235627302172011-03-31T14:18:23.247-06:002011-03-31T14:18:23.247-06:00You are a blessing Cindy, and thank you so much fo...You are a blessing Cindy, and thank you so much for posting this "eye opening" story. I am sitting here in compete shock! I am down on my knees praying for these precious, precious children all over the world...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-32021991355134812802011-03-31T13:58:53.444-06:002011-03-31T13:58:53.444-06:00Thanks Cindy!! Perfectly said. I am so sick and ti...Thanks Cindy!! Perfectly said. I am so sick and tired of the delays, the blame, the lies. The ones suffering are the kids, while the adults simply want to be seen saying the politically correct thing (for their given country) regardless of the consequences to the children. They are literally sacrificing them for politics.April Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08238041316483024640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-3658155307547143932011-03-31T12:47:19.117-06:002011-03-31T12:47:19.117-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.GrowingFamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12375057327405122154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-52463482852908570702011-03-31T12:46:07.510-06:002011-03-31T12:46:07.510-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.GrowingFamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12375057327405122154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-15648982971454690792011-03-31T11:53:11.406-06:002011-03-31T11:53:11.406-06:00I have been profoundly touched by your article. I...I have been profoundly touched by your article. I went to comment on the article you posted and it seems that they have taken the comment feature off. I will post your blog on my FB so that my friends can be informed too.<br /><br />Thank you for shouting. I will do my best to shout with you.Samanthanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-51786640810819460662011-03-31T08:54:38.010-06:002011-03-31T08:54:38.010-06:00AMEN Cindy. I have nothing else to add.
~Kim in...AMEN Cindy. I have nothing else to add. <br />~Kim in NYKimberleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18403135208981320843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-54947615749601895072011-03-31T08:01:49.301-06:002011-03-31T08:01:49.301-06:00Thank you Cindy. Your blog brought me to tears as...Thank you Cindy. Your blog brought me to tears as I think about our little one at almost 3 years old still living in an orphanage in Kyrgyzstan.Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09534585383824685777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-3470400269970186582011-03-31T07:53:19.513-06:002011-03-31T07:53:19.513-06:00Anonymous, I know what you are saying and we all n...Anonymous, I know what you are saying and we all need to shout it. Orphnage delays become PERMANENT, and they are no laughing matter. Warehousing children to protect image is disgusting and wrong.<br /><br />Thank you all for posting comments, both here and on Facebook. Completed adoptive families are freer to speak publicly than those who continue to wait, as they fear their adoptions will be halted (as if theya ren't already). If you too are fed up, and your family is complete, please make a point to say something on FB or your own blogs. We have to speak for those who can't!Cindy LaJoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16486626867331586704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-3287681240510834772011-03-31T06:57:57.264-06:002011-03-31T06:57:57.264-06:00My daughter was in an orphanage in E. Europe for t...My daughter was in an orphanage in E. Europe for the first 1.5 years of her life. And it WAS a good orphanage. I do believe she was treated well by caregivers who truly cared about her, and she is an awesome, happy, outgoing kid today.<br /><br />But even in this good orphanage, you could tell the babies didn't get enough to eat. When the food came around, they would become almost frantic while waiting to get their share.<br /><br />Even in this good orphanage, they gave the babies drugs to "help them sleep." This is really all about keeping them on the same schedule, to make it easier to manage them. <br /><br />Even in this good orphanage, the babies commonly had rashes. Once home, my daughter's face rash cleared up immediately with regular bathing. I don't know how often they were bathed in the orphanage. <br /><br />Even in this good orphanage, the babies wore the same set of clothes day after day.<br /><br />Even in this good orphanage, the babies hit their milestones like sitting, crawling, and walking much later than a typical American kid. Those babies just couldn't get the same level of personal attention during the first year of their lives that babies get in families, so it took them longer to accomplish those things.<br /><br />So I am grateful for the care my daughter received in a good orphanage. But even so, an orphanage can never match the level of care a child will receive in a loving HOME.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-31465593414868225282011-03-31T06:40:26.506-06:002011-03-31T06:40:26.506-06:00Absolutely heartbreaking!! Thanks for sharing for ...Absolutely heartbreaking!! Thanks for sharing for others to read/learn/know.Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02487340922585988224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-6280925847008948922011-03-31T05:54:09.588-06:002011-03-31T05:54:09.588-06:00Cindy, I see the same thing as you, all the time. ...Cindy, I see the same thing as you, all the time. My daughter will spend the rest of her life with physical and emotional scars from incidents at her orphanage so horrific that she has blocked out the memories and cannot process them. <br /><br />Michael was only in an orphanage 2 years, but he suffered too. <br /><br />UNICEF says children should remain in their birth cultures rather than be adopted. I am not a supporter of that organization any more.Deehttp://deescribbler.typepad.com/my_weblog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-12890847505484721372011-03-31T05:53:54.181-06:002011-03-31T05:53:54.181-06:00There aren't words...There aren't words...Hubshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840103738285016284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-59909415844774482422011-03-31T05:00:21.269-06:002011-03-31T05:00:21.269-06:00I think it's odd that while being interviewed ...I think it's odd that while being interviewed for this article, the reporter NEVER mentioned the whole body-parts nonsense.<br />Great post. I can't see how anyone can believe orphanage lifecan in any way be better than a family of their own.Malahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18226198705492411978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35990418.post-75219416965000921782011-03-31T02:17:07.644-06:002011-03-31T02:17:07.644-06:00Oh Cindy....it's near impossible for me to com...Oh Cindy....it's near impossible for me to comment any more because I'm not great at typing one-handed! That said, I just had to comment here simply to let you know how grateful I am God placed those 5 sweet children in your loving charge and how my heart breaks wishing for that for the so many precious souls everywhere just languishing...the travesties and tragedy of this broken world just hurt my heart so....thank you for your advocacy and your defense for those who cannot do so for themselves. xoxoLorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01828552745708177768noreply@blogger.com