Dancing with Jesus.

He was less than a year younger than me. He passed away without knowing the love of a family.

My heart is broken and the tears won't stop. His picture grabbed at my heart awhile back but I never advocated for him.

Because while we celebrate that he is pain free and with Jesus now, he still died without ever knowing the love of a family. Something every child should know.

I sometimes feel like I'm doing a lot for orphans, but it's never enough. There's always more I could do.

These child can't advocate for themselves. They can't raise money for their grants. They don't know how to pray. We can though.

And since they can't take care of themselves, we need to be a defender of the orphan, strength for the weak, and a voice for the voiceless.

My resolve to fight this battle is stronger, and I will not let his death be in vain.

Dance with Jesus sweet Ryker! We will fight harder so others don't have to go through what you did.

Lighting My Candle

A week or so ago, we found out that sweet "Hanson" has passed away. He was waiting in mental institution, and never had a family who loved him and was working to bring him home.

He passed away all alone. Never to know the love of a family.

Now he knows the infianate love of his Abba Daddy in heaven.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

But, the thing is. This shouldn't be happening. Innocent children passing away because adults [who should be the ones to care for them, love them, and nurture them] aren't caring, they are abusing.

I'm not just talking about the nannies and those involved in direct care. What about those about those indirectly involved in caring for these children.

The directors making poor financial decisions.

The leaders who decide that thousands of children with SN should rot and die in institutions because he doesn't like some legislation another country passed.

I'm going to take it another step further, and say this, though it may offend some. I'm talking about the families who are able to care for a child, have the room and resources, feel God telling them too, and stomp their foot and say "NO!", because it's not conveinient for them and takes them out of their comfort zone.

Don't you see what's going on here??

There are millions of orphans around the world. They need homes. They need love. And a lot of them will not be adopted in their own country because they have special needs, or for some other reason.

They are helpless, and have no voice.

And we aren't doing anything to help! We are just sitting in our comfy homes, going on with life, while they are fighting for their very lives.

WE are the solution. If we don't act, there may not be anyone else.

And IT IS OUR PROBLEM! It's absolutely our problem. It's OUR JOB to make a difference. Even if just in the life of ONE. It's still worth it.
The lives of the children are on our shoulders, why aren't we doing anything??

Hanson and others DIED. This should be our WAKE UP call.

RISE UP CHURCH, MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Once our eyes are opened, we can not pretend we don't know what to do.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hanson passed away because no one stepped up in time, no one decided in time to go get him.

Tonight, I'm lighting a white candle on this blog in honor of Hanson.

In honor of Sergey. [Read his story here]

In honor of Dayna.

In honor of all the others we didn't get to in time.

And with the lighting of this candle, I make a commitment to work harder than ever to get these precious children home before it's too late. To raise awareness, raise money, and above all, to pray.

Because they don't deserve to be dying. It's not right. And it shouldn't be happening when it's in our power to stop it.

Rest in peace, precious ones. You are always loved, and never forgotten. ♥



Visit Julia's blog HERE to find out more about Hanson and the candles for him. It's a post you don't want to skip.

Hearts that needs love.

It's Day 14 of 31 for 21...

Ds Fact - (source) The overall incidence of congenital heart disease in the general population is 0.8 percent. The incidence of congenital heart disease in children with Down syndrome is up to 50 percent.

The types of heart defects in children with Down syndrome can be broken down into three broad categories:

1. Atrioventricular septal defects 
2. Ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect, or patent ductus arteriosus
3. Other complex heart disease

Atrioventricular septal defects (AV Canal) is greatly over-represented in these children, making up approximately 60 percent of the congenital heart disease found in Trisomy 21. For comparison, AV canals account for only 2.9 percent of the congenital heart defects in the general population.

Ventricular septal defects, atrial septal defects, and patent ductus arteriosus comprise another 20 percent of the congenital heart disease associated with Down syndrome, although these defects are much more common in the general population compared to AV canals.

