Happy New Year:

So, this is the last post of 2011. For a odd-numbered year, I really have to admit -- it wasn't that bad :) Yes, there were ups and downs. But I've had some really good ups -- I got a new niece and nephew, Kayla and David; and they are precious. And, last April, I got to see, a dear, wonderful friend I've known for half my life again. Levi, you are precious to me too.

There were other things of course. Over all, a wonderful year. I am glad for my life, every bit of it, the ups and downs. I just wish it wouldn't go so fast. Cherish, everyone, cherish, every day. I didn't set resolutions this last year. This coming year, I think I will decide just to live.

Take care everyone, out there, have a happy, wonderful, safe New Year.

Joy to the World:

"Fear not, for behold I bring you Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger."

This is perhaps the greatest declaration ever made, period. The greatest symbol of hope, peace and love, the greatest sacrifice for all mankind. Merry merry Christmas everyone, and happiest of new years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKSknasrE3k

The Faith of a Child

Hi everyone.

Here is part two of what needs catching up on after my absence.

Its odd, things that connect us; things that connected us years back that had always been there but we don't know about until the time is right?

Having run into the plight of orphans a few years back and having found Reece's Rainbow and a little girl there whom inspired this blog. [That little girl has since been adopted by a wonderful family.]

This past summer attention was drawn to a little girl in a EE Orphanage whom is being called Katerina. She is 9 and weighs maybe 11 pounds, I think, something like that. It hit the net like wildfire when her mom went to adopt her. Since, other children in that orphanage have had families commit to them too. Katerina's mom is an amazing woman though I have never met her. She is a strong voice for these kids and I have been following her blog The Blessing of Verity and have featured it on here before.

And its a small world. Oh my gosh, it is.

A few years back I met a wonderful person, a dear friend of mine now whom I've only ever had the privilege to know though the internet. Her name is Kristi. She is a mommy to six wonderful kids and I am so glad to have met and know her. As it turns out, Kristi is also friends with Katerina's soon to be mom. Up to this point I didn't know this. Now, how and why all this is coming up? Katerina's plight caught their attention too. Kristi has a ten year old daughter, K, whom is now advocating for Carter on Reece's Rainbow as a Christmas Warrior this year.

Long story short, the dots connected. The ten year old daughter of a friend of mine is advocating for a special needs orphan for Christmas this year. She's ten, and has noticed the plight of these kids, and hasn't looked the other way. The Faith of a Child, right? And a little child shall lead them? Amazing.

I wrote to Kristi and asked if I could feature her daughter's blog on mine. Please stop by her blog, say hi and if you can help her help Carter with thoughts, funding or prayers. Thank you everyone.

About Bella

Hey everyone...

After a bit of an absence during the month of October, I am back.

It's been an odd time. But things over here are alright. There are a couple important things I need to address from my absence though.

The first is Bella.

She is a little girl I had noticed on another blog last year at this link that goes to another blog where someone posted about her.

In posting this entry to the link to that blog I was hoping to be part of a chain of people to bring notice to this child and had been hoping that someone might contact the author of that blog, I think her name is Desiree, whom appears she might know about Bella. That said, I want to thank you, so very very much, for the continued interest in her, that you saw her. Thank you.... thank you.

Also, I checked the post the original link leads to and at the bottom of it is a contact email, I believe. Thanks again.

September 11

September 11 2001



We will never forget.

Rest in Peace.

After the Loss of Angel

...an update on my Grandparents whom lost their precious Angel last month.First, I want to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for them. For certain they are being felt. My grandparents are doing alright. They miss her but they know they have to keep going. My Grandpa still goes out and rides his bike every day, in honor of angel, he still stops at all their stops. My Grandma on the other hand, is also ok but taking it a bit harder. She has a medical condition that doesn't allow her to do very much these days. And hearing her say how bad it hurts and watching her sadness brings tears to my eyes. These are my grandparents. I am not supposed to see them cry. I am supposed to be doing the crying. They the comforting. That's how it always was, right?

Welll, that has changed. It has changed before this. At some point the parents and grandparents stop taking care of the kids and the kids take care of the parents and grandparents -- and no one seems to notice really when this happens. It just does...

But, I did start this entry on an upbeat note and I want to end it on one as well. You see -- they are getting another little dog. We don't know what dog as of yet but they are thinking from the local shelter. They are going to get a shelter dog -- a dog who needs them as much as they need it -- and my heart soars for all three of them, for my grandparents and for the doggie to be.

Will keep you updated. Thanks again and take care.
--Debrah

Considering Adoption? [long post]:

Hi everyone,

So, in the past few years I have been part of the adoption community there have been several things that weighed on my heart. One of those things is this: sometimes I feel like people are to specific about what they want in a child; not wanting to disrupt birth order or the child must be a girl, or the child must be a boy, or the child must be a toddler or younger, or maybe the child must be from China, or Russia or Ethiopia -- these are the things we want in a child, instead of letting the child be what God sees.

