Listening in the whirlwind

I've been slacking.

I know it and, to be honest  I'm somewhat ashamed.

In the middle of the whirlwind, it can be so easy to push aside the names and the faces, to separate from the pain, the loneliness, and the  death that is far too common in the lives of  these kids.

Funny, how when things seem the craziest it can be the quietest voice that calls you back. . .

This week a dear and precious lady names Julia wrote  about  their adoption trip and the little girl they  left behind - Cadence.

Cadence was one of my 16 this year, the  children I've prayed for, the children I bring up when someone is crazy enough to open the door  to a conversation on adoption and let my poor heart spill out. Julia's post was a quiet call back to the importance of these children who still wait  in the  whirlwind of our lives.

Children like Marissa

And children like my Christmas angel Claire

Honestly, in the whirlwind anything felt like too much: too much sadness, too much work, too many barriers.

Then this quote popped up in my memories

"We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive." 

— Jamie Tworkowski

It honestly doesn't take much to give these kids a chance. While adoption would be the biggest change not everyone is called to adopt or even adopt right now. That said, anyone can learn about the needs of the children who wait, can exchange the cost of a coffee with assisting a waiting child's grant, contribute to an organization like Maya's Hope that works in country helping the children day in and day out. Anyone can raise their voice and  shout for these kids - sharing their stories and raising them up in prayer.

All it takes is listening to that voice in the whirlwind.

It's been an odd year.
Also, I may be in the running for queen of the understatement.
It's not that I mean to  run away from this blog but sometimes the thoughts in my head outrun the rest of me and I need time to  think, time to process, and time to let my heart find it's pace.

This year I've encountered a lot of talk about adoption and advocacy and not all of it  has been positive. There are questions why one would advocate to take a child out of their home country, why don't people support change overseas, why not  be happy with the family  that is given?

Thanks to my tendency  to either have a severe case of silence or word vomit (one day I will find a happy medium, in the meantime be patient with me) and the fact that there isn't a clean, clear answer the answers to those questions can be  messy so please bear with me as I stumble through my  thoughts.

We advocate adoption, be it local or international, because lives are on the line and  those lives are precious. The  sanctity of human life is reason enough and if reading stories and seeing families is  what  it takes to drive home the humanity of these children and the need that is out there, then that is a reflection on our society and advocate we will.
Sometimes the need is obvious, when you see the  stories of children who have been institutionalized - starving and injured or wasting away under lack of resources or treatable conditions- the  urgency cannot be denied  the reality is accepted or turned off our screens as  we move to more comfortable things.

Yes, it would be wonderful if there were the resources, the supports,  the acceptance  for these children to remain in their own countries but the fact is, in most cases, that support network has not been established. There are some wonderful organizations working the front lines supporting families and making new inroads with children who are in their local systems. They need support too. Change, sustainable change, takes time though, especially when it needs to shift at legal and cultural levels and the hard truth is most  and more  likely all of the children currently listed will age out, die, or live their lives in institutions  before these changes can be made. Change cannot come quickly enough to  make a difference for them, but a family can.

Adoption is expensive though, in  each and every way. With changing laws, financial requirements, travel times, not to mention the adjustment afterward - the grief, the  trauma (oh complex trauma,  there's a class I wanted to weep through), the catch up on medical care that has  long been left aside. Adoption is messy because it is lived out in every aspect. Life and love are messy business.

So we advocate through the mess. We advocate for change for the  parents who wish they could have kept their family together, we advocate for orphans who could literally face life or death based on that choice, and we advocate for families  who live out a messy reality of family born out  of grief and trauma.


This year Reece's Rainbow marks another round of MACC the Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign. Families select one child to advocate  for who's already waiting  and  for who local change will not come quickly enough. The goal being to help families learn about adoption, raise money to grow the grants of 105 children, and help these kids find families willing to step up.

Each year RR asks volunteers to select three children for MACC assigning the top choice of the three who are eligible.

   

These were my three choices out of hundreds Cadence, Clair, and Marissa (not their real names). One is mine to advocate for but the reality is they are all worthy. In the end debates will always remain. Let's face it, humanity loves to disagree. These children and others like them are fighting a clock though and, debates aside,  they deserve so much more out of their futures.

Not everyone can adopt, not everyone can donate, not everyone can pray but everyone can do something  and as someone pointed out to me this week, we never know the ripples are actions will make. 

Sunday Spotlight 17 for 2017

Sunday Spotlight is back and what better way to start than to highlight a few of our 17 for 2017 :)

First up is Merida

Merida will be turning 14 this year meaning she could qualify for a 10 000 grant from RR to help bring her home. Her file lists her as having hearing loss  but little else despite her being listed for 4.5 years. This is most likely due to her having been moved to an institute or older children facility.

