I had a long, hopefully eloquent post typed out about what I'm feeling tonight.
I deleted it.
What I have to say, you can't say eloquently.
And no one would listen anyways.
No, this is one of those times when I have to be blunt... so I will.
We are failing.
I'm talking to you, adoption advocates. ALL of you.
I don't care what ministry you support.
I don't care what your philosophy on adoption is.
I don't care who or from where you've adopted, or even whether you've adopted at all.
I'm talking to ALL of you.
We are failing.
Around twelve years ago (you do the math), I learned the phrase, "United we stand, divided we fall."
We are falling.
We have divided, and divided, and divided ourselves so many times that there is no one left to band together to support families the way we should.
People are afraid to support this family or that family.
Because they use a different ministry.
Because they're friends with the wrong people.
Because they said something you didn't like.
So instead they gather with their friends and whisper about what this group or that group is doing wrong.
And the family is left with little or no support.
And the child waits longer.
And the Enemy rejoices.
I have to share something my mother told me (and actually, she had to tell me repeatedly before it sunk in) when I had essentially grown up.
You are NOT going to agree with everyone all the time. That doesn't mean they're not entitled to their opinion, or that you're not entitled to yours, or that either of you aren't entitled to voice them.
It takes all kinds to make the world go 'round.
Right now, we're letting these differences of opinion - over every little thing - divide us.
And we are falling.
And when we fall, the children fall with us.
I won't tell anyone not to have an opinion. It's your right to have an opinion. But when we start insisting that others share our opinions "or else", or when we villify anyone who disagrees with that opinion, we only hurt our own cause.
Voices go silent, for fear of being criticized.
Voices that were shouting for the children.
Our minds start to see things in terms of "us" and "them", diminishing the support systems we depend on to do good work.
It's okay to disagree!
In fact, it's great!
One of the first rules of research is to research your opposition. Find out what, if any value their arguments have. It is in feeling out all the possible points of view that we form our own - the one that is right for us.
You know what, it's even okay not to like someone, or even a group of someones. People aren't always going to get along.
But excluding or speaking ugly words about people who have the same basic goal as you do - to get kids home - can only hurt the cause we share.
Share your point of view. Let others share theirs. Let people make up their own minds.
Sure, you might feel like you're right. You might want to defend that opinion to the death.
But is it worth it, at risk of further dividing our already fractured community?
Is it worth it, when divided we fall?
I'll be brutally honest. Right now, I'm seeing a lot of behavior from adults - adults who call themselves Christians - that makes me sad. Behavior that I do not think is constructive to our goal, but rather destructive.
And lest anyone think I am directing this post at one particular group or faction, please know that is absolutely not my intention. This post is a culmination of feelings I've had for months now that I just couldn't hold in any longer. Yes, I am affiliated with certain organizations. This does not mean that I think that those who are affiliated with a different organization are wrong. We, of all people should know that different does not mean bad! Outside that affiliation, however, I do not belong to any faction except the one that wants to get kids home - and regardless of our affiliations, isn't that the one we all belong to?
I'm just a person who doesn't want to see us fall because we have divided ourselves.
I want to ask you all to think before you speak. Go ahead, voice your opinion. But your voice stops where another voice begins. We cannot, no matter how right we think we are, quash the rights of others to voice their opinions.
Remember, it was Jesus himself who said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Bigger Plans | Reece's Rainbow Families
A quote from one of my favorite movies is stuck in my head tonight. One of my favorite quotes, actually.
I can't help but think that about 99% of the time, that quote holds true.
Like when I was sixteen years old, and I felt God calling me to go on a mission trip to New Orleans, only eleven months after Katrina devastated the region.
I had a series of increasingly terrifying panic attacks and wound up flying home early. Lots of people told me I was failing, letting God down, because I wouldn't be there to clean up that house. They made the same assumption I had at first.
Those people who judged me were wrong and so was I. God had certainly called me there - just not for the reasons we all thought. He was not surprised or disappointed when I flew home early. He knew He had already taught me a valuable lesson.
God had a bigger plan for me than I had for myself.
I think a lot of times, we think we know what God's plan is, and then He throws us for a loop.
"Nope! I've got more in store for you!"
This is what happened to my friend Michelle and her husband recently.
God called them to a little girl in a photo.
They leapt with faith, jumped in with both feet, to adopt this little girl... to go retrieve her from a life of institutionalization.
You see, Carolina had been in a baby house with several other children who were adopted by American families. But as all children do, she got older, and as is custom in the country where she lives, she was transferred, when she reached 'that age' (only four!), out of the baby house... out of the only 'home' she knew.
Nobody knew quite where she'd be transferred to. Some of the kids from her baby house were transferred to horrible places. IF a family was able to get them out, they were often found to have been starved or beaten.
Nobody knew how hard it might be to get Carolina out after she was transferred.
Michelle and her husband, Ammon, were certainly walking an unknown road.
It's scary enough adopting an orphan with special needs from a foreign country - imagine adopting from an institution where there were no adoptions, where outsiders didn't set foot, where updates were not given about the children.
When they got on the plane to fly to Carolina's country, the Buhlers' most recent information on their girl was already four years old.
They didn't know how big she was. How far along in her development. What sort of place she was living in. Whether she was getting her needs met there.
They only knew that she needed a family. And so they went.
They followed God's lead, they stepped out in faith.
They thought they knew the plan.
Get Carolina. Bring her home. One less orphan.
A worthy cause for sure. It must be God's plan.
So they left everything they knew, flew to Carolina's country, and attended their official appointment to get Carolina's 'referral' in country - the first step to adopting her.
It was then that they were thrown for their first loop. Carolina had a diagnosis that had not been in her file. The facilitators in her country hadn't known. The grant organization that helped them find Carolina hadn't known. The families that had adopted from Carolina's baby house hadn't known. Carolina had active cytomegalovirus (CMV). It would add complications to her care as well as implications to her current condition as it can cause brain damage if a child is exposed in utero, and could possibly be spread to her new siblings and parents, affecting their health as well. The Buhlers had to make a tough decision based on little information before they had even met Carolina. Could they bring her home safely, knowing this additional diagnosis?
They cautiously proceeded. They traveled far, far across the country to Carolina's region. They nervously arrived to meet her for the first time and found themselves the subject of scrutiny by orphanage personnel, who didn't understand why anyone would want to adopt one of 'these children' (a child with special needs).
Imagine how hard it would be to get to know your child in a foreign place with people who had different ideas about children and special needs constantly watching over you.
Honestly, I can't even imagine being that far away from home for that long! That is one of the things my trip to New Orleans taught me - I am NOT a long trip person! Add a foreign country, language, and lifestyle to the mix and I'd be reeling. Add all the emotions of adoption and... well, let's just say there's a reason I plan to adopt from a place with less time in country!
But the Buhlers? They pressed on. Michelle told me once that the travel time had not been ideal for them either - but that was where Carolina was, and when God said "Go to her," they had obeyed.
Over a few visits, they learned more about Carolina. Some good and encouraging. Carolina was healthier than some of us had expected. She appeared well-nourished. She spoke a few words and proved to be extremely proficient at walking on her knees (her cerebral palsy made walking on her feet impossible without proper therapy). She expressed needs and wants consistently. She even showed some signs of affection... something post-institutionalized children often struggle with.
Carolina loves to jump. She likes to play with baby dolls and she asks for candy - but she doesn't like chocolate, except for white chocolate. (Leave it to a kid to be in a country with some of the world's best chocolate, and not like it!) She tolerates being held, usually to reach or do something she can't do alone, but her willingness to accept touch is encouraging. She plays pretend with the baby dolls, which tells me that her imagination is alive and well.
But some of what they learned was not so good... in fact, it was downright distressing. Years in an institutional setting are not good for a child. In fact, this type of neglect has been shown to cause permanent brain damage. Further, in these types of environments, children often learn a 'survival of the fittest' mentality. They learn that to survive, they have to compete against all the other children. It's not their fault - it's only human nature - but some children start to exhibit aggressive behaviors after exposure to this type of environment. These behaviors tend to be especially severe with children who are smaller or weaker.
This is considered one of the greatest crises a family can face in country - finding out that the child they intend to adopt has developed aggressive behavior that could impact children they already have at home. Parents are faced with the most heartbreaking choice: bring home the child they crossed the ocean for and risk the safety of their other children; or turn down the referral of the child they prayed, hoped, and wished for all that time to protect the ones already in their home. It's a choice I truly can't imagine having to make. Yet it is the one Michelle and Ammon faced in Carolina's country. Sad as it is, that sweet little girl had learned to fight to survive... and the Buhlers have other little children to think about as well.
It is a decision that tormented them. It was not made lightly or easily. Tears were cried. Hopes were dashed. Because families who ultimately choose not to accept the referral of the child they originally intended to adopt sometimes face judgment from the very community that supported them to begin with, there was pressure to decide one way or the other (although many of the Buhlers' supporters were very understanding and supported whatever decision they felt was best for their whole family as well as Carolina). It certainly wasn't the adoption experience anyone would have hoped for. Yet it is the one the Buhlers faced.
Ultimately, after conferring with friends and family as well as facilitators, orphanage staff and each other, Michelle and Ammon decided that they weren't the right parents for Carolina. It broke their hearts. They had loved, hoped for, wished for, and prayed for this little girl for months. They had crossed the ocean in hopes of making her their daughter. They had stepped out in faith when no one else would and said "Yes, we see this child's value and we're willing to do what it takes to bring her home." Even when the journey threw them for loops, they hung on, trying to give things a chance to work out. But ultimately it came down to the fact that bringing Carolina home could have serious negative consequences for their other children, and might not be the right placement for Carolina either. They couldn't, in good conscience, bring home a child they weren't sure they could parent.
So Carolina was relisted as available for adoption.
But it wasn't all a loss for Carolina. New pictures were posted. Updates about her development, what type of family would be best for her, were added to her profile. No longer would anyone have to rely on two-year-old information to determine if their family would be the right fit for her. The Buhlers - and many friends and advocates - hoped, and still hope, that an experienced adoptive family, perhaps one without younger children, will step up to adopt her soon.
