Transferred...

The word is innocuous enough...."transferred." But what does that mean to an orphan boy in Eastern Europe? Moved? Certainly that is part of it, but to an orphan, "transferred" means "given up on; cast out to make room for younger, more desirable children; hidden out of sight...forever." This is the fate of little Nolan.

Nolan is a 7 year old boy who will turn 8 in October. He is described as "very physically active." In a mental institution, he is likely wasting away. Day in and day out, his routine likely never changes. He is with much older boys and the "pecking order" is likely in full force. Look at Nolan's innocent face. Look at his sweet smile. I wonder if anyone sees this smile anymore? I wonder if Nolan has begun rocking to self-stimulate...or worse. Many institutionalized children bang their heads or in other ways self-harm for stimulation. The future is bleak and unchanging for children who are "transferred." 

Why was Nolan dealt this fate? Quite simply, because he is deemed "defective." Nolan's records indicate that he has a slight mental delay as a result of "early trauma." We cannot know from this description whether this was birth trauma or whether this sweet, innocent boy was subjected to physical abuse. Nolan is also flat-footed and far-sighted. Add to this list that Nolan is a boy and his odds of being adopted anywhere drop considerably. Now that he is over 5 years old and already transferred, there is zero chance for him in his home country. Even with international adoption, the majority of families choose girls. Nolan's odds of being found and selected by a family are next to zero. BUT, I have always loved an under dog! I have faith that there is a family out there who will see Nolan's face and see his potential. Somebody somewhere will see his smile (and adorable dimple!) and look into those innocent, shining eyes.... and they will see their son.
 He has fine motor skills, which is excellent for his future development. He speaks, though it is hard to understand him. Imagine what some speech therapy could do for this little guy! Nolan is described as "happy, cooperative, and friends with other children." What potential he has!

For the life of me, I cannot understand why this precious child is sentenced to life in a mental institution. He has already suffered some sort of trauma and now has been ripped away from the orphanage where he had friends and was able to run and play. Orphanages are not the ideal. They are not a family, but they are worlds better than the mental institutions of Eastern Europe. Nolan currently has $2532.50 in his adoption grant. This is a wonderful start! Please help rescue little Nolan. Share his photo on your blog or social networking site. Perhaps you could spare a donation of any amount to his adoption grant. Every single bit helps. Do you know someone who is pursuing international adoption? Share Nolan's photo! And of course, please consider whether Nolan could be your son.