Next we have Shirley

This sweet girl will be 13 this year meaning she has just 1 year left before her country's rules place as being to old for adoption. According to her profile

Shirley is a sweet girl who has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and high muscle tension in her legs. She has had surgery to help with the tension in her tendons. Shirley loves to play dress up with her dolls. She is currently attending a primary school and is learning a lot! Shirley has been living in a foster family since 2006 so that she could get more individualized attention. She go to therapies every day to make her body stronger. Shirley is able to take care of all her personal needs and is very independent. She has been taught about adoption and would like to be adopted!

Third is Nadene.

Miss Nadene turns 12 this year and is also eligible for up to 10000 from RR to help her family bring her home. Miss Nadene has been waiting for so long and has regressed since being transferred. 

Finally, we have Charissa

Look at that smile! It one of those light up the room types. How this sweetheart has been listed for 3 years I cannot fathom. Could she be the missing piece at your table? Charissa has 2 years before aging out and is also eligible for a grant from RR to help families with the financial aspect of adoption.

16 . . . 17 for 2017!

It's that time of year.

Christmas is over. The decorations have been put away. Daddy's back at work. The day to day mundane yet chaotic reality that is our life has returned. In our world this means, therapy pre-school (homeschool style), and learning our way around another new town (third town in 2 years, hoo boy).

That also means that MACC is over for another year.
This year was so exciting.
 Each child in the campaign met their $1000 grant goal and 9 children found families in those 2 months (with another stepping forward since the new year).
In some ways, after such a big push, it can feel tempting to put aside the advocating as the new year and all it brings comes rushing in. Although this year was successful I couldn't help but reflect back on the kiddo's who had been part of prior campaigns and were still waiting or who had aged out.

Can  I be honest? It hit me hard to get confirmation that  my Christmas kiddo had, in fact, been moved to an institution.
Sometimes you wonder if one voice can make a difference . .  .

Which is why anything worth doing is always better with a few like minded friends! One dear lady suggested picking 16 kiddo's to focus on throughout the year. 16 faces to bring forward in blogs and social media in order to help keep these kiddo's from being forgotten.

And here are my 16

16 precious children who deserve to know that they are loved daughters. 16 little  girls who need families, medical care, and love. 16 little ones who don't deserve to be forgotten

Merida, Brandi, Waniya, Priscilla, Lucie, Hana, Shirley, Emma, Harlowe, Charissa, Nadene, Claire, Elinor, Christina, Cadence, Dolly

Well, since it is 2017, it only makes sense to add one more Ginny!

Here's to 2017

New Year's Eve is coming and I can't wait to party

For the last few years I've attended a unique New Year's Eve party that's right up my alley.

The dress code is casual and comfy, the food is bring your own, and it's also very family friendly, in fact, most of the night is centers on families and children.

Did I mention this party also takes place online? That means you're invited too!

Parties  are a lot of fun and this one is no different. There always seems to be a few jokes, some reminiscing, and a good time all around. Unlike most parties, this one is a party with a purpose.

December 31st is the last day of the Reece's Rainbow Christmas Campaign (I know, I can barely believe it either) on New Year's Eve a group comes together to give one last push for the wee ones who have captured our hearts this year.

We celebrate those like Walter, Brandi, and Elinor who met their goals financially while still pushing for the ultimate goal of their forever families

      

We push for the ones who are still short their financial goals, children like Priscilla, Emma, and Ginny knowing that each share could be the one to help them come home and every dollar helps ease  the burden on that family.

    

We also celebrate the children who were part of this campaign and are now home because sharing these families burdens through donating, prayer, and practical support if you're local and sharing these kids and bringing light to the situations facing thousands of orphans around the world. It works. It honest to goodness works and there are hundreds of families who can attest to how their lives have changed since meeting a  child in a picture and saying yes.

I know New Year's is a busy time but maybe when you're people out at the party of have a minute to spare while you're sitting in the passengers seat, come and spend a few minutes with us and see what a difference the smallest actions can make.

Christmas with special needs may not look like a traditional celebration.

It may mean cancelling family gatherings despite desire or disapproving relatives because your child simply cannot handle even one more second of new sensory input.

It may mean learning new ways of making dinner to incorporate different food needs.

It may mean grieving expectations and celebrating every little victory, even when others think you're nuts for celebrating something they don't understand.

It may mean massive coordination to set  up therapies during holiday hours and find time to start filling out the funding paperwork that comes up every new year.

It may mean facing the holidays like any other day.


You know what though, love covers all.


We planned our pj and cartoon day with weighted blankets and extra naps. We learned new recipes.
This Mama even has no shame admitting I cried when our little man excitedly wanted to dance during our Christmas Eve service, joy shining in his eyes before totally sensory overload hit that night on the phone with Nana and Papa.


Our little guy came to us after an absurdly long labour that left this Mama sore and recovering for months (seriously pregnancy and I do not get along and labour is worse). Over his 3.5 years we've gained more insights into what makes him tick and how to best meet his unique needs and I'm not going to lie,  it's hard work, frustrating work, and sometimes you just don't know so you take it minute by minute.


