Portraits for a Cause - Reece's Rainbow Portrait Project

Reece's Rainbow is a nonprofit organization connecting families to disabled children in orphanages and institutions around the world. They also help raise funds to cover the cost of international adoptions! 

RR works with the country's governments and organizations to make sure adoptions are ethical and legal. They have found families for 2175 (and counting) children all around the world! 

I have permission to draw portraits of waiting children who's faces are able to be shared publicly. These can be shared to find a family or be used to fundraise for their adoption. The future family get the artwork sent for free!

Families Fundraising Now!

Jared​
Boy, Born 2007
EE-1
Portrait posted February 2020
​
This handsome young man, with dark hair and dark eyes, was born with a rare genetic condition called Stickler Syndrome.  His medical records also indicate microcephaly, a common symptom of SS.

Update May 2016: Jared has been transferred a while ago from his baby orphanage.
​
About the Family  
​Hi! My name is Holly and I would like to introduce you to a crazy family… Mine.

I have an 11 year old son named Jakob and for a while it was he and I against the world. Then in 2014 Jake and I married Ronnie. He tripped me in Walmart, and I fell for him. Literally. Together the 3 of us built a beautiful little family. In 2015 we added Genesis to our family, and in 2017 God gave us our two boys.

We had been introduced to Reece’s Rainbow and international special needs adoption a year-ish before when our church participated in a fundraiser to help a local family to bring home a waiting child from Reece’s Rainbow. Around the same time another Reece’s Rainbow child had gone viral for their amazing transformation since being brought home. I would scroll through the photo’s of the children, share the fundraisers for the families, and pray for all. I never thought we would be one of the families! But then it happened. One day I was scrolling through the photos and I saw a face. I felt it in my whole being that she was part of our family and we jumped in heart first!

We had no idea what we were doing, and there were many hiccups along the way! We kept pushing forward though. Then in April 2018 we found out that the child we absolutely loved had passed away. My heart was shattered. Since we were in an incredible custody battle for the two boys we decided not to continue with the adoption at that time. We needed to focus on keeping the boys safe.

Then in October 2019 it happened again.  I was scrolling through Reece’s Rainbow’s Facebook page and I saw a little boy who looked so much like my 4 year old that my heart just stopped. We had just purchased our new home days before. We were in a new state, new house, starting a new chapter of our lives. I showed his picture to Ronnie expecting that he was going to talk some sense into me. Instead he tells me “we actually have room for two”. So much for being talked off the ledge!

Ronnie works for the public school system with developmentally disabled children. I work for a nonprofit organization as a Direct Support Professional in residential group homes. We are NOT wealthy people by any means. But what we lack in dollars we make up for with love. God has brought us to this, and I know he will provide for us to be able to bring our children home.

Please keep our family in your prayers as we work endless hours of overtime, fundraise, and try to navigate the international adoption process.
Sierra
Girl, Born 2015 
EE-1 
​Portrait Posted August 2019

spastic diplegia
Sequelae of subarachnoid haemorrhage
Epilepsy
Congenital malformation of optic disc
Hypoplasia and dysplasia of lung
Cardiomyopathy

About the Family 
​Family has so far remained anonymous. I did exchange PMs with a family member who is very devoted to Sierra! 

​Waiting Children - Waiting for Someone to Say "YES" and Adopt Them!

Willow
Girl, Born 2006
H-MN 
Portrait posted March 2020

When Willow arrived, she did not want others to touch her or be near her. However, with some attention and one-on-one time with staff, she began to trust others. While she is unable to walk, she has responded well to therapy which has focused on developing leg strength. She also participates in water therapy weekly.

Willow arrived at this orphanage in early February 2013. She loves music and loves to dance. She has responded well to the pre-school program taught at the orphanage. She has a bright smile and a contagious laugh. When visitors come, Willow is delighted to swing with them or go on walks in the neighborhood.

​From a missionary who visited with her in 2013: ” I’ve met Willow!  Seriously, this girl ALWAYS smiles. Whenever I would come near her she’d just grab my hand and grin at me. ​She wants to go exploring so bad, ​​but she can’t walk. She would just point at stuff and grin at me to try to get me there.  She is a sweetie pie. my roommate got to feed her lunch one day. She is a happy little girl who went from being scared of others near her to loving the attention! “
Victor
Boy, Born 2007 
​PRC
Portrait posted February 2020

​Victor is an incredibly helpful and thoughtful 10 year old boy. Victor is living in an orphanage. This sweet boy is so sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. One of his favorite activities is playing on the slide, but if he sees a younger child at the orphanage waiting to go down the slide he will make sure that they get to go first.

Victor spent a short time living in a program home for children who are blind. He made great progress at this home. During this time, his caregivers reported that every day after school, Victor would help his teachers tidy up the classroom without being asked, then would sing the younger children to sleep with the songs he learned in school that day.
Jewell
Girl, Born 2006
EE-1
Portrait posted February 2020

Cerebral palsy / TBI
SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!

Dark brown hair and blue-green eyes.  She has severe CP, but had started walking.

Jewell is the victim of parental physical abuse, and suffers from post-traumatic brain injury, which has further complicated her delays and struggles.

Updated medical 8/2015:

She has after-effects of severe brain injury (brain bones fracture), subarachnoidal influence in the form of irreversable damage, hemiplegia with microcephaly.

She does have a sister with mild delays whom she can be adopted with or by herself.
Jessica 
Girl, Born 2009
EE-1
​Portrait posted December 2019

Jessica has congenital brain malformation.  She has a heart defect:  stenosis of the pulmonary artery, and an atrial septal defect.  FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome).

Re-listed: January 5, 2015

Love the grin on this little love!  She has vision issues (listed as optic atrophy and also nystagmus).  She is listed as anemic and malnourished.

