I know that starting the birthday celebration before Ellie hits the eleven month mark is jumping the gun, but that's okay with me.
Ellie has a friend named Charlotte. Charlotte lives in an orphanage in Eastern Europe. Her mommy and daddy are in the process of bringing her home, but it's not cheap or simple. Kyle and Kelly need to fly overseas to see her three times, and will bring her home on the final trip. They've done the first trip. The second and third are coming soon.
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| (Charlotte with Mommy and Daddy.) |
Ellie is getting a new friend around her birthday, but there's a cost. Plane tickets. Agency fees. Homestudy costs. Visas. Room and board while visiting Charlotte. The list goes on.
Charlotte's birth parents placed her in an orphanage because she has Down syndrome. Children with Down syndrome in Charlotte's region are sent to mental institutions around the age of four if they aren't adopted. Children like Ellie. Children like Charlotte.
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| (Charlotte.) |
I've mentioned fundraisers here before. In the past, I've pointed to them as a matter of interest, or prayer, or as an aside. This isn't an aside.
For her birthday, Ellie is getting some nice gifts. She's having a nice party and Charlotte's parents are invited. Ellie wishes her friend was home to celebrate, and she is asking for your help.
What if you helped bring Charlotte home as a birthday gift to Ellie?
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| (Meeting Mommy.) |
What can you do? You can share this story. Post on Facebook. Tweet. Share on Google+. Email it. You can help by giving, because every little bit counts. The link below takes you directly to donate to Charlotte's adoption costs. (EDITED FEB. 6: The link closes tonight. You can still click here to give, or check out Kelly's blog to learn more.)
And you can pray. Please pray for Charlotte's family!
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Kyle and Kelly found Charlotte through Reece's Rainbow. The mission of Reece's Rainbow is to rescue orphans with Down syndrome through the gift of adoption, to raise awareness for all of the children who are waiting in 25 countries around the world, and to raise funds as adoption grants that help adoptive families afford the high cost of adopting these beautiful children. As they go through their own adoption process, they've been sharing the stories of other waiting children and about other families in need of funds.
For her birthday, Ellie wants her friend Charlotte to come home.
A few people have asked why the link takes you to "Maria." Don't worry, same kid. Her name will be Charlotte once she is home.
TO SEND A CHECK: Please write "Dirkes Family" in the memo line.
Reece's RainbowPO Box 4024
Gaithersburg, MD 20885
If you have any questions regarding donations, please email Michelle@reecesrainbow.org.
Go link up for the Forget-Me-Not-Friday Reece's Rainbow blog hop! Here is the host (Flight Platform Living) http://textgeorge.blogspot.com/2012/01/forget-me-not-friday-this-was-week.html
ReplyDeleteSaw that you linked up! :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post! I've read stories on the Reece's Rainbow site before. It's such a heartbreaking scenario to have parents give up there child simply because they have down syndrome. It makes me so sad. :-/ Lots of prayers and good wishes to them for sure!
ReplyDeleteIts not much, but we donated what we could. We hope someday to adopt a child with DS. Our only (biological) son Aiden was diagnosed prenatally with DS and he is the love our life (and by many others as well..... he has quite the fan base) and we know he would want all children with down syndrome to have a loving family, like he does. Keep us updated!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU EVERYONE!
ReplyDeleteSo sweet of you to help Charlottes family. My friends fly out today to record breaking cold weather to meet their little girl waiting in an orphanage. Please pray for safe travels, pray for warmth in the orphanage and for all to go smoothly.
ReplyDelete