Avon...and courage.

It's an odd title, I admit, but I have two very separate concerns to communicate as I write this entry, and I simply could not find a proper title to convey them.

My future son, our little Joshua, lives in a place where EIGHTEEN precious lives were lost in the last 18 months.  It is The Bad Place.  Though not mentioned here by name, many of you know where he is.  From reading recent articles posted in the Bulgarian Press, I have learned that the government there is very aware of what is happening to the children in that Terrible Place.  What they continue to uncover makes me upset, angry, and shocked. 

Caregivers who do not know the names of the children they minister to.  Authorities who cannot always account for donations, who spend money on vending machines for coffee instead of proper nutrition.  Children who are fed sickly concoctions of milk and sweet sugar syrup (making the milk appear a strange brownish color), waffles, and other sweets instead of fruits and vegetables.  (The sugary sweetness makes sure the children will eat quickly - those who can eat! - but provides very little nutrition).  Rations for fish which, while supposed to be served to the children weekly, sits gathering ice in a cooler that looks rarely opened. 

This is on top of few diaper changes in a day, putrid, unclean conditions, and virtually no personal interaction.  The Bad Place is Bad for well known reasons, and as it comes to light, it is shocking and saddening.

My little boy, our little Joshua, is in that place; in a place where once per month, someone (perhaps a friend of his?) dies.

What if HE died?  What if he died before we got to him?

It is certainly true that his condition, while urgent, is not as dire as some.  I have no real reason to believe that he would perish before we reached him, but what if he did?

A government official quoted in one of the translated articles I read stated unequivocally that this Bad Place is simply not equipped to care for these children, and that the best solution for these little ones is to be adopted.  Pure and simple.  I do not always believe that adoption is the answer - I pray for a day when adoption is not necessary and everyone can afford to properly and safely care for the children they have.  But since that day is not now - adoption is the answer for these children.

Adoption is the answer for our Little Dude; for our Joshua.  He must leave this place, and we must raise the funds we need to redeem him.

I need courage because, while I know that our Little Dude sits squarely in the hands of a loving God, and that not one thing will happen to him that isn't ordained, I am frightened for him.  I am frightened that we will not raise the funds we need to redeem him.  I do not want our little one to wait for one moment longer than he must.

This is why I began to sell Avon.  I am selling Avon to work to raise the funds we need - and I am also selling Avon to help others who are adopting too.  If you are interested, I would be happy to arrange an e-event and give the majority of the profits to your fundraiser.  If you are a Reece's Rainbow family, I can donate to that account, or simply send the funds to you.

Whether you are interested in doing a fundraiser for your own adoption, or supporting our adoption by shopping with Avon, my website is:

http://jennifermenges.avonrepresentative.com/

If you are local to me and reading this - and if you are interested - I am happy to deliver your items personally, and would love to give you extra brochures if you know of anyone else that might wish to order.  But anyone can order from the website, and when you do, I get 20% of your sale.  (If you order directly from me and I place the order for you, I earn 40% of the sale!) 

Avon is only one way to help us; there are several ways to shop, donate, or pray. 

You are reading this because you have interest in our story.  Thank you.  The greatest gift you can give us is prayers for our son.  Tonight, I do not ask for prayers for us.  It will bring peace to my spirit to know that there are people out there thinking of our future son and praying for him.  He needs prayer. Our family is not fond of fundraising, but our little boy is in trouble.  He needs to be redeemed.  He needs to LEAVE that horrid place.  There is nothing that is too much for us when it comes to the welfare of a child of ours.  If I needed this for our daughter, I would plead just as loudly.  Thank you for listening and sharing :)

And, as always, THANK YOU for sharing our blog, for sharing my avon website and our Reece's Rainbow account, for caring about our special little boy, and most of all - really - your prayers.