Words worth sharing

This was a note written by a fellow Christmas Warrior, but I could not state it better than her, so I thought I would share it here.

Question 1:

Why Orphans?
I don't think I know anyone who would say, “Why would you help an orphan?” Regardless of your stance on faith, I believe the innate goodness in people makes them feel sorry for the orphan and think (in principal anyway) that someone should help them out. Someone else, that is.


Yet according to UNICEF there are 165 million orphans in the world.
Clearly someone else isn't doing enough.

As a believer who wants desperately to be more Christ-like, I have to take my cues from God's Word. And the Bible clearly shows that God has a heart for vulnerable children. Scripture references orphans a lot. Sometimes by name like this:

“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.” (James 1:27, NIV)
and sometime more vaguely like this:
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
So in response to my prayer “to make my heart look more like Yours,” God has broken my heart for these children. Is it because I'm a mom now? Maybe. Perhaps I can't imagine my Addie Jane laying in a bed, often sedated, living off of 600 calories a day, with no hope of ever having a Christmas with a family. Perhaps I can't imagine my runny nosed Reese rocking and self-soothing herself to sleep because there is no one to hold her and tell her that she is loved.
So why do I love orphans? Because God loves orphans.
Question 2:
Ok, I get the orphan thing. But why international? And why in the world are you advocating for kids with special needs?
I get this first question a lot. I love the “God bless the USA,” “Made in America,” strong sense of nationalism people seem to have. And I get it, I really do. But in my mind, God didn't create political borders, man did. And while I absolutely 100% support the adoption of vulnerable children in the US, the waiting children have a VERY, VERY different life in this country.
Yes, there are waiting children in the US. Though it is an imperfect system, waiting children in foster homes have advocates and social workers and protection laws and sibling visitations. And did you know that there is a list of over 200 families waiting to adopt an infant with Down Syndrome from the US? These children, when given up in the US, are wanted. Cared for. Cherished.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for waiting children with disabilities internationally. The community of children I feel called to advocate for have lives that we would not subject our pets to. They are living in orphanages from birth because they were born into a culture that does not see them as special, but as a waste. Into a society that does not offer intervention or support. And to parents who, for whatever reason, do not have the strength to raise a child with extra needs without help.
Children with Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, HIV, cleft palates, missing limbs, visual or hearing impairments, facial deformities, etc. often have no one to advocate for them. They are left without intervention or services. With no physical therapy, outside stimulation, or even education, many spend the first few years of their lives in an eerily quiet baby house... where rooms full of babies do not cry because by a few months old they have realized that no one is listening. They say that it is one of the most haunting things to see/not hear.
When transferred to an older child home, some cannot walk yet because there was no early intervention. So they spend hours in cribs, sedated so that they do not fuss, laying in their own filth because frequent diaper changes are too expensive and time consuming to waste on such children. So they are changed once a day. Once.
And then the dreaded transfer. If not adopted before 4, many children with DS are transferred to mental institutions. Yes, you read that correctly. Mental Institutions. When asked about the life expectancy of children with Down Syndrome born abroad, Andrea Roberts, founder of Reece's Rainbow, replied, “They are transferred to mental institutions at 4 and a great many of those children do not survive their 5th birthday.”
But it isn't just children with Down Syndrome at risk. Children who cannot walk because of Spina Bifida, cerebral palsy, or missing limbs are often left in their beds in rooms called “lying down rooms.” They do not go outside. They do not receive therapy. They are not visited and talked to. They just waste away, gagging on the food that is hastily thrown at them, unable to move enough to relieve the pain of the bedsores plaguing their bodies. Can you imagine living a life in that hell?
I don't tell you this to upset you or make you feel sad. I actually hate commercials like that. But I'm trying to make it clear why these children need to be rescued. And why it's the Church's responsibility to love people like Jesus.
Question 3:
The need is so great. How can you make a difference?
You're right. The need is overwhelming. Daily I read the stories and names of children whom I can never hold, never kiss, and never whisper softly that everything will be all right. Children who are days away from transfer that I cannot scoop up and bring to safety.
But I can help one.
There are families who would like to rescue these children. But adoption is expensive. (ridiculously so). By the time a family travels twice (and sometimes 3 times) to a foreign country, staying in a small flat to complete in-country paperwork and jumping through Hague Convention hoops, thousands upon thousands need to be spent.
It takes almost $30,000 to ransom a child that nobody wants.
That's pathetic.
But that's how it is.
And so this season, I am raising a ransom for Rebekah. Our goal was $1000 by Christmas, but let it be known that I'll be continuing to raise funds until the 25th even if we meet our goal.
Every dollar he gets increases the chances that a family will look at her adorable little cheeks and say, “Oh my. She is my daughter” instead of “Oh my. That's just so sad... we could never afford to get her out of there.”
And I hear you. Times are tight. But I refuse to accept that you cannot spare $5.00. We are among the most wealthy people in the world. We spent $6.8 BILLION dollars on Halloween this year as a country. ON HALLOWEEN. Really people?
We spent $52.4 BILLION last weekend on Black Friday sales. We have cars, and cell phones, and this Christmas our children will ask for DS's, iPods, and Smartphones.
All Rebekah wants is a family.

Why should I care?

In many eastern European countries, when children with a disability, like Down Syndrome, are born doctors tell the parents of these children that they will be better off if the parents put them in to a orphanage or a mental institute.  Some parents never even see their child before they are sent off to live in orphanages.  These children are sent to the orphanage and then the mental institute for life, unless someone adopts them.  I know many people may ask why we should care; the adoption of these special needs children is a matter of life and death.  When these children reach the age of five they are put in mental institutions.  Click HERE to see more videos of what these children endure. 
They are often tied to their cribs.

Even when they are older they are still tied to their beds, which look like cribs.

Treatments are with held because it is believed that these children are going to die anyway. 

These children are neglected and left to their cribs all day long with little to no human interaction.







There is help for many children like the ones featured in these pictures through Reece's Rainbow. 

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

If you would like to help these children find homes one way you can is through a fundraiser for the "angel" we are sponsoring named Rebekah.  I will be having a "give-a-way" online with donated items starting today November 25th and the drawing for the person that will be given this item will be at 8:00pm Mountain time on December 2nd. I will post a different items until the end of the year.   This is the third item that is up for the give-a-way.  It is a Mary Kay package that is valued at $300 that contains medium cover foundation, 5 eye colors, water proof mascara, 1 eye liner, 2 lipsticks, 2 lip liners, 2 lip glosses, 1 cheek brush, 1 custom compact, 1 journey shower gel, satin hands mint bliss for feet and legs, satin hands hand cream, satin hands buffing cream, angel fire body lotion and perfume set, men's tribute body and hair shampoo and after shave set. You can get your name entered in the give-a-way for this item by donating $5 for one entry, $10 for three entries, or $35 for 50 entries, you can enter your name as many times as you like.  Also, if you donate at least $35 to her fund, not only will you receive your name entered in the "give-a-way" 50 times, but you will also receive a beautiful Christmas ornament with Rebekah's picture on it from Reece's Rainbow. As a third incentive, the donations are tax-deductible. After you make your donation using the Angel Tree link on my page you will receive an email from Reece's Rainbow confirming your donation you will then have to forward that email to me at InspiredByMaisie@gmail.com so I can enter your name in the drawing.  OR you can get your name entered into to this "give-a-way" by adding the chip-in button to your blog by hitting the copy button on the chip-in button and blog about this little girl.  Just email me a link to your blog after you have added it and I will add your name.

The next item available for give-a-way

For a fundraiser for her I will be having a "give-a-way" online with donated items starting today November 18th and the drawing for the person that will be given this item will be at 8:00pm Mountain time on November 25th. I will post a different items until the end of the year.

The second item I am offering is your very own personalized handmade Christmas stocking by Maisie's grandmother.

Here are the different fabric choices available.  The name can be cross stitched with one little cross stitched character next to the name or it can be embroidered with an applique next to the name.  The choice is yours.
You can get your name entered in the give-a-way for this item by donating $5 for one entry, $10 for three entries, or $35 for 50 entries, you can enter your name as many times as you like
Also, if you donate at least $35 to her fund, not only will you receive your name entered in the "give-a-way" 50 times, but you will also receive a beautiful Christmas ornament with Rebekah's picture on it from Reece's Rainbow. As a third incentive, the donations are tax-deductible. After you make your donation using the Angel Tree link on my page you will receive an email from Reece's Rainbow confirming your donation you will then have to forward that email to me at InspiredByMaisie@gmail.com so I can enter your name in the drawing.  OR you can get your name entered into to this "give-a-way" by adding the chip-in button to your blog by hitting the copy button on the chip-in button and blog about this little girl.  Just email me a link to your blog after you have added it and I will add your name.



To donate to Rebekah15H's fund, click on the link here: , scroll down to her picture, and click on the donate button. It's quick and easy.

So, if you can, please give! Or if you would like to donate an item please contact me at InspiredByMaisie@ gmail.com.

Raising funds for Rebekah

As the holiday season approaches, we are reminded that there are many out there without a means to celebrate. We are called by the light of Christ to care for the least of these, especially during this time in which we anxiously anticipate His arrival. One of the least of these we are called to help are orphans. The statistics are startling. There are currently 162 million orphans in the world today. 162 million children going to bed every night without the love of a mother and a father! As Christians, we are taught to care for orphans, and there are many ministries out there currently advocating for these poor souls.



Reece's Rainbow is one of these ministries. Started by Andrea Farris Roberts and named in honor of her eight-year-old son, Reece, who has Down syndrome, the organization has become one of the leading special needs adoption ministries in the nation. Since its founding in 2006, Reece's Rainbow has helped over 500 special needs orphans across the world find their forever families. Over 500! Over the years, Reece's Rainbow has been given numerous honors, including the Congressional Angel of Adoption Award.



