New Comment for Delia's Mom

UPDATE: Delia's mom, Susan left a comment here giving an update. Thanks, so much! She sounds so great. It is wonderful to know that she has been found, that she is loved, and that she will soon be home with her family. Susan, if you ever want to e-mail a picture to me, I'd be happy to post it. Hannah, for one, would be thrilled to see a picture of her smiling.

I received a new comment for Delia's mom on this post asking for an update.

So, Susan if you're reading and you'd like to update, we would love to post it here.

Kathleen's Family Met Her!

If you want to see some heart-melting pictures...head over to the Kimbles blog. They met sweet Kathleen today. She is just beautiful, and I'm thanking God today for planning and carrying out the details of her rescue.

Online Auction to Benefit Katelyn

My last post was about Katelyn. A sweet little one who's been transferred and is in DESPERATE need of a family.

Today I found that her Christmas Warrior is holding an online auction to raise money for her grant. Please check it out  HERE and help support their efforts if you can!

Katelyn

UPDATE: Katelyn has a family!!

This small sweet girl is Katelyn. Katelyn desperately needs to be found and rescued.

Katelyn is an orphan living in Eastern Europe. She lived in baby house where she had probably lived since she was a tiny baby. But she has been transferred away from all that she knew to a new place. Probably not a good place. Definitely not a place for a small five year old girl with Down's Syndrome.

Katelyn has already spent five years without a family. The picture above was taken when she was about 3.

It is a very real possibility that she has no one at all who loves her. If someone does care for her in any way it is probably a worker at the institution who makes about $25 a week and has many other people to care for. Most likely she is just a small one lost in mass of people who need care but get little.

My heart breaks for Katelyn. When I look at that scared little face, I just want to scoop her up and keep her safe and make life OK for her. But we are not adopting from Katelyn's country, so I'm praying for another family to see her and love her and do what it takes to rescue her. I'm afraid that she won't last long where she is. Many children die within a year of being transferred.

Katleyn is one of the angels on Reece's Rainbow's Angel Tree 2011. Donations to help pay for her rescue can be made there.

What she needs most is a mom and dad willing to adopt her as their very own daughter. She needs to be loved and kept safe in a way that only a family can do.

Please pray for that for Katelyn. Pray for her to be noticed and wanted. Pray that a family will find that they have room for her and then that they will have the faith and courage to take the steps to make her part of their family.

Our Family's Adoption Blog

We are starting our homestudy and just getting our adoption blog set up here if anyone wants to follow along, we could sure use prayers and encouragement!

Hidden Treasures Auction for Lina

Check out the Hidden Treasures Auction.

So many people have donated so many beautiful items. You can find some neat gifts for Christmas while helping raise money for a very special family.

The Carpenter family is working hard to bring home a very tiny five year old girl they've named
Lina.

Lina is in desperate need of her family to rescue her and love and nurture her to life. Please pray for Lina and her family. If you can, visit their blog to contribute to her rescue or participate in the auction.

Update on Delia

Delia's mom left a comment to give an update on Delia.

" I have traveled for my first trip to meet Delia. She is wonderful! And unlike her pictures, she smiles all the time! She's happy, curious and very entertaining. She's also in a good place where the staff truly cares for the children. I can't wait to get her home in the early spring!"

 How great it is to know that she is happy and well while she waits for her mom to finish the necessary steps to get her to her real home.

Thanks for the update, Susan!

Taking a Little Break

I'm going to take a little blog break.

Delia has a family. We're still so thankful for the answer to those prayers. I mean, WOW! Ten years of waiting. Years alone in an institution. In a very short time she will meet her mom. In a few months after that...sisters! Hannah says that praying for Delia has changed her life. What a blessing.

As for my Christopher, I found out yesterday that he has been removed from Reece's Rainbow. The agency has said he is no longer available, but they didn't say why. It is possible he has been adopted.  That would be great. I am hoping either he was adopted or his birth family brought him home.

Our family is still hoping and praying that we'll be able to adopt. I'm going to be getting some things in order. Making preparations to take our first steps. We would truly appreciate prayer that the Lord would go before us and lead us where He wants us to go.

Extending the School Supplies Project

The Bible Orphan Ministry has extended their school supplies project. School has already started, but the children will be in need throughout the whole school year.

They could really use any help you can give. Donate, share, pray.

Last Day to Help

The Bible Orphan Ministry team is praying for a miracle. They are praying to raise money to buy school supplies
for orphans living in Ukraine.

They only need a few dollars for each child, but they have 760 orphans to buy supplies for! That adds up to a large sum.

Please help if you can, and please pray for their ministry and the members of the team.

Delia's Family's Sponsorship Page

We were happy to see Delia's Family Sponsorship Page up on Reece's Rainbow. And we were surprised to see a new picture of Delia!

She's beautiful, but she still isn't smiling. Soon she'll learn what it means to be loved and be part of a real family.

Delia is being adopted by Susan, who is a single mom with 3 adopted daughters. She will have 3 sisters and one sister is her own age and also has Down's Syndrome.

