Woefully Inadequate

It has become glaringly obvious that I am nearly completely ignorant to not only the plight of the widowed, orphaned and impoverished around the globe, as well as how to help or where to start. Honestly my heart tells me to quit lurking on the Waiting Children websites and scoop them all up and being them home. Looking at all those beautiful faces, most of them with amazing smiles, is painful but it gives me an opportunity to pray for each one my name and to keep their reality as a part of my day-to-day life. Something happens in your heart when you read about a child who wants a family with parents who will love them and not be mean. And it hurts. A lot. So again I fantasize about bringing them all home, but only for a moment. Then I pray and ask for a way to help.

I have been talking more with people I know (and even get to call friends! Yay me!) who are also passionate about adoption and caring for the orphans. It is amazing to me how strongly their call to adopt is, and also how they absolutely knew where their children were. Ethiopia, China, Korea,South America, or state-side - they knew it in their hearts. My mom always tells how when she first saw me, in a room with the other babies, she knew I was hers. I imagine it is that way for all parents when they meet or see their child(ren) for the first time either in person or in a photo. It is a long and heart-wrenching journey from when the idea first tugs at their hearts until the final papers are signed, but to see their family after the fact, to see the glow both parents and child have..., well it seems trite to say it was all worth it.

So I challenge you. Perhaps adoption is not what God has planned for your family and there should be no guilt with that. Well unless it puts you to action in which case run with it! Still, if you are not feeling like adoption is for you, or at least not right now, there is still plenty that you can do. Pick a state or country and Google a search for children available for adoption and look through their faces. Read their stories. Smile and laugh at how impossible beautiful they are. And then pray for them. Many agencies allow you to donate or sponsor these waiting children (which is just a 21st century way of saying orphan without conjuring images of Oliver Twist,) so if you are able to help financially this is a great way to do so.

Here is one of the agencies that I have been stalking lurking praying over: The Adoption Exchange.

My heart is completely drawn to older orphans - the ones who may be awkward and not as cute as the babies and toddlers, who are carrying some heavy baggage and have been passed around and rejected some for their entire lives, and who are starring at that birthday that will age them out of the system or orphanage. They will not only be homeless but also family-less. Completely alone. Depending of the report as many as 30% of these kids will commit suicide within that first year on their own. Many turn to crime, drugs, alcohol, prostitution and end up on the streets or in jail. That is what keeps me up at night and gets me up in the morning. That is what gets me to my knees several times a day. And chances are if my eyes are red and puffy that is the reason too.

Shopping With a Purpose

Do you drink coffee? Wear shoes? Wear t-shirts? Send cards or give gifts?

No matter what you spend your money on, chances are there are options for some of those purchases that would help provide for orphans and those in poverty. Here is just a beginning of a list. I intend to continue compiling lists from time to time so if you know of an organization I miss or want me to find one for something specific let me know!

Coffee

I am a coffee-lover through and through. There are several companies who sell high quality coffees, usually organic, fair-trade, whole bean or ground. Just Love Coffee Roasters has a wonderful variety of coffees as gifts that goes towards helping orphans in Ethiopia including a school for older orphans. Additionally, for families trying to raise funds to adopt, they can get their own fundraising page with their own URL which they can post on their blog, share with friend, etc. Pretty cool.

T-Shirts

There are some beautiful t-shirts out there that help fund families working towards adoption or organizations that help support orphans and those in extreme poverty.

Love Is Waiting - Love the silver t-shirt

Feeding the Orphans - "Help us raise awareness of the plight of the children of the world AND feed a child at the same time. 100% of the profit will go to benefit the children of Africa."

Gifts and other Fabulous Items

I wish I knew about these before Christmas so I guess I will just have to buy these beautiful items for myself!

Toms Shoes - "With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One." Simple and brilliant. As of September 2010 a million shoes have been given to children in need. It sounds simple to those who have never been without shoes, but shoes can change a child's life - no exaggeration. Check out their website and Facebook page for more.

Empower Orphans - cards and wine charms, super cute!