Families should be aware that her medical history says FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome), as well.
Pippy 
Girl, Born 2013
# 
Portrait posted July 2019

Special needs: Cerebral Palsy, Leukemia, strabismus

Pippy is a precious little girl, born 2013.  Pippy is a twin and was born very premature and diagnosed as having cerebral palsy- spastic diplegia, umbilical hernia, and strabismus.  She now wears glasses to correct the strabismus and has received surgery to correct the hernia.  Pippy was later diagnosed as having acute lymphoblast leukemia.  She is currently in remission, but continues to take medication to prevent her cancer from coming back.  Pippy’s twin brother also has CP and is being cared for by his biological family. Pippy is very delayed in all areas of her development.  She can manipulate objects using her left hand.  Pippy is not speaking at this time.  We hope just the right family sees Pippy and knows that she is their daughter.

UPDATE NOV 2019:

Diagnosis: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (actively receiving chemotherapy, which will be needed until 2021). Cerebral palsy – spastic diplegia; Gastroesophageal reflux disease, Convergent concomitant strabismus (wears corrective glasses); Delay in neuro-psychic development

Pippy is receiving chemotherapy for Leukemia. She was diagnosed in March 2017 and immediately began treatment. She lives in an isolation room at the orphanage to reduce her exposure to sickness. She is considered in remission, but is required to continue to take daily medication. She has a port, weekly blood draws (to adjust medications), and monthly appointments with an oncologist. Pippy also has CP that results in increased muscle tone in all 4 limbs, primarily impacting her legs. She can grab and hold a toy with her left hand. She can manipulate toys by picking up, dropping, pulling a string, picking up ring toys. She understands basic cause and effect, such as knowing to pull a string on a toy to activate the toy. She explores toys with interest. She pronounces several words and can follow basic commands. She enjoys the attention of caregivers.

A detailed medical report that outlines her Leukemia treatment, other medical history, and her development are available, along with photos and videos of Pippy. Due to her cancer diagnosis, any interested family would need to provide proof of medical insurance coverage that would adequately cover Pippy’s cancer treatment immediately upon taking custody of her. Her birth country will also require a detailed care plan showing the family has the appropriate resources and support to provide the required medical care for Pippy once home.
Stacie
Girl, Born 2011
EE-1 
Portrait posted July 2019

other disorders of the nervous system; atypical autism; Melanocytic naevi of lower limb, including hip; myopia; Abnormal results of cardiovascular function studies

So sweet!!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Child'sName from? 
I'm not allowed to tell people publicly what country the child is in. If you're interested in adopting them, I can tell you in a private message. I understand this can be confusing and frustrating, but it's the way the adoption laws work. Ukraine, Bulgaria, Haiti, and China are all the ones I've covered so far. 

How can I support them without adopting? 
You can donate to their fundraising campaign if they are under the age of 10 or have a family committed! You can also donate to Reece's Rainbow itself to help raise money for the older child grants. You can also share their profiles, portraits, or photos! 

Is there more information about Child? 
For some of the children, I have extra photos and videos. It depends on if any of my contacts have met the child, if information can be shared publicly, and which institution they're living in. Some countries/institutes are secretive. Others are very open. You can always reach out to see! 

Will you help me fundraise? 
If you're adopting a child who I've drawn in the past, I will 100% help you fundraise at no cost! If you are adopting another child and want a portrait done, it will depend on how much free time I have. It may have to be a commission piece (a drawing you pay for) mattering the circumstances. My general rule is if I ask you for permission, it's free. If you ask me, it's a commission. I'll do my best to discount or brainstorm other ways that I could help though! 

Is that the child's real name? 
No it's not. For safety reasons, their real names can't be shared online. You can only learn their real names by showing serious interest in the child. I don't even know their names. This is to keep the children safe. The names you see online are usually consistent from organization to organization. (Mary Sue on Reece's Rainbow would also be Mary Sue on other organization's websites for example.) If they are not, I will use the Reece's Rainbow names. The photos are real pictures of the children, and the profiles on RR are written by their carers and occasionally by families who met the child on a mission trip or when there to adopt a child in the same facility.

What are those weird codes? (EE-1, PRC, #, etc) 
That's a code that tells you what country the child is in if you have experience with Reece's Rainbow adoptions. Feel free to reach out to me at any time if you are interested in adoption and are interested in a child! Or reach out to the Reece's Rainbow team on their website! 

Aged Out - No longer Adoptable Due to Age - Forever Without a Family

Bailee
Girl, Born 2006 
PRC
Portrait posted July 2019

Arthrogryposis 

Her birth date on the portrait was incorrect (birth year was changed on her paperwork last year). She is now listed as being born in 2006 

Bailee is too close to her birthday for a family to start the process now. Even if they were already adopting another child from her country, it's too late to add her on.  There is a chance Bailee may be grandfathered into the new age-out limit, but because she ages out just before then... we can't know. 

Her public profile talking about her personality has been taken down, so the following is paraphrased based on what I remember and what I know from other sources.

Bailee loves arts and crafts and is very independent. She can speak and enjoys singing. She had surgery to help her walk easier. Last I heard, she was still using a walker or wheelchair. Her arms and hands are affected, but she has adopted very well since she was born with the condition. Arthrogryposis is a lifelong condition, but it doesn't affect her mind and will not get worse. Therapy and/or surgery might improve her mobility. 

If Bailee is grandfathered into the new age limit, I will move her back to the waiting children list. In that case, she will have an additional 3 years to find a family who wants her.

We currently don't know if she will be allowed to stay where she's at currently. I believe she's currently in an orphanage or group home. Some in her country will do everything they can to support a child aging out. Others will hand the child over to a nursing home. Others still will kick the child out onto the streets. I'm unsure what the history of Bailee's current institute is.