(baby Elia (bottom) and friends in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam)Dear Family and Friends,
Ryan and I wanted to involve you in something we are very passionate about. It’s no secret that we have been called to care for orphans- our daughter was adopted last year at the age of 12 months. What many of you don’t realize is that our daughter lived in a pretty famous HIV/AIDS orphanage for those 12 months she was waiting for her family to find her and bring her home. She was one of the lucky ones. She was born without this horrible disease, and she had a chance at a normal healthy life. Many of her friends were not so lucky. Before traveling to Vietnam we didn’t know much about HIV or AIDS and we honestly hadn’t thought much about it either. That all changed the day we visited Tam Binh orphanage. We were so elated to finally see our beautiful baby daughter that we almost didn’t even accept the sadness and grim life the rest of the children in Elia’s orphanage were about to face. Again, these precious babies and toddlers were faced with watching one of their friends leave the orphanage with new loving parents while they waited in their metal crib without enough food, without any toys or stimulation, and most of all without any love. You could see the emptiness in their eyes. Already at the age of 1 year old these little babies had lost hope. What was there to be happy about? Their entire life had been one painful experience after another. We talked to each child briefly and touched their hands as they looked at us with blank eyes and then we walked away. We started our new life as a family of three but never forgot the children left behind. We promised ourselves that somehow we would help; somehow we would do something, anything, to make the lives of these children a little bit brighter. As I think back at those children now I picture all of YOUR children in that circumstance. Would Anna be the helpful class mother that she is today in that environment? Would Kennedy be the silly girl with the big heart? Would Tanmay be the class clown? Would they even know how to be funny or loving if they had never before experienced those things? I honestly believe it was a true miracle that my daughter even survived 12 months of that life. It was a life no child should be subjected to.
We have spent a year now of researching and communicating with others and we have found something amazing! There ARE people out there that want to adopt a child with HIV. There are programs to help these families so desperately waiting to love a precious little child and there are so many precious children out there so desperately waiting for parents to love them! Adoption is incredibly expensive and this is the case with special needs children as well. Many families that are qualified and capable of adopting and loving a special needs child just can not afford to pay for the adoption process. We know that cost is a huge burden for adoptive parents so we have teamed up with From HIV To Home (fromhivtohome.org) a non profit organization whose goal is to pave the way home for the worlds HIV affected orphans, specifically those that are HIV+. Our goal is to raise awareness and to raise enough funds to provide a grant for a family that is in the process of adopting an HIV+ child. First Discoveries Childcare along with friends and neighbors will be raising funds and then on May 7th 2010 (World Orphan Aids Day) we will go on a neighborhood walk for all of the HIV+ orphans of the world we will be “Kids Walking Kids Home”. Our class will be holding lemonade stands and selling baked goods as well to earn money for our cause. Last year we made over $800.00!!! This year we personally know the family that will be receiving the grant and we are determined to help them bring their little boy home. He is a stunningly beautiful and sweet 6 year old boy. I’ll share more information if I receive the parent’s permission. If you would like to donate to this cause you can write a check to either “Kids Walking Kids Home” or “From HIV to Home” or you can pay online at http://www.fromhivtohome.org/. Make sure you let them know who the donation is going to- you can write in "Oldenburg" or "First Discoveries" walk and they'll know to put it in our fund.
We have spent a year now of researching and communicating with others and we have found something amazing! There ARE people out there that want to adopt a child with HIV. There are programs to help these families so desperately waiting to love a precious little child and there are so many precious children out there so desperately waiting for parents to love them! Adoption is incredibly expensive and this is the case with special needs children as well. Many families that are qualified and capable of adopting and loving a special needs child just can not afford to pay for the adoption process. We know that cost is a huge burden for adoptive parents so we have teamed up with From HIV To Home (fromhivtohome.org) a non profit organization whose goal is to pave the way home for the worlds HIV affected orphans, specifically those that are HIV+. Our goal is to raise awareness and to raise enough funds to provide a grant for a family that is in the process of adopting an HIV+ child. First Discoveries Childcare along with friends and neighbors will be raising funds and then on May 7th 2010 (World Orphan Aids Day) we will go on a neighborhood walk for all of the HIV+ orphans of the world we will be “Kids Walking Kids Home”. Our class will be holding lemonade stands and selling baked goods as well to earn money for our cause. Last year we made over $800.00!!! This year we personally know the family that will be receiving the grant and we are determined to help them bring their little boy home. He is a stunningly beautiful and sweet 6 year old boy. I’ll share more information if I receive the parent’s permission. If you would like to donate to this cause you can write a check to either “Kids Walking Kids Home” or “From HIV to Home” or you can pay online at http://www.fromhivtohome.org/. Make sure you let them know who the donation is going to- you can write in "Oldenburg" or "First Discoveries" walk and they'll know to put it in our fund.
All donations to From HIV to Home will be tax-deductible.
If you are interested in helping us raise money we have extra collection envelopes and pamphlets to be passed out at your church, parenting group, neighborhood association, etc.
If you are interested in helping us raise money we have extra collection envelopes and pamphlets to be passed out at your church, parenting group, neighborhood association, etc.
Together we can change the life of an orphan FOREVER.
Please consider joining with us in this cause.
Any contributions are greatly accepted and will be much appreciated!
Thank you so much ,
Heather and Ryan And Elia our miracle girl
From HIV to Home
World Aids Orphan day
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