Faithful Families by Julia Arnold Nalle

Faithful Families by Julia Arnold Nalle

I don't have anything to give away.

I don't have an iPad.  I don't have gift cards.  I don't have prizes.  I don't have auctions.  

I just have a whole long list of families who are desperately in need of funds.

And I have a deep desire to help them.

A deep desire.

I've been wracking my brain all week and have come up empty.

Empty.

All I can do is list the families who are deep on my heart here.

Some of them are leaving soon... 

Some of them need thousands....

Some of them are discouraged and scared....

Some of them have jumped through so many hurdles and hoops that they can't jump anymore....

Yet they are still jumping...

Faithful Families.

Choosing to adopt the babes that nobody wants.  

Won't you help them? 

Even if I don't have iPads and Kindles and gift cards?? Even if there is nothing for you to win or gain?

Will you help them?

HERE'S MY CHALLENGE.... I'm posting a LOT of families and there are a LOT more out there.... WILL YOU PICK THREE??  Will you Pick Three Families either on this list or elsewhere and help them today??  Drop something in the buckets of THREE FAMILIES.  Maybe you can only drop 5 dollars in each bucket.  IT'S FIVE DOLLARS MORE THAN THEY HAD!!

If you do... if you pick three will you tell me??  Will you tell me because I am praying for FIFTY OR MORE PEOPLE who are willing to pick three families and help them!!  That's my prayer.

It's lofty.  This is absolutely the WORST time of the year with people finishing up vacations and schools starting back up and school shopping happening... But I'm praying for FIFTY PEOPLE ANYWAY...

FIFTY FAMILIES TO PICK THREE FAITHFUL FAMILIES AND HELP THEM!!!  A win win for everyone!!!

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THE BOROUGHS FAMILY

The Boroughs family has just received a 5,000.00 MATCHING GRANT.  For every single dollar they raise - they will be matched up to 5,000.00 dollars!!  

You need to make your donation by check to Lifesong for Orphans in order for it to be matched.  Is that too hard??  To write a check for a family so that another little one can be added to this picture.  I LOVE THIS FAMILY.  Love them with me!!

Lifesong for Orphans

PO Box 40/ 202 N. Ford St.

Gridley, IL 61744

They are also selling these BEAUTIFUL NECKLACES...

 

Look carefully because MY FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE is on that necklace!! Micah 6:8!!!

You can purchase one using THIS LINK

And rumor has it... they are selling these cute little guys...

I don't know if they are officially for sale yet but I think a line is already forming for them....  If you want one you'd better let me know and I"ll put in a good word for you!!

THE ROWE FAMILY

Oh I LOVE this family....

They just got back from adopting a little girl who we shared about, yelled about, prayed for, on this blog a LONG time ago.  Masha.  Her new name is Charlotte...

 

and tucked into their suitcase with Masha was the cutest little guy named Atticus..

..and of course they are turning back around because there are some older kids who desperately need families and they have found room at their table.

Would you consider dropping some money in their bucket??  

They could definitely use the help because they DO have room at their table and they CAN afford to care for these kids this side of the ocean but getting them here is the uphill climb!!

YOU CAN HELP THEM OUT HERE!

THE SNELL FAMILY
I LOVE this family because they live in MY WORLD!  I've had the privilege of teaching some of their kids... I prayed their kids home... they prayed Aaron home... we have cried together... laughed together and cheered each other on!  They are adopting again.  A little one from Ch*na.  Ting.  They are doing a puzzle fundraiser and I would love to bless them with donations.  Go HERE to donate!!  

THE DEWBERRY FAMILY
You remember the Dewberry family!!  We raised BIG MONEY for them to go get Taylor... Well.. while there this little guy stole their heart and they are going back.  Thankfully our fundraising for Taylor rendered them MORE than they needed for her adoption so they were already over halfway funded for Steven!!!  But they are still in need of thousands to get him out.
 

THE TWIETMEYER FAMILY
Remember my sweet Spencer... My Angel Tree Babe.  Well he is going to the Twietmeyer family.  They can't wait to cross the ocean to get him home. Carolyn Twietmeyer is director of PROJECT HOPEFUL.

