Four

Four years ago today, a beautiful little girl was born in a quaint and picturesque town along the Dneiper river in southeastern Ukraine.  

What should have been a day full of celebration for her parents quickly became a day full of sadness.  Tears of happiness became tears of grief.  

The little girl they waited for, and hoped for, had arrived.  But she was not the little girl they'd anticipated.  The child they had envisioned was not the child placed in their arms.  

The little girl they greeted that day was not a child they could welcome into their lives.  As precious as she was, she could not stay with them.  She had Down syndrome.  And in Eastern European society, there was no place for her.  

There were no supports for parents raising a child with Down syndrome.  And the stigma of having a child who is different, who is disabled...well, there just wasn't an option.  They had to give her up.  They handed their daughter to a social worker, who made arrangements to place the little girl in the local orphanage.  

Half a world away, another family also touched by Down syndrome, spent that day just as they would spend any other day.  They'd already had their day to be sad about Down syndrome and were fortunate to live in a part of the world where there was more support for children and families living with the diagnosis.  They'd already seen that disability is a matter of perspective, and that all people are the same within.

They had no idea that this little girl was born that day, that she was now alone in the world, or that she would one day play a huge role in their lives.

So the little girl waited, for three whole years, for someone to find her and claim her as their own.    

For over a thousand days, not one single person inquired about her.  But she survived anyway, in the care of her nurses.  Not having a family--or anything else--of her own would not dampen her zest for life, or her desire to learn and grow.

She thrived, despite her circumstances.  And that family half a world away, who had already made peace with Down syndrome, well, they found her.  And they ran to her, and they made her their own...

Today, as Alina turns four, she'll be celebrating her birthday with presents, balloons and Dora decorations.  She'll be sharing a birthday treat with her preschool classmates and her mama will come in and read to the class.  She'll have a special birthday dinner with some of her favorite foods--pizza, salad and berries, followed by ice cream cones dipped in rainbow sprinkles.  She will be surrounded by people who love her.

If she were still in the orphanage, today would have been a very different day for her.  The paperwork would have been ready for Alina's transfer from the relative safety and security of her baby home to a remote, regional mental institution.  I'm in tears typing that sentence.  I can begin to process it, but can't even come close to reconciling that thought in my mind.

This treasure locked away for life, this precious child...what did she ever do to warrant being placed in an asylum?  How did we find her, and what did we do to deserve her?

Alina is purposeful and intuitive.  There's a fire--and a fighter's spirit--underneath her curious, active and happy-go-lucky exterior.  She's sharp, an excellent problem solver with a strong memory, and can entertain herself for hours.  She's easily amused, quick to love and has a heart of gold.

She is an absolute gem.  What would we do without her?

Oh Lina, Happy Birthday, little love.  You are treasured beyond words...

* * *

When we found Alina, there were two other children who caught our eyes.  One was Yana, who will soon be going home to her forever family.  The other is Antonio, who is still waiting.  (We initially donated for four children, but the pictures of the two little boys were actually pictures of the same child at different ages...we must really have loved Antonio!)  This precious little guy just melts my heart.  All of the children with Down syndrome in his groupa have found families.  I can't imagine why he is still waiting for his!

Antonio - baby picture

Antonio - around 1 year old

Antonio - 2 1/2 years old

We would welcome donations to Antonio's grant fund in honor of Alina's birthday.  I am going to do whatever I can to find him a home, too.  Please, if you are considering Antonio, or if you would like to inquire about him, contact Andrea at Reece's Rainbow today.  I know parents who have been to this orphanage and would be willing to share tips and information about it, and would also be willing to share their impressions of Antonio.  This little boy will be a wonderful addition to one lucky family :)!