It is here that we catch a glimpse of what God's real plan was. We all thought it was for the Buhlers to adopt Carolina. But no. God wasn't surprised by this. He wasn't disappointed in His children. He had known this twist Carolina's story all along, and He had sent the Buhlers anyways. They were a huge, important part of his plan for Carolina's life.
Remember what I said about Carolina being transferred? She was transferred to a place where there were no adoptions. She was transferred to a place where the doors of the institution were firmly closed to nearly all outsiders, and those who were allowed in were forbidden from taking photos or information to share about children. She was transferred to a place where the people who could give updated photos and information to the government's adoption authorities refused to do so.
If the Buhlers hadn't taken that leap of faith, Carolina would have remained unseen behind those closed doors. Her information would never have been updated. Her chances of finding a family would have dwindled further with every passing day. Even if a family did step up later, they would face the same obstacles the Buhlers did... maybe more.
The Buhlers are the means God is using to provide the family He intends for Carolina with the information they need to take that huge step to make Carolina their daughter. They are truly His hands and feet on earth.
Taking a step back, it becomes clear that God used Michelle and Ammon not only to help write Carolina's story, but also to pave the way for even more families to come. After a couple days visiting Carolina's institution, Michelle told a story that gave me chills.
She said that on their first visit, the orphanage doctor had seemed very anti-adoption. She felt that children like Carolina were best served in institutions like the one where Carolina currently resides. But after the Buhlers' third visit with Carolina, the orphanage doctor stopped them as they were leaving to tell them she had changed her mind. It turns out she had spoken to a family member about what life was like for children with special needs in the US - because of the Buhlers' presence at her institution - and learned of all the opportunities for therapy, education, and the ability to connect with a family, that children with special needs have in the US. As they left the institution on that third visit, the orphanage doctor told them that she had changed her mind. She no longer felt that children like Carolina belonged in institutions, but that they would be better served in families, and that she hoped they could be adopted.
WOW. Are you as floored as I am? Right there, a heart changed, the heart of a person who is responsible for the fates of countless orphans - because Michelle and Ammon took a leap of faith.
No, they didn't end up adopting Carolina. As I stated before, they conferred with numerous people and felt that their family was not the right fit for her. But all the same, they did more for Carolina than anyone has to date. No one else had been willing to say "Yes, we will go for this child". They did. As they walked the winding, overgrown path to Carolina's institution, they wrote another, pivotal chapter in her story. They were able to get more information on Carolina to pass on to families who might be willing and prepared to adopt her - who might have the family situation she needs. They gave a precious child love and interaction she never would have had for several days. They showed countless people - orphanage staff, children, community members - in Carolina's country - that there are people who want these children. And because of their very presence, the heart of the orphanage doctor was changed. She no longer thinks that children like Carolina are best served in institutions... she recognizes the value of a family.
This is the kind of change we all want to see in these children's birth countries. The kind of change that will enable families to keep and raise children with special needs. The kind of change that will erase the stigma of raising a child with special needs. The kind of change that will improve the care that the children who are in institutions receive. And it is happening... because this family said "yes" to walking an uncertain path.
Bigger plans indeed.
But the story doesn't stop there! No - when it would have been so much easier, to just go home, when other families would have just given up, the Buhlers stayed in country. No, they weren't adopting Carolina... but they weren't leaving empty-handed, either. They were determined to save an orphan.
This is huge. In case you didn't know, at this point I'll tell you that the Buhlers have four other children at home - at the time in care of relatives. They had already been away from their children longer than any parent ever wants to leave their child. It would have been so much easier for them to cut their losses and go home and nurse their broken hearts.
But they didn't. They felt that God had sent them to save and orphan, and that's what they were going to do. No, it wasn't the child they had originally intended to adopt, but does our Lord place more value on one life than another?
They went back to the capital city. They attended another appointment. They accepted a referral for a three year old little boy with cerebral palsy. Meet "Nikolai".
Handsome, isn't he? Even in his fuzzy referral photo?
Let me tell you a little about Nikolai.
Though lucky to still be in a baby house (as he should be at three), that baby house is in a region where adoptions, even international adoptions, are not common. In fact, there has only been ONE adoption in this region in the past three years! Nikolai was not listed on any advocacy site. Nor were any of the other children from his orphanage. No one would have ever even known he existed if the Buhlers hadn't seen and accepted his file.
It is worth noting that in Nikolai's region, there is a focus on encouraging domestic families to adopt children and to keep and raise their special needs children instead of surrendering them to state care. This is likely part of the reason for the low rate of international adoptions. However, domestic families had previously visited with Nikolai and decided not to adopt him because of his visible special needs. Regional authorities felt he would be best served by an international placement.
They traveled to meet him. I can't imagine the emotions Michelle and Ammon must have been facing at this time. Mourning the loss of the child they had thought was their daughter, yet hopeful for the boy who could become their son.
They met him.
It was love. He was theirs. They proceeded with his adoption.
Just last week they had court and this little boy became Michelle and Ammon's fifth child. A new life. A new name. Meet Ethan.
Soon, Michelle will bring him home... to his forever family. The one he would never have had if the Buhlers hadn't stuck it out when things got hard in country, determined to save one of God's starfish, even if it wasn't the one they had originally intended to bring home.
Look at him. He's ready to go.
But now imagine... what Ethan's life would have been like if it hadn't been for this long, winding, overgrown road that the Buhlers walked when no one else would.
He's three now. Children in his country are usually transferred to adult mental institutions between the ages of 4 and 6. One year. Imagine. He could have been transferred, to God knows where, what kind of conditions... in as little as one year. Adoptions from institutions are even less common than adoptions from baby houses. It is entirely possible that he could have been transferred someplace where no one, no matter how hard they tried, could have gotten him out.
Imagine this sweet, able little boy... locked away in a mental institution forever.
Recently, pretty much every adoption advocate I know has been screaming for another little boy... a little boy who wasn't 'found' while he was in the baby house like Ethan was. A little boy who didn't escape transfer to a mental institution. A little boy who was about to age out.
Brenton will be sixteen years old in just nine days. And yes, that is a current picture. He is the size of a preschooler. Once a child reaches sixteen years old, he can no longer be adopted by an American family, as US immigration requires documents to be submitted prior to the child's sixteenth birthday. We were all afraid, so afraid, that Brenton would 'age out'... turn sixteen without a committed family... and be condemned to a life in an adult mental institution. We scrambled to find him a family. Just yesterday, a family committed to Brenton. He will be saved.
But that scramble? That desperate situation where we had only weeks to find a family for a child before he would be lost forever? That all happened because Brenton was not listed anywhere until very recently. He was not on an advocacy site. No one had accepted his file in country. No one had chosen him. If he had been chosen, adopted, while he was younger, like Ethan has, he would never have been in this desperate situation.
Despite hardship, despite fear, despite uncertainty, the Buhlers saved a child. Saved him from a life of institutionalization. Saved him from permanent damage done by years of sub-par care. Saved him from a dangerous last-minute scramble to find a family. This is one less orphan we'll have to desperately search for a family for before he ages out... because he already has one. Praise the Lord!
AND! There is yet another twist to this story - one that is almost too unbelievable to behold. Ethan was actually born in Russia - though neither of his parents were Russian. When they returned to their home country, they left their baby in Russia. He was placed in a Russian orphanage, where he lived for a time before his parentage came to light and he had to be transferred to an orphanage in his parents' country. Given that there is currently a ban on US adoptions from Russia, this fact is jaw-dropping to me. This child could have so easily been overlooked. His fate could have so easily been the same one thousands of Russian children... children like Kyle, who I shared with you last week... face. But it wasn't. He was transferred back to his home country just in time for the Buhlers to find him and make him their son. If that's not God working in this little boy's life, I don't know what is!
And then there's this part, which is only speculation, but it's likely true at least in part. Remember what I said about there having been only one adoption in Ethan's region in the past three years? Well... now there have been two. I can't help but think that every family that comes through that region and says "Yes, we see the value in this child and we want him to be ours," shows the people of that region that maybe, just maybe, there is value in these children they have shut up in institutions. Maybe they will be treated a little better. Maybe some domestic families will be inspired to pursue adoption. Maybe the people in charge of getting children listed for adoption and getting their faces out there, will start to notice this region. There is work in progress to try to get some of the other children at Ethan's orphanage listed for adoption, so that we can advocate for and find families for them too. More than likely, the road for the families that adopt from this region in the future, will be just a little easier - because the Buhlers walked it first.
Michelle is still in country with Ethan. She is unsure if they have the funds they will need to get everything in order in country and fly home. Even once they are home, things are going to be tight, because they were never fully funded and every extra penny is going to getting her and Ethan home from Eastern Europe. All these loops they were thrown for destroyed the carefully laid plans they had for funding their adoption. I honestly can't imagine the situation she's in right now... in country, without her husband or children, not even sure if she has the finances needed to get home. If you'd like to be a part of easing that burden and helping her get home with her new son, you can donate to their Reece's Rainbow FSP here. Michelle has promised that if any money is left over once they are home, it will be going to Carolina's grant.
Carolina. The child they loved, the child they wanted to make their daughter. There are people who think that the Buhlers let Carolina down because they didn't adopt her. Maybe even people who think that they let God down, because they didn't complete the 'mission' that they thought God was originally sending them on. I disagree.
Remember, people said those same things to me in New Orleans. I was letting my mission team down. I was letting the people of New Orleans down. I was letting God down.
But God was not surprised - not then, and not now. He knew it all before it happened. He had mapped out our paths, even when we ourselves didn't know which way to go. Just like I didn't fail God seven years ago, the Buhlers did not fail Him, nor Carolina, on this trip. In truth, they did more for Carolina than anyone has. Who was it that walked into unknown territory for this child's sake? Who was it that obtained the new information where before there had only been outdated information? Who was it that made sure that the family that was right for Carolina would be fully prepared for her needs? Who was it that changed the hearts and minds of many in Carolina's country, simply by being there and caring about what happened to her? Who was it that, even when things got difficult, refused to go home without saving a child?