An auction to raise funds for Spencer is HERE and it is chockablock full of cool stuff!!!
I'm warning you now... I am going to cry the day I see him in his Mama's arms!!  It's going to be a blubberfest!!


THE HEIM FAMILY
The Heim family is SO CLOSE to going over to bring their FOUR babes home!!
 
I've been praying so hard that God would prepare these kids hearts and that NOTHING would stand in the way for them to finally be in a loving family!!
Traci is doing a GIVEAWAY for this 500.00 Lladro figurine.  Any donation will enter you in to win it.
You can find the link to donate HERE.




THE COLE FAMILY
The Cole's started across the ocean a few months ago but halfway there had a family emergency and HAD TO GO HOME.  It has been a rough road for them but God has paved the way and they are soon heading back over.  They are a few thousand short and so Beth has been going crazy making hair bows to raise funds.  She also has been helping EVERY OTHER FAMILY OUT THERE who is in need.  Please consider helping them out... Or go buy a bow to get these kids home!!
 

THE GARDNER FAMILY
Their Dossier was just submitted and all they are waiting on is a travel date.  They are thousands short but longing to get their sweet little Keegan!!




THE SHARP FAMILY
PLEASE help the Sharp family.  They need a whole ton of money to get these babes out.  They have NO FUTURE in their country!!  They will be well-loved in the Sharp family!!
  
The Sharps have an auction going on there is HERE
And if you want to see some updated pictures of these babes click HERE!!

THE PHELPS FAMILY
Hurry up and help this family because today is the LAST day for their iPad Giveaway!!

Click HERE to enter to win the iPad!!  See... I am Giving away an iPad!!!


THE MORSE FAMILY
I'm actually giving away TWO iPads because donating to the Morse family enters you into another Giveaway!!  They are bringing home this cutie... PLEASE HELP THEM!!

You can click HERE to enter in to win the iPad.


I KNOW THERE ARE MORE FAMILIES... tons more... All the families on THIS PAGE are close to travel and some of them are very short of funds.

So... PICK THREE OR SIX OR NINE OR TWELVE.... PICK THEM ALL...

Off my list or off another....

And let me know because I am praying for FIFTY FAMILIES to stand in the gap!!  Fifty!!

Oh MY!!!

Status On The $3000.00 Grant Match Fund.......

Once again our family thanks you for being the hands and feet of God!  

Almost two weeks ago we had a $2000.00 grant match fund come in and then another $1000.00 come in this past week, totaling a $3000.00 grant match.  

**8/10/12 UPDATE!  WE HAVE MET OUR $1000.00 MATCH GRANT!!!**
HEHA!!!!   
WE HAVE STILL A $2000.00 GRANT MATCH TO TACKLE!!!  CAN YOU HELP US MEET THIS $2000.00 GRANT MATCH TO BRING STEVEN HOME??

As of right now we have a total of $801.12 towards this $3000.00!!  That is so incredibly awesome!  So how much is left we need to match these two grants?  $2198.88 and the grant will be matched!!!  

How much left do we need to get back to our little man total right now....$5198.88!  THAT'S IT!!!  So close!!!!! Whew wee!!!

Where are we at now in the process???.....Our dossier is heading back with the Morales family who is so awesome to lug that heavy thing back with them in the 6th!  Next the remaining docs that need to come in are to arrive so I can overnight them to Eastern Europe or send with another family in transit so that everything can be turned in after translation to the DAP.  Then it is countdown to my boy!  God is flinging open doors moving everything fast as lightening like he did Tania's adoption with no time to spare.  Very very thankful!  So folks this is where we are at and were are headed!!!!

