More Than a Picture

I don’t even know your

real name.

Yet I stare at your face and

long to know

Someone holds you close and safe

*

How can this

Cursed World

hurt children?

Why are there so many like you?

And worse?

*

Precious Children

*

Oh, Lord, send them Mamas and Daddies

Thank You, Lord, that my heart breaks over

such tragedies.

*

I don’t want to be numb.

~~~

I “met” Bennett at the end of November 2010. A Facebook friend began posting about Reece’s Rainbow and a little girl her heart was breaking over. I spent countless hours pouring over the children’s profiles, little precious children who needed homes. Finally, I signed up to be a Christmas Angel Tree Warrior, and Reece’s Rainbow assigned me Bennett.

We are so blessed here in the U. S. of A. If we are blessed with a child with special needs, we are surrounded by resources and support to raise that child. In some countries these same children are thrown away. If they are not saved from an orphanage by the age of four or five, they are transferred to an institution with poor conditions and few resources. Many don’t survive.

Reece’s Rainbow seeks change from this tragedy one child at a time. According to this article, Reece’s Rainbow has helped over 350 children with Down syndrome or other special needs find a forever home in the United States or Canada. That number has since increased to over 500.

Adoption is costly. Many families wish to adopt but lack the funds necessary to successfully jump through all the hoops. Reece’s Rainbow sets up adoption grants for the children on their site so money never stops loving families from giving these children homes.

During the month of December 2010, Bennett went from having about $45.00 in his adoption fund to $1,233.00. Now he has $2262.50. This amounts to a great deal of hope, but it still doesn’t cover the nearly $25,000 it can take to adopt internationally. You can help bring this baby home. He’s running out of time. In October 2011 he turned five.

 

How to Give

• Prayer is the most powerful contribution anyone can offer. Please pray that the perfect family for Bennett will find out about him, and the needed funds to complete the adoption process will not be a stumbling block. Pray that God prepares the hearts of Bennett’s future family so that they will be ready to act as God leads them.
• If God leads you to give financially, you can go to Bennett’s page and make a secure donation through PayPal or mail a check to Reece’s Rainbow: PO Box 4024; Gaithersburg, MD 20885. Sending a check is especially important if you are sending a large donation because PayPal takes a percentage of any donation sent through their company.
• There are many other ways to help! You can host a party to benefit Bennett or Reece’s Rainbow such as a Christmas or New Year’s Party. Each year starting in November you can sign up to be a Christmas Angel Tree Warrior, and advocate for one child to reach at least $1,000 in his or her adoption fund. You can donate stock, participate in the annual Buddy Walks, become a Corporate Christmas Warrior if you own a business, donate to the Voice of Hope or to the Child of the Month, become a Prayer Warrior, buy brochures and magnets to pass out, participate in Connecting the Rainbow, and help in many other ways. If you find a different way to get involved, please let me know about it! The possibilities are only limited by our creativity.

I just can’t leave this little one behind. I didn’t plan to worry over Bennett beyond December 2010, but his picture has captured my heart.

Maybe it’s because of the tears my then five-year-old Little Lady cried upon discovering children exist without Mamas and Daddies. Maybe it’s because of the way I broke down in a Wal-Mart parking lot because the song My Name is Christmas Carol played over the radio. Maybe it’s because my oldest son is just weeks older than this little lost boy. Maybe it’s because the baby I lost last summer could have possibly had Down syndrome.

I want to know someone is hugging this little boy. I want to know that he will never go to a mental institution. I want to know that he has the opportunity to learn everything he is able. I want to know his dreams are full of joy.

Maybe, just maybe, the parents God intends for Bennett will read my words. Maybe God is putting everything in place so that Bennett can come home.

Please pray.

~~~

A Few More Reece’s Rainbow Advocates

• Krista Dawne from One Beautiful Life is also advocating for Bennett. You can read some of her thoughts about Bennett and Reece’s Rainbow here.
• A family in my area, the Walters, adopted a little boy through Reese’s Rainbow. They found out about him because a Facebook friend acted as his Christmas Angel Tree Warrior. Keep up with their story.
• Another little blessing, Gigi, is in the process of being adopted by the Stevens family. A friend of mine is hosting a puzzle fundraiser for her and her family at Hope for Gigi.
• I also must mention one family who have saved several children, one who would have starved to death if the family had taken one day longer to save her. Keep up with their story at Carrington’s Courage.

These are only a few of the children saved from a life devoid of love. Can you help save another?

Please Pray!