In so many ways adopting a special needs child is even harder.
Your life is completely turned upside down as financial costs are faced, medical needs  are assessed and treatments are devised, the child is faced with the loss of their environment, their culture, a language, the family is faced with the loss of their structure/time/finances/sleep.

Adoption is risky love.
 I have to wonder how many of us have become afraid to risk because I know how easy it is for my own spirit to sink back into the safety of complacency.

           

We're afraid so we do nothing and real children sit waiting. We're  not all called to adopt internationally but we can do something. There's domestic adoption, volunteering with local CAS, prayer, fundraising for international adoption through organizations like Reece's Rainbow and the MACC. you can share a child's picture you may not be the family for Priscilla, Walter, Ginny, or Anna but maybe someone you know is  - the power of sharing is underestimated every time.

When you can't

"When you can't run, you crawl ... and when you can't crawl, when you can't do that... 

 'You find someone to carry you.'" 

(firefly)

I remember as a child being utterly fascinated by the thick newspapers that graced my Great Grandpa's footstool every weekend. Not only did they have the best comics  and word searches which he continued to pass along to me until he passed away my first year of college, but, for many year the local CAS would feature a child or sibling group in need of a family.

Adoption was something I always remember being aware of, let's face it, as a Canadian everyone up here has heard of a certain red-headed orphan girl from P.E.I. But I was the weird child who read a story and needed to know what was behind it so I started researching. 

I found vague statistics that saddened me as a child (yep back in the pre-google days) and mostly put it to rest due to a lack of connection. When college came I stumbled upon Reece's Rainbow and that interest was renewed  only this time with more passion. Now there was internet, research, I could double and triple check the facts (did I mention that the term nerd is often used when describing me? I think it's pretty accurate and usually loving). I didn't like the facts.

Did you know that if  orphans founded their own country they'd be the 10th most populated?

Did you know that many children with special needs will not face happy futures after aging out falling victim to trafficking, drugs, gangs, poverty, suicide, or wasting away in an institution?

Did you know that the brain develops differently when faced with trauma or lack of human interaction?

How does one face a situation when hundreds of thousands of lives are being set up to fail and falter.

I remember reading a blog,

It  told the starfish story and I allowed my thinking to shift. 

How  do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

How do you help the orphan crises? One step at a time. 

It's really the only way to do anything. One step and then another, walking in faith.

But sometimes it wears on me and I see that weariness in others too. 

Life keeps us firmly unable to do anything but write, shout, and try to help raise funds to brings these kids home before it's too late though my heart aches to do more.

But sometimes it feels like I'm standing on a beach covered with starfish and no one's getting to the water.

My first Angel Tree girl has aged out. She will never have a family and faces life in whatever system her country has  established. We shouted and fundraised but no mama or papa stood up.

My second child still waits with a larger grant than most. She's waited 2 years already and continues to wait, her file has information, though dated and yet no one steps up.

My current girly is sitting at the bottom of the  tree

With so little information and a dated picture, interest just isn't there despite my efforts and my heart breaks as i see her slipping through the cracks.

I'm tired and  weary and my heart longs for things I can't  control. Today would you help me out and share this little girl, share the Christmas Campaign, because I'm weary and heavy hearted  and could sure  use someone to help carry me today.

Sorry it's been so quiet lately but  . .  . we are now successfully moved in and it's been an undertaking. Despite walking our little guy through the steps, involving him in packing, showing pictures of the new house, watching the truck load/unload, and setting up his room asap his poor brain is overwhelmed to the point of melting down whenever he sees a box and reverting back to mostly communicating through echolalia,  As a house we're exhausted even with the supports we've put into place and all the incredible growth our little J has made thanks to the therapists and autism support we have access to locally.

Which makes me think of 100 other children all with needs far greater than our little J, with far less supports, and no one walking them through the confusing twists and turns of shifting orphanages and transfers to institutions  or older children's homes if they're lucky when they should be getting excited about Santa and Kindergarten. 

I see  the confusion in my little boy's eyes as he surveys his room and methodically checks for his safeties and wonder how many children in the MACC feel safe tonight,  how many have carers  who can take a minute to cuddle a scared child in a room with too many children and too many worn out staff.

I think of one little girl who's file hasn't been updated in so long I can't remember if it has ever been updated. 

Who remembers the children as they threaten to slip between the cracks?

Ginny is 8 years old this year. In her country  she's most likely been moved around at least once. She was probably not walked through the process and in her country pictures would most likely have made things worse. After reading some stories, I don't want to imagine where she is or what regressions she may have experienced because I'll be honest, it's heartbreaking to see what happens in laying down rooms.  Day in and day out those are living, breathing children who deserve so much more than what is waiting for them at the end of that road and it's easier to imagine these kids frozen in the moment of time their picture was taken.

The truth is every single child in the MACC is facing a bleak future without intervention and while staying in the bleakness of this future seems even less palatable during the holiday season it should spur us on towards the hope that marks these holidays.  