If you are interested in helping us bring our little man home we have tax-deductible links on the right side through Reece's Rainbow and Chip In or you can click here:  http://reecesrainbow.org/41567/sponsordewberry.  
Also we are holding a bidding Auction of items from Ukraine and other items donated should you be interested in bidding.  Please take a peek at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.108691675943396.18508.108666509279246&type=3 

A Love Story......Bringing Steven Home

Story:  By Amy McCoy 

The latest chapter in this love story is a little boy name Steven who is dearly loved and has a family coming for him.  You can help bring him home by clicking HERE to donate (they have a $3,000 matching grant, so you can double the impact of your giving!) or  go HERE to see some awesome and one-of-a-kind Ukrainian items that will have the proceeds benefit Steven's adoption as well.  But now, for the rest of the story!

The story begins with a lovely couple, Nicole and Joe Dewberry.  Aren't they adorable?

 

About a year ago, they opened their hearts and home to a young man from Ukraine, our dear boy Kolya.

The Dewberrys are big into skateboarding and spent years ministering to troubled youth at skateparks and now, Kolya adds his tremendous artistic flair to their skateboard designs and they sell them at FallenButSaved.com. 

Aren't they adorable?  Such a fun family and positive to the core, always looking to serve others.  Serving is at the heart of EVERYTHING they do and Kolya is catching this vision.

Here are two of my boys loving on Kolya.  He is such a kid magnet!

 

 Here is Kolya on the day of his baptism at Jordan Lake.  What a precious day that was.

This is me with Nicole at the surprise baby shower for my youngest little munchin.  She hooked me up with shark paraphernalia for our little girl!  Did you know that Nicole and Joe go diving with sharks?  How uber-cool are they?   
 The next chapter in the Dewberry story is a sad one.  Sergiy (left) was hosted by the Dewberry family and they made in-roads with this boy and broke through his very thick walls.  They agreed to adopt him and he told them to come and get him, but when they arrived in-country, Sergiy was dissuaded from leaving and going with his family by his peers.  They left Ukraine heart-broken and wondering what in the world God was doing!  We wept with them...

The next chapter was only recently written but it includes this sweet face!  After refusing to ever look at Reece's Rainbow special needs kids, even when her sister Denise urged her, Nicole and Joe saw this darling photo.  This little girl who was said to be HIV+ (ha! they said they would NEVER adopt a Ukrainian girl LOL...just try to tell God NEVER.) came across their path.  They were broken for her and began to advocate for her and gunning to find her a family.  Through many hints from God, given through believers to them, they realized that THEY were the family for her.  They were tapped out after Sergiy's attempted adoption and had zero funds.  But God!  He brought in all the money they needed in 6 short, fun-filled days.  

Here is the video of their story that captured the hearts of many and helped bring in much of the support they needed to go and get Tania.  Many thanks to Deanna Jones from Mother The World for her fabulous video production!
 

 Here is Kolya, practicing on Nicole's hair so that he could fix Tania's hair when she got home.  Such a sweet brother!

Here is the Dewberry family when they met Tania!  Priceless...

Tania now has a daddy to hold her. 

 A daddy to dance with her.

A mommy to teach her all the things girly (like diving with sharks...)

 A brother to protect her.

And love on her.

And she even has a BFF, our girl Alona :D

Here is the video of  Tania's homecoming, again put together by Deanna who is also of YouParent!  Get your hankie...

  
But guess what?  The story's not over yet. You know this if you read the first of this blog post.  But here is where he comes into the story.  Steven and Nicole fell head over heels in love with each other while the Dewberrys were at his orphanage adopting Tania.  He would call her Mama and take her hand and caress his face with it.  He called none of the nannies, nor any of the other women he'd ever met, Mama.  Only Nicole.  And everyone there saw the wonderful bond between them and they all told her that Steven was her son.

This is what he says about diving with sharks.  Just stinkin precious are these two together. 

Every day he would wait in the bushes along the road and wait to see the Dewberrys coming and he would yell, "Mama!  Mama!" as she came and would run to see her and cling to her (very long) legs.

 

Turns out that Steven is Tania's right hand man and has a profoundly calming effect on this little spit-fire of a girl.  Win-win!

He also loves Kolya and Kolya loves him!  This little fella needs to be home with his family and get medical attention.  He has unknown needs that appear to be quite serious and we pray that he does not decline in health before his family can come and get him.