Delia's family already has their documents submitted to her country, so they don't have a lot of time to raise funds. I'm sure they'd appreciate any donations to help with the expenses of her adoption.

Guess who's getting a family??

A certain girl, who has been waiting a long, long time and who Hannah has prayed for every day for many, many months is getting a family!

UPDATE: Delia's sweet face is on the Reece's Rainbow "My Family Found Me" page! Delia doesn't know yet, but soon she'll have a reason to smile!

Thank you, Lord!!

Back to School

The Bible Orphan Ministry has started a new project. For the next couple weeks, they are praying to raise money to buy much needed school items for 760 orphans in the many orphanages they visit.

Many people may not know that the children in orphanages have school at the orphanage where they live. The orphanages have a hard time providing for the needs of so many children.

They do not have basic things like pens, pencils and notebooks. With so many children it's difficult to raise enough money to just spend a few dollars on each child.

Please help if you can. Please keep the Bible Orphan Ministry team and the orphans they minister to, in your prayers.

Children are a Blessing

When I see the faces of all the children without love and without families, I can't help but wonder...why? Why are there not enough families for these children? What is the foundational reason.

I think that part of it stems from the fact that many people don't remember that children are a blessing. Oh sure, we all have children we know and love and see them as blessings. But do we know that all children are a blessing...a gift from God? Are we truly open to that blessing? Or do we want to be blessed in small amounts, and in the ways and times that we determine best?

Sometimes when I'm feeling discouraged, I think, "Who will take these special children? Most people only want a couple of their own healthy children."  Even most Christians want 2 or 3 and then they're "done".

For the orphans to be set in families, our hearts must be expanded. The church must begin to see children as the blessing that the Bible says they are. They are life, created in the image of God, and He is the Author of that life. If we open our hearts to receive that blessing, we will be blessed and He will use that blessing to shape us into the people He wants us to be.

Liliana has been Found

Liliana is on Reece's Rainbow's My Family Found Me page! She has a family committed to rescue her.

Let's pray for Liliana, her new family, and the rest of the children in her orphanage. Let's pray for everyone involved in the adoption process in her country, and pray that it will be possible for these precious children to be adopted into families of their own.

Liliana

Yesterday I shared about my friend, Susanna's little girl, Katerina.

Her condition is shocking and heartbreaking. Even more heartbreaking is that Katerina is not the only child in such a shocking condition. There are more children like Katerina.

There is another little girl in the same place who is listed on Reece's Rainbow. This is Liliana.

This picture of her was taken today. She is 11 years old. She weighs 10 pounds. That is absolutely unfathomable. How can it even be possible?

Liliana doesn't have anyone coming for her.

This precious child, created in the image of God, so desperately needs someone to rescue her. 


We need to pray.

A Story of Redemption

This morning I am short on words.

My dear friend, Susanna is in Eastern Europe meeting her new daughter, Katerina.

Katerina is a tiny nine year girl...the size of a baby. When you look at her, you know it is a miracle she has survived long enough to see her mama come for her. She didn't give up and someone has finally come to rescue her.

Her story is a miracle. It is a story of redemption.

We need to keep them in prayer.

Molly

This little girl has such a sparkle. So beautiful.

 She is listed as Molly on Reece's Rainbow. She was shaken as a baby and suffered brain damage. She cannot sit up by herself. She doesn't have full use of her hands. But look at her face. Her smile. She is already five years old. If she isn't rescued soon, she will be transferred from her baby house to a place where she will be left in a bed day in and day out and seen as completely useless. She won't receive therapy. She won't have opportunities to learn and reach her full potential. She won't be loved.

It is almost too much to bear to think of how quickly that sparkle will fade if she is left in a bed in an institution.

You can read more about her and see several more pictures of her on Andrea's blog. Andrea is a missionary who spent time with her and got to know and love her. She describes Molly as "pure joy". 

Let's pray for this little one. That the Lord will watch over her and guard her body, mind and heart. Let's pray together that her family will find her and rescue her so that her little sparkle can shine all the more brightly as she learns what it means to be loved.

Help for Orphans at Camp

The Bible Orphan Ministry has a new project to raise money for orphans at summer camp.

When the ministry team visited this camp several weeks ago they found desperately bored and lonely children spending their summer months in a dismal place which is more like a prison camp than a children's summer camp.

Because it's summer the children don't have the structure of school classes to fill out the day, but there is nothing to fill that space. There isn't a library to borrow books from, or computers to spend time on. No sports equipment or games. There aren't camp counselors to provide guidance and activities.

The Bible Orphan Ministry visited last month and gave them a bright day to remember.. They provided some wholesome entertainment sharing Bible stories, a puppet show and some lessons. They presented the gospel and 25 children prayed and asked Jesus to save them! They counseled the children on what it means to be a Christian and left them some gospel tracts.

Next week they want to go back and visit again. I'm sure it will mean so much to the children. If they can raise the funds, they would like to bring some things to help the children get through the last month of summer. Perhaps some soccer balls and games, anything new will give them something to keep busy. Their days must get so long.