Now I understand that some families must set parameters; there was a family last summer whom had to turn down a special little girl because she was very 'needy' and they already had seven or so other kids, many of them with special needs. All that considered, from what I understand - the little girl needed more than they could give without it being detrimental to herself or their other children if they pursued her adoption. So, I understand it is sometimes what is in best interest of the child and everyone involved. But I want you to think about that for a moment; when you close doors to adopting one child or another -- who is it in the best interest of?

And then read the following:

"This post may not be for you.

I do not know everyone this post is written for.

I do know that this post is not written for everyone who will read it.

Who is it written for?

Maybe it is only for one person?

I don’t know.

And don’t need to know.

I do know…

“I was mute and silent;
I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:”

This post is only for those of you who have deliberately closed the door marked “Adoption of a Child with Special Needs.” Whether at the first glimpse of this door, or after some research about what may lie through the doorway, you have closed that door.

But nobody is fighting over the “imperfect children.” Why is that?

Did you know the politically incorrect reality that in our attorney’s sixteen years of facilitating adoptions of children with special needs, God has so far sent her only Christian families? Families who treasure these little “imperfect” children as pearls of great price?

These families have rejected the value systems that push “imperfect” children out of the inner sanctum of personal life, the value systems that free people up to continue their valiant fight for the idols of personal peace and affluence.>

So.

Are you one who has closed that door?

Please, write down your list of reasons why you have decided not to take the next step. All the reasons. All the obstacles.

I ask only that you leave the word “calling” off your list, since that word can obscure a multitude of disobediences.

Then pick out a child from the Reece’s Rainbow website. May I suggest “Steven?”

Don’t let that bouncy seat fool you; he was put in there for the photo. He was placed directly back into his crib afterward.

You will find him unattended, in his bed.

Now kneel down in front of Steven’s crib, one hand holding your list, your other hand reaching in to his.

Look into his eyes, and please…

…tell him the truth.

“I could be doing something to help you, but I am choosing not to.

I don’t know whether God has closed the door, but I am closing the door.

Your life is not worth as much to me as [everything on my list].

I don’t believe that God has the power to help us overcome [everything I consider an obstacle] that stands between our family and you.”

Did you keep looking at his eyes while you spoke?

Oh.

You just thought you were looking at him.

You were mistaken.

You were looking into the eyes of the King.

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’”

Please, kneel back down, look into the King’s eyes, and tell Him the truth."

I did not write what is in purple above. I re-posted it from this blog. The author found a way to say something that I have had a hard time saying for a very long time because I don't want to offend anyone. That's not the point of this blog.

The author is adopting a nine year old girl, who weighs somewhere around 10 or 11 pounds, I think, whom was left in a crib and suffered neglect simply because she had a special need.

Again, from my own heart now, this post may not be for all of you. I cannot and will not pretend to know the what you face and I respect that. But weigh your reasons. I will fully admit here and now; I was once one of those people -- once the only child I would have ever considered adopting would have been one from China. I couldn't see anything else. And then I found out that dream would never be realised because I did not nor would I ever meet the requirements to adopt from China, which I personally feel goes a bit overboard in what they believe a good parent to be is -- but that is a different post. So, when I learned I couldn't adopt from China I struggled to let that go. I thought of Russia after seeing videos of how the kids were starving and eating fish heads there -- and that dream to adopt from Russia or Ukraine or somewhere in E.E. settled into my heart after learning about the plight of people with special needs. Though I was still restrictive in whom I'd adopt; I decided I could not adopt a child positive with HIV -- that was where I drew the next line.

Almost immediately after making that decision I noticed a little girl before I noticed her HIV status. So I swallowed hard, and said ok, and did some reading and am happy to say that I found HIV something I could work with too. The next time I went to her page she was no longer available. But without knowing it she helped to change me again and to me the message is clear. I will leave the door open too, to special needs. And have faith that with God we will not be given what we cannot handle.

This has been a long post and for that I am sorry. I guess I am trying to say in all these words: have an open mind, and an open heart, to whatever it is God wants you to do; or whomever it is he may lead you to. And so I will sum up with what may be one of my favorite bible quotations:

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it's due when it is within the power of your hand to do so." -- Proverbs 3:27

Take care everyone,
--Debrah

She's Ok..

..following suit and not wanting to endanger her adoption, I too and removing Lilyana's post for now.

