But today I don't want to talk to you about any of that. As I get closer to reaching my 500 reasons, I want each post to be of some particular importance to me. I want this space to highlight the things that I love, value and believe in. And one of those things is giving. I cannot stress enough the importance of helping others and understanding that the world is infinitely bigger than we as individuals experience it. As the beautiful Brad Paisley song says, when each of us is confronted with the host of issues that others face, we often think, "It's just been one of those days for me, but for him it's been one of those lives."
And so it is that I introduce you to the work of Kidsave International, just one of the many non-profits whose work I support. The goal of Kidsave International is simple: find adoptive families for older kids in foster care and orphanages. Their work spans numerous countries and continents, and while its mission is simple, its task is incredibly complex. Families who are looking to adopt tend not to be the norm anyway, and most adoptive parents want to bring home their own tiny, precious baby.
But older kids in foster care and orphanages deserve to grow up in loving families, too, as well as to have hope for the future. But as Kidsave says, they are at great risk; "they are the forgotten children." They often don't develop in the same ways that children who have individualized love, care and attention do, and they often have psychological scars stemming back to their past abandonment. Furthermore, their futures are uncertain. The longer they are without love, affection and nurturance, the greater the likelihood of committing suicide (10%), dropping out of high school (< 50%), going to jail (50%), becoming homeless (33%) or having children before the age of 20 who also go on to live in foster care or orphanages (25%). It's a scary situation, and the loss to society is significant.
But these aren't just statistics. They're kids who need someone to tell them to brush their teeth, eat their vegetables and do their homework. And they can't raise themselves. So, Kidsave matches these kids with families who will love them and raise them to be the best they can be.
What could be more amazing than that?
That's why I support them and why I encourage you to do so, as well. And go watch the video on their homepage. It will bring you to tears.
-Me