Please Don't Just Pass Them By..

Today is Orphan Sunday...

This is the third time I've posted this video on this blog over the years.  And I will post it, again and again.  It is worth it.  Please watch it.



I've blogged before about how orphans are tied up, how they are so stiff they can't move, how they are starving.  Here is just a small glimpse of that.  And it isn't just the country featured in this video.  Many (not all) places are like this:




Hi everyone, the little girl Kareen has a family and is home.  But there are so many others who do not.  Please, I know we can't all adopt.  I can't adopt.  But we can all do something.  Visit these websites.  Pick a child, scream at the top of your lungs all over your social media for that child or for any or all of these kids.  Pass the websites on.  Alot of people just don't know this happens.  Pray for them if you pray.  Adopt if you can. 

Realistically, I know alot of people will come to this blog and leave without clicking the links at the bottom of this post.  Alot of them may leave without watching the videos.  But please look.  Please click.  It only takes a few minutes of time - that may very well change the world for someone else.

Thank you for reading here today, Orphan Sunday.
Take care.

www.reecesrainbow.org
www.projecthopeful.org
www.adoptuskids.org
www.rainbowkids.org
www.eliproject.org

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

There is a blog entry I am writing...

...but I don't know how without seeming biased or hypocritical or judgmental of people. Please, for now, just look at this video.

Stop Reading and Go Get Them...

Hi Everyone.

About the blog title, I don't say it bitterly, I don't say it with anger or with contempt. I say it as a plea. 90% of you are likely on this blog because you are interested in some way about adoption. That said -- if you can adopt, if you meet the requirements, adopt, do it now. Go and get one of these kids, or one of these kids. They are not just a last resort to infertility -- they are children. If you can't adopt right now sponsor or talk about them any way you can so that someone who can adopt can go and get them.

If you are here and haven't thought of adopting, why not? Do you qualify? If you've always thought you would adopt 'someday' then why isn't that day today? These kids cannot wait for 'someday' -- I can't write it enough, their lives are at stake RIGHT NOW.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Does it cost alot -- you bet. Isn't it a hassle -- absolutely so. Won't having a kid shake up your life so much more than the comfortable way you live it now -- yes, wonderfully so. Do you think they are comfortable sitting in cribs, barely being fed and only being 'bathed' part of the time? Shouldn't we be compassionate enough to give up our comfortable lives only to help the lives of a little boy or girl, or at that -- a big boy or girl-- that they might be comfortable, happy and fed? And when its all said and done this child will become such a part of your life you couldn't imagine how you ever lived without them in it?

I am struggling with my own trial, I have been now for six years. My question to God was this; "What is all this free agency stuff? How come I can't have what I want? How come I have to give up my own happiness and everything I want all the time so everyone else can be happy? How come I have to give up everything I have for someone else?" I prayed this question, I begged this question, I shouted this question out in anger for years... years.

And one night while cleaning the tables at work I was hit with the answer to that question; Jesus gave up everything -- everything for all of us. He gave up everything for people who even hated him ...aren't we supposed to be like Jesus?

So how much will it cost? Won't it be hard? Won't it hurt and will it make a difference to get one of these kids?

How much did it cost Jesus to do what he did for us? Don't you think it was hard? Don't you think it hurt?

And now the big one: Don't you think it made a difference?

I am not asking you to save the world, just the world for one little kid. You can be the difference in thier lives, you can take them out of these cribs and love them, and they can be the difference in your lives too... amazingly so.

Adeye writes it better than I can ever say in this entry on her blog. Look at those kids everyone. Those children specifically and that blog entry inspired this blog entry. Could one of them be yours? Really, one little child? Isn't it worth it?

I will keep talking for them. Keep in mind, you can speak your mind, yell at me all you want and tell me how out of line I am -- but I will not post the comment here. This blog is about HOPE and that is what I am trying to do here. Such a small percentage of the population can make it so there are no more orphans in this world. So -- why don't we?

On a side note,

Mara, the little girl I fell in love with, has disappeared from the Reece's Rainbow site and I don't know why. I had hoped she finally had a family but every time I check she's not posted on the my family found me page yet. So pray for Mara with me? That she might be ok.

