A couple of you have asked about the Burman's blog being private. Shelly and Brian have always preferred to keep their blog private even when they're not traveling, so it will likely remain that way plus Shelly has zero time to update her blog during this busy time in her life. She is spending every waking second focusing on trying to return to a new normal with her new beautiful family. I'm trying to keep this blog all about Miss Carrington's recovery and focused on prayer and support. I definitely don't want to overstep my place and start posting in detail on anything other than that, so for now the blog belongs to Miss Carrington and her recovery. Maybe when Shelly's new routine falls into place she will do a post on this blog with an overall update for those of you who prayed the Burman family through their adoption and are dying for an update :)
And another question that has been left in the comments,
"I suppose digestive issues have been ruled out? If she has food allergies/sensitivities or other gut/absorption issues she could be malnourished while the others did much better. I guess you know more than we do as you usually write as though her starvation was for sure done deliberately."
Yes they already knew Carrington had digestive issues AND food allergies prior to taking her out of the orphanage. That is hardly an excuse for her condition though. Children from her same orphanage had life saving heart surgeries so I find it interesting that she was in such bad shape even in spite of her gastrointestinal and allergy issues. And yes, I guess I do know more than you, but not about Carrington's situation at the orphanage. I write from a place of experience. Visiting orphanages in Eastern Europe can be written about and talked about but until you experience it first hand and have your heart ripped out of your chest as you see some of these children literally wasting away in their cribs 24 hours a day, well then I guess it might not make quite the same impact. No I do not know that Carrington was starved deliberately. I do know that she was pretty much in a "laying room" and rarely picked up, cuddled, or loved on, while other children from the same groupa got a lot more attention--emotionally and medically. I can guess--from my experience with my own child from an orphanage in EE that she may have only been fed once a day, but I do not know any more specifics of her situation than that. I do know that had the Burmans not gotten Carrington out THAT VERY DAY, the Reece's Rainbow members definitely would have received an email that Carrington had died, as we've gotten many other emails about children who have died waiting for their forever families. Simply LOOK HERE to see other children who weren't as "lucky" as Carrington. These children were taken away from the orphanage too, but instead of being taken to a family, they were taken to their grave. Thankfully we know they are in a better place now, but that doesn't diminish the fact that they lived lives of suffering, pain and loneliness, never knowing the love of an earthly family.
I don't want to focus on placing blame (as hard as it is), but I do know that we all need to rise up and figure out what we can do so that other children are never in Carrington's shoes. I do know that many orphanages in EE have made improvements and many are "great" as far as orphanages go, but it's not enough because children are still dying.
Yesterday I mentioned that I had thought of another way to help. I know Shelly's heart would be so happy to know that Carrington's story has caused others to want to take a stand and prevent other children from suffering unnecessarily like Carrington has. Carrington's story has already touched so many hearts and may be changing people at their very core and we may just not know those stories yet, but I know Carrington's ugly situation is bringing beauty to this world. I can't wait to hear testimonies of how Carrington's story has changed people for the better. It will help heal Shelly's heart to know that others are taking a stand for these children and to know that Carrington's suffering will not be in vain. The Burmans have adopted 5 children from EE, all with special needs, and all "older" children who are harder to find families for. They adopted 3 children in 2010 all ages 5-6. Even at 3 years old, Carrington was considered hard to adopt due to her age. For those of you that don't know, when children in EE turn 4, they are send to ADULT INSANE ASYLUMS, yes mental institutions with grown men and women. That is the reality for so many children.
Soooo.....I present to you:
CARRINGTON'S CHALLENGE!
CARRINGTON'S CHALLENGE!
Leave a comment if you're taking "Carrington's Challenge"!
38 comments:
Its heartbreaking to read those profiles. We are in the process of bringing home our son from China and are not able to bring home a girl from another country at this time....however, in the future I have no doubt that the Lord might call us to adopt again. Until then we will advocate for those that need love too.
I will take Carrington's Challenge!
My dear husband and I are not able to adopt until next year (due to age restrictions) but we will definitely pray and donate! :)
Go Princess Carrington!
I want to take the challenge! I made a donation today to help a family bring their child home. Three days ago they needed $16,000 and now their need is totally met--praise God! But I wouldn't have known about the need and had a chance to help if a fb friend (and adoptive mom) hadn't posted the need on fb. Social media is helping to save the lives of children. We all can do a little bit and if all of us do it together lives can be saved. That's the reason we're here on this earth--to reach out and meet the needs around us. Thanks for this post, Sarah!
I'm going to pray and blog for Turner (http://reecesrainbow.org/turner409). :)
Sarah
www.handiworkforelijah.blogspot.com
Heart breaking for these children. Oh my goodness. Wish my husband were here right now to look at these children with me and pray for them.
I've taken Carrington's challenge. I am praying for and advocating for 2 beautiful children on RR, and was also for one who has very sadly passed away. I wish so much that I was able to go and at least adopt one of them-perhaps someday God will grant me that honor.
