New Fundraiser Coming Soon!

Like most people, we've been busy with the Christmas season upon us. I will be hosting another fundraiser starting January 1st. This one is not so big, but still a nice fundraiser, especially for adoptive, post adoptive, pre-adoptive parents. I have some books and a cd set I am going to be raffling off. The titles of the books are as follows:

1. Toddler Adoption - The Weaver's Craft by Mary Hopkins-Best
2. Help for the Hopeless Child - A Guide for Families by Dr. Ronald S. Federici
3. Born in Our Hearts - Stories of Adoption by Filis Casey and Marisa Catalina Casey

And also a Russian cd language and parenting guide set titled: Adopting from Russia. There are 2 cds, a set of several sheets of paper w/ pictures and words/phrases on them, and a language and parenting guide booklet.

All of these are from my personal collection. I read each book once or twice and listened to the cd maybe once. We adopted a Deaf child so we didn't need to know Russian b/c she didn't know Russian. But I got it to be able to talk with the other children at the orphanage and the caregivers and other people there. I didn't end up learning the language more than to say hello, goodbye, see you later, and thank you. Everything is in great almost new condition. 

I am raffling them off for $1.00 per chance to win one of them. There will be 4 winners in this drawing. It will start on January 1, 2011. It will be to raise funds for an orphan child from Reece's Rainbow. I have not decided which one, as the one I am thinking of doing it for may get adopted (or get a committed family) before then. So I will wait and see which one will get the funds when the time draws near. 

Check back on 1/1/11 for more details!

Another iPad Giveaway!!

I just found out about an iPad giveaway, actually TWO iPad Giveaways!! This time it's not my fundraiser, but I want to spread the word.

HERE is blog of a family in the process of adopting an adorable little girl with Down Syndrome. They are giving away an iPad to help raise funds to pay the ransom for their new daughter. CLICK HERE to visit their donation page on Reece's Rainbow. Any amount donated to their account will enter you into their iPad drawing. The winner will be drawn on December 15, 2010. 

A wonderful family adopted a little boy named Aaron a short time ago. He was living in an institution for a year when they adopted him and rescued him out of that place. They have been praying hard and advocating for 2 other little boys that became available for adoption when they adopted their son. There are only 2 boys available for adoption out of 100 "Lost Boys" as they call them. I have shared about these boys (Brady and Heath) HERE previously. For the past several weeks, this family has been a Reece's Rainbow "Christmas Warrior" for a little boy named Gavin. This is who the fundraiser is for. Someone donated an iPad for this family to giveaway to raise funds for Gavin. The winner will be drawn on December 19, 2010.

CLICK HERE to read more about this iPad fundraiser and to donate!

$5 = 1 entry
$10 = 2 entries
$20 = 5 entries
$35 = 9 entries
$50 = 13 entries
$75 = 19 entries
$100 = 25 entries
$150 = 40 entries

Pie in the Face Challenge

John Wright (from Act of Kindness blog) is a missionary to Kyrgyzstan (the country we adopted our daughter from). For the past 3 years, there has existed a Christmas time challenge called "Pie in the Face Challenge". It is a fundraiser to collect funds to bring Christmas to orphans and underprivileged children in Kyrgyzstan. $5 will bring Christmas to 1 child this Christmas. Their goal is to bring Christmas to over 2000 children in Kyrgyzstan this Christmas. So far $3,480 has been raised. That means 696 children will feel special this Christmas. They will feel like someone in this world actually cares about them. That they are not alone in this world. That they matter! Now, how can we tell the other 1,304 children they aren't important? They aren't special? For only $5, you can help "bring Christmas" to an orphaned child.


I personally know a missionary in Kyrgyzstan that is involved in helping to bring Christmas to a special needs orphanage. We stayed with her during our time in Kyrgyzstan. She has a huge heart for the orphan! Thanks to the Pie in the Face Challenge, she can help bring a smile to these kids faces. She can "bring Christmas" to children that otherwise would not get such a treat. 


There are many terrific people who have taken up the challenge to raise $500 and get a pie thrown in their face! Cindy LaJoy's family, Hilary Marques, Rebekah & Julie Wright (John Wright's daughter & wife), Jengish & Talant (Kyrgyzstan), and the "waiting families*". All of these people and more. You can choose which one you would like to see get a pie in the face! I was a challenger in this fundraiser last year. Though I did raise the $500, I somehow didn't ever get around to getting a pie thrown in my face! I will have to do that b/c that was the deal. When I do, I will post up the pictures here. It will be fun! 


Thanksgiving started up the Christmas pie Challenge. It was started 3 years ago when Cindy LaJoy on a whim suggested that if her friends donated $1000 for us to bring Christmas to the orphanage, then her boys could throw a pie in her face... Every year now since, others have stepped up to the plate along with Cindy to raise funds to "bring Christmas" to the orphans. 