...my two cents on a few things:

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish. "

--Mother Teresa

People ask me why, still, adopt overseas orphans instead of our own. The fact is I am not saying not to adopt our own at all. I think all orphans need a family, here or overseas. I believe that God knows and will lead you where to go, sure, it might look like it is yourself, and agencies, etc -- but was it a successful adoption, or did it fall through? If it doesn't work, most likely it wasn't meant to be. I know that is why I can't adopt right now. I don't have the means but the means will come.

So, why Overseas? They will die without us. In cribs or beds, alone, its not just something people whom advocate for them say -- it is the sad truth -- they will be transferred to institutions like these [warning, disturbing content] -- and not just in the country featured in the example video.

Yes, they are disabled. But they are JUST KIDS. Taken out of conditions like those shown they can thrive, improve, develop, learn and grow.

I read a story once on an adoptive mother's blog about how the orphanage her daughter was at was not expecting her and she walked in to find all the kids tied to the wooden slats of a playpen when she went to visit her little girl.

Here, this is neglect and child abuse. Here, the perpetrator would be investigated, arrested, tried and if found guilty -- sent to jail. There -- these people are paid to do this. These children are OBJECTS to most, less than animals, a paycheck to take home. Yes, that sounds harsh. I know, but it is the hard reality of MOST over there.

In the USA, this does not happen. These kids here are in 'the system' yes, but they have A CHANCE. However slight it is, they at least have a chance to make it and the support and help they need, they get to go to school and get an education, they are integrated into a family with the idea of being taught values behind it. They are valued members of society.

In the United States most people want toddlers or babies, its hard to be an older child or a teen. The stigma is that older kids are already 'wired' to act one way or another and are not shape-able anymore. -- Right. Tell me, at what age do you stop learning and loving and growing emotionally and spiritually?

In International Adoptions most people want toddlers or babies too. Most often when you say international adoption you think of China. China, is one of the hardest, if not the hardest program to adopt from in the world. You can't be single, you can't be over a certain age, you even have to fall within a certain BMI weight as well. These are just a few of their requirements. I've heard they say its because they are trying to find 'families for children' not 'children for families'

That, I applaud and agree with. And yet, find hard to believe. Why does adopting from China take over two years?? They say its because they don't have enough kids there? And yet you have kids in china just sitting in orphanages and waiting and dying that are considered "not adoptable" why? Because they are missing a leg, have a cleft palate, have down syndrome, cerebral palsy? Is it because they were born a girl? There are PLENTY of children in China for ALL people to bring home. So why don't they let them go? Are their requirements for who is adoptable and whom is not just as strict?? They don't want them -- they allow only one kid per household. That in itself is adding to the problem of their over population, because they all only can have one child - most little girls get abandoned because boys carry the family name. Yet, abandoned girls are STILL there. They are STILL adding to the population. Soo.. why not allow TWO children per household?? This will give them a second chance to have a boy AND get kids out of orphanages and out of streets -- thus causing a drop in population. Sadly, China is not the only country.

I know that I am outside of the picture in all of these scenarios and as such I don't have all the facts, only just what I think and see, and so might be a bit unfair in my judgment. I do not understand these ways and how this is right. This blog gets MANY international hits daily. I am not trying to offend anyone or say that I understand their ways.

Another little girl in an East European orphanage died last week, without her family, alone. Her special need -- she was blind. Thats it. So how does a blind child die at age 4?

Like with Elton John when he wanted to adopt an HIV baby boy from Ukraine and was denied because he didn't have a 'legal marriage,' because it was policy. So what. He is a knight for goodness sake. That aside, if its about the kids, why not give them to the people whom want them, whom can love them and give them life? How can it be better for the child to be left in an orphanage as another statistic to die?

Just my two cents, that's all. I know I am waaay out of the picture and only have the half of it. But I, for one, want to adopt from Foster Care. I want to adopt from Overseas. Older kids or younger, whomever God places in my family.

Adopt kids from the USA, whole-heartily and yes I intend to, but also kids from overseas too. God doesn't pick one over the other - why should we? He loves "all the children of the world", and so should we. How can you love God, and not his children? All of them?