Angel's in Heaven

Her name was Angel
She was named for everything she was not
She was not human
But a sweet little five pound dog that saved my grandparents life
She gave them reason to get up in the morning
She gave them a reason to move around through the day
She gave them a reason to keep on going
To still ride a bike at the age of 85
Angel wore birthday hats at parties
Christmas bows on her ears
She had her own party blower at News Years
And her own towels with her name on them
Her favorite food was ice cream
She is part of a long line of loving doggie friends my family has had
Max, George, Callie, Vixen and now Angel
She was the first pet my grandmother had in sixty-five years
She has gone to heaven now
After fighting five days for her life against a disease that turned her own antibodies on her
Please pray for healing and comfort for my grandparents
Whom begged me to tell everyone they were doing good with her
And they were
Another Angel is in Heaven
Goodnight, sweet Angel, Goodnight.

15 Year Old Girl Needs a Family's Commitment in 7 Days!

Seven days.

God created the world in seven days.

We can certainly find a family to commit to a fifteen year old girl.

In seven days she turns sixteen. If she doesn't have a committed family by then, she will spend the rest of her life in an over-seas adult mental institution because she has Arthrogryposis - a joint disorder. She will go to a mental institution because she looks different that the other people in society, has to use a wheel chair to get around -- because her joint's do not work.

She will go there for the rest of her life.

Sixteen.

Can you imagine it?

Can you imagine sitting on a bench in a stale room day after day after day, year after year after year, and knowing that that is all there is for you, that nothing will change, this is what it will be like the rest of your life. Eventually, she will stop, just stop really living, she will start simply existing, and then she might develop the mental problems of those around her.

I have posted many many times on this blog what these mental institutions are like. I have posted videos of people dragging bone thin -not an exaggeration, these children and people in these places are honestly bone thin - people across a dirty floor just to hose them down with dozens of other men or women shoved into a single room. I have posted videos where people are left in cribs their entire lives, videos of a twenty year old in a six year old's body, still in diapers, still in the same crib he was put in when he was brought to that institution, his body locked ridgedly and contorted out of shape and proportion from the lack of movement and the years just laying still.

Its horrific people. Go to You Tube or something and look up Eastern Europe Mental Institution yourselves.

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO THIS GIRL.

I have asked. I have pleaded. I have shown several faces of children over the years I have been doing this. I have to remind myself that I have to have faith. The thing is, I am talking to everyone who comes here- whether you are here accidentally, intentionally, or off a search engine looking for the 'Red Thread'.

This is the 'Red Thread'. This is your part in it.

I beg you to take a few minutes and pass word of this child on, a few miniscule minutes in the grand scheme of things that can literally save her life, change her life, give her life. I know adoption isn't for everyone. I don't know you and I understand that. I understand that I cannot foresee what it is you are facing in your lives. You are not heartless, I understand that too. If you cannot adopt her can you write it on your Face-book, include her on your blog? Tell someone about her? Spread the word on?

A few miniscule minutes that can change this girl's life for good, because either way, very soon, her life is going to change. Let's help it be for the good.

Just seven days.

You can find more about her and even a picture about her here: http://jerdebwalker.blogspot.com/2011/07/sentenced-for-life.html

Happy July 4!

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

--John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Update on the Post Below

All is well, thankfully, so thankfully. Mommy and baby are fine. I am sorry that I can't offer you all more than that because it wasn't me involved. Thanks so much, again. :)

Urgent...

...so urgent. Please, those of you who pray out there, please pray for my family.... that's really all I can say right now.....

If He Was My Son:

IF YOU WERE MY SON:
The day I found out I was carrying you inside me would have been among the happiest moment's of my life. I would have taken your daddy to dinner, and surprised him with a cake that said he was a daddy. We would have gone shopping to pick out sweet baby things for you, we would have talked for days and weeks, picking your bed out, painting and arranging your room. If you were my son you would have been our first child and we would be bragging on how you would be the toughest of all your cousins. We would have gone through a list of names, changing our minds again and again before we we even knew if you were a girl or a boy. We been asked if we wanted a girl or a boy, we would have said, it wouldn't matter, as long as the baby is healthy.

If you were my son the day we found out there was something wrong may have been the day we found out you were a boy, it may have been sooner. If you were my son it would probably be the hardest day of my life. There would have been tears streaming from my eyes that day, out of fear for you, love for you, there would have been tears of pain, loss and yes even denial sweet baby boy. But also there would be the most tears because as I held my arms around my belly, already trying to protect you as they went through the list of what was wrong, I may have been asked if I wanted to end the pregnancy, abort you, and try for another baby later that would be healthy.

If you were my son, your daddy would have been there, holding my hand. And together we would have said no -- no way -- this is our child. With the number of abortions going on out there for special needs God trusted specifically us with your life. It is up to God to decide if he stays with us, not us. And against the people's judgement whom would have thought we should abort you because you were different - we choose to keep you.

If you were our son, in spite of every thing else, we know you are a boy now. If you were my son, we would give you a name now - Owen, the last name of whom would have been your great-grandfather, meaning noble and well-born, if you were my son.

If you were my son the doctor trips would be difficult. People would whisper and talk, and point fingers at us. But you would continue to thrive and grow, and each day would be a day we would treasure.