The children have food at camp, but they are still often hungry. They don't get fresh fruit or treats. The team would like to also bring fruit and some sweets to them. It will show the love of Christ in a way that is real to these hungry bored children.

Their goal is to raise $280 this week. You can donate through the chip-in on their blog.

Let's join together in prayer for these children and reach out and help in a practical way too.

God is listening

This is Hannah writing.

I know God is listening to my prayers for Delia!

I found another blog where she was posted! I was very happy to see a post about her! Someone else cares about this little girl, and God is listening to prayers.

Thank you God!

Brett

Like so many little ones listed on Reece's Rainbow, who need families, this little guy's face tugs at my heart.

There's not a lot of information on his RR profile. He was born March 2007, which makes him 4 years old. He has CP. That's it. No additional information. No money in his grant fund.

Every time I see him, his picture catches my eye, so I thought I'd share his picture. Hopefully his family finds him soon and puts an I've-been-found smile on his lost little face.

Answered Again

I wrote last month about a little one we call Sadie. She had lost her family and we were desperately praying for her.

I'm happy to say that our prayers have been answered...again. She has a new family committed to adopt her. I am so thankful that she will be rescued and she will be loved and cared for.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you.

Christopher's Family

I'm praying today for Christopher's family. They likely do not know about him. They don't know he's waiting...how long he's been waiting. They don't know he's been transferred. They don't know how desperately he needs them to find and rescue him. They don't know the joy he'll bring to their family. What a blessing he was created to be to them.

They don't know.

I know. Because I know, I have to pray. I'm praying for this beautiful, sweet boy wherever he is. I'm praying for his family to find him.

Jane at Flight Platform Living is sponsoring Forget-me-not Fridays to link up people speaking up for children who need families. I think it's a great idea! She has directions on her blog on how to join in, or you can click the purple button on my sidebar.

Jane is advocating for Francine. A sweet little five year old who needs a family.

To be honest, without Jane, I might have never noticed Francine. She held her up and now she's been noticed! I'm adding her to my prayer list. Hopefully others will too, and soon her family will be found.

Thanks, Jane!!

Opportunites to make a difference

The Bible Orphan Ministry has a new project going to raise money to buy paint for the largest orphanage they visit with about 200 children. The children are all away for the summer. The dismal place sits empty. Playground equipment, park benches, doors, floors...everything has chipping and peeling paint. Check out their post and pictures here. The Bible Orphan Ministry team would love to raise the money to buy enough paint to fix up the place so the children can come back to everything looking bright and clean and safe.

The Bible Orphan Ministry also needs ongoing, regular support. They visit orphans and share the gospel each week, and they need gas in their van just to make their visits. (Gas costs the same in Ukraine as it does here.) When they visit they need to bring something for the children, even if it's just a small bit of candy. They love it when they can afford to bring bananas or ice cream. I asked Alla about the cost, and she shared that for about $35 they can bring bananas or ice cream for 90 children!

It is possible for us to make a real, daily difference and be an answer to many prayers.

Yesterday, I learned that the Kimble's are not only adopting beautiful, Kathleen...but another little girl as well! Click on the button on my sidebar with Kathleen's picture and you'll go to her Family Sponsorship Page on RR and you can see her new sister! I'm sure any donations at this point will be a real blessing as they work toward bringing these two girls home.

Also, we found out two days ago that Teri Lynn was transferred. My friend, Brianna is her warrior. Go to Brianna's blog to see pictures of Teri Lynn before and after her transfer. It's heartbreaking. We need to get the word out about Teri Lynn. Many children are being adopted out of the institutions where they've been transferred. It's not too late for her to be rescued. Her family needs to be found NOW.

Please join us in praying for her, share her face everywhere, donate to her grant fund if you can.

Valentin

Look at this sweet little guy.



His name is Valentin. He's six years old and he really needs a family. He's listed here on Reece's Rainbow.

He is one of the many children that I look at and cannot imagine them living in an institution without a family. Valentin has hepatitis C, so if no one adopts him he will probably end up in an orphanage for older children until he's 16. Then he'll be turned out onto the streets to fend for himself. Break my heart.

Please agree to pray with me that Valentin's family finds him soon.

Praying for Delia

 This is Hannah writing. I am Delia's orphan warrior on RR now! 

I hope this will make people want to start praying for her because she needs a family!  I have been praying for her for months. I do not care how long it takes for her to get a family I will pray and pray until my prayers are answered for she can not stay there forever! Every day I look on the My Family Found Me page to see if she gets a family but when other orphans get families it gives me hope.

A Wheelchair for Annya

This is Annya.

The Bible Orphan Ministry has started a new project to raise funds to purchase a wheelchair for Annya.

Everytime they visit Annya's orphanage, she tearfully asks them if they can get her a wheelchair. She is in pain and she struggles every day because she has to move about on her knees. I imagine it's hard enough to be an orphan, but to struggle with a disability and not have those needs met, must be terrible. For $350 they can get a new wheelchair that will greatly improve her life.

