Monday, November 7, 2011

Sunday Snapshot - Orphan Sunday and a Way to Help

Last year for Orphan Sunday, I wrote this post, Sunday Snapshot - Orphan Sunday

Please go read it as I do not think I could say it any better this year and...

I had no time THIS year...

THIS year, I got to put the rubber to the road, so to speak.

THIS year, I got to DO something and what a blessing it was for me! 

THIS year, my dear friends, Kim and Angie, and I decided to hold our own Orphan Sunday presentation.

THIS year we made prayer cards for many of the kiddos that we have been adovcating for, many of the kiddos who have waited so, so long for a family.

THIS year we gathered agency packets and we armed oursleves with statistics and cold, hard facts and our own personal adoption experiences.

THIS year we got to see, first hand, hearts being moved in this small little church, in this church full of beautiful families with such hearts for orphans. 

I have already gotten an email from the wonderful family who chose precious Ty's prayer card (HIV positive and listed with Lifeline) and DREW'S prayer card.  My sweet Drew, whom I have been advocating for, for so long. 

Watching the Lord move through this room was humbling and amazing and I cannot wait to watch what He will do for some of these wonderful children.

THIS year, I also want to tell you how you can help. 

There are so many children who need families, so many children who long for a Mom and Dad of their own,  so many children who watch all their friends go home while they continue to wait and sadly many of those children never find their forever families, but...

There are a few very special families that I want to tell you about. 

A few families who are making a difference.

A few families who are making ONE LESS!

There are 4 families who are right now, busy fundraising to bring their children home, children who will be orphans no more.

Four families who took that leap of faith to answer the Lord's call, totally trusting that He would provide all that they needed to make one less orphan in the world, one less child who will go to bed without a Mommie and a Daddy to tuck them in and kiss them goodnight, one less child who will wait and wonder if they will ever know that kind of love.

Let me begin with a child who has been on my heart and on my site for a very long time. 


Sweet Blossom is finally coming home and coming home to a beautiful Momma named Pam. 

If you have been following my site for a while, you know that sweet Blossom has severe CP and will require lifelong care. 

Does that worry sweet Pam? 

Absolutely not, as a matter of fact, it may have been one of the things that drew Pam to Blossom. 

You see, Pam's job is working with adults with severe special needs and she is ready, willing (oh so willing) and able to give precious Blossom the care that she needs.

However, like so many families, Pam does not have the money that she needs to bring her beautiful daughter home.

Please go to  Along the Blossom Trail and prayerfully consider helping Pam bring precious Blossom home.  She has only raised $40 of the $4000 needed to complete her home study and sweet Blossom has waited long enough!

The next family I would like to feature is a sweet friend who, after just getting home with their beautiful daughter, Avi, found out about another precious little one in Eastern Europe who has CP (like sweet Avi) and will not survive without a family.

Do you remember THIS POST

Do you remember sweet Lilianna?


Liliana is an 11 year old child who weighs 10 pounds and is lanquishing in an orphanage in Eastern Europe.

Liliana found a family, Praise God, and my sweet friends found Mariana.

Mariana is in the same orphanage as Liliana


on the same floor as Liliana


is 5 years old and weighs 10 pounds


and now has a family just as Liliana does! 

Please go to their first blog, Mariana Orphan Fund and consider buying a T shirt or simply donating to help rescue this beautiful child.

My next family is a family whom I have met, a family with whom I have prayed for and with and who have prayed for me and all the beautiful children who tug at my heart.

Sharon has 2 beautiful little girls from China and is now in the process of bringing home adorable John Wesley.


Precious John Wesley has Spina Bifida and is being cared for in an orphanage that just cannot met his needs.

Sweet Sharon has been working so incredibly hard to bring their son home and has some pretty terrific fundraisers going on right now.

Please go to Our Family Our Story and check out all the great things Sharon is doing, like these wonderful T shirts:


How cute is that!  Please help bring sweet John Wesley home!

Lastly, I have to tell you about my dear friend, Angie, who was with us today at Orphan Sunday.

Angie and her sweet hubby, Tom, just got home with their wonderful 14 year old son, Colin.

Remember this post, Colin is Home when I got to be at the airport for this amazing homecoming!


Angie and Tom had never seriously discussed adoption before but as soon as they saw Colin's face, they knew that this is what the Lord was asking them to do.

So, they set out to do the impossible - bring their son home in record time - before he aged out for good.

The Lord loves this kind of stuff and boy did He ever come through for this wonderful, faithful family. 

Doors were opened and provisions sent to move mountains and bring this child home.

So now, they are on another "impossible" journey...

To bring their son Cameron home


Cameron has been on Angie's heart even before sweet Colin came home and the Lord just kept making it very clear to her that He wanted them to go back.

He wanted them to bring Cam home too!

So, after only being home for a couple of months, they are sprinting to the January first deadline, the date that precious Cameron ages out - forever!

Please go to The Ryland's Family Adventure to check out all of Angie's efforts to bring their newest son home or simply donate and watch the Lord do the "impossible!"

I have to end this post with the names and pictures of the children whose cards did not get chosen today and just ask that you pick a child, email me for more details, if you would like to, and just pray for this child, advocate for this child and be blessed by this child.

Cherrie


Dakota


Hillary


Allie


Claire


Monica


Matthew


William


Daisey


and sweet Brennon


Of course, I cannot end this post without 2 very powerful videos.  Please watch and pray and advocate for all the orphans all over the world, who without you have no hope, no future, no love and no family.




Hope is Fading – Orphan Sunday from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

Please help...

To see more Sunday Snapshots, go here



Sunday Snapshot

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful post, Annie. That little Brennon is too cute!! I can't believe he hasn't found his family. LOVE him!

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  2. Thanks Annie! Amazing post!!

    :)

    (so happy for Sharon!)

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  3. Oh my gosh, Annie! You made me cry! I'm not talking about just being a little teary eyed...I'm talking boo hooooing and sobs. Thank you so much for including John Wesley in this post. You are such an angel to all of these children and I am so very thankful that I can call you my friend!

    LOVE YOU!!! (And Angie and Kim, too!!!)

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  4. Right back at you, Sharon! Can't wait to see you again.

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  5. Forgive me if you get two comments from me, but now sure what happened to the other!

    Your post made both Joy & I cry! I'm SO happy that several of these have their happy endings, but oh for the ones that don't.....

    Cameron (I knew him as Scott) has had my heart for awhile! I know he will bloom in his family!

    Thanks for your beautiful heart for the orphans, Annie! God bless you!

    Hugs,
    Tammy

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  6. Tammy, thank you for loving our son (Scott/ Cameron) while he waited for us. We cannot wait to get there in December and bring him home!

    Angie

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