Nyame Dua (God Protects) Needs Us

***UPDATE: Nyame Dua's Rent has been PAID! Your generosity provided for these children in less than 12 hours!! Thank you to all who gave!***

There is an urgent need at the Nyame Dua Bolga Home. This home cares for 19 children in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region. These children are not currently able to be adopted due to corruption in the region, but Paul Anaba and his staff continue to be dedicated to their care. Rent is now due at the home. Paul thought that he had all the money needed but at the last minute the landlord almost doubled the rent. This means that Nyame Dua now needs $1000 in the next three days in order to pay their rent by April 15th.

Again, it would be very easy for Paul to simply close the home. The children have no path to adoption at this point. For all Paul knows he will be caring for these children into adulthood. Paul is dedicated to these children. He isn’t caring for them so that he can in some way profit from their adoptions. He is caring for them because they sincerely have no safe place to go back to and he loves them.

If you are able to make a donation of ANY size in the next three days, please go to our website at www.adoptionadvocates.org and click the “Donate Now” button. Choose “Ghana” and then note “Nyame Dua, Rent.” Alternatively you can call our office tomorrow or Monday and make a donation by phone with your debit or credit card. Ask for Kathy. Every penny will go directly to Nyame Dua. We will send what is collected at end of the day on Monday the 15th of April.

Thanks,
Anita
P.S. Any amount donated above and beyond $1000 will be donated for the care and support of the 19 Nyame Dua Bolga children.

I Can Love

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I can and cannot do, specifically as to how it relates to orphans, humanitarian work, changing the world, etc.. No doubt, the Lord has put this passion in my heart, but how am I to use it? Some people can work politics and government in order to do adoption work here in Ghana. Others take money they make working on adoption and use it to build grand homes and schools. Some Americans save up their money to do mission trips, spread the gospel, and do wonderful and worthy activities with children. Some can use their money to do wonderful and long-lasting humanitarian work.

As for me? I can love orphaned and vulnerable children. Yes, from afar, but I'm speaking of when I'm here (or anywhere). I have arms to hug, and lips to kiss on the cheek or forehead. I have an ample chest to cuddle into, and a fluffy lap to sit on. I don't care if a child is dirty or stinky or covered in fungus. I'm not saying that to brag. Maybe that's stupid. I just don't. God made me to love these children. I'm not fit enough to run with them. I'm maybe not young enough anymore to do some other things. But I can love.

Sometimes people wonder what they will DO when they come to spend time with children in Ghana. You don't have to DO anything. Just be available to these children. And not only in the orphanages. There are children all over Ghana that are hungry for the type of cuddly affection that we Americans give. It's sort of odd because I think it's a very huggy culture. Adults are always very friendly and quick to give me a hug hello. At the same time, I'm not sure whether or not it's super common for the adults to really sit and cuddle with kids over about age 5. [Babies are VERY coddled and cuddled, no question.] What I know for sure is that children I meet here—orphaned or not—are hungry for the love I have to give.

Tonight we hung out a bit in front of Kwahu Foster Home. It's a unique place in that it's in the middle of the village and when white people show up MANY kids (and some adults) also show up quickly. Before I knew it a boy of about 9 or 10 years named Williams had attached himself to me. He isn't a child who lives in the home. Not an “orphan.” But here is this big boy—bigger than most boys in America who would publicly cuddle their moms—openly competing for my affections among the other children. At every turn Williams would be there, holding my hand, or with his hand on my shoulder, or just quietly standing at my side.

Before long we started piling into vehicles to go to a restaurant for dinner. Another family that is here was hosting a celebration for all the kids at the foster home—16 kids. My group happened to be the first group to leave for the restaurant. When the first van of kids showed up guess who popped out? Williams. =-) Turns out, several of the neighborhood kids (and even some moms from the neighborhood) decided to just hop in the vans for a free meal! I just reviewed my photos from the day and Williams is in a good percentage of them—this child who is not an orphan and who supposedly has no real “need.” Obviously, he does have a real need.

