He Has A Family!

Yes!  He does!

The boy in the post below this one!  I saw Brenton Has a Family HERE just now!  You will have to scroll dowm a little but he is there.

Also a shout out to Julia Nalle who is a big advocate for him and special needs orphans. 

Miracles do happen.  Gotta believe first to see.  Thank you God.

February...

So, here I was, worried about not posting anything in January, right??? Annnnddd... as of 12 tonight, February 2013 is already gone.  ^_^

Guess its shows its been a different month.  A rather distracting month out here.

So a few things, in light of missing out on an entire February...

To Dianne - Absolutely!  I would love it if you followed here.  ^_^  Sorry I have not been able to get back until now but I am still very much here.

About Liebster.. well.... I guess I missed out on that one.  To the person who nominated me, thank you so so much. I had every intention of a follow through and had even picked a few blogs and had written my own questions to ask up.  But the month did get a bit overwhelming...  however, I shall still at least post the answers to the ones you have asked.

Some families to pray for this month?

The Clancy Family, their little girl suffered a near-drowning and is now at home in a light coma.  I love them so much!

The Salem Family - are going through a rainy season right now.  I love them so much too.  Please pray for them as well.

Also, can you please help Team Iris!  They are trying to find a sweet little girl with HIV a home.  And she does seem so very sweet!  This same family has just adopted two children one whom is an older child and omg their story is so touching.  This same family is also advocating for another little girl called Kate whom another friend of mine is advocating for as well.  Is Iris yours?  Is Kate yours?  If not, do you know where their family is?  Can you advocate and pray for them?  Kate is in Russia, I believe.  And there is a recent ban on American adoptions there.  I have heard that it isn't effective for another year - but keep in mind I COULD BE WRONG about that.  So anyone thinking about Kate needs to make sure of these things.  Either way -- she still needs us to find her a family!  Canadians are welcome to adopt her I believe (check this too, to be sure).

So, thats all for now everyone.  Sorry about missing February, and will try to do better in March.

Have a good one!
--Debrah.

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

Gone

This little girl is gone. She was eleven years old. She passed away in an overseas orphanage or institution without a mom and dad.  Some of you may 'slam' me for caring, but go ahead if you feel you must.  Sometimes people react to things they fear or don't understand by making light of them.  But why, oh how, could someone, anyone, make light of this?  And say that, these kids should stay where they are at?  And die of neglect?  Simply because they are overseas and not here in America?  I do not know much really, about all this and how it works.  But I do know a few things.  One of those is this, that if kids here in America were treated the way these children are --- people would be imprisoned, seriously imprisoned, possibly for life.  Children like this little girl are 11, 14, 15, 9, 5, 3, 2 years old, younger and older, and are left to lay in cribs all day long ---yes cribs--- at age 15--- until thier bodies stiffen up, bent out of shape so they cannot even move.  That, and/or they stop growing, and look like they are still only a year or two old.  And they are starving, literally starving, at age 14, weighing only 11 pounds.

Yes, it happens.  I am not making this up.  No, I haven't been there.  I don't have to be there.  Possibly if I was there, I would never ever leave.  I have to add respectfully that this does not happen everywhere over there.  But sadly, more often than not, it seems it does. 

Now, with all that said, I must point out that yes -- kids here in the USA need homes too, even if they are not starving to death, it doesn't mean they are any less deserving. I am simply stating, we shouldn't single ANY of these children out on either side of the ocean, simply because of where they live.  They all need homes.  Where you choose to adopt from, if you so choose, is up to you, what you feel comfortable with for not only yourself but for the sake of the child.

The little girl above?  Didn't she deserve a mom and dad?  Didn't she deserve to be loved by a family? Didn't she deserve to come home?  But sadly, most people just don't know.  If they did I believe a dozen or more moms and dads would have been knocking on the door to get that little girl out.

