Meet 9-Year-Old, “Benz”, from China!

Benz is a smart, quiet, independent 9-year old boy who adapts well to new tasks & situations and learns very quickly.  A Loving Ambassador team visited with Benz in November 2019 and described him as attentive, cooperative, and very bright.  Benz has been diagnosed with a congenital small eyeball in his right eye and a congenital undeveloped eye in his left eye, and his only limitations are related to his vision.  He can see objects within 2 meters and can move freely in familiar spaces, but he’s more cautious in newer environments.  Another team visited Benz in 2010 and got to know him and his capabilities, and they found him to be an incredibly impressive young man:

“Benz is a soft-spoken, gentle little boy.  Though one eye is missing and the other has a cataract, he has some vision and makes amazing use of it.  He neatly stacked blocks, could count objects pretty accurately, and could sort objects by color if they were not very closely related colors.  Benz isn’t a man of many words, but when he has something to say, he speaks in complete sentences, like such a big boy, in a sweet voice.  He was so good at navigating, that I forgot that his vision was low several times, but his nanny was ready to remind me.  Several older children show great care for Benz and protect him when large groups of people are all around. The love he has received from them and that he gives to them has brought a quiet confidence to his demeanor.   We made our way through the zoo together easily, though I don’t have experience helping someone with low vision.  Benz does feel more secure if he has a helping hand on the stairs.

Benz is very independent with his daily activities.  He can eat with a fork very neatly, feed himself a sandwich, and he even ate cake with a popsicle stick with the best of manners.  He can use an open cup or a water bottle easily as well.

Benz picked up on games like Patty-cake immediately and learned clapping patterns quickly.  He really loved active games like Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.  He didn’t quite know what to make of being held and carried when I was standing up (after all, he can walk a long distance through the zoo by himself!), but he became a very snuggly, a frequent occupant of my lap, after getting used to it for a few minutes.  He started to listen for my heartbeat and then relaxed completely. It was a beautiful moment to experience.  He needs parents with laps that are ready and waiting.  Benz is a huge blessing!”

Please take a few minutes to consider how God would have you be a part of helping this precious child, whether that is through praying, advocating, or inquiring to learn more.

You can learn more about the process of adopting from China on our China overview page as well as learn about eligibility requirements for a China adoption.

If you are interested in learning more about Benz or adopting a child from China, please email our China team at China@awaa.org or you can reach us by phone at  800-429-3369 for more information.

NOTE:  $1,000 China adoption grants are still available to new families adopting from China!