Just a quick note to let everyone know I will be extending the drawing date until the goal amount is reached, although I’d love to fly way beyond that goal! If you haven’t entered to win yet, go here to do so.
So far we’re up to over $600! Wahoo!
But we still have a ways to go…
Thanks to all of you who are sharing and donating!
Just a quick note to let everyone know I will be extending the drawing date until the goal amount is reached, although I’d love to fly way beyond that goal! If you haven’t entered to win yet, go here to do so.
So far we’re up to over $600! Wahoo!
But we still have a ways to go…
Thanks to all of you who are sharing and donating!
I know many have read about the fundraiser that I’m currently running.
One special reason I am doing this fundraiser… 6 year old Chesca.
Look at this beautiful girl! She is so special, and from what I’m told, quite spunky. She loves princesses and dolls just like any other 6 year old girl. But sweet Chesca has something else about her…
She has stage 4 Ewing’s Sarcoma and we recently discovered that she has no further options. The cancer has spread and chemo is no longer possible.
Maya’s Hope funds her care, and has been for quite some time.
This tough little angel has been through so much in her short life. She has been an absolute inspiration for all who follow her journey… Being positively charming and strong through multiple rounds of chemo, pokes and tests, all while the cancer and her enlarged arm is causing intense pain.
Now the focus is on giving little Chesca the most comfortable life possible for however long we still have her. You see, in the Philippines, you must prove you can pay or you cannot receive medical care. Without your help, her treatment and pain management will not be possible. And without medication, she is in unimaginable pain.
Please consider donating and helping a worthy cause.
If you want to help Chesca and some other great kids, and maybe win yourself a nice prize, go here to learn more.
More on Chesca’s story here.
**Go to the link below. How to enter this giveaway has been revised. Big changes!**
Every now and again I get time to focus on something really special…
So, I’m holding a giveaway!
Who will benefit from this giveaway you ask?
First; the amazing Maya’s Hope.
Maya’s Hope is a fabulous organization that works to improve the quality of life for orphaned children with special needs worldwide.
Children like the sweethearts at Kalinovka Orphanage, and precious lifesaving surgery for Joshua are just a couple.
Joshua’s life depends on his getting the surgery he needs. Maya’s Hope has stepped in and provided for this need. However, his care greatly depends on the generosity of awesome folks like you!
UPDATED: The second, was Vitaly… 
Look at how sweet… However, he was so malnourished, so tiny, he passed away sometime since my fundraiser began. I just got word… He was almost 10 years old and desperately needed intervention, but he just couldn’t hold on any longer.
My heart is broken.
It is a matter of life and death for these kids.
He waited in a crib for ten years.
And thirdly, Ben… My love!
This cute little booger is so tiny too, just like Vitaly. He has waited 6 years for a mama to hold him. 6 years! Ben has no real life… He is a fighter though and his caregivers have reported that he has started smiling and cruising around in his crib! He’s a sparkly little dude who I hope to see flourish with a family of his own.
The last cause I’d love to help is a really amazing Oregon family bring home a very tiny, precious little girl named Hope who is desperately medically fragile and running out of time.
I know it sounds heavy, but she’s 7 years old and just 10 lbs! She needs help. I know this family, the Horton’s, and they are amazing! There is just no better family for this angel to join, she will be so very loved. In fact, she is already. The donation I hope you’ll help to provide is just to help nudge them along so they can get their sweet one the care she needs a quickly as possible.
That’s why I am holding a giveaway!
What am I giving away? This!
Oh yes…
That’s really…
A genuine Pandora bracelet!
It’s a beautiful 7.5″ sterling silver Pandora clasp bracelet with a purple glass heart design charm. This bracelet has been worn once and of course, for the photos. It’s beautiful! This bracelet is valued at over $100!
But wait! There’s one more thing… The person who wins will not only get the beautiful bracelet. They’ll also win a $150 Visa gift card! Spend it anywhere!
That’s a total prize value of over $250!
