[blindkid] Adopting children with visual impairments

Sun Jun 1 18:47:34 UTC 2014

We have a neighbor very close, Mexico, we adopted our beautiful daughter from there in 2000, with lil knowledge of Spanish and absolutely no training for the blind (O&M). She was 7 years old. What an opertunity to give into a wonderful childs life. She will graduate high School this June 2014, she has been in a mainstream school since day one. Oh how I pray that anyone wanting a beautiful child will consider adoption especialy those that have severe visual impairments, as Mexico can offer very lil to poor and blind.

On Sunday, June 1, 2014 1:19 PM, Sandy Bishop via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org> wrote:

As Robert mentioned already, Bethel China www.bethelchina.org is a
nonprofit in China working exclusively with VI children from orphanages
across China. They also partner with some orphanages, giving staff training
in better care for VI children in the orphanages. Perhaps their most
important work going forward is providing training to PARENTS who have VI
children, teaching them how to care for their children, giving them hope
for the future and building support networks among parents that we take for
granted. This reduces the number of families who feel they have no option
other than to abandon their child. I would hope that there are similar
organizations in other countries, but I am only familiar with the situation
in China.

Financial support is always welcome and of course, adopting one of these
children yourself. But, if adoption isn't for your family, reach out to
support families who are adopting (some feel called, but struggle with the
costs), and spread the word about the need for families to adopt VI
children. I am looking for places to spread the word about this. If you
have contacts in your area who would be open to hearing more about the
need, please contact me. I would love to see some of the national and/or
state organizations, like NFB and POBC get behind this, letting the public
know that there are VI children looking for families and offering
information to help those families move forward.

I did an informal survey on a couple of Facebook groups of families
considering or in process to adopt from China. I asked what kept them from
selecting visual impairment as a special need they would be open to
considering. (Nearly all adoptions from China now are children with some
type of special need.) The answers were a bit surprising to me, but show
that there is more that needs to be done in educating the American public
about living with visual impairments. Some parents (being sighted
individuals) admitted that blindness is just plain scary. You might find
this abbreviated list interesting:

Concerns

   - don't know anyone who is blind
   - feel clueless how to raise a blind child; don't know how to help them
   navigate the world; won't be able to help in the ways s/he needs
   - don't know braille
   - the child would feel left out of parent/families favorite
   sight-oriented activities, like photography, movies, etc.
   - afraid house would be too dangerous and they would get hurt (too much
   clutter, stairs, etc.)
   - blind adults can't be independent (can't get job, on welfare, i.e..
   has no "real future"); don't want a child who might be a burden on other
   siblings after parents are gone
   - driving: don't want to have to drive them around forever; live in
   rural area where driving is necessary; lack of independence because can't
   drive
   - accessibility to services in school, local school for the blind too
   far away
   - extended family reactions, "why would you do that to yourselves?"
   - traffic in front of the house

The book "Exposed to Hope" was written to show families that adopting a
child with a visual impairment doesn't have to be scary. As parents with VI
children you are showing the world around you the same thing. Share with
people you meet about the need and offer to be a resource to people who are
open to considering adopting a VI orphan. 

Thanks!

Message:2
>

> 
> Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 16:19:54 -0400
> From: Carolyn Cain via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [blindkid] Adopting children with visual impairments
>
>
> There seems to be an abundance of children in some countries who, due to
> being visually impaired are neglected or unwanted. Is there a place in the
> United States that can support this population of children who seem to be
> unwanted in other countries? I guess some countries don't have the
> resources we have to support them properly with basic life sustaining
> provisions. So sad.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 18:48:17 -0500
> From: Charles Buggs via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> To: Carolyn Cain <carolynacain at gmail.com>, "Blind Kid Mailing List,
>         (for parents of blind children)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Adopting children with visual impairments
> Message-ID: <894AE277-1B54-4C2A-AEBC-AEF84BAE2321 at tds.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=us-ascii
>
> Hi Carolyn,
>
> My wife and I are both partially blind and adopted our oldest son from
> India in 2009.  He has the same eye condition as my wife and also had
> another undiagnosed minor eye condition that was corrected with surgery
> several months after we brought him home.
>
> Unfortunately, organizations like UNICEF have successfully worked to close
> adoption programs in many countries, resulting in many children being left
> in orphanages.  The number of international adoptions has fallen 50% from
> the peak in 2004-2006.
>
> There are still many children available for inter-country adoption, and
> adoption may be the best option for a bright future for many children.
>  However, many more children will never be adopted and for those kids
> support in the form of donations may be most appropriate.
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 22:42:47 -0700
> From: Robert Jaquiss via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> To: "'Carolyn Cain'" <carolynacain at gmail.com>, "'Blind Kid Mailing
>         List,   \(for parents of blind children\)'" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Adopting children with visual impairments
> Message-ID: <001001cf7d5c$51e55140$f5aff3c0$@earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hello Carolyn:
>
>      A great way to help a blind child overseas is to adopt him or her.
> Bethel China www.bethelchina.org is working hard to give proper care and
> training for blind children in China. If you have the needed skills, Bethel
> China is looking for a couple of English teachers.
>
>      My wife Laurie and I are sponsoring a blind child through Compassion
> International www.compassioninternational.org.
> Others on this list will know of other organizations. Hope this helps.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robert
>
>
>
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