Meet Emmanuel

After Angel was adopted, her cot " Love" became home to this little guy. His name is Emmanuel, and most readers will guess that he has a congenital heart disease. (Those blue lips will give it away every time.) He also had a nasty ear infection, which is now responding to treatment.

When he first arrived, Emmanuel was still quite shocked and withdrawn. He didn't seem to show any emotions - no crying, no smiling, no laughing, He was just like a little doll, remaining totally passive no matter what happened around him. He didn't react to his surrounds or to any of the people who were trying so hard to connect with him. This little guy had walled himself off from the world.

Now it's been a few weeks, and we are seeing a different baby. He cries when he wants attention, and he laughs and babbles when he is happy. He is recognizing his own ayis and responding to them beautifully. It's so lovely getting to know him as he lets down the barriers and allows us in. We think he is a very brave little boy for trusting us in this way.

 Just like Finlay, Emmanuel has some developmental delays. You need to have energy to learn new things, and that's pretty hard when you are short of oxygen. He has been too weak to exert himself, and most of his time has been spent just lying in his cot. We are already gently changing that, and making sure he gets up and about to enjoy his surroundings. Soon he will be taking a trip to Shanghai to have his heart assessed. Our hope for him is that he too can have surgery, and that his heart can be healed. Please join us in this hope for Emmanuel.