Well I know one thing... it certainly isn't the people who are condemning the Buhlers for not adopting a child they weren't sure they could parent.
God has seen their work on behalf of the orphan, and He is not disappointed.
This brings me to one final point... and it is a difficult one. Because so many people loved Carolina, when the Buhlers committed to her, she already had a large grant with Reece's Rainbow. They really had little fundraising to do since the funds already raised for Carolina would be released to them once they had travel dates. But because they didn't adopt Carolina, the money people had given toward her adoption now has to be replaced in her grant for the family who does adopt her.
In the past few weeks, the Buhlers have found themselves in country with barely enough money to cover their basic needs. They had to beg and plead for $500 necessary to complete some requirements in Ethan's country. Even though that need was met, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Buhlers could use quite a bit more than the $500 they asked for to get home. And when they come home, during a time when they should be focused on bonding with their new son and getting him the medical intervention and therapy he needs, they will be responsible for paying back the money that was given to them for Carolina - just over $10,000.
If you have adopted, can you imagine what it would be like if you were responsible for that hefty pricetag just as you were getting home with your child? How difficult would that be? Many people will say, "Well, they didn't adopt Carolina, so that money was never really theirs to begin with, they should have to pay it back." Maybe so... but also remember that they didn't even know about Ethan until they had traveled to the children's country. He was not listed on an advocacy site so there was no grant designated for him. The Buhlers thought they were adopting Carolina, so they counted on the money that was in her grant. They had no reason to think they would need to do additional fundraising to what they already did, because that money was already there. It's almost as though they were given an amount they needed to raise to adopt their child, and then, after the fact, they were hit with a sudden, hidden fee in a HUGE amount - and are now stuck with having to fundraise after they bring their child home... while they try to bond and do everything else.
That's a rough situation to be in.
It's no one's fault, it's just the way things work... the money raised for Carolina's adoption needs to be there for whatever family does decide to adopt Carolina... but at the same time, the Buhlers never had the chance to do the kind of fundraising it turns out they needed.
I'll tell you what I see. I see a family who has gone above and beyond to help the orphan, a family who has stayed strong when some would have given up, a family who has blazed a trail for those who might come after them to adopt from regions and institutions where adoption is not common, a family who has changed hearts and minds along the way, and a family who has rescued a precious angel. I see a family who needs and deserves our help raising money that they didn't expect to have to raise.
And I KNOW that God is NOT disappointed with their work to save the orphan.
If you would like to be a part of helping the Buhlers and supporting the amazing work they have done, we are asking that donations be made to Carolina's grant with Reece's Rainbow. On the Paypal confirmation screen, there is an annotation that allows you to include a note with your donation. It looks like this:
Click where it says "Add special instructions to recipient" and type your note in the box that opens up - something like "To help repay Carolina's previous grant" or "On behalf of the Buhlers". This will ensure that your donations not only help Carolina, but ease the burden on the Buhlers as they return home with Ethan.
Beyond that, you can pray, and you can share. You can pray that the Buhlers transition home will be smooth. You can pray that the family that is right for Carolina will see her quickly and step up to adopt her. This family would be experienced with institutional behaviors and preferably not have any younger or weaker children (Carolina is seven). You can pray that Carolina's grant can be repaid with minimal hardship to the Buhlers. And you can share their need, so that even if you don't have the means to help them repay it, maybe someone who does will see it. Maybe Carolina's family will even see it.
I, for one, think that this is all part of Carolina's story... her road to the family God has intended for her... and we are just lucky to have seen another child saved in the process. Thus far, no one has done more to help that story along than the Buhlers... and I think they deserve our thanks and our help. Please, will you be a part of easing the burden on them and helping Carolina by giving to her grant? Will you be a part of this divine story?
The link to Carolina's grant is here. It is up to you now.
"Maybe God had a bigger plan for me... than I had for myself." -- A Walk To Remember
I can't help but think that about 99% of the time, that quote holds true.
Like when I was sixteen years old, and I felt God calling me to go on a mission trip to New Orleans, only eleven months after Katrina devastated the region.
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| I thought this was the reason I was there. |
I had a series of increasingly terrifying panic attacks and wound up flying home early. Lots of people told me I was failing, letting God down, because I wouldn't be there to clean up that house. They made the same assumption I had at first.
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| He wasn't surprised with the way things turned out. |
Those people who judged me were wrong and so was I. God had certainly called me there - just not for the reasons we all thought. He was not surprised or disappointed when I flew home early. He knew He had already taught me a valuable lesson.
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| A lesson that helped lead me here. |
God had a bigger plan for me than I had for myself.
I think a lot of times, we think we know what God's plan is, and then He throws us for a loop.
"Nope! I've got more in store for you!"
This is what happened to my friend Michelle and her husband recently.
God called them to a little girl in a photo.
They leapt with faith, jumped in with both feet, to adopt this little girl... to go retrieve her from a life of institutionalization.
You see, Carolina had been in a baby house with several other children who were adopted by American families. But as all children do, she got older, and as is custom in the country where she lives, she was transferred, when she reached 'that age' (only four!), out of the baby house... out of the only 'home' she knew.
Nobody knew quite where she'd be transferred to. Some of the kids from her baby house were transferred to horrible places. IF a family was able to get them out, they were often found to have been starved or beaten.
Nobody knew how hard it might be to get Carolina out after she was transferred.
Michelle and her husband, Ammon, were certainly walking an unknown road.
It's scary enough adopting an orphan with special needs from a foreign country - imagine adopting from an institution where there were no adoptions, where outsiders didn't set foot, where updates were not given about the children.
When they got on the plane to fly to Carolina's country, the Buhlers' most recent information on their girl was already four years old.
They didn't know how big she was. How far along in her development. What sort of place she was living in. Whether she was getting her needs met there.
They only knew that she needed a family. And so they went.
They followed God's lead, they stepped out in faith.
They thought they knew the plan.
Get Carolina. Bring her home. One less orphan.
A worthy cause for sure. It must be God's plan.
So they left everything they knew, flew to Carolina's country, and attended their official appointment to get Carolina's 'referral' in country - the first step to adopting her.
It was then that they were thrown for their first loop. Carolina had a diagnosis that had not been in her file. The facilitators in her country hadn't known. The grant organization that helped them find Carolina hadn't known. The families that had adopted from Carolina's baby house hadn't known. Carolina had active cytomegalovirus (CMV). It would add complications to her care as well as implications to her current condition as it can cause brain damage if a child is exposed in utero, and could possibly be spread to her new siblings and parents, affecting their health as well. The Buhlers had to make a tough decision based on little information before they had even met Carolina. Could they bring her home safely, knowing this additional diagnosis?
They cautiously proceeded. They traveled far, far across the country to Carolina's region. They nervously arrived to meet her for the first time and found themselves the subject of scrutiny by orphanage personnel, who didn't understand why anyone would want to adopt one of 'these children' (a child with special needs).
Imagine how hard it would be to get to know your child in a foreign place with people who had different ideas about children and special needs constantly watching over you.
Honestly, I can't even imagine being that far away from home for that long! That is one of the things my trip to New Orleans taught me - I am NOT a long trip person! Add a foreign country, language, and lifestyle to the mix and I'd be reeling. Add all the emotions of adoption and... well, let's just say there's a reason I plan to adopt from a place with less time in country!
But the Buhlers? They pressed on. Michelle told me once that the travel time had not been ideal for them either - but that was where Carolina was, and when God said "Go to her," they had obeyed.
Over a few visits, they learned more about Carolina. Some good and encouraging. Carolina was healthier than some of us had expected. She appeared well-nourished. She spoke a few words and proved to be extremely proficient at walking on her knees (her cerebral palsy made walking on her feet impossible without proper therapy). She expressed needs and wants consistently. She even showed some signs of affection... something post-institutionalized children often struggle with.
Carolina loves to jump. She likes to play with baby dolls and she asks for candy - but she doesn't like chocolate, except for white chocolate. (Leave it to a kid to be in a country with some of the world's best chocolate, and not like it!) She tolerates being held, usually to reach or do something she can't do alone, but her willingness to accept touch is encouraging. She plays pretend with the baby dolls, which tells me that her imagination is alive and well.
But some of what they learned was not so good... in fact, it was downright distressing. Years in an institutional setting are not good for a child. In fact, this type of neglect has been shown to cause permanent brain damage. Further, in these types of environments, children often learn a 'survival of the fittest' mentality. They learn that to survive, they have to compete against all the other children. It's not their fault - it's only human nature - but some children start to exhibit aggressive behaviors after exposure to this type of environment. These behaviors tend to be especially severe with children who are smaller or weaker.
This is considered one of the greatest crises a family can face in country - finding out that the child they intend to adopt has developed aggressive behavior that could impact children they already have at home. Parents are faced with the most heartbreaking choice: bring home the child they crossed the ocean for and risk the safety of their other children; or turn down the referral of the child they prayed, hoped, and wished for all that time to protect the ones already in their home. It's a choice I truly can't imagine having to make. Yet it is the one Michelle and Ammon faced in Carolina's country. Sad as it is, that sweet little girl had learned to fight to survive... and the Buhlers have other little children to think about as well.
It is a decision that tormented them. It was not made lightly or easily. Tears were cried. Hopes were dashed. Because families who ultimately choose not to accept the referral of the child they originally intended to adopt sometimes face judgment from the very community that supported them to begin with, there was pressure to decide one way or the other (although many of the Buhlers' supporters were very understanding and supported whatever decision they felt was best for their whole family as well as Carolina). It certainly wasn't the adoption experience anyone would have hoped for. Yet it is the one the Buhlers faced.
