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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

I Had Been Beaten... I Will Beat....

A video came out this summer.

It was from behind the currently closed country.

It was sick.

I watched about 2 minutes of it and had to go vomit in the toilet.

I could not get the pictures out of mind.

I still can't.

I won't post it here because I have too many young ones reading this blog and I have no desire to implant those kinds of images in their minds.

It was a video taken by some older girls in an internat (older children orphanage).  They were 'disciplining' a group of young, underwear clad boys who were also in that internat. 

Beating them with a stick.

And laughing.

And videotaping themselves doing it.

The looks on the faces of those little boys haunt me.  Bruised.  Beaten.  Physically and emotionally.  In a few years, chances are, they will be taking sticks and beating the little ones behind them. 

How do I know.... in the words of one of the girls on the video when asked why she did it....

“I had been beaten in the orphanage, and I will beat.”


A few months ago a young girl in another internat from Aaron's former country jumped out a window.

Why?  Why would she jump?

Here's just a glimpse into her why....

"First the teacher kneed me in the groin, then led me into a supply room and beat me up while inside the room. And then she dragged me out by the hair and said, "Girls, I give you 10-15 minutes to tear her apart. Do with her whatever you like."

 She jumped to protect herself.

She had a choice of breaking her own body or having it broken for her.

I need to go vomit again.

If you think that these two stories are just two 'out of the ordinary' stories think again.  I have heard countless others.  I have read books and researched and can point you to families who have seen with their eyes the life these children live.  I have listened as families share the stories their children tell.  It is rampant.

 Not every place.  Not every internat.  There are great ones.  There are wonderful directors. There are mission teams and churches making a huge difference.

But the reality - the life of an orphan in the internats is hard.  The orphans have no one looking out for their best interest.

Who cares if an orphan is beaten with a stick?

Who is going to stop a caretaker from sending a child to bed without food?

Who is stepping in to protect a child from the constant bullying from the older children?

Who is going to make sure that unwelcome visitors are not taking advantage of the girls in the building?

Who is there to care for a child who is sick?

Who will protect them?


We are trying to raise funds for four families in our September Giveaway.  All four families are adopting OLDER children.  All of these children are living in internats except for Ianto who has reached the age of 15 and is now on his own at a trade school.  Before you think that being in a trade school is a good thing - for Ianto - it is NOT.  Ianto is ON HIS OWN making choices and decisions that no 15 year old should be required to make.  He is struggling.  He needs family. He desperately desperately needs a father and a mother to come alongside him and help him and guide him.  Most of the 15 year old and 16 year old boys and girls who age out are emotionally much younger.  They have NO life experiences except the dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest experiences of living in an internat. 

Who will keep the other children from beating Susan?  Who will protect Caroline and Estelle from unwanted visitors?  Who will guide Ianto and Gerard into making Godly, wise choices? 

FOUR FAMILIES HAVE RAISED THEIR HANDS AND CRIED OUT - WE WILL!  WE WILL!!


The Dobrovits are adopting Susan
The Tams are adopting Caroline
The Rowes are adopting Ianto
The Deutsches are adopting Estelle and Gerard

Five children out of the hundreds of thousands.

Just a tiny tiny drop in the bucket but they are worth it.

They are worth it.

These five children have hope and a future.

All five will have to agree to be adopted.  There is a risk for these families.  They could cross the ocean and be turned down. 

But all four of these families are willing to take that risk in order to offer these five a chance for a new life.  A family.  A future. 

Please help them.

Please help them.


IT IS A SEPTEMBER SYMPHONY....

WE NEED TO RAISE:  16,700.00

WE HAVE RAISED:  $4019.00

WE STILL NEED:  $12,681.00

Breaking it Down...

Carla and Paul Dobrovits - 2,500 matching grant - Raised $296.00
 Renee and Steve Tam - 3,000 matching grant - Raised $2,597.00
Janice and Tim Rowe - 3,700 matching grant - Raised $68.00
 Val and Bill Deutsch - 2,500 matching grant Raised $804.00

 BRENTON - 1,000 matching grant - Raised $113.00
DAGMAR - $1,000 + 1,000 matching grant - Raised $36.00
PEARSON - $1,000 + 1,000 matching grant  - Raised $63.00
 PORTER - $1,000 + 1,000 matching grant   - Raised $32.00
GRADY - $1,000 + 1,000 matching grant  - Raised $10.00


The Heroes of this Symphony....THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Jacquelyn, Tiny, Andi, Cathy, Cathleen, Arnie, Kenlyn, Andrea, Jennifer, Robin, Kim, Guy, Nicole, Christina, Gentry, Theresa, Cortney, Pamela, Laura, Tiffany, Holly, Amanda,  Rebecca, Penney, Sherry, Cheryl, Nancy, Samm, Hannah, Alex, Susan, Jennifer, Amy, Jamie, Leah, Victoria, Debbie, Pam, Robin, Kathryn, Lisa, Tina, Carolyn, Pam, Nicole, Annette, Ivy, Stori, Deanna, Hansini, Elizabeth, Michelle, Trish, Neil, Christine, Katherine, Jennifer, Renee, Janice, Carla, Amy, Frankie, Brooke


 CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ORPHANS, FAMILIES, RULES AND PICTURES OF ALL THE PRIZES....

 

7 comments:

  1. Hi Julia, I just donated $10.00 to the Deutch Family and I bought toffee from Renee Tam yesterday. I'm going to bring the toffee to the non-profit that I work at, explain the story behind it, and try to solicit more donations! I wish I could do more! Thank you for all you do!

    Elizabeth Sullivan
    elizabethfrancessullivan@gmail.com

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  2. I bought a jar of toffee from Renee, so $30. I will be back to donate again!
    Christina Schye

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  3. Hi Julia, I donated 20.00 to each of the Dobrovitz, Tam, Rowe, Deutsch, and Taylor families. I know it's not much but I hope it helps. God Bless, Sonja

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  4. Donated $30 to the Tam family and shared their fundraiser (not sure if that counts or not)
    Missy Breen

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  5. Oh Julia, can I just say that your blog was one of the first ones that I found after I discovered reeces rainbow. I'm amazed at your commitment to these children and I want to have a heart like yours that loves the unloved. I donated 25 dollars to the Dobrovitz family and 25 dollars to Grady. I will be back to donate again. btw though i know the prizes are not the point, I just felt like I should tell you that i love, love the dresses that i won in the mulligan stew.I'm waiting for my niece to grow into them(she is only seven months old), but they are beautiful.
    -beth ann vickery

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  6. Dear Julia,
    Andrew and I have been very busy!

    Here is a list of donations so far:
    $25.00 to the Taylors. $10.00 from Andrew and $15.00 from myself.
    $35.00 to Hortons. $25.00 from Andrew's parents and $10.00 from myself.
    $60 to the Dobrovits. $5 from Constance, $5 from Rosie, $50 from Andrew (collected from various people at Hanson's mass).
    $20 to Pearson. This is from Andrew collected from people at Hanson's mass. Andrew picked Pearson because he looks scared and confused and he wants him to come home soon.

    God bless!
    Kim and Andrew

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  7. $30 for the Tams... I bought toffee ;-)

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Loving words from kind people make our hearts glad!