If you were my son, the day you were born, I would have held you close and whispered how much I loved you forever, no matter what. With tears of joy for being blessed with such a tiny precious treasure I would have told you that it was going to be alright, that we would fight for you and make sure you got the very best in life.

If you were my son:


If you were my son we would take you home. I would love you. I would give you everything I could and advocate for you when you could not. I would chase down every single lead I could for your happiness and well being. I would cherish each moment I had with you as you are a precious gift, because, like all children do, you will grow very fast, and your first birthday would come.


...and you would grow. You would go to school like all children do, play like all children do. You would have grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles. You would have family. You would have friends. When they teased I would be there for you. When you hurt I would hug you. You would learn that there is nothing to dislike about who you are, that people tend to fear what they do not understand. And we would help them. If you were my son I would show the world how beautiful you really are.

...and you would still grow. You would know there was nothing you couldn't do or be. You would love and be loved. You would blossom into someone so beautiful that, if everyone knew just how beautiful you were, they would want you for their son too.

If you were my son -- you would not have been left to cry like this:

...you would not have been left alone like this, to waste away like this, you would not have been left in an orphanage to lie like this. You would not have to hurt like this. If you were my son.

But you are God's son.

"I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you."
--John 14:18

He promises he will come for you. Hold on little boy, just a bit longer.

Ok all, the little boy in the pictures above is Owen on Reece's Rainbow. He is a living breathing child. Because he is alive I am guessing the woman whom gave birth to this child held a blessing in her hands but either pressured by society or by choice, she left him alone. Honestly, I do not know the reasons he was left an orphan.

All the same, instead of having a family choosing names and painting his room he was sent to an orphanage. Instead of having love and someone to tell him it will be alright and getting him the medical attention he needs he is most likely barely getting his basic needs met. Instead of having people around him to encourage him he is most likely considered an invalid and a burden instead. Instead of having cuddles and love he probably self-stims alot, maybe by rocking or banging his head. He might sit in wet diapers or dirty clothes until someone notices him or its his turn at last. Instead of having all the beautiful things a child has and needs -- from day one he has been rejected and left in an orphanage instead.

The staff might love him. I am thinking most at most places the staff do. I hear allot about how the staff at the orphanages do love the children, but I also hear about how they are doing all they can do with the little they have among a great number of kids. To see him like this may be just as hard on them. I am very glad that Reece's Rainbow found him and chose to advocate for him and show his beautiful face to the world.

Please,think for a moment what if he was your son? What if he was born to you? What would you do? How would you react? Wouldn't you love him anyway? Think, seriously think even if you came to this blog only looking for 'the red thread saying' if he could be your son? Or more importantly - is he your son? Even if you never considered adoption before?

Please, I am joining Christine here in her plea for this little boy. I too have been keeping an eye on this little guy nearly since the day he was first posted. That said, I have to admit I almost passed her plea by, just for a few hours I told myself. I almost waited to post this, I thought, 'I will put him on my blog, tomorrow.' And I tried to move to the next site, my email, or whatever it was I was going to do next with my day.

But I couldn't get him off my mind. So I came back and posted about him. It is all I can do to be part of God's promise to Owen. Won't you be part of that promise too? If you can't bring him home, please post about him on your blogs, on Facebook, on everything you know. It will only take a little bit of your time and Owen doesn't have time to wait until tomorrow. He needs us to act now. Please click here for more information about Owen.

Thank you, everyone,
With all my heart,

-Debrah

1 Year With Jesus:

For sweet little Chrissie, whom taught the people of this entire world so much, and for her dear family for sharing the precious gift of her life with us. Love goes on for ever and ever. You are all in my prayers.

Heidi:

Hi everyone, this is Heidi. This is a child I saw for the first time today. It was one of those moments where you are just scrolling and scrolling down the page of pictures hoping those kids get homes and you get to this one photo of a child - and your heart jumps, your throat constricts, your breath stops. It's a feeling of knowing you have to do something. You have to do more than just hope. God calls some of us to help some people and others to help others. So today I am including a post about little Heidi.

I admit, in light of my post below this one, I thought I would post this entry about Heidi tomorrow so that my announcement could be read. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I had to do this now. That is, after all, was a much more important announcement than just moving blogs.

And that announcement is that Heidi needs a home. This little girl has already been transferred, and look at her, look at the adorable trusting innocence in her face. I think about what transferred means and get cold all over.

Here is Heidi's information from Reece's Rainbow:

Date of Birth: June 2005
Gender: Female
Eyes: Gray
Hair: dark brown
Character: normal. She smiles, plays, eats well.

HELP! I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED!

Heidi is such a love! Brown hair and big brown eyes, she longs for a family of her own. Heidi is moderately delayed. She is able to walk on her own. She does have an astigmatism and strabismus, and also has an additional chord in the left ventricle of her heart.

MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE

I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT

Heidi is listed here on the Down Syndrome page for Girls ages 6 and up. You may have to scroll a little but she is there. Heidi is also listed here as available for single women to adopt, which is where I found her originally at. Again, you may have to scroll but this time quite allot.

Yet, like all the others I have written about here, I cannot go and get her and bring her home. Can you? Do you know someone who can? This is a six year old girl we are talking about - six years old - locked up in what is likely a Eastern Europe Insane Asylum. Google those.

Then think about this little girl there.

We have to get her out.

All Good Things

Hi everyone...

For a while now, many months in fact, I have been thinking of ending this blog and moving over to another I've had going for a while. Alot of that depended on what happened to a little girl I love, and just like this blog was started for and dedicated to a little girl whom captured my heart - so will the new blog be - for a little girl that I must never forget.

Who knows. I don't know for sure yet. I realize that my blog is finally starting to catch on. I have ten followers and a few hits here every day. I am hoping if I do persue this move that you all will come with me. I am hoping that anyone who is directed here might also come that way.

Take care everyone, out there, and goodnight.

Oksana, Oksana...

Ever since I saw your picture I have been drawn to to you - to think of you, pray for you, check on you to see if you had a home yet, to knowing that if I was allowed to I would go right across the sea to adopt you - for three years now.

For a while, I wondered if anyone else even noticed you as I watched other kids I have kept up on and prayed for get adopted. And yet, my sweet Oksana with her beautiful eyes and little blue bonnet, waits.

But people have noticed you sweetie. My feeling this way is just me wanting to see you have a family so badly. And I have to trust that everyone is waiting for God's perfect time for you, that the waiting leads to something beautiful.

So today, on Mother's Day, I felt the need to do share about you on this blog. And as for others to share about you too. It takes only five minutes and a tiny bit of blog space to help this little nearly forgotten girl's family come. I am praying they will find her soon. Please pray with me. Please post with me. Lets get this little one home at last.

Visit Oksana here at Reece's Rainbow today. You may have to scroll down a bit but she is there. Thank you.

For My Beautiful New Baby Niece Kayla

Today you were born. Welcome to the world little one. I love you and wish and pray for you to have the most beautiful life. Your aunt Deb.

We Pray for Children:

I read this on another blog. Of course I will re-post it. I hope you will too.

A Prayer for Children
Written By: Ina J. Hughs

"We pray for children
Who give us sticky kisses,
who hop on rocks and chase butterflies,
Who stomp in puddles and ruin their math workbooks,
Who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for those
Who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who've never squeaked across the floor in new sneakers,
Who've never ‘counted potatoes,'
who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead,
Who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children
Who bring us fistfuls of dandelions and sing off key, who have goldfish funerals, build card-table forts, Who slurp their cereal on purpose, who put gum in their hair, put sugar in their milk, Who spit toothpaste all over the sink, who hug us for no reason, who bless us each night.

And we pray for those
Who never get dessert,
who watch their parents watch them die,
Who have no safe blanket to drag behind,
who can not find any bread to steal,
Who don't have any rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
Whose monsters are real.

We pray for those
Who spend all of their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store,
and pick at their food,
Who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
And never rinse out the tub,
who get quarters from the tooth fairy,
Who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church and scream on the phone,
Whose tears we sometimes laugh at,
and whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those
Whose nightmares come in the daytime,
who will eat anything,
Who have never seen a dentist,
who aren't spoiled by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
who live and move,
but have no being.

We pray for children
Who want to be carried,
and for those who must,
For those we never give up on,
and for those who don't have a chance,
And we pray for those who will grab the hand of anybody
kind enough to offer"

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Please Repost, Please Pray.

THIS IS WHY:

Yes, I shouted that. THIS IS THE ANSER FOR PEOPLE WHOM ASK ME WHY NOT ADOPT KIDS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. This is the body of a 3 year old girl whom is -- by what can only be described as a blessed Miracle -- still alive. Three years old, weighing only 11 lbs.

Her parents just adopted her from an eastern Europe country. They found this the first time they undressed their little precious daughter and the moment their plane touched down in America on March 17 they rushed this child to the hospital where it was found that her little body was already shutting down, no longer receptive of any food and she continued to loose weight. A tube had to be placed directly into her intestine to prevent stomach reflux. This little girl - Carrington - is lighting a fire across the net and in the hearts of people all over the world. I understand kids in the USA need homes and by far I am not out to deny them in fact I encourage it and may adopt from foster care myself one day. I understand that international adoption is not for everyone. But please -- do not lash out at those whom it is for and ask them why not adopt from their own country. Their hearts have been broken for a child on the other side of the world. My heart is breaking for her - and this little boy too:



This little boy is -Kirill- with the mommy and daddy whom have battled so long and hard to go across the seas to adopt him also from an eastern European orphanage. When they presented their case to the judge she told them no - that they could not adopt him because she felt that kid with Down Syndrome was better off in a mental institution.