Ultimately, after conferring with friends and family as well as facilitators, orphanage staff and each other, Michelle and Ammon decided that they weren't the right parents for Carolina. It broke their hearts. They had loved, hoped for, wished for, and prayed for this little girl for months. They had crossed the ocean in hopes of making her their daughter. They had stepped out in faith when no one else would and said "Yes, we see this child's value and we're willing to do what it takes to bring her home." Even when the journey threw them for loops, they hung on, trying to give things a chance to work out. But ultimately it came down to the fact that bringing Carolina home could have serious negative consequences for their other children, and might not be the right placement for Carolina either. They couldn't, in good conscience, bring home a child they weren't sure they could parent.
So Carolina was relisted as available for adoption.
But it wasn't all a loss for Carolina. New pictures were posted. Updates about her development, what type of family would be best for her, were added to her profile. No longer would anyone have to rely on two-year-old information to determine if their family would be the right fit for her. The Buhlers - and many friends and advocates - hoped, and still hope, that an experienced adoptive family, perhaps one without younger children, will step up to adopt her soon.
It is here that we catch a glimpse of what God's real plan was. We all thought it was for the Buhlers to adopt Carolina. But no. God wasn't surprised by this. He wasn't disappointed in His children. He had known this twist Carolina's story all along, and He had sent the Buhlers anyways. They were a huge, important part of his plan for Carolina's life.
Remember what I said about Carolina being transferred? She was transferred to a place where there were no adoptions. She was transferred to a place where the doors of the institution were firmly closed to nearly all outsiders, and those who were allowed in were forbidden from taking photos or information to share about children. She was transferred to a place where the people who could give updated photos and information to the government's adoption authorities refused to do so.
If the Buhlers hadn't taken that leap of faith, Carolina would have remained unseen behind those closed doors. Her information would never have been updated. Her chances of finding a family would have dwindled further with every passing day. Even if a family did step up later, they would face the same obstacles the Buhlers did... maybe more.
The Buhlers are the means God is using to provide the family He intends for Carolina with the information they need to take that huge step to make Carolina their daughter. They are truly His hands and feet on earth.
Taking a step back, it becomes clear that God used Michelle and Ammon not only to help write Carolina's story, but also to pave the way for even more families to come. After a couple days visiting Carolina's institution, Michelle told a story that gave me chills.
She said that on their first visit, the orphanage doctor had seemed very anti-adoption. She felt that children like Carolina were best served in institutions like the one where Carolina currently resides. But after the Buhlers' third visit with Carolina, the orphanage doctor stopped them as they were leaving to tell them she had changed her mind. It turns out she had spoken to a family member about what life was like for children with special needs in the US - because of the Buhlers' presence at her institution - and learned of all the opportunities for therapy, education, and the ability to connect with a family, that children with special needs have in the US. As they left the institution on that third visit, the orphanage doctor told them that she had changed her mind. She no longer felt that children like Carolina belonged in institutions, but that they would be better served in families, and that she hoped they could be adopted.
WOW. Are you as floored as I am? Right there, a heart changed, the heart of a person who is responsible for the fates of countless orphans - because Michelle and Ammon took a leap of faith.
No, they didn't end up adopting Carolina. As I stated before, they conferred with numerous people and felt that their family was not the right fit for her. But all the same, they did more for Carolina than anyone has to date. No one else had been willing to say "Yes, we will go for this child". They did. As they walked the winding, overgrown path to Carolina's institution, they wrote another, pivotal chapter in her story. They were able to get more information on Carolina to pass on to families who might be willing and prepared to adopt her - who might have the family situation she needs. They gave a precious child love and interaction she never would have had for several days. They showed countless people - orphanage staff, children, community members - in Carolina's country - that there are people who want these children. And because of their very presence, the heart of the orphanage doctor was changed. She no longer thinks that children like Carolina are best served in institutions... she recognizes the value of a family.
This is the kind of change we all want to see in these children's birth countries. The kind of change that will enable families to keep and raise children with special needs. The kind of change that will erase the stigma of raising a child with special needs. The kind of change that will improve the care that the children who are in institutions receive. And it is happening... because this family said "yes" to walking an uncertain path.
Bigger plans indeed.
But the story doesn't stop there! No - when it would have been so much easier, to just go home, when other families would have just given up, the Buhlers stayed in country. No, they weren't adopting Carolina... but they weren't leaving empty-handed, either. They were determined to save an orphan.
This is huge. In case you didn't know, at this point I'll tell you that the Buhlers have four other children at home - at the time in care of relatives. They had already been away from their children longer than any parent ever wants to leave their child. It would have been so much easier for them to cut their losses and go home and nurse their broken hearts.
But they didn't. They felt that God had sent them to save and orphan, and that's what they were going to do. No, it wasn't the child they had originally intended to adopt, but does our Lord place more value on one life than another?
They went back to the capital city. They attended another appointment. They accepted a referral for a three year old little boy with cerebral palsy. Meet "Nikolai".
Handsome, isn't he? Even in his fuzzy referral photo?
Let me tell you a little about Nikolai.
Though lucky to still be in a baby house (as he should be at three), that baby house is in a region where adoptions, even international adoptions, are not common. In fact, there has only been ONE adoption in this region in the past three years! Nikolai was not listed on any advocacy site. Nor were any of the other children from his orphanage. No one would have ever even known he existed if the Buhlers hadn't seen and accepted his file.
It is worth noting that in Nikolai's region, there is a focus on encouraging domestic families to adopt children and to keep and raise their special needs children instead of surrendering them to state care. This is likely part of the reason for the low rate of international adoptions. However, domestic families had previously visited with Nikolai and decided not to adopt him because of his visible special needs. Regional authorities felt he would be best served by an international placement.
They traveled to meet him. I can't imagine the emotions Michelle and Ammon must have been facing at this time. Mourning the loss of the child they had thought was their daughter, yet hopeful for the boy who could become their son.
They met him.
It was love. He was theirs. They proceeded with his adoption.
Just last week they had court and this little boy became Michelle and Ammon's fifth child. A new life. A new name. Meet Ethan.
Soon, Michelle will bring him home... to his forever family. The one he would never have had if the Buhlers hadn't stuck it out when things got hard in country, determined to save one of God's starfish, even if it wasn't the one they had originally intended to bring home.
Look at him. He's ready to go.
But now imagine... what Ethan's life would have been like if it hadn't been for this long, winding, overgrown road that the Buhlers walked when no one else would.
He's three now. Children in his country are usually transferred to adult mental institutions between the ages of 4 and 6. One year. Imagine. He could have been transferred, to God knows where, what kind of conditions... in as little as one year. Adoptions from institutions are even less common than adoptions from baby houses. It is entirely possible that he could have been transferred someplace where no one, no matter how hard they tried, could have gotten him out.
Imagine this sweet, able little boy... locked away in a mental institution forever.
Recently, pretty much every adoption advocate I know has been screaming for another little boy... a little boy who wasn't 'found' while he was in the baby house like Ethan was. A little boy who didn't escape transfer to a mental institution. A little boy who was about to age out.
Brenton will be sixteen years old in just nine days. And yes, that is a current picture. He is the size of a preschooler. Once a child reaches sixteen years old, he can no longer be adopted by an American family, as US immigration requires documents to be submitted prior to the child's sixteenth birthday. We were all afraid, so afraid, that Brenton would 'age out'... turn sixteen without a committed family... and be condemned to a life in an adult mental institution. We scrambled to find him a family. Just yesterday, a family committed to Brenton. He will be saved.
But that scramble? That desperate situation where we had only weeks to find a family for a child before he would be lost forever? That all happened because Brenton was not listed anywhere until very recently. He was not on an advocacy site. No one had accepted his file in country. No one had chosen him. If he had been chosen, adopted, while he was younger, like Ethan has, he would never have been in this desperate situation.
Despite hardship, despite fear, despite uncertainty, the Buhlers saved a child. Saved him from a life of institutionalization. Saved him from permanent damage done by years of sub-par care. Saved him from a dangerous last-minute scramble to find a family. This is one less orphan we'll have to desperately search for a family for before he ages out... because he already has one. Praise the Lord!
AND! There is yet another twist to this story - one that is almost too unbelievable to behold. Ethan was actually born in Russia - though neither of his parents were Russian. When they returned to their home country, they left their baby in Russia. He was placed in a Russian orphanage, where he lived for a time before his parentage came to light and he had to be transferred to an orphanage in his parents' country. Given that there is currently a ban on US adoptions from Russia, this fact is jaw-dropping to me. This child could have so easily been overlooked. His fate could have so easily been the same one thousands of Russian children... children like Kyle, who I shared with you last week... face. But it wasn't. He was transferred back to his home country just in time for the Buhlers to find him and make him their son. If that's not God working in this little boy's life, I don't know what is!
And then there's this part, which is only speculation, but it's likely true at least in part. Remember what I said about there having been only one adoption in Ethan's region in the past three years? Well... now there have been two. I can't help but think that every family that comes through that region and says "Yes, we see the value in this child and we want him to be ours," shows the people of that region that maybe, just maybe, there is value in these children they have shut up in institutions. Maybe they will be treated a little better. Maybe some domestic families will be inspired to pursue adoption. Maybe the people in charge of getting children listed for adoption and getting their faces out there, will start to notice this region. There is work in progress to try to get some of the other children at Ethan's orphanage listed for adoption, so that we can advocate for and find families for them too. More than likely, the road for the families that adopt from this region in the future, will be just a little easier - because the Buhlers walked it first.
Michelle is still in country with Ethan. She is unsure if they have the funds they will need to get everything in order in country and fly home. Even once they are home, things are going to be tight, because they were never fully funded and every extra penny is going to getting her and Ethan home from Eastern Europe. All these loops they were thrown for destroyed the carefully laid plans they had for funding their adoption. I honestly can't imagine the situation she's in right now... in country, without her husband or children, not even sure if she has the finances needed to get home. If you'd like to be a part of easing that burden and helping her get home with her new son, you can donate to their Reece's Rainbow FSP here. Michelle has promised that if any money is left over once they are home, it will be going to Carolina's grant.
Carolina. The child they loved, the child they wanted to make their daughter. There are people who think that the Buhlers let Carolina down because they didn't adopt her. Maybe even people who think that they let God down, because they didn't complete the 'mission' that they thought God was originally sending them on. I disagree.
