yes, we CAN help!

Many people write to me with the same question.

"What can we do?"

"Where can we play a part in the lives of orphans if we are not called to actually adopt?"

"How can we help out?  Can we make a difference?"

Of course you can!!!

There really are so very many places where we can serve--without even needing to leave our homes or committing to bringing one of the millions of waiting children into our families. 

The need is desperate, friends.  Anything and everything we do (no matter how small or insignificant it may seem) helps.  Big time.  Collectively, as the body of Christ, we can make a massive impact on an overwhelming crisis.

We just have to begin with ONE.

It's that easy.  Find ONE who touches your heart and DO something...anything.

God uses each and every one of us to make an impact.  Sometimes I feel like my small way of trying to help can never possibly make a difference.  I feel like my offering is meager and so small in the midst of a growing problem that leaves me speechless.  The number, 147 million, is a whole lot of orphans!

But then I remember the story of a widow my husband met in Mozambique.  During a church service everyone came to the front of the church to place their tithe in the offering baskets.  She had no money.  Nothing!  So instead, she placed her sweetest and most beautiful offering in the basket.  The only thing she could offer her Lord.  Her most prized possession.  One small potato.  I am reminded about that often when I feel like my offerings to the Lord are inadequate.  Just one small potato.  THAT is what blesses His heart.  To give Him what I can, what I am able to give.  He uses it ALL.  He multiplies ALL the seed I sow--whether it be my attempt to bring awareness to an orphan, my small donation into someone's adoption fund, my prayers for a family who are adopting, or a child who is waiting.

Every little thing we offer as a way of trying to help a situation dear to our hearts is such a beautiful thing to our Father in heaven.  God looks at the heart. He burdens us for a reason--so that we can spring into action and DO something about it.  Burdens are God's way of breaking our hearts for the things that break His.

And so today I come to you, my friends, asking for your help. I am listing below four very precious children.  All of these are desperate situations.  ALL these children need to come home as soon as possible.  For many, their time is running out--they will either face life in an institution, or they will become unadoptable.  One little boy will certainly die if left where he is.

Even if you don't feel led to adopt in this season of your lives, prayer is so very powerful!  It's the one thing that we can all do, knowing that each and every prayer spoken on behalf of these children goes directly to the heart of our God who WILL answer.

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First up is a sweet little angel named Angelina.  She is about to be transferred to a mental institution and needs a family now.  Mental asylums in her country are a death sentence! A fundraiser has been set up for her right here to help her get a decent grant.  Angelina's best friend is being adopted by this family.  They are fighting with everything they have to ensure that Angelina is not left behind.  They need to raise a grant of $10,000 to help this sweet little love.

How darling is she?  I'd scoop her up in a heartbeat if I could.  Too cute for words.

Angelina desperately needs money...and a family.  Neither are impossible!

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This is Dalton.  What a honey.  Goodness....just like sweet Kevin, this handsome guy needs a family like yesterday. 

I took this from another blog which is advocating for him:

Soon Xiang will no longer have the chance to be adopted. He has been waiting almost 14 years for this chance, and his birthday, which should be a happy celebration, will be a reminder of this loss. He is an amazing boy, with just repaired cl/cp. He is in the sixth grade, and reported to be one of the best students in his class. This child could go so far with the further education a family could offer! He likes sports, as well as board games and video games. He gets along very well with his foster siblings, and would do so well with a family.  If you are already going for one child in the next month, think about if you could bring home sweet Xiang as well! In another week or so it will likely be too late. PLEASE consider adding this great guy to your family!

More details on Dalton can be found here.

Surely someone will give Dalton a chance?  Look at the amazing son "Kevin" has turned out to be!  I cannot read their blog without tears in my eyes.  Older kids deserve families just as much as babies do.

Please help spread word of Dalton's critical need for a family far and wide.  In a matter of days it will be too late for him.  He will never, ever know the love of a family.  If you know of a family about to travel to Ch*na to adopt their child, PLEASE tell them about Dalton in the hope that they may just add him to their family. 

Right now Dalton's ONLY hope is to find a family who is almost ready to travel. 

So terrible that it has come to this...just a few days to find a family.

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Then, we have a gorgeous little man named John.  This guy has been waiting on a waiting-child list for well over a year.  He has seen many of his friends from his orphanage adopted--but sadly, not one person has ever even inquired about him.  Ever!  Can you imagine? He has been overlooked so many times.  So heartbreaking for a nine year old.  More rejection than his heart can bear, I'm sure.

My goodness....surely there is a family willing to bring this angel home?  He is healthy and delightful.  What a blessing he would be to a family.

Love Without Boundries is advocating big time for him.  You can read more about John right here. 

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And lastly, there is a beautiful boy named Anton who so urgently needs our help.

Oh my goodness.  This boy needs a miracle.  He has a very rare condition called  Recessive Dystrophic Bullous Epidermolysis (EB).  Anton and his twin brother were born by their surrogate mother in January 2010 in Moscow (Russia). On the same day, their biological parents received a picture of the newborn twins. One of the twins looked healthy, the other one was covered with wounds and bruises. The biological parents took only one baby. Anton was left in the hospital. Forever!

Gosh!  Breaks my heart in two.  I cannot comprehend that.

EB means that each careless touch leaves a bruise, blister, or a wound on his tiny body. The hospital staff who take care of him have to keep him swaddled. Day by day, hour after hour, this little baby is lying in his crib, motionless, swaddled from head to toes, dreaming of someone's loving, affectionate touch.  Sadly, there is no cure for EB.

Anton desperately needs a family.  He needs to come to the U.S. and receive the best of the best medical treatment.  He needs arms that will tenderly hold him and loving words to get him through his days filled with pain--family!  And he needs the opportunity for a Christian family to pray for complete and thorough healing of his body.  God DOES still heal!

In the natural, well, it seems almost impossible.  Who would even consider taking on a child like this? But you know what?  If you have read my blog for a while you will know that nothing is impossible and NO CHILD is too difficult to find a family for.  We just have to remember sweet Julia to know that there IS a family for every child...no matter what is "wrong" with them.  There are some pretty darn incredible people out there.  People who are ready and willing to do anything for the LORD.  Anything.  Just look at the amazing family adopting Julia.

I believe with all my heart that there is a family for Anton.  God's heart is that he not remain fatherless. Please help to spread the word about this sweet little treasure just waiting to be found.

You can read more about Anton here.

Anton has a grant of well over $11,000 available to the family who commits to bring him home.  That's HUGE.

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Also, there are many, many families fundraising to bring their children home.  Every dollar we sow into their adoption funds is seed which the Father multiplies and multiplies and multiplies.  JUST like the widow in Mozambique--every dollar we give is a beautiful offering.  Don't ever think that an amount to give is too small because that is just not the truth.  We have experienced it time and time again with our adoptions....God took every $10 gift and turned it into $100!  He is just so good like that.

Please consider going to my sidebar and helping one of these amazing families.  I know they will be so very grateful.  Many have current fundraisers which are totally amazing.  Like Angie and Jon.  And the Mickschl family too. They both have some awesome stuff up for grabs.

Go sow some seed onto fertile ground! 

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Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus, friends.  Thank you for giving, for spreading the word to everyone you know about these sweet children, and for praying without ceasing. 

Thank you for doing something with me!  I know that I cannot save them all, nor can I make a humongous impact on the worldwide orphan crisis...but I can do something.

This is my something.

"With man this is impossible,

but not with God;

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!"

Mark 10:27