MACC exists to raise awareness, funds, and find families for these children and what is more hopeful than that?  Children who were on Angel Tree last year are on their way home for Christmas this year and while the journey may be difficult there is still hope in the redemption and introduction of a life with possibilities. 

So please take a minute and share, let's face it most of us spend too much time  on social media anyway (am I right?), incorporate RR into your Christmas gifts, pray for these kiddos, or maybe even examine whether or not 2017 is the year your family looks into adoption. Who knows maybe the person who pulls a child back from the cracks is  you/

A Time for Traditions and a Time for Miracles

It's seems like everywhere is already buzzing with anticipation  of the upcoming holidays. 

Personally, I'm horrible for it. 

As soon as Remembrance Day  (November 11th here in Canada) has passed outcome the Christmas Cd's, decorations, and holiday traditions.

Some traditions hold a special place in my heart through their power to connect: past to present, generation to generation, people near and far.
As a shy, little introvert  I spent a lot of time feeling disconnected as a child and I adored  the holidays  that allowed me to look at a world where connection seemed a little easier and hope seemed a little more commonly  anticipated.

This year, one of my favourite traditions is looking to bring some hope and connection to 100  very special children  who are in desperate need of both.
As of November 1st the   Miracles of Adoption Christmas Capaign  (formerly  known as Angel  Tree) has officially begun for the 2016 Christmas season.
For the next two months, 100 orphans with special needs will be shared, advocated for, funds raised for their ransom, and maybe with the hope of Christmas  miracles have some find families who are willing to start the journey of bringing their son or daughter home.

2016 is my third year advocating  for one of these precious  kiddo's.
 Sadly,  Tara aged out this year and is now ineligible for adoption according to the rules in her country. Tarsha still waits with a grant of over $3000. Although not part of this year's campaign  Tarsha is still equally in need of a family and may pop up from time to time along with this year's very  special  kiddo.

But first an explanation. When it comes to MACC or Angel Tree, I was notorious for signing up late. As in, look up at the calendar realize sign ups end the next day and frantically go to see who's left. As a result, one very special  little girl who has been on my heart for  years was never eligible  for the campaign. This year, along with the name change, all children on Reece's Rainbow - regardless of diagnosis, this meant that after so long in the shadows, it's finally time for this little girl to shine.

I'm so excited  to introduce you to my  kiddo for MACC. Ginny.

Ginny

I'll be  honest, despite holding my  attention for so long, very little is known about this precious little girl.  This is the only picture I can remember beside her name. Her description has never wavered from a year of birth and her list of diagnoses. This precious little girl is so much more than a dated picture and a list of medical terms that could be, at first glance, be frightening. She's worth fighting for, sharing, shouting out from the rooftops for, and raising a ransom for. She deserves the title of daughter  and the chance to be in a family.

Please, take a minute to explore this year's MACC, look at the faces of these kids, each with their own story and so deserving of being seen. Take  a minute  and share their story, share the campaign, donate some dollars to their grants, pray, and come back periodically to see the  difference a few small actions in one very special tradition can make when we all come together.

Sunday Spotlight

It's hard to believe but Reece's Rainbow turned 10 this week!

It's been a crazy ten years and almost 1600 children have be united with their families since those early days.

While there have been some changes over the years, the focus remains the same bringing orphans home. One of the more recent changes involves the oldest children on RR, the aging out who's window for rescue is starting to narrow.

Thanks to a pooling of resources all older children are eligible for a 10 000 grant (until the fund runs down which i'm told is many, many adoptions from now). This 10 000 goes a long way to helping families combat the high cost of international adoption and the lower fund raising time which can accompany these older kids.

Kids like

Irina

Already listed for over 6 years and still waiting :(

Haven

Listed for over 5 years

Angela

Maiya

Maddie

Each listed for 4 years

And Tara my first Angel and so close to aging out who's been listed almost 6 years :(

Each of these beautiful young ladies have been listed for years, a quarter of their lives waiting on a site that advocates getting these kids seen. Sometime change is hard but in this case I'm so grateful that the older children are now eligible for this amazing grant and hopefully these girls will celebrate 11 years of Reece's with families of their own.

Sunday Spoptlight

It's always hard to post these pictures.
How to choose a handful of faces from a list that is constantly growing.
To be honest, I get overwhelmed and disappear for a bit to regroup, returning when time or a familiar face like Mandy and Victoria make their way over to the my family found me page.

So I'm back with a new little group to shout for this week and today's post will be different because each of these children are summed up by a single line. Please see them, see the potential behind the name and diagnosis and help get these kids seen and home!

Chelsea - born 2009, mild intellectual delays

Christina - born 2010, blind.

Harlowe- born 2008, Cerebral palsy, focal symptomatic epileptic syndrome, complex local convulsions; rough delay of psychological and speech development

MaryAnn- born 2008, Cerebral Palsy, hydrocephalus

Skyler - born 2003 - Cerebral Palsy, eligible for 10 000 older child grant

See past the line and shout for these kiddo's who deserve so much more.

Sunday Spotlight

Another week has passed and that means it's time for some more faces.

