A special family.

When we were in Kyiv waiting for Grace's visa, we met up with a friend who was also in Ukraine working to complete her adoption.

We've known her for over 3 years, but only online. We live states away from one another and had never met in person.

I was thrilled when we realized we might be traveling at the same time, and have a chance to meet her. To meet Shelly, the amazing mama of the Burman Bunch.

Shelly and her husband, Brian, adopted 3 kids from the institution I visited on my mission trip several months before I was there.

Then, two months after we adopted Elijah, they were back again, adopting Miss Carrington from Elijah's former orphanage, and Miss Reagan from the institution Elijah and Carrington would have been moved too.

Carrington is only 9 days older than Elijah. When Elijah's bio mom found out shortly before he was born that he had Down syndrome, she went to see Carrington in the hospital, who was also born with Ds.

Carrington came home near death (literally, she wouldn't have made it a more than a day longer), weighing only 11 pounds at 3 years old.

She is now a healthy and happy princess loving her life with her amazing family!

But the Burman's decided they had more love to give, and now, after several more adoptions, both domestic and from Serbia, they are back in Ukraine again, on a mission to make FOUR little boys a part of their forever family.

Shelly is still in Ukraine with a friend, and they have a court date, which means time is running out to raise the $7k+ they still need to come home. The boys can't come home if there isn't enough money to buy their plane tickets...

The Burman's have been through SO much. Without going into details, they have faced much opposition in this adoption and past ones. Things have happened that have left them short of thousands of dollars. All they want is to bring their children home, and they can't do it by themselves.

When mom and I were in Kyiv with Grace, we went shopping. Not just for a few souvenirs to bring home for our family, but for authentic Ukrainian items to put up for bid in an auction. An auction that would help bring the Burman's raise the money they needed.

That Ukrainian auction has been going on Facebook for two weeks, and it ends tonight. But there is still time to bid on these things and more!

So I am asking this. Would you head over to the Freedom Auction and place a couple of bids on these authentic Ukrainian items? If you are the highest bidder, every penny you donate will go to help the Shelly come home with her boys.

And if you don't want to bid, you can also make a tax deductible donation to their Grace Haven page!

Also, I want to say this. I know there is some drama surrounding this family, and I know that some may not appreciate me supporting them like this. But listen.

I've met Shelly, I've watched her children grow up in pictures, I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt, that she and Brian want what is best for their children, and they will do whatever it takes to bring their children home. They know children do not belong in orphanages, and they want to give them the LOVE of a FAMILY instead.

London and Carrington, former orphans, now loved and cherished sisters!

They need our help. Can we give them the love and support, both with prayers and donations, that they need? Let's set aside everything else for awhile and focus on what matters. Getting children out of orphanages and home to their family.

Let's do this. Let's bring the the Burman boys HOME!

Considering Adoption?

Are you considering adoption, but don't think you are strong enough to handle all the struggle that goes with it, during the paperwork process, and once the child is home?

Well, I have news for you. You are right.

You aren't strong enough.

But someone else is.

Thank you so much Kristi for making this video and letting me share it!!

Orphan Sunday

There are soo many good posts I've read today about Orphan Sunday.

(Today is Orphan Sunday by the way.)

Unfortunately, if I try to write one, it won't even come close to measuring up.

So I would like you to go visit two blogs, and then watch two videos.

Actually, no I wouldn't like you too, I DARE YOU TO.

These posts need reading. And these videos need watching.

I DARE YOU to be bold enough to read them and watch them.

Because they are hard to read and watch.

But ohh so worth it.

Because you will have new passion and fervor for doing something to help with the orphan crisis.

And EVERYONE needs to do something, because what's happening really is a CRISIS.


1. The Eighth Largest Country

2. If not us, then who?

3.


4.


Don't forget about those without a voice. Do something for them. Be their voice.

While We Wait

Scroll down to see about my new blog AFTER you read this! :)


It's the last day of orphan awareness month... So I want to share a very powerful post with you from Amy!


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While we wait for the perfect timing...

they hope they can wait another day.

While we wait for more money...

they wait with nothing.

While we wait for a bigger home with enough room...

they wait for room in our hearts.