I guess my point is, just be open to be used wherever the Lord will use you. I have no great skill. I am not very fit, or very young, or very thin. I mostly just sit on a chair when I am here and wait for the children to come to me. But they do, come to me. I can love. And the Lord can use even that very small skill to make a very big difference in the life of a child.

Efua Green: 1000 for 1

Thank you to all of you who gave to Efua Green's FIG account! I heard from Polly Green who expressed her great thanks for everybody who is praying for her baby, and for everybody who said YES, I can give at least $10 for Efua Green! As of last night $600 had been donated this week. That's great! Thank you!

Here's reality. Efua needs another $3000 in her FIG account before end of this month so that her fees can go to Ghana on April 1st. Otherwise, she'll have to wait another month in Ghana. The Green family is doing EVERYTHING they can. Don't think that they are just sitting around waiting for people give. Not at all. But they are also praying that hearts may be softened and that everybody who sees this child's eyes might click on over and give $10 (or more). The thought is, over 1000 people saw Efua's eyes when she was waiting, and over 1000 people said, "No, I can't adopt her." Now, we same 1000 people can say, "YES, I can do this! I can do THIS for Efua!"

Efua means "Friday Born." Could today be a big day for this child?

It's easy. If you want to give a tax deductible donation, just CLICK HERE. Input the amount you want to give. I had a cousin call the other day and said, "Anita, my heart is broken for this child. I'm covering 10 people." That's pretty much how it works! If you can give $10 for Efua, THANK YOU SO MUCH. If you can give to "cover" for those that won't/can't give, THANK YOU for that as well! If what you can do right now is SHARE THIS on facebook, or on your blog, or with all of your email friends or co-workers, well that might just make the biggest impact of all!

]

My point is, every single one of us can take a few moments to get out of our own lives and do something for this precious little child in Ghana.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to consider this situation

Anita

P.S. The Green family has not asked me to make this request for Efua. They have only given their permission for me to share the situation, but very humbly so.

Unique Opportunity

A few years ago a mom in Ghana made the decision that she could no longer care for her child. She made an adoption plan, and that child was adopted by an amazing and loving family here in America. End of story, right? No. Beginning of story.

Since that child was adopted, the mom in Ghana has written to me off and on, sharing with me about her hopes and dreams. Believe me, this is not the norm! I've been burned a few times when people have shared their hopes and dreams and it turned out to be simply a way to scam money out of rich Americans. Because of that, I admit I didn't put a lot of faith in this mom's words.

She never gave up. Maybe she gave up on ME (and the agency I work for) supporting her, but she never gave up on what she wanted to do. She wanted to help other moms like her--moms that couldn't care for their children--to not ever have to make an adoption plan. She has prayed, and she has saved, and now she is caring for 3 children who may otherwise be on the streets or in other vulnerable care situations. She has committed to care for these children until such a time that their first families can come back for them. No cost to those families. She simply wants to make a place for these children and families to be loved.

After years, I am convinced. This mom has gone out and achieved her dream of helping the vulnerable, and she is doing it without the help of "rich" Americans. That doesn't mean that she can do it as well as she could with our help. She has a (simple) roof over their heads, and she loves them 24 hours a day. That is more than their families can currently give. But Mom Martha does not have the resources to put the kids in school, or even to provide the type of diet she knows the kids need. I am now convinced that Martha will be accountable for anything she receives to care for these children.

The three children have already been added to AAI's Sponsorship Program. One of the children has now been fully sponsored (yes!) but as far as I know the other two children still need educational sponsorship of $35 a month and food assistance of $50 a month. If you would like to sponsor one of these children (or both!) Brooke@adoptionadvocates.org can give you further information on how to get started! Families who sponsor these kids should have the opportunity to stay in touch by letters/emails/photos and I anticipate regular reports on their well-being.

There is a more acute need. RIGHT NOW is the beginning of the new school session in Ghana and Mom Martha doesn't have the ongoing support of sponsors RIGHT NOW. For this reason, I am hoping that we can raise $600. This will pay tuition and fees through April; will purchase needed uniforms, books, and supplies; and will provide the kids a nutritious diet for the coming month. As of 10pm tonight we have raised $80 (for which I am very thankful). There is no donation too small. Every penny will go directly to these children, and every donation is tax-deductible.

