China: Advocating for Jill – One Team Member’s Story
We would like to introduce you today to a precious two year old girl named Jill. One team member, Michael Simone, recently visited her orphanage in China with an AWAA Storyteller medical mission team, and wanted to share a bit more about this special child. Additional information and photos obtained by this team will be provided and connections to team members can be made for any family who reviews Jill’s file. Here is what Michael shared with us about meeting Jill:
Jill is a beautiful little girl who was 28 months old when I met her in October 2015. During my time at the orphanage, I spent two afternoons interacting with her. She is a lively and active child who was able to crawl on her hands and knees across the room to reach her favorite toy, a soft, plushy shape-sorter. When I placed her on her back on the floor, she repeatedly tried to sit up by herself, and she succeeded for short periods of time.
Jill really came alive and her playful personality shined when I held her. She loved to laugh when she was tickled, and imitated me when I sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star†and clapped my hands. She also enjoyed taking my eyeglasses off and trying them on herself. She babbled, making the sounds, “ba,†“yaâ€, and “maâ€. She was able to pick up Gerber Puffs out of my hand and place them in her mouth. When she was not facing me, she would turn her head in my direction when I spoke to her.
With her head propped up, Jill constantly interacted with the world around her. She traded toys with other children, and reached out for objects that grabbed her attention. While seated in a Bumbo seat, she was able to keep her head erect. When I threw a small ball into her lap, she picked it up and threw it back towards me.
Jill was a joy to behold. She has clearly thrived in spite of her special need and her early life circumstances. It was a privilege to spend time with her and I miss her dearly. She is in my prayers daily. I am certain Jill will be a blessing to the family who adopts her.
– Michael Simone
Jill was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and a form of spina bifida and had surgery at around 2 months of age. Her orphanage notes her mental development and her nervous system exam is normal. It appears that she is doing amazingly well given the circumstances of her early life. Her file states she laughs, responds to her name, tracks objects visually, feeds herself, and understands instructions. According to members of the Storyteller team, she is also crawling, able to sit up, babbling, and playing games.
To request to review Jill’s file, please contact us at china@awaa.org or by phone at 800-429-3369 to learn more. Jill is designated by China as special focus, so a family who is at any stage of the process or just contemplating adoption can consider adopting Jill. Please help us advocate for Jill by sharing this information with your social networks. We trust God will bring her forever family to her soon!