Sometimes in life we find ourselves longing to make a difference but feel like the little we can do won't make a difference- that the drop of water we can offer is not worth giving or if we can't save them all then why try to save any. I am here to tell you that these are lies. A little bit goes a long way and I have seen it over and over. As Kelle Hampton said of the $600k she raised for the National Down Syndrome Society, most of it came from people who gave what they could. $5 here, or $5 there.
But to be honest I always comes back to this thought: if it was me, if I was stepping into the darkness in obedience, trusting God to provide, would I ask? Would you give?
This past Christmas I raised money for a little boy named Jakob. I found out, not long after that a family had committed to adopt him and I was over-joyed because, that my friends is what it is all about. Into the New Year however, Jakob's biological family came and took him back, which is also what it is all about and while the Pardue family was sad, they knew that God would not have it any other way. He soon laid another boy on their hearts, Alexander.
Ron and Shana have been faithful and walked on despite detours and unexpected delays. They acknowledge that this whole process has cost far more than they had planned for and while they would never, in all the world, go back and change their decision they do need our help. They are just 25 days away from making their 1st of 2 trips to see their newest little boy and are in need. Shana tells me that they are $7500 short. Now that is far more than I have ever been able to raise for an orphan but I too must be obedient and share Alexander's story.
Alexander lives in Eastern Europe and he has Down Syndrome. Many parents in this area of the world are simply unable to care for children with special needs because of the sheer cost and unavailable resources and so, they put them in orphanages. Unfortunately, the orphanages are also ill-equipped to care effectively for these children and are simply loving them until they get transferred to mental institutions where they are malnourish and stunted for the rest of their lives or someone comes and rescues these forgotten children. Now a family has found Alexander. The family that God had planned for him from the beginning. The only thing standing in their way is money. We all have it and spend it on coffee, handbags, discount pastries and many many other things. What I am asking is that you give up one thing on just one day and give the money you would have spent on your little indulgence to help this family re-unite.
All donations are tax-deductible through Reece's rainbow.
To find out more about the Pardue family or to donate click here.
And by the way,
Thank you.
2 comments:
Tears... Thank you my beautiful friend. I truly have no words.
a beautiful post Krista!
Talking about Brighton... my grandma used to spend her holidays as a young child and a young woman there. They would take the train or horse and buggy from The Old Great North Road but by the time she was 19, married and with a baby daughter, they crossed the Atlantic and came to settle in British Columbia, Canada. When she was 95, and having never in all those years having heard from folks back home, I took a journey as an 18 year old to all her old stomping grounds in her beloved homeland. I found the home she waas born in still lived in by a sister in law, I met all the family and came back toting a hand framed photograph of an aunt on a stuffed teddy bear on big wheels in front of that home. And... I took the train ride to Brighton and walked on the warf she walked on, bought fish and chips at its end and smelled her air and felt her holiday joy...for all the beauty of a young woman in days past. Two weeks after I returned to Canada the entire warf collapsed into the water! I had just been on it!
Grandma and I had wo very much to talk about! Your delightfully beautiful post brings it all back!
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