It was many years ago when Eddie’s tale began.
While he was just a newborn baby, his mother decided that she would just abandon him. He was left alone, near a dumpster, surrounded by trash bags. It wouldn’t be until a kindhearted carpenter at a local shop noticed a trash bag was constantly moving that he would be found. The carpenter was absolutely shocked when he opened up the trash bag to discover a newborn baby boy staring up at him, silently.
While we may never know exactly why his mother did it, it is assumed he was abandoned because he had Down syndrome. However, thanks to the kindhearted carpenter and a police officer, Eddie was taken to an orphanage that helped children with special needs. Eddie was named after the police officer that brought him there, named Eddie.
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However it wouldn’t be until 2004 that Eddie’s life would reach a new, happier chapter. It all began when Rachel Van Eerden and her family had taken a mission trip to Ecuador. During their trip, they took a tour of an orphanage there where they met little Eddie.
Rachel lovingly remembers the moment she met Eddie. “While we’re on the tour, my eyes met this little baby. It was love at first sight”, she says. Despite having ten children of their own, they were more than happy to welcome Eddie into their family.
While Eddie’s mother may have looked down on his condition, it only helped his relationship with Rachel become stronger. She had studied special education at college and she also had a brother that had Down syndrome. The two were able to connect and form a strong bond.
Over the next five years, Rachel and her husband Jim had to deal with many hurdles when going through the adoption process. It was hard work, but work that Rachel and Jim could not be happier that they did. Finally in 2009, Rachel was able to finalize the adoption and now Eddie was a part of her family. And he could not be happier.
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Despite his beginnings, Eddie became one of the happiest little boys around. Everyone Eddie meets soon have giant smiles on their faces. The little boy can cheer up any room.
Jim Van Eerden happily recalls when Eddie earned his title of “Ambassador of Love”
‘We were at church and in a crowd of people, [Eddie] made a beeline to somebody just so that he could hug this person. And at the end of that hug, the person started weeping. And something none of us had discerned. This person’s heart was broken and Eddie had discerned that.’
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Ever since adopting Eddie, Rachel and Jim can only sing his praises. Eddie brings joy not only to them and their family, but also their community.
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‘But what Eddie pours into each of us, far outweighs any sacrifice.’