Thank You..... From the Families

  

THE FAMILIES SAY THANK YOU!!

MARIA and Vika, Alina and Sasha Heim

From Traci and Scott Heim....

Deuteronomy 11:13-15

 If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today and love the Lord your God and serve him with your whole being, then he will send rain on your land at the right time, in the fall and spring, and you will be able to gather your grain, new wine, and oil. He will put grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will have plenty to eat.

Dearest friends,

When we first realized that the Holy Spirit was instructing us to pursue the adoption of Masha, Sasha, Alina, and Vika, there were so many things we did not know.

We did not know this is what God was going to ask us to do.

We did not know how long it would take.

We did not know if we would get approval from DCFS.

We did not know where the funding would come from.

The only thing we DID know was that we must say yes, and that God would take care of the rest.  

We still don't have many of these answers, but what we do have is this: 

God is ALWAYS true to his promises.  We are striving to be faithful to His commands, and just as he promised, through this Mulligan Stew, He has sent your generosity to us like rain at the right time, and we will gather our children like grain.

Please know that the Heim family is in awe of your kindness and love.  This outpouring of support and faith in what we are doing is the perfect insulation against the discouraging arrows satan continues to shoot our way.  Anxiety and fear have no chance against the mighty wall you have fortified with your prayers and support.

We value every gift, every note left in the memo, and every prayer lifted up on our behalf.

From the innermost part of our hearts, we thank you and praise you to our Father in Heaven.

As a thank you to you we ask this blessing for all of you:

May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and grant you His peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

All our love and thankfulness,

Scott & Traci Heim

Biruk, Sveta, Hanna, Andy, Mel, Dasha, and soon Masha, Sasha, Alina, and Vika

 Samantha Knuth

 

Grace Knuth  wrote this letter to me a few weeks ago but I was never able to post it.  I want to do it now.  Though we were not raising money for Samantha... She has been deeply blessed by the prayers and support given to them through our Stew.  

From Grace Knuth...

Here's a little bit about me and Samantha.

Adoption is something I've thought about all throughout my life, although I used to think it was something that would only happen within marriage. But after a series of events...falling in love with street kids in Kenya, running a  children's ministry at a homeless shelter here in the States, several mission trips to an orphanage in Haiti, and living in community with a family who has adopted 5 special needs children...God began showing me that it was time. And the more I thought about it, the more I knew I had no reason not to obey. He had already given me everything thing I needed, including the love and support of many family and friends, a part-time, flexible job at my church, great insurance, and a spare bedroom. 

After some research, I came across Reece's Rainbow and became completely convinced that God was leading me to adopt a little girl with Down Syndrome. And after hearing about the condition of the kids at Katie's orphanage, and contacting Susanna Musser, my heart was drawn to that orphanage, and to my Samantha.

Samantha is 7 years old, has Down Syndrome, is of Roma heritage, and is precious!! She was born early, weighing only 4.6 pounds, and spent the first 3 months of her life in a hospital. I thank Jesus for this, because I believe it was in this hospital that she learned how to eat, which is something many children with Down Syndrome have a difficult time doing.. Although Samantha is very small (only 25 pounds, 35 inches tall), she seems to be relatively healthy and very alert. 

I received my verbal referral a little over a week ago, and expect to have my written very soon!! Please pray that this will happen. I know that Samantha needs to come home as soon as possible, and this written referral will be a  giant step in the right direction.

The pictures I attached are of me with some of my best buddies in Haiti, and me with some of my best buddies here in Nebraska. :)

I am humbled and amazed by the multitudes of people faithfully supporting the precious children of Katie's orphanage, including my daughter, Samantha. I can't imagine trying to walk this journey without all of you. Your prayers helped me stand when I could not stand on my own. Thank you for answering God's call to care for the orphan, and thank you for caring for me.

Love, Grace

 Keith Unroe
 

From the Unroe Family...

Julia, if you could please let everyone know how very thankful we are I would appreciate it so much. 

Sunday, April 1st is the birthday for Keith and Ahnja.  It is another birthday missed (for Ahnja her 10th!) for us and them.  My heart is bleeding this weekend so horribly bad.  I know that Keith is in a place where weekends mean little to no care at all.  I HATE WEEKENDS!  I dread weekends to the point that I feel ill on Fridays.  I hate to think of where he is and him laying there all alone.  Keith will be turning 5 and will be totally uncelebrated, unnoticed, and uncared for there.  Here we are longing to love him and show him what life should be like.  Please say a special prayer for him today.  Pray that he gets a bottle and that they change his diaper today.  Oh how my heart breaks!

You all have no idea what an encouragement you have been to us.  The devil has been thumping on us for weeks.  I was sure we would be the ones who messed up the fundraiser by not meeting the goal of $2,000.  It was Friday and I was ready to bury my head in the sand.  Right about then the numbers started to change quickly and emails came that encouraged me more than you can ever understand.  I told Julia that she might have to come to Ohio and pick my chin up because I was in utter disbelief. 

You very much have helped us with the cost of the adoption, but you helped us with so very much more.  What was raised through this will pay for 1 adult and 2 kids' tickets!  That is HUGE!  We have 3 adults and 5 kids tickets to purchase at the time of year that the ticket prices are the highest.  The awesomeness (is that a word?) of what you all have done for our family is HUGE in the financial sense, but the encouragement that you have given us was a God send!

THANK YOU SO INCREDIBLY MUCH!!  You helped us start celebrating Keith and how much he is loved.  On his birthday the Hidden Treasures Auction begins and we will celebrate him again.  Knowing that so many people care about our tiny little boy who has been forgotten and in isolation for so long is wonderful.  There aren't words to thank you enough. 

Love in Christ and so Thankful for How He's Used Each Of You,

Amanda Unroe

  

Teddy, Val, and Steward Archer

  

From Tom and Elizabeth Archer....

Dear Dear Precious supporters of adoption!

We love our 3 boys so much! And now we know how much you do too!!

We are waiting for written referral so that Tom can travel first trip to Katie's country.

Last August we brought home two 4 year old boys with Down Syndrome from there. We fell in love with the Country and saw the great need for children in the orphanages there. So we chose three more boys to adopt.

Since we've already adopted two with Down Syndrome last year we know how much of a blessing these next 3 boys from Katie's orphange will be to our family.

But these next 3 boys have many more health needs than our other two. And they are much much smaller. I think you've read how the orphanage they are in has not cared for the children well, but to the best of their ability.  This did not deter us in the least. At our ages 54 and 57, and our experience adopting 13 children in 29 years and running a Group Home for adults with disabilities (many with Down Syndrome) for the last 25 years, we felt we had the time and patience to give these boys a life and rescue them from pre-mature death.

What a blessing to see that you too love our boys and care about them! To receive your precious donations to help us get these three boys home. To see the wonderful donations of prizes!!

Your prayers! Your donations, your love for our boys! It has over-whelmed us with joy.

How do we Thank You!! How do we tell you how much you've ALL touched our hearts and given us hope as we wait to get one last signature (4 1/2 weeks now) to go visit them.

How can I put into words what a blessing from God you have ALL been to our boys and us.

I can't. But I'm trying!

I can tell you that we are praying for you as well. We know some of your names and the rest of you God knows!!

We do not bring these boys home alone! We do this with your love, donations and prayers as well.

Our boys will always know that they have been LOVED by so many!

THANK YOU!!

God Bless You!!

We LOVE you!!

The Archers~ Tom & Elizabeth

still at home kids~ Gabriel 17,Samson 16,Faith 11,Lysa 9,Kitty 8, Isaiah 8,Julius 4, Pauly 4.

Angelina Mariana Carpenter

From the Carpenter Family....

Thank you to everyone that blessed LINA and our family!  Words seem so inadequate for how blessed we have been by the Mulligan Stew, Julia, Rob and all of you!  We thank you so very much for your gifts to LINA and our family and for the prayers!  Please continue to pray for our family and for LINA…we are JUST WAITING ON A COURT DATE.  Please pray for the judge to find favor and SAY YES and allow Lina to become Angelina “LINA” Mariyana Carpenter forever – no longer an orphan…no longer voiceless…no longer alone!

So as I seek to find words to say thank you I decided to send a photo of each of our precious girls and let the photos speak for us!

Natalya Aleksandra “Sasha” soon 15 years old – adopted from Ru**ia

Ellianna Ya-Ting soon 7 years old– adopted from Tai**n

Avigayil “Avi” Christina 5 years old – adopted from the Phili**ines

Angelina “LINA” Mariyana 5 and ½ years old – waiting for a court date!!!!

Thank you so very much and with much love in Christ –

The Carpenters  – Brian, Stephanie, Sasha, Ellianna, Avigayil and Angelina “LINA” Mariyana

01 April 2012

 Proverbs 31:8 – 9 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Isaiah 26:8 “…Our hearts desire is to glorify your name.”

