You can help - it is so easy!

As mom of a 16 month old son with Down Syndrome, a whole new world is being revealed to me daily. I know that, historically, babies born with Down Syndrome were regularly insitutionalized at birth in the United States. I did not realize that the world, as a whole, has not yet caught on to the incredible worth and beauty of children with DS.

In Eastern Europe in particular, babies born with DS are generally given up at birth. Probably partially due to misinformation given to them by the medical professionals. Around the age of 4 or 5 the children are placed in mental institutions and are no longer available for adoption. Physical restraint, lack of stimulation, and abuse are common. see here

It doesn't have to be this way. There is a organization, Reece's Rainbow, that is working hard to provide loving homes in the U.S. for children from Eastern Europe and other countries with DS and other disabilities. They also work to provide education and develop parent support groups in these countries to reduce the number of children who are given up.

As Christians, we are expected to help widows and orphans. And, now that you've read this far you are out of excuses! "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act" Proverbs 24:12

So here is how you can help - Reece's Rainbow has been entered in a contest through American Express. All you have to do is go here and nominate this project. You do NOT have to be an American Express card holder. You can set up an account (just your name, email address and a password...takes 10 seconds) and then nominate the project. You will be nominating Reece's Rainbow to be the recipient of enough money to provide TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLAR grants to ONE HUNDRED waiting children with Down syndrome. That would be 100 children from all over the world coming home to forever families. Can you imagine.....100 children finding families!

Our family is still dealing with medical bills from Ralph's many hospital stays over the past year. Still, we would love to adopt a child with DS from Eastern Europe! I still feel a sense of urgency, considering the political unrest in that region. A $20,000 grant would make adoption a real possibility instead of a mere dream for our family. How many other families out there would rescue a child from an institutional life if the funds were available?

Psssst...pass this on!