Bajalia Trading Company - one of my favorites. Amazing items from around the world, empowering the artisans and helping create sustainable change in their communities. Great prices too!

Another idea is to talk with people you know who have a home based business and see if they would be willing to offer a fundraising campaign where they would donate a portion of their proceeds to a charity or organization that is helping to protect and provide for children. It is a win-win situation if you think about it!

So do some research and see how you can help the millions of orphans and those living in poverty in your every-day living and spending.

Please Meet Roselore!

I feel like a new mom introducing her new daughter to the world! My heart is bursting and I have tears in my eyes! This is Roselore, our newly sponsored child from Compassion International.

I am so in love!

She is one of 12 children that lives with their mother and grandfather in a small Haitian community on the southern side of the island.

I have spent months and years dreaming of this day, looking through countless pictures of these beautiful and amazing children wondering if there was one that God had in mind for us and then today I found her. Something in her face made it so I could not look away. I clicked to learn more and saw how large her family is, the situation of the area she lives in, and then that her birthday is this weekend and I just knew. Roselore is the one for us!

I cannot wait to get her packet and to begin getting to know her. Oh that first letter from her is going to be worth more than the largest diamond, or a vintage Chanel bag. I look forward to sharing her with everyone just as I do with my other 3 amazing kids.

Ok, can't type anymore through the tears.

I love you Roselore!

Awesome Update!

Did you read Davids' story? Well his happy ending is right around the corner. Or maybe happy beginning is more accurate. Read here.

Welcome! Let's Change the World!

Hello and welcome to the first ever blog post! This is truly God's work through my humble hands and loud mouth. This world is messed up and I can't sit back and watch children fall through the cracks anymore. Something has to be done and more people need to become aware and get active. Now you might be saying, "But Deann, I can't adopt a child right now." Well hey guess what - neither can I! But that does not give us license to sit back and do nothing! Perhaps I should back up a little bit though. Like 30-some years.

Thirty-plus years ago God saved me from life as an orphan when He placed me into the womb of a woman who could not care for me but who was committed to finding the family who could. Because of her choice and God's providence I was raised in a safe, happy and comfortable home, never doubting that I was loved and cherished, never worrying about my safety, never going to bed cold or hungry. I never forget how blessed I am for that, or how easily my story could have been drastically different.

God has grown in me a heart for children who do not have a safe, loving home, or parents to protect and care for them. Countless children in our country and around the world are living in poverty and danger. Some have parents who are truly trying to provide for them but cannot. Others don't even have someone trying. Many are in very real and imminent danger of getting lured into human trafficking, gangs, or other atrocities that are just too horrible to imagine for long but are also all too real in our world. Thousands of teenagers are turned out into the streets every year because they simply had another birthday and now are too old to be provided for by the state/government anymore. From what I know that usually happens around age 16 or 17. In America these "adults" have hope of getting connected with welfare agencies to help provide shelter, work and food. In other countries they are simply shown the door. 15% of these teens commit suicide in that first year on their own.

Please read about one boy who is staring at this very real possibility as I type by clicking here.

Luckily for Davids a family has stepped forward and the wheels are in motion to get him his forever family, but for a moment let the reality of what his life was like before he got this news. Recovering from the shock of one family changing their minds about him, no longer wanting him, and having no idea what his future would bring. The fear of each day bringing you one day closer to homelessness and being completely powerless to it. Thousands of children are living with that fear right now.

Another catalyst to my stepping into action is the devastation I have been hearing about and reading about in Haiti. Haiti was one of the poorest countries on our globe before the earthquake, but now a year later having only 2% of the ruble cleared away, with millions of people living in tents and surrounded by violence, and 80% of the people living on less that $2 a day this country and it's people are truly in crisis. And all that aide money that was raised? Most of it is still sitting somewhere, unavailable to these people due to corruption and legal red tape.

So sit back and hold on as we delve into the needs of the millions of children around the world and try to live out God's call to each of us to help the poor, the widowed, the orphaned. No matter who you are, where you are, or what situation you are in, there is something you can do to help. Stick around and together we can make a difference.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead