Thanks to Sevenly, Brett (one of 'my' boys), received $1,000 in his grant account late on Christmas day. When added to what had already been raised for him during Angel Tree, it amounted to $1,607.30! Hooray, Brett!
Elden's grant has been sitting at a pretty steady $529.50 for a few days - and I have been racking my brain trying to think of ways to raise it, but for the most part coming up empty handed - and some complications I will mention later in this post are not helping either.
Regardless, the boys are now WELL over a combined $1,500 - actually at a combined $2,136.80! However - since Elden is still not over the $1,000 wall yet, thus not at HIS goal, this only means one less eyebrow for this girl... in another $470.50, I get to shave my head!
But without further adieu, let me share the final de-eyebrowing with you all.
Here's a picture taken before, me and my one-eyebrowed glory:
And then here's me after The Shaving, no eyebrows left to speak of:
Yes. It is weird.
Now for the HAIR! Come on guys, we are so close and we only have five days left to raise that money! Let's complete the effect and baldify me! Once bald, I'm going to order cards from Vistaprint explaining why I'm bald with a link to Reece's Rainbow - so that every time someone asks, I'm spreading awareness!
Actually, that has started already. Eyebrows aren't usually enough for perfect strangers to ask what happened, but I did get to have an excellent conversation with some family members about orphans and Reece's Rainbow at family Christmas (which I attended one-eyebrowed).
Today, after posting the second eyebrow shaving video (will be seen below), I received two 'follows' on you tube and a private message informing me that I'm crazy, but for a good cause! Why yes, that's the point!
I've never been happier to have no eyebrows.
Wait. Pretty sure I've never done this before.
Now, here's some fun - the video of the second eyebrow's disappearance. In case you're noticing the theme here, yes, I am wearing footie pajamas again, only leopard this time. That's right. I have the most epic footie pajama collection in the world. Be. Jealous. ;)
Let me remind you all that WHEN the final money is raised and Elden is over his goal, the head shaving will be videotaped as well. I promise hilarity.
Now, despite the mostly upbeat and fun nature of this post, I'm feeling compelled to share something a little more serious with you all tonight. If you keep up with international news, you might know that the Russian parliament has passed an act that would ban all adoptions by U.S. citizens. The only obstacle left between this legislation and a legal decree that would essentially be a death sentence to many, many orphans, is President Putin, who can either sign or veto it. He has hinted at support for the legislation, even though it will have serious ramifications not only for the children, but for the Russian economy and US/Russian relations, as there is currently a treaty allowing such adoptions in place which this legislation would essentially be breaking.
For those of us who advocate for adoption, this whole thing is terrifying. Russia is a big country, obviously, and it has literally thousands upon thousands of orphans and not enough families to adopt them. Thousands are adopted by US families every year. Some of our dear sweet Reece's Rainbow babes - indeed, some of our Angel Tree babes - are in Russia - though I can't tell you which ones for their protection - and if this passes... well, think of what could happen to them!
Some of you might recall the post I wrote earlier this year about transfer. About how children are often transferred to adult mental institutions between the ages of 4 and 6. About how few special needs children survive this transfer, and how bleak their future is even if they do - unless they are adopted. Entire lives spent behind the walls of an institution. Do me a favor, go check out my other blog, the post about mental health in America, and imagine sending a five year old with down syndrome to live in a place like that - no - ten, twenty times WORSE than that - for the rest of his life.
Yes, there are other countries, but the vast majority of Russian children who are internationally adopted are adopted by American families. Without adoption to save them, how many more will be forced to live out their lives in bleak, horrible places? Even if the legislation were later revoked, it would be too late for many of them.
It is because of this that I ask you to pray. Pray with everything you have that something will soften Putin's heart and cause him to deny this legislation. Only God can intervene now. Share the plight of these children. Ask your friends to pray. Do not allow governments to use children as pawns in their political agendas without being held accountable for their actions.
It is also because of this that I again beg you to donate. Again, I can't tell you which children are in Russia, or which ones will be available to Canadian families even if the legislation passes, but those children are going to need our help even more. International adoption is even more costly in Canada than it is in the US. Awareness will need to be spread. Comfortable grants will need to be available for children to encourage families to take a leap of faith. And since I can't discuss exactly where kids are, if this moves you to donate, donate to any child. Many of them are in Russia. Many of them are not, and they need funding too. You can do no harm by giving to a child who has nothing.
Might I suggest a certain little boy with down syndrome, whose advocate wants to go bald just like he will?
Donate to Elden here.
Please help me get him over $1,000. Please. I don't really have anything to offer (except, you know, my amusing hair removal on video), but if I'm feeling discouraged right now I can only imagine how he would feel if he were transferred to one of those awful institutions - and he will be six in February - it is a very real danger. Together we can do this.
After the next $100 is raised, I'll post again with a little surprise... ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment