Frank's Freedom

Meet Frank. He’s 13 years old, and is curious, busy, fun happy and bright. He has a mental delay, but that doesn’t stop him from being friendly, engaging and kind. He’s also an orphan in Eastern Europe. This means he is in an institution. If he is not adopted by age 16, he will be thrown out on the street with nothing but the clothes on his back and his “disabled orphan” status. Let me tell you more about Frank.

He’s little, about the size of a 7 year old. And he’s smart. He is in a group with teenage boys ages 16-24. He does puzzles and he does his chores diligently. He is very kind to the younger children. Frank is friendly and engaging. He likes being with the boys, but is happy being alone too. He plays appropriately with toys and is “all boy”. He could very easily function in a family. Frank is curious, smart, fun and sweet. He likes to play in the dirt and jump on the trampoline. Frank is independent, a good eater, is happy and content. Frank is physically healthy. He walks, runs, feeds himself, speaks, does puzzles and interacts with others well. He's a sweet boy who seems rather unaffected by his surroundings. He has no future where he's at, and without help, he's never getting out. Institutions are a one way ticket to nowhere. And this little boy deserves a future. This little boy will be a blessing to any family.

The Baker family has committed to adopt Frank and another boy, Emmitt. But international adoption is pretty expensive. The adoption would cost about $30,000. Reece’s Rainbow is an organization that helps with this cost. They set up grants for children in 25 countries around the world, and any money that is donated to these funds is given to the families to help with adoption fees. With Reece's Rainbow's help, the Baker family only needs about $10,000 to bring home both boys!





Thursday, December 9, 2010

Nothing

"Why do we scream and yell and holler for the children listed on Reece's Rainbow? Why do we raise money for them, lose sleep over them and sacrifice every waking hour advocating for them? Why we do work so hard to get them adopted from the baby houses before they reach the age of transfer? Why do we grieve and mourn when they are transferred to the special needs mental institutes in Eastern Europe?
Read on. This is ONE of the reasons why. There are HUNDREDS more.
We live a harried life. Running here, there and everywhere. We work, take our kids to this activity, then that activity, rush to meetings, juggle schedules and cook, clean and work side-jobs in our spare time. We rarely have time to do Nothing.
We love doing Nothing. A day where we have no appointments, no meetings and no places where our children have to be. An evening where we can stay at home, curl up as a family with a bowl of popcorn and watch a movie. An afternoon where we can take a walk or play in the yard. Nothing. Nothing so that we can do what we find pleasurable. Reading a book, building a puzzle, playing a game. Nothing has warm connotations, happy thoughts. Nothing is what we live for as a family.
For us, in America, Nothing means Everything.
For the Lost Boys and Girls across Eastern Europe, for the ones who have been transferred - Nothing means NOTHING.

This is what NOTHING looks like for many of the Lost Boys and Lost Girls in Eastern Europe. Those who are transferred to the institutes. Those who can walk. Those who are mobile. This is Nothing. This is what one family witnessed just a few months ago on their journey to their son. This is one institute out of many.
On warm days, 20 plus boys will be led to this shed. 20 plus boys will go inside this shed. A bench will be placed across the door so that they will not be allowed to leave. Then, those 20 plus boys will do nothing. They will sit inside that shed. They will sit. They will rock. They will cry out. They will moan. They will stare at the walls. They will hit each other. They will hit themselves. They will sit. They will sit. They will wait. After hours of sitting they will get to leave for another shed, to eat. They will be forced to eat quickly so that they can be led back to this shed. To do Nothing. In the afternoon they will be led to their rooms. They will be made to lay down on their beds. For hours they will lay on those beds. Some will sleep to escape. Others will lay and do Nothing. Staring at the walls, ceiling - staring at Nothing. When it is time to get up, they will go back to their shed. Again, to do Nothing.
On rainy days, or cold days, they will stay in their buildings. They will not leave those buildings. They will not venture downstairs or get to visit the other boys in the other buildings or even in the other part of their building. No. They will stay in their section. They will sit in the sitting room. It is as empty as the shed. Benches and carpets. They will sit. They will sit and they will do Nothing. They will rock. They will moan. They will hit each other. They will hit themselves. They will sit. They will wait. They will stare at the four walls. They will do Nothing.
Once in a while, on weekends, they will get to hear music. The bigger boys will get to do jobs. Some jobs that are heart-breaking. The best behaved boys will get to kick a deflated ball sometimes. Sometimes a stick can be found for drawing in the dirt. Sometimes they will even let a child or two play in the sand pile that is often used as a toilet. Sometimes. On really rare days, when visitors come, they may even get out a hidden toy or two. Rarely. Most of the time, they do Nothing.
Nothing for the Lost Boys and Girls in Eastern Europe means Nothing.
Two worlds. Our Nothing. Their Nothing. Can we just sit by and do Nothing?
Help us rescue the little ones who are still at the Baby Houses - donate to the Angel Tree. Give a gift that means EVERYTHING to the "Least of These." Every child rescued out of the Baby House is one less child who has to sit and do Nothing. Please." Save Them


This was a post from Julia at Reece's Rainbow's blog

Sadly, that is what happens to orphans in Eastern Europe. Some, don't even get to go outside. They lay in their beds all day, given just enough food to not die. That is the fate of these kids that Spud and I sponsor. Please help them. Anthony is due to be transfered in less than six months. And may very possibly be that he can't be adopted from that institution. Please help save these kids. Donate towards their adoptions and make a difference. Spread the news about their plight and try to find familes for them. If it were your child, would you want someone to save them? Those five kids in the sidebar, Cheri, Anthony, Lorena, Sullivan and Sergey, are lucky they haven't been transfered yet. A lot of children are transfered on their fourth birthday. Most children die within their first year there. Please, I beg you, please help save them! They need you!

A good Christmas present would be to donate in someone's name. It's like donating to World Vision. You'll get a reciet, and you can give it to them, and tell them you helped save a life in their name.

While we sit here, there are kids who's time is ticking. The countdown has started. Beat the clock and help save a life. Please! Help them!

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