 Kelten  and Teagan Burman

 

From the Burman Family...

How can a family, who has received bountiful blessings in the forms of prayers, support, and donations, even begin to convey just how thankful they are?  We have written, deleted, written some more, deleted even more, and the only way we can think of is to simply say what is on our hearts.  There are so many amazing families on this road called adoption that you would think it would be jammed like a California freeway at rush hour: everyone fighting for their space to be noticed and an edge to get there first.  But the adoption world for us has been more like driving down an old Nebraska farm road where everyone raises their hand in a friendly gesture and often signals for others to go right ahead.  The Mulligan Stew participants have been just like the good ol' people found on my grandparent's home roads.  We ourselves have been the recipients of donations by people who are in process of adopting a precious child and by those who are not drawn to adoption personally but rather have a heart to help those whom God has called. Brian and I opened our hearts to adoption because God first laid it upon us. Bringing home each of our children has given us special stories and events to share with our children and with everyone we know and meet.  Our adoption of our boys is no different. I cannot wait to share with the boys all of the amazingly generous and loving acts that have occurred to bring them home.  Our appreciation is not just for the donations (although that has been unbelievably kind) but also for the chance to have our eyes opened even further to God's world He has called us into.  Not only have you helped us bring our boys home but you have also helped solidify our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Truly we thank you for these precious gifts!

Sincerely,

The Burman Bunch

 Ian Menges

From the Menges Family...

It is common to hear people say that they are blessed beyond measure. In the case of the Mulligan Stew giveaway, some of the blessing is measurable in the dollars and cents given to families. And for that measurable blessing, we are so appreciative and grateful.

But the blessing that comes with those dollars and cents is truly beyond measure. It is for this that we are exceedingly grateful, touched, and blessed. The financial benefit helps us bring our son home, but the intangible blessing that comes from knowing that there are hundreds of people who care about us, about our son, and about the horrid place that he lives is what goes beyond conventional measurement. We are humbled; to Julia and Rob for including us in this amazing opportunity, for every person who chose our little one to support, and for every person who took the time to pray for our family and share our story.

We cannot thank all of you enough, and we cannot thank you personally. Please know that your gifts, support, and prayers has helped us feel the hand of God in our efforts. Because we may say to ourselves, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18) Each of you helped us see that covenant in action with your love, support and prayers. Thank you all so much.

Love,

The Menges Family.

 Makayla Booth

From The Booth Family...

Dear Everyone involved with the Mulligan Stew,

We would like to thank everyone for opening their hearts to our daughter. We are completely overwhelmed by the loving care and generosity. The need that has been filled with this outreach will be appreciated by our family forever.

We took a huge step of faith when we decided to adopt and what was put out there as our need was what we left for God to provide. We can't tell you what an uplifting experience it has been watching God work for all of the families and orphans involved in the "Mulligan Stew".  There were so many people who made this happen and we thank each and every one of you. Words just don't do justice for what we feel in our hearts for everyone. This was an amazing and blessed outreach for the children. We can't say thank you enough.

We have lifted you all in our prayers and will continue to do so. We may not know who each of you are but God does.

God bless everyone,

Todd and Susan Booth  

Kolina Duncan

 

From the Duncan Family....

Dear Donors of prizes.  Thank you so much for your generosity and creativeness!  You are such amazing folks and we appreciate your eagerness to help the children and families! 

Warmest regards, The Duncan Family

Dear Donors of Dollars!

I can’t begin to tell you what it feels like as a family wanting so desperately to go get our daughter,(and sister!)  Kolina from the darkest pit.  It is so heartwarming to see her dollar amount rise daily and know that it’s the loving hearts of unnamed saints helping us to bring her home.  Thank you so much.  

Much love, The Duncan Family.

 Liliana, Pam and Butler Brown

 

From Jenny Brown....

I am so thankful for all that the Mulligan Stew crew has done, all those who have donated, prayed and advocated for our children and all the other orphans. As you know not everyone you know or meet understands and even agrees with adopting these children with special needs and this does bring many of us adoptive parents down especially when you are new to this calling........ but having a group of people ( who you have not even met) fundraising together to reach unbelievable goals....just makes you cry....these acts can only come from the LORD.

I do not know how to ask people to help me. I have such a difficult time fundraising. It has only been through "Lilliana's fund" and the "Mulligan Stew" that I have seen that He does not place something in our hearts to only leave us. The fundraising done for our kids has been an answered prayer.

Thank you and hugs,

Jenny Brown