The Untold Story

As some of you may remember, last March Sasha took a trip up to Northern Bulgaria to visit an orphanage.  There was a little girl at this orphanage who we have been praying for ever since.  She was going through the adoption process so we did not share much on our blog as we did not want to jeopardize the adoption process.  However, she is now in the United States, and a U.S. citizen.  She has a new Mommy and Daddy, and we can now share her story.  This posting will only give you a glimpse of their story.  If you would like to hear more about this little girl and the amazing family that adopted her you can go to their blog www.theblessingofverity.com

This little girl was 9 years old when Sasha first saw her, yet she weighed less than some newborn babies.  She is unable to walk, and still takes food from a bottle and wears diapers.  She has some mental handicaps, but nothing that should cause her to be in such a physical state.

She has spent almost all of her life in a crib in the same room of an orphanage.  She had very little human contact, and no play time.  She had her diaper changed once a day.  This went on for 9 years.  To us it is amazing that this little girl is even alive.

The family that adopted her is one of the most loving families we have ever met.  They are not some Brad and Angelina couple with lots of money looking to help those less fortunate.  They already have 10 kids of their own, one of whom has down-syndrome.  This family had every reason to not go through the trouble and expense of adopting a desperately unhealthy little orphan girl from another country.  Who would have blamed them if they just turned a blind eye to the needs of this little one?  After all, they can only do so much.  Yet all they gave freely for the sake of this little girl.

A week ago today this little girl spent her last day in an orphanage.  She is an orphan no longer.  She is a daughter.  The day after they picked her up her parents had to take her to a Bulgarian hospital in the middle of the night.  Fortunately, just a couple days before we had shown them one of the best private hospitals in Bulgaria, so they knew where to go.  The doctors at the hospital could not believe that this little girl was 9 years old.  They also could not believe that she was Bulgarian.  They had no idea of the neglect that is going on in this country in the orphanage system.

Now she is in her new home.  American doctors are looking after her in a hospital in Pennsylvania.  We have heard good reports so far.  She remains in our prayers.

There is a great need to reform the government run children programs in Bulgaria.  Things like this should not happen, yet this little girl was not alone.  There are more like her.

Please pray that real change would happen.  We don’t pretend to know what the solution is, but something has to change.  Thank God that at least this little girl got out, and that, from the reports we have heard, many others are to follow with other families.