Tuesday, November 30, 2010

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".

Monday, November 29, 2010

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.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

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)

Friday, November 26, 2010

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

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

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 1st 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.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

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.

Monday, November 22, 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!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

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!

Friday, November 19, 2010

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!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Little Darlings

Help save these precious darlings from life in an institution! They all deserve a loving family of their very own. Donate as little as $5 or as much as you can ($5 = 1 entry for iPad raffle). International adoptions can cost anywhere between $20,000-$40,000. Every penny donated helps bring a family one step closer to bringing home one of these little ones. Your entire donation will go directly to Reece's Rainbow into an older child adoption grant fund and is tax deductible. These are 3 of the older girls with Down Syndrome who are eligible for the grant for Older girls with DS. Donating is easy. Just click on a "Chip In" at the top of this blog to make a donation. 

Tara


Girl, Born September 30, 2002
China
She is extroverted and can express her feelings very well. When she is happy she will greet you warmly and embrace you enthusiastically; if she thinks that she was treated wrongly she will make sharp sound and cry loudly to blow off her discontent. She has made great physical progress and can go up and down stairs and loves to dance around!









Claire



Date of Birth: June 2004
Gender: Female
Eyes: Blue
Hair: light brown
Character: sociable












Miranda





Girl, Born May 30, 2002
MORE INFO COMING, PLEASE CHECK BACK

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

What is an iPad?

You could win a brand new iPad of your very own!






$5 = 1 entry in the raffle for the iPad. $20 = 5 entries, $50 = 16 entries (+ 1 entry for a Cold Stone Creamery gift card). See the previous post for more details.

Donating is as easy as clicking on 1 of the 3 "Chip In" widgets at the top of this blog. All donations are tax deductible and go straight to Reece's Rainbow (charity) to help orphans with special needs!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

$500 goal

I was shooting for a higher goal, but right now my goal is to see $500 in each of the 3 Chip In accounts by the end of this fundraiser. EVERY CENT OF YOUR DONATION WILL GO DIRECTLY TO REECE'S RAINBOW & INTO AN OLDER CHILD ADOPTION GRANT FUND. With most international adoptions costing families between $20,000-$40,000 every cent donated to a grant fund helps bring them one step closer to bringing home their child. To rescuing one of these special kiddos out of an institution and into a loving family of their very own. The last day to donate to this fundraiser is November 30th and the drawing for the iPad winner will be on December 1st. I am now offering a little more incentive:


$5 = 1 entry in the iPad raffle

$10 = 2 entries in the iPad raffle

$15 = 3 entries in the iPad raffle

$20 = 5 entries in the iPad raffle

$25 = 6 entries in the iPad raffle

$30 = 7 entries in the iPad raffle

$35 = 8 entries in the iPad raffle

$40 = 10 entries in the iPad raffle

$45 = 11 entries in the iPad raffle

$50 = 16 entries in the iPad raffle + 1 entry for a $10 Cold Stone Creamery gift card


All donations are tax deductible so please give liberally! Donate by clicking one of the "Chip In" buttons on the side bar. For every $5 you donate you get 1 entry in the raffle for the iPad. For every $20 you donate you get 5 entries in the raffle. For every $50 you donate, you get 16 entries in the raffle for the iPad + you get 1 entry in a raffle for a $10 Cold Stone Creamery gift card. And don't worry, if you already made a donation, you will get the same amount of entries as you would if you 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!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Look After Orphans

James 1:27

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.


I want you to meet a few children that are already living in mental institutions. There is no place for them in their society. They will be hidden away in shame from public view, in a mental institution for the rest of their lives. Not because they are mentally ill, or committed a heinous crime. No, just because they happen to be orphans with special needs. 80% of the children transferred to mental institutions will die within the first year after being transferred. Please donate $5 or more to help them get rescued out of these institutions and into a loving family of their very own. Every child deserves to grow up in a loving family, and not be locked away in some institution. Click on one of the "Chip In" to donate. Every cent of your donation goes directly to Reece's Rainbow into an adoption grant fund to help the older children with special needs get adopted. For every $5 you donate, I will give you 1 entry into the raffle for a brand new iPad!

Anna "Older Other Angel"

Anna S.
Date of Birth: June 2002
Gender: Female
Eyes: Green
Hair: blond
Character: sociable, emotional
  
Anna is a sweet 8 year old girl who is waiting for a forever family.  We are hoping for more pics and medical info, but she seems as though she was either burned in a fire or some other accident.



