Help Feed a Child

Joshua was adopted from the Zhytomyr Children's Home in Zhytomyr Ukraine. When we met him at 4 months old, he was a skinny 11 lbs. He was unable to hold his head up for the first couple of days with us. I am not sure if this was from lack of holding or weakness from lack of nutrients.

When we visited him once, we were able to feed him. The glass bottle was so hot that I had to use a rag to be able to hold the bottle. The babies that are fed first get the HOT bottles. Joshua didn't seem to mind (although it scared me to death). In fact, he had to have all his bottles really warm before he would drink it.

Formula transition was very difficult with him. At the orphanage, we were told that he was being fed a formula made of corn sugar. It obviously was very sweet as he refused our bland American formula. We had to go to the market and buy some foriegn Nestle formula. It has nutrients but is also sweeter than our formulas.

Zhytomyr is being helped by an organization called Life 2 Orphans. "http://www.life2orphans.org/zhitomir.htm"

One mother that has a daughter from Zhytomyr is wanting to have a special fund raising event to feed the children. "http://www.life2orphans.org/zhitomir_files/food_drive.htm"

For $5.43, you can feed a child for an entire month! What a great feeling to provide a child with nourishment that their little bodies need.