Raising a Special Needs Child Overseas

At this point in Miss K's life I think she has lived overseas as much as she has lived in her passport country. I can't even say birth country because she was born overseas. I do remember after she was born and learning that she had Down Syndrome we wondered if we would need to move back to the States. To me is seems normal to raise a special needs child overseas.

I paused and thought about raising a special needs child overseas after someone remarked about the impact that raising Miss K overseas has on those we work with.

I am writing this from the perspective of raising Miss K overseas. She is high functioning and has minimum medical needs at this time. There are some places that we would not live with her and our mission agency has also limited where we are allowed to live.

There might be some challenges getting medical or therapy services. Thankfully the hospital where Miss K was born was able to do both of the operations that she needed. We did have some communication challenges as the one surgeon did not speak English. God also provided assistance with therapy in those early years.

There can be educational challenges. Homeschooling has taken away that challenge. Some of the international schools are not able to handle a child with this level of needs.

There are challenges but what is greater than the challenges are the blessings that we receive. We have seen God provide in so many ways from medical to therapy to friends. That is a testimony of God's faithfulness.

I think raising a special needs children overseas is a testimony to others. I still remember the words of the Christian nurse in the hospital after she was born saying, "so many of them do not make it" referring to the fact that so many Down Syndrome children are aborted.

It might be challenging at time but in all of that God is faithful.

Beth