Go Sarah Go...I feel like getting up and screaming after reading your post. Thank you for speaking frankly and truthfully...Carrington WAS neglected...she WAS NOT given the medical care that she needed to survive. I cannot wait to hear about Carrington's Challenge. Thanks for spending so much of your time to this blog. I read Zoya's too...and I know it must be hard to keep them both going...your doing an excellent job. Still praying for Carrington...I see her "rising up"....the 2 words that I have been praying over her continuously....
Stephanie Lynch
I am honored to accept Princess Carrington's challenge! I will be praying and advocating for Josephine, a little girl in the 3 to 5 yr old age group. I have posted her public info. on my Facebook profile asking folks to spread the word and to join me in prayer!
I am praying hard for the children pictured on Reece's Rainbow- and all of the others who have not yet been listed but are so in need of a family.... please also remember those children with HIV - who are unwanted- and outcasts in their society due to the disease that they have. This is particularly close to my heart as my children have a chronic disease that would be fatal but for appropriate medication.
My thoughts and prayers are with Carrington- and the other sweet children- waiting....
I've been advocating for one child on my sites since December. Oh, Carrington, how lucky you are for a family to have found you! I pray for your full recovery. I know you have much to teach this world.
Another idea also, there is an organization called Life2Orphans (life2orphans.org)which works with orphanages in Ukraine providing both money for purchases, diapers, clothes, medical equipment and more. They have pre-packaged boxes you can purchase and have shipped to an orphanage of your choice or let them decide who to send it to. Last year, the youth at my curch held 2 yard sales and raised over $3,000, with that money we shipped clothes, shoes and toys that were in good shape and did not get purchased at the end of the first yard sale, we also purchased a number of Melissa & Doug toys and shipped them there and was able to purchase new windows. As it happens, all of that went to the orphanage Carrington came from. My goal is to try and get other churches involved and try to continue to supply support to that orphanage in hopes that they are someday able to provide the children with better nutrition and keep the special needs children past 4 so they have a longer time frame for a forever family to find them.
Oh yes, taking the challege for sure. I've signed on to be Yegor's warrior. I will search the globe to find his family and I am going to be doing some serious fundraising for him as well. Lots of love and prayers coming for sweet Princess Carrington!!!
I am advocating for a little boy from Reece's Rainbow :)
Here is my blog for him http://artemneedsafamily.blogspot.com/
Please someone choose "my"" sweet little boy :)
He is 3 and facing transfer soon!
I am advocating for 3 beautiful little girls from Reece's Rainbow. 2 of which are facing transfer soon.
Here is my blog for them:
http://www.somewhereoverthereecesrainbow.blogspot.com/
Please someone rescue them!
I want to take carringtons challenge, but I dont know what to say on facebook! I always worry that advocating will turn people away, and that is the opposite of what I want!!! Maybe you could give some kind of example of what i should post on Facebook? I just dont want to say the wrong thing!
I am a warrior for "other angel" Nadia. I have a blog here:
http://ahopeforthehopeless.blogspot.com/
Um, just an FYI...
It's a federal offense to place items in mailboxes unless you work for the US Postal service.
So I'm not sure it's such a good idea to be encouraging people to place flyers in mailboxes.
Just sayin... ;-)
We are praying for Carrington! Thank you so much for all that you are doing for Carrington and her family as well as many others as people are taking on "Carrington's Challange." Thank you for linking to the "In Loving Memory" Page. Unfortunately - WE are a family that lost our "SON" before we got to him! His name was Nikita and he had just turned 3 years old! Our love for Nikita will never fade and we feel blessed to be able to adopt two children from Nikita's orphanage, Dusty & Sonya. We will get our travel date soon. I am sure it will be a day full of emotion as we step into the orphanage because it will become a reality that we will not see Nikita. We know that he is with Jesus and that helps our sorrow. My extended family on New Years eve all chose a child to pray for each day. Out of the eleven children - four have forever families that are in the process of adopting them - Praise the Lord! And one of the eleven was the little girl my Father was praying for -Sonya...who is now coming home with us. If you would like to read about our journey our blog is - godsarrowsinourquiver.blogspot.com
dear annonymous that's why I said ON mailboxes!
We have been sponsoring a child on that list since Oct last year. His name is Warner and he has DS and also has over 2000. in his account. Please look at him and see if he is your child. We are prying so hard for a family for him. It would make my year if someone committed to him.
BE blessed
Ashlee
I donate to RR when ever I can. I am asking my FB friends to do the same.
I did want to say that, after dealing with my son's GI issues for the last 7 years - If she only had one meal a day for her lifetime, it is going to take awhile for her gut toe "wake up" and really figure out what it is supposed to do. Especially if she was fed a bland diet like porrage for her one meal a day.
Keep up the good work Carrington!!!! We are all keeping you and your family in our prayers.