This year is by far the most ambitious goal: $10,000 to bring Christmas to over 2000!


They had some exciting news...they have a donor that recognizes the need for not just a one  day celebration, but recognizes the need for on going advocacy for the children that LAMB International provides, so here is the deal...  for every $ donated this year, they will match $ for $ to the LAMb fund... What a blessing... all the more reason to be thankful...


So what are you waiting for? Skip the latte today and  CLICK HERE to donate $5 to help "bring Christmas" to orphans!


For anyone out there looking for ways to give to the needy, to the orphans, to the helpless, here is another great website to find ways to give: iam1ru

Update on Madelene

Remember the 24 hour challenge that I posted about on Wednesday, December 1st?

I just checked the Real Hope For Haiti blog and found out that $9897.00 was raised in 24 hours! Check it out! It's a great reminder about God's love for the "least of these".

This little 5 year old girl, Madelene, is struggling to survive. She only weighs 26 lbs at 5 years old. Her mom died giving birth to her younger sibling when Madelene was only 2. Her father works the fields every day to try to provide for his 10 children. He doesn't make enough money to provide food for his kids. Three of his children have died since his wife's passing. He is a Christian and loves his children dearly but can not provide for them, though he tries. Madelene has been passed around from relative to relative b/c of this. She has been severely neglected. She is in bad shape. She is lucky to be alive. She is struggling. But God has used His children to donate to raise almost $10,000 in 24 hours to help her and another family like hers.

Praise God for He is good!

Adoption Fundraisers

I will be doing a post to highlight some fundraisers that are going on. If you are in the process of adopting and raising funds for your adoption, or if you are doing a fundraiser to raise funds for orphans, let me know. Send me an email at mrsholly@hotmail.com to let me know who you are and what your fundraiser is all about. Don't forget to send a link to your post about your fundraiser on your blog as well.

You need to be a follower of this blog to be included. If you are not currently one of the followers, just click "follow" and type in your name and email address to become a follower. It's quick and painless. Then you can be included in this fundraisers post.

So there are 2 easy steps to be included to spread the word about your fundraiser:

1. Become a follower of this blog (if you're not already)

2. Send me an email (mrsholly@hotmail.com) with a link to your blog post about your fundraiser, and let me know who you are (name & "follower" name), and what your fundraiser is about.

God bless!

NEW TOTALS!!

I now have a final tally of the funds God raised for the orphans through this fundraiser!

The donations made through the Chip In's on this blog were as follows:


$895 for the Older Boys with DS


$990 for the Older Girls with DS


$1,135 for the Older Other Angels!

There were 2 $5 donations for the Older Boys with DS sent directly to Reece's Rainbow (not through Chip In), and our biggest donation of the entire fundraiser was actually sent out by check to Reece's Rainbow in the amount of $450!! So now the final total is

$3,480!!

Maxim (Older Boy w/ DS)

That's $1,285 for the Older Boys with Down Syndrome Adoption Grant!

Shawna (Older Girl w/ DS)

That's $1,140 for the Older Girls with Down Syndrome Adoption Grant!

Inna (Older Other Angel)

Evan (Older Other Angel)

And that's $1,285 for the Older Other Angel Adoption Grant!

 Praise God!! Yippee Jesus!! Thank you Lord for your love for these little children!


Here is a video clip for Reece's Rainbow. It's the annual Christmas "Angel Tree" for 2010. I wish the sound worked but You Tube disabled it. It's a nice video clip either way though.

24 hour Challenge....are you in?

I know it may be a little too soon to start up another challenge, but I feel led to post about this challenge I just found out about.

It's a 24 hour challenge. It started at 8:20 p.m. Haiti time. So that means the challenge will end on 12/02/10 at 7:20 CST (Texas time).


There is a wonderful organization called the "Haiti Rescue Center" and their blog is "Real Hope for Haiti". These people help save lives every day. Many of the lives they save are malnourished and neglected children. These children come into the rescue center very sick, some at death's doorstep. Their families sometimes walk for days to get to the rescue center. The great people at the rescue center take these children in and nurse them back to health so they can be reunited with their family. They have also been helping people who are sick with Cholera ever since the Cholera outbreak. People can't make it all the way to the town where the hospital is. So the Rescue Center set up tents and treats patients outside in tents. You have to check out this blog and see the pictures, read the stories. It will break your heart, and hopefully move your heart to help.

This is a great opportunity to see your small offerings be multiplied (and quickly at that!) by our God who loves His children! There is a family in Texas that wrote to them today and told them they would match up to $1,000 to help these families that struggle so tremendously just to provide for their children. However, the funds must be raised within 24 hours! If you are reading this, and it's not yet 7:20 CST on 12/02 then you can help out too!