I know it's January and sometimes folks have "giving-fatigue" in January. It's a notoriously low month for non-profits. I get it. But if you feel led to donate a bit to help these kids get in school sooner rather than later (April), you can click HERE. Designate the donation towards "Ghana" and then note "Martha's Home."

Why did I title this blog "Unique Opportunity?" Well, how many times do we have an opportunity to give to a situation like this? How many times are we able to directly give back to a "birth mom?" How many times do we see a birth mom not only turn her life around, but also then give that life back to children and families who are now in the same position she ones found herself to be in? Not many! I can't think of a more poignant success story, can you?

[Click HERE if you'd like to see photos of Mom Martha and the children.]

Love,

Anita

P.S. Martha's Home is not a foster home focused on adoption, but rather family reunification.

PB&J, You are Invited!

[In Ghana, whenever somebody sits down to eat food while you have none, they say, "You are invited." Even if they don't necessarily want to share their food with you, they will always invite you to share it with them. Not to do so would be VERY rude!]

Starting Sunday at sundown our family is going to eat only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until the Thanksgiving meal on Thursday. The money that we save by eating this simple food rather than eating out or even making other meals, we will donate to Adoption Advocates International. AAI has LOTS of worthy projects, but this time our family is going to donate to the "home fires" fund. People don't think about giving money just to keep the electricity and phone bills paid at their adoption agency, but that is a very real need--especially with agencies who truly only charge what they must to make ends meet.

In the scheme of things, 3-4 days of eating PB&J three meals a day is a super small sacrifice. Not even a whole week! And yet, we figure we will be able to donate over $100 to AAI. It will also serve as an example to our children how much of the world eats. For much of the world, there isn't a lot of variety in the basic diet. I expect that we will hear more than our share of complaints next week. That's okay. It's just a very short inconvenience for all of us.

YOU ARE INVITED!!! Maybe your family wants to join us? If so, let me know! I'd love to hear that others have decided to do the same thing (or something similar). Some families do beans and rice instead of PB&J. That would have had my vote, except that we have one child that gags and vomits if he sees a bean!

Love,

Anita

From Passion to Action

What was so special about Nehemiah? When he heard about a great injustice in his world (the walls of Jerusalem crumbing), he ALLOWED himself to be broken. He didn't keep his own internal walls up. He didn't think, "Well, I'm too far away. I can't do anything about it."

The Bible says that first, he SAT DOWN TO CRY (Nehemiah 1:4). Oh, how this news hurt him. He allowed himself to feel that hurt.

What burdens your heart? Is there one specific thing that weighs on you more than all of the other injustices or wrongs in this world? Maybe it is the unborn. Maybe it is hungry children. Maybe it is helping your own children to heal past previous trauma they've experienced. I bet, if you really open up your heart, you will feel broken and/or passionate about at least one thing.

After Nehemiah allowed himself to cry...to become sensitive to the injustice he saw, he KNELT DOWN TO PRAY (Nehemiah 1:4).

To pray is to become active, to seek guidance from all-knowing Father about what He would have you to do next. He may break the hearts of many over the homeless, but give each one a different way to make a difference in that area. He may call me to adopt an orphaned child; He may call you to start an orphanage. After you identify the area of injustice He would call you to, PRAY for confirmation and direction.

The Bible tells us that next, Nehemiah STOOD UP TO HELP. (Nehemiah 2:3-5).

He cried (became broken for a specific cause). He prayed (to confirm that the LORD was calling him to the cause, and to seek guidance). Then, he stood up to act! I think this is where lots of us get scared. I can feel genuinely burdened about lots of things. I can pray FOR those things to get better, but sometimes I don't ask the Lord what He would have me do to make a change. And certainly, there are many times that I never make it to the level of actually standing up to do something.

I think the thing to remember is that the Lord knows who we are. [He knows that I am naturally shy; that I am a picky-eater; that I don't want to go to the grocery store by myself (let alone across the world).] We just need to TRUST Him to know what He is calling us to. If we (1) allow ourselves to be broken, (2) seek his direction, and (3) are willing to step into action, He can do great works through us.