Joe began the paperwork before Nicole was even home with Tania and Nicole, in the very short time she has been home, has updated their homestudy, cranked out a new dossier and has had it apostilled and is sending overseas with and adopting family.  Steven could be home in just a few short months, but the Dewberrys need our help.  They have sacrificed their retirement and their assets for their 2 adoptions plus the 1 almost-adoption.  They only need about $9,000 more to be able to go and get Steven.  If you are willing to help, please click HERE to donate (they have a $3,000 matching grant, so you can double the impact of your giving!) or  go HERE to see some awesome and one-of-a-kind Ukrainian items that will have the proceeds benefit Steven's adoption as well.  A precious life is at stake and there are eternal rewards for helping the least of these.  If you are able to give, please...leave us a comment and encourage us that others love Steven just as we do :)

Love and blessings to you 

From the McCoy family

Steven Has Been Offered A $3,000.00 Grant Match!!! Can You Help Us Make This Match & We Will Be Close To Fully Funded???

We are so blessed beyond words moving mock speed to get back to our little man!  We were offered two different grant matches that total $3,000.00 (one for $2,000.00 & another for $1,000.00).  We are a total of $9,000.00 short for Kolya and I to travel back to Steven.  If We Can Make This $3,000.00 Into $6,000.00 We Will Only Be $3,000.00 Short For Take Off!!!!! HEHA!!!! 

The Dossier Is Almost Done Just Waiting On A Couple Docs To Arrive.  My Table Is Loaded With Steven's Clothes, My Personal Handi Wipes & Tissues For Personal Use & Eastern Europe Tee-Pee Is All Ready To Go! Got My Big Ol'e Bubble Wands The Kids Rock...Nothing Like Bubbles With Kids! Got My Ukrainian Purse....I Am Ready To Roll..... I Gathered Verse Putting Everything Away I Might As Well Prepare the Fields For Take-Off For Us Again & I Ain't Wasting No Time.  (:

Reece's Rainbow Just Got Steven's FSP Donation Account Up In Order To Accept Tax-Deductible Donations.  Folks During Tania's Adoption Would Email Apologizing For Only Making Small Donations.....No Donation Is To Small, I Literally Mean That.  God Honors Any Donation To Expand His Kingdom & Fullfill His Commandment To Seek & Care For The Orphans & Widows.  He Will Take Care Of The Multiplying.  He Has Done It Many Times With The Families Joe & I Have Worked In The Hosting Orphan Ministry, The Orphan Outreach Ministry We Are Involved In Right Now & He Has Done It For Us & He Surely Can Do It Again!  I Am Right Back To Trust & Obey.

 http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsordewberry

Today Tania, Kolya & I Went And Got A Couple Things To Mail To Steven To Let Him Know We Are Missing & Thinking Of Him & For The Other Kiddos Like Lance That Still Needs A Forever Family (HINT: http://reecesrainbow.org/12877/lance5902).  She Had A Great Time Being Very Particular As To Pick The Best Items Out To Fit Her Wingman, Steven.  Last Night When We Read Her A Story And Tucked Her In She Asked If Steven Can Sleep In The Room With Her Like They Use To.....She Missed Him.  This Is Awesome!  Can't Wait To Get The Kids Back Together Again.  We Are All Anxiously Awaiting Take-Off To Go Get Him!  (:

Tania, wing-man Steven & Kolya!

Again A BIG Thank You From Our Family To Yours!!!!

Yes Our Fundraising Amount Changed.......

OK ya all as we are approaching our dossier being sent to be Apostilled and then forwarded on to  Eastern Europe we are close to start counting down the days to get an appointment.  You may have seen our fundraising dollar go from $7,143.95 to now $9000.00.  Why the jump you say? This morning Kolya came up to me knowing the needs of Steven and said "Mum I want to go back to Ukraine with you to help with Steven".  So I am never one to deny my son of the service of others when that is the one thing I want my children to grow up doing.

So this is why you see the jump in funds is to get my son, Kolya on that plane with me to help bring Steven home.  