I've seen my Almighty God move in mighty ways over the past couple of days! I know He can raise the $1,000 in 24 hours time! A 24 hour challenge......are you in?

Join in on what God is doing over at Real Hope For Haiti!

Who Won??

We used an online random number generator

to select the winners. I say winners with an "S" b/c

we have a winner for the $10 ice cream gift card,

a winner for the $25 Amazon gift card, 

AND of course, the winner of the iPad! 

The winner of the $10 Cold Stone Creamery Gift Card is:

Brandy Freeman (bnnzion)!  Congratulations Brandy on 

your free ice cream! Yum!

The winner of the $25 Amazon gift card is:

one of my "followers", LISA from findingrealityinhim 

Congratulations Lisa on your $25 Amazon gift card!  

Using a random number generator online,

we input all 953 entries! 

And the winner of the brand new Apple iPad is.....

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

.........

JAYME BAXTER!!!

CONGRATULATIONS JAYME on winning the iPad!!! 

I have sent you an email, please respond

so I can get the iPad sent out to you! 

Jesus Loves the Orphans

What do these special needs orphans have to smile about? Well, how about the fact that the God of the universe that loves them more deeply than we could ever imagine, just raised $2,995 toward their grants to help them get adopted! Thank you Jesus!

"Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world! Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world!"

The "Older Boys with Down Syndrome" are getting $895 in their adoption grant fund!

Ruslan

The "Older Girls with Down Syndrome" are getting $990 in their adoption grant fund!

Natalia

AND last but certainly not least, 

The "Older Other Angels" are getting $1,110 in their adoption grant fund!

Gregory J.

Selina (Older Other Angel)

Yippee Jesus!

In the words of Linny over at A Place Called Simplicity: "Yippee Jesus!!"

Thank you Lord for loving these kids! You have not forgotten them! I know You will raise up families for these precious little ones! All glory and honor to You!

I am humbled and amazed at what God has done and is still doing with this fundraiser. All I did was give Him an iPad for His birthday. He did the rest. I am praying He will handpick who gets to be the steward of His iPad. :0) All of you who donated have given Him a birthday/Christmas present as well.

 Matthew 25:40 "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.’

I am so very thankful for each and every donation no matter how small!! It all adds up (as you can see)! A BIG "Thank you" to every one of you who donated! Thank you to everyone who spread the word about this fundraiser! A special thank you to Linny from A Place Called Simplicity for dedicating an entire post to our fundraiser; to Adeye from No Greater Joy Mom for putting our fundraiser information on her fundraising families page (top of the list at that!); and last but certainly not least, to my good friend Kristin from Kristin Creative who dedicated, not one, not two, but three entire blog posts to this fundraiser!

There is still a little time left to donate! Every cent of your donation goes directly to Reece's Rainbow and is tax deductible. All of it will be placed in 1 of 3 Older Child Adoption Grants to help pay the ransom for these children so they can live in a family of their very own and never have to be tied to a crib, neglected and/or abused. Every child deserves to grow up in a family. These children with special needs are no different. There are no shortage of families willing to adopt special needs children, sadly there is almost always a lack of funds to do so. These adoption grants help families bring home their older special needs children! God bless you for caring about these little ones, the "least of these".

SMILE

I have been doing a whole lot of THIS today!

Praise God for all of these beautiful hearts that I have witnessed pouring out His love for the orphans! Every single donation, no matter how small, brings a family one step closer to paying the ransom ($20,000-$40,000) for their special little one! All of these children need a family of their own. They need rescuing out of institutions. They need YOUR help! 80% of the children that are transferred to a mental institution will not survive their first year there. With your help, your donation, these kiddos could be home with their new families by next Christmas! Let's help bring a smile to these faces!

Matvey (Older Other Angel)

Boy, Born August 28, 2004 SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!

Matvey is such a cute little boy, with blonde curls!   He is cognitively delayed, but does not seem to have any official diagnosis other than that.  He has amazing potential!!   He is already 3 1/2 and will be transferred to the institution after the summer.  Please give this little guy a chance to fulfill his potential!    One of our own adoptive families who visited with him in March 2008 shared this with us:  “  This little guy did NOT want to be photographed!  He was quite happy doing whatever he was doing before being brought into the room but having his picture taken was not high on his priority list.  He has deep mental delay (understand that this is according to Eastern European standards he was more aware and alert than a child with Down syndrome might be at the same age).  I can't tell you his eye color because he down-right refused to look at me, but those blonde curls sure were cute!

Jason (Older Other Angel)

Boy, Born April 10, 2003
HELP!  I have been transferred to a remote institution, with no hope of finding my family without you!