What would you allow Him to do through you?

Love,

Anita

You can be a world-changer!

For the past four weeks at our church we have been doing a series on Nehemiah. Don't particularly remember Nehemiah? No problem. I didn't either.

Nehemiah was an ordinary guy--the cup-bearer for a king. He was nobody particularly "special" to the world, except that he was. As he served the king he heard that the walls in Jerusalem were in disrepair. They had crumbled. They no longer served their purpose. This greatly disturbed Nehemiah. He asked the king to be relieved of his duties so that he could travel over 1000 miles (in 400 b.c.!) to begin the work of rebuilding the walls. What he did, nobody really thought he could do. But he was called to do it. Through discouragement, threats, and other difficulties he (and the people of Jerusalem) rebuilt the walls in 52 days. He changed his world, in 52 days.

The point of the series at church was to encourage us to think about what God would have each of us to do to change the world. Sounds scary doesn't it? Sounds unobtainable, doesn't it?

This series really spoke to me, and I want to write my thoughts about it on this blog. Count this as the introduction.

What breaks your heart? What injustice in the world gets you so riled up that you feel truly emotional about it? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone to make a difference in the world? If you are willing to be broken, God is ready to lift you up and make you a world-changer!

Love,

Anita

One down, one to go!

Honestly, I never thought I would bw riting "RENT PAID" today. I hoped that in the next five days we could find 24 people to give $35, but you guys exceed all expectations! It is done. Diana will have a home for the next few years, and time to save up for the two years after that.

The Vehicle Campaign is going to take time. I know that. But truly, ever little donation adds up, if only enough people donate.

Love,
Anita

Transportation Woes

Today I got up at 4am, like usual. With 4 foster children plus my own son to get ready for school, there is much to do. Set the pot on the fire to make porridge; wash the clothes (ugh, my hands are so tired from wringing out urine soaked sheets!); give everybody their morning bucket bath; dress them; feed them; make sure they have everything needed for school. They are off by 7am and then it's time to get myself ready. Eat, wash, do the dishes, dress. Finally, I am ready to start my work day.

Today I will be going to Chorkor and Amasaman. If I have time, I need to head up towards Shai Hills for one more visit. I love my work, but it's a challenge even on a good day. It's rainy season, but what can you do? The work must go on. It rained all night long, leaving most of the roads very muddy. I catch a taxi outside of my home, and load up the three boxes of groceries for Chorkor moms, the new uniform and school supplies for a child in Amasaman, and a box of baby food for the baby near Shai Hills. The taxi driver agrees to a rate of 10 cedis an hour.

I just finished my driving classes and dream of owning a car so that I can do my work more efficiently. But who can afford one? I've saved up a few thousand cedis so far, but it will be a while. The taxi it is. Off to Chorkor we go. Morning traffic isn't too bad today, so we get there in 2 hours. The taxi won't go back into the neighborhood, so I have to walk to find each mother to deliver the much needed food. The box weighs about 20 pounds, but they are short walks--less than a mile each.

It's about 11:30am now. I buy an ear of roasted corn to serve as my lunch on the go. Off to Amasaman. With traffic, it will take 3 hours to get to the village proper. We ran out of gas (taxis always run on empty!), which delayed us. It's around 3pm before we get to the village. Lots of the roads are impassible in this rickety old taxi. He won't even try to get to the school I need to go to. There's nothing to do but start walking. It's not too long of a walk--maybe 2-3 miles. My burden is light, with only the child's book bag of supplies. I find her at the school, pay the headmistress for the upcoming semester, and head back to the taxi. It's 4:30 now. Rush hour. I call my sister to ask her to pick up my 1 year old son from school, and to meet the other children when they arrive. "Can you make dinner? I know, I know. I'll pay you back."

At 8pm we roll in to Teshie. I didn't get to the Shai Hills baby today after all. Tomorrow then. I pay the taxi driver 120 cedis to cover today's transportation. I feel a little sick to my stomach--partly because I haven't eaten since noon and partly because I know that 120 cedis would have gone a lot further if only I had my own vehicle to drive; and maybe I would have been home a few hours earlier.