Read about their project here on their blog. They have set up a Chip-in to run until July 6.  Let's help them to make life better for Annya.

Sadie

Awhile back I wrote here about an answered prayer. A little girl without a family was chosen and was to be rescued. We were so happy for her and for the people who would be blessed to have her in their family.

Wednesday I got some heartbreaking news...the family had changed their mind. No one is coming for her now.

We wish that we could rescue her, but we must still wait.

I am praying that someone will find her and want her and love her. She turned 5 in April. She is smaller than my three year old, and my three year old is small for his age.

She walks, but doesn't talk. She likes contact with adults when someone pays attention to her, but has a tendency to go off into a corner by herself.

She is behind for her age, but she's healthy.

She needs a family help her overcome the challenges of being institutionalized for five years.

We can't post her picture, but she is beautiful. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

She used to be listed on Reece's Rainbow, but her file was returned when no one showed interest. She doesn't have much of a voice.

We call her Sadie. That was her Reece's Rainbow name, but it isn't her real name. Lifeline Adoption, who has her file for a very short time, calls her Sarah.

The country where she lives allows large families, older parents, and single moms to adopt. The travel is two trips of about a week each.

Stephanie Carpenter at Lifeline Adoption has her information. If you know of a family who may have room in their hearts and homes for this precious one please contact her. Stephanie.carpenter@lifelineadoption.org

Robert's Family Found Him Too!!

I'm so happy that Robert showed up on My Family Found Me today! Look at that sweet face.

It's been a good week...Macie, Eddie and now Robert. Thank you, Lord...thank you.

Macie's Family Found Her!!

Look who's on the My Family Found Me Page!

I'm excited to find out who the family is that will be rescuing this precious treasure.

Treasure

What a little lost treasure she is. Just waiting to be found.

Maxim and Robert

Here are two more boys listed on the same page as Christopher. A couple of precious guys who have slipped between the cracks and are still waiting. Just like Christopher, I cannot imagine these two boys growing up in institutions. You can tell just by looking at them that they have a sparkle in their eyes (I hope it hasn't been extinguished by now) and they would have so much potential in a family.

This is Maxim. Here profile from Reece's Rainbow.
.

Maxim 15H

Boy, Born 2002   Oh, how this little boy melts my heart!  Just look at his smile!  He is very high functioning, and will do very well in a lvoing family environment.  He has been blessed to grow up in a baby house and privately run home for children with special needs, and he has been LOVED.  He has many advocates and volunteers who love him dearly, and have asked us to please help him find a family!   It is possible he has Mosaic Down syndrome.   We are waiting on his full medical records.   But he is very healthy, active, social…just a love!!   From his caregivers and friends:   "Expectant parents need to prepare for Maxim difficulties and learn to accept it for what it is: hooligan, a little jealous, but very good-natured and charming.   Maxim respectable hoodlum, may, for example, to climb into adult shoes (larger size, the merrier) and enthusiastically stomping down the corridor until you catch up.   Loves to joke.    In its immediacy and sunny smile forgiven all hooliganism.   Given his state of health, Maxim has good prospects for further development.   He can not speak, but communicates well with the world through gestures and some of the sounds, knows the names of colors and geometric shapes, animal names, colors, fruits and vegetables, loves to play around with toys, loves being read poems and fairy tales.  Maxim is very housewifely, helps with cleaning.   He needs a home where it will and will love.   And it is impossible not to love.     This little guy is Robert. And his profile listed on RR.   Robert #3-3 DOB: January 29, 2004 Robert was raised at home by his birth family until he was 4 years old, at which time he was placed in an orphanage.He is healthy and developing well. He is beginning to speak in simple sentences, colors and paints with water colors and participates in organized activities. He feeds himself with utensils and is learning to fasten buttons. He has built up relationships with staff and other children.

Speaking Up for Teri Lynn

This little girl seems to get lost in the crowd.

She doesn't have a gripping personal story that tugs at the heart strings. She doesn't have more photos that give a bigger picture of who she is and what she likes to do. Just one blurry picture.

She does have people who care about her. They're praying for her. Speaking up for her. Trying to raise money and find her a family.

She is a beautiful girl who will turn six this year. She needs a family to want her and love her. She needs someone to rescue her from the baby house...not wait until she is transferred to someplace worse.

One blurry picture. A very short listing on the little girl's page. The remaining months of this year. People willing to speak up and raise money for her grant. Those things make up the best opportunity Teri Lynn has.

There is only one week left of the iPad2 and More Giveaway.

Please consider sharing her sweet little face with others so her family can find her.

Sell What You Have

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Luke 12:33

Until recently, I didn't care much about money. As a stay at home mom with a large family, I tried to be frugal and be content with what I had. My husband worked and paid the bills. Overall, I just didn't think about money much. 


When I became aware of the needs of the orphans in Eastern Europe, and then became friends with some of the people living there, serving these children, money suddenly became more important. Suddenly, I wanted some so that I could help.