Julie (Older Girl w/ DS)

Girl, Born June 19, 2002
MORE INFO COMING, PLEASE CHECK BACK

Lucy (Older Girl w/ DS)

Girl, Born on December 20, 2004
Miss Lucy is just precious! She is 5 years old and waiting for her family. She is healthy besides her strabismus, and is doing very well!! Lucy is described as playful and happy. She attends a school for children with special needs, and recieves multiple therapies and special education. She is improving every day and she is very smart. She will truly benefit from having a loving family of her own.

Adam (Older Boy w/ DS)

Boy, Born March 14, 2001
Adam is a darling little boy who clearly says “no thanks!” to the camera!    The photo we have is outdated, but he is doing well.   Adam has sandy blonde hair.  He is totally healthy and waiting for his forever family! He does have strabismus in both eyes.   He is walking and doing his best to keep up with his peers.  He has been integrated into a mainstream kindergarten for a year now!  Socially he is a bit isolated, his speech is not very good, and he will need lots of help.  But environment is so important, and the encouragement and models in a loving family will make a world of difference for this muffin! 

Braden (older Boy w/ DS)

Date of Birth: December 2004
Gender: Male
Eyes: Gray
Hair: light brown
Character: A boy with a desire to come into contact with an adult, but selectively. Likes to do individually. Flirts with an adult (smiles, laughs, pulls the clothes), loves to cuddle, affectionate. If the offense – covers his face with his hands, but quickly calmed down. It is very fastidious and capricious to the food.

Kiersten (Older Other Angel)

Girl, Born April 1, 2000

Isn't Kiersten beautiful?  She is  10 years old but is still very much a toddler.   She is not able to walk on her own.  There is nothing in her medical records to indicate why she is so delayed, and she does not show obvious facial features of any other common conditions.    

From her medical records: significant mental delay, congenital hypothyroidism

Natalia (Older Other Angel)

Girl, Born March 6, 2003

Natalia is a GORGEOUS little girl with brown hair and giant blue eyes.   She is 6 years old.   She is a very smart little girl, but her medical records show cognitive delay and some epileptic issues.   Her seizures are infrequent, and she does take medication to control it.   Her cognitive delay is likely a result of the seizures though.   She also has some strabismus (crossed/lazy eye), but this can be corrected in the US.  Natalia is able to speak, and when our missionary asked her if she would tell us something , she was trying to rehearse a little poem!  Natalia is not able to walk on her own.  She is carried everywhere.   We are uncertain as to WHY this is, but can only know in our hearts that her life will be greatly improved to have therapy and a family of her own.   She is a very nice little girl, happy and friendly and beautiful.   She will truly thrive in a family environment.

Pull on My Heartstrings

I just spent about an hour and a half watching some videos on YouTube. I don't normally do that. I actually don't believe I have ever done that. However, this was something that really pulled on my heart strings. I ended up in tears more than once. These were clips from a documentary of sorts about disabled children being warehoused in institutions. It showed an up close and personal view of these children & how neglect and abuse affected them in every negative way possible. If you have time, watch all of the clips 1-6. If you only have time to watch a couple, take a look at the ones I posted on this blog. WARNING: THESE CLIPS ARE NOT FOR CHILDREN TO VIEW B/C OF THE CONTENT IT MAY BE TOO DISTURBING FOR YOUNG VIEWERS! The first one shows what the children were like when they first met them. The next shows what happened when a few of them got transferred OUT of the institution and into a better "group" home. The last one shows more of what they are like after being transferred out of that horrible institution. It is truly amazing how these children can thrive when they receive therapy and better care. Just think how much better off they would be if they actually had a loving family to grow up in!

Here are some of the children your donations could help save from institutions similar to the one you can view in  the clips. To my knowledge, these children are not in the same country as the ones in the clips but many countries have the same type institutions for their special needs children. Your donation of $5 or more will help pay the ransom for one of these children. All of the children in the pictures on this blog are on Reece's Rainbow's waiting child listing. Your donation will help bring a family one step closer to saving their new child from a life of in an institution and help bring them home to grow up in a loving family like every child deserves!

Psalm 82:3 "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed."

Vitaly (Older Other Angel)

Boy, Born January 14, 2005
Little Vitaly is so handsome, with his dark hair and eyes!   Vitaly was born with CP and is not able to walk at this time.    He is moderately cognitively delayed, but will regress every day he is in this place.  He is already living in an institution, and he needs to be rescued desperately.   Otherwise he will never have a chance to walk, never have the opportunity for surgery or therapy.

Lynette (Older Girl w/ DS)

Girl, Born October 4, 2000
Main diagnosis: Down syndrome, significant delay

Janine (Older Other Angel)

MED INFO COMING, CHECK BACK SOON

Kyle (Older Boy w/ DS)

Boy, Born March 11, 2004

Main diagnosis: Down syndrome, stabismus
Kyle has already been transferred to a mental institution.

