Thursday, March 29, 2012

Trembling

UPDATE AT 11:33 AM (Virginia time) - THE DUNCANS ARE NOW OVER THE WALL!!
UPDATE AT 1:58 PM (Virginia time) - THE BOOTHS ARE NOW OVER THE WALL!!


Yesterday, as I was emailing back and forth trying to decide how we should close out this Mulligan Stew Giveaway, I received this letter from Traci Heim:

Julia,

Scott and I have talked.  Every day people keep blessing us. Every day. 

We think you should tell people that we are so overwhelmingly blessed by their generosity, and we think you should stop raising money for us and focus on these families. We still have time and options and God will not leave us high and dry. This has been made exceedingly clear by the generous helping of stew my precious children have been given.

We do not want to hog the stew. We want it to feed so so many of these precious ones who NEED it. 
So there it is. The only thing we have to offer is our further portion of stew. 

I cry and pray for all of these children. I plead with the Holy Spirit to get in the faces of His people so much that they can't rest until they flee their comfort zone and embrace the adventure He would have them say yes to. Say YES to the blessing of Laurel and Harmony into their families and homes and hearts. Say yes to helping these families raise $2000 to bring their kids home. 

So, "Please sir, I can eat no more."

Please give it to these families. Pour out your stew and feed them all.

Love,
Traci Heim





I never wanted to set a fundraising goal for this Mulligan Stew Giveaway.  

Of course I wanted to raise as much money as possible, but I had no idea how much it might be, and I didn't want to set any unrealistic, unattainable goals.  I nosed my little fundraiser dinghy carefully out into the water, but I never strayed too far from the shore.



Then on Monday, the drama began: A generous donor offered $500 for the Lost Boys if we could get all 8 of our featured orphans over the $1,000 wall by Tuesday night. More generous donors responded; and with God's help we met that goal, raising $2,200 in just two days.

When that was over, I was done.  What a relief!  No more.   I just wanted to sail through the rest of this Giveaway.  If we met our unspoken goal of raising $2,000.00 for each family, than Hurrah!  If not, then at least we had fought the good fight.  I was finished with the drama.

Then we received a new email message that started the drama all over again.  

This new message contained a new challenge: Another generous donor was offering $1,000, $500 each for Harmony and Laurel, if we could reach our other unspoken goal of raising $2,000 for each of the families who are adopting from Katie's former orphanage.

$500 each for Harmony and Laurel, the two most desperate cases on our Mulligan Stew list. The two older girls who are just months away from aging out of their orphanages and becoming unadoptable forever.

Our donor couldn't have chosen a worthier cause. Unfortunately, as matters stood yesterday, this donor's challenge meant that we would have to raise $6,105.23 in just 3 days.

No way.

No way.

We talked.  We agonized.  I trembled.  No way.  

I e-mailed the Heims, the other fundraiser families and several other people who've been helping me with this Giveaway.  Shared the offer with them.  Begged them for wisdom and prayer.  

That was when Traci Heim sent me the email message that opened this post: "Please sir, I can eat no more...Pour out your stew and feed them all."



How the Heims humble me.  That was NOT what I expected or wanted.  Their need is so enormous: although this Mulligan Stew has helped them a lot, they still need to raise about $28,000 more before they can rescue Maria and her siblings.

However, Scott and Traci believe in adoption with all of their kind, generous hearts.  They believe that children should be in families, NOT in mental institutions.  They would surrender their last dime to give Laurel and Harmony a chance at a real life.  They're looking beyond their own family's needs and standing in support of the other wonderful families, the ones who are snatching abandoned babies out of the darkness of Katie's former orphanage.  Because they trust that God will not leave them "high and dry," they are willing to give up their portion of the remaining Mulligan Stew so that everyone else can have more.

So: Under the terms of our new donor's challenge, we now have three days to get 7 more families over the $2,000 wall.  Three days to raise $6,105.23.  

I tremble even to type that fearsome number.  I am weak in faith.  