Steph and Christopher
linked up on facebook, but am prayerfully considering more...
My family will gladly take Carrington's Challenge.
The Nicholas Family
WI
Thank you so much for this blog! The Lord has used it to work in my husband's heart. I've been praying for over a year for the Lord to move in my hubby's heart. I've been ready to commit to adopting a RR child, but he's been . . . unsure. So I've prayed! And I shared Carrington's story with him, and he was overcome. His father's heart was outraged, and he is suddenly totally on board! He wants to know how soon we can get over there and get our child (or children!) and get them home! Praise the Lord! For now, we are praying, and we are hoping to move forward soon with committing to an adoption!
I will take the challenge. :) I am going to advocate for this little angel baby.
http://reecesrainbow.org/dmitry-p-1him-16
Wonderful! Should we make a list of all the children being sponsored so others might know who ISN'T being sponsored? Such a great idea!
I'm going to be supporting and sponsoring Arlene. I've posted her picture on one of my more recent posts and keep hearing her mentioned. Her sweet picture kind of reminds me of Carrington and with all her medical issues I just feel strongly about supporting and advocating for her.
I'm taking Carrington's Challenge - am a warrior for two precious children from RR already.
Praying!
We were advocating hard for Reagan (Carrington's sister!) and thank you God, she was funded. We turned our attention to Anthony, who has CP in the same country and while he has a good sized grant, still needs a family. It would make my heart rejoice if his family would find him and make him a brother in spirit to Reagan and Carrington. We're continuing to advocate hard for him, so I hope that counts for the challenge!
--Susan
Http://www.helpforTori.blogspot.com ...and Anthony!
Hi,
I have been working to raise some funds for one of the boys in the DS 3-5 group at Reece's Rainbow for a few months. I haven't had much luck so far in raising funds, only having gotten three donations for $25 each... **SIGH**
Anyway, Carrington has inspired me to work harder for my little guy!! Carrington is an inspiration to all of us!
Best, Kerin
I suppose that it is a sad commentary that so far I am the only man to respond to this... I am a blogging Grandpa with a Ds granddaughter. I have already accepted Carrington's challenge as I am actively blogging and advocating for this. There was a comment (a question) on Patti Rices Facebook page about how this could happen to Carrington, and I wrote a response to it on my blog... http://notes-from-papa.blogspot.com/2011/03/thats-how-it-is_22.html
I continue to pray for Carrington and for the many other orphans out there. My wife did go to St. Petersburg in 2002 and personally saw the plight of the children in orphanages and prisons there. So I have seen this through her eyes. It breaks my manly heart to see what is happening, and I am not to proud to admit to the many tears that fall from my eyes when I see what people are capable of. I guess that maybe I am to old (or experienced) to turn a blind eye to what is really happening in the world and what the calling is on me to do what I can about it. "All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing..."
My age prevents me from adopting one of these precious children, but I am in a small prayer group with two other (ahem) "elderly" women praying daily for a four-year-old RR angel named Hope. The other two women in this prayer group are from Germany and Norway, and we were put together through one of the blogs. It really is an international outreach.
To tara neal: As far as what to say, I still think a picture is worth a thousand words, and in most cases photos speak for themselves. I pray for several children on a blog posted by Julia (www.covenantbuilders.blogspot.com), a friend of my daughters' from childhood, who recently adopted a boy through RR. She is one of the champion warriors for these children, and her style is simple, direct, and to the point. That is the best way to reach people, I think.
Visit several blogs to see if you find a style you are comfortable with. God will lead you from there.
Rosemary
I found reece's rainbow in January. I have prayed over the children on the website everyday. I am a prayer warrior for 4 children that have really touched my heart. Three of them have HIV. I pray that people would consider a child with HIV. They are beautiful children created in God's image waiting for their forever family. I am starting a new blog to advocate for them. I am waiting on their buttons to be made so that people can donate to them. Please visit: http://www.theprizedones.blogspot.com
Carrington, I continue to pray for you daily! And am also honored to be a part of your challenge. I hope to adopt, but until then, I share, advocate and donate all that I can.
Taking the challenge
I've been following Carrington's progress since my friend brought her to my awareness a day or two after she arrived in the US. She is such a miracle. I'm honored to take on her challenge, and I will be advocating for Pryce. http://reecesrainbow.org/pryce4906
We are praying for Alina B. http://reecesrainbow.org/alina-b-15
And awaiting the time for God to bring more sweet children into our family!
Please update if you can. and Yes, I am taking the challenge and desperately want oneof these D children, though my family is quite spent dealing with the 2 high-needs little ones we already have! God bless all those who rose up because of one child's story!
This is a beautiful picture of redemption. Truly overwhelming. I am Camille's warrior, and I think she is in the same orphanage that Carrington was, and she is also in the lying down room. Could you ask if Shelly might have seen her? My prayers for this child have turned to weeping thinking that she could die before someone gets to her.
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