Angel Tree 2014 is here!

It's here, it's here!

Angel Tree 2014 has started and each Angel Tree face has been added to the main page so we can watch their accounts creep up towards their goals.

I'm so incredibly excited and now seems the perfect time to introduce to our Angel for 2014 -Tara.

Ms. Tara (not her real name to protect her privacy) is a twelve year old young lady from China with Down Syndrome.

12 is such an awesome age, so many things to learn and see yet for Tara and others like her, 12 also means the clock is ticking down.
China's orphans age out at 14 years old which means they are no longer eligible for adoption and the chance for a family closes.

No matter who they are, what the struggles or abilities are, 14 seems too young to age out of the chance for a Mama and Daddy. 

According to Tara's profile she is non-verbal but does communicate through sign and shows an extroverted side in her daily life. Strong-willed and independent though not academically strong, it's also been reported that she enjoys physical activities like bikes and running around and what pre-teen can resist a bit of tv? 

Angel Tree is an awesome way to invest in this little lady as donations can be as large or small as a person decides (although Paypal is so much easier if a donation is over $5)
Donating to Tara's fund is as easy as clicking on the donate button on the right side of the blog (you can also donate through RR main Angel Tree site but will need to find Tara's individual picture and click on the donate button directly below). How easy is that!

Even for people who can't donate even sharing Reece's rainbow, Angel Tree, and blog posts like this one is helpful as someone who can donate may see or, even more amazing, a prospective family may be led to start asking questions and next year instead of on the Angel Tree a child could be putting the Angel on the top of their families Christmas tree. 

So, please share, pray, and, if you can, donate to a great cause.

Next time I'll talk about two great ways to tie Angel Tree into Christmas giving and why so much money is needed to help facilitate these adoptions.

Two Days Until Angel Tree!

It's only two days until Angel Tree officially starts and donations start counting towards the Angel Tree goals!

Did you know it's also two days until something else?

Previously unknown to me, November is Adoption Awareness Month.
Wow, I'm guessing this is either an intentional overlap or the best of coincidences.

What was less exciting were the statistics.

The ad I saw was Canadian-based (useful since I am Canadian) and stated that 21% of Canadian families consider adoption at some point in their family, a great positive statistic.
Unfortunately, the most current stats for Canada I've seen place children eligible for adoption in Canada at close to 30000 and the hundreds of children internationally helped by organizations like Reece's Rainbow are a drop in the bucket compared to the number of children looking for families. So what happened to all the interest? What makes families hesitate, drop back, and say no even when they know they are being called towards adoption.

Fear and finances, if I had to make a guess, are the two biggest killers when it comes to adoption dreams and that is why, although I also love the organizations who go in and work with orphans in their home country, my heart returns to places such as Reece's Rainbow.

The RR community address both of these dream killers in such a unique way.

International adoption is hard, expensive, and in many cases a battle on so many fronts - emotional, financial, physical, mental, paperwork (is that it's own category). Reece's rainbow provides the financial help through Angel Tree, 5/5/5, and year round fundraising to help families meet the financial burden in a timely manner. Which, for some kids, literally means the difference between life and death. The truth is for a family on the edge about to give in to the fears and the seemingly insurmountable odds, having a grant gifted could be the encouragement they need to bring their child home rather than walk away like so many in that early 21%.

Reece's Rainbow also provides another venue of support in it's people. So many people in the RR community be they staff who walk you through your questions or families who blog about the ups and downs of life pre, post, and during adoption honestly communicate about the reality of adoption and life in country for these kids rather than the misinformation and borderline fear mongering that seems to abound. I'm not saying it's easy or without struggles, neither do they but these families who pour out their lives and invite readers on their journey provide some much more wisdom/information/ and an honest ability to "count the cost" than any promotional material ever could.

If you're curious check out some of my favourites

http://covenantbuilders.blogspot.ca/  - (the Nalle family adopting number 2, warning reading their posts about the Lost Boys is eye-opening and you won't be able to hide behind the line"I didn't know" ever again)

http://nataliekeller.blogspot.ca/ - (not updated very often anymore but her posts mid adoption are beautifully honest regarding the adoption process)

http://angeleyesadoption.blogspot.ca/ (no longer updated but some great insight into life post adoption)

Do some reading, challenge some assumptions, and don't forget Tara ;)

Happy (almost) Adoption Awareness Month.

Angel Tree starts November 1st!

In the final hours, at the last call, the final child waiting for a warrior was matched!

It was a great feeling to watch the numbers shrink. First 54, then in the 30's, down to 9, 6, 4 children waiting for someone to notice and shout on their behalf.

4 was a scary number, the last 4 children sat stalled after the rapid pace that had been set until, finally, I went to bed and only one child remained.

