Imagine 11 years, that is 572 weeks, which translates into 4015 days, all spent alone, from the moment you entered this world till now, spent alone, in a place where no one has the time to care for you, to love you, to hug you when you are frightened, to pick you up when you fall, in a place where your environment consists of nothing but 4 bare walls, where your companions scream and cry for no reason other than boredom and hopelessness, in a place where toys and books have no place or meaning.
11 years old Heath, who really needs his family to find him asap.
That’s how my little Heath has spent his short life to date. Yesterday (8th April) was his 11th birthday – 11 birthdays without anyone noticing, or caring, 11 birthdays in which he doesn’t even know what a birthday means.
My heart aches. Not in a position to adopt here is what i do.
i pray for him daily and hope with all my heart that God lifts him up and help him hold on till his forever family come for him. i pray that the Lord himself holds Heath, hugs Heath and whispers loving words to Heath every day. i pray hearts and hands are moved to adopt Heath, to support Heath in funding and prayers.
Have you ever though of adopting? i ask you to consider Heath and the precious ones on Reece’s Rainbow. They truly need a family to shower them with love and help them fulfill their potential.
What could be stopping you from adopting? Financial? Heath’s adoption grant from Reece’s Rainbow is sizeable. See the link below for more possible financial aid.
If you have been following my blog for a couple of weeks, you would be familiar with Reece’s Rainbow, an advocate ministry for the adoption of Down Syndrome orphans and orphans with special needs.
Today i would like to highlight a practical way we can help these orphans – fundraising/donations, specifically for families who have committed to bring home a child/children.
Adoptions are terribly expensive within one’s own country but the costs of an international adoption simply skyrockets! Anywhere from US$25,000 to US$40,000. That is a lot of money. Many of the families who commit to adopting a child do not have such cash lying around. They commit because they love the child/children. They fell in love and God led them to adopt. Some have a bit of money to start with but not enough to complete the process. Others are families who have adopted before and have depleted their resources. Still others are brand-new to adoption and have simply jumped in, just because they know with all their hearts these kids need them. Whether or not they have some money to start with or not, the adoption process is long and more will always be needed. So today i’m listing but a few of the many families who are fundraising to meet their goal of bringing home their beloved child/children.
The first fundraising effort i would like to highlight is the Mulligan Stew Giveaway. Julia and her family have recently adopted a lovely little boy (from the same orphanage as my little Heath, who is still waiting for his forever family – is that you?) but their efforts to help these little ones continue. They are now running a HUGE Giveaway, which would benefit several families as well as waiting children. It may sound complicated as they are trying to help as many as possible. But don’t get bogged down with the details – simply know this; when you donate, you earn a certain number of entries (there is a list on the blog). You will need to donate to the Heim Family, who have already adopted 6 children and are in the process of adopting another 4. They really need our support. Then donate to any other family or child/children listed on Mulligan Stew Giveaway. Leave a comment to say to whom and how much you have given. That’s it. You are entered into the Giveaway. Remember to check back for results and share with your friends.
The next fundraising effort i would like you to consider is for Samuel’s and Duncan’s family – the Mortons. (i posted about both Samuel and Duncan here.) Theirs is a wonderful story of simple desire and faith. They had wanted to adopt both Samuel and Duncan (both are aging out of the system). They were confirmed for Samuel but felt that Duncan was someone else’s. However Duncan’s family could not adopt him in the end (they are extremely sad about this). So the Mortons stepped up and committed to Duncan as well. So they are bringing home 2 boys to add to their family of 6. So now they require twice as much as they initially thought. So do support them. Go on to their blog to follow their story and take part in their Giveaways. Once again, do share with all your friends.
The third fundraising effort is with the Prayer Warriors at Reece’s Rainbow. And i’m sure they don’t mind if you give, even if you are not yet a Prayer Warrior. This one is called Puzzle Piece Fundraiser, run by Tonya over at Praying Them Home. i ask that you consider becoming a Prayer Warrior and take part in this fundraiser. If you don’t feel led to be a Prayer Warrior, then i ask that you consider donating just US$5 for a piece of puzzle. Again it will benefit a family in the adoption process. This family is yet to be identified – when we finish the puzzle then the most urgent need at that time will be met. We have lots of puzzle pieces so spread the word amongst your friends.
No amount is too small. We appreciate every little bit which contributes to a whole and helps greatly.
Find out other ways to help the precious ones listed on Reece’s Rainbow.
Please do continue to love and pray for my beloved Heath and Heather as we ask God to bring them their forever families and also help their grant to grow so that their forever families can get to them sooner.
Today is 21/3 and we celebrate people with Down Syndrome. This date is specially chosen as it represents the 3 copies of chromosome 21 (21/3), which is unique to people with Down syndrome.
This year marks the 7th World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) and for the first time the UN will be observing this day, officially! Many countries all over the world have events to celebrate and create awareness of this condition. Click here to find out if your country has an event.
i’m happy to say that Singapore has always had an active group advocating for the needs and rights of people with Downs. Here is a brief report of their WDSD event. i am sad though that Switzerland did not have an event. Maybe next year it will happen here too.
Maybe you don’t know much about Down Syndrome. i have found this website called Kids Health which gives a fairly complete and good explanation of it. It is a great website to use as a resource for children wanting to understand some health issues. Click here for a kid-friendly explanation of Downs.
i like the first two paragraphs:
You have probably seen people who have Down syndrome. They have certain physical features, such as a flatter face and upward slanting eyes. They may have medical problems, too, such as heart defects. Kids with Down syndrome usually have trouble learning and are slower to learn how to talk and take care of themselves.
But despite their challenges, kids with Down syndrome can go to regular schools, make friends, enjoy life, and get jobs when they’re older. Getting special help early — often when they are just babies and toddlers — can be the key to healthier, happier, more independent lives.
But the star paragraph for me is the concluding one on the second page:
Because they look different, some kids may tease or bully kids who have Down syndrome. But these kids have feelings just like anybody else. When they get teased, it hurts their feelings. They want to be accepted and have friends. If you know someone with Down syndrome, you can be a big help by not teasing him or her. Instead, offer a helping hand and a friendly word of encouragement.
The tagline for this year’s WDSD is Let Me In. It speaks of inclusion, which is what every one of us wants; to be included, to be accepted for who we are. The UK Down Syndrome Association has a wonderful competition which does just that – a photography competition just for people with Down Syndrome! Photography is my passion and i can’t wait to see all the entries.
So will you take a step towards accepting a person (adult or child) with Down Syndrome? Will you help your children to understand these kids who have such a great capacity for loving?
In a lot of countries, children with Downs are accepted and given the special help, health care and education they need. But in many others, they are simply unwanted; thought to be useless and are thrown out like garbage. It is a sad situation; it is very heart-breaking when we know that given the proper care and a loving environment, these children will thrive and grow to lead full lives.
Almost 11 years old, Heath needs his family to find him asap. Click on photo for details.
Which leads me to what i am praying for and who i am praying for. i am a prayer warrior for orphans with Down Syndrome and other special needs, listed on the Reece’s Rainbow adovcate website. Specifically, i pray for little Heath and little Heather. Both have never been loved and cared for as they should be. Both have been in institutes, which can not meet their needs, for far too long. Both need a loving mummy and daddy to help them through life; to love them, hug them, let them know that they are wanted and accepted for who they are.
3 They are everything wonderful that doctors DON’T tell you, and they are everything that isright in a wrong world.
Happy World Down Syndrome Day!
syc
PS: If you do consider adopting or becoming a prayer warrior or contributing to their adoption grants, please do leave a comment below so that i can send you a personal thank you and be praying along with you.
trippingdifferently 