A Whole Lot to Share With Ya...(and one year ago today)

***Wow, there is a lot on my heart and a lot in my "in-box" and "to-do list" right now!! So, I'm cleaning house and posting about a few things that have been brought to my attention!!! So...here goes:

1. Drawn From Water: This organization was brought to my attention by some fellow AGCI mommas who felt it on their hearts to SPREAD THE WORD about the need and the good things this group is doing....You can visit http://www.drawnfromwater.org/ and see how these people are SAVING children in Africa that are being drowned in tribes because of the FEAR of them being "cursed". You must check it out...This is "SOME" of what you will find:

"There is a tribe in a Africa that has a culture rich in tradition. However, this tribe lives in fear of evil spirits who they believe bring ill fortune to their villages. They use the word “Mingi” to describe persons they consider cursed or otherwise imperfect. Those deemed Mingi face severe consequences, as they believe the presence of these children on their land curses the tribe. Their solution to this perceived threat is to drown Mingi children in the river. Last year, 7 percent of the children in this tribe were associated with Mingi, resulting in the deaths of at least 77 children. If the two other nearby tribes practice the Mingi tradition at the same rate, then combined 3,000 children would have their lives at risk."

***I found it simply amazing and unbelievable that this is going on RIGHT NOW this day and age!! They are looking for sponsors for their orphanage that is quickly filling, and donations towards a vehicle!! Check it out and see if you feel CALLED to make a difference!!!

2. I also got this email today from someone I've emailed with before:

"Wanted to share another need with you as I was wondering if you knew of anyone that was interested in adopting domestically. Adoption Associates in Michigan, a Christian agency, is in dire need of families that will take African American infants. They have posted this on their website www.adoptionassociates.net and on their face book page that the need is urgent. They have only 2 waiting families in that program and are working with quite a few birth mothers. The economic situation there is still very poor. So if you know of anyone please pass this on. Our two daughters came to us through this program and they were awesome to work with. Babies go into Christian host homes until the legal process is done, so when you bring your baby home there is no legal risk. I would also be glad to share our story with anyone if this would encourage them to pursue this avenue. We have had our girls since they were 5 weeks and 6 weeks old."

I will be happy to pass along her email to anyone that might like to use her as a reference or HEAR her story!!

3. There is a sweet family in Kentucky that has emailed me many times AND they just sent me one of their AWESOME new shirts they are selling to raise money for their adoption from Korea!! Ok, so first they have GREAT HEARTS, second they are from Kentucky (which is my home-state), and third...well...they sent me a shirt..and yall know how I LOVE me some ADOPTION t-shirts!!! :) So, here it is...it arrived yesterday:

And, above, you can see that my Lucy Lane was excited about getting the new shirt too!! You can find this shirt and family at http://www.adventuresofthethomasfamily.blogspot.com/ I hope you'll check it out!!! :)

4. A part of another sweet email today:

" I am working hard to raise funds and trusting that God will provide! If he brought me to it, I know He will bring me through it! I just got my "sample" tshirt today. When my doubts and fears and worries about the adoption process and such crop up, I obviously pray but I also love coming to your blog b/c it is so uplifting and inspirational to me and as you know we all need that on this road of adoption! "

Check out her new shirt here: http://www.toethiopiawego.blogspot.com/ It is very cute!!!

5. Also, check out my sister's Ordinary Hero site to read and pray for Baby Izzy: http://www.ordinaryheroblog.blogspot.com/

6. Also, got this email today from our African Fellowship group...There are changes taking place in Ugandan Adoptions right now AND this family currently in Uganda NEEDS our prayers:

"http://www.james127family.blogspot.com/
Please pray for this family bringing their daughter home from Uganda. They are in Uganda now and need clearance from the US to bring her home.
Thank you!"

***Finally, ONE YEAR AGO TODAY.....One year ago today we received our FIRST referral for Baby Kalkidan!! It was a night I'll never forget...Some of my readers have been around for over a year and probably remember THIS NIGHT!! I was sitting at my desk completely thinking another day had gone by without OUR REFERRAL coming! We had waited on the girl 0-12 month list for 6 months and 3 weeks!! That was long for our agency at that time!! When the call came in that evening, I truly thought I was going to pass out. I was beyond excited and happy and told my case worker that I accepted the referral BEFORE they could tell me ANYTHING about her!! I felt like I was having an out of body experience and COULDN'T believe it was FINALLY our turn!! Well, we LOVED her for ONE month to the day that we got her!! She was never meant to be ours. Her mother came back for her on March 10th...(I'll post more about that then.) She brought us such happiness for ONE WHOLE MONTH..but she was only a stepping stone to get us to our VERY LOVED daughter, Lucy Lane Martha!! I sit in amazement EVERY DAY over the exact events that got us to our daughter, LLM!! I'm so thankful for that referral of Kalkidan, because if we hadn't loved her and lost her, then we wouldn't' have been at the #1 spot AGAIN when our sweet baby girl entered the orphanage!! For all these events, even the painful ones, we are so thankful!! So, tonight, I remember sweet Kalkidan and the joy she brought us one year ago tonight...even if it wasn't meant to be!! :)

***Happy Wednesday to you all, kj