One great source of money to be able to give, is selling stuff. Look around your house and see through new eyes. When you want to help little children and your brothers and sisters in Christ, you start to see your stuff so differently. You see so many things that you don't need, things that you would rather give to be able to help someone. It becomes uncomfortable to live with excess when others live in need.

There is One Church, One Body, One Family. The Bible says when one part of the Body suffers, all suffer.


A friend of mine was able to cut her grocery bill by about half one month and use the money to help an orphan in need of a family! That to me is a picture of New Testament Christianity.


I often ask, Does God bless us just so that we can be blessed? Are we to stick our blessings into a big fat cushion and sit contentedly upon it? Or are we blessed so that we can share our blessings with others and then receive an even greater blessing ourselves than what we had to begin with?


The verse I shared in the previous post is a parable showing that we can persistently go to our Father when we want to help others. Sometimes though, He will show us things that we can do. "Sell your possessions and give to the poor." 

Persistent Prayer

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. Luke 11:5-8

This passage has become very special to me since I've started to seriously intercede for others. When we intercede for others, the Holy Spirit fills us with God's love for those we pray for. We care so intensely and we realize, like in the parable, that we have nothing to set before our friends. We are powerless and in poverty ourselves, so we go to God and ask Him to provide for them. Our love for them drives us to continue to pray and ask and not give up until our prayers are answered.

We may wonder why doesn't God just do those things anyway? Why do we need to ask? It certainly isn't because God doesn't care...it's because we need to care. We need His love and we need to love others.

Over the last several months the Lord has shown me over and over again that He cares about what matters to us. When He gives us His love for people we can't help but pray.We don't give up because we feel such a side-by-side love for them. We are compelled to keep asking because we see their need so greatly and we see no other option.

These little ones are worth loving with Christ's passionate love. They are worth persistent prayer. 

 

   






My eight year old daughter, Hannah prays for Delia every day. She said that Delia means so much to her that she will not give up until she gets a family. She says that the other children who get families give her hope.

Graduation

Graduation. Most of us think of graduation as a positive event. Finishing high school or college. New adventures. A new start.

Today I read of a different kind of graduation.

Imagine you are16 years old. You live in an orphanage in Eastern Europe. You live with your friends and the people paid to work at the orphanage. You don't have any family at all, or you may have some relatives, but none that can care for you.This place where you live is all you know and everything that you have. It is May and graduation is approaching.

You are in the oldest group of children. In a matter of weeks you will be turned out with the clothes on your back. You are old enough to take care of yourself now. What will you do? Where will you go? It is hard enough for anyone of any age to find work in your country. It will be harder for you. Everyone will know where you grew up and they will look down on you for it.

Your whole life will become about survival. Finding food. Keeping warm. Keeping safe.

Today I read about this graduation  here on The Bible Orphan Ministry's blog. They have a heart for these children. They know them. They know what will happen to them. They want to help, but they need resources in order to help.

We are all able to help a little. The Lord can take our little and make it into more than enough. That is the idea behind the iPad 2 Giveaway that my friends are doing. It is to raise money and awareness for Teri Lynn and The Bible Orphan Ministry. The money raised for the Bible Orphan Ministry will go directly to help them with their project to help meet the basic needs of these "graduates".

Please pray for the "graduates" and for the ministry team that is trying to help them.

Meet Macie

Now that Kathleen has a family, I'm going to advocate for a new little girl.

This is Macie. She is listed here on Reece's Rainbow's waiting children list.

Isn't she positively precious?? She reminds me of Kathleen.

She is already 4 years old. Wouldn't it be great if her family found her and brought her home before she turns 5?

This is what her Reece's Rainbow profile says:

Girl, born March 2007


This little rosy-cheeked dolly has Down syndrome; no other health issues were listed.


A family met Macie in spring 2011 and say she was all smiles and cooperative for her caregivers.  She was excited to give hugs to the family's lawyer, and they were told she is a very sweet and bright girl. Also, based on the group of kids she is placed with, she must be very high-functioning.




 

iPad 2 Giveaway

The iPad2 and more Giveaway is still going on for the rest of the month. My friends are raising money and awareness for both Teri Lynn, a little girl listed on Reece's Rainbow, and The Bible Orphan Ministry. It goes through this month and then they'll draw for some great prizes including an iPad 2 and a $100 visa gift card and whole list of other prizes.

Kathleen's family has this verse on their blog:

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 

I love that verse. When I have an opportunity to help, I always feel that I am the one who is blessed. I am praying that the Lord will bring others who feel blessed to have an opportunity to help Teri Lynn and the Bible Orphan Ministry.

Thanks to those who have donated already!!

More answered prayers

My main goal for this blog is to advocate for orphans and for the people wanting to help them. I wasn't planning on doing much sharing about me or my family. But God has answered a prayer that is personal and goes along with the purpose of this blog, so I want to share what He has done.

Last year we were hoping to adopt a little girl with special needs from Eastern Europe. We spent time doing research and talking with people from different agencies.  We have a large family and it didn't look like we would be able to qualify, but we were praying that the Lord would make a way for it to happen.

We first saw the little one we were hoping to adopt on Reece's Rainbow, but after a month or so she disappeared. When we inquired, we were told that they had to return her file because they didn't find her a family. We felt that she had lost her voice...her place to be seen.

We found a couple of agencies where she was listed on their waiting child lists. We were in contact with one particular Christian agency that had her information.We did everything we could before we found out that we would not qualify to adopt this year. We reached a point where we knew that the door was closed and there would be nothing we could do except pray and wait for the Lord to open it. We are still waiting.

But we did not stop praying for her. She turned 5 in April. We didn’t feel that she had a good “chance” at being adopted, but we prayed that the Lord would bring her a family and that she would not have to wait. We didn’t know if it would even be possible to ever find out if she was adopted.

Last week I was flipping through my notebook where I write my prayer requests and answers. I saw her picture and said a prayer for her. I felt very strongly to go check the online photo listing of the agency. Her picture wasn’t there.

I contacted the agency to see if they could tell me if she had a family and I got an e-mail back today. She is being adopted!! A Christian family is working toward bringing her into their family. I am so happy. God is so good all the time. The little girl we loved will be loved and will get a family. And the Lord allowed us to know that our prayers were answered. We can have peace in our hearts about her and not feel like we let her down.

I am just now able to see that He is working so much good through our having to wait. There aren’t even words for how awesome our God is.

Faith for Christopher

I thought that Kathleen would have a family before Christopher. I thought she had a better chance. Chance? Really? But I prayed for Kathleen to get a family. What did chance have to do with it? I know it's really silly to pray about something and then think in terms of statistics. How often do I pray about something then start doing the math and decide it's unlikely to happen?

There are 53 boys on the Down's Syndrome Boys 6+ page. Wow...53. He seems so lost on that page. What are the chances of Christopher getting a family? I'm just being honest...I think that very thought sometimes.

But I need to stop thinking that thought. If I'm praying, I need to have faith in God alone and stop taking any account of anything else.

Lord, Please help Christopher. Please make a way for him to feel Your Love. Please keep him safe wherever he is. Please bring parents who look into his eyes and see their son. Please make a way for him to be rescued.

Kathleen's Family's Blog

The Kimble's, Kathleen's family, got their blog up and running!


I still haven't gotten over my excitement that she has been chosen, she is loved, and she will, Lord willing, be rescued this year!

Answered Prayers

Guess what???

A certain little girl has a family that wants to adopt her!!

I am so happy that someone looked into that sweet little face and saw the treasure that she is.

I am praying that all of the details will be worked out, and that the Lord will bring it about. Hopefully they will be able to officially commit soon, and little Kathleen won't have to wait much longer.

UPDATE:  Kathleen is on My Family Found Me!!! I am so thankful that she has been found and that she is loved already!

I will go before you and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,

the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 

Isaiah 45:2-3

Supporting The Bible Orphan Ministry

I don’t know a lot about how ministries raise support.  Obviously churches pass the offering plate at their services, and I know that many missionaries visit churches to present their work. By doing so, churches often take an offering for the missionaries and some commit to ongoing support.

The way I see it, one of the greatest strengths of the Bible Orphan Ministry team is that they are Ukrainian. They minister to people of their own language and culture. There is a huge advantage in being able to communicate the gospel because they know how best to say things.

Some of the team members also know what it is like to be left in an orphanage, or to have some of the difficulties that the children they minister to experience. That also makes it possible for them to relate to the children and empathize with them like few other people could. They can say, “I’ve been there, I know what it’s like.” And then they can share about Jesus and what He has done in their lives, leaving Hope with children who before had none.

They also have an ongoing ministry to the same orphanages, which means they are able to build relationships and nurture the small seeds that are planted. They are not just doing short-term missions which provide a need, and then are never seen again. They are able to learn the names of the children, get to know them…truly love the children and give the children someone to look forward to and love in return. How precious is that?

On the flip side, one of the difficulties for the Bible Orphan Ministry is that they’re Ukrainian. They cannot just hop on a plane and come and share their work and their needs with the churches. Although, Alla does an excellent job on their blog sharing about the work they do.

The economic situation in their country makes it hard to raise support there. And the people they minister to can’t come to church and put something in the offering plate. So what is the answer?

I am a believer in THE Church. The Body of Christ, God’s family…made up of brothers and sister of the same Father. As The Church, I believe that we are to share what we have and help our brothers and sisters, no matter where they are. I Corinthians 12:16 tells us that if one part of the body suffers...all suffer.

The Bible Orphan Ministry sees the needs around them every day. They want to help. They share what they have. They pray and ask for the Lord’s provision for the needs.

Many of us already have a heart for the orphans of Eastern Europe. We have learned of the needs, and many of us are able to help. Even if we cannot travel and help the children ourselves, we can still be an answer to prayers. The Lord can use us to provide for the needs of these children by sending a donation to those who will use it right away to meet those needs.