Silas "Older Other Angel"


Boy, born on November 29, 2004  
Silas is a handsome little boy with brown hair and big brown eyes.  He is affectionate and has a glowing personality.   He is engaging, alert, and aware.  He was born with CP and all of his limbs are affected by the spasticity.    he has also has strabismus, which could be corrected with surgery.   He is not able to walk, but will truly blossom in a loving family who can provide therapy and encouragement for his progress.  
Silas has already been trasnferred to the institution, and will remain bedridden the rest of his life is he is not adopted soon.
Please consider Silas!







Christopher "Older Boy with DS"

Date of Birth: October 2004
Gender: Male
Eyes: Gray
Hair: blond
Nature: Quiet


Christopher is such a sweet heart! He has blonde hair and striking blue eyes. Both of his parents terminated their rights and he is waiting for his forever family at the institution already.







Lena "Older Girl with DS"

Girl, Born November 2, 2004
Lena is a beautiful little girl with brown hair and brown eyes. She was born with Down syndrome, but also struggles with the effects of possible CP and likely some autistic tendencies. She is able to walk on her own and is described as very active, but she does not socialize very much with the other children and is non verbal at this time. It is children like Lena that break my heart so badly, because in an institutional setting, which she is facing soon, she will just continue to close off into herself and truly become one of those children we envision as “institutionalized”. :( I know there is a family out there for this very deserving little girl!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

A First Hand Account

The following is a post from a woman who met 2 of the older children on Reece's Rainbow's Older Boys with Downs Syndrome Waiting Child listing. The woman who posted this on her blog has given me the go ahead to post it here as well. She met Brady and Heath while visiting with her new son that was living in a mental institution along with 100+ other "lost boys" including Brady and Heath. Thanks to her and her husband, the door has been opened (if only for a short while) for Brady and Heath to be adopted. There had been no boys adopted from this institution before this family stepped up and adopted their son. Please donate $5 or more to help these boys and others like them.

Please read her post below:

This post is pure agony.  Plain and simple.  It is the post I wanted to write when our plane first touched down in Virginia 3 weeks ago.  I fully expected to start advocating for Brady and Heath as soon as we arrived home.  The urgency is real.  The reality that the door will not stay open long for them to find families made my zeal to write about them my number one goal.  I intended to begin yelling from the rooftops about these boys within days of arrival.  I tried.  I prayed.  I couldn't do it.  The words died each time I sat in front of the computer.  At night I would lay awake and think about them, especially Brady.  Words would formulate in my mind, thoughts would begin flow.  But when I sat down to try to to capture those thoughts, they would flee and I would be left gasping for breath.  My heart ached deep within me each time I would remember them.  It still does.  Writing about it hurts.  What makes the hurt worse is that we never got a chance to say goodbye.  We just left. 

I didn't know that the last time I saw Brady that it was for the last time.  I thought I had more time.  It rained on our last visits.  When it rained they brought Aaron to us in the infirmary and they kept the rest of the boys inside the buildings.  So we missed watching the daily parade.  On Gotcha Day, they refused to let us visit Aaron's bedroom or his building.  We were cut off from seeing the caretakers or nurses one last time.  It was a bitter ending.  We had to walk out without a goodbye.  We never saw the Lost Boys again.  If I had known, I would have reacted differently the last time I saw Brady.  I would have picked him up.  I would have hugged and kissed him.  I didn't get the chance.



He was always trying to run away.   His tiny little legs pumping just as fast as he could go whenever someone accidentally let go of his arm.  The nurse on duty on the last day that we saw him was the least experienced.  She was a jolly woman, who dearly loved the boys and they were always happy under her care.  Brady was in rare form.  Happy, laughing.  She fed him snack and laughed with me over him.  Aaron finished his drink, I gathered his hated cookies and we left the shed.  When Brady's group came out a few minutes later, I was standing in the driveway, watching from a distance as I always did.  The nurse had hold of him and the other precious little DS boy who was Brady's best buddy.  Somehow Brady got away.  He came flying up the driveway, straight for me.  The other little guy took off down the opposite lane.  It was comical and fun.  I wasn't allowed to pick Brady up though I wanted to so badly it made me want to scream.  I could only catch him, turn him around and lead him back to the nurse who was rounding up the other runner. 

If  I had known that was the last time I would see him I would have picked him up.  I wouldn't have cared.  Just one time I wanted the opportunity to give that child a kiss and a hug.  I didn't know it was our goodbye and because of that, I have shed many tears.  I never got to hold him in my arms.  So many times he tried to get to me.  So many times I had to turn him away.  That rips my heart out. 