Other complex congenital heart diseases including Tetralogy of Fallot andhypoplastic left heart syndrome comprise the rest of the heart disease seen in Trisomy 21.

In addition to the heart defects associated with Down Syndrome, isolated elevated blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension) is seen with higher frequency in patients with Down syndrome. This high pressure may be related to malformation of the lung tissue, although the exact cause is not known.

The higher pressures may limit the amount of blood flow to the lungs and therefore decrease the likelihood of symptoms of congestive heart failure seen in babies with complete AV canals or large ventricular septal defects.

However, since the pulmonary hypertension can become irreversible, particularly if these large holes are not surgically corrected by a year of age, children with Down syndrome and AV canals or large ventricular septal defects are often referred for surgery earlier than a non-Down syndrome child with the same heart defect.

If the baby does have evidence of high pressures in the lungs, it may complicate postoperative management and hence prolong the recovery time.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Freeing God's Beautiful Butterflies: Heart Babies: "For some reason, kids with heart problems seem to capture my heart so fast...."

My dear friend Rachel has fallen in love with many children that need heart surgery. The thing is, these precious child need heart surgery, but unless it's extremely urgent, they aren't able to have it in their home country. And even if they do have surgery, they have to go through it without the love of a family.

Every child desperately needs a family, but these children have a special need. If they aren't adopted, and don't get the surgery they need, they will die, all alone, without the love of a family. Like Marlena did.

This sweet peanut had a family working to get her, but they couldn't get there fast enough. She needed urgent  surgery, and she died on the operating table.


Every single one of the children in Rachel's post above needs a family. They may need heart surgery. They need love. Lilly is one of these children. She needs surgery, and she needs a family. If she isn't adopted she will end up like Marlena. Except she might not even make it to the operating table.

Please consider adopting or spreading the word about one of these children... they are voiceless, no one is hearing their silent cries.

Be their voice.

Know Me Before You Judge Me

It's Day 2 of Ds Awareness month... Day 2 of 31 for 21. :)

A friend recently sent me the link for an awesome article written by Melissa Riggio - What's It Like To Have Down Syndrome? And I'd like to share it with you.

by Melissa Riggio

When I first started to work on this story, I thought maybe I shouldn’t do it. I thought you might see that I have Down syndrome, and that you wouldn’t like me.

My mom thinks that’s silly. “Have you ever met anyone who didn’t like you because you have Down syndrome?” she asks me. She’s right, of course. (She usually is!)

When people ask me what Down syndrome is, I tell them it’s an extra chromosome. A doctor would tell you the extra chromosome causes an intellectual disability that makes it harder for me to learn things. (For instance, some of my classes are in a “resource room,” where kids with many kinds of learning disabilities are taught at a different pace.)

When my mom first told me I had Down syndrome, I worried that people might think I wasn’t as smart as they were, or that I talked or looked different.

I just want to be like everyone else, so sometimes I wish I could give back the extra chromosome. But having Down syndrome is what makes me “me.” And I’m proud of who I am. I’m a hard worker, a good person, and I care about my friends.

Click here to read the rest of this article >>

Sadly, Melissa died several years ago at the age of 20 from leukemia. But her memory and her story live on. She continues to be an inspiration to many.

Looking Back Part 4: In Loving Memory

This is Part 4 of the Looking Back series, previous parts are Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.


Awhile back, I posted about when our dear friend Max visited us in April. With all the joy in Max’s visit, there is also a pang of sadness, and a part of the visit I don’t like to think about. My heart aches knowing what Max told us.

I met many people at the institution- there were over 300 residents. I loved everyone I met with a love that I can't explain in human terms. Each and every one of those people will forever hold a special place in my heart. But out of everyone I met there were a couple people that I was instantly drawn too, who captured my heart at first sight.

Even though we hadn’t brought Elijah home, and I had about zero experience with Down syndrome, those with Ds who were there captured my heart. My favorite was Sasha, who was always so joyful and outgoing. I found lots of pictures of him, because he was always smiling an posing for the camera!