While we wait for others approval...

they wait with any dignity they can find.

While we wait for the ideal child....

they wait knowing they are not.

While we wait trying to decide if we can manage another...

they wait trying to manage on their own.

While we wait to see how much we have to give to them...

They are waiting to give us even more.

While we wait for God to provide...

He waits for us to take the first step so He can.

We must NEVER use 'waiting to hear from Him' as an excuse for not doing what He has ALREADY commanded in the bible for us to do... proclaim the truth, care for orphans, serve others, be His hands of justice for the poor, and show compassion.

So, what are you waiting for??

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Orphan Sunday 2011

The month of October was Down Syndrome Awareness month. This month, November, is Adoption Awareness month. It's also Orphan awareness month, which of course goes hand in hand with Adoption Awareness month. And today - is Orphan Sunday. Churches world wide are joining in to spread the word about the millions of fatherless children. After watching Courageous, you realize how important it is for children to have a father. But not only these precious children not have a father to protect them and be an example for them, they don't have a mother to kiss their owies, tuck them in at night, and cook their meals so they aren't hungry.

It hard to even comprehend the need. I mean 147 MILLION orphans??? You may wonder why I even bother advocating for them or why you should. I obviously can't save them all right? No I can't but if I can save ONE, it makes all the difference.

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, "Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can't save all these starfish. You can't begin to make a difference!"

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

"Well, I made a difference to that one!"

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.

Even if I don't save them, I can love on them and tell them they are loved, they are beautiful, they are valuable. And so can you! Even if I can't bring a child home the family they deserve through adoption, I can encourage others who able to do so. And I can piece the heart of an orphan back together....

(PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THIS VIDEO! It is worth every single second of the 4 minutes. My mom and I were moved to tears after watching it...)

So I ask you today... what will you do to piece together the heart of an orphan?

You may be saying that you can't travel to the other side of the world to go minister in orphanages. Well, maybe not, but there are orphans in America. Foster children. You can foster a child, or go to a shelter and spend a day showing people by your actions how much they are loved. And that they are valued and beautiful. Another way you can start to repair their heart is by supporting someone else so they can piece it together. For example - donating to someones adoption. There is a whole list of Faithful Friday posts on the side of my blog, and only one of two of them have their children home where they belong. There are also many more families which I'm sure you know of that need financial support. Not only do I encourage to put another piece back together int eh heart of an orphan by donating to the family trying to get them home, you can donate to a waiting child. Because their grant will go to help their future family bring them home, and the more money in a grant, the more money in their grant the more financial incentive there is to adopt them.

Another thing you can do to help is come along side of adopting families. Whether it is commenting (encouraging comments are most welcome!) on every single one of their blog posts, to bringing them meals after they are home. It all helps!

The final thing you can do is pray. Even if you can't give, even if you can't bring a child home or love on them, prayer is just as important. A group of people has committed to praying every single day at 1:47 pm for the 147 million orphans around the world. I can't seem to find the link right now, but won't you join us??

If you want, sure, go ahead and skim thru this post, or don't even read it at all (of course, you would have to be reading it to see my permission not to read it... :p) of this post. But let me tell you, if you don't act read thru my posts, let your heart be broken by the video above, and do nothing to help, there are consequences. Like this sweet little face...

I found out today that sweet little Kevin is now resting in his Heavenly Father's Arms. He is with Jesus, playing at his Savior's feet. And while yes, that is the best place to be... he never felt love on this earth. Never knew what it meant to have a mommy or daddy to love him and cuddle him and watch him grow up. Why? Because no one stepped up to bring him home and love him. His heart never got pieced back together. Breaks.my.heart! You will be missed sweet boy! Rest in peace!

At the same time, there ARE people who follow God's calling and we can see the fruits of that on this page. The families who are HOME for good with their precious little ones! Have you helped any of the little ones on that page come home? Are you going to support their families not that they are home?

So I ask you tonight, a simple question - 

What will you do to piece together the Heart of the Orphan?


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reckless abandon.

Reposting this with permission from No Greater Joy Mom. It really spoke to me, and I hope and pray you will take the time to read it!

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It’s Orphan Awareness Month. 


Again. 