Kyle was born with a heart condition and anal atresia, but both have been surgically corrected and he is now perfectly healthy. Kyle walks, pronounces combinations of words and seeks out physical contact and attention. He has difficulty with his attention span and his development is delayed. However, he still shows a desire to learn and interact.

A Look Inside an Institution (part 1)

What Better Care Can Do (part 4)

A Brighter Future (part 6)

FAQ

I want to answer some questions publicly now in case anyone else is wondering the same thing.

Q: Will you keep the money that people donate to pay for the iPad and then give the rest to Reece's Rainbow?
A: No. We don't even see one penny of the funds donated. Every cent goes directly to Reece's Rainbow. We are paying for the iPad with our money that we wanted to help the orphans with. We pay the same no matter if $1 is raised, or $1,000 is raised. It's our contribution to helping these orphans.

Q: Why didn't you just donate the money directly to Reece's Rainbow instead of buying an iPad to raffle off?
A: We did this raffle in hopes God would bring in more money for the orphans than we had to donate. AND HE HAS! Praise God!

Q: What are you getting out of this?
A: The same thing everyone else that donates to this raffle is getting out of it....the sweet feeling of knowing you had a hand in helping the "least of these". (Granted, one lucky donor will also get an iPad! But most of the rest of us will just be happy to know we helped orphans in need!)

Look at these precious children that God has called us to look after. In many countries, children with special needs are sent off to mental institutions between the ages of 3-6 years old. Once there, 80% of these children will die within a year. Those that do survive their first year in the institution will face a lifetime of struggle to survive in these conditions. Many special needs children will be tied to cribs and beds and forced to remain bedridden the rest of their lives. All of the children posted on this blog qualify for 1 of the 3 Older Child Grants that your donation is going to. With most international adoptions costing families between $20,000-$40,000, The grants are there to help lessen the financial burden of adoption. There is no shortage of families willing to adopt special needs children, sadly there is almost always a shortage of funds standing in their way! Help us raise funds to help save these children!

James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Atrem (Older Other Angel)

Date of Birth : March 2003
Gender : Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: brown
Character: active, sociable

From a missionary who visited with him recently:  “  Artyem is blind.  He was born in March 2003.  He is a very social boy and my name reminded him of some poem/song so he started singing it over and over to me.  He likes to be held and a lot of contact.  He gave me the impression of being smart as he felt my entire face, nose, ears, hair, everything to try to get a picture of what I looked like.  I think he would learn English really fast.  We were trying to color these things we were putting together (and even though he couldn’t see it I was trying to help him so it just wouldn’t be blank when put up with the other kids).  He didn’t want to color it but just put it together and I said you need to color it first.  He started repeating in English to me over and over…..you need to color it first, you need to color it first."

Alisha (Older Other Angel)

Girl, Born March 24, 2003

Alisha was born with Penn-Sjogren Syndrome.     We do not have any other info indicating why she may be cognitively and physically delayed.

From her medical records:  Penn-Sjogren Syndrome

As with all children living in these difficult conditions,  this child’s cognitive development has regressed significantly since he/she was younger.  It is of crucial importance that any family considering the adoption of an older child from the mental institution setting be well prepared for what to expect with regards to how the neglect and lack of adequate medical care and nourishment has affected this child.    These children all have TREMENDOUS potential for improvement, and deserve to have a life outside these four walls. 

These children are truly living on borrowed time, and families should be home study approved before an official commitment can be made for this child.

Elizabeth (Older Girl w/ DS)

  Date of Birth: August 2003
Gender: Female
Eyes: Gray
Hair: dark brownThis sweet girl is almost 7 years old.   We are so hopeful to find a family for her!  Elizabeth is so beautiful, and she loves to care for her baby dolls.  She is active, intelligent, social, helpful, and an orphanage favorite.   She does wear glasses, but who knows if they are the right prescription for her?  Elizabeth will do very well in a family setting, and I hope someone will "baby" HER very soon! 

From her medical records:  Down Syndrome, moderate mental deficiency, atopic dermatitis; delay in growth, amblyopia of high degree, congenital myopia with astigmatism

Samuel (Older Boy w/ DS)

 
Boy, Born June 3, 2003
Samuel has Down syndrome, an undescended testicle & flat feet. He also has a functional heart murmur that does not require therapy. He is integrated in a room with healthy children. He walks independently. He can drink out of a cup but still requires assistance with feeding. He carries our simple verbal instructions.  He seeks out the company of adults. His development is delayed in all areas.
His medical report was updated in March 2010.
The photo is from 2009.
SINGLE MOMS, OLDER PARENTS, & LARGE FAMILIES WELCOME, EASY TRAVEL