Remember, people said those same things to me in New Orleans. I was letting my mission team down. I was letting the people of New Orleans down. I was letting God down.
But God was not surprised - not then, and not now. He knew it all before it happened. He had mapped out our paths, even when we ourselves didn't know which way to go. Just like I didn't fail God seven years ago, the Buhlers did not fail Him, nor Carolina, on this trip. In truth, they did more for Carolina than anyone has. Who was it that walked into unknown territory for this child's sake? Who was it that obtained the new information where before there had only been outdated information? Who was it that made sure that the family that was right for Carolina would be fully prepared for her needs? Who was it that changed the hearts and minds of many in Carolina's country, simply by being there and caring about what happened to her? Who was it that, even when things got difficult, refused to go home without saving a child?
Well I know one thing... it certainly isn't the people who are condemning the Buhlers for not adopting a child they weren't sure they could parent.
God has seen their work on behalf of the orphan, and He is not disappointed.
This brings me to one final point... and it is a difficult one. Because so many people loved Carolina, when the Buhlers committed to her, she already had a large grant with Reece's Rainbow. They really had little fundraising to do since the funds already raised for Carolina would be released to them once they had travel dates. But because they didn't adopt Carolina, the money people had given toward her adoption now has to be replaced in her grant for the family who does adopt her.
In the past few weeks, the Buhlers have found themselves in country with barely enough money to cover their basic needs. They had to beg and plead for $500 necessary to complete some requirements in Ethan's country. Even though that need was met, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Buhlers could use quite a bit more than the $500 they asked for to get home. And when they come home, during a time when they should be focused on bonding with their new son and getting him the medical intervention and therapy he needs, they will be responsible for paying back the money that was given to them for Carolina - just over $10,000.
If you have adopted, can you imagine what it would be like if you were responsible for that hefty pricetag just as you were getting home with your child? How difficult would that be? Many people will say, "Well, they didn't adopt Carolina, so that money was never really theirs to begin with, they should have to pay it back." Maybe so... but also remember that they didn't even know about Ethan until they had traveled to the children's country. He was not listed on an advocacy site so there was no grant designated for him. The Buhlers thought they were adopting Carolina, so they counted on the money that was in her grant. They had no reason to think they would need to do additional fundraising to what they already did, because that money was already there. It's almost as though they were given an amount they needed to raise to adopt their child, and then, after the fact, they were hit with a sudden, hidden fee in a HUGE amount - and are now stuck with having to fundraise after they bring their child home... while they try to bond and do everything else.
That's a rough situation to be in.
It's no one's fault, it's just the way things work... the money raised for Carolina's adoption needs to be there for whatever family does decide to adopt Carolina... but at the same time, the Buhlers never had the chance to do the kind of fundraising it turns out they needed.
I'll tell you what I see. I see a family who has gone above and beyond to help the orphan, a family who has stayed strong when some would have given up, a family who has blazed a trail for those who might come after them to adopt from regions and institutions where adoption is not common, a family who has changed hearts and minds along the way, and a family who has rescued a precious angel. I see a family who needs and deserves our help raising money that they didn't expect to have to raise.
And I KNOW that God is NOT disappointed with their work to save the orphan.
If you would like to be a part of helping the Buhlers and supporting the amazing work they have done, we are asking that donations be made to Carolina's grant with Reece's Rainbow. On the Paypal confirmation screen, there is an annotation that allows you to include a note with your donation. It looks like this:
Click where it says "Add special instructions to recipient" and type your note in the box that opens up - something like "To help repay Carolina's previous grant" or "On behalf of the Buhlers". This will ensure that your donations not only help Carolina, but ease the burden on the Buhlers as they return home with Ethan.
Beyond that, you can pray, and you can share. You can pray that the Buhlers transition home will be smooth. You can pray that the family that is right for Carolina will see her quickly and step up to adopt her. This family would be experienced with institutional behaviors and preferably not have any younger or weaker children (Carolina is seven). You can pray that Carolina's grant can be repaid with minimal hardship to the Buhlers. And you can share their need, so that even if you don't have the means to help them repay it, maybe someone who does will see it. Maybe Carolina's family will even see it.
I, for one, think that this is all part of Carolina's story... her road to the family God has intended for her... and we are just lucky to have seen another child saved in the process. Thus far, no one has done more to help that story along than the Buhlers... and I think they deserve our thanks and our help. Please, will you be a part of easing the burden on them and helping Carolina by giving to her grant? Will you be a part of this divine story?
The link to Carolina's grant is here. It is up to you now.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
A Precious Soul
We called him "Kyle".
His only crime was being born with Down Syndrome in a country that doesn't see the value in people with special needs.
For this, he was placed in an orphanage soon after he was born.
In Kyle's home country, Russia, the orphanages are usually run by the government. The Baby Houses are not usually so bad. It's certainly no place to grow up, but the children generally appear well cared for... like Kyle did.
But between the ages of 4 and 6 years old, children with special needs are transferred. Moved out of the baby house... to another place.
An adult mental institution.
Adult.
Imagine that tiny, delicate little boy in an institution for mentally ill adults.
That's where this transformation took place.
Yes, that's the same little boy.
The new picture came a few months after Russia banned adoptions to American citizens, as well as to unmarried mothers in any country which permits marriage equality... essentially destroying any chance "Kyle" and his fellow orphans ever had to find a family.
It shocked us all.
How could they do this to such a precious, vibrant little soul?
Today more news came down.
He died. Kyle died.
He died alone in a mental institution.
He died without ever knowing the love of a family.
A precious soul, gone from this earth forever.
When I first saw the news today, I immediately started to cry. But as quickly as the tears came, they were gone, replaced by anger. Anger at the government which places so little value on the life of a child, simply because he has special needs, that it would sooner allow him to die in an institution than be adopted. Anger at the political posturing that brought about this adoption ban and erased Kyle's future.
Then came the relief. Yes, relief.
Remember, a few months ago we learned that this was Kyle's existence:
Abused. Malnourished. Neglected. Sick. In pain.
What a miserable existence.
Kyle's pain is gone now. He is finally home.
No, he's not in the home we wanted for him. He's gone home to be with God instead. We had hoped he could know the love of an earthly family before that inevitability, but it didn't happen that way.
Nevertheless, he is home now.
No more abuse. No more hunger pains. No more banging his head against the bars of his crib just for some sort of stimulation.
Kyle has a new, perfect body in Heaven... no more pain.
That's why the relief.
And that's the feeling I'm going to choose to hold onto. Gratefulness that God did not allow Kyle to suffer any longer - that He called him home rather than let him endure this Hell on Earth for one more minute.
It shouldn't be this way. Children aren't supposed to die. They are supposed to live long, fulfilling lives on Earth before going home to God.
Sometimes there's something we can do. Pray. Advocate. Give. Adopt. The things I beg you to do every single day, for children who we can help.
But sometimes... like in Kyle's case... we are woefully helpless. For the thousands of Russian orphans that still survive on this earth, there is little or nothing that we can do to change their circumstances.
It is in times like these that I pray the hardest. Jesus, please come quickly. Your children need you.
His only crime was being born with Down Syndrome in a country that doesn't see the value in people with special needs.
For this, he was placed in an orphanage soon after he was born.
In Kyle's home country, Russia, the orphanages are usually run by the government. The Baby Houses are not usually so bad. It's certainly no place to grow up, but the children generally appear well cared for... like Kyle did.
But between the ages of 4 and 6 years old, children with special needs are transferred. Moved out of the baby house... to another place.
An adult mental institution.
Adult.
Imagine that tiny, delicate little boy in an institution for mentally ill adults.
That's where this transformation took place.
Yes, that's the same little boy.
The new picture came a few months after Russia banned adoptions to American citizens, as well as to unmarried mothers in any country which permits marriage equality... essentially destroying any chance "Kyle" and his fellow orphans ever had to find a family.
It shocked us all.
How could they do this to such a precious, vibrant little soul?
Today more news came down.
He died. Kyle died.
He died alone in a mental institution.
He died without ever knowing the love of a family.
A precious soul, gone from this earth forever.
When I first saw the news today, I immediately started to cry. But as quickly as the tears came, they were gone, replaced by anger. Anger at the government which places so little value on the life of a child, simply because he has special needs, that it would sooner allow him to die in an institution than be adopted. Anger at the political posturing that brought about this adoption ban and erased Kyle's future.
Then came the relief. Yes, relief.
Remember, a few months ago we learned that this was Kyle's existence:
Abused. Malnourished. Neglected. Sick. In pain.
What a miserable existence.
Kyle's pain is gone now. He is finally home.
No, he's not in the home we wanted for him. He's gone home to be with God instead. We had hoped he could know the love of an earthly family before that inevitability, but it didn't happen that way.
Nevertheless, he is home now.
No more abuse. No more hunger pains. No more banging his head against the bars of his crib just for some sort of stimulation.
Kyle has a new, perfect body in Heaven... no more pain.
That's why the relief.
And that's the feeling I'm going to choose to hold onto. Gratefulness that God did not allow Kyle to suffer any longer - that He called him home rather than let him endure this Hell on Earth for one more minute.
It shouldn't be this way. Children aren't supposed to die. They are supposed to live long, fulfilling lives on Earth before going home to God.
Sometimes there's something we can do. Pray. Advocate. Give. Adopt. The things I beg you to do every single day, for children who we can help.
But sometimes... like in Kyle's case... we are woefully helpless. For the thousands of Russian orphans that still survive on this earth, there is little or nothing that we can do to change their circumstances.
It is in times like these that I pray the hardest. Jesus, please come quickly. Your children need you.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Fundraisers Galore! | Reece's Rainbow Families
So. Ahem. I have a feeling my begging and pleading for the Jones family adopting Annie is probably getting a bit trying on some of your nerves... given that I haven't shut up about it except when I was under anesthesia. Annie's Mama, Amanda, has been working HARD to make it easier and more fun for you to help them bring their girl home, and I would like to share some of these awesome new fundraisers with you. But first I would like to share these words from Amanda's blog:
That's not cool folks. Money standing between a child and her family. Not cool at all.
