Stories of Hope: Advocate for Canaan
We are continuing to prayerfully advocate for many waiting children as 2016 comes to a close. We are claiming this Season of Hope as a time of intentional advocacy and speaking up on behalf of the children our One Orphan Storyteller teams have had the chance to get to know. Today Norma Graham took the time to share about Cannan.
I met Canaan on my first day in G-City. He reminded me a little bit of my brother at that age, 5-6 years. Like my brother, Canaan had soul searching eyes. He was quiet and inquisitive about his surroundings, but I could tell he was looking me over. He would look me straight in the eyes as if he were searching for something from me, but when I asked if he wanted anything he would quietly shake his head and pick up a toy and play. Canaan can dress himself and take care of his hygiene to his age. He follows instructions and speaks and is learning English. He can juggle and toss balls in the air and loves to play. He runs and jumps and kicks the ball. We started a game another adult and I with 4 children including Canaan, on our third day. We took a parachute and a beach ball. The object was to keep the ball in the parachute, but make it go around by waving the parachute and lifting it up in different areas. We had a lot of fun and the children were quite good at it. Canaan wanted to get on the floor under the parachute to experience what that was like. Everyone was laughing. Typically, he is quiet around other children and does not usually interact with them much and prefers playing by himself, but occasionally joins in.
I was told Canaan did not like to be held or hugged and during my visit with him, I respected that. However, I have to tell you that was hard to do because like all the other children as they came around me to play it was a natural thing to hug and the children were constantly coming up to us for a little hug, but not Canaan. He spent a lot of time circling me, as if he really needed to know me, but he looked like a little boy in need of a hug. On the third day, as we were playing I wasn't thinking and the group of children and I were having so much fun, Canaan was sitting next to me and before I could stop myself, I reached over and put my arms around Canaan and guess what happened? He leaned right into that hug like we were best friends.
Canaan has been diagnosed with autism and is in need of a forever family to call his own. If your family feels called to this particular need or would like to help us spread the word in helping Canaan find a home, please share this with others in your circle of influence. We’d love to see Canaan home for Christmas next year!
We have team members ready and willing to share about Cannan. If you are interested in learning more about Canaan, or our China waiting child program, email china@awaa.org or fill out a free pre-application on our website.