Adoption is the Option

Adoption is the only option for these children. We can't settle for less b/c less means they will either be sent away to a mental institution where they may be tied to cribs/beds and be forced to remain bedridden for the rest of their short lives. 80% of the children transferred to mental institutions will die within the first year of being there. If they do manage to survive their first year there, they will face a lifetime struggle just to survive. They will live at the institution until they die. In most instances, they are hidden away in shame from public view. If these children are lucky enough to be in a region that does not send them to mental institutions then they will grow up in orphanages and get kicked out on the street around 16 years old. The harsh streets of their society will not have a place for special needs teenagers any more than it has a place for them now. In many countries, anyone who has a disability is looked down upon, viewed as "less than". There are no jobs readily available to them. They have nothing. But with a donation of $5 or more, you can help these children get adopted before it's too late for them! YOU can make a difference! Donate by clicking a "Chip In" button on one of the three boxes at the top of this blog. If you donate as little as $5, you will be entered in the raffle for the brand new iPad! Please see the top of this blog for more details. Thank you for opening your heart to these orphaned children with special needs!

Felix (Older Boy w/ DS)

Boy, Born October 20, 2003
What a cutie!  Betcha he is a handful!  Felix recently turned 7 years old.  He is blessed to be at more of an internat than the institution.  He doesn't have many words of his own, but his receptive understanding is very good.  He is potty trained and does ask to go to the bathroom.  He is described by his caregivers as very friendly and quite the comedian! 
More photos available, married couples only.

Sadler (Older Other Angel)

Boy, Born June 20, 2005
What a handsome little guy!   Sadler has a glowing smile and gorgeous blue eyes!   He was born HIV+.   He is living in the same internat with FELIX (with Down syndrome) and could be adopted together.  Sadler is a typically developing child.  He is smart, healthy, active, and friendly.  He very much wants a family of his own.
More photos available, married couples only.

Angelina (Older Girl w/ DS)

Date of Birth: July 8, 2004
Gender: Female
Eyes: Brown
Hair: dark brown


Angelina is diagnosed with:   Down syndrome, moderate mental deficiency; congenital myopia of high degree with astigmatism, amblyopia of high degree, retinal angiopathy; dermatitis; allergic rhinitis; adenoids; liquefaction of the 1^st degree; additional chord of the left ventricle of heart, but  there is no heart disease.
Though Angelina doesn’t talk much – only some separate words, she is a sociable child. She interacts with adults and other children, and has one close friend Elizaveta whom she spends most of the time.  When Elizaveta was taken to hospital Angelina missed her much.
Judging by Angelina’s face expression, and her behavior reactions she understands adults’ speech adequately. She can fulfill caregivers’ directions. She likes to play plot games (especially with baby dolls and hairdresser set) and she also likes meccano, and coloring books.   Angelina can wash her face, hands and get dressed without anyone’s help. She eats with a spoon and drinks from a cup. She has a VERY good appetite and sleeps well. She is potty (toilet) trained.

Miranda (Older Other Angel)

Girl, Born August 25, 2004

Cerebral Palsy

SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!

 

What a beautiful little girl!    Wispy blonde hair and bright blue eyes!  Miranda is healthy and developing well out side of her CP.    She is an orphanage favorite.   Waiting for more info on her ability to walk/speak, etc.  She is nearing 6 is facing transfer.

Win One of These

Win a brand new iPad and help special needs orphans in the process! Pretty sweet deal, huh?

Donate by clicking on a "Chip In" found at the top of this blog. $5 = 1 entry in the raffle for the iPad. $20 = 5 entries in the raffle for the iPad! Winner will be randomly selected on December 1, 2010. Last day to donate is November 30, 2010.

You Can Help

In many different countries, orphaned children with disabilities are transferred to mental institutions after "aging out" of the baby orphanage. These children can be anywhere from 3-6 years old when they "age out" and are placed in adult mental institutions. This is no place for a child! Many will be tied to cribs and beds, neglected and/or abused. Tragically, 80% of these special needs children do not survive their first year in the mental institutions. The ones that do survive, will spend the remainder of their lives hidden away in these institutions b/c there is no place for them in their society. Their only hope is to be adopted. There is no shortage of families willing to adopt special needs orphans, only a lack of funds.

This is where YOU come in to the picture. Donate as little as $5 or as much as you can. A $5 donation to this fundraiser will give you 1 entry into our raffle for a brand new iPad. Donating is quick and easy to do. All you do is choose which "Chip In" you want to donate to. You will find the "Chip In's" at the top of this blog. You can choose between 1. Older Other Angels (these are orphans with varying special needs other than Down Syndrome/"DS")  2. Older Boys with DS   3. Older Girls with DS. Just click on the "Chip In" button of your choice. Follow the simple directions to make your donation. Then let me know who you are and how much you donate so I can enter you into the raffle the correct number of times.