Maybe maybe someone should slap that picture of Carringon's little body down in front of the judge and ask her flat out if she thinks that is what is better for him, because, that all I see in this -- that her choice will allow this to happen again. If she argues its just one case -- no, its not. Kids DIE of malnutrition and neglect in these institutions and orphanages over there ALL THE TIME. All the time. This is just ONE precious case that has the chance to be brought to light.

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it's due when it is within the power of your hand to do so." -- Proverbs 3:27

Someone needs to remind that judge of that Proverb too. If she is doing so she has no right to let her personal feelings on this matter interfere or I don't feel she should be allowed to have the position she has.

Please understand I write what I write because I am on FIRE about this. I do not mean any disrespect for the families involved. [The children's names are linked to support blogs if you click on them.] I hold them in my prayers and I hope you do too. Also please think of going to get one of these kids if you can, or donate to them if you can. They need you. The are all precious little Kirill's and Carringon's...

The Road You Leave Behind:

A couple years back I was driving along, and about 20 miles from home the tire on my car blew out. I had the spare tire in the trunk but not the knowledge or tools I needed to fix it. I didn't have anyone in the city whom could help me, or my phone to call anyone. It would have taken me over an hour to walk to where I worked to call my dad. That was my only option, or so I thought.

As I was locking the doors a red car pulls up behind me and a kid of about 16 gets out and asks if I needed help. I admitted what my problem was and without another word he got the tools needed out of his own car and changed my tire out. This kid told me all he was thinking was that this could have been his sister standing out here.

To this day, every so often, I am reminded of this. And will carry it with me the rest of my life.

Simple kindness does exist. It is stronger and goes sooooo much further than anger and hate. You are remembered longer. You leave a better impression behind.

Here's another one for you. Also a couple years ago.

I was driving around in my van in the busy part of the city in the busy part of the day and had pulled up at a stoplight. On the street-corner was a middle aged man in his wheel chair whom had just pushed the button to change the signal so he could cross the road. As the light changed another man whom was approaching and getting ready to cross walked up behind him and pushed the first man's wheelchair through the intersection...

...when they got to the other side. Both men went their separate ways.

Wow, I thought, that was nice! And they didn't even know each other! Until I saw them part ways I thought they had.

Isn't it horrible that simple kindness is amazing these days?

I got another one for you:

So a bit over a year ago my sister and I were driving the same van and the engine was finally getting ready to give out. And it does at a stoplight in the middle of a busy road. I managed to roll off onto a side street which thankfully was built on a long and downward sloping hill where I turned into a hospital parking-lot by the momentum of the hill alone. We were hoping to get the van into a parking spot at least before it stopped all the way.

It stopped at last about ten feet from a parking space.

Keep in mind this is a Chevy Astro van and I am not a big person. Neither is my sister whom is with me. So, I get out of the van and tell her to steer while I try and push.

I struggle. I strain, I give it everything I have and cant get it to do anything but roll forward just a few inches before it rolls back. By this point I was so frustrated and angry I could hardly breathe. Out of the corner of my eye I had seen this car drive by, slowly so the driver could stare at us [yeah, i noticed], before they drove away.

Well, three minutes later this car returns and pulls up next to my broken down van. An old lady gets out, significantly older, and she walks up to the back of my van and without a word helps me push it into that parking spot.

I quickly learned not to be so judgmental, about people staring and what they might physically be able to do or not do. I was stunned that the van had moved. I looked at her and thanked her, so much, that i just didn't have the words.

She said very nearly the same thing the sixteen year old boy had. Only her words were - I saw you as I drove by and I thought -- what if those were my girls. Then she told me that her next thought had been that -- they are someone's girls [meaning my sister and I] and she just had to come back.

Now, I never saw any of these people again. But these simple little acts of kindness have struck a cord I will remember always, and I hope you do too.

With all the trouble in the world, and yes, there is alot of trouble in the world right now; earthquakes, people protesting their governments and being shot in the streets, our own citizens protesting it all as well, the shootings in Tucson, the hostages taken and slain at sea, North Korea and South Korea...

I saw a picture online. It was part of some sort of memorial with all sorts of pictures and flowers and candles about.

It was written on a white sheet of paper in marker and it read:

Love is greater than H8

My memories above of my own vehicles breaking down reminded me of the song I posted in this video.

P.S. Whomever is Googling me in Maryland will you please step forward? I would love to know about you too. Thank you.

What Can $2000 buy?

So. 2000 dollars. What can it buy? A junk car maybe? A laptop computer or two? An X-Box? A fifty inch flat-screen T.V?