Brady. What can I say about him as the tears flow down my face.  Just thinking about him reduces me to a weeping puddle on the floor. You can't help but laugh when you are around his tiny little self. The ultimate escape artist. Always trying to run and climb and get away. Brady. Dragged along by the bigger boys lest he take off. Precious, filthy, in desperate need of a bath, Brady.

He just plain wants a Mama. So many times he would reach for me, climb across the table for me, long to be held by me and all I could do was push him away. It was so hard to follow the rules of 'don't touch', 'don't look', and 'don't talk'. I had to pretend he wasn't there. I was reprimanded often for watching him too closely, for helping him with his drink, for quick attempts to pat him on the head.

He was in Aaron's group.  He slept in Aaron's room. He ate at Aaron's table. How could I not watch him? How could I not want to reach over and pick him up? It was so incredibly hard. He was so quick to laugh when the caretakers were loving and took the time to help him with his food and his drink. His little tongue makes it so hard for him to swallow. But with gentle help, he could swallow his bits of food and drink. Oh what joy!

On days when he knew he would not be fed, he came to the snack shed weeping. He'd grab for the cup only to have it taken away. No bits of candy or cookies on those days.

Brady. In tattered clothes, girly white leather shoes that constantly fell off his feet and hats that fell down over his eyes. There is no way he deserves to spend his days as a lost boy. He is a funny little monkey with so much life in him. He is the tinest boy of all the 65 boys who are brought outside. Yet he is beating the odds and is surviving.

Some of the caretakers care deeply for him. They will hold him, play with him and keep him occupied. To see him crack up laughing when they give him a bit of attention is precious. But they have so many who demand so much. Brady needs so much more than five minutes a day of a harried caretaker's time. He needs a family. He needs a Mommy who wears tennis shoes and is willing to chase him across the yard. He needs to climb and jump and play. He needs to be held and kissed. He needs to sit in a bathtub surrounded with bubbles. Dear precious Brady.

Then there is Heath.


Heath was more elusive. We saw him only from a distance. It took us weeks to be certain it was actually Heath we were watching. He looked so small for his age, just plain tiny.  He shared a wheelchair with another boy. Never did we see him walk. Off in his own little world as he rode by on his little two-seater throne. I couldn't help but smile sadly at Heath. I called him the little Burger King. Chubby cheeked, dirty, neglected little lost boy. Each day they took his group to a shed or a shady area and the boys were put on pieces of carpet on the ground. Heath sat. Nobody spoke to him. He sat hour after hour playing with the dirt or a piece of string or trash. Occasionally he would laugh at his own well-kept secret, but most of the time he was just plain lost in his own world. He needs so much. His group of boys was one of the lowest functioning. They just sat, rocked themselves for comfort, hit themselves in the head and groaned.


Brady and Heath. Two precious little ones among the 100+ Lost Boys at Aaron's institute. Two of many needy, desperately, lonely boys. But they are unique. They are the only two who are available for adoption at that institute. Just two little boys out of so many.

I do not know why only these two are available.  I don't understand why the other precious children at that institute face a lifetime behind those walls. Some have families. A pitiful few even get visits. Most are completely alone, abandoned years ago but because of their disability, their age or their behavior, they are deemed unworthy. Most of them never had a voice when they were young, living at the baby orphanages. They never had a chance for adoption. Their files sat in dust heaps on the floor. There wasn't a Reece's Rainbow around for them when they were little. They were lost from the beginning. They will live out their days institutionalized. No longer little, cute or worthy of a family. It hurts deeply to face that reality.

Only Brady and Heath have hope for a family. The door is open for them but Rob and I both know the reality of that open door. After having been there and after walking those paths, we know it will only be open for a short time. Unless someone steps up and gets those boys, they will lose their chance.

I can't forget. Brady, Heath and the rest of them. I can't forget because I fell in love with those boys. All of them. My heart is broken deep within me. Honestly, I don't want to forget. I am trying to figure out where we go from here. In the meantime, I pray. Rob and I both pray. We pray for a family or two to take a huge leap of faith, cross an ocean and rescue these two lost boys who have a chance of escape. THEY ARE SO WORTH SAVING.  Their time is running short. 

We also pray that somehow, in some way, it would work out for God to make a way for His church to move into that institute in order to minister Christ's love to the rest of those Lost Boys and to all the weary workers who care for them.