---------------------------------

But: WE ARE DOING IT FOR LAUREL AND HARMONY,  two girls who DESPERATELY need families RIGHT NOW!  We are going for BROKE to RESCUE LAUREL AND HARMONY!!

WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT FOR THESE TWO GIRLS!!

  

Here's the deal, the End Game for our 3-week long Mulligan Stew Giveaway:

If we can get every single family from Katie's former orphanage over the $2,000 wall, then Laurel and Harmony will each receive an extra $500 in their grant accounts.

We have three days to accomplish this.

THE RULES HAVE CHANGED. Because the Heims have generously offered to give up their portion of the remaining stew, you no longer have to donate to Maria in order to enter the Giveaway.  However, that doesn't mean that the Heims' story is over. I know that the Holy Spirit will speak to hearts about that.

Also, in order to encourage everyone to get out the word about Laurel and Harmony: WE ARE NOW OFFERING DOUBLE ENTRIES in our Giveaway to all those who SHARE ABOUT LAUREL AND HARMONY ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK.  We are also offering TRIPLE POINTS for all those who SHARE ABOUT LAUREL AND HARMONY ON THEIR BLOGS OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS!!  You will need to e-mail me your blog link in order to get the triple points!!

We have two goals for these last 3 days: (1) We must get seven more families over the $2,000 wall; and (2) We must RAISE THE ROOF to find families for Laurel and Harmony.

A legal complication makes Harmony's case special: You MUST NOT post Harmony's picture on your own blogs. You can only link to this blog and tell other people about her.  The law is different for Laurel; you can post Laurel's picture anywhere and everywhere.

Shout for them!!  Storm heaven for them!!  They age out in a matter of months.  Laurel faces an adult mental institution!

There are no words to describe the horrible fate that these poor children face if no one steps up to rescue them within the next few months.  PLEASE!!!

WE ARE GOING FOR BROKE TO FIND LAUREL AND HARMONY A MAMA AND PAPA TO CALL THEIR OWN!!


Here's Where We Stand:

We have three days to raise a total of $6,105.23.

These are the 6 families from Katie's former orphanage and the amounts that they still need in order to climb over the $2,000 wall:
The Unroe family - $1137.82 raised - NEED $862.23
 The Carpenter family - $614.00 raised - NEED $1,411.00
The Burman family - $1670.00 raised - NEED $330.00
The Menges family  - $1525.00 raised - NEED $475.00
 The Duncan family - $2000.00+ raised - OVER THE WALL!!
The Booth family - $1091.00 raised - OVER THE WALL!!
The Brown family - $737.00 raised - NEED $1263.00
The Archer family - $2030.00 raised - OVER THE WALL!!



--------------------------------------

"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"

 


We have raised $28.304.68 for our Mulligan Stew...
 338 people have donated!


GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!  THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED MARCH 31, 2012
Posted by at 8:19 AM 35 comments

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Stirrer of Hearts

Orphans.  Families.  Lost Boys.  

Against all sound reasoning, we made the crazy decision to invite them ALL to our feast.  

And we felt foolish from the start, seeing all the faces sitting around the table.  We wondered if anything we raised would be too little for such great need.




Pure insanity.

But each time we wondered and shook our heads, considered how foolish we were to take on such a crazy project, God has encouraged us, strengthened our resolve and reminded us that this is HIS work.  His feast.

He is the Father to the Fatherless.

The plight of these orphans had His heart long before they had ours.

Though we are cooking this stew, It is God who is stirring the pot.

He is the stirrer of hearts.

And that is where we find our strength.

There is NO STRATEGY that could feed THIS MANY in ONE Giveaway.  

It is pure insanity.

We tried to think of strategies.  We considered all kinds of tricks and ways to get people to donate large amounts.  We had an elaborate tier system for the prizes.  We spent hours working on it.  

In the end. We scrapped it.  We went with the simplest system we could find.  The same one we used a year ago for Jonah's Giveaway.  In that one we raised $5,000.00.  Considering that the donated prizes for this one were worth close to $5,000.00, we knew we were being fools.  But against all advice and the wisdom of the world, we decided to leave the entire Giveaway in the hands of the Holy Spirit.  