God spoke, warriors stepped up.

Some of these kids already have grants, although funds towards their 1000 dollar goal don't count until November 1st.
So, warriors sit, wait, and pray for what is to come. Waiting to watch God speak and people move. Perhaps, even families hear the whisper that they need to grow.

I wonder though.

I felt the need to step up and speak for a child who couldn't speak for themselves weeks ago. I waited until this week in the final hours to step forward and say, in a desperate whisper, "I'm here." There is such temptation to think there is too much need, too many children, and perhaps the easiest lie of all - someone else will do it. I wonder though how much we miss out on, how much we rob ourselves by waiting until the last minute or until it's too late.

Honestly, if someone were to offer us front row tickets to the greatest show on earth, be it a performance, a premiere, a concert we'd most likely grab those tickets as fast as our hands could snatch them, in awe of our luck as we claim our prize never minding of any hoops that might need jumping through or conditions that need meeting (thinking of friends who've waited hours for concert tickets at weird hours, or worked extra shifts and sacrificed to make it to a valued event.) However, so often, when our God gives us the opportunity to have front row seats to working out of his plans we shrink back assuring ourselves that someone else would certainly fill our gap or that we surely had to have heard wrong. We convince ourselves our participation, our obedience isn't necessary.

In the end I smile, because so many have heeded the call and stepped up. Over the next few days I look forward to introducing you to the young woman you know see to the right of the screen -Tara and giving some easy ways to help her meet her Angel Tree goal as part of your own holiday celebrations.

3 Days and counting until Angel Tree 2014!

Only a few more days until Angel Tree officially starts and dozens upon dozens of children will have a chorus of warriors joining together to help raise their grant goal.

The anticipation is exciting as the last few children have warriors stand up and say, I choose this one.

As of last count 17 (now 9, whohoo for updates) children still have no warrior to cheer, to write, to pray, to plead that this one matters.

In a lot of ways Angel Tree is a combination of paradoxes. It's a fundraiser during the holidays when many budgets are stretched either through tight budgets or through the pursuit of bigger and better.

The goal of 1000 dollars raised for each child on the tree seems an extravagant goal and yet in the face of international adoption which can run 30 - 40 thousand dollars, 1000 seems a small though blessed drop in the bucket.

We plead and cheer and pray for these children for 2 months and perhaps even throughout the year and yet too many children are repeat visitors on the Angel tree still waiting for a family ready to take a risk on the unknown of bringing a broken child into a differently broken family, cause, let's face it, we're all broken in our own different ways.

and yet . . .

Every year volunteers step forward in faith, watching as God moves in mysterious and magnificent ways bringing hope that things can change. Sometimes so slowly it's painful and other times so quickly your head could spin numbers climb and grants are strengthened.

Sometimes, if you're really lucky you'll even see one or two faces that you've come to know by an old picture and a name gifted by others to protect a child's identity, have someone step forward and take their own leap of faith and begin the process to bring their child home.

I dare you, today, right now, take a look at the children on Angel Tree. See the faces, see the children, read the stories and allow your hearts to be opened.

Then, if you dare, go here see the difference a grant can make to a family and a family can make to a child.

Angel Tree starts in 3 days!

Angel Trees and a leap of faith.

I'm back and on a mission.

As I've grown a little older and a little wiser the holidays take on a different tone. The idea that our little one will actually catch some of the excitement this year brings me so much joy as I start planning our adventures even now. Lets face it, any major plan with an 18 month old requires lots of planning.

Planning is one of my favourite things.

So, I plan trips, gifts, and special memories. Times with grandparents and all our aunties and uncles, celebrating special birthdays with special people. I want this time of year to be full of good memories and family time yet, even at such a young age I worry about the materialism that runs rampant as the year winds down. I wonder how I'm supposed to instill in our son concern for others, compassion for those who don't have the same opportunities, love for those who need it.

I also realize how quickly good intentions can be laid aside if you don't make them a reality sooner than later. So this year I've agreed to raise my voice with dozens upon dozens of others in an effort to raise awareness and raise funds to bring attention to special needs orphans around the world with Reece's Rainbow, orphans who's greatest Christmas wish is a family that can see beyond the cost- financially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically and see the treasure and worth inherent to those the world considers "the least of these".

The #2014AngelTree doesn't officially start until November 1st so that's when I'll be revealing the angel I'll be shouting for this season, the goal is to get each angel an extra 1000 dollars in their grant over the next two months that will go directly towards helping their family, once committed, to paying the large upfront fees that accompany overseas adoption.

This Christmas season Angel Tree is a great way to redirect our focus off of the excess and back onto what matters. Will you join me?