Waiting...

Look at these sweet faces!

 Margaret

 Walden

 Jaxon

 Margaret

 Lynette

Mali

They all have something in common.

They've all been listed on Reece's Rainbow.

They've all waited for a family to make them their own.

For several, that family was on the way!

But, the life of an orphan is hard.

For these little ones, it was too hard...

They all passed away.  

Waiting.

For those who have been here before, I warned you.

I want to break your heart - but in a good way.

I want the lives of these little ones to MATTER.

I want people to know they lived.

Waiting.

Children waiting for a family to choose them.

Families waiting for funds to proceed.

Courts waiting for paperwork to arrive.

So much waiting...

And sometimes, it's just too late.

This is Ekaterina.

It's NOT too late for her.

She is waiting.

This holiday season I'm going to be Ekaterina's "Christmas Warrior".

That means I'm going to send her picture far and wide and ask you to send it on also.

Because, she MATTERS!

One little girl, far away, who's waited 8 years to be someone's chosen child!

How many of us have waited 8 years for anything, let alone, a family?

As Ekaterina's Christmas Warrior I will yell for her but I am also hoping to ease the way for her family by raising a bit of her ransom.  It's my goal to add at least $1000 to her adoption grant by Christmas.

Here's the fun part! I'm doing a GiveAway! For a donation to Ekaterina's grant OR for sharing her info on Facebook/Blog/Twitter you will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Gift Card of your choice- just in time for last minute shopping! A donation of any size=1 entry, sharing=1 entry, purchase her ornament ($35 donation)=3 entries, donate to her and one other child of your choice on the Angel Tree (http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltree2012/)=5 entries!

When you've made you donation, email me a copy of your receipt (it will have your address but no financial info except the donation amount) and I will get you entered! Message me or comment to get the email address. The drawing will be done on Sunday, Dec. 16th but Angel Tree donations are accepted through Dec. 31st. All donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

Hold her in your heart.  Keep her in your prayers.

Spread the word.

"Do you know someone who could be her mama?"

"She's waiting..."

Afraid...

“If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large.” ― William Wilberforce

While in Eastern Europe visiting her daughter, Adéye Salem met our daughter.  She saw our son, standing in his crib and gazing out the window into the hallway.  I read her blog and Susanna's blog and I find that, no matter how excited I am to get to my children, I dread going to this place.  I am afraid.  I know what others have seen there.  I know I will be changed.  I am afraid.  Because, right now, I know about Orphans but when I return, I will know orphans.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

But, I have to confess, that I also fear... you... readers... friends.  You see, I've posted about these children on Facebook.  And, the crickets were deafening!

It's sad, reading about them, I've been told.

So, I'm trying to be brave.

Because, I want to break your heart!

I want you to fall to your knees, weeping!

I want you to be forever changed!

I think it's a good thing.

Can I encourage you to take a tiny moment of your day and read this and this.  Look at the faces of these children, children who share the floor with our Ethan and Elaina.  Really look at them!  Go here and just pick a child, any child - read their profile.  There are hundreds...  and this is just a tiny fraction of the needs waiting to be met all over the world and close to home.

Will you risk a broken heart?

Don't be afraid...

Really, what's the worst that can happen?

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” ― William Wilberforce

More to come, so, read at your own risk!

Feeling small...

Today I was feeling small.  Some days are like that.  I let my eyes linger on the "concern of the day" and, suddenly, it became so... BIG.  Thankfully, I serve a BIG God.  He knows my heart.  He knows my every need.  He knows me better than I know myself.  And just when I was feeling so small He sent my 7 year old grandson with news of a change jar.  He had started it off with all the change he had.  Why?  Because "we need to get those kids home!"  So, right now, I will choose to keep my attention focused on God.  I will choose to keep my ear tuned to His voice.

Whether you turn to the right, or to the left, 

your ears will hear a voice behind you saying

"This is the way, walk in it."

Isaiah 30:21

Now, I have some BIG news!  We would like to introduce...

Elaina Maelle (honoring 3 precious women in our lives)

and 

Ethan James (just because we like it!)

We'd also like to announce our first BIG fundraiser!  We are going to "Bunco our Blessings out of Bulgaria" on July 31st!  For information on this evening of fun, food, fellowship and PRIZES you can go here.  Check it out!  There's even a way to participate (and have a chance to win!) if you can't actually be at the event :)

 

Called....

So, here I am... blogging our adoption.  That's right, WE are adopting.  Us!  Fifty-somethings, with 5 children at home and 2 out on their own, children ranging in age from 3 to 30.  What are they thinking!?  Did that thought at least cross your mind?  I have to admit, it was the first question that popped into my mind when God whispered the information in my ear.  "Are you kidding?  Really, God?"  But over and over, through sermons and prayers and scriptures, through blog posts and conversations, He said, "Yes, this is what I'm calling you to do."

Until we started on this path of international adoption I never realized just how often (at least 41 times!) the Bible calls us to take care of widows and orphans in their distress and to stand up for the needy and the oppressed.    That really struck me- it's not a matter of waiting for God's call.  He's already called.  Our job is to ask "Where?"

Now, adoption is nothing new to us.  We have adopted once internationally and 5 times domestically.  But, when my eyes were opened to the daily lives of special needs orphans around the world they were opened wide!   Children as young as 4, transferred to adult mental institutions, because of their developmental disabilities.  Children, grown to adults, and still crammed into cribs, their limbs twisted and frozen over time.  143,000,000 orphans around the world.  I was called to pray.  I became a Prayer Warrior through Reece's Rainbow  for 3 of those orphans.  I have committed to pray daily until they each have a family.  As I prayed for them God broke my heart for others.  In that brokenness, He began to whisper...

Dan and I talked and I found out that God was working on his heart also.  We were led to one tiny 9 year old girl, living in what some call "the bad place", an orphanage in Eastern Europe.   God kept up that whispering and we have also committed to one of her roommates, a little boy, aged 11.

I will try to keep you up to date on our journey.  Currently, we are in the Home Study phase.  We would love your prayers- that paperwork would be expedited and that everything will roll smoothly along.   International adoption is a long process.  We are anticipating 7-10 months before the children will be home.  It is also expensive.   We began the process with about half the funds needed, knowing that we would have several months of saving and fundraising time.   You can  follow us along the way at http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=robbins   Right now, we are on "New Commitments" but you will be able to see us move from there to "Already Home"!

This first post is entitled "Called..."  God's word calls those who believe to do something. What does that look like in your life?

"Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing,

Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee."

Frances R. Havergal, 1874