Now to get down to it. Amanda has been working her fingers to the bone making things to sell to help get Annie home! Christmas is coming and I bet you could knock out a person or two on your list AND help bring an orphan home at the same time!
First up: How cute are these blocks??
They are hand-made, hand-painted domino-style matching blocks - super cute, and would be a one of a kind present for a little person on your list. Price for these is $20, plus $3 shipping, which I think is a bargain... seriously, go price hand-painted blocks in the store, if you can even find such a thing in this commercial day and age... you won't find a better deal and you'll be helping to bring an orphan home!
Which brings us to the second style of awesome blocks:
Letters!! Oh, the educator in me is just reeling with possibilities. Seek-and-find, spelling words, matching capitals and lower case, phonics - ah, I would just love to have these to do with my best friend's kindergartner! This set of 52 blocks is $30, plus $4 shipping. Still a bargain as that's a lot of blocks - and I'm not sure I've ever seen lower case letters even in commercially produced letter blocks. Not to mention, oh wait, this is like the fourth time I've mentioned... THESE ONES HELP BRING AN ORPHAN HOME!! Click here for how to place your order for either set of blocks.
So maybe there aren't so many kids on your list this holiday season. Maybe your kids are furry instead. Guess what...
That's right! We have something for them too! Pet collars! Your pet will be one of a kind with these hand-made collars, priced by size (see picture above). After all, it's Christmas for kitties and puppies too! Check out the variety of designs available:
How cool that your pet's present could be tailor-made for him! He'll be all the talk at the dog park. Oh, and did I mention you're helping an orphan? Place your custom order here.
But what about the adults on your list? Do we have anything for them? What about, say, your friend Katie? I don't know, just thinking out loud here... ;)
Oh, that's right! Just about one of the cutest adoption T-shirts I've ever seen! No adopted kids? Don't forget... you were adopted too. And if you DO just so happen to have a friend who writes some crazy blog about orphans, I'm pretty willing to bet this is on their Christmas list! These shirts are available in short sleeve ($22) and long sleeve ($26) from adult sizes small to 3XL. Shipping is included in that price. Click here for ordering information.
Is fashion your thing? Do you want even MORE bang for your buck (in addition to helping bring an orphan home and getting a cool item)? Check out the Trades of Hope E-Show benefiting the Jones family from now until September 27!
These items and MORE can be purchased through this link, and in addition to benefiting you and the Jones family, the sale of these items also supports women living in poverty. Some of them have been rescued from sex slavery. Some of them are facing the challenge of raising special needs children alone. Some of them have been affected by devastating diseases like HIV/AIDS. I was the lucky recipient of a bracelet much like the one above earlier this year and I LOVE it and everything it represents! These items make perfect gifts!
And, okay, I know that these days everyone and their sister is a consultant for Thirty-One, but not everyone does it for such a special cause. Amanda is also a Thirty-One consultant, and if you place your order through her...
...you guessed it... YOU'RE ALSO HELPING AN ORPHAN! Order through Amanda's link here! Thirty-One has something for everyone - I know I wouldn't be disappointed to find a bunch of it under my tree! In fact, I could use a new purse... ;)
Editing to add ONE MORE way to help get them funded... Scentsy!!
This party is going on for the Jones family until September 28, and I can tell you now that these products are seriously awesome. They make perfect gifts (I got my mom a plug-in warmer this Spring and now we all get to enjoy it!) and perfect holiday decor. Get your orders in now!
If, somehow, you've still managed to get this far without seeing something you want, we will also have an auction and a giveaway coming up soon. I shared quite a few non-purchasing options for helping the Jones family in this post. I am still taking auction items!
Please, if you could just find some way to help... it would mean the world to me... and Amanda and Collin... and to Annie. The options are many... just pick one! And don't forget the whole reason behind it all...
"We have a big need. We need to make a payment to our agency. We are currently at a STANDSTILL and CANNOT move. There are documents that I am working on but money is our hold up."
That's not cool folks. Money standing between a child and her family. Not cool at all.
Now to get down to it. Amanda has been working her fingers to the bone making things to sell to help get Annie home! Christmas is coming and I bet you could knock out a person or two on your list AND help bring an orphan home at the same time!
First up: How cute are these blocks??
They are hand-made, hand-painted domino-style matching blocks - super cute, and would be a one of a kind present for a little person on your list. Price for these is $20, plus $3 shipping, which I think is a bargain... seriously, go price hand-painted blocks in the store, if you can even find such a thing in this commercial day and age... you won't find a better deal and you'll be helping to bring an orphan home!
Which brings us to the second style of awesome blocks:
Letters!! Oh, the educator in me is just reeling with possibilities. Seek-and-find, spelling words, matching capitals and lower case, phonics - ah, I would just love to have these to do with my best friend's kindergartner! This set of 52 blocks is $30, plus $4 shipping. Still a bargain as that's a lot of blocks - and I'm not sure I've ever seen lower case letters even in commercially produced letter blocks. Not to mention, oh wait, this is like the fourth time I've mentioned... THESE ONES HELP BRING AN ORPHAN HOME!! Click here for how to place your order for either set of blocks.
So maybe there aren't so many kids on your list this holiday season. Maybe your kids are furry instead. Guess what...
That's right! We have something for them too! Pet collars! Your pet will be one of a kind with these hand-made collars, priced by size (see picture above). After all, it's Christmas for kitties and puppies too! Check out the variety of designs available:
How cool that your pet's present could be tailor-made for him! He'll be all the talk at the dog park. Oh, and did I mention you're helping an orphan? Place your custom order here.
But what about the adults on your list? Do we have anything for them? What about, say, your friend Katie? I don't know, just thinking out loud here... ;)
Oh, that's right! Just about one of the cutest adoption T-shirts I've ever seen! No adopted kids? Don't forget... you were adopted too. And if you DO just so happen to have a friend who writes some crazy blog about orphans, I'm pretty willing to bet this is on their Christmas list! These shirts are available in short sleeve ($22) and long sleeve ($26) from adult sizes small to 3XL. Shipping is included in that price. Click here for ordering information.
Is fashion your thing? Do you want even MORE bang for your buck (in addition to helping bring an orphan home and getting a cool item)? Check out the Trades of Hope E-Show benefiting the Jones family from now until September 27!
These items and MORE can be purchased through this link, and in addition to benefiting you and the Jones family, the sale of these items also supports women living in poverty. Some of them have been rescued from sex slavery. Some of them are facing the challenge of raising special needs children alone. Some of them have been affected by devastating diseases like HIV/AIDS. I was the lucky recipient of a bracelet much like the one above earlier this year and I LOVE it and everything it represents! These items make perfect gifts!
And, okay, I know that these days everyone and their sister is a consultant for Thirty-One, but not everyone does it for such a special cause. Amanda is also a Thirty-One consultant, and if you place your order through her...
...you guessed it... YOU'RE ALSO HELPING AN ORPHAN! Order through Amanda's link here! Thirty-One has something for everyone - I know I wouldn't be disappointed to find a bunch of it under my tree! In fact, I could use a new purse... ;)
Editing to add ONE MORE way to help get them funded... Scentsy!!
This party is going on for the Jones family until September 28, and I can tell you now that these products are seriously awesome. They make perfect gifts (I got my mom a plug-in warmer this Spring and now we all get to enjoy it!) and perfect holiday decor. Get your orders in now!
If, somehow, you've still managed to get this far without seeing something you want, we will also have an auction and a giveaway coming up soon. I shared quite a few non-purchasing options for helping the Jones family in this post. I am still taking auction items!
Please, if you could just find some way to help... it would mean the world to me... and Amanda and Collin... and to Annie. The options are many... just pick one! And don't forget the whole reason behind it all...
 |
| She needs YOUR HELP to get home! |
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
"But She Looks Healthy" | Reece's Rainbow Families
This is something that even the most caring, understanding adoption advocates have probably found themselves thinking at one point or another. Some children CLEARLY need OUT right now. Nothing more than their pictures is necessary to tell you how dire the circumstances are for these children:
But then there are the other children. The ones who we know are in orphanages all the same, but who 'look' healthy.
They don't 'look' sick, do they? They don't look desperate, like the others. Surely they can wait a little longer for a family. Surely their need is not as urgent.
Until you see the truth behind the picture.
Bernadette has epilepsy. She has complex partial seizures. She needs expert medical care to prevent permanent damage from being done.
Shawn has HIV. Without anti-retroviral medications, his disease could progress into full blown AIDS and be fatal. Or he could age out and be turned out onto the streets, where most girls turn to prostitution and most boys turn to lives of crime, just to survive.
All of these children (with the exception of two) have the same future in store for them. Years in orphanages and mental institutions. Some in lying rooms, wasting away. Not getting the nutrition they need. If they are not adopted, eventually their pictures WILL look like a child in desperate need. If they are not adopted, they will ultimately die without ever seeing beyond the four walls of their institutions.
But notice I said 'except for two'. Have you picked out which two are different yet?
Monet. Monet is different. Her given name was Marianna.
Was.
She looked healthy.
She looked like she could wait a little longer.
She was deaf, and she had epilepsy, but hadn't had a reported seizure in years.
Looked. Was. Had.
We received confirmation today that Monet/Marianna passed away.
She was three years old.
She died without ever having known the love of a mother.
She looked healthy.
But now she's gone.
Words cannot express the depth of the pain we, as advocates, feel when one of these precious lives is lost.
Rest in peace, sweet angel. Your pain is gone, you are with Jesus now.
But this loss does something else as well.
It spurs us on to action. To fight harder. Until they all come home.
Have you guessed which of the other above children has a different fate than the others yet?
Annie.
Beloved child, holder of hearts.
Annie has a different fate than the others for a different, much happier reason than Monet.
She has a family.
A committed family who stepped out in faith and said "YES, she is our daughter."
But they are struggling. Everyone is fundraising, the economy is poor, everyone is tapped out. The blows just keep on coming making their funding situation look more and more bleak.