Ok I realise its not a 'small' amount like 200 dollars or so. But really, its not all that much nor is it impossible for those enabled to do so to reach either. Most of us are paid at least that in one month. I've seen 22,000 dollars plus raised in a matter of just a week twice now. This is just 2000 dollars. And all that stuff up there is nothing compared to those whom really need it. The following is pasted over from this blog here:

I received an urgent email from our good friend Natasha at Father's House Christian Orphanage in Green Forest, Ukraine. They are in dire need of help to feed the children there and pay the heating bill.

I'll try to give you as much info as i can and try to stay as brief as possible.

Father's House was started by Grigoriy Zinchenko, a survivor of Buchenwald. He wrote a book "Escape from Buchenwald" and used the proceeds to open this Orphanage. When Grigoriy was younger he traveled the United States speaking at Churchs and raising support for the Orphanage. He is now is his 80's and cannot travel. Many of the supporters that he had built up have fallen off. When we were there last October the Director told us she is keeping the place running on about $500 a month from the donors that are left. She didn't know how they were going to make it through the winter but she has faith that God will provide. We gave them what we could when we were there and told them to keep us informed of how everything was going.

This Orphanage has been under attack in a past few years by some unscrouplulous businessmen that are taking advantage of the fact that they don't have much money. When the land was first purchased there was nothing around. But now it has become a very nice area with larger homes. These people, although so far unsuccessfully, are trying to swindal the orphanage out of it's land. One of the tactics they use is to pay off officials to come down on the orphanage with code violations. They are being required to install a fire sprikler system even though the government owned school across the street doesn't have one.

I want to say that these people work hard at raising these children in a Christian loving atmosfere. Diana and I fell in love the these children the moment we met them. When there is something this good and God honoring in the world, we have to dig hard a fight for it. It is what Jesus expects of us!

They were able to put the Sprinckler system off but are required to immediately change all the Interior doors. They don't have money for this and are asking our help. The government isn't giving them a break on the heating bill either so they were forced to start heating with wood. The government also requires them to feed the children a certain diet and they are required to show receipts for the food they purchase.

They humbly asked us to help them raise $2000. This is what they need to scrap by for the next two months. If we can raise more it would be fantastic and would allow the Orphanage nurse to buy medicine for the children. When you looked at her inventory in October there was only a few bandages. We brought her some supplies from the states on our second trip but not enough for what she really needs.

Natasha the Nurse. She is shy and quiet and a very sweet soul.

A couple of the girls wanted to show their artwork.

The old guy (Me) playing Ping Pong with the boys.

Please do whatever you can to help! If not us, then who?

Out of gratitude for your caring support we will be giving away a hand painted 7 piece Nesting Doll set that we purchased from a very well known Artist in Kharkiv. Each $5 donation gets an entry in the drawing.

If you have any questions you can email me at momentum133@gmail.com


--So, 2000 dollars can buy a laptop or help keep these kids in their home? Please donate, or at least, please copy and paste the chip in widget and pass this story on. We can get this $2000 and maybe even more. Thank you everyone. Have a good night.

Dmitriy Has Been Transferred

Dmitriy has been transferred to a mental institution. I have said many times on this blog what transferred means...

A family once asked me if I knew where he was. I do not for sure. But now I found someone whom DOES know where he is at. You can contact them HERE. They are the Cornish family and have adopted two little kids out of his same orphanage. I really hope you come back to read this. Everyone, please pass word of Dimitry on. He's been waiting on Reece's Rainbow now for at least three years. Thank you.

True Value - Part 1

Did you know they plan to spend a billion dollars on a cruise ship? A billion dollars on a BOAT when there are starving and sick people all over the world. People whom are eating cakes of mud so at least they don't feel hungry --- and we plan to spend that kind of money on a boat???

Nick Vijicic

I need to post this. I don't know why. Maybe for myself maybe for others. Loud and clear there is more than just one message in this. This is living proof of God's glory on Earth. So often I ask these same questions in this video. Oddly, it confirmed all I already felt and knew -- but sometimes we need to hear and see it again.

Thank you Nick Vujicic for being so awesome and inspiring and giving in sharing your absolute love of God.

Acts 18:9-10 :

"Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people."

Adopt Me...

...I'm 'Bella'. I turn 14 next month. After that, I will continue to live in the orphanage until I am 16, but I will never have a family of my own. For the next two years I will watch child after child be chosen... and not me. And I will know that it will never be me. Please chose me. More information and whom to contact to start asking about me today can be found HERE. If you can't adopt me please don't pass me by. Please blog about me so maybe someone whom see's me -- can. It only takes a few minutes. Please, I have no time left...

The Trash Bag:

It is up to each of us to listen, to act, to do something. We can make choices we like easily, good choices and bad ones. It is harder to make choices that are frightening with ends that are unknown. But that is what faith is, you have to believe first before you see -- this is something that has taken and is still taking me a very hard and long time to learn to accept.