Sasha and I - one of my favorite pictures from the institution!

There was this man, who I think Max said his name when he was here, but I can’t remember for the life of me what it was. He was more reserved and shy, and we didn’t see too much of him.

 Him with Max  - He got his head shaved. :(

And then there was Sergey. Oh sweet Sergey. Always had his tongue out, and always running around getting in on the action. I don’t have many pictures of him though, because he would be the one by or behind the camera, not in front of it. He’s not in the group shots, because he was over by the people taking the pictures watching them. He was precious.

Like most of the guys, having never been in the water (we took a busload of residents to the "beach" muddy yucky river for a pool party on a couple different days), Sergey was a bit hesitant at first, but with prompting from Renee..

...he was soon in and splashing. :)

He is sitting in the middle here, the one with his tongue out. ♥
And yes, that would be my dad in the white shirt, and yes, he has make-up on. LOL That's a story for another day. :)

Three sweet guys. Blessed with an extra chromosome, and because of it stuck in the mental institution the rest of their life. But sadly, not only are they shunned by society, they are by others in the institution as well. They are the weaker ones, and no one cares if they are beat up on. Sasha would probably be the only one of the three able to defend himself, and that’s probably why it seemed like the others all accepted him more.
Max asked when he was here if I remembered Sergey with Ds from the institution.

I shook my head struggling to remember who he was.

“The one with the big tongue that was always sticking out.”

Oh that rings a bell…. I went to my trip pictures on the computer to find a picture of him.

Then the bomb drops. Three words that broke my heart.

“He was murdered.”

“What?? Why? By who??”

“Because they got in a fight, and he was too weak to defend himself, so he was the target. Most of the men are pretty friendly, those were the ones you met and got to know but there are a few violent ones.”

I turned back to the computer to hide the tears welling up in my eyes, and my voice broke as I saw the only picture I found of him and asked if it was him.

“Yes, him.”

Hearing about the death of an orphan who never felt the love of a family, an orphan who you hadn’t advocated or prayed for at all, is one thing. Yes, it makes you sad, and can break your heart.

But to hear about the death of someone you met and got to know and loved is a whole different thing. Not to mention the fact he was murdered because his extra chromosome made him weaker. It feels like your heart gets ripped in two.

That is the part of Max’s visit I don’t like to think about. Like I said at the beginning of this post, my heart aches. Badly. Not just an emotional pain, but it’s physical too.

So as I pray for protection for the other “weak” people that my heart has grown close too, esp the man in the middle above, I want to remember Sergey.

I don’t know his story, or his background. Besides when Max or members of his team visited that institution he wasn’t loved. But now I’m sure he must be dancing at the feet of Jesus and signing with the angels. Because I know he had to be one of the ones who said the salvation prayer with us at least 10 times, because he was one who followed us around, doing everything over and over again. And he believed, with that childlike faith that everyone should have.

So I want to thank God for his life. Although he didn’t have much going for him, he lived life to the fullest, and brought joy to many others along the way.

Sergey, I know you are having a glorious time up there in heaven dancing at the feet of Jesus. I love you and miss you buddy. ♥

Heaven gained an angel....

Yesterday, heaven gained an angel....

Tripp, you will be forever remembered and loved! You were such a strong fighter and you endured soo much pain in your short life time. You made such an impact on so many people, and we are glad you are pain free and have peace now. You made the world special just by being in it!! ♥ I know you are doing your best drumming ever dancing at the feet of Jesus! We love you and miss you!!! ♥♥♥


Please leave some love and encouragement for Tripp's sweet mommy Courtney here - http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/2012/01/heavens-little-drummer-boy.html

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?


______________________________

My God is Lord: A Post I Never Wanted To Write

Rest in peace Noah, my sweey baby brother... My God is Lord: A Post I Never Wanted To Write: "I have debated on whether or not to even post this, but since I posted this about our news, I knew I had to do this post. I m..."