To just let God be God.

To push our little boat out into the waters trusting that He would guide us to safety.


It has been a wild ride.

It has been absolutely exhilarating!

In the first days of the Giveaway, He provided a family for Bernadette.

The cheering this side of the ocean HAD to have been heard across the waters.  

We threw out numbers that we didn't want to say... BIG NUMBERS... Too scared to make a commitment but hoping... praying....

30,000.00 - 40,000.00 - 50,000.00

To big for me to even whisper out loud!

But we have watched God drawing hearts in such a way that we are within $5,000.00 of meeting the lowest BIG NUMBER!!

WE HAVE CURRENTLY RAISED $25,263.78

He set in our hearts the desire for each orphan at our table to receive at least $1,000.00 in their grant account.

AS OF LAST NIGHT, ALL EIGHT CHILDREN REACHED THAT GOAL!

Heath has $5670.94 in his grant account.
Jack has $5365.60 in his grant account.
Emmitt has $1502.50 in his grant account.
Igor has $1441.20 in his grant account.
Hanson has $1189.00 in his grant account.
Laurel has $11,133.81 in her grant account.
Harmony has $1214.64 in her grant account.

He set in our hearts the desire for each family at our table to receive at least $2,000.00 in their grant account.

As of right now - One family has reached that goal!!

The Archer family - $2030.00 raised - GOAL MET!!

Seven families still need help!!

 The Carpenter family - $614.00 raised 
The Burman family - $610.00 raised
The Menges family  - $1525.00 raised
 The Duncan family - $1020.00 raised
The Booth family - $716.00 raised 
The Brown family - $737.00 raised
The Unroe family - $1084.52 raised

It isn't over.  We have FOUR DAYS left in this Giveaway.  

God is not done stirring in hearts.  Your hearts.  Our hearts.  

He is not done.  

Eight children still need families.  Emmitt.  Jack.  Victoria. LAUREL.  HARMONY.  Heath. Hanson.  Igor.

Sixteen children still need their Mamas and Papas to cross the ocean and carry them out of their living nightmare.  The eleven families going to get them need EVERY SINGLE ONE of our PRAYERS.  They need our emotional and physical SUPPORT.  They need our words of ENCOURAGEMENT.  They need our FINANCIAL support.  

MARIA NEEDS HER MAMA.

She needs to lay down the burden of being parents to her little sisters and brother.  She needs to rest.  She needs to be a child.  She needs Traci and Scott Heim to cross the ocean and bring her home.  

God is not done yet.

Thus, we are not done.

REJOICING WE LOOK BACK, BELIEVING WE PRESS FORWARD!!

MARCH 31


--------------------------------------

"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"

 


We have raised $25,263.78 for our Mulligan Stew...
318 people have donated!


THESE ARE THE CHILDREN and FAMILIES  THAT OUR MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY BENEFITS.


GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!  THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED MARCH 31, 2012


Read HERE  and HERE for more on the Heim family
$35,000.00 needed
$6940.46 raised 


THE EIGHT LOVES WHO DESPERATELY NEED FAMILIES 

                          Laurel                                                                  Harmony
                               $11,133.81-- SHE NEEDS A FAMILY!                        $1214.64-- SHE NEEDS A FAMILY        
                             LAUREL IS TURNING 16 THIS YEAR!!!                      HARMONY IS TURNING 16 IN JULY!!

                  $1019.80 raised                                                             $1014.64 raised    
                                                                       Please do not remove this picture from this blog

                     

                    Victoria                                                  Igor                                      Emmitt
$1869.20 in her grant account            $1441.20 in his grant account      $1502.50 in his grant account
$1750.45 raised                                      $1059.00 raised                         $1018.50 raised
     

                     Heath                                                   Hanson                                   Jack 
    $5670.94 in his grant account               $1189.00 in his grant account      $5365.60 in his grant account
                $1287.64 raised                                   $1002.00 raised                      $1062.50 raised
            


THE "SWEET SIXTEEN" KIDS FROM KATIE'S ORPHANAGE

Please PRAY for these families and these children.  Many are in desperate condition!