But you do see in the end - and what you see is more amazing than you could ever lay out or imagine on your human own. You fight, you resist, you ignore, you pretend the message is for someone else and not you, you pass it by, you come up with excuses, you put things off to the end, you lie... but in the end when you run out of options -- you cave. You give in. You say ok God --- and then you seriously start to pray.

You dream of standing in a star field with a black and very tattered and taped up trash bag full of everything that you think is important to you, taped and tattered at the cost of hauling it around and trying to keep it all together. And Jesus is there just feet away waiting for you to give it to him. With tears rolling down your face you start to do so... but at the last minute pull it back from him for fear of letting go.

You still feel sick. You still don't want to do this. You still don't believe all the way. You still miss what you had and are 'secretly' thinking of ways to go back. But in the end again - you cave, and say -- Ok God. You try and give the trash bag over again but you can't quite do it. You pray again.

You spend days in tears of not understanding why it can't be the way you want it to be, why does everyone else get what they want? Why do you have to give up everything your happiness and comfort, your all for someone else's sake?

You rage for days with this question, weeks, months... again and again. Then one dark and rainy night at three in the morning you are staring out a window. The night and the storm has made your heart quiet and still enough so you can finally hear the answer that has been being repeated again and again in all the noise you've been making: Jesus gave up everything he had too. He gave his life for you - not for himself. He gave up absolutely everything.

It shocks you to the core. Especially when you remember you are supposed to try and be like Jesus. Give and give and keep on giving - because you love. Even if you do not get anything immediately back in return, even if it hurts. You are supposed to pick up that cross and be like Jesus.

So you pray again. The whole time he is just standing there waiting for you to trust him, to give him that trash bag you carry of everything precious to you. Just waiting reassuring you it will be alright. He could turn it into something beautiful. And this time you do it. You had that trash bag over. With shaking hands and tears pouring down your face you step back and whisper "Ok God, I will stop fighting and trust you. I will do what you want of me, just show me."

And he does. Slowly at first, one step at a time, one breath at a time, your heart changes, your world starts to crack open and you start to see bits and pieces of a plan that had that has been made since before the dawn of time. Looking back on your life to this point you can see where the pieces had fallen into place and you didn't even know it then. You see the tiny bits of light that shine through are so bright and brilliant that you dare to hope -- and at last it comes spiraling open until you are on top of a flowered hillside looking up into a beautiful sky, remembering what you had and fought for and wanted for so long was not nearly as nice as this is -- and this is what you were fighting against being given. It is more beautiful than you ever could have imagined:

LOVE.

Love.

love.

This could apply in many more ways than just adoption. It might apply in every heart felt-battle you might have in your life.
Some people may just have to look harder to find that hillside and they may have to do it more than once. For me, it wasn't related to the idea of adoption either at first. But in this moment I felt I did need to write it here for that relation.

I saw this quote on another blog. It was so strong inside me that I had to share it again:

"What if there are children in the world who will suffer somehow because I failed to obey God? What if my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life?"
-- Richard Stearns.

What about Bella in the post below this one? And what about the others? What about the ones we might never know? Pray, post about them, have faith and believe. Bring one home if you can. Really sit back and ask yourself -- can you? If not can you pass word on about them? That is important to because together we can reach someone whom can.

This has been posted time and again on the internet, even one other time by me here on this blog - but I will post it again:



My friends, your thoughts and actions are always your own. You know your own roads and I cannot and will not even begin to try to imagine them. It's just that after years of trying to take the trash bag back, I felt the need to share mine as encouragement to someone out there. So many of you have encouraged me that I also wanted to say thank you. Until next time, in peace and have a good night.
--Debrah

Kevin Has a Family!

Remember the boy whom had only 20 days left for his family to find him? Well, they found him. We don't know who yet but MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERYONE. They happen. You have to pray. You have to believe. You have to sometimes take a giant leap of faith and say - yes, this time it is me being called, not someone else. This time, its me. Because this time - it's Kevin. THANK YOU GOD!

Which brings me back to BELLA. She also is 13 and only has until February to find her family or she will NEVER BE ADOPTED. We did it in time for Kevin. We CAN do it in time for Bella. Please please please pass word of her on. This blog is entering it's fourth year. People ask me why I keep blogging for orphans and people I don't know. The answer is its because its all I can do. Please, do something too? Pray. Consider being Bella's family or pass word of her on today. With God, money isn't an object, it isn't, not for things close to his heart, and I've seen time and again and I believe that orphan's are. Thank you everyone.

Happy New Year

So ...2011. Time Flies, and I do not say it lightly. My baby sister is turning 20 this year, and that is hard to believe. I am further along in my 30's than I myself can even fathom. And it seems that 30's are going faster than 20's did. Time flies. Make it your best, enjoy it while its there, love all the moments, cause they go fast. Cherish the people in your lives. Wishing you the best and happiest of new years...

--Debrah