People just don't know.  Or they don't have the money.  Or simply cannot adopt.  But everyone can still help.  Everyone can do something.  We can help and support the people whom can adopt.  We can help them raise the funds they need.  While they can fully support the child when they bring them home (one of the reasons a home-study is done, I believe) most people just don't have 22,000 dollars or more laying around.  We can do something.  We can help the families.  We can sponsor them.  We can advocate for orphans.  Talk about them.  Get word about them out there. Pray for them if you pray.  There are many so things that we can do.

The fact is, this little girl is just one of many, many, many, I cannot even pretend to know the numbers, hundreds, thousands? whom die in these conditions every year.  Why? When we can help them.  And please don't tell me 'you can't save them all' because there are approximately 163,000,000 orphans in this world, which is, for an individual person -me- or any one person- a mathematical impossibility.  But if we group together who knows what we can do.  I've written here before, if only 7% of the Christian population were to adopt there wouldn't be any orphans left in the world.  When put into that perspective, 7% is a very small number indeed.  And by the way, it doesn't just have to be Christians.  I was just using an example to show the numbers and that we can do something.  

Which brings me to her.  This is 'Mabel' as she is known on Reece's Rainbow.  Look at her, everyone.  Look at the hurt in this little girl, its almost like she thinks is just part of life to be like this, to chew on her own hands to soothe herself because she has no one else to do it for her.  Should any child have to look like this? Hurt like this? Be like this? Goodness, she is seven!  Is she yours?  Even if you are not looking to adopt?  I will say it now like I have many times on this blog, once again I will put it out there -- right now I am not able to adopt.  I know there are people out there whom can't either.  But if you can't, she is someone's daughter.  It's amazing what a little love can do.  Let's get her out there?  In honor of 'Lynette' -- the little girl pictured at the start of this post. 

Yes, it will be hard.  Yes, she has special needs.  Yes, it will be expensive.  But isn't her life worth it?  Isn't it?  Even if you don't know her?  I think her biggest special need is simply the fact that she needs a family, to love and be loved.  Thank you everyone, for listening and passing her picture along.  More information about Mabel can be found right here. 

The Story of a Boy

He is 16.  He didn't have a mom and dad and desperately, he wanted one.  Word went out across the internet and spread like fire.  A family saw him and wanted him desperately too.  They set out to adopt him.  On arrival in the boy's country, the moment they met him -- the boy said no, he didn't want to be adopted anymore.  You see, he had a chance to go to a college and do something he loves, and that, my friends, is absolutely great!

But hearts were broken, those of the family going to adopt him, and the heart of the boy.  You see, he said no but he wasn't sure.  He couldn't sign the paper saying he didn't want to be adopted.  He hugged the people whom had come for him and sat with them instead.

It's scary, yes.  He isn't a baby. The orphanage and that world is all he knows.  To have to face leaving it in such a way as to let go of everything?  But at the same time, someone is holding out a hand to you, offering something you did so very much want...  and he did want them.  Now, he is torn and just doesn't know what to do.  Have you ever been so torn about a decision you have to make, knowing that either choice will -not could- change your life forever?  And I've thought that some choices I've had to make were hard... but they were nothing, compared to what he has to decide.

He needs to make the decision by this Friday, to be adopted or not.   The family is praying that the boy's heart is in the right place, whether that means going home with them or him staying there.  They are praying for what's best for him.

I pray for peace for all of them in his decision.  Please, join them here, today.

Thank you.

UPDATE 06.01.2012:  He chose adoption!  He chose it almost after they left!  He wrote the letter then and there and signed it the next morning!  And he looks happy in his pictures taken after!  Click here.

He's 11...

...and he's turning 12 this year.

He looks so sad.  I saw his picture and was like, "Oh Brayden..."  so so sad.  It says he has siblings but they are not available for adoption. 

Almost twelve years without a family.  I'd be sad too.  Someone, pick him up and take him hope.  Does it feel like a part of your heart is missing?  Does he fit it?  Is he your son?