Take care, everyone.

The Blind Side - Official True Story Featurette

I found this by accident and just thought I'd do a follow up to this post, like this follow up featurette - its still amazing, its still 'wow'. Thanks again Warner Brothers and good luck Michael.

Sing...

"...Sing a Song, sing it loud, sing it strong. Sing of good things, not bad. Sing of Happy, not sad. Don't worry that its not good enough for anyone else to hear...."

I forgot this song, until I was looking over the internet for inspirational songs for a video I am making for another website. Then I found this and instantly remembered it. Since its been well over twenty years since I heard it, and apparently there have been many versions since, it took a while to find the version who's melody and child-like voices had embedded into my memory that had come to the surface, a memory long forgotten but so easy to grasp. Then I found it, and here it is.

Oh, if we could only live with such child-like simplicity and faith. I put this song in my sidebar as well as in this post, for the little kids everywhere that need a family to sing to them.

Sesame Street - Sing Found at abmp3 search engine

PS: The song doesn't seem to be working here in this post when I try to get it to play, but it does work in the sidebar, if you wish to play it. After all -- we all should indulge the child inside sometimes. Take care.

Matthew 18:5:

"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me."

Two Songs for Christmas...

Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9_1zjZwl3w


Please click the link and watch the video to the second song too - it wouldn't allow me to embed it here.

I couldn't decide, so I posted both videos, because both are so beautiful and true. I just had to post them. This blog dedicates these two songs this holiday season to all the little angels out there, please pray for them this holiday season, for the orphans and the missing. Little angels, know that God is with you, wherever you are, you are never forgotten, lost or alone. That goes for everyone :).

Merry Christmas to Everyone, Everywhere.
-Debrah.

Mixed Feelings

I have mixed feelings on this topic. I know that when children are removed from their birth parents home it is for their own safety. But I also know that part of the reason for doing this is so the parents involved can try to get their kids back again.

Children are a beautiful gift from God. Sadly, so many are abused or neglected that its heart-shattering to even think of. I am not sure what to write in this post so I will just write whatever makes its way out of my mind to my keyboard.

There is a new girl at work. Her children have been with CPS now for almost a year. I know there are two sides of every story, but the part of the story I hear is that they were taken from her after she failed to pick them up from daycare after her boyfriend at the time beat her senseless in her apartment. In turn, when the police arrived on the scene some drugs were discovered, by her statement, just three 'roaches'. And I realise that drugs are drugs and dangerous no matter in what amount.

That said, she's been working hard to get her kids back and has been drug free for almost that whole year. She's been in parenting classes, classes for addiction and working and meeting all of CPS's requirements. She loves her two boys, I can see in in her face every time she mentions them. I've seen her burst into tears over them over shattered hope that she might have seen them on Thanksgiving.

Like I said, there are two parts of every story. I am sure there is ugly somewhere in this too. I not supporting the idea of raising kids with drugs involved. However, there are no longer drugs involved.

Like I said, I've mixed feelings. She is truly trying here.

Her court date is on the 7'th for custody of them. I guess I am asking for prayers for Gods will to be done for these two kids and this girl. He knows all the secret ugly stuff that I don't and the good stuff too. He knows the situation and what is best. Please pray these kids end up in the right home for them, no matter where that home is.

Mean and hurtful comments will be deleted without posting and hardly even a glance, just a warning, because this is a touchy subject for me.

Take care everyone and thanks.

Why Wouldn't I?

Thank You for the Beautiful Song and Video!!!

You All Gotta See This:

What a beautiful true story. This, is the type of movie needed today. This, throws away so many stereotypes about all people. I am in love with this movie, and have never seen it. Wow. Just - wow.

This time, it is in good taste, Warner Bros. Thank you.

Got Twins?