It can be hard to choose so few when the number to draw from is so large. So many children and each needing and deserving their own home.

If you manage to stumble across this blog, I beg you take 5 minutes and look at these children, go to Reece's and look at the faces. If you want to see the power of sharing a single story I urge you to go and check out Micah 6:8's post from this week. The power of sharing and sacrificial love is amazing.

Now onto this week's faces.

First up is Penny

Penny will be 5 years old this year and look at this sweetheart! Penny has been diagnosed with CP and crossed eyes, but is also listed as being able to walk independently. Some therapy and a family would do this little girlie wonders.

Annie's a face that has become all too familiar on RR due to the amount of time she's been listed

Annie just celebrated her 10th birthday and was transferred to an institution over a year ago which coincides with her last update :(

She was noted as having delays at that time but also noted for being an affectionate girl who sought attention and had a willingness to learn. 

Merida

is another sweetheart who's been listed too long and dear to my heart as we featured her at our wedding (another sign of how long she's been listed.)
This little sweetie breaks my heart every time I check in on her. Her grant hasn't grown since July of 2012 and her profile hasn't been update since before that. If you only have time to share one this week, please, share this girlie for me.


Finally we have Tracy and Bart

These older siblings NEED to be adopted together.
Tracy is reported to be healthy and a top student in her class. Bart has a cleft lip (in the picture it appears corrected?) and like so many is reported to love soccer.
Siblings are so much harder to place and are even considered special placements in domestic adoptions due to the added difficulty. Do you know someone ready to take a leap for these two?

Sunday Spotlight

Another week has come and gone and I'm sleepy.

It's the time of year that brings a lot of illness which translates to late nights for moms, dads, and kiddos alike. The good thing is that everyone seems to be on the mend as I write this and lots of hugs and snuggles were doled out alongside good food and some good old cough syrup and vicks depending on the day and person who was down.

Everyone once in awhile it hits me that for each face on Reece's in a child who doesn't have someone to sit up with them until the wee hours of the morning when they're sick or scared. There just isn't the resources in some places despite the amount of care and in others there isn't even that. So we keep sharing, and shouting, and praying, and hoping that one day each of these precious kiddos will find a family.


First up is Mila

So young to be listed which is such a blessing. Mila has been diagnosed with Arthrogryposis a condition affecting the joints. Both A White River and Micah 6:8 talk about their amazing kiddos who live with this condition for those who are unfamiliar with it.

Next is Byron

Byron is a  sweet little guy who is facing transfer soon as his current facility is transitioning roles. This is sad as the staff sound very involved and pro-adoption where he was not to mention his home and friends. It would be wonderful for him to find a forever home.

Stacey

Look at the life in those eyes. Stacey has some delays but is also in a space where therapy is available and she is quite determined in her efforts. Stacey is reported to be a friendly little girl who loves playing with her friends.

Finally we have Sophia

Sophia goes to school and can communicate. However she does struggle with more in depth communicating. She is listed as having scoliosis and mental delay.

Christmas Trees and Memories

Christmas is an odd holiday.

It celebrates newness, hope, and beginnings.

Simultaneously, it's a time to reflect on years and events now passed.

This Christmas marks so many precious firsts in our family. Our first Christmas in Ontario, our first Christmas as a family of four thanks to our little monkey's arrival this summer, and our first Christmas where Peanut is old enough to start participating in family traditions and making his own memories.

 One of my favourite traditions is trimming the tree. 

I love the memories as each ornament has its own story. Whether it's a place, a celebration, or a person, once trimmed, our tree transforms into a monument of living memories for one month of the year. Well, at least for the adults, a certain monkey is still convinced it's just a giant teething toy for his pleasure but one day, he too, will learn the history held in each branch.

But I wonder what history some of those branches will hold. 

This year while trimming the tree I came across two ornaments, each bearing the face of a young girl whose lives are now on diverging paths and recalled a third who's story holds yet another.

The first of those ornaments held the face of a young girl named Tori. Last year, Tori was one of over one hundred children on the Angel Tree. A warrior advocated for her. People shouted for her and a family stepped out in faith to bring her home. They are currently completing paperwork, waiting on dates, and raising the last needed funds so that next Christmas Tori will be home.

The second ornament bore the face of a young girl named Tara. 

Tara was also one of the many represented on last year's tree. I had the privilege of being her warrior and despite some complications on my end that almost resulted in us losing our little monkey the kindness of many saw Tara reach her goal.Like Tori, Tara is not a part of this year's Angel Tree. Her grant is too large!Sitting at over 15k Tara needs visibility and a family before she ages out next fall and her ornament becomes a memory of opportunity lost.

The final girl on our family tree is Tarsha

Tarsha will be celebrating her 8th birthday following her time on the Angel Tree and, if memory serves me, this isn't her first time through. Like Tara she is still waiting for a family to make memories to invite her in and make those memories,, participate in traditions, and share love and hope. Unlike Tara, Tarsha's grant was small enough to be on Angel Tree and her goal for this year is still a long way off.

