Hope Journey Team Update: Meet “Mattie”

We are pleased to share another update from the One Orphan Hope Journey team. Today they want to share just a little bit about a special little guy named “Mattie.”
Please consider sharing his story as we begin to advocate on his behalf.

Here is what team member Rachel had to say about Mattie:

I would like to introduce to you a young boy I have had the privilege of meeting. Mattie is an 8 year old boy who lives with his foster mother in China. He was born with spina bifida which has resulted in the inability to feel or move both his legs, however he is able to walk using crutches. When I initially met Mattie, I met his foster mother. Being a foster mother myself, I connected with her immediately. She has fostered Mattie since he was one and cares for him deeply. It's amazing to me that he's had her for these last 8 years! He has surely benefitted from having that stability.

Mattie was one of the first children for me to meet here and he has captured my heart! Immediately upon arriving he was ready to play. He loved tossing the ball around and playing catch. He was very eager to show me how he walked up the platform steps holding on to just the rails. We played and played yesterday. He went home tired!!! (And I did too). This morning when coming to the center, he was in the corner looking as if something was bothering him. He didn't want to play. I asked him if he could express how he feel. He was sad. Sad because he is older and realizes that his chance of becoming adopted is not very high. This is the reality for so many of these boys. He has had a friend adopted to America and longs for that opportunity himself.

I asked if he would like to play a board game with me and he chose connect four. As we played, his little personality came out. He is one clever little boy! He kept beating me…..so we had to change games.