I just know you will want to help. Once I tell you about them, you will want to join me in helping them. You will feel eager to be God's hands and feet here on earth.
My last post, was almost a year ago. Shortly after that post we moved to another state. I was told there was another family here that had adopted many children with DS, some from over seas. I thought they must be a RR family, who else adopts kids from overseas with DS!! I eventually got their names and contacted the wife, Jane, on Facebook. Indeed, they did have many children with DS, one biological, 3 from U and 3 through domestic adoption. The wife and I messaged back and forth. They did not adopt these kids through RR. They brought their first child with DS from U home in 2001. Before RR.
I should mention this family lives 1 mile down the road from us! We invited them over for pizza one Friday. As soon as her husband, Dave, walked in the door he scooped up Alanna and asked where she was from. I told him U, and he asked what region, I told him K. He said they do mission work, in a level 4 right outside of K, the very institution Alanna would have gone to when she was 4. God is amazing like that, weaving people together. They shared with us that they were starting another adoption to adopt a little girl from that institution. She is 10, and tiny of course, about the size of a 4 year old.
As months went by and we got to know each other I have simply fallen in love with this family. They have a heart for children with DS and for the country of U.
One of the Daulton's biological children has Down Syndrome. Tommy was born in 1984. Of course Down Syndrome changed them, changed their lives and their hearts. Tommy calls himself "the awesome biological child" and indeed he is:) He planted the seed that quickly grew into a passion for Jane and Dave. In 1990 they adopted Ben domestically. Ben and Tommy are the best of friends.
In 1995 they adopted another child with DS. Her parents, a well educated couple from Ethiopia, living in the United States at the time gave their daughter the ultimate gift by finding her a loving family. They knew she would be accepted and have excellent health care and opportunities she would not have in their home country.
In 1998 sweet Daniel became part of the Daulton crew. Precious boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, Stuck in the hospital with health problems, his new parents diligently by his bedside. Daniel was able to come home for 10 months before going to heaven. The Daultons loved him fiercely. This was the second son they had lost. One of their biological sons had passed away suddenly and tragically at the age of 4. Some would have grown stone hearted, but not Jane and Dave. The tears for their boys are always close to the surface of their eyes, but they carry on. In 1999, they did their final domestic adoption, Lani joined the Daulton crew. Ignorance about DS does not just happen in other countries. Lani had been neglected by the very people who should have helped her grow.
I really should mention that Dave is an adoption attorney. He has helped many families adopt children domestically and from varying countries. Some with DS. Jane and Dave have a heart for mission work as well, and in 1998 they asked a question that I believe opened the door for orphans with DS in Ukraine. While doing mission work for his organization SENSE, in Ukraine and assisting people adopt, they asked "where are the children with Down Syndrome?" "Nooone would want them", was the answer they were given. Jane and Dave said "we would" And so started their journey to their first adoption in Ukraine.
You would never guess who their facilitator was! A missionary had taken several young people on to train them in adoption and how to do business with Westerners. One of those young women,Yulia, would go on to be one of the best. I say Yulia had to of been a child herself back then. Now Yulia will tell you that her heart has been changed by these children. Thanks to the Daultons and the many Reeces Rainbow families that she has facilitated adoptions for.
They committed to 2 little boys, those little boys are now Jack and Philip. When they got to Ukraine, however, the boys' paperwork was not ready. There had been a miscommunication. They were told to go to another region, that they had children with Down Syndrome who were registered. They did, and they brought home Anya from Vorzel. From what I've heard Anya chose them, she was not a wall flower. To this day Anya is spunky, a typical teenage girl in everyway. Anya has traveled back to Ukraine twice with her parents on missions trips. What better way to show U the potential all children have.
They went back in October 2001 to bring home Jack and Philip. With them they took equipment for the children with special needs, something they have continued to do through the years. Jack was able to come home, Philip still had a paperwork hold up, and they would go back for him in June of that very same year. Both boys were 4, and Philip was set to be transfered to the institution, but the Daultons begged, and they kept Philip at the baby house till they could get back for him.
Of course they said they were done adopting. They went on helping others adopt from near and far. While being interviewed on CBN, Jane was asked what her goal was. She said, "to change the heart of a country." Between Jane and Dave, they have made over 25 trips to Ukraine. Their non-profit Father's Heart, continues to work with children with special needs, and to educate Ukraine about Down Syndrome. Dave and Jane introduced Pastor Sasha of www.almazgo.com to the plight of special needs orphans. Pastor Sasha, his wife and their church family has a passion for orphans and has been working with them for years. Now that they know more about the orphans with special needs, they have decided to partner with Father's Heart, to continue missions with special needs orphanages. You can read about their last mission trip this past summer here: http://almazgo.com/news/summer-2012/ Together they hold conferences to help educate and equip parents, health care professionals, churches, etc... in Ukraine. At their last conference they had over 200 people from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
You can read about one of their conferences here http://www.fathersheartorphanministries.com/pdf/2011%20Ukraine%20Conference%20Program%20in%20pdf.pdf
The institution they are adopting from this time is one that they have worked with many times. The director has an open heart, and together they have greatly improved the conditions there. They pray that they will become an example for other facilities of children with special needs.
The Daultons have met the sweet girl they are adopting. They intended to adopt 2 girls, both they have met several times while on missions trips. There was a problem with the second girl's paperwork. They cannot adopt her. She is not registered, and it is not possible to get her registered quickly. Her baby orphanage did not register her, she was seen as unwanted, not even given a chance.
The Daultons need to raise about 12,000 in 5 days. WE can do this. Dave and Jane have poured so much into their children and into missions. I could not stand to think that we, God's people, would not rise up for them.
Go here to make a tax deductible donation:
http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=daulton
