We are proud to announce that we have just celebrated our 100th adoption. Each of the 100 children played an important role in making New Day Foster Home what it is today. Their unique personalities and stories transformed us and shaped NDFH in ways too numerous to count. We've seen children survive heart surgeries they should never have survived. We've seen children walk who should never have taken steps. We've seen children bloom and blossom who we were told would never open themselves to affection. In short, for each of the 100 children we've had adopted, we've seen many miraculous transformations. And for us, the simple fact that 100 children who were discarded, unwanted, and deemed hopeless are now living with their forever families is the biggest miracle of all.

When Benjamin joined his forever family on September 16, 2008, he became our 100th adoption. Benjamin's special needs weren't as significant as many of our children, but he still faced difficulties right up until the day of his adoption. With a hiatal hernia and a skin pigmentation disorder, Ben's treatment was fairly straightforward. But, in the weeks leading up to his adoption, he became very susceptible to violent and ongoing vomiting episodes. We weren't sure what was causing it, but a few days before he was supposed to get on a train with a caregiver from his home orphanage to return to his hometown for his adoption, Ben was hospitalized in Beijing when another round of vomiting took a turn for the worse and he began vomiting blood.

He was hospitalized for several days. The doctors got the vomiting under control and he began recovering. Even though the hospitalization was scary and difficult for Ben, all things work together for good, because it enabled him to stay in his familiar environment even longer. Instead of going on a 2-day train journey with a stranger, Ben was able to fly to his hometown with his favorite nanny. And, instead of meeting his parents for the first time in a hotel room hundreds of miles from his own familiar surroundings, he was able to meet them in the foster home when they came through Beijing on their way to his hometown.

It was a memorable moment to be with Ben when he met his parents for the first time. Ben is naturally a very shy and reserved little boy, so he didn't talk much to them¡­ but his eyes sparkled with excitement and occasionally a broad smile would spread across his face. We knew he recognized them from pictures he'd seen, but to be with them for the first time in person was both exciting and overwhelming for a 3-year-old boy.

Our time with Benjamin is ending, but his life is just beginning. Just like the other 99 children before him, he has come full circle¡ªfrom being abandoned and unwanted to being claimed and loved. As the staff of New Day Foster Home, we are honored to be a part of that journey, both for Ben and all the children before him. Little Benjamin represents one hundred lives saved, futures changed, and families made. Thank you for making this possible. But let's not stop here. Together, we can work to see the next 100 transformations happen even more quickly. Though each child's challenges are unique, costly, and often difficult, we are thankful we can continue moving forward, for there are always more lives to save, futures to change, and families to make.

Ben's Bio