Another month set aside for the church to show orphan-related videos, hear testimonies relevant to adoption and orphan care, and to present sermons where orphans are [possibly] mentioned.

I must confess. Many times I ask myself, What’s the point of it?  Is having another time set aside to create an awareness of the orphan crisis even worth the effort?  Is it? Will it make a profound difference?

Will is it really?

Perhaps I have become somewhat cynical or weary of the battle that rages for the lives of millions of children, or frustrated that help seems so slow to come, or desperate to see more and more who are willing to go. I don’t know. I only know the sinking feeling that I feel each time I look into the faces of our four adopted children and cannot help but remember the millions who are left behind. The ones who are literally without hope, without life.

credit:  all photos from google

We’re the Christians, doggone it!  We’re God’s beloved church. His beautiful bride. We’re the ones He has already commanded to take care of the orphans.

Yet sadly, we wait.

We wait for God to speak to us in an audible voice, telling us to “GO!”  Sometimes He does that audible voice thing, you know.

We wait for the perfect job to come along.  Orphan care demands a whole lot of money. How can we possibly afford another mouth to feed?

We wait for the bills to be paid—can’t be taking on more than we can handle.

We wait for the larger house—because adding children requires a large house.

We wait for a few kids to leave the nest before we add more—can’t be having too many children in the home now, can we?

We wait for confirmation with the perfect Scripture to drop into our spirits as a sign that we need to act now.

We wait...for someone else to go.

We wait, we wait, we wait.

And while we wait—they perish. The statistics are staggering. I can’t even look anymore.

This is the horrendous reality...

Why do we find every reason under heaven and earth why we should not go? The Bible is as clear as daylight—“...care for the widows and the orphans.”

It’s a lot like missions. My heart aches when I see how many churches don’t have a fabulous missions department. God’s Word says to “Go into ALL the world and make disciples of all.” It’s a command! It’s non-negotiable. We're meant to be sending and supporting missions all over the globe. Taking care of the orphans is a command too. We’re commanded in His word to care for them—however that may look. 

But still we wait for “the call” to come. Kind of like, “I am SO glad Mrs. Jenkins is called to lead children’s church, because that is DEFINITELY NOT my calling.

Ouch!

God hardly ever calls us to do things for Him when everything in our lives is just grand. He never calls us to walk on water when our circumstances are sweet. When I look in the Bible, I see people doing things for the Lord in the midst of impossible circumstances. Tougher than what my circumstances have ever been in my entire life. Yet, they did it. In obedience. The Lord commanded them--and they went. They accepted the tough task that lay before them—come what may. They never asked the Lord for a re-commission. 

So why in the world do we? What makes us so different to the people God gave us to learn from in the Bible? 

Why are there so many uncared for orphans in the world when we’re commanded to care for them?

We would be wealthy if someone paid us every time we have been told that we were “called by God” to adopt our four children who have special needs. Or for the many people who have told us that “There is no way we could do what you do.”

I disagree.

You know what that does? It diminishes God’s sovereign power to do the impossible through each one of us, His people. Comments like that tell the Father, “Sorry, God, but you don’t have enough power to give me the ability to parent a child who struggles in life.” “So sorry, God. Just go and call someone else.” “Oh God, and that mission field thing? There is no way I could ever do that!”

That’s perilous ground to walk on.

God’s power is absolutely made perfect in our weakness. When He commands us to do something, He equips us with everything we need to fulfill the calling with excellence. Even people like us--ordinary sinners saved by grace who are just average Joes. He does it for His glory! To make Himself famous in the earth. It has absolutely nothing to do with us. Everything God does is for His glory, not ours.

I believe with all my heart that God is raising up an army of crazy people to do the ridiculous. Many believe we are living in the end times. We agree! We sense that more than ever God is looking for those who are willing to do the impossible. Just WILLING! God is seeking out those who will serve Him with reckless abandon, no matter where that takes them or what He tells them to do in this life.

Will it be easy?  Heck, no!  He never promised us an easy road...ever!  

We said yes to the Lord a very long time ago.  We'll go where He sends us and do what He tells us to do...because really, our lives are not our own.

Reckless abandon for the sake of His orphans...simply because they so desperately need US.  

Come what may.




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