Every cent of your donation goes directly to Reece's Rainbow and into one of the three older child adoption grant funds. The grants help lessen the financial burden of adopting these precious children. Every donation helps bring a family one step closer to rescuing one of these special children by adopting them into their family. November 30, 2010 is the last day to donate to this fundraiser! Please don't delay, make your donation to help save these children today! The winner of the iPad will be randomly selected on December 1, 2010.

iPad raffle entries:

$5 = 1 entry
$10 = 2 entries
$15 = 3 entries
$20 = 5 entries
$25 = 6 entries
$30 = 7 entries
$35 = 8 entries
$40 = 10 entries
$45 = 11 entries
$50 = 16 entries
$55 = 17 entries
$60 = 18 entries
$65 = 19 entries
$70 = 20 entries
$75 = 21 entries
$80 = 22 entries
$85 = 23 entries
$90 = 24 entries
$95 = 25 entries
$100 = 35 entries
AND
$150 = 55 entries

Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do right; seek justice.
   Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
   plead the case of the widow.

SWEET!

You could win a brand new iPad! A donation of as little as $5 will get you 1 entry into the raffle for the iPad. A donation of $20 will get you 5 entries, $50 will get you 16 entries! The winner of the iPad will be randomly selected on December 1, 2010 so the last day to donate will be November 30, 2010. 

I agree, it would be pretty sweet to win a brand new iPad. The only thing sweeter is knowing you had a hand in helping to save the lives of special needs orphans. These are some of the precious little ones you could be helping with your donation:

Bobby (Older Other Angel)

Boy, Born February 7, 2004 SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
Diagnosis: cerebral palsy, mental delay, secondary cardiopathy.   Unable to walk at this time.
HELP!  I have been transferred to a remote institution, where I will remain bedridden for life.  I have no hope without you!

Maksim (Older Boys with DS)

Date of Birth: June 2004
Gender: Male
Eyes: Gray
Hair: light brown
Nature: Quiet …look at those beautiful eyes!

Dawn (Older Girls with DS)

Girl, Born February 15, 2001
Dawn is just too cute! This photos was taken in 2004, we are hoping for a more recent one soon.
Dawn was born inborn cardiac malformation -intra-auricular defect – secundim type, persisting arterial channel. She lags behind in her mental development.

Ellen (Older Other Angel)

Girl, Born September 21, 2004 From her medical records:  congenital brain malformation, hydrocephaly, spastic tetraparesis, optic atrophy, severe delay of psychomotor development
Ellen has likely already been transferred to the institution.  She needs a family who can love her, provide her with necessary medical care, and help her be all God intended for her!

Enter to Win an iPad ~ Help Orphans w/ Special Needs

Matthew 25:40 “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.’

We are raffling off a brand new iPad to raise money to help save these children. Every cent you donate goes directly to Reece's Rainbow and into one of the three Older Child Adoption Grants for these kiddos. Donate by clicking on a Chip In on this blog. You can choose to donate to the "Older Boys with DS (Down Syndrome)" grant, the "Older Girls with DS" grant, or the "Older Other Angels" grant which is the grant for children with special needs other than DS. Every child deserves to grow up in a loving family of their very own. No child deserves to be tied to a crib for the rest of their lives. Please donate today! The last day to donate is November 30th. The drawing for the iPad will be on December 1st.

All of these children qualify for the older child adoption grants on Reece's Rainbow. 

Sasha (Older Boy with DS)

Boy, Born March 13, 2004

SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!

Sasha is a precious little gift from God.  He is 6 years old, but is not able to do much of anything right now.  He is very much still a baby.  He may have CP as well, but is considered severely delayed.  He does a lot of rocking…in his crib, in his stroller…to keep himself occupied.  He has teeth marks in his tongue from chewing on it from boredom.   We do not know if he truly has autism, or he is just so severely impacted by the CP or other birth trauma that the caregivers can’t really do much with him, and he turns to himself to soothe.

Sasha desperately needs a loving family, and experienced, patient family who can celebrate every step of progress as a miracle of God!   I can’t wait to see the person he becomes when he has a family to love him and encourage him.  He will surely remain bedridden for life if he is sent away, and he is facing that soon.

Please save Sasha!

Liliana (Older Girl with DS)

 Girl, Born November 25, 2000
Main diagnosis: Down Syndrome; Lagging behind in her neuro-psychical development; The photo is
old but I am requested an updated one;
Full medical info available.

Ozzie (Older Other Angel)

Boy, DOB: July 03, 2004
 Main diagnosis:  clinically healthy and in good general condition with neuropsychological delays.
Ozzie just turned 6 years old and is doing very well. He is physically healthy and does not have any physical delays. Despite initial delays in motor skills, he can now walk, run, climb and jump. He was born with hydrocephaly but it is not currently developing.
Ozzie does have developmental delays, most of which are a result of living in an orphanage his entire life. He was just tested in June 2o10 and psychological testing indicates that he has borderline mild mental delays. However, test scores from 2009 and 2010 show significant improvements in scores.
Ozzie can count to 10 independently, has speech skills appropriate for his age, understands everything that is said to him and follows verbal directions. He can name all of his body parts, sing along with songs and participates in games with other children. He undresses himself independently and is learning to dress himself, eats independently and is potty trained.

