Pardon Me While I Rant

Ok. I need to rant. And if this post annoys you, then I'm sorry, but I really need to say this. And this really has nothing to do with our fundraiser other than the topic is orphans.

I really had not thought much about fostering or adopting up until a few years ago. I looked at adoption as a way that infertile couples got their children. I worked with a lady about 9 years ago who was a foster mom. And a pretty awesome one at that. That started my wheels turning. There were a few other things that made me think, "Well, one day I will foster or adopt" but it generally revolved around if I could not have children.

But I can have children and I now have three. They are 6, 5 and 3 1/2. And in 2008 we heard about internationally hosting an orphan. I took a "I'm going to wait and see how THIS goes" approach. I honestly thought the whole thing was kind of weird and Gee, they were going to have to send that poor little boy back to his Russian orphanage. That hardly seems fair to him. I have even had people say that to me about the ones we have hosted, and they have used it as a reason for them not to host.

"I can't do that. It just seems so unfair."

Unfair.

Let's talk about unfair. Unfair is not having a mom to rock you at night, or mend your clothes, or help you with homework. Unfair is a dad that leaves your family, or beats you, or dies right infront of you because he is POISENED by his boss when they can no longer pay him (that really happened, by the way). Unfair is watching your drunk mother chose to buy more alchohol instead of paying for your home to be heated, and watch her do nothing as you and your brother are carted away to a orphange, and then she keeps doing nothing for the next 4 1/2 years while you wait for her everyday. Unfair is knowing she died never coming to see you and you never get to say goodbye or even go to her funeral. Unfair is being brought before a possible adoptive family and they reject you because you are 'too ugly'. Unfair is going to bed hungry and scared and sad and NO ONE to care. Unfair is being picked on at school because you're an orphan and having the teacher look the other way instead of help. Unfair is being brainwashed and told you're worthless. Unfair is literally being dumped on the streets when you're 16 and being left on your own. It's no wonder so many take their own lives or turn to drugs and repeat the cycle.

And it's unfair that once you are older than 5, you have an almost ZERO chance of getting adopted.

These kids have already dealt with more unfair than most of our brains can comprehend. Once these kids come over and are hosted, they have an almost 70% chance of being adopted. People don't want older kids because they are more intimidating, too hard to 'train' or come with too much baggage. But when people actually MEET these kids, those misconceptions fade. They can see the children for what they are- children.

When I heard that the statics go from almost nothing to an almost 70% chance at getting a family, I knew I had to host. Gabe agreed. I HAD to give someone that chance; I had to fight for them. If it were MY child, I would want someone to fight for them if I couldn't. They deserve it. They can't fight for themselves; they have no voice; they have no real options. They need US to advocate for them.

It's expensive. It's inconvient. It's exhausting. It's uncomfortable. But it's not about us- not even a little bit. It's about them and showing them the love of a Father that will never leave them or forsake them. There's a lot of great things too- it is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, for starters. I love loving kids that have no one to love them. And I can't wait to hug Alina this summer, either. I hope she comes ready to be bear hugged to the moon and back.

So if you're one of the ones that want to host, but you just think "it's just not fair to the child", PLEASE think again. YOU might be the one to turn that child's life around!

"A Future and A Hope Giveaway"

***UPDATE***
We are extending the giveaway through April 6 at 11:59 PM
Read more about that HERE

Jeremiah 29:11“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.”

A future and a hope.

That is what we hope to give to the orphans who come into our home through hosting. We can do this by not only sharing our love with them, but by showing them who Christ is and letting Him show them His love.
By bringing these children into our families, even for a short time, it allows them to catch a glimpse of what family life should be like.
Loving.
Forgiving.
Caring.
Helpful.
Always there for each other – in the good times and the tough times.
These are things they have not seen. Things they do not know. Things they deserve to experience - doesn’t everyone?

By bringing these children into our families, even for a short time, it allows them to catch a glimpse of what Jesus is like and who He is.
Loving.
Forgiving.
Caring.
Helpful.
Always there for them - in the good times and the tough times.
This is something they have not seen. Something they do not know. Something they deserve to experience - doesn’t everyone?


When they have experienced these things, even if they do not get adopted, they have something to cling to while in the orphanage and after they age out. (Most in Latvia age out around 18 or 19.) When an orphan ages out of the system, they are quite literally on their own. They need to fend for themselves—find a job, a place to live, learn how to cook, clean, have real relationships with others. They need to learn commitment in relationships and how to be a parent. Yet, how can they know how to do these things if they have never been given the opportunity to see these things being done?