Check out this adorable 9 year old duo. These two are in the US Foster System and are in fact from my home state, but no, I've never met them at all. Here is a link to their contact info if you are interested.

http://photolisting.adoption.com/foster-adoption/children/teresa-14419

The Orphan Doll Project:

So here we are, September 19, 2009. The pic/banner above was taken on 09.17.09 of me and the orphan dolls in my mother's front yard where I grew up. This project has been long in coming, and offically begun a bit ago. The dolls in the picture, I have named Hope and Chance for the time they are with me, their mission is to go out into the world and teach about adoption, and the millions of orphans world wide. I am the second link in a chain of people who will be adopting them into their homes. You take them where ever you would go as you would real children, and let me tell you this, you should see the eyes of people light up when you tell them what these dolls are about. You should hear the conversations its starts. Quite honestly, everyone gets into it - co workers ask where 'my kids; [meaning Hope and Chance] are. The other day my sister made sure she put them under a seatbelt. My brother even got into it when I tried to take their picture on the back of a car, a recent new daddy himself, he told me "you can't put your kids there."

We both started laughing. It is amazing, I use that word allot to describe this ministry I am blessed to be a part of, but it truly is. You should visit orphandoll.com to read their journal tracking their adventures for yourselves.

When it is time for them to move on from Arizona, I will pack them up and send them to the next family in line who is waiting -just like in the adoption process- to adopt these kids. Their adventure and lesson will continue in other arms in another place. Then on to the next family and the next. In the short time I have found them I have seen people's eyes open. I've talked to people about adoption whom I never thought I would talk to. I am glad to be a link in the chain.

I always knew he was 'the man':

"Too many children in foster care are falling through cracks. Be a hero, take the time learn about adoption today."

--Bruce Willis

Found This Today:

On another blog that I follow. Yeah, I am a copycat - but some things just need to be posted again and again, thank you Amy for posting this. :)

A Special Child
by Sharon Harris

You weren't like other children,
And God was well aware,
You'd need a caring family,
With love enough to share.
And so He sent you to us,
And much to our surprise,
You haven't been a challenge,
But a blessing in disguise.
Your winning smiles and laughter,
The pleasures you impart,
Far outweigh your special needs,
And melt the coldest heart.
We're proud that we've been chosen,
To help you learn and grow,
The job that you have brought us,
Is more than you can know.
A precious gift from Heaven,
A treasure from above,
A child who's taught us many things,
But most of all-
"Real Love”

I Think I have Found Her...

I sometimes check in on kids waiting to be adopted - just to look and to pray that they get their homes.

But a few days back I saw a little picture and I've struggled with when, how and if to mention it here. Knowing it may all come to nothing - I think I have found her but I am not sure. She fits the 'feel' of what I have been feeling, if that makes any sense? The age is right, or will be by the time. She is domestic and the area she lives in right now is right, her favorite things feel like what I felt. I can't stop staring at this picture.

But I am not ready.

Only God knows for sure if this is her and all I can do is pray, prepare, keep moving forward and have faith that I will know in time.

I Do - Part 2

Hi everyone,

Ok, this is 'the big one' for today, because it is about a topic that has been on my mind for a few days now, brought on by a conversation I had with someone the other day.

Back in November I wrote this entry, and more specifically from that entry concerning the topic of the conversation mentioned above, the following paragraphs:

"I don't want to leave this on that grim note. So, please join me when you read this in a prayer for all these children. About 7% of the Christian population alone can lead to no more orphans in the entire world. That's it. I read the site Over the Moon With Joy and encourage you to visit there. I have decided to join her prayers that adoption might be brought into people's hearts, that all these kids might come home.

And that is not to say only Christan's should adopt. Love is something that belongs to everyone everywhere. Its just to display a 'statistical measurement' of how few people it would really take. :)"

And that was the 'just' of the conversation had. Now, keep in mind, if you look around this blog - that I am religious. And there is this - just because someone doesn't choose to follow one particular religion or any religion for that matter does not mean their home would be any less loving than anyone else's.

Is it better to let them sit waiting in an orphan home NEVER knowing real love at all? Especially when there is a family for them?

I think believing is very important and it does help, yes, and I will never doubt or discourage what to me is a fact. But I will not discourage any family that steps out to get these kids. I encourage them very much. We've all heard it said that "Religion God accepts as pure is to care for widows and orphans." And so to step forward - in my opinion it can't get more believing that that.

