WHY: YOU CAN BUY AWESOME, ORIGIONAL ART BY LOCAL ARTISTS AND EACH PENNY GOES TO JACOB'S ADOPTION FUND!
Hillary and I spent the day getting ready for our special event! All the girls will be helping day of, though!
Will you say a prayer for us? Will you pray that the event is successful, and that God multiplies our efforts and that we can earn alot of money for Jake's fund? THANKS!
143,000 orphans in the world spend an average of 10 years in orphanages or foster homes.
In countries such as Ukraine and Russia, about 15% of children who age-out of orphanages commit suicide before the age of 18.
60% of the girls become prostitutes, and 70% of the boys become criminals.
Every 15 seconds a child in Africa becomes an orphan due to AIDS.
Did you know that you can help change these statistics?
These statistics are taken courtesy of the Home for Good Foundation www.hfgf.org
November 7, 2010, is Orphan Sunday. This is a time for you and your church to promote orphan care and adoption. If you would like for your church to celebrate this event and encourage others to care for the "least of these," go to orphansunday.org to learn what tools and resources are available.
I think it takes a brave person to adopt "older children" (Can you really be considered older if you aren't even 11 yet?) This awesome family just got back from the Ukraine after adopting two "older" children from there. What an amazing opportunity for these kids, to actually have parents, to actually be able to learn about God. Watch this short video of their adoption, the first scene of their meeting just gets me :,)
You can follow this family with their new additions along with some other adopted kids on Smiles and Trials.
Now, I feel like I need to explain myself. You might be thinking, Amy, why do you care so much about adoption? You haven't adopted, and you're pregnant with one of your own.
Yes, I know, and I never used to ever think about adoption in my life. That was until my very first trip to Romania. I will not be able to put into words here what I experienced for two reasons; first because it's hard for anyone who hasn't been there and seen the orphanages, and seen the many children locked in up in those rooms to really understand a short paragraph about how horrible it was. And second, it's wimpy but it's hard for me to let my heart even go there again. It is much easier for me not to think about it.
There were so many babies there, and after being the only one holding them day after day, you start to feel ownership of them, like they really are your babies because I was the only one who ever did hold them with love, and maybe ever. These babies are beautiful, and they don't cry. They just lay, stiff, staring at you.
While holding these beautiful children, I would just make a frantic mental list of people who would be able to take one of these children in and save their lives, and my list was long. I thought of my elderly neighbor, and how she would adore holding and loving one of these babies, I thought of almost everyone I knew, and I actually knew a lot of people in America would could take on of these children in and save their little lives, in fact, I could only think of a few who couldn't. But, people don't really adopt children. People don't really want an overseas baby, especially one who might be stiff in their little bodies from lack of being held. It might effect their good lives or be a hassle.
So, each day I would lay my babies down, and I would walk away, until the day came that I laid my babies down forever. Any progress they had made with me would be forever erased with months of staring at white ceilings and cribs slats.
I would have taken one. I would, at 18, taken Rebekah and smuggled her out. I often dreamt about foiling that stupid guard at the entrance. I would bring her home and raised her on my own, or found a family for her who would love her and her tiny pixie nose, long curvy lashes and dimples cheeks. That sweet girls who practiced smiling with me, and stretching, and falling asleep in loving arms.
I can't really think about her too often, because no one wants to be around a crying person.
Since Romania, I have been to many orphanages around the world and met some of the most amazing children who would light up the life of any family who would take them in, if they were only given a shot, but none orphanage so bad as Romania. Kenya's orphanage has less food, less clothing and more disease and dirt, but the children seems so much healthy emotionally. Nothing was like Romania.
So, God had to lay some scars on my heart to have me care about adoption. I literally celebrate when I see an adoption story, because I know what these children are being saved from.
Ok, now I'll go wipe my tears and end this post! I hope I explained myself at least a little.
I've really been trying to be healthy recently. I feel hungry more times in the day than I ever used to, and I sometimes find myself filling up on not so healthy snacks. So, last week, I wanted to be very proactive about making a lunch that is absolutly healthy.
So, we have quinoa, tomatoes, bell pepper, black beans, onions and peas all sauteed together. I have been reading all sorts of health benefits of quinoa, and let me tell you...it was delicious! And I felt great afterwards, no guilt and lots of energy!
So, if you're ever in a lunch pinch, try it our. It's surprisingly delicious!