Even the smallest gifts will be put to good use and will make a big difference. Please consider giving what you can to help.

 I love this picture. It's a picture of the children running to meet them. The children were waiting because they knew people who cared about them were coming to visit and spend time with them, to teach them a lesson from the Bible, and play with them. You can read more about it in this post from Bible Oprhan Ministry blog

iPad 2 & More Giveaway!!

Please check out  Five and Two Fish to see the awesome giveaway they are doing to raise funds for two great causes.

This is Teri Lynn. A sweet little one listed over at Reece's Rainbow

Teri Lynn is 4 1/2 already and needs a family to rescue her soon!

Her adoption grant is small. Brianna is her warrior. She and her family are hoping to raise money for her fund, and raise awareness about her to find her a family. Please consider donating and spreading the word about her.




They are also raising money and awareness for one of my favorite causes, Bible Orphan Ministry. The Bible Orphan Ministry needs our support for the incredible work they do. Please consider helping.

If you donate to both causes your number of entries will be doubled! You can also earn extra entries by sharing on your blog or facebook.

How long?

I wonder how long Kathleen will have to wait. Will she slip through the cracks and just keep waiting until she's one of the older girls?

When I first saw her back in October, I thought she would be claimed any day. How could she not be? She is so little and so cute. She is so in need of a family...how could she wait long?

Has anyone considered her? Does anyone else pray for her? She will be 4 this year. Does her baby house let them stay longer?

Please, Lord. Bring her family to her. Help them find her. If it's difficult for them, please clear the obstacles. In the meantime, please keep her safe. Provide for her needs. Shelter her heart and her mind. Hold her close until they come. Amen

Slipping Through the Cracks

So, how does a cute little guy like Christopher end up in an institution? I guess he just got missed. Nobody noticed him. Nobody wanted him in time. How could that happen?

Just like the older boys, all of the girls on the older girls page have gotten passed over. Helle over at The Noggie Bloggie is doing a fundraiser for the older girls. She is Brigita's warrior.

Brigita can't have her own fund. All of the older girls have one group fund, so Helle is raising awareness for Brigita, hoping to find her family, and raising money for the older girls' fund.

I love the older girls. It's heartbreaking that they've slipped through the cracks. They are treasures that no one has claimed.

Here are a just a few girls from that page. I have such a hard time understanding why they're still waiting.

This is Delia. She is the same age as my daughter, Hannah. She looks so sad.

 Hannah prays for her and hopes she will be adopted.

This is Anastasia. She's so beautiful. I don't understand why she still waits.

This is Heidi. She has already been transferred. Nobody rescued her in time. I hope someone rescues her from where she is. She needs a family.

This is Veronika. She's waited a long time. She looks so sweet. She needs someone to want her. Someone to love her for her.

When you donate to Bible Orphan Ministry

-You will be meeting a current need. Likely your gift will be used to put gas in the van to be able to drive to an orphanage, or used to buy craft supplies for an activity to go with the next Bible lesson, or to buy a treat to pass out to the children. It will not go into an account to be used in the future. It will likely be used this week to meet this week's needs.

-You will be giving to a small group. Bible Orphan Ministry isn't a large organization. It’s a team of just a few Christians who have a big, seemingly endless job. The people they minister to will not come to their church and contribute an offering to help with expenses. The people they minister to are locked up and the church must come to them. Our gifts are needed to bring the hands and feet of the Body to the least.

-You will be helping real people. Like I said, this is a small group of real people who go out and meet the needs of real people. I know of two adoptive RR moms who have personally met Misha, Alla and Oksana while adopting in Ukraine. One of the children adopted lived in an institution that the Bible Orphan team visited. They were instrumental in making her adoption possible.

-You will be making a difference. For many of the children, these are their only visitors. This is the only way they will learn about Jesus. The church must come to them. Many cannot read, so the Word must be shared with them in a way they can understand. They listen to a story, participate in a game or craft. They feel the love of Christ knowing that someone cares about them. When you donate you can specify how you’d like your donation to be used. There are so many ongoing needs. You can find a list of the most needed items here.

-You will be an answer to many prayers. The Bible Orphan Ministry team sees huge needs every day. They have answered the call and joyfully submit to do the work. They step out in faith, even though they don’t see how the needs will be supplied. The economic situation in their country makes it very difficult to raise support. But they pray constantly and ask the Lord to supply the needs of their ministry. Our gifts are truly an answer to their prayers.


‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25:37-40

Big red letters for Christopher

When I first read Christopher's description, I was surprised how it was just casually mentioned that he is already in an institution. No shouting. No big warning.

I'm sure it's because he was older when he was listed and he was probably put right to the the older boys page where a lot of boys are already in an institution. It's just a common thing on the page where Christopher is listed.The fact that they're older and they've been there longer makes it more of a big deal, not less.

Anyway, if only to make me feel better, here are Christopher's big red letters.

HELP!!!   I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED!!!!!