To enter into the giveaway:
**Go to the link below. This has been revised**
Remember, your donation will do so much to help some really deserving kids! Maya’s Hope who helps kids like little Chesca. She has cancer. She is a fighter.
Little 6 year old Ben,
And, sweet bity Hope.
The drawing will be video taped and will be done by assigning everyone a number on a piece of paper, and placing the corresponding amount of said number, reflecting how many chances the person has, into a large bowl/bag/vessel. I will then reach in and draw a number, thus revealing the winner. Winner will be notified via Facebook and/or email. If the winner does not respond within 5 days from the date of notification, a runner up will be drawn. This drawing will take place on July 20th, if we have met our minimum. I will extend it only if absolutely necessary to reach my minimum goal of $1,500.
The drawing has been extended until we reach at least $1,500! I’d love to raise even more and really bless the socks off these people! It sounds like a lot, but I think we can do this! Thank you!
Not many words need to go in this post, a picture is worth a thousand words!
Thank you again, all of you who helped us by supporting us with donations, joining us for breakfast,volunteering to serve meals and more (Kelly Lee for being my cohort), purchasing a t-shirt, raffle ticket, or bracelet, for helping make bracelets, folding brochures, or even helping building Athen’s booth (Ahem..Papa and Oma). Thank you to our church for supporting us so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone!
Because of your help, these sweet Ukrainian orphans will have help getting what they need!
So proud of my son and his heart for orphans! Well, his heart for all people really. He is an amazing kid! He worked so hard on this and look how it’s paid off. Wide Awake International, hope it helps!
If you would like to know how you can help, visit Wide Awake International.
Today’s post is a direct follow up to my previous post about Owen. If you have not read it you can go here to catch up! If you have never heard of Owen, please go to my very first post about him here.
You all know my heart has been on the many children of the world who are either orphaned, aborted, abandoned or abused. For a long time, and even now, I still wonder how in the world I am going to be able to help or make a difference? I just keep praying, and unfortunately I must be patient for the answers I seek. Sometimes it’s hard to keep blogging because the enemy sometimes whispers into my ear that no one cares and no one is listening. But then, I get that feeling that I can’t simply just give up on them can I? I mean, I have waited many years to hear God tell me what in the heck I am supposed to do with my life? What am I called to do? What is my purpose?
Well, I do know that one of the answers is that I am meant to be a mother, that I KNOW I am called to do. But why do you suppose that is? Why has God given me such an incredible love for children? The answer to that is all over this website! I know that I have a TON of content on here in the numerous sections. I know that it takes a hundred years to read through all of it, especially that pesky Research section. But something I don’t know is, has my site done any good? Has my hard work helped open any eyes? Has it caused just one child to be helped? Ugh, I wished I knew!!!
With all my questions, doubts and fears, that terrible feeling of wanting to give up creeps back in. But then I see a sweet and familiar face in my mind, like this one…
Sweet baby Owen
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Toddler Owen
And then I think to myself, “HECK NO I CAN’T QUIT!” What would happen to Owen? Do you see a sweet smile and great potential in these photos, or do you see just a deformed child who you would rather scroll past? You can guess which one I see! I hope and pray you all see it too.
His life matters just as much as these lives…
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Owen’s life is as important as all of our children’s lives are. So, as hard as it is to put myself out there and beg for other people to be generous and help me give this child a chance, I still HAVE to do it. Because the real question is, if I don’t try to help Owen, who else will? He will surely sit in an institution for the rest of his life. he has already been discarded by his parents, by society and even those charged to care for him purely for being born “different”. I cannot and will not pass the buck to someone else on ANY of these kids, and I certainly can’t forget about this precious little 5 year old gem, Owen.