I know the staff at Stevens school will be thrilled to see Kolya again, they loved him and it was mutual.  

I am so grateful to know that we do not need the full adoption expenses!!!  Let me tell you! We are so extremely blessed in that God only multiplied them when we were in Eastern Europe for Tania.  So we are so close, $9000.00 away from bringing Steven home!

 

Folks you were my prayer warriors bringing Tania home and I ask for your prayers for us to get this awesome young man home that I so love and adore and miss like crazy!  

I have been asked if Reece's Rainbow has a donation link up yet and at this point not as of yet.  So please keep an eye out on his page it should be up anytime.  But for now we have our "ChipIn" box on the top of our page should you feel lead to donate for Steven:

http://reecesrainbow.org/1557/steven906

When Kolya, Tania and I were in Eastern Europe we collected unique items by artists we brought home in order to sell to bring Steven home.  If you would like to check them out and bid on an item ALL funds go to Stevens adoption.  Please check them out at:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.108691675943396.18508.108666509279246&type=3

Remember this is where we started before we even met Tania or Steven but knew we were called by God to go adopt Tania.....

Once again our family thanks you for being the hands and feet of God!  This is what your prayers and support did by answering the call from God to help our family.....please see below!

Steven.......Let Me Introduce You To The Little Man That Stole My Heart!!

Yup this is Steven he had me at "Mama...mama...mama"on day one.  The rest is history.  He knows we love him, he knows were coming for him along with all the staff at his school.  We are scurrying as fast as we can scramble to get back to him.  Why did we not adopt him while we were there with Tania?  Our homestudy was a year short for our adoptive age......so we are starting over with the homestudy and dossier and doing everything NOW!  

With all the amazing blessing of prayer, support and funding that came in on my last post before we left.  This circled my mind then and circles my mind now.....

"Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see he glory of God"?  -John 11:40

 

Folks this is all so true I say this because we took what we needed and God provided more as though he was filling our cup as we were spending it on Tania's adoption.  I have never seen anything like this.  I sit here still on Eastern Europe time looking at our accounting and seeing we only need $7,143.95 to be funded for me to do a whole nother adoption and return for Steven.  This is absolutely amazing!  Folks that is it and we can go get him once the paperwork is done.  With the RR team we are expecting to have me traveling in 2 months or less.  Joe and I are not wasting anytime to get him home and he is ready and waiting for Mama and Papa.  Man I got his foot size, his clothes size I even have his head size! LOL!

So with this small amount left to raise for Stevens Adoption Kolya, Tania and I hit the streets of Eastern Europe in search of unique items to sale from there.  

To view all the BEAUTIFUL items up for bidding please go to:

http://www.facebook.com/BringingStevenHome

 (Or Click The Link Below To Take You To The Items Up For Bid!)

 Ukrainian Bidding Auction For Steven!)

Please stay tuned to follow us on our journey to return for Steven!  To read about Steven please visit:

http://reecesrainbow.org/1557/steven906

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FROM OUR FAMILY FOR ANSWERING THE CALL TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF GOD TO BRING HOME OUR TANIA AND NOW OUR STEVEN! 

UPDATE 7/27/12:

Update on getting back to our little man: The last piece for our new homestudy was Tania's medical which was completed today. She got a good bill of health, healthy as a horse! HEHA! We head to Duke University on the 30th to get her checked out further and monitor her HIV. Soon as we get the thumbs up for everyone that all looks good on our homestudy then off to it goes to the USCIS to update it. Then by golly all the docs which should be in by Monday/Tuesday next week and then headed for Apsotilling then off to Ukraine. God is not wasting anytime nor am I. We are on the move as long as God permits. So thank you again for all your prayers and support for our family and Steven! He is one special young man!

Written by Lisette Winner

this life matters

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Lisette

Yesterday I found out that “my” Steven had found his forever family. I was and am still so overwhelmed with emotion over hearing about this.

When I first found out about Reece’s Rainbow, I would browse through the listed children, reading each bio, crying over them, praying for them….I would just sit there heartbroken, through blurry eyes, looking at these sweet faces.