And like I said back in November: Love is something that belongs to everyone everywhere. Wonderful families are everywhere too.

Thank you for your time.

Have You Ever Wondered...

...what it would be like to live with HIV, yourself, or with someone you know having it, or parenting a child that has it? There are people that do every day.

Not too long ago, not even as long as last week, I was contemplating the thoughts of adoption as I continued to make an adoption site for a friend of mine and found myself realizing I could handle adopting any sort of special needs child, Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Blind, Def, FAS, Missing Limbs - any of them, they are children of God here the same as a 'typical' child and were put here to teach and learn just as much as the rest of us, ... but, shamefully, flipping through more pages of possible disabilities I found myself thinking I would have to draw the line on adopting an HIV positive child - that, was something I thought I could not do.

I afraid at the thought, as some people are, at the thought of that 'impossible'. And yet, there were all these little faces of kids born hiv positive - that road was for someone else, I thought.

The hardest part I thought those kids would go through was being an adult, as a child you live in a child's world - you don't realize people's fears of you or the 'limitations' society sets. But as an adult you do. That, for these kids, is when they will need family for them most.

Within a week, I found myself wondering, what if I had HIV? What would I do then? How would I live? What if someone I knew did? The thought went to - What about those kids?

That idea went to - could I ever adopt a child with HIV, in a matter of days, people, I went from seeing it as impossible to wondering if I ever could.

A face of one of the little HIV positive girls flashed through my mind. Instantly and then gone again. I already knew that likely she would never be adopted, being older in the first place made it hard.

Today when I got in from work I went to the page and looked at her again. I found myself thinking - yes, I could do this. Then I opened up the links that led to Project Hopeful, read what was there and then I went back to the page again. Okay, I told myself, if this child is still available within the time its going to take to get my life together, I would do it.

Amazing. In less than a week, a change of heart? I honestly don't even really know what got me to thinking about HIV adoption in the first place? Except maybe somewhere a seed was planted that was getting ready to take root. Am I still scared? Terrified. I am about the most paranoid and anxious person I know. But there is this, I know to trust God. I know if this is what I am supposed to do one day it will happen. Am I saying I am committing to this child now? No, I am not. Right now, the physical constrictions of this world will not allow me to. What I am saying is my heart is opening to the possibility that one day, I don't know when, this could happen - for me and anyone else. You never know what children God will bring you. Don't allow fear to hold you back from those you love.

So what do you say we end the stereotype? HIV is a treatable condition these days and with the proper treatment people with it can live long and full lives. Lets give these little kids a chance? Think about it.
I'm a believer.

Here are the ones on Reece's Rainbow. The little girl Shannon, a bit of the way down this page is the face that opened my heart. Lets see if we can get her a home.

http://www.reecesrainbow.com/angelhiv.htm

Here are some more little angels needing families too:

http://www.adoption-link.org/list-of-children.aspx

Its only a start, but check these links for more information about HIV and AIDS:

http://www.projecthopeful.org/


http://www.fromhivtohome.org/


PS: I need to add that I mean no disrespect for people with this condition, in fact it is written with a lot of respect and hope. Out of respect for them and these children, please don't twist it out of shape and form, such comments will be deleted immediately before publishing to this blog. Thank you.

PS AGAIN: To clarify: yes, hiv is the virus that causes aids and they are different things, and living with one is different than the other. Thank you for pointing that out, btw. :D

I am honored...

...and it is true. I am going to try and build a website for the dolls created by Kimmie at Over the Moon with Joy. This is big for both of us, please keep us in your prayers as she tries to build these dolls and I try to make a site for them according to God's Will.

A bit about this project for those of you just hearing about it. Two dolls will be made, a boy and a girl, and they will be sent out into the world to teach people about the adoption, and that we are called to care for orphans and widows. The website is so people can log their stories as they receive and learn from the dolls in their travels, like a journal of sorts.

I highly encourage you to visit Kimmie's blog, as this project was envisioned through her and she can and does explain it much better. I am just honored and so happy to be part of it. Thank you Kimmie. Thank you, God.

-Me.