Reece's Rainbow

from my friend and fellow blogger, Michelle....

My name is Michelle. My youngest daughter has Down syndrome, it is through her that I became involved in a program to help bring children with Down syndrome out of the orphanages and institutions of Eastern Europe. You may have seen the reports recently about these kids in the news. You may have thought there was nothing you could do, personally, to help. It is a tragedy, but it is Christmas time. I know how you feel.
I am hoping to just spread the word about theese children, and make enough people aware of them that someone somewhere with the means to help WILL help. Publicity, a large donation, something. Please keep reading.

http://reecesrainbow.com/angeltree.htm

These are the children I am fighting for with the Reece's Rainbow program. The little guy in orange is Aleksa, he started this. I saw his picture and heard his story and I can't shake him. I don't even want to anymore. He is 4 years old. In his country, turning 4 means you leave the baby orphanage and go to the institution. You may be bound in a crib, left untouched for days at a time.

Fed a bottle of gruel once or twice a day, dehydrated, unloved, and lost to the world. You share a room with 300 others just like you, in varying degrees of dying. You remember what it was like to play and laugh, but you are 4 now, disposable, unreedemable. In many of the countries, once you go to the Institution, you will never be allowed to be adopted out of there.

In the US, the abortion rate for Down syndrome exceeds 98% nationally for prenatally diagnosed babies with DS. There are fewer and fewer babies available for adoption, most are aborted. The waiting list for babies available for adoption is over 200 couples PER CHILD. The most highly sought after children in the foster care system. The most easily placed.

And here is Aleksa, waiting. His time is almost up. But there are families who are ready to go in a minute...except for MONEY. They have been background checked, the may have already adopted or had a baby with DS. They know what to expect, they want him anyway. Money stops them. This is what life is like for them then:

You can help. Do you have the ability to tell their story, spread the word, ask others to do so, too? Please help me reach the world, make them see these children?

I want you to know that there IS hope. Check out Xander:
http://chroniclesofhousehold6.blogspot.com/2007/11/it-could-have-been-my-son.html

Xander the day he was adopted

Xander now

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=43708e8c08df671ee4d717&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

take a minute to watch this short video, it chronicles his journey from orphan to son. He was FOUR DAYS from the institution when he was brought home. The other kids are waiting, and I need to tell people that.

Mainers care about things like this. This isnt a toy for Christmas, it is a LIFE. Little donations add up, and then the families suddenly have enough funding to go. I know Xander's mom said yesterday that she would go get Aleksa TODAY if she could afford it. International Adoption is expensive, about 13 thousand dollars a child. Money shouldnt be what stops us from giving them lives.

This is Daria. She is FIVE. She is in an institution, and has been for a few months. Malnourished doesnt even come close. A family there to pick up another child took this picture. She is left alone to die, and she WILL die, if she isnt out soon. She weighs eighteen pounds. The institution she is in does allow kids to be adopted out, thank God. But she needs to live long enough for that to happen. The institution Aleksa (below) will go to does not allow adoptions once they have the kids. He is bright, lively, beautiful.

And running out of time.

Please help me, make people see them. We are their only chance.

this is my daughter Ciarra, she is 9. I think about this being her, and my heart aches. When I see their faces, I see hers.

Please help us get these children into loving homes. As ridiculous as it is to imagine, it would take $39 thousand dollars to bring all three of these children home. All 3. In this day of disposable everything, surely someone out there knows someone who can help us raise that money?

Michelle

Questions about ANYTHING can be directed to Andrea Roberts at bamaroberts@comcast.net

Donations made by check can be made payable and mailed to:

Reece's Rainbow

PO Box 2055

Dacula, GA 30019-9998