One in particular that caught my eye was Steven…..

Just look at that face.

I would look at his bio daily, there was just something about him that tugged at my heart in an awful, crazy kind of way. I told myself if Todd ever said yes to adoption, this was the little boy I was going to bring home. Pretty soon I wouldn’t even read his bio anymore because I had it memorized. Words like HIV positive and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome took on less and less meaning to me. However, his sweet little face became more meaningful to me, and it’s now forever ingrained into my memory. This little boy changed something in me I couldn’t even begin to understand, let alone explain.

I don’t know why God gave me these feelings for this little boy whom I’ve never met? Of the hundreds of kids on this site, why this one? What was it about it him? I have to be honest here and say that at times I don’t understand how I could feel this way when I couldn’t be the one to bring him home. However, deep down I know God’s plan for Steven’s life was perfectly thought out, before He had even so beautifully created him.

As I think of God’s plan for Steven’s life,  I realize he has already begun to use this little boy for His glory.

In my own life, He has used Steven and his unfolding story to show me what it means to love. To serve. To trust. To give. To be humble. To be selfless. To live and give sacrificially. Here I was asking God, “How can I be the hands and feet for you, for these orphans?” “What can I do for Steven if I’m not meant to adopt him?”

Meanwhile, He was using Steven all along to change my heart on so many levels and to prepare me for what’s to come…..

I can only begin to imagine how God is going to use him to touch the hearts and lives of other people.

 I am so grateful he has a family! And although I’ve never met his family outside of the Internet, I LOVE them! They are going to give him a beautiful, loving home, centered on Christ.

What could be more beautiful and perfect than that?!

Just to give you an idea of what Steven is like, as well as his mommy, I’ve included a portion of Nicole and Steven’s story, just little tidbits about what’s happened, but there is so much more, which I hope to hear all about one day!

 —- “None of us could hide that that kiddo (Steven) and us love each other.  He was tied at the hip all the time.  Each night he would tell the nannies, “This is my mama.” when I would visit in the morning and at night.  We told him and he came running to me and hugged me and said “You are my mama”.  He blows kisses to me every night.  Tania (The little girl the Dewberry’s are currently adopting from the same orphanage as Steven) and Steven and Kolya and I spent the last couple hours all together.  The nannies and I took all his measurement to get everything ready for him.  My heart has been stolen by a 5 year old!  (:” —

— ”On Tania’s gotcha day we told the nannies who we adore and have been hinting how I am mama to him so they told him.  He was holding my hand when they told him right after he said “This is my mama”  they said, “She sure is and she is coming to adopt you.”  His smile was so huge he hugged my legs and said “Mama I love You”.  Director and home lawyer know.  The whole ball of wax.  So we got to leave with my boy knowing we are coming for him. He blows great kisses too!  Got his measurements so we are good to go to get stuff ready for him and my return trip!  (:” —

I don’t know about you, but hearing little pieces of this little boy getting a mommy just melt my heart like you wouldn’t believe!

I’ve been talking with his mom and there are a couple things I want to share. First is that someone has offered a $2,000 matching grant!!! That means if we can get people to donate to this little boy, we can turn that $2,000 into $4,000 in no time! That will bring the Dewberry’s that much closer to bringing Steven home! On the right side of my blog there is a chip-in for Steven. Let’s see if we can’t get his chip-in to 2K to get the matching grant put in!!! 

Keep in mind the Dewberry’s are currently in country bringing Tania home. Because they met/decided to adopt Steven once at the orphanage, Nicole will have to travel back. So between all the adoption fees/travel, there is most definitely going to be a need for funds!

Also, I am going to start my own little fundraising for him. Keep your eye out for an upcoming post with that information. I also want to share sweet, little Lance with you guys next time too!

——————————————————————————————————————–

Psalms 68:5-6 “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.”

God is so good and faithful! I am just overjoyed right now, I feel like one of my own children is coming home!

Steven is not forsaken.

He is fearfully and wonderfully made.

He is loved.

God has been preparing the hearts of his parents all this time.

This life matters! I can’t wait to see what God does with it!