Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Visiting the FMN kids!!!

Survivor...(diagnosis:severe malnourishment/neglect)
I am just now getting to posting some pics from our trip to the FMN kids last week.

Below is our sweet little girl Survivor.  She came to us at 5 pounds and is now just over 7 pounds.  She is looking healthy, is very alert and aware of her surroundings.  We are guessing her to be no younger than 4 months.  Once she starts growing more, we may have a more accurate age.  Her foster mom has done an amazing job getting her to gain weight.  She eats very good and sleeps well.  She is beautiful!








Favour...(diagnosis:CP)

Here is our gorgeous Favour!  She plays so well with the other kids in her home, and can be very silly!  She is such a great eater, has the most beautiful smile, and is doing great learning to stand!




Karen...(diagnosis:CP)
She is getting better at her walking, starting to say a few words, plays very well with her foster siblings, loves to clap and listen to singing and dancing.  Karen has had some serious feeding issues, and we are hoping that those will be resolved with oral therapy ...(peanut butter!).  Karen's foster mom is doing such a great job with feeding her, and helping her blossom!  She's got such a sweet smile!



Hope...(diagnosis:CP)
She is doing amazing!  She has completely filled out and has gotten so strong!  She can even bare weight on her legs!  She has the most wonderful happy personality, smiling and baby talking the whole week we were with her.  Her foster mom states she is like this all the time.  She is precious!!



Junior...(diagnosis:CP)
He is sooo healthy and strong!  Poor Junior is still so scared of us pale face people!  Even though his foster mom says he is such a happy boy, I have yet to see a smile!  During his assessment, he screamed the whole time.  One of these days I will be able to love on him, just not yet...
Junior is doing so wonderful with his foster mom and siblings!



David...(diagnosis:CP/severe malnourishment/neglect)
From the time we brought David into the program, he has had chronic malaria, and was suffering from severe malnourishment.  He had just recently been discharged from the hospital and is starting to eat very well.  He is still so fragile and needs to gain a lot of weight to become healthy.  I have full trust in his foster mom to take wonderful care of him and help him start gaining weight. 



Angel...(diagnosis:CP)
What a handsome sweetheart!  Angel is so easy going and has the most precious smile and giggle!  He has gotten very strong, and loved jumping in the jumper that was donated for this trip.  What a handsome little man!



Eric...(diagnosis:CP)
I am so proud of this little guy! His personality is just blossoming!  He smiled and laughed for the first time, during our trip.  Foster mom has always stated how "serious" Eric is.  It was almost as if he did not know how to smile, then once he did it, he continued to smile and laugh.  It was such a sweet blessing to see more of his personality.  He can play very nice with toys, loves his foster mom, is a great eater, and likes to listen to singing and dancing.  We tried so hard to catch a smile in a picture, but were not successful.  Such a handsome boy!





Surprise...(diagnosis:Microcephaly)
He is still such a happy boy, easy to please, adores his foster mom, and has gotten a lot stronger!  Surprise is so easy going and fun to play with.




Mohammed...(diagnosis:CP)
What can I say?  He is adorable!  He has grown so much these past few months and has gotten stronger.  His adoptive mom came on this trip, so she got to love on her boy!



Alvena...(diagnosis:CP)
What a sweet and beautiful little girl! Alvena has a quiet and calm personality, and has a smile that melts your heart!  She is growing and getting stronger with therapy.  She is sooo sweet!


Korpu...(diagnosis:Failure to thrive)
She is our healthy princess!  Korpu is thriving, and is very much a girly girl!  She is so sweet with the rest of the kids, loving on them and teasing them, but also can be a stinker!  Her personality is adorable and is so easy to love on! 


Barry...(diagnosis:CP)
Such a joy to be in his presence.  Barry has the biggest smile, sweetest disposition.  He loves being held, and can communicate very well in his own way.  His foster mom knows exactly when and what he needs, by his sounds and gestures.  Barry has done great with continued therapy and message.



William...(diagnosis:Autism)
I get to see more of his sweet personality, every time I visit.  He has such a gentle and loving spirit.  I can't believe this is the same little boy that curled up in a dark corner and would rock himself, not allowing anyone to touch him.  He loves walking hand in hand with you, and truly craves loving touch.  Although William is non verbal, he can communicate his wants and needs with his body language very well.  Such a sweet boy!




John...(diagnosis:Cognative/Learning disabled)
He LOVES dancing and singing!  He gets silly happy when he starts his dancing routine.  John has an enfectious smile, and is so easy to please, and such a calm personality.  He loves school and going to church!  His foster mom says that he is starting to say short sentences, and does very well following instructions.



Grace...(diagnosis:CP)
She is such a beautiful and motivated little girl!  All Gracie wants to do is walk walk walk!  We are desperately trying to get a walker over to her that will give her enough support, and allow her feet to go wherever Gracie wants to go!  Her feet are always going!  She loves her foster mom and loves playtime.  Gracie has gained a lot of strength, and has grown so much these past few months!  What a sweet and beautiful girl! 



Gborlee...(diagnosis:CP)
What a handsome little guy!  He has got such a funny personality, but takes awhile to warm up to you.  He is very attached to his foster mom.  Gborlee has grown so much,  and has gotten so much stronger.  His adoptive mommy got to visit this trip. She is one blessed mommy! 






Tuesday, August 9, 2011

No pics...not good internet...

So sorry to not be able to update everyone with pictures of all the beautiful FMN kids!!  The internet service here won't let us load any pictures.

I can't wait to show you their wonderful improvements!

Our little Survivor is thriving!  She is looking so healthy, alert, but still such a tiny peanut. 
Little David is so fragile right now...he came to us with chronic Malaria and severe malnourishment, and recently was released from the hospital.  He needs a lot of prayer for his health, and to be able to put some weight on quickly.
William has been my shadow since we got here.  He loves holding my hands!  So cute!
John is always smiling!
Gracie is wanting to go go go!  She loves walking with our help.
Korpu is her normal cute goofy self!
Elvena is quiet, but LOVES to be held!
Hope has gained so much weight, she is sooo healthy.  Always smiling and talking 'baby talk.'
Junior is very attached to his foster mom, and is quite scared of us white ladies.
Gborlee is so stinkin adorable!
Surprise is still our happy boy!
Angel has gotten stronger!
Mohammed is looking like a little boy and is so adorable with his cooing!
AND...the biggest blessing I have received so far, is Eric smiled and laughed for the first time while we were visiting him!  THAT made my heart sing!!!!  This kid has a wonderful personality that has been waiting to come out.  Yahoo!

I promise to keep trying to get pics loaded...but it may not be until I am back in the states...

Our trip is wonderful so far!
God Bless,
Christina

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

FYI!!

I will be in Liberia all next week!

If internet is good, I will try to update the blog several times during the week! So keep a look out!

The greatest privilege I have as director of this program, is being able to love on some very special kids and see the wonderful progress they are making! 

SEE YOU IN LIBERIA!
Christina