Editor's note: In 2014, the News Tribune began a series called 'A Christmas Wish.' The articles, which are published the week leading up to Christmas, share the stories of people whose lives have been impacted by United Way of Central Missouri partner agencies. The series will conclude Christmas Eve.
Sayan Nieland, 4, is celebrating more than Christmas this December.
It is also his one-year adoption anniversary by New Bloomfield residents David and Megan Nieland -- an adoption that's changed his life.
Sayan was born in Calcutta, India, and spent 21 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with meningitis before going to the orphanage.
Around Thanksgiving 2020, Megan and David made their way to India to meet Sayan for the first time. They came home to Missouri on Dec. 4, 2020.
"We had seen pictures of him, and we believe he had seen pictures of us," Megan said. "We did create a family book, and we sent it over for him. It was really an overwhelming experience to know that this little guy is the one you've been waiting for. He was very unsure. He did come up to us. He took my hand."
Sayan didn't chew food, didn't know English and had limited use of his left leg, arm and hand when he came to the United States.
Megan said it's hard to know why he didn't chew food, but he could use utensils.
"Occupational therapy worked with him a lot, and he's chewing without assistance," she said. "Now, we can pretty much eat anything he wants. We are very careful about what we give him, we cut it up very small because we don't want him to choke."
He would sing in his native language, Bengali.
Doctors diagnosed Sayan with cerebral palsy shortly after he came to Missouri. The disease impacts a person's ability to move and maintain balance.
In February, he became a student at the Special Learning Center where he's progressed greatly.
Sarah Neuenswander is an early childhood special education teacher and had Sayan in her class last school year. She said everything is exciting for him because it's still new.
"It's like every day is Christmas to him because of just being exposed to all these different things," she said. "It was really rewarding as a teacher to have someone so excited to be here."
Sayan receives the full gambit of services at the Special Learning Center.
On top of classes and the after-school program, he attends occupational, physical and speech therapy.
Maggie Morris, Sayan's occupational therapist, started working with him this year and said she didn't realize how far he'd come in the short time before she started working with him. Now, she's getting him to use his left hand more -- which is impacted by the cerebral palsy.
"It's funny because he comes to me now, and he knows I'm going to make him use his left hand," she said. "I'll be like, 'What hand are we going to use today?' And he'll hold up his left hand."
Stephanie Johnson, executive director of the Special Learning Center, said Sayan understands the turn coming to the U.S. brought to his life. She watched him in a music therapy class once and said that experience stuck out to her.
"When he smiles and has that look of wonderment, there is also, I feel, this look of gratitude," she said. "Like 'I'm so grateful to be here, and I'm so thankful.' When he was sitting in that music therapy class, he was touching instruments, probably for the first time, and listening and hearing the sounds they made. You could see all the other children in the room. They were smiling and having fun, but nothing like Sayan. It was like a life experience for him."
Just more than a year after adopting him and heading into what Megan said feels like their first holiday season with Sayan (since last year things were still new and being established), her Christmas wish for him is what every parent wants.
"I wish for Sayan for this Christmas just to know that he's loved and he has a forever place with us and that he is truly happy," she said.
When asked if he's happy, Sayan said, "A happy boy."
How to donate
The United Way has established an “A Christmas Wish” fund, and donors can give a gift “in the name of” someone specific or a United Way partner agency.
In order to be tax-deductible, checks must be made payable to the United Way of Central Missouri and the United Way must retain the right to specifically determine who the donation will benefit.
A volunteer committee will oversee the distribution of the funds. If you want to help fulfill a Christmas wish in Mid-Missouri, mail checks to United Way of Central Missouri, 205 Alameda Drive, Jefferson City Mo., 65109. “News Tribune Christmas Wish Fund” should be noted on the memo line of the check.
Questions may be directed to Ann Bax, president of United Way of Central Missouri, at 573-636-4100 or [email protected].
Also in this Christmas Wish series:
A Christmas Wish: Formerly homeless, woman looking forward to her new apartment
A Christmas Wish: Man's wish is to visit his new grandson
A Christmas Wish: Compass Health provides a 'village' of care for clients
Annual Christmas Wish series highlights work of United Way agencies