Friday, March 1, 2013

Five Buckets


Each and every one of them has a story to tell.
 
The hundreds and thousands of families adopting from Rus*ia.
 
The last few months have been heartache after heartache as they watch the world leaders unable to resolve a conflict that has placed THEIR children in the balance.
 
Many of their agencies have pulled up anchor and left the harbor leaving them stranded and their babes across the ocean without a lifeline.
 
 
Other agencies are still open but unable to do anything in country.
 
Paperwork that was finished is now expiring.
 
Thousands and thousands of dollars that have been poured into their process are now sifting away with the tide.
 
 
 
Seventy Reece's Rainbow families are caught in the nightmare.  Their hearts set upon rescuing the least of the least from across the waters now lay broken in pieces.
 
Many have made the heart-wrenching decision to change countries, leaving the child they love in the hands of the Lord for now.  Vowing to return when the way is again clear.

Some are waiting.  Hoping.  Praying.  Hanging on by a thread. 

The tears flow.
 
Every family has a story to tell.  Grief-laden stories.
 
And in the midst of all of the sorrow and chaos....

There are a few who are choosing to fight.
 
They are standing against the mountain that has risen up before them and they have refused to back down.
 
It is a legal battle they are waging.  One that requires attorneys and documents and extra trips and a whole lot of unknowns.
 
It is unprecedented what they are doing.
 
Nothing can compare.
 
It is HUGE and CUTTING-EDGE and SCARY and  I have been watching the quiet, behind-the-scenes story unfolding behind closed doors with held breath and fervent prayers.
 
I cannot share more than just those cryptic sentences.
 
I share here because these are Reece's Rainbow families and they are in the battle of their lives.
 
And now more than ever - they need us to stand by them.

You and me.
 
Plain and simple - What they are doing may have a huge impact on not just their babes but on many of the others as well.
 
They need us.
 
TO PRAY.
 
Oh how they need us to pray. 
 
I know so many of you have been praying and grieving and pleading for the ban to be lifted.
 
But we need to increase and increase again.
 
 
 
 
Five families who have stepped out with just a few stones and a couple of slingshots.
 
They need our prayers.
 
Oh I wish I could say more but please, please pray.  Put their names on your refrigerators.  Tuck them into your Bibles.  Write them on post-it notes on your computer.  Put them on your mirrors. 
 
 
Pray for these families.
 
PRAY FOR THEM.
 
And support them.
 
SUPPORT THEM FINANCIALLY.
 
The stones for their slingshots do not come freely.
 
 
They are costly stones. 
 
Their children are worth the price.
 
THEY ARE WORTH THE PRICE!
 
These are PARENTS fighting for their babes.

These are PARENTS who have crossed the ocean once and held their babes IN THEIR ARMS.  They whispered love and promises in their ears.  They told their babes they would be back.

 THEY TOLD THEM THEY WOULD COME BACK.


These are parents who signed on the dotted line.... shouted YES to the world that they wanted their child... and were just waiting for their day in court to make it legal.

And now they are being told by the powers that be that they have no rights to those children.

No rights.

These are parents who are risking everything to keep their promises.

They are fighting for their rights.

They are standing against the mountain.
 
I'm putting their links here on this post. 
 
 
Most of them don't have public blogs right now.  Just sharing their names and their grant accounts is a HUGE step of faith for them.  But they are coming out of hiding because they need us. 
 
They desperately need our prayers and our financial support.  So they are coming out of the quiet to let us know who they are and to allow us the PRIVILEGE OF STANDING BY THEM.
 
They have a GOOD CHANCE in this battle and right now HOPE IS ALIVE.  What they are doing is powerful and the people they have hired are trustworthy and true.  
 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOW INTO THESE FAMILIES.
 
Sow prayers and sow financial support.
 
FIVE BUCKETS
 
FIVE BUCKETS.
 
 
 
I don't have pictures of their children.  Right now that is way too risky.  I don't have pictures of the families.  That too is unwise.  I just have five buckets and five links.
 
 
This is practical.
 
This is a way you can help.
 
STAND BY THEM.
 
SUPPORT THEM.
 
 
I also have three other links for those who are making purchases on Amazon.  If you click any of these links and make your purchase from that point on, you will help support that family.

 

Please, please sow love and hope and support into each of these buckets.  Fill those buckets up.  These families are desperately needy right now on so many levels.  Every drop in their bucket is a healing balm to their weary, scared and battle-scarred hearts. 
 
So many of us have felt so helpless against this ban...
 
WE ARE NOT HELPLESS.....
 
We have the greatest and most powerful weapon of all...
 
PRAYER
 
And we have been offered an opportunity to help five families.
 
And maybe - just maybe - miracles will happen - and a mountain will move - and not just these five but many more will reap the benefits - and you will be able to look back and know that YOU TOOK PART in those miracles.

PETERSONS, COLEMANS, MORRISS, STEPHENS, NAGELS

 These five families do have immediate access to the money donated through their Reece's Rainbow account.  Though it may look like they have a lot of money in their current grant accounts - that money has been spent.  All of these families have poured everything into getting their babes. 

SOW INTO THEIR BUCKETS.

HEAP PRAYERS ON THEIR HEADS.
 
 


5 comments:

  1. Julia, this is such a blessing to all of us. Thank you so much for your kind heart and for all those who read your blog and are praying and donating to all of us. It has given us the much needed lift that we need to continue. We also have an Avon fundraiser that a sweet friend has said she will donate all earnings to us. It is under my name but will be split between all of us. It is helpful if they make sure the name Morriss is in the code at check out.

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  2. Oops. I guess it would help if I included the link to the Avon fundraiser. http://jennifermenges.avonrepresentative.com/online_event/view.php?rep_spnsr_evnt_id=365429

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  3. Praying for these families and an exception to be passed for all special needs children to be allowed to be adopted internationally.

    Sue

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  4. Hi Julia,
    I've been a silent fan of your blog for quite awhile now. We are the LeBu family adopting "Natalie." I just wanted to say that actually there are about 16 of us that are fighting this same fight in the same manner and method as the above mentioned families.
    Prayers needed for all! Blessings.

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Loving words from kind people make our hearts glad!