But she looks healthy... shouldn't we give to a sicker-looking child first?
Monet looked healthy too.
Right now, MONEY is the only thing holding Annie's family back from moving more quickly to get her home. They recently lost an expected $1,000 matching grant due to the donor's inability to follow through. We do not blame the donor who initially offered up such a generous gift, but we do need to make up for the loss of expected funding.
MONEY is standing between Annie and her family.
This is unacceptable.
We cannot allow children to wait even one extra minute because of money.
There is too much at risk.
A few days ago I posted about why Annie's family is so close to my heart, and detailed all the ways that YOU can help them bring their girl home.
The response has been disappointing to say the least.
If you, like me, are heartbroken by the loss of another child... one who 'looked' healthy... won't you help us make sure that this child doesn't have to wait longer and face greater risk - simply because of MONEY?
Don't you have just a few dollars to spare? Can't you skip pizza night and eat a grilled cheese sandwich?
And if you truly don't have two pennies to rub together, couldn't you at least share this post and help us reach the people who may be able to give?
It's not hard. It's not complicated. Give. Share. Pray.
You can find Annie's family's blog with the YouCaring Give widget on the right hand side here.
Please?
 |
| Della is eleven years old. |
 |
| Hannah is almost five and due for transfer. |
 |
| Lelani is so underweight she has to be tube fed. She is four. |
 |
| Marla is stuck in this position from having spent years that way. |
 |
| Nehemiah is thirteen years old. |
But then there are the other children. The ones who we know are in orphanages all the same, but who 'look' healthy.
 |
| Annie |
 |
| Bernadette |
 |
| Otto |
 |
| Ryan |
 |
| Shawn |
 |
| Monet |
They don't 'look' sick, do they? They don't look desperate, like the others. Surely they can wait a little longer for a family. Surely their need is not as urgent.
Until you see the truth behind the picture.
Bernadette has epilepsy. She has complex partial seizures. She needs expert medical care to prevent permanent damage from being done.
Shawn has HIV. Without anti-retroviral medications, his disease could progress into full blown AIDS and be fatal. Or he could age out and be turned out onto the streets, where most girls turn to prostitution and most boys turn to lives of crime, just to survive.
All of these children (with the exception of two) have the same future in store for them. Years in orphanages and mental institutions. Some in lying rooms, wasting away. Not getting the nutrition they need. If they are not adopted, eventually their pictures WILL look like a child in desperate need. If they are not adopted, they will ultimately die without ever seeing beyond the four walls of their institutions.
But notice I said 'except for two'. Have you picked out which two are different yet?
Monet. Monet is different. Her given name was Marianna.
Was.
She looked healthy.
She looked like she could wait a little longer.
She was deaf, and she had epilepsy, but hadn't had a reported seizure in years.
Looked. Was. Had.
We received confirmation today that Monet/Marianna passed away.
She was three years old.
She died without ever having known the love of a mother.
She looked healthy.
But now she's gone.
Words cannot express the depth of the pain we, as advocates, feel when one of these precious lives is lost.
Rest in peace, sweet angel. Your pain is gone, you are with Jesus now.
But this loss does something else as well.
It spurs us on to action. To fight harder. Until they all come home.
Have you guessed which of the other above children has a different fate than the others yet?
Annie.
Beloved child, holder of hearts.
Annie has a different fate than the others for a different, much happier reason than Monet.
She has a family.
A committed family who stepped out in faith and said "YES, she is our daughter."
But they are struggling. Everyone is fundraising, the economy is poor, everyone is tapped out. The blows just keep on coming making their funding situation look more and more bleak.
But she looks healthy... shouldn't we give to a sicker-looking child first?
Monet looked healthy too.
Right now, MONEY is the only thing holding Annie's family back from moving more quickly to get her home. They recently lost an expected $1,000 matching grant due to the donor's inability to follow through. We do not blame the donor who initially offered up such a generous gift, but we do need to make up for the loss of expected funding.
MONEY is standing between Annie and her family.
This is unacceptable.
We cannot allow children to wait even one extra minute because of money.
There is too much at risk.
A few days ago I posted about why Annie's family is so close to my heart, and detailed all the ways that YOU can help them bring their girl home.
The response has been disappointing to say the least.
If you, like me, are heartbroken by the loss of another child... one who 'looked' healthy... won't you help us make sure that this child doesn't have to wait longer and face greater risk - simply because of MONEY?
Don't you have just a few dollars to spare? Can't you skip pizza night and eat a grilled cheese sandwich?
And if you truly don't have two pennies to rub together, couldn't you at least share this post and help us reach the people who may be able to give?
It's not hard. It's not complicated. Give. Share. Pray.
You can find Annie's family's blog with the YouCaring Give widget on the right hand side here.
Please?
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Close To My Heart | Reece's Rainbow Family
I have promised a few people (after my persistent begging for this family) in the past couple days that I would explain *why* 'Annie's family is so close to my heart. This is that post.
Annie was close to my heart from the start, because she reminded me so much of my precious A, the little girl that I helped to raise and who lived with me on and off from ages 2-9. Here are the two of them side-by-side.
On the left is my A. On the right is RR's "Annie".
Wow, right?
How could I not fall in love with the little girl who reminded me so much of the one who holds my heart? Even her description on Reece's Rainbow reminded me of my A.
Delayed speech... check.
Autism was initially suspected... check.
Well developed motor skills... check.
Follows verbal directions and responds to her name... check.
Very protective of her possessions... check.
Emotionally responsive to *familiar* adults... check.
Needs extra time to complete tasks... check.
Short attention span... super check.
Stops inappropriate behaviors when redirected... check.
Feeds and dresses herself... check.
Difficulties with toilet training... check.
Those very words could have been written about my A just a few short years ago. In those short years, she has progressed amazingly. I just know that with the love of a family, "Annie" will too.
Because I was instantly drawn to "Annie" because she reminded me so much of my A, I wrote a blog post about her. I shared it in the Reece's Rainbow group I'm in. Someone saw it.
She saw it, and her heart stopped too. She saw it, and she too realized she was looking into the eyes of her little girl. She showed it to her husband... and he, too, realized that this was the child that was meant to be theirs.
Amanda and Collin said "Yes" to Annie. They inquired with an agency and sent commitment papers to both the agency and Reece's Rainbow.
God used me to lead them to their daughter. I truly can't tell you what that meant to me.
You see, the past few years have not been easy ones for my A and I. I can't share all the details, but in short, a little over a year ago, my A confessed something to me that she had never told anyone else. Something bad. Something serious. She needed help... desperately.
I did everything I could to help her. I fought for her. I contacted all the right people. I told them the truth. I prayed for God to help me help A.
A little over a year later, we have been to hell and back. We prayed without ceasing. We went to court.
We lost.
I could not help A escape her situation or her abuser. I made a promise to help her, and I failed.
It is the biggest failure of my entire life.
My heart is broken.
I haven't seen my sweet A in over a year. I don't even know if she is safe. If nothing has changed since the last time I saw her, she almost certainly is not.
I still pray every day.
I still sleep with her stuffed elephant 'lovey' every night.
I still believe she is coming home someday.
But for right now... I couldn't help my precious princess A. I failed her.
But Annie...
Annie is our chance to create beauty from the ashes.
I couldn't help my A, as hard as I tried... but I can help Annie.
And then someday... I will have the most beautiful story to tell my Princessa... about how, without ever knowing it, she helped bring a little orphan girl home to her family.
I already let my sweet girl down. I can't let Annie down too.
When Amanda and Collin began considering committing to Annie, I promised to help them in whatever way possible. They took a huge leap of faith... and I promised to help them make it a success.
I can't break another promise to another little girl.
In honor of my sweet girl... I have to help bring this sweet girl to the parents who love and want her more than anything.
To the family she deserves more than anything.
But I can't do it alone. I am but one person with very limited resources.
I have no job.
I'm not even currently capable of working, having had surgery for a debilitating condition some twelve hours ago.
My bank account reads $0.68
I raided my statehood quarter collection just to eat last week.
I am $400 short of a very important bill that MUST be paid in just over two weeks with no income.
I am crafty, but I have no money to buy supplies. I am, however, little by little, piecing together an auction to benefit Annie's family. But still I have no money to pay for postage.
I have ideas for fundraisers, but lack the resources (not just money - venues, volunteers, etc.) to pull them off.
All I really have...
Is my voice.
So I make it a loud one.
I scream for Annie and the Jones family every opportunity I have.
But my screaming is all for nothing if nobody is listening.
I need you.
Annie needs you.
Amanda and Collin need you.
To bring their little girl home... the very thing I failed at doing a year ago this fall. The very thing that broke my heart.
We - I - can't fail again.
A child's life is on the line.
Everybody can do something. I have seen people give out of nothing - families who are in the process to adopt themselves giving to other families. Individuals who live on a fixed income sharing what little they have to help someone else. Teenagers who save up their babysitting money to help an orphan.
Nearly all of us can spare something. Even if it's only five dollars. One dollar. Any amount counts.
Can you imagine if each one of my friends and family, each one of Amanda and Collin's friends and family, each Reece's Rainbow supporter... gave just five dollars each? Or even one dollar each? Even at that low, easily manageable amount, thousands of dollars would be raised.
Isn't the life of a child worth a dollar to you?
Couldn't you pass up that big mac, or that Starbucks coffee, and eat at home instead, and be a part of saving a child's life?
Besides - God loves a cheerful giver. I can't count the number of times He has blessed me for giving from nothing. You'd be surprised what He will do for you if you give selflessly and with your whole heart.
And if you're in the situation I'm in right now... jobless... in debt... perhaps disabled... and truly don't have two pennies to rub together - there are still things you can do.
When was the last time you cleaned out your basement or attic? Get a Christmas gift last year that just wasn't your style? Unwanted gift cards? Good at a craft? These items make wonderful auction items - all you have to do is contact me at Callmecrazycbus@hotmail.com with a photo and a description of the item(s) you'd like to donate, and I can put them in Annie's Auction. Depending on your location, Amanda or myself can pick up items, or you can ship them to us or directly to the auction winner. Shipping reimbursement is available. It doesn't cost you a thing... and helps clean out your house!