Three girls, three different stories, so many easy ways to make a difference. 

http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltree2015/

Has anybody seen November?

It's hard to believe we're peering down into 2016. 

At least, I can't believe it. 

I still expect to be prepping for speech class (which ended the 2nd Tuesday of November). 

I'm still wondering if I should start checking on Christmas baking or if there's still time to wait 

(the answer is check things, oops). 

I'm still wondering why there's no snow on the ground to help me figure out what month it is as I've long given up trying to remember something as tricky as the actual day of the week 

(today ends in "y" right??)

Yet, despite my lack of preparation, December is here and Angel Tree has officially passed the halfway mark with a mere 26 days left for each and every one of these precious kiddo's to try and reach their goals - $1000 or, even better, a family.

I'm always amazed at the barrage of requests that accompany December - our time, our resources, our attention - each are in high demand with the holiday season (and, I confess, a major giveaway for me that it had become December)

It can be so easy for faces to fade into the noise

Faces like Tarsha

It can be hard to connect a need with real child known by a nickname and an undated picture if they're lucky. Harder still to identify how a few dollars or sharing that name and picture could really make a difference.

But please, before the bells, the noise, and the lights take your gaze, take a minute and look here.  See the Jackson's, the Reilly's, the Ian's. These are the kids last year who sat with their faces fading into the bustle of our holidays. The children who people sat and debated whether it was worth sharing their picture or donating their own two mites.

These are the kids who are gearing up for their first Christmas at home. These are children who were seen because someone shared, who's family was encouraged and helped along by so many people sharing their two mites. These are the found.

Why bother with Awareness

It was a cool, quiet afternoon in 2002. I was homeschooled so classes often included my little CD player blaring through my work space. I often had music playing to help me focus or just edge out the lonely quiet that could creep up while I was alone.

I remember popping in my brand new Christmas CD - WOW Christmas, I honestly have no idea what time of year it was because I'm one of those wonderfully weird people who can pull out the Christmas tunes any time of year.

That was the year that WOW include TobyMac's "This Christmas".The song captivated me, I played that song over and over to the point I was surprised it wasn't scratched when I finally added it to my ITunes a few years later.

It's a simple song to remember, telling the story of a young boy having a discussion. As the song unfolds you discover the boy has no family of his own. The song really hit me as a teen. I was aware that there were children without families, that's what we were told CAS was for. I had read Anne of Green Gables and knew on some levels that orphanages still existed around the world. For some reason, as I sat at my desk and hear the song unfold into the first half of James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" it suddenly dawned  on me that, maybe, we all had some level of responsibility.

There is such a temptation to fall into the mentality that someone else is already doing something: CAS, staff workers, volunteers, missionaries, etc. .. Worse, we can fall into the trap of "out of sight, out of mind" - a tragedy brought home once again this week in Julia's blogpost. When we overlook we can't challenge for change, we don't open our hearts, and people start slipping through cracks.

November is Orphan Awareness Month. An entire month dedicated to remembering these children and promoting the ways to change because, I think, far too often it's easy to overlook, easy to forget, easy to minimize rather than face our own comfort or maybe or own inability. This is how the Ben's and the Isaiahu's stories are repeated over and over again only, perhaps, without the outpouring that has allowed them the extra care to hold on.

Even in an awareness month it's painfully easy to overlook. Not everyone is called to adoption, it can be a hard and painful road and some people are called to walk other ministries more intimately. However, James makes it clear that we all hold responsibility because adoption is not the only way to help.

Locally, there is a need for parents but there is also a need for those who can foster, those who can provide respite, or even find unique ways to support through gifts and events.

Local and International adopt can be support through prayer, giving financially either to help with adoption like with Tarsha and others through an organization like Reece's Rainbow/ a group working locally/ or a local (overseas) group like Camp Lela.

There's also the ability to help by supporting families both in and post adoption as they anticipate or adjust to their new family dynamics. Be a community by asking what these families need or offering a few choices rather than imposing your own opinions on what you think is needed. There are lots of amazing blogs out there that touch upon this one.

Finally you can raise awareness through education. By getting the information yourself and raising your own awareness on the situation facing orphans around the globe you can be prepared to pass along that information to others and who knows how far those ripples could go.

Fear

I had a message last night from a friend about Angel Tree (and if you ever see this I hope you don't mind my sharing).

This woman is a blessing to be around, she's honest, insightful, and has one of the biggest servant's hearts I've ever had the pleasure to meet. I've lost track of how many times I spotted her sharing a conversation or a ready smile with someone while unobtrusively doing some task that just needed doing. So, it struck me odd at first when she mentioned fear as a motivator for not acting on issues of justice.

Fear has been a longtime companion of mine.
Post-Partum anxiety royally sucks and social anxiety and I have been good acquaintances even longer. I've learned to manage my anxiety most of the time and am blessed to have a husband who gives me space to see to my mental health on the days when anxiety tries to take over.