From his Reece's Rainbow Profile:

"Boy, born September 2001
has siblings (not available for adoption)
Open oval window; allergic contact disorder;           

developmental delays 

Brayden was born during the 39th week of pregnancy weighing 3020g. Amniotic fluid was discolored. History of anemia, and obstructive bronchitis in infancy. At age 2 a speech delay was diagnosed. in 2009 an open oval hole in the heart was diagnosed. His main diagnosis’ include congenital diseases of heart’s wall development, disorder of specific motor function development, allergic contact disorder, and the disorder of language and communication. Psychical and physical delays are indicated. He has a moderate level of language delay. The consultation of cardiologist and the help of speech therapist are recommend.

Brayden is a friendly boy, but it has been noticed that he often chooses to ignore the younger children. During games he follows the rules, but is motivation to participate in activities is poor. He has considerable special educational needs. He is currently studying at a speech therapeutical school. He still confuses colors and figures, it is difficult for him to memorize and write. Bradyen likes playing with Legos, he enjoys outdoor activities, but is not interested in arts and crafts. His hygiene skills are good. He is physically developing at an age appropriate level. In new surroundings he behaves adequately, he is quiet and polite. He bashfully communicates with strange people. Bradyen likes affection and compliments very much.

He has a very strong bond with his grandparent, he often talks about him, and eagerly anticipates his visits."

If you think you might be Brayden's family or would like a little more information about how to adopt him please contact Andrea at www.reecesrainbow.com.

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.

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.

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.

Please Remember Kevin:

'Kevin' is the 13 year old boy I wrote about in this entry HERE. His remaining 20 day chance to be adopted has dropped to just 10 -- But he has 2 separate families trying to rescue and adopt him. However, I am guessing, that as there are only 10 days left until he is not adoptable -- things are not going easy at all. They are asking for prayers for a miracle for him. If you pray, please, please include this boy. If not, think of him please? Thank you all again.

Chinese Adoption Older Child

This 13 year old boy is in China and needs a family to commit to him right now. When he turns 14 he looses the chance to be adopted - forever. That happens in 20 days. I am certain he has seen other kids get taken home and his turn never comes. Come on everyone, lets make a wonderful Christmas Miracle. Somewhere there is a family for him. Please, you have to have paperwork in China now. You might be able to add him into your adoption. Please don't just past this over. If you are adopting, if you are thinking of china, if you are thinking of an older child, give this boy a chance. And if not, at least please past THIS POST about him along. It takes two minutes, but can change his life. Thank you.

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.

Chinese Adoption Older Child

This is Bella. She is one of Wasatch's Waiting Kids. Directly from this post on this blog.

"She is 13 years old and in Shanghai. She is an orphan living in an orphanage. Bella has six months to find a family. If this doesn't happen by February, she no longer be eligible for adoption. AT ALL, EVER. Let's not let that happen. Let's spread the word, give her a chance at a mother, a father, siblings, and an education.
Could you be her parents?"

Ok all. She's 13. She's going to be only 14. Only 14 years old, everyone. If she doesn't have a family by then -- she never will. And she will have to face this world on her own, she will have to face life alone. She will have to grow up early, way too soon. And face all the trials of young adolescence alone. She will have to face loss alone. She will have to face the social stigma of her home country and their male preference/one child policy - alone. The fact that she was an orphan will not help this. Look at her picture. You can see it in her face, the mix of hope and despair that this is her time is running out and this photo might be her last chance. Think of your kids, or think of yourself at age 14 and then think about how young you really really were. She will have to face all that and more -- alone. All the confusion, alone. She will have to do what it takes to survive. Do you even want to think about it?

We've all seen miracles happen for these kids here in the blogging world lately; lets try for another. Please put her on your blog or website or face book. And if you are looking for adopting a Chinese child, or have searched and found this blog by looking for older Chinese children, please, she's just a baby. Do something to save this little girl. This, is all I can do, and I almost put off posting this until tomorrow.. but then, as I prepared to leave her page to go look at websites I've already visited six times tonight in hopes that something might have changed on one of them I realised that while I have until tomorrow to post this -- Bella doesn't. She has until February. That's it.

