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Cracking the teen shell

She walked in with her head held high, displaying the perfect ‘this is lame’ teen strut.  She was trying her best to let us know this meeting was boring, and she’d rather be doing a million other things.  But she slipped up when she briefly made eye contact with both of us, letting down her tough teen façade just for a moment, and giving us our first glimpse into the amazing young woman that she is.  She knew why we were there, and it wasn’t hard to see her vulnerability behind the valiant attempt of only giving off teen ‘tude.

Maleah (13) beelined straight to the familiar face in the room to sit next to, and geared up for our questions.  At first shy, quiet, and attempting disinterest, she slowly answered our questions with the briefest of answers.  She likes school, loves sports (she’s very tall!), loves helping with the little kids in the orphanage, and desperately wants a family.  Maleah is open to just a Mom, or a Mom and Dad, who will support her athletics, as well as teach her to cook.  With each question, we got a bit more out of Maleah, and little by little we cracked her shell and got to see the real girl under the teen face.  The Maleah who loves with her whole heart, despite a challenging childhood.  The Maleah who tried so hard to give a teen eyeroll at our American antics, but ultimately let her giggles slip out.  The Maleah who takes care of the younger kids as if they were her little siblings.  The sweet, funny, kind, nurturing, hopeful Maleah. 

Maleah started our day together with her armor on and buttoned up tight.  But we ended the day knowing the real Maleah.  And we couldn’t be more grateful and humbled that she let us in to see a small part of her soul.  To see her heart, her hopes, and her dreams.  Dreams of a family to call her own.

There were delays in preparing Maleah’s adoption paperwork, giving us very little time to find her family.  But we vowed to her we would do all we can to find them, and we need your help.  Interested in learning more about Maleah, and about adopting from Thailand?  Please complete our Prospective Adoptive Parent form today!  Not in a position to adopt?  That’s OK!  Simply sharing this post will help find her family!    

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Mr. Personality

When we arrived at the orphanage to meet the children we are advocating for, we were told that Petey was in the hospital with pneumonia. So couldn’t be with us.  We were disappointed, but grateful for the excellent medical care he has access to. 

After meeting with several children, a staff member shared, “Petey was just released from the hospital, so you can meet him after all!”  We expected a weak, tired child to enter the room, as he literally came straight there from the hospital.  Boy were we wrong!  In comes Petey, running in like a dinosaur complete with using his pointer fingers as horns on his head and roaring with all his might.  I had to confirm with the staff, “Wait…..this boy was just released from the hospital?  He just had pneumonia?”  “Yes!”

Group of children playing the drums

To say this boy has personality doesn’t.do.it.justice. 

The light Petey brings to the room is magnificent. 

He proceeded to entertain us with more dinosaur impressions, singing baby shark in Thai, as well as signing other Thai songs, teaching his friend different animal sounds, and just overall bringing an unbelievable amount of joy to everyone in the room.  The staff shared that this is Petey.  Overjoyed, animated, social, happy. 

Toy Dinosaur on a wooden deck between two children's legs.

His friends miss him desperately when he’s in the hospital, and rejoice the moment he comes back to the orphanage.  On paper he sounds like a very sick little boy (and he does have medical needs that his family must be prepared for), but in real life he is so much more than his needs!  He clearly does not let his needs bring him down or define him!  Petey is not a sick boy.  Petey is a lively, animated, happy-go-lucky, light up the room, loving little boy who just so happens to have some medical needs.  There’s a big difference.   

The family who brings this boy home will be blessed beyond measure with one of the happiest souls I have ever encountered.  We have several pictures and video that we would be more than happy to share with an interested, qualified family.  Please complete our free Prospective Adoptive Parent form today to learn more about this special boy! 

To respect the privacy of waiting children, Madison uses representative photos of children. We do not publicly share photos of waiting children in our programs. If you would like to learn more about a child, please contact us for the next steps to be taken.

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