For me, the interesting thing is how my fear has changed in light of my passion.
I'm not an extrovert. Even when my anxiety isn't an issue in groups I still find being with a group of people exhausted (although enjoyable if I know them and feel comfortable around them a key point that can be overlooked when dealing with us introverted folk). Yet, even with that discomfort, I cannot help but speak up when I find myself faced with an opportunity to share my passions whether that is my family, my very nerdy love of sci-fi, disabled rights, or as you may have gathered - adoption (which also ties in to family and disability).

As my knowledge on these topics grows so does my enthusiasm, my drive, and my passion.
Some of this makes a lot of sense. We all like to talk about things we enjoy and honestly have you seen a sci-fi convention? Nerds love talking about what makes us tick we just want the conversations to have purpose even if it doesn't seem meaningful to an outsider without the proper context.
Family is another easy topic for most to understand. I love my guys and want them to know it, so I try to encourage and maybe even brag on them a bit when it's appropriate,

Acts of social justice can be harder passions to understand. They can seem so distant, downplayed, or even overwhelming in our initial assessment that fear can raise its presence to the point our ability to respond is beaten down or drowned out.
That was my first year after discovering Reece's and researching into the state of orphans, especially disabled orphans, around the globe.

We are urged to be unique, stand out, find ourselves but on the other hand, when we constantly seek to stand out of the crowd we realize how alone we are and, in turn, can realize how powerless we feel in the face of the monumental tasks.

So, I prayed for my heart to break and the strength to face the beast of my fear.

Guess what?

It worked. I'm still afraid of raising my one, lonely voice in the face of all this tragedy but I'm more afraid of remaining silent, knowing I could have done something but remained silent in face of my inability to due everything. I'm still afraid but no longer feel my fear of being heard measures up to the suffering that continues in my silence. I'm afraid of the vastness of the issues but realize, like Dr. Suess says "A person's a person no matter how small." We all have something to contribute and over the years I've stumbled across tiny, solitary voices who've dared to shout out like Julia at Micah 6:8
and Jenny at Zero the Zeroes and so many others, who together form a loud chorus that shakes through the bad days, the hard times, and the days when you want to give up - reminding that you aren't alone.

It's astonishing the difference that community makes and I fear that we've forgotten that.

In the end these people don't need thousands upon thousands of people (although imagine how that would cut into the costs of bringing these kids home) all each child needs is one family to step up for each of them. One voice can make a difference and perhaps that's what feeds our fear the most.

Introducing Tarsha

This year my angel on the tree is none other than Tarsha.

In many ways this is bittersweet.

I am grateful for the chance to advocate for this sweet 6 year old.Her bio mentions that she is smart and sweet but that she can be stubborn and unresponsive if things get too loud or impatient. Sounds like a girl after my own heart ;)

She is listed as independent and happy, working on her life skills and practicing her communication which has improved since coming into care.

It mentions that she had heart surgery to correct a defect in 2013.

What it doesn't mention is if she was alone following her surgery or was there a staff member who could sit with a scared 4 year old girl. It doesn't mention her likes, her dislikes, her fears, or her dreams. It doesn't mention funny memories, inside jokes, or fond tones. Those are things that families bring forward. Bios, by necessity, have to be short and factual. They need to give enough information for interested families to understand what they will face without sacrificing the child's right to privacy, a right which stands behind RR's policy of giving each child a different name to represent them.

When I describe my kidlets my mind instantly goes into overdrive. Where do I start, how can I possibly sum up my kids into a few lines. They are full of life and personality, vibrant and curious in their own ways.

Tarsha, like each of the RR, deserves a family whose words trip over themselves as they strive to articulate who their daughter is  to friends and family. Tarsha could blossom in a family.

Here's why it's bittersweet.
I first saw Tarsha last year, on Angel Tree. This little angel has over 2000 dollars in her grant waiting to help bring her home, but her family hasn't found her yet.

Angel Tree is special in its simplicity. A few dollars can make a difference towards a grant, 35 and over can get you an ornament for your tree. Sharing these children, their faces, their stories, their need for a family could result in helping a family bring them home.  It only takes seconds to share on line or donate (depending on your internet connection, for some it can be a much more lengthy commitment :P ) or a few minutes to share face to face, for Tarsha it could mean a whole new life and maybe next Christmas won't have to be so bittersweet.

143

It's an odd number, a random number.
It can't be rounded out or smoothed over.
Some have downplayed it saying that 18 is more accurate, that there are mitigating factors that need to be taken into account for a more accurate assessment.

Either way, both of those numbers are far too high when you consider that they represent real children growing up all over the globe with no family to hold them tight, walk with them through life, celebrate the everyday victories, and grieve the losses that are already stacked far too high in young lives.

The most recent number I could find place the global estimation or current orphans at 143 million children. That's a heartbreaking number when you consider how many affected lives that actually signifies. Even more painful was the downplaying, the attempts to rationalize the numbers recognizing that the status of orphan in these surveys still includes those being raised by extended family and single, surviving parents. To read sites that seem to be aiming for reassurance that the issue isn't as big as originally feared as there are only approximately 18 million orphans should be devastating, it should drive us to action.