 Keith (4)                                                                    Makayla (10)
 The Unroe family blog                                                        Booth family blog  
  $11,000 needed                                                            $17,000 needed
                                $1084.52 raised                                                               $716.00 raised
         They are adopting Keith as well as 4 other
            children from other institutions. 
                 

Liliana (11), Pam (15) and Butler (5)
The Sousa family blog
The Sousa family is also adopting one more little guy from another orphanage.
$3,000.00 needed
$737.00 raised
 
They are bringing home all three of these sweet boys!
$13,000 needed
$2030.00 raised
  

Find the instructions for donating to the Carpenter family on their sidebar.
$2,800.00 needed
     $614.00 raised                     

  Kelton (12) and Teagan (4 1/2)
The Burman family blog
Kelton and Teagan are listed as Steven and Tommy on their Reece's Rainbow accounts.
$2,000.00 needed
$610.00 raised
   

Ian (2-1/2)                                                                  Kolina (9)
     Menges family blog                                                   Duncan family blog
    $10,000 needed                                                       $8,000.00 needed
                                                                                                 They are also adopting another girl
$1525.00 raised                                                            $1020.00 raised
                                


                   BABY N (3)                              Samantha (7)                                     Annie (5)
  Fully Funded PLEASE PRAY!!        Fully Funded PLEASE PRAY!!       Fully Funded PLEASE PRAY!!
ALL THREE OF THESE LOVES desperately need our prayers!!  They are tiny and weak.
(no picture)                             


 Our Lost Boys

You can donate to the Lost Boys through Harvest International.  Click on THIS LINK and designate your gift to Alyona and Slavik for the Lost Boys.  All donations to Harvest International are Tax Deductible.

Or
CLICK HERE to go to the Lost Boys Boutique and support the Lost Boys while you shop.
100% of the proceeds support the Lost Boys.

$1,401.00 raised

MY FAMILY FOUND ME!!!

Raised $523.00
 


Posted by at 8:12 AM 11 comments

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Gifts of Love Part III

UPDATED WITH NEW TOTALS as of 4:50 Eastern Time!

WOW!!  WOW!!  WOW!!


All eight of our loves just got over the $1,000.00 wall!!


Heath - HEATH HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!
Laurel -  LAUREL HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!!
Victoria - VICTORIA HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!!!
 Igor - IGOR HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!!!!
Harmony - HARMONY HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!
Emmitt - EMMITT HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!
Hanson - HANSON HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!
Jack - JACK HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!

AND BECAUSE THEY ALL MADE IT OVER THEIR WALL, THE LOST BOYS ARE GOING TO RECEIVE AN EXTRA $500 DONATION!

In case you need reminding...


Our Mulligan Stew has been offered FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS for the Lost Boys.  That money will cover costs  for Alyona and Slavik's ministry to visit the boys TWO TIMES.  It will buy fresh fruit and diapers and medical supplies and other necessities.  It will provide small treats for the boys.  It will be money well spent!

------------------------------------

GIFTS OF LOVE Part III

----------------------


Goodness me... It took THREE+ POSTS to tell you about all the Gifts of Love that have been donated to this Giveaway... So many gifts accompanied by whispered prayers that God would multiply!!

AND HE HAS BEEN DOING JUST THAT!!! PRAISE GOD!!  PRAISE  GOD!!

GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!  THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED MARCH 31, 2012

------------------------------------

--------------------------------------

"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"

 


We have raised $23,832.78 for our Mulligan Stew...
306 people have donated!

GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!  THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED MARCH 31, 2012
Posted by at 7:49 AM 12 comments

Monday, March 26, 2012

Challenge!!


“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

'The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

 

AN OFFER WE CANNOT REFUSE!!!  

$500.00 TO THE LOST BOYS.... IF WE GET ALL SEVEN OVER THE WALL BY TUESDAY NIGHT!!

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE LOST!!

