Friday, April 20, 2012

Do you know Neville ?




Do you know anyone named Neville ? Probably not.
Probably when you hear the name you think of this Neville.

Neville Longbottom, of Harry Potter fame - in the first books he was a minor character, with his disorganised ways, who wasn't a particularly good student. In the end, though, he turned into quite the hero !

How about this Neville ?

I've personally never heard of him, but found him in a google search. He is Neville Brand, an actor. He had many small rolls on TV and in the movies, his last appearance in a film being in 1985.

Another Neville -

Any guesses ? No ? This is Neville Chamberlain - he was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 - 1940. He declared war on Germany in the Second World War. He was succeeded by the more famous Winston Churchill. I should probably know more about him - but the only reason I've really heard of him is because the next Neville in my list was named after him.

Well, OK - this isn't Neville, but if you lived in or around his village, you'd have seen this old truck puttering around, delivering firewood or lumber, or even helping people move house. It - and he - were quite the workers !! Three wheel cars used to be a lot more common in England - but this truck was pretty rare !

This is the Neville who used to drive it.

Neville Scrupps - not a famous Neville, just my dad. He was born in 1932, and spent his working years as a farm laborer, fork-lift truck driver, and then he had his own small business, selling firewood and lumber. Not famous like the Nevilles above, but he was well known in his and the surrounding villages. He was an unassuming man, living a pretty simple life, happy to be working and with his family. When he got sick, he made sure that my mum was settled into a new, smaller home. They moved into the village, so she was within walking distance of the stores. He waited until they were fully moved in, and had the yard just as they wanted it, before he drew his last breath a few weeks later, just before their 50th wedding anniversary.

It's because of my dad that I am advocating for THIS Neville

This Neville isn't famous. He isn't a wizard, politician or actor.
He doesn't have a family.
Neville isn't even his real name - just a pseudonym used by Reece's Rainbow to keep his true identity private. Right now, this Neville is, in the eyes of his country, a nothing. He was left behind at the hospital when he and his twin were born. Left behind because he wasn't perfect. In many countries of the world, people still believe that children with special needs have no worth. No doubt the doctors and nurses at the hospital encouraged his parents to leave him. I can't imagine how they felt - how they still feel. Do they think they did what was best for him, that he'd be better off in an institution ? Did they leave him thinking that he'd die soon, and they couldn't face the heartache ? We'll never know. What we do know is that this Neville needs a family.
He has had two unsuccessful surgeries to place a shunt, to drain the fluid from his brain. He is delayed because of the hydrocepalus - at
14 months, he isn't yet crawling, and can only sit with support. Despite his problems, he is described as being a happy, calm baby, who smiles whenever he gets attention. He needs further surgery to get that shunt working. He needs love, and more of that attention he craves. He needs therapy to overcome his delays. He needs a family.

Are you his mommy ? His daddy ? Do you know someone who might be ?
Please - share his face and profile - somewhere out there his family is waiting - and you might be the one to help them find him !


Share - pray - donate !!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Six down !!



I am so very happy to report that just four days after announcing the new goal, we have SIX children already up to or beyond $50 !! A huge shout out for:-

Sarah #11-18 - $52.50

Anastasia S. 15H - $106


Greta - $2293.14


Veronika L59 - $50

Elizaveta 3G - $50

Alec 26HA - $50.60

I am SO excited that we're off to such a great start !! Thank you for helping these kids out ! Don't forget to share share share, so their beautiful faces can be seen by as many people as possible, and their mommy and daddy can find them.

Please - don't forget Parker, Anderson and Sealey - my three little boys of the week !!

Parker - $26

Anderson - $30

Sealey - $20


Let's see if we can get all three of them up to at least $50, so I can focus on different children next week !!
I want to get as many faces out here as possible - I know that somewhere out there are families for every single one of my kids !!

Remember - share, pray, donate !!

Monday, April 16, 2012

Three little boys




Just look at the eyes on this kid !!

Can you imagine him with more hair, and a smile on his face ?? He turned 7 about a month ago. Do you have a son ? if he's older, what did he like to do when he was seven ? My son is 8 - he loves soccer - would play it all day long if we let him. He loves to hang out with the family, read and be read to, play with legos, build things, ride his bike. Just like any number of other kids his age.
What do you think Parker does with his time ?

His listing on Reece's Rainbow says that he is moderately cognitively delayed, and has a "secondary cardiopathy". Sounds like he would fit in wonderfully with a bunch of other young boys ! Go back - look into those eyes of his again - I bet there's a lot more going on in there than he's given credit for.
He would be a wonderful son !!
He surely deserves more than a measly $26 in his RR grant, don't you think ?


How about Anderson ? He's listed as being at the same orphanage as Parker. Maybe they share a room, and spend their days together ?


Anderson turned 8 in December. He is significantly cognitively delayed - he doesn't talk, but is able to make his needs known in his own way. He is physically active - bet he loves to get out and about and enjoy the fresh air ! He's facing the institution soon - and doesn't have much hope of being adopted with just $30 in his grant.

Also at the same orphanage is Sealey.


Sealey turned 7 last October. He's a lot more physically involved than Anderson and Parker, as he has cerebral palsy - but he's still a little boy who needs a mommy's love. I bet he would just love rough housing with his dad, and snuggling with mommy. He'll need lots of care and attention, but given time and therapy, who knows what the future could offer him ?
Sadly, $20 is all HE has to offer.