Statistics show that the majority of them don’t learn these things. For these children, the reality will most likely be unthinkable to most of us.

A job? Prostitution. Selling drugs (and using them). Stealing.
A place to live? The streets. Sewers, to stay warm.
Cooking? Searching through trash for food. Stealing. Begging.
Cleaning? Well, they wouldn’t own anything to clean.
Relationships? Surface ones, maybe.
Parenting? Often, babies and children are given up or taken away from adults who were once orphans thus continuing a vicious cycle.

There is no hope in the above statements, yet they are a reality for a majority of the kids who age out of the system having never experienced anything different. Some even turn to suicide as a way out. We want to offer HOPE. We want to offer LIFE.

James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Hosting is just one way to look after orphans. It is one of the ways we have chosen to share the gospel with others. Knowing that these kids will learn of Christ and that they could choose to KNOW Christ is the reason we do this. Anything else that comes out of it is just a bonus!

So, that is why we host.

And we need your help, so it’s time for a giveaway!



The Reed’s and the Helf’s are teaming up to raise the needed funds to bring 3 children to their homes for the summer. The Reed’s are bringing an adorable 11 year old girl.
  

                                                         (Picture coming Soon!)

The Helf’s are bringing a 14 year old girl and her 5 year old brother.

Hosting costs approximately $2500 per child due to airfare costs and other costs such as passports, visas, etc. So for these 3 children, it will cost $7500 just to get them here. We also have to provide them with clothing, shoes, food, etc while they are living with us for 5 weeks.

We are asking for your help with the initial expenses and have a great opportunity for you to win some fantastic prizes for your help!

*If you’ve been drooling over the new iPad2 that is coming out in a couple of days, here is your chance to win it! (Only 1 (one) iPad2 up for grabs!)

Valued at $499 (the 16 GB, wi-fi version), the latest and greatest model of this coveted item will not be available to even buy until tomorrow. You could be among the first of your friends to have it! Everything great about the original iPad but upgraded to include things like a webcam and it is now even thinner and lighter!

*We will also be giving away a $75 gift card to Kohl’s.

     (Just a sample image of card)
Kohl’s has so many great items, from clothes to toys and other kitchen and household items! You can also shop online and have it shipped to you!

                                                      
                                             
                                                        The Princess Collection

*Emily at  Doodlebug Boutique  has graciously donated a set of beautiful hair clips! This is the Princess collection. Each clippie is handmade out of bright grosgrain ribbon onto an alligator clip and accented with a 'jewel'. This collection features Snow White, Ariel, Tinker Bell, Cinderella, Aurora and Belle and has a 'no slip' strip added to help it stay in place.

*$20 in gift cards to Amazon.com!(Not actual card.)
You can buy just about anything from this online store!

***Okay, here is how you enter to win! First, click on the Paypal button on the top right hand corner of the blog and donate. Each $10 donation gets you one entry. So a donation of $50, earns you 5 entries. $100 earns you 10 entries and so on. AFTER you have donated, you can earn additional entries by doing the following:
*Sign up to follow this blog and leave a comment below saying you are now following. If you have already signed up,  just leave a comment saying that you have previously signed up.
*Post about this giveaway with a link back to our post on your Facebook account and leave a comment below saying that you did.
*Tweet about this giveaway with a link back to our post on your Twitter account and leave a comment below saying that you did.
*Blog about this giveaway with a link back to our post on your blog and leave a comment (and the link to YOUR blog) below saying that you did.

 So there you have it. Each $10 donation you give, earns you an entry into the giveaway and after you’ve donated, you can earn even more entries by telling others about it! Spread the word! Tell every single person you know about this giveaway. You could literally save a child’s life with your donations!! And hey—you have a great chance at winning some really cool prizes as well. But don’t just give to win something. Give because you want to change a child’s life! Give because you want to save a child from the bleak future that is described above. Give because you want to see another life yanked from Satan’s hands and embraced in the loving arms of Jesus!!
                                        

Thank you!!!

In Christ,
Craig and Brooke Helf
Gabe and Kim Reed

Details: Giveaway runs from now until Sunday, March 20 at 11:59PM EST. After that time, entries will not be accepted. We will have Random.org draw winners for the prizes and the winners will be announced on Monday, March 21 at noon EST. Check back for updates and the possibility of additional prizes being added to the giveaway. We hope to raise well over the $7500 needed for hosting our 3 children! Any additional funds will be used to help other children being hosted or adopted.