We invited these Eight Kids to sit at our table so we could raise their grant accounts and so they will NOT HAVE TO SPEND THE REST OF THEIR LIVES LOST!!

Harmony - $514.00
Laurel -  LAUREL HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!!!!!
 Igor -$879.00
Emmitt -  $813.50
Heath - HEATH HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!!!!
 Hanson - $625.50
 Jack - $743.50
Victoria - VICTORIA HAS MADE IT OVER THE WALL!!

Our goal for these LOVES is to get EVERYONE over the $1,000.00 wall.  WE ARE STILL $2,070.10 SHORT!

SEVEN LOVES NEED HELP!

AND TWO OF THESE LOVES ARE DESPERATE FOR FAMILIES THIS YEAR!!

Laurel and Harmony



PLEASE!!

READ THIS!!!!

Our Mulligan Stew has been offered FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS for the Lost Boys.  That money will cover costs  for Alyona and Slavik's ministry to visit the boys TWO TIMES.  It will buy fresh fruit and diapers and medical supplies and other necessities.  It will provide small treats for the boys.  It will be money well spent and we cannot miss out!!

HERE'S THE DEAL....

If we can raise a little over $2,000.00 for our seven loves to jump the $1,000.00 wall... Our Lost Boys will gain $500.00.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!

Help us out!  THIS ENDS TUESDAY NIGHT!

GIVE - SHARE - GIVE SOME MORE!!

SEVEN LOVES CROSS THE WALL = TWO VISITS TO THE LOST BOYS!!


--------------------------------------

"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"

 


We have raised $20,005.78 for our Mulligan Stew...
284 people have donated!


GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!  THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED MARCH 31, 2012
Posted by at 7:59 AM 7 comments

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Home

CHECK OUT MY ROCK STAR!!


WOO HOO... You know where this poster is hanging????  In the governmental offices in Aaron's country!!  Go HERE to read all about it!!  I am so thrilled to know that my little guy is helping to bring awareness and hope to all the kids in his country who are set aside at birth as unwanted and useless!!  Every single picture on there makes me cry.  Transforming Love.  

Guess what came in my e-mail this morning??


What a beautiful picture to find in my in-box.  The completed Afghan.  Gifts of Love!!  Hands of Love.  

It is GOOD to be home.  I got in LATE last night.  My speed today is set at very slow.  My voice is shot and my body is a bit angry at me.  I'm so glad to be home.  We didn't have the greatest of Conventions.  The attendance was down by half of what it was last year due to a controversy that happened last year.  Those who didn't go to this convention went to the RIVAL CONVENTION last week.  We were a bit blindsided by all of it.  We expected a packed vendor hall and were definitely frustrated by the situation.  But those we did talk to were excited about our curriculum and over the course of the three days I had opportunity to share about the Mulligan Stew with quite a number of people.  The highlight of that sharing was when two different FATHERS stood and talked with me about adoption.  BOTH wanted to hear about the kids, Reece's Rainbow, Aaron and adoption.  Their openness and interest - their questions and heart for the orphans - those two encounters - those two Holy Spirit encounters - they made the lack of sales and lack of people worth it.  If we had been swarmed like we usually are - I would not have had the opportunity  to stand two different times and share with these men about the little babes across the ocean who need them.  

So we rejoice.  We rejoice for safety in travel.  We rejoice at the sales we did make. We rejoice for Holy Spirit moments.  God is Good!

--------------------------------------

To all the people who have donated to the Mulligan Stew... THANK YOU!  Each time I get a comment or an e-mail or a Facebook message from one of you - I want to cry.  Yesterday a family WHO IS ALREADY ADOPTING TWO OF THEIR OWN TREASURES sent money to OUR MULLIGAN STEW families.  They gave liberally and sacrificially.  I have tears as I write that.  They are fundraising themselves and yet they gave to those who are adopting the LEAST OF THESE.  

Each gift is precious.  Every one of you are precious.  Thank you!!  Thank you!!

--------------------------------------

"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"

 


We have raised $18,422.78 for our Mulligan Stew...
277 people have donated!


GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!  THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED MARCH 31, 2012
Posted by at 11:03 AM 5 comments

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Gifts of Love Part II


GIFTS OF LOVE Part II

----------------------

HANDS OF LOVE

I have a confession to make: I'm such a poor seamstress that I can hardly sew on a button.  I am completely useless when it comes to making clothes and such. Even when I make kids' crafts with my young students, the kids' versions usually come out looking better than mine!!

Fortunately, the people who have donated to this Mulligan Stew Giveaway are much more talented craftspeople than I. The many gifts of HANDMADE LOVE that our donors have offered are so unbelievably beautiful.


GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!

"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"

 


We have raised 17,881.28 for our Mulligan Stew...
272 people have donated!

GO TO THIS LINK TO SEE WHAT WAS DONATED TO THE MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY 2012 AND TO SEE WHOM IT BENEFITED!!  THIS GIVEAWAY ENDED MARCH 31, 2012
Posted by at 2:55 PM 2 comments

Friday, March 23, 2012

We Cannot Comprehend

Yesterday was a great day for our Mulligan Stew Fundraiser. After a long day of travel from Virginia to South Carolina, it was a real blessing to pull up my email and see all of the generous, heartfelt donations that came in while I was on the road.

Organizing this fundraiser has enabled me to learn a lot about the children from Katie's former orphanage and the families who have committed to rescuing them. Today, I'm going to share some of the stories that I've learned from these God-honoring families.

********

This is Lina: somber, quiet little Lina, who has spent nearly every minute of her last year staring through the bars of the small white crib that forms her prison cell. There are six other cribs in Lina's small, drab-walled room, six more prison cells for six more abandoned children. Seven Unbeloved children isolated in seven white cribs - never held, never cradled, never rocked, never kissed. Never.

Lina's new mom, Stephanie, had heard the stories before she met Lina.  She knew that Lina was in a bad place. She knew that, like Katie, Lina had spent time on the "death floor" - the upper floor where children received the bare minimum of care. She knew that even though Lina was nearly 5 years old, she would not be much bigger than a newborn.

 


Stephanie knew all of this because had already adopted two other special needs treasures, one of them from an orphanage like Katie's.  Since Stephanie had been around this block before, she thought she knew what to expect when she crossed the ocean to meet her new daughter Lina for the first time.

And yet, despite all of Stephanie's knowledge and experience, she was still stunned when she actually saw Lina for the first time.  Lina's tiny frame; the raw, purple sores on her bottom; the painful swelling of her little feet and hands; her clammy, fevered body; the fact that, at 5 years of age, Lina was still too frail to hold herself upright - who wouldn't be stunned?

During her first visit, Stephanie sat in that drab, seven-cribbed room for a week while she held her new daughter.  Stephanie spent much of that week bringing the love of Jesus into that dark place by singing Christian children's songs like "This Little Light of Mine."  Each time Stephanie sang, all of the other children stopped whimpering and crying so that they could listen.  Imagine the blessing of singing to seven desperately needy babies, all of them hushing themselves so that they can hear songs about Jesus.  As she sang, Stephanie also prayed: That God would help Lina survive in that hell for a few more months, until the law allowed her Mama to come back and take her home. That God would send families to rescue the other six babies.
 

 
 


**********
Keith's Papa, too, was stunned at the sight of his frail son lying all alone in his tiny crib.  Isolated, untouched and Unbeloved, completely cut off from all human contact.  Nearly five years old, yet still wearing clothes sized for an 18-month old.  Like Lina, Keith was too weak to hold himself up upright without a prop. Like Lina, Keith had raw, purple, unimaginably painful sores from constantly lying in his own waste.
 .    


**********
Annie was so tentative and scared when her Mama went to meet her that she couldn't bear to be held for more than a few minutes at a time.  Annie simply had no idea how to respond to her Mama's gentle arms - experience had taught her to expect only pain when someone picked her up.  Only occasionally did Annie giggle, and only once did she stretch her tiny fingers up to touch her Mama's face.
   