As feel-good as this story is, however, the sobering reality is that there are thousands of children still waiting to be adopted. One of the factors stopping more families from adopting a child is money. International adoptions are notoriously expensive and on average cost $25,000. In order to alleviate the costs, every Christmas the organization holds a fundraiser in order to raise money for the child's adoption grant. Called the Christmas Angel Tree, the goal of the fundraiser is to raise at least $1,000 for each child by the end of the year in the hopes that it would break the monetary barrier and make it easier for potential families to adopt children.



To help them with their efforts, I have partnered with Reece's Rainbow in order to help raise money for an orphan with Down syndrome. The orphan I am currently a warrior for is Rebekah 15H. She was born in January of 2010 just 2 months before our daughter. She has dark brown hair and gray eyes.

She is quiet natured and smiles alot, even though she is with out a family. She has a heart defect an open oval window of 4 mm. She is just absolutely precious! I am posting this today in the hopes you will help me with that endeavor. Together, we can make sure this little girl can come home to America and live a full and happy life.

For a fundraiser for her I will be having a "give-a-way" online with donated items starting today November 11th and the drawing for the person that will be given this item will be at 8:00pm Mountain time on November 18th. I will post a different items until the end of the year.

The first item I am offering is your very own personalized weighted teddy bear.

A perfect gift for any parent, especially those who have children spending Christmas in heaven. You can get your name entered in the give-a-way for this item by donating $5 for one entry, $10 for three entries, or $35 for 50 entries, you can enter your name as many times as you like
Also, if you donate at least $35 to her fund, not only will you receive your name entered in the "give-a-way" 50 times, but you will also receive a beautiful Christmas ornament with Rebekah's picture on it from Reece's Rainbow. As a third incentive, the donations are tax-deductible. After you make your donation using the Angel Tree link on my page you will receive an email from Reece's Rainbow confirming your donation you will then have to forward that email to me at InspiredByMaisie@gmail.com so I can enter your name in the drawing.  OR you can get your name entered into to this "give-a-way" by adding the chip-in button to your blog by hitting the copy button on the chip-in button and blog about this little girl.  Just email me a link to your blog after you have added it and I will add your name.



To donate to Rebekah15H's fund, click on the link here: , scroll down to her picture, and click on the donate button. It's quick and easy.

So, if you can, please give! Or if you would like to donate an item please contact me at InspiredByMaisie@ gmail.com. If you cannot, please advocate! Spread the word and pray for Rebekah and other orphans around the world. And finally: if you can adopt, PLEASE DO! Your life, and the life of an orphan, will be made oh so much richer!

The reason I started blogging

I had never planned on starting a blog.  I never and still do not think my life is interesting enough for people to want to read about.  Well this year my husband, Brian, and I decided to sponsor an orphan girl from Russia named Rebekah through Reese's Rainbow in memory of our daughter, Maisie, since we are unable to give her Christmas presents.  Rebekah is extra special like our Maisie.  She was born with an extra chromosome on the 21st pair, which means she has Downs Syndrome, Maisie's was on the 18th pair so she had Trisomy 18 or Edward's Syndrome.  I was one of those people who felt that Americans should always adopt domestically because we need to take care of our own kids in our own country first.  I talked to friends who have adopted internationally and read more about what Reese's Rainbow does and why they do it and now I understand why it is so important that these children from other countries, especially those with disabilities are adopted by everyone including Americans.  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26332429/ns/dateline_nbc-international/t/serbias-horrific-institutions-relic-past/#.Tq9HFrK1dBl  The mission of Reece's Rainbow  is to rescue orphans with Down syndrome through the gift of adoption, to raise awareness for all of the children who are waiting in 25 countries around the world, and to raise funds as adoption grants that help adoptive families afford the high cost of adopting these beautiful children.

Rebekah was born in Russia.  She is currently living in an orphanage, which doesn't seem too bad, but when children in orphanages who have a disability, like DS, reach around the age of five they are placed in mental institutions.  In these mental institutions, these children are sometimes tied to their cribs, sometimes fed, and sometimes they get their diaper changed.  They are confined to their cribs so much so that their legs atrophy and they become misshaped.  I have seen pictures and videos of these poor children and my heart breaks for them.  They are treated this way simply because they have a disability!  
Back to the reason why I started a blog, the easiest way to raise money for our Christmas Angel Rebekah is through the chip in donation link and the other Reece's Rainbow link that can be found on my blog.  So I figured why not!?  Plus, there are several other things that I like to do to raise awareness and funds for my daughter's cause: Trisomy 18 awareness and pregnancy and infant loss.
So if our Christmas Angel Rebekah or our little girl Maisie touches your heart please take the time to donate to her fund that will help a family give Rebekah a forever home that doesn't include confinement to a crib or being tied to a crib.  You can make a tax deductible donation starting tomorrow 11/01/2011 directly using either link here on my blog.