This older boy in China is 13 and has only 20 days left to find his family before he can never be adopted, ever. PLEASE CONSIDER HIM [posted Dec 21, 2010]

For more information about Bella or how to get in touch with people who know where to find her please visit this blog. The contact email are at the bottom of the featured blog post. Thank you.

Hope is Fading – Orphan Sunday from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

Little Twin Princesses

...you may notice in the right side bar, this button:


Grab This Button
...it is the sponsorship button for this lovely family whom is trying to adopt a pair of adorable twin girls. Prior to being committed to by this family these little twins have been available for adoption for a long long time and I often wondered why someone didn't snap them right up. And right now, this family may have to release their commitment to adopt them while they find a way to finance their home study. Sooo... what do you say everyone, want to help them out so sweet little girlies can come home sooner? What do you think; a cheeseburger for you, or a lifetime for them? Yep, thats all it takes. Hop on over and meet them today. Thanks everyone. Until next time.

From the Ground Up:

A blog friend of mine recently went to EE and brought home an older boy whom had been on my heart for years. It was amazing to see their journey and I found myself wishing to adopt an older child as well. Sure, it may be a struggle, there will be adjustments, but is the same when new people of any age comes into your life, and not just kids. What a blessing for sure. My blogging friend has now started advocating for the older orphans of E.E. on a new blog: EE's Orhans.

Bringing home an older child is different yes. They are who they are, bringing with them memories in tact that adoptive parents treasure for younger children whom cannot remember for themselves and whole heartily pass on to help them achieve a sense of identity.

Older children have their own memories and an already developing sense of identity. And while some of those memories might not be good ones, I would think surely they cannot all be bad ones either. After all who does not have some bad memories? Who hasn't been hurt? What about the fun memories or the favorite food to share?

That is what you are for.

When God made us, he broke the mold for each of us. Everyone is different. But everyone needs love and understanding.

There is an amazing feeling you get when you watch an older child learn they are loved, there is an amazing kind of wonder mixed with amusement, amazement and endearment in perhaps the mixture of naive-itivity and innocent wisdom that we have adults have sometimes lost that older kids put back in your lives. Yes, there is frustration too, but there is strength. There will be hard times yes, but there is love. There might be questions, but God always answers. Always.

These are his children too.

Some people say, you change them. But they change you too. You might wonder why you didn't do this before with an older child. You might want to do it again. All of this I found myself wishing for while I followed the adoption of a very special boy. Please visit EE's Orphans today and watch them work their way from the ground up.

Thank You...

...everyone! Thank you for the prayers! Sweet little Monroe [see entry below] has a committed family! This is amazing and I am so grateful! He won't have to go to an institution and be tied to a crib, he will get medical attention and love, enough to eat, schooling, friends and most of all family! This is an example of the power of prayer! Thank you all for putting this before Him.

This Little Boy and I...

...share a birthday! When I saw that I was like, well, we have common ground and a connection! I absolutely must tell you all about him. From his profile at Reece's Rainbow:

Alexander (20)

OH, what a difference a new picture can make!! Alexander has been listed with us for more than 2 years, and not a soul has ever inquired about him. Up until now, the only photos we have had of him were laying down in a crib, never showing him up and mobile and active! But look at him!! What a great smile, and so much life in him!

Alexander is a handsome little boy who really needs a loving family. He has dark hair and brown eyes. He is already 5! He was born with a minor PDA, but does not have pulmonary hypertension. He also has flat feet. Please give Alexander the chance to grow up in a loving family He has already turned 5, so he is facing imminent institutionalization!

HEADS WERE SHAVED FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS

Click HERE for Alexander's Page at Reece's Rainbow. You may have to scroll down a bit but he is there.

Matthew 17:20

...I know I keep repeating it but there is power in faith and in prayer...

"And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief: for truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you."

Matthew 17:20