How do you know??

How do you know when you are growing up?

What lets you know you are maturing?

Is it the birthdays coming year by year...

Or is it...

Learning to ride a bike...

The first day of school...

or learning to read?

Is it when Mom lets you stay up an hour longer with the grown-ups when the little ones have to go to bed?

Is it that first after school job of raking the neighbor's leaves...

or graduating from 8th grade...

or the first day of high school?

The milestones met one by one...

Should make you feel more and more grown up!

But what would happen if you were deprived of the opportunity to meet these common milestones?

What would happen if you sat in a crib day after day...

Long after you had outgrown it?

What if you had no opportunity to even start school...

[Because your LEGS (not your mind) didn't work right!]

When you should be finishing 8th grade...

Or starting high school?

Would you feel that same sense of "growing up?"

If your birthdays were unnoticed...

Each day passing with monotony and sameness...

With nothing to occupy your mind or engage your curiosity...

No new responsibilities to challenge you and make you feel grown up...

What would that be like?

Instead of looking forward to your 16th birthday in a couple years...

When you could get your drivers license...

Your16th  birthday would be a day to look forward to with dread...

It would be the end of hope for you...

No more chance or opportunity to have a family...

To get an education...

Or a job when you grew up?

Can you imagine?

I can't...

Sweet, intelligent Emmitt is in this situation!

Today is his Birthday...

He's 14 today!

He's been waiting far too long...

I don't know what learning opportunities he may have had as a young child in a baby house...

But he has now been in a mental institution (because his LEGS don't work well!) for many years...

Deprived of a loving family...

Deprived of education...

Deprived of therapy...

Deprived of the opportunity to meet those milestones...

That would make him feel grown up!

At 14 years old...

He should be looking forward to starting high school soon...

But instead he sits in a baby's bed...

Waiting for someone to see his potential...

And get him out of there!

And give him the opportunity to grow into a man...

Is there any way you could be his Mom or Dad?

If not, could you share his story...

Pray for him...

And add even a few dollars to his grant fund?

In two years dear Emmitt will be too old to be adopted...

Without hope of release from the institution...

Without hope of a life of opportunity...

In bed for the rest of his life...

Let's not let that happen!

To read more about Emmitt or donate to his grant fund click Here!

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This post was written by my friend and fellow advocate Pam, who blogs over at Saving His Sparrows. She blogs and advocates for the older and bedridden children, which many people, including myself pass over! They have the most need, and we really need to spread the word about them!!

Happy Birthday Emmitt!! I pray you find a family soon, and many people are moved to help you find a family!

Vacation?!?!?!

I am reposting this (with permission) from my friend Pam at Saving His Sparrows. She has inspired me soo much through her post, and the comments she leaves on my blog, but especially with this post. So tonight, I want to share it with you! Be sure to read ALL of it, then go over and say hi! :) Thank you so much Pam! Keep up the great posts and advocating for these precious children! ♥

Vacation?!?!?!

Guess What?

I've decided you are to have a one week vacation!!!!

Starting as soon as you finish reading this blog post!!!

(OK, I don't really have the authority to give you a vacation -- but bare with me!)

Before you begin...

Here are the rules:

1. You are not to go to work.

2. You are not to do any housework...

No cooking or dishwashing...

No sweeping or vacuuming...

No cleaning the bathroom...

No laundry...

No work AT ALL!!!

Sound good?

So, what would you like to do for your vacation?

Go to the beach?

Or hiking or skiing in the mountains?

Or site seeing in a new city?

Go on a cruise?

Before you get too excited about you plans for your surprise vacation...

I better tell you more of the rules...

3. You must NOT leave your room...

4. You must stay in bed the WHOLE time...

(Yes ALL week long!!!)

5. No, you may not have a book to read...

6. No, you may not use the computer, an I-pod, an I-pad, or a cellphone...

7. No, there will be no TV or radio...

Here's what you CAN do...

I'll hang a clock by your bed...

Feel free to count how many times the second hand goes around the circle each day!

(That should keep you occupied!)

You can count your fingers!

(That won't take long...)

You can look at the ceiling...

Or the wall on the right...

Or the wall on the left...

For as long as you like!!!

And, to make life more interesting...

Instead of your room...

You'll get to spend your vacation in a large room...

With many, many beds...

These beds will be filled with sick and hurting, lonely people...

Like you, they will have nothing to do...

But groan & cry in frustration, pain, boredom, and loneliness...

What!!!!

You don't want your vacation?

You'd rather work hard, clean the bathroom, do laundry and wash dishes?

Well, you can breathe a sigh of releif!!!!

I won't make you take such a "vacation!"

I wouldn't, even if I could.

It would be torture rather than a vacation!

In comparison, all that work sounds so much better!

But while we have the PRIVILEGE of doing chores...

Many INNOCENT people...

Who deserve it no more than we do...

Have the unenviable opportunity to do NOTHING.

They have NO opportunity to do the fun things on our favorite vacation list.

Not even the common, everyday things...

Like visiting the grocery store to buy something good to eat...

Reading a book...

Or playing with a puppy...

This is not a one-week vacation for Victoria...

and Emmitt...

It's not "optional" either!

It is their LIFE...

Day after day...

Year after year...

With NO end in sight!

Where, oh WHERE is their Mama & Papa?

Who will save them from this most miserable vacation?

Please pray they will be delivered from their life sentence...

Of doing nothing for the rest of their life!

Pray that someone will be brave enough...

To step out and rescue these kids...

Trusting God to provide every need!

PS Victoria has her own grant fund, but it's so VERY small right now :(

Can you help it GROW?

Sadly, Emmitt is too old for his own grant fund at Reece's Rainbow...

But he still needs a family!

When a family commits to adopt him, RR will begin collecting donations to help them bring him home.

He is also eligible for an older child grant. You can donate to that fund here.


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Unfortunately, Lyla's life is the same "Vacation".. :(