Someone PLEASE see this boy!

Tonight I wanted to share the profile of a very special young man named "Haden."  

Haden is 13 years old and will "age out" this January.  In China, there is a strict law that a child cannot be adopted once they turn 14.  In some places, the kids can still have hope for a future, in other places, aging out basically condemns them to a very hard life.  Watching kids age out is one of the hardest things for adoption advocates to do.  I am pointing out his age first thing because I want people to realize that if Haden is going to get a family, that family needs to come forward NOW.  As in, yesterday!  (:  It can be done, but it will take an extraordinary amount of effort to complete his adoption by January 17.  Haden wants to be adopted and his orphanage wants it for him.  They have offered to waive his "orphanage fee" and have asked that we let people know that there are not many older kids there and that Haden won't have many friends to be with if he ends up staying in the orphanage.  UGH.  Breaks my heart.  Here is the information I have on him:

Wonderful Haden is 13 years old and listed as having torticollis.  According to his orphanage, Haden’s orphanage adoption fee has been waived!

This sweet boy is described as a very bright and kind child who likes to play basketball, draw, and read comic books.

Haden is said to be very social and have many friends. When he grows up, he stated that wants to be a pilot and see the world.

 The children in the orphanage did a talent show and Haden did a fantastic hip hop dance in front   of everyone!  He seems to have a fun personality.  His teacher says that he is a great student.

There is a family who recently adopted a girl from Haden's orphanage.  Her name is Lily, and she wanted to advocate for Haden.  Her family set up a video conference on Skype where she "interviewed" him.  This is what Lily's mom says:

Lily thinks he is a nice boy. He has not been in the orphanage very long, maybe 2-3 years. He came after his biological father passed away. His mother had left their family soon after he was born. I first “seen” him while watching a video of Lily’s going away party that the orphanage had for her. I picked him out specifically and asked about him because he had such a pleasant demeanor. He just seems like a really good kid. Here is what Lily says about him: “He is really smart. Every test is 99% or 100%. He is run really fast. Every race he is #1. He is nice.” If you would like more specific information, you are welcome to ask her and she will help you out as much as she can. She would really like him to have a family. When I asked her if he would be good for someone’s family, she thought a moment and then said, “I think maybe our family!” I say that to tell you that’s how highly he comes recommended!

“When we agreed to help advocate for a couple boys from Lily’s former orphanage we decided to try taking a video of them from a FaceTime call. Of course we would have all preferred to do it in person, but FaceTime is free and tickets are NOT! So… you will have to try to look past the quality of the video and see the heart of this boy. Below is the video of “Haden”. 

Ok, so did you watch the video?  Is he not the sweetest young man?  Do you want to know what's just so agonizing?  There is a family (an amazing, absolutely wonderful, INCREDIBLE family) who is already in the process of adopting from China.  They would love to bring Haden home too, but their issue is MONEY.  Ahhhh.  The one thing I just despise about adoption!   It is devastating to me that there is a family that is so great and so willing and that there is all kinds of money floating around out there in this world, and yet because it's not floating in their direction, this young man may have to remain an orphan for the rest of his life.  Lily's new family has offered to pay $500 toward his adoption.  Wow!!!  His orphanage fee has been waived.  And this family will already be in country, so their in-country expenses won't increase a lot.  You know, if just 500 people gave $20, or 100 people gave $100 or 20 people gave $500, this young man might have a family.  It just KILLS me. So maybe I'm needing to do a fundraiser?  Thoughts????

--Christianne