Three little boys - all around the age of my son


They should be out and about enjoying life with their family, not stuck in an orphanage or destined for an institution. Please - help them out, if you can - donate if you feel able - and above all

SHARE !!!!


Remember our goal - to get every child over the age of 6 over $50







Saturday, April 14, 2012

Institution



We all know where the older kids end up - the institution. Some children are lucky enough to be adopted out of the baby house, before they get transferred.

Most children aren't that lucky.

This is what institution reality is.

This is where they will spend the rest of their life.
The bars may not be on a prison cell.
But those on death row have it SO much better.


Death row prisoners are there to be punished for their crimes against humanity.
The way these children live IS a crime against humanity.
All they did wrong was to be born.
Unwanted.



For more information about any of these children, please go to the following links


116



Oops - technical problems - I accidentally deleted my original post - sorry !!
I have tried to re-create it below.

UPDATE !!


We now have 116 - sweet Carissa gained a donation button overnight, and, like Daphne, she only has $10. Her story is so sad - please help her out !


As you all know, we did reach our goal, by Easter, of all the children with grants over the age of 6 getting at least $20 in their grants. There have been a couple of new children listed since then - one quickly got above $20, the other is still at $10 (but at least she isn't a zero ;)
If you would like to send some love her way - here sh



There have also been many new children listed who don't have donation buttons yet. Some of the pictures are heartbreaking - older children who have been in the institution for years. In cribs. Teenagers.

Before I get to the new goal - I have to share some new faces. These children are newly listed on Reece's Rainbow - unfortunately, they do not yet have donation buttons. They are not in a good place - as you can tell by looking at the pictures, they are at an institution.
They are in cribs.
Their heads are shaved.
They have sores, and rotten teeth.
They are existing, not living.
You can't even tell if they are boys or girls.
They are TEENAGERS !!
You can't even tell if they are boys or girls.


Sad eyes


Shaved heads
Sore

Rotten teeth.

Lost souls.




Now - to the new goal.
I was going to get really ambitious, but remembered that we are taking baby steps - so, that being said, the new goal is to get every older child up to $50 by July 4th.
There are now 116 children aged over 6 with less than $50 in their grants - but I know we can change that !! I am hoping to pick a few children every week to focus on, so that by the time we are celebrating the birth of the USA, each child will have a better chance of living here. I know so many people pass over the older children - it's up to us to make sure their faces are seen, so they can be found. I know there's a family out there for every one of them.
Please - go and look at them, look into their eyes, and if you can't donate - please, share.









Please - even if you can't adopt, even if you can't donate - please - share - look into their eyes - look at their faces - then look at their ages. This is their life.





Forever.





Unless they can be saved.





Click on the link below.













Now - onto our new goal





There are currently 115 older children with grants who have less than





$50





in their accounts.





Guess what we're going to do ??





Yep - the next goal is to get all of the older kids up to at least $50.





My initial time line is to get them all up to $50 by the 4th of July.


Do you think we can do it ?? It's less than 3 months away - about 16 weeks. I plan on picking several children per week to focus on, and hopefully get those grants growing !!


I know it's overwhelming - 115 is a big number - but we've done it before - and I know we can do it again.


And again.


And again.


Baby steps :)





Thank you.
























Thursday, April 12, 2012

Interrupting the schedule


I will post the new goal this weekend - but in the meantime, I just wanted to interrupt this blog with a shameless plug for a new little boy I am advocating for. As you know - this blog advocates for the older children with next to nothing in their grants. I usually don't spend a lot of time looking at the younger children listed on Reece's Rainbow, otherwise I get driven to distraction and just can't focus on "my" kids.

However, once in a while I just can't help myself, and I get drawn into looking at all those waiting faces - and came across Neville. I stopped in my tracks, because he shares a name with my late dad - and it's not a name you see around much these days. I understand it's not his real name, but it's still quite the coincidence, don't you think ?

I had been wanting to become "Guardian Angel" to one of the older Angels - a logical step, as they are among the kids I advocate for. Once I saw Neville, though, I knew I was supposed to be HIS Guardian Angel. So - I am. I will fund raise and advocate for him until he is found, and is home - and, hopefully, after that.

Boy, born December 2010

Eyes of Gray
Hair light brown
From his medical records: Congenital communicating hydrocephalus.

The first surgery was unsuccessful, the second surgery was performed but the shunt is still not operating properly on one brain hemisphere. Neville shows very little physical activity, is not crawling and not walking, sits with support. Unfortunately, the child is not getting proper attention and care, as an orphan — he truly needs a family! Neville was born a twin, but the family only took the healthy child home :( The child is very calm, loves attention and always smiles and so happy when being held.



Neville needs to be adopted so he can get his shunt working properly. He's 14 months old and obviously developmentally delayed at this time - a working shunt would make ALL the difference !!

PLEASE - share his picture and information - one of your friends or family members might be the perfect family for him - but they'll never know if they don't see him !!


Friday, April 6, 2012


Thank you thank you thank you !!!!

Thanks to many donations, all but 12 children had made it to $20 by this morning. I made my matching donations, and now ALL the kids have at least $20 in their grants !! I used the extra matching money to boost the grants of a few of the kids, so many have over $20.

Of course - you can still donate - they need all the $$ and sharing they can get !!

Again - thank you !!

Of course -a special thanks to Julia's Army - her blog has so many more followers who are the best advocates for Reece's Rainbow ever !! She's also a much better blogger than me - ONE of these days I'll learn how to make my blogs look a little more professional :)

Of course - this isn't the end. There WILL be a new goal.

I have an idea of what it is.

So watch this space :)