Almost none of us can comprehend the world where Lina, Keith, Annie and the other children from Katie's former orphanage live.  We cannot comprehend a world without toys, without stimulation of any kind.  We cannot comprehend the damage that the absence of stimulation does to these poor babies - how very much they lose by spending their formative years in a place like that. We cannot comprehend why a building that is well supplied with toys and therapy rooms would confine some of its children to lying-down rooms.

Nor can we comprehend the level of neglect in a world where children are rationed one or two diapers per day, and spend most of every day lying in their own waste. A world where the only food is a thin gruel that resembles cottage cheese, poured into a bottle and fed through a large nipple.  A world where on Sundays, there is no food at all because there aren't enough caretakers to feed the children.

Nor can we comprehend the kind of corruption that would allow someone to take government money that was intended to care for orphans and use it to line his pockets instead.

Nor can we comprehend caretakers who carry tiny, skeletal babes by their wrists, dangling them carelessly until their malnourished arms break. We cannot comprehend caretakers who ignore those babies' cries of pain.  We are horrified to think that those babies have to endure the terrible pain of broken bones with no one to comfort them or care for them. We are grieved beyond words to think that some of those poor babies died all alone in those cribs - never held, never loved, never kissed, never cradled.

Thankfully, change is coming into that orphanage.  Now that the corruption has been exposed, those careless caretakers have been fired.  Medical teams have visited, and the children are receiving better care. When Shelly Burman and Linda Duncan visited the orphanage to meet Lilianna, Pam, Butler, Kelton and Teagan just a few weeks ago, the atmosphere there was most definitely different.  Unlike Lina's Mama, who was confined to a single room, Shelly and Linda were free to move all around the orphanage and minister to children on every floor - laying their hands on them, praying over them, caring for them.

It is going to take time; healing 240 sick children is no small task.  But God is moving.  And because He is moving, we have the opportunity to bless eleven families from our Mulligan Stew Giveaway who are rescuing 16 of these formerly abandoned treasures.  Eight of these families need financial help.  ALL ELEVEN NEED OUR PRAYERS!

They are the reason we're standing here stirring this stewpot: These 16 treasures who have already suffered far too long.  It is for them that we give, for them that we sacrifice, for them that we pray, for them that we cry. It is for them that we fight, so that money won't be the barrier that stands in the way of their rescue.

 
 

So far, we have raised $17,516.28 for our Mulligan Stew...
263 people have donated!
THESE ARE THE CHILDREN and FAMILIES  THAT OUR MULLIGAN STEW GIVEAWAY BENEFITS.

------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------
Our 'unspoken' goal for each family below is to raise at least $2,000.00 for their grant accounts.
You can help them by following these links and donating here (pictures below):

The Unroe family - $902.00 raised
The Archer family - $1794.20
 The Carpenter family - $559.00 raised 
The Burman family - $610.00 raised
The Menges family  - $1425.00 raised
 The Duncan family - $515.00 raised
The Booth family - $510.00 raised 
The Brown family - $737.00 raised

--------------------------------------------------

 We are trying to raise $1,000.00 for each of these loves (pictures below)!!

Harmony - $514.00
Laurel -  $665.80
 Igor -$676.50
Emmitt -  $788.50
Heath - $482.14
 Hanson - $535.50
 Jack - $698.50
Victoria - $1551.25 
-------------------------------------------------------

Read HERE  and HERE for more on the Heim family
$35,000.00 needed
$5752.46 raised 


THE EIGHT LOVES WHO DESPERATELY NEED FAMILIES 

                          Laurel                                     Harmony                                           Jack 
 $10,779.81-- SHE NEEDS A FAMILY!       $714.00-- SHE NEEDS A FAMILY        $5001.60 in his grant account
         LAUREL IS TURNING 16 THIS YEAR!!!  HARMONY IS TURNING 16 IN JULY!!
                  $665.80 raised                               $514.00 raised                                $698.50 raised
                     


                    Victoria                                                  Igor                                      Emmitt
$1670.00 in her grant account            $1058.70 in his grant account      $1272.50 in his grant account
$1551.25 raised                                      $676.50 raised                         $788.50 raised
     

Heath                                                            Hanson
                      $4865.44 in his grant account                             $722.50 in his grant account
                                  $482.14 raised                                                $535.50 raised
                            


THE "SWEET SIXTEEN" KIDS FROM KATIE'S ORPHANAGE

Please PRAY for these families and these children.  Many are in desperate condition!