Just cleaned out your house and truly don't have anything extra lying around? No good at arts and crafts? There's STILL something you can do... and it only takes a couple clicks of your mouse. At the bottom of this post, there are several icons that allow you to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and a variety of other social networks. You can also copy and paste the link to the post anywhere you like. Simply share the post, and maybe it will reach someone who DOES have something to give. It's that easy to be a part of saving a life (not to mention making my day. Seriously, every time someone shares about Annie and her family, I find myself grinning ear to ear for hours).
The easiest way yet to help is to pray. One simple sentence added to your evening prayers. "Dear Lord, please bring Annie home to her family, safe and sound."
I can't imagine that's too much to ask.
I can't turn away. I have to do whatever I can, not just for Annie, but in honor of my A. To create beauty from the ashes. To help heal my broken heart.
Now you know why this means so much to me. And you know exactly how you can help. Please, I'm begging you not to turn away either.
Give. Advocate. Share. Pray. Everyone can do something.
And I guarantee, you won't regret being a part of this sweet girl's miracle.
Helpful links:
To GIVE MONEY:
Annie was close to my heart from the start, because she reminded me so much of my precious A, the little girl that I helped to raise and who lived with me on and off from ages 2-9. Here are the two of them side-by-side.
On the left is my A. On the right is RR's "Annie".
Wow, right?
How could I not fall in love with the little girl who reminded me so much of the one who holds my heart? Even her description on Reece's Rainbow reminded me of my A.
"Diagnosis: delays in development -report indicates that due to delayed speech, Autism was initially suspected. However, no formal testing has been done and the child’s development is continuing to improve.
Annie is 7 years old. Her motor skills are well developed. She walks, runs, catches & throws a ball, climbs, hops on one foot and participates in musical games that require movement. Her fine motor skills are developing as well. She can open/close scissors and is learning to cut with them. She draws on paper, though she is not yet writing letters. She plays with play dough and builds a tower of 12 blocks. She is in the 1st grade and attending school outside the orphanage. She follows verbal directions and responds to her name. She tries to imitate words said by adults. She currently expresses herself non verbally. She is very protective of her possessions. She doesn’t often initiate play with the other children, but she will play close to them. She will join in organized group activities for short periods of time and is very emotionally responsive to familiar adults. She needs extra time to complete tasks and has a short attention span. She stops inappropriate behaviors when redirected by an adult. She feeds and dresses herself. Since she is non verbal, she does not yet indicate that she needs to go to the bathroom on her own, so she is taken on a schedule and is completely toilet trained using this method."Delayed development... check.
Delayed speech... check.
Autism was initially suspected... check.
Well developed motor skills... check.
Follows verbal directions and responds to her name... check.
Very protective of her possessions... check.
Emotionally responsive to *familiar* adults... check.
Needs extra time to complete tasks... check.
Short attention span... super check.
Stops inappropriate behaviors when redirected... check.
Feeds and dresses herself... check.
Difficulties with toilet training... check.
Those very words could have been written about my A just a few short years ago. In those short years, she has progressed amazingly. I just know that with the love of a family, "Annie" will too.
Because I was instantly drawn to "Annie" because she reminded me so much of my A, I wrote a blog post about her. I shared it in the Reece's Rainbow group I'm in. Someone saw it.
She saw it, and her heart stopped too. She saw it, and she too realized she was looking into the eyes of her little girl. She showed it to her husband... and he, too, realized that this was the child that was meant to be theirs.
Amanda and Collin said "Yes" to Annie. They inquired with an agency and sent commitment papers to both the agency and Reece's Rainbow.
God used me to lead them to their daughter. I truly can't tell you what that meant to me.
You see, the past few years have not been easy ones for my A and I. I can't share all the details, but in short, a little over a year ago, my A confessed something to me that she had never told anyone else. Something bad. Something serious. She needed help... desperately.
I did everything I could to help her. I fought for her. I contacted all the right people. I told them the truth. I prayed for God to help me help A.
A little over a year later, we have been to hell and back. We prayed without ceasing. We went to court.
We lost.
I could not help A escape her situation or her abuser. I made a promise to help her, and I failed.
It is the biggest failure of my entire life.
My heart is broken.
I haven't seen my sweet A in over a year. I don't even know if she is safe. If nothing has changed since the last time I saw her, she almost certainly is not.
I still pray every day.
I still sleep with her stuffed elephant 'lovey' every night.
I still believe she is coming home someday.
But for right now... I couldn't help my precious princess A. I failed her.
 |
| I love you, Princessa. |
Annie is our chance to create beauty from the ashes.
I couldn't help my A, as hard as I tried... but I can help Annie.
And then someday... I will have the most beautiful story to tell my Princessa... about how, without ever knowing it, she helped bring a little orphan girl home to her family.
I already let my sweet girl down. I can't let Annie down too.
When Amanda and Collin began considering committing to Annie, I promised to help them in whatever way possible. They took a huge leap of faith... and I promised to help them make it a success.
I can't break another promise to another little girl.
In honor of my sweet girl... I have to help bring this sweet girl to the parents who love and want her more than anything.
To the family she deserves more than anything.
 |
| "Annie" |
But I can't do it alone. I am but one person with very limited resources.
I have no job.
I'm not even currently capable of working, having had surgery for a debilitating condition some twelve hours ago.
My bank account reads $0.68
I raided my statehood quarter collection just to eat last week.
I am $400 short of a very important bill that MUST be paid in just over two weeks with no income.
I am crafty, but I have no money to buy supplies. I am, however, little by little, piecing together an auction to benefit Annie's family. But still I have no money to pay for postage.
I have ideas for fundraisers, but lack the resources (not just money - venues, volunteers, etc.) to pull them off.
All I really have...
Is my voice.
So I make it a loud one.
I scream for Annie and the Jones family every opportunity I have.
But my screaming is all for nothing if nobody is listening.
I need you.
Annie needs you.
Amanda and Collin need you.
To bring their little girl home... the very thing I failed at doing a year ago this fall. The very thing that broke my heart.
We - I - can't fail again.
A child's life is on the line.
Everybody can do something. I have seen people give out of nothing - families who are in the process to adopt themselves giving to other families. Individuals who live on a fixed income sharing what little they have to help someone else. Teenagers who save up their babysitting money to help an orphan.
Nearly all of us can spare something. Even if it's only five dollars. One dollar. Any amount counts.
Can you imagine if each one of my friends and family, each one of Amanda and Collin's friends and family, each Reece's Rainbow supporter... gave just five dollars each? Or even one dollar each? Even at that low, easily manageable amount, thousands of dollars would be raised.
Isn't the life of a child worth a dollar to you?
Couldn't you pass up that big mac, or that Starbucks coffee, and eat at home instead, and be a part of saving a child's life?
Besides - God loves a cheerful giver. I can't count the number of times He has blessed me for giving from nothing. You'd be surprised what He will do for you if you give selflessly and with your whole heart.
And if you're in the situation I'm in right now... jobless... in debt... perhaps disabled... and truly don't have two pennies to rub together - there are still things you can do.
When was the last time you cleaned out your basement or attic? Get a Christmas gift last year that just wasn't your style? Unwanted gift cards? Good at a craft? These items make wonderful auction items - all you have to do is contact me at Callmecrazycbus@hotmail.com with a photo and a description of the item(s) you'd like to donate, and I can put them in Annie's Auction. Depending on your location, Amanda or myself can pick up items, or you can ship them to us or directly to the auction winner. Shipping reimbursement is available. It doesn't cost you a thing... and helps clean out your house!
Just cleaned out your house and truly don't have anything extra lying around? No good at arts and crafts? There's STILL something you can do... and it only takes a couple clicks of your mouse. At the bottom of this post, there are several icons that allow you to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and a variety of other social networks. You can also copy and paste the link to the post anywhere you like. Simply share the post, and maybe it will reach someone who DOES have something to give. It's that easy to be a part of saving a life (not to mention making my day. Seriously, every time someone shares about Annie and her family, I find myself grinning ear to ear for hours).
The easiest way yet to help is to pray. One simple sentence added to your evening prayers. "Dear Lord, please bring Annie home to her family, safe and sound."
I can't imagine that's too much to ask.
I can't turn away. I have to do whatever I can, not just for Annie, but in honor of my A. To create beauty from the ashes. To help heal my broken heart.
Now you know why this means so much to me. And you know exactly how you can help. Please, I'm begging you not to turn away either.
Give. Advocate. Share. Pray. Everyone can do something.
And I guarantee, you won't regret being a part of this sweet girl's miracle.
Helpful links:
To GIVE MONEY:
- 50/50 fundraiser going on at the Jones family's blog until September 2nd HERE.
- Donate through the Jones' tax deductible Reece's Rainbow FSP HERE.
- Donate directly to the Jones' (non-tax deductible) via paypal HERE.
- Contact Amanda for information on sending a check (avoid paypal fees) HERE.
- Order Thirty-One products from Amanda HERE.
To GIVE AUCTION ITEMS:
- Contact me at Callmecrazycbus@hotmail.com.
- Contact Amanda at jones.jer2911@gmail.com.
To ADVOCATE/SHARE:
- Copy and paste the link to this blog post (http://crazy-arewethereyet.blogspot.com/2013/08/close-to-my-heart.html) anywhere you'd like.
- Copy and paste the link to the Jones' blog (http://youbeliftedhigh.blogspot.com/) anywhere you'd like.
- Copy and paste the link to the Jones' Reece's Rainbow FSP (http://reecesrainbow.org/61087/sponsorjones-2) anywhere you'd like.
- Use the 'share buttons' below this post to share it on the social media network of your choice (they look like this):
To PRAY:
- Well - that one's easy!
Remember... EVERYONE can do SOMETHING!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Surgery... and a plea
Check out my other blog for an FYI on the surgery I'm having tomorrow, and a plea for my friends adopting this beautiful girl.
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