Berkeley (Older Other Angel)

Girl, Born October 22, 2003
SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
What a stunning, happy little girl!  Berkeley has long blonde hair and beautiful brown eyes.    She was born with clubbed feet, but is able to walk holding on to a fence or hands or the wall.  She is very determined and tries to do everything on her own.  Surgery and therapy could change this little girl’s life!
Berkeley does have strabismus (crossed eye), her records indicate hydrocephaly, but she certainly seems to be doing fine and not showing any signs of cognitive difficulty from that.  She also has hypoplasia of her right kidney.  From her medical records:  The girl had spinal hernia like little Alexei who was adopted recently from Antoshka, the hernia was successfully operated, that is why the girl can walk now.   As the result of that hernia the girl has incontinence of urine.   Hydrocephaly.   She has shunt in the brain which should be there for few more years.   She is very kind and loving and has lots of friends. ”
Berkeley has SO much potential, and will do so well in a loving family environment!

What's This All About?

Here is what it's all about in a nutshell:

1. This raffle is for a brand new iPad.

2. Last day to donate is November 30, 2010.

3. The iPad winner will be randomly selected on December 1, 2010.

4. All donations go directly to Reece's Rainbow and are tax deductible.

5. To donate, just click on 1 of the 3 "Chip In's" on this blog and donate $5 or more.

6. Let me know which "Chip In" account you donated to and how much so I can enter you into the iPad raffle the correct number of times. (You can leave a comment on this blog or email me at mrsholly@hotmail.com)

$5 = 1 entry
$20 = 5 entries
$50 = 16 entries
$100 = 35 entries
$150 = 55 entries

You will also get 1 entry in a raffle for a $10 Cold Stone Creamery gift card for every $50 you donate. This is in addition to the iPad raffle entries. Free ice cream....yum!

I want to take a post to explain what this fundraiser is all about. We wanted to donate some money to the orphans. We know Reece's Rainbow is a wonderful charity and my husband even created & donated their website a year or so ago. There was no question where we would donate the money. We knew we wanted to donate to help the children on Reece's Rainbow. However, we decided instead of donating the money, we would use that money to purchase a brand new iPad and raffle it off in hopes that it would bring in even more money for the orphans then what we originally had to donate.

Why an iPad? Well, besides the fact that everyone loves new shiny electronic gadgets, and besides the fact that iPads are really cool. The main reason is that I've witnessed one iPad raffle bring in $2,000 in one month and one miraculous iPad raffle bring in over $20,000 in only a few days! All for orphans! This is why we decided to do this raffle for an iPad.

James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."


We decided to focus on raising funds for the "older" orphans. These children are usually between the ages of 6-10 years old. It is harder to find families for older children, and especially older children with special needs. In a lot of other countries, orphaned children with special needs are sent off to adult mental institutions at the ripe old age of 3 or 4 years old. Some are lucky enough to stay in the baby orphanages until they are 5 or 6 but then get transferred to the mental institutions. These precious little ones have only a 20% chance to survive their first year at the mental institutions. Many are tied to cribs and remain bedridden for the rest of their short lives. Others are left to fend for themselves along with other special needs children of varying ages, special needs adults, and mentally ill adults.

I don't have the gall to ask God why He allows things like this to happen, for fear He would ask me the same thing.

Together, we can make a difference. These precious children can be saved. They need a family of their own to grow up in. Every cent donated brings a family one step closer to bringing their child home. Every donation helps! The last day to donate is November 30. Please donate today!



Please join with me and spread the word about this fundraiser. If the goal of $500 in each Chip In account is going to be reach, I need YOUR help! If you post about this fundraiser with a link to this blog on your blog, facebook, twitter, and/or myspace, or if you send out a group email to all your friends (and include me on the email list) I will enter you in the Cold Stone Creamery raffle as well. Who wouldn't like some free ice cream? Just put up a post about the fundraiser with a link to this blog, then send me an email at mrsholly@hotmail.com with a link to your post and you will be entered to win some free ice cream. Yum! Be sure to put in the title of your email something about this blog so I know it's not spam. Thanks!

And remember, you can be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card if you become a follower of this blog before December 1st. All you gotta do is click the "Follow" button on the sidebar and put in your email address. It will not show your email address to anyone. It is just needed for you to follow the blog. They do not use it to send you spam mail or anything like that.

And last but certainly not least, prayer is needed! Pray for this fundraiser and for God to raise up families to step forward and adopt these precious children with special needs! God bless you for caring!