Beautiful

My daughter, Rachel put this together of some of our favorite RR kids. The song is by Mercy Me.

Christopher and Nick

Christopher was born in 2004. He's 6 1/2.

I have a little boy who was also born in 2004. He's 6 1/2 too. Nick is just a couple of months older than Christopher. Nick was born into our large family. From the time of his birth he was held close and nurtured and loved. He was surrounded by parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

 What were Christopher's first days like? Was he comforted when he cried? When no one came, did he eventually just stay quiet?

When my Nick was three he really only said a few words. When he was four he knew a few signs and could say some words that his family understood. As his mother, I was a little protective of him during this time. I was there to help him when he tried to communicate. I was there to help alleviate frustration. I was there to help prevent misunderstanding. His speech has really come along and he doesn't need that so much now. People understand him pretty well. He is more confident and less frustrated now that he has words.

I wonder who spoke up for Christopher? Who taught him and helped him through? Does he have any words at 6 1/2? Or like the the crying, did he eventually just give up and be quiet? Really, do words even have much of a place where his is? Do words matter when you are just shuffled through your same institutional routine day after day? When you are just surviving..just getting by. Does it matter if you use words to ask for something when you're just going to get what you get anyway? Does it matter if you use words to share thoughts or ask questions when no one has time to listen? Does it matter if you use words to say that someone hurt you when there is no one to tell?

Christopher is only 6 1/2.  I know in reference to adoption it sounds old, but if you don't have one, find a 6 1/2 year old boy and see that he is still a little boy. He still needs a Mama. Christopher needs someone to speak for him. To care about all of the little things that he needs. To cheer him on when he finds his words. He needs a family who will learn to understand his attempts and care about whatever he has to say.

I'm praying for Christopher. He seems buried on the RR boys 6+ page. I know I don't visit that page very often. I saw his sweet face on someone's blog one day. So that's why I'm holding him up too. For someone to find him...so he can be rescued.

Waiting for them

I spend my days surrounded by people. Never alone, but yet still lonely.

Even though there are always people with me, I somehow sense that they do not belong to me. I do not belong to them. We're just here. Waiting together.

I can't put it into words, but something in me longs to belong to someone. Longs for someone who belongs to me. Even though I don't even understand what a family is....I'm still waiting. Waiting for them to come. To take me home. To love me, take care of me, teach me things. To give me a chance. To give me a real life.

I hope I won't have to wait too long.

Heartbreaking

I read a very sad post on the Bible Orphan Ministry blog yesterday. The director of one of the orphanages they visit called to tell them one of the girls had died. Inna was twelve years old, but was very tiny for her age. She had Down's Syndrome. She had a heart condition and she had surgery, but not in time. They found that her ventricle had atrophied. They were unable to save her life.

The ministry team visited regularly where Inna lived. They had Bible lessons with the older girls. Obviously, the members of the team are heartbroken.

The orphanage administrator asked them to help with the funeral costs, but they didn't have the money to help. It must be so difficult to be surrounded by so many needs every day when you're only one small group with limited resources.

This is from the Bible Orphan Ministry blog:
  
This is unusual cemetery, because here buried children with special needs...
Some of them never saw a face their mommy, never heard warmly and tenderly words, never  played, never felt mothers hands, never played any game or with any toy, never saw sunshine or even breathe a fresh air...

We believe they are in the heaven with Jesus Christ, Who loves them so much that died for them on the cross and arise from the dead to give a new life! 

   

Baby Kathleen

 

The Harvest is Plentiful

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." Matthew 9:37

Recently, I thought of this verse as I looked at the faces of the many, many children listed on Reece's Rainbow that need families. There are just so many. They all need families. It seems impossible.

Today, my dear friend brought it to my attention how important the next verse is.

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:38

We are to ask the Lord to send the workers. We need to pray.We need to ask the Lord to send out families to scoop up these precious ones and keep them from perishing in the fields. This is so important. We need to keep praying.

There are enough families.

Some may need to have their eyes opened. Some may need to have their hearts broken. They will all need to learn to walk in faith. Nothing is impossible for God. He can do it all. It is all for His glory.

We need to pray and to keep praying.

Christopher

This is Christopher. He is 6 1/2 years old. How absolutely precious is he?

Christopher swj1-2H



Like Kathleen, Christopher is an orphan in Eastern Europe. Like Kathleen, Christopher has Down's Syndrome.

Unlike Kathleen, Christopher isn't living in a baby house. Christopher has already been transferred to an institution. When I read that, my heart just sank. There were no big red letters giving warning. It was just casually mentioned in his description. I looked at him, and thought...How in the world can that sweet little guy be in a mental institution?

If no one rescues him, he will stay there for as long as he lives.

Someone has to rescue him.

The older children on Reece's Rainbow do not have individual grants to help with their adoptions. There is an older child fund for the the boys and one for the girls. When a child gets a family committed to adopt them, that child gets whatever is in the fund to go toward their adoption expenses. Today the amount in that fund is $7529.00!!