So tiny and small and curious about the world around her. She has the cutest little smile in the last photo. And such big bright eyes in the middle picture. Let me tell you a little bit about her...
I don't personally know her. Have never met her. I stumbled upon a blog (which I will link to soon) where I got to "meet" her.
This little girl's name is Katie or Katerina. She is 9-and-a-half. That would be 9-and-a-half years, not months. Yes, I know it seems unbelievable!
Here is Bianca. She is 8 years old. Spot the difference?
Katie weighs around 10 pounds, 9 ounces (4.7kg) and is 29 inches (73.66cm) long. Her foot is 4 inches (10.16cm) long, her upper thigh circumference is 5 inches (12.7cm), her upper arm circumference is about 3 inches (7.62cm). She is tiny. To give you an idea - Caitlyn was 10 pound 7 when she was born. How did this little person become the tiny whisper, a tiny little bird that she's become?
From birth she was "dumped" into an orphanage somewhere in Europe - I don't actually know which country to be honest. I imagine she was thrown away because she had Down Syndrome (as it often happens). When she was "found" she was confined to her cot day in and day out, taken out for bottle feeding and nappy changes and that was pretty much it. This child was never loved, she never received any stimulation, very little interaction and was severely malnourished. Just recently this tiny little whisper of a child was rescued and adopted by a family in the US. They have a long road ahead of them and I imagine the process will be incredibly slow.
Just imagine what she could have been if she was loved from the start! I hope this little girl will learn to trust, will learn to feel safe and loved and wanted and cared for. She must have an amazing fighting spirit to have survived the conditions she did for so long.
It breaks my heart to know that there are children living like this day in and day out. I look at my kids and yes, sometimes we feel a bit frustrated when they keep arguing or fighting. But I cannot ever imagine subjecting my kids to the conditions Katie had to live with for 9 and a half long years! It absolutely breaks my heart!
Today when you see your kids, give them an extra hug, tell them you love them and when they've gone to sleep, quietly tuck them in and whisper that you care for them. Because when you look at the photos of Katie, it is heartbreaking to know the damage it can do when a child is neglected and not given any love!
To follow Katie's journey click here.
Tiny whisper of a child
Alone for so long
Never hearing a soft voice
Or a sweet and gentle song
Stuck alone there in a cot
As each day changed into night
Every day slowly passed
To simply live, you had to fight
Cannot imagine how anyone
Could look into your eyes
Throw you away
Despite your tiny cries
An angel softly came
She rescued you that day
When she first saw you
She was committed to find a way
Tiny whisper of a child
The road ahead is long
But you are cared for and loved
I pray that soon you'll sing a happy song!
9 comments:
Sob... What a sad-happy post. Thanks for sharing her story.
Sometimes things that you need to keep you going are sent your way, today your post and link was just what I needed. Thanks, Lea.
Children need to be loved and nurtured to grow to be secure, social and confident adults. A touching and important blog.
So sad to see children being abused like this. They did not ask to come into this world, they were made by the ones who asked/wanted them. They did not asked to be disabled. Such a sad story. Will follow the blog.
Hi Lea
I just read the link you gave us to follow about Katie. What wonderful people to take on such a task and do it so lovingly. It is so sad to know that many, many children live like this in orphanages. It is very hard to read and see. Thank God for people like this family in Pennsylvania.
Rosemary
Lea, Thanks for the link. It's sohar d to understand that anyone could abandon their child in any circumstances. I hope Katie has some wonderful years with her new loving family. Maa
So sad that children are so badly neglected! Praise the Lord that he sent "angels" in the form of a loving family to take care of this beautiful girl.
Lea, did you write the lovely poem?
mum xxx
Thank you Mum, yes I wrote the poem!
You write so beautifully! I am touched by her (and many others' plight)
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