The Chinese Government Thought These 14 Children With Down Syndrome Couldn't Be Adopted. This Christian Group Is Proving Them Wrong.

There are more than 200 children with Down syndrome in China who are waiting to be adopted.

Bethany Christian Services, a family services agency, has launched the Bamboo Project to help change that.

“We felt a special draw to kids with Down syndrome,” Elisabeth McGinnis, International Services Coordinator for Bethany Christian Services, said in an interview with TheBlaze. “A lot of those kids don’t have the same opportunities.”

“Bamboo Cousins.” (Julie Elfers, Bethany Christian Services, The Bamboo Project)

Individuals with Down syndrome face a significant amount of stigma in China, she said, along with cultural biases against them.

“A lot of these kids are not being given the opportunity to have a family life because of those biases,” she said.

The Chinese government was hesitant to allow Bethany Christian Services to facilitate adoptions for the children — but the organization begged for the opportunity.

“We said, give us these 14, and we’ll show you,” McGinnis said. “These kids very much can be loved.”

Some of the “Bamboo Children” who are waiting to be adopted. (Bethany Christian Services, The Bamboo Project)

In the summer of 2013, the group convinced the Chinese government to give them the files of 14 children with Down syndrome.

Within two years, 10 of the original 14 children have been adopted. The project now includes more than 40 kids, and the group receives the files of more children regularly.

The initiative faces several significant challenges: the expense of international adoption, misconceptions about the amount of care individuals with Down syndrome require and restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on prospective adoptive parents.

One of the “Bamboo Children.” (Julie Elfers, Bethany Christian Services, The Bamboo Project)

“One of the biggest challenges is finding families both financially and emotionally able to do this,” McGinnis said.

McGinnis said that she wants to change “this idea that their child will never have any independence.”

“Every child is different, there are resources available to assist with care,” McGinnis. “They can have jobs, even get married.”

McGinnis added that there are resources available to help families with the expense of the international adoption process.

“We do what we can to minimize the financial aspect,” McGinnis said.

Another challenge for the group has been China’s strict eligibility requirements for adoptive parents, “which can be a barrier for us.”

But the families say that the challenges are worth it in the end.

“Bamboo Cousins.” (Julie Elfers, Bethany Christian Services, The Bamboo Project)

The families of the children have become close to one another through the adoption process. They call themselves the “Bamboo Cousins,” and they even hold reunions.

“They’re a tight-knit community,” McGinnis said. “They have a Facebook group; they’re constantly in touch providing support to one another. They even travel together.”

McGinnis stressed that there are lots of ways people can get involved in the Bamboo Project — from adoption to prayer and raising awareness.

“Working within the parameters China sets, we will do everything we can to make it possible for those who want to provide a family for these kids,” McGinnis said. “Often, we’ll see that families will self-select themselves out by thinking they’re not eligible.”

For those who aren’t able to adopt, “there are still lots of ways to get involved and become an advocate for these kids,” McGinnis said.

Read more about the Bamboo Project here.