[blindkid] Mexico Re: Adopting children with visual impairments

Marianne Denning via blindkid blindkid at nfbnet.org
Sun Jun 1 20:59:09 UTC 2014


We all need to work wherever we live to improve the rights of blind
people.  It is better than it was 30 or 40 years ago and I hope it
will continue to improve.  Technology really does make a difference
and it is very expensive.  As adults, the only way you can get anyone
to purchase technology is because you need it for your employment.
But, without learning nd using the technology, you cannot advance your
employment or career. So, yes, we provide technology for students
because our laws require it but there are no such laws once a blind
person graduates from high school.

On 6/1/14, Gerardo Corripio via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>   Yes my dream is to better little by little the quality of life of the
> blind here in Mexico, which is where i'm from and live. Definitely the
> quality of life is not bad, but it could be better, especially in more
> people having access to technology which is very expensive! here no
> lending of technology like you guys have in schools; as the saying goes,
> we have to scratch with our nails!
>
> El 01/06/2014 02:13 p.m., Dani Baisden via blindkid escribió:
>> My husband and I are currently in the process to adopt a little girl from
>> India. She will be 3 years old in July and she has Congenital Glaucoma. We
>> have been told to expect light perception at best, but not to count on it.
>>  From everything we have been told, she is a spunky, happy, determined
>> little girl. We are hoping to travel to India to bring her home in January
>> or earlier. We have been in the process for almost 18months at this point.
>>
>> I currently work as a Rehabilitation Instructor for the Blind at a
>> personal
>> adjustment training center locally. So we have some preparation and I
>> understand blindness from a professional perspective, though not through
>> the eyes of a parent, yet. Advice is most welcome!
>>
>>   This process can be very overwhelming and our families don't always
>> understand our desire to choose a child who is blind, but we have never
>> doubted our decision from the day we saw her face. I understand the fears
>> of families who choose not to adopt a child with VI. I share some of them.
>> I also look forward to the many things I'm sure our daughter will teach
>> us.
>>
>> I have been wanting to write to this group for sometime and ask if there
>> are any other adoptive parents out there who would be willing to share
>> encouragement/advice about the first few weeks/days and the attachment
>> process.
>>
>> Thank you,
>> Dani Baisden
>>
>> more info about our adoption process: www.bringingcorahome.blogspot.com
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Jun 1, 2014 at 1:47 PM, dan sturgill via blindkid<
>> blindkid at nfbnet.org>  wrote:
>>
>>> 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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>
> --
> Enviado desde mi lap
> Gerardo J Corripio Flores Psicólogo, Terapéuta Reiki
> Saludos desde Tampico, Tamaulipas México
> RompiendoBarreras espacio de psicología/Superación Personal Sábados 10PM
> México http://radiogeneral.com ¡los esperamos!
>
>
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-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053




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