Instead, it feels like many either buy into the reassurances that the problem isn't as bad as feared (even at the conservative number of 18 million we're still looking at the population 18x the size of Saskatchewan, Canada) or freeze overwhelmed at the sheer scope of the task ahead.

This is why I love organizations such as Reece's Rainbow. Even though I'm well aware of the 30 000 wards of the crown in my own country and hope to , one day, be in a better place within our family to help address that number. I'm equally aware that for disabled orphans around the world, their lives could depend on whether or not a family steps up to take them home.

Whether it's a lack of funds, unavailable medical care, uncaring workers, overcrowded homes, aging out and falling victim to suicide (a reality for potentially 10% of aged out children), drugs use, gangs, or trafficking, or even a life sentence in an adult mental institution for children as young as those we'd normally see in kindergarten.
The is the sad reality for orphans around the world and it doesn't have to be!

Reece's Rainbow is what I call a starfish organization.
Following the story of the starfish washed upon the shore aided by one small boy, Reece's Rainbow recognizes that while 18 million is a staggering number, anyone can help another, single person.
As E. Hale says "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."

Reece's Rainbow helps advocate and raise awareness for these children, aiding families bring them home through grants and the support of parents who have gone before. Valuable assets given the cost -emotional and financial for bringing a child home.

However, even though RR represents a minuscule portion of the 18 million.Taking 10 minutes to scroll through their website and see the faces, read the ages, and realize the reality of these children can still feel daunting.

Here enters Angel Tree.

Angel Tree takes a small(ish) number of children from within RR and highlights them for the months of November and December. Instead of trying to raise as much as possible (although larger grants are always helpful) each child has a goal of 1000 dollars raised towards their grant within the 2 months with one specific person assigned  to help the child meet their goal or find a family through fundraising and advocacy. 

18 million is staggering and the total cost of adoption is no little goal. However, 1 child and a few dollars here or sharing them with a friend, looking into the needs of orphans around the world. These things are doable and should be.

18 million - I can't help everyone, but I can help one and I can't wait to introduce you to her. . . Next time!

Sunday Spotlight

I didn't intend to miss two weeks of Sunday's on here, however, apparently moving across country/starting a job hunt while in your third trimester leaves one a wee bit tired. Oops.
In hindsight I probably should have been able to figure that one out ahead of time.

I realize I could have put something together early but part of me hopes so dearly that these kids will move between the day I pick them out and Sunday I can't help but wait an extra day or two just in case the "My Family Found Me" page gains a few new faces.

I know shouting out the names of a few kids each week doesn't seem like a lot and perhaps, when reading this, you can't see the point of sharing either. I didn't. It took me months before I realized even something small could mean a big difference.

Once our internet came back on (woohoo, didn't expect a two week Facebook hiatus but it's amazing how much unpacking happened) I eagerly scanned the MFFM page and was thrilled to see a few faces who have been on my heart. However, that excitement was tempered by a quick visit to the "In loving memory" page. If you've ever been to Reece's Rainbow and not stopped by that link, do me a favour? Go and take a peek. Look at the faces of the ones who are no longer with us. Some had families coming, others didn't. Some had been listed for weeks, others years. All died in their orphanages around the world.

Now onto our spotlight.

First up is Dani!

Dani's been listed for so long with RR and looks like such a little monkey. Her file has been listed as imminent transfer for some time as well and could very well have already been moved to an institution or older children's home.
Dani is listed as having Cerebral Palsy as well as vision and hearing impairments. Although, as all children would need an assessment once adopted to discover her true abilities and potential. This little one won't be 6 until December and could receive so much help if placed with a family at this age. (As of Autumn 2015 Dani is home!!)

Next up is another sweetie who's been listed far too long considering her young age :(

Leilani 

Leilani has only ever appeared on RR, to my knowledge, in her crib and has a list of conditions that could scare away potential families. However, a crib and an institution are this little one's most likely future unless a family steps forward. Even with this little one's issues, there are a host of people standing behind Leilani's future family with her grant already exceeding $8000, a great start to bringing her home.


Claire

This little lady appears to be a favourite (given by her large bows) and has her orphanage advocating for a family which is a huge benefit and not necessarily a given in international adoption. Claire's workers note that she is is need of speech therapy and potentially has other cognitive assessments which would be more easily attained in a family setting, as would the attention this little girl so desperately seeks. She would most likely do best in a situation where she was the youngest child.

Although we usually only feature 3 on Sunday, since I missed a few weeks, here is

Colette

Colette is listed as having CP affecting her lower limbs. Although she can walk short distances, a wheelchair is required for longer trips. She is reported to be a clever girl who is both sweet and affectionate.

Even if you only have a moment, won't you take that moment and share one of these little girls this week? Give them a chance to be seen, to be heard, and maybe even be found.