 Keith (4)                                                                    Makayla (10)
 The Unroe family blog                                                        Booth family blog  
  $11,000 needed                                                            $17,000 needed
                                $902.00 raised                                                               $510.00 raised
         They are adopting Keith as well as 4 other
            children from other institutions. 
                 
Liliana (11), Pam (15) and Butler (5)
The Sousa family blog
The Sousa family is also adopting one more little guy from another orphanage.
$3,000.00 needed
$737.00 raised
They are bringing home all three of these sweet boys!
$13,000 needed
$1794.20 raised
  

Find the instructions for donating to the Carpenter family on their sidebar.
$2,800.00 needed
     $559.00 raised                     

  Kelton (12) and Teagan (4 1/2)
The Burman family blog
Kelton and Teagan are listed as Steven and Tommy on their Reece's Rainbow accounts.
$2,000.00 needed
$610.00 raised
   

Ian (2-1/2)                                                                  Kolina (9)
                             Menges family blog                                                   Duncan family blog
                             $10,000 needed                                                       $8,000.00 needed
                                                                                                 They are also adopting another girl.
                               $1425.00 raised                                                            $555.00 raised
                                


                   BABY N (3)                              Samantha (7)                                     Annie (5)
  Fully Funded PLEASE PRAY!!        Fully Funded PLEASE PRAY!!       Fully Funded PLEASE PRAY!!
ALL THREE OF THESE LOVES desperately need our prayers!!  They are tiny and weak.
(no picture)                             


 Our Lost Boys

You can donate to the Lost Boys through Harvest International.  Click on THIS LINK and designate your gift to Alyona and Slavik for the Lost Boys.  All donations to Harvest International are Tax Deductible.

Or
CLICK HERE to go to the Lost Boys Boutique and support the Lost Boys while you shop.
100% of the proceeds support the Lost Boys.
$349.00 raised

MY FAMILY FOUND ME!!!

Raised $523.00
 



THESE ARE THE RULES:

Since the idea for this Mulligan Stew Giveaway began with 17-year-old Maria's desire to have a family above all else....

You can enter our giveaway just by making a tax-deductible donation to Maria (Masha) and her siblings (Heim family).  I'll leave the amount of your donation between you and the Lord.  They need $35,000 to adopt all four children.

That's it.  One donation to Maria puts your name in our giveaway, with a chance to win one of 90 great prizes.  To see pictures of ALL these prizes (prepare to be overwhelmed), click THE MULLIGAN STEW LINK HERE.

After that, we'd like you to choose one, two or several more children and families from the list below that you feel led to help.  The number of donations, and the amounts, are totally up to you.  On our sidebar we have a simple point system based on your donations.  Those who share on Facebook, Twitter and their blogs receive entries as well.

When our Mulligan Stew Giveaway ends, we'll choose a winner for each prize by drawing random numbers from random.org. The more entries there are beside your name, the more chances you'll have to win something great!


HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:
  • Use the links to go to the sites where these wonderful adoptive families and children are receiving donations. Follow the directions there to make your generous donations.
  • THEN, come back to this blog and leave a comment to let me know two things: (1) that you donated to Maria (Heim family), and (2) the total amount that you donated to ALL of the children and families that you chose to help.  Because I always moderate my comments, I will be able to keep this information private.
  • If you prefer not to leave a comment, you can e-mail me at covenantb@yahoo.com.
NOTES:
  • ALL OF THESE DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
  • None of the money that you donate will flow through our hands; it will all go directly to the people who need it.
  • This Giveaway will end on March 31.
TO SEE OUR 90 EXCITING PRIZES - GO TO THE MULLIGAN STEW LINK AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG!!









"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"
Posted by at 11:41 AM 6 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)