Today, when my 12 year old son asked me how many people donated to Owen’s fund, I seriously broke his heart when I had to tell him that not even one donation came in. Owen’s fund still sits untouched despite the over 50 readers I had visit. My son, was so upset by this that he is deperately trying to come up with some way we can entice others to donate. He genuinely loves Owen and wants to help him, so I understand his sadness. He suggested a garage sale which may do something, but it certainly wont raise the thousands of dollars needed to really help this guy. Plus I’m having a difficult pregnancy thus far, and am limited as to what I can do (fundraising and such) so at this point I am literally left just asking. I know, lame huh? I certainly am not trying to make excuses, but I am trying to let you all know how much I need your help right now. I am open to suggestions of things I cant try to raise money for this boy, so please suggest away! Of course if I come up with anything, I will keep you all posted!
For now, if you find it in your heart to spare a few bucks and donate to Owen’s fund please click on the following link: “Owen’s Help Me Get Adopted Fund”
Don’t forget to leave me a comment that you donated and of course please pray hard for this sweet boy! He needs a family!
God bless!
Many of you who read my blog may remember these sweet boys…
Heath
Heath has been waiting so incredibly long for his family to find him. He has spent his entire life in institutions, never knowing the love of a mom and dad, never getting hugs and kisses, never being able to run and play like every child should. Heath now lives in a cold, desolate, sad place that is the mental institution he calls home. Heath is very tiny for his age and it is most likely a daily ritual for the older, bigger boys to bully him and steal his food. These children are litterally left to fend for themselves.
The good part…
Last week folks all over the nation came together on what became “Heath Day”, holding fundraisers and events to raise money for Heath’s adoption fund. Now, with the thousands of generous people who came together and donated funds, Heath is fully funded!!! Yay! How amazing is this news!?
I am one of the many people who believe that if he is fully funded, his family will have nothing holding them back from claiming their son. Heath now has a chance to be rescued! I know Heath has such a bright little light inside him, and am so excited to see what his future holds!
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Well folks, I would like to set the same type of goal for this little sweetheart below…
Do any of you remember this little guy?
Sweet baby Owen
This is Owen.
If this is the first time you are meeting Owen, please go to this link and read my story about this little love, then head on back over here and read on.
This precious boy has struggled his whole life, and to be honest, he has even less of a chance of getting a family because of his rare genetic disorder. What I am really trying to say is, because most people are afraid of “different”, Owen has even greater odds to beat. I pray with all my heart for the day I see his sweet face on the “My Family Found Me” page! However, I also hope that a family in Oregon adopts him so I can visit!
when I learned about all those coming forward to help Heath’s family find him, I realized that Owen needs the same help! Owen only has a little over $3,000 in his grant fund. This amount is sadly a LONG way away from the goal of around $25,000-$30,000 that is needed to fund his adoption.
Owen
So friends, you don’t have to be rich you just have to be willing. Would you be willing to donate $2, $4, $6 or $10 or more? Would you be willing to sacrifice one day of Starbucks ($4) to help give this boy a chance at a family? By taking five minutes to donate a few measly dollars, we could help Owen’s family find him and bring him home sooner without them having to shoulder the financial burden of the massive cost of adoption. Owen desperately needs a family to love him. I can’t imagine how he would blossom if he were in a loving family.
I feel connected to this little five year old as if he were my own son. But I also know that at this time God has other plans for us, outside of adoption. It breaks my heart as I am so attached to Owen, I can’t bear to see him waste away in some orphanage unloved for the rest of his life. I certainly DO NOT want to see him get transferred to a mental institution
Will you please help me to reach my goal of at least 30 people donating? If we could get more that would be amazing! If each of my readers would donate something, anything, it would help so very much and I know I have more than 30 readers. Click on this link to go to Owen’s donate page, there is a “donate” button towards the bottom. It takes just a minute and could help give Owen a real life outside orphanage walls.
Please leave me a comment and let me know that you have donated! I would be so pleased to know how many are supporting this little guy!
Fellow bloggers, readers and friends, Please share this wherever you can! Let’s see what we can do for Owen!
Phase one of “Project Rescue Owen” initiated! Let’s pray that God moves mountains here!
Heart Of The Young 