My baby is asleep on the couch and the older kids are doing homework. I eat cold fufu with light soup that my sister made. I give the evening baths to the kids. We dress for bed. I think about tomorrow. Shai Hills will be at least 2 hours. Hopefully the taxi can make it off the main road back to the children's home where the baby lives. Tomorrow will be an easy day. Just Shai Hills, a medical visit with 2 orphaned children, and then to the internet cafe to send emails and documents to the adoption coordinator in America. I should be home before dark. But now, it's time to sleep. In six hours a new day begins!

************************************************

Above is what a typical day might be like for my friend Muna--humanitarian director at The Ripley Foundation in Ghana. She is a STRONG. AFRICAN. WOMAN. The Ripley Foundation is currently raising funds for 2 new vehicles in Ghana--one for city traveling (a car/minivan) and one for rough traveling (a 4X4 SUV).

If I think about my old response to pleas for money to buy a vehicle, I am sort of ashamed. Giving money for a new vehicle would be one of the LAST things I would want my humanitarian dollars to go to. I want to give for FOOD and EDUCATION! Over the last 4 years it's become more clear to me that sometimes the least "s*xy" thing to give for, is the most needed. Oh, the money that is used most every day, just so that Muna can do her job! Oh, the limitations she (and her co-director, Joha) face only because they don't have a way to get to the people who need them! Donating funds so that they can purchase these vehicles *IS* donating funds for food and education. This is how the food and education reaches the people who need it. This is reality. And the reality right now is that the work of the Ripley Foundation (both adoption and humanitarian) is being severely inhibited by the fact that they do not have proper transportation.

TRF is not asking all of us rich Americans to give the money they need. They are just asking us to help. J and M are saving their own money to add to the pot--thousands of cedis. It just isn't enough. They need at least $15,000-$20,000 to purchase a reliable car and SUV in Ghana. Ugh. I feel deflated even writing that number. It seems so huge--too huge. However, if enough people spread the word--get the info OUTSIDE of the small Ghana adoption community--I trust that there are folks out there who can give. In the mean time, I'll be giving the small amount I can, trusting that eventually it will all add up. If you will join with me just CLICK HERE (and designate "Ghana Vehicle Campaign"). And please, consider spreading the word of this need as far and as wide as you can.

Love,

Anita

This mom of 6 needs your help.

This is Diana. She is a mom, to six children. She is a good mom, a dedicated mom. When her husband left she and the children last year, she had no job and few job skills. As "luck" would have it, one of our AAI adoptive moms was in the area and happened to meet Diana and her children. After hearing about her situation, AAI was able to find educational sponsors for each of her children. Two more families stepped up to sponsor the family with additional food each month--not enough food to feed seven mouths adequately, but enough that, added with what they already had, nobody would starve.

The Ripley Foundation (the non-profit partner in Ghana) watched Diana. They saw how she made sure each of her children made it to school each day, even when she might be able to beg more money off people with the children in tow. They saw how clean the children were, and how they had the love and dedication of a mother all children should have. The Ripley Foundation decided to make Diana the first "Change a Life" grant recipient. A generous AAI family funded the first grant. With the grant Diana opened a yam selling business. Diana likes selling. She's good at it.

All six children are in school. Diana is working and making an income (although meager). They have a safe place to live. And then rent became due.

In Ghana you don't pay rent by the month. No. You pay 2 years in advance! Diana could pay her rent if she was paying by the month. 50 cedis a month ($35) is a lot to her, but she could do it. She cannot pay 24 months in advance. Her life is just getting on track, and she has had no time to save.

I was going to write, "Can you help Diana?" except I know that most reading this post could help. $35 is one mid-range dinner out with the family. It's 3-4 movie tickets. It's half a tank of gas. It's one college football ticket. It's one night in a crappy hotel. It's a MONTH of safety for Diana and her kids. If 24 people can pay for one month of Diana's rent, she and her family will have a safe place to live for another two years. Diana will have the next two years to save the money she will need to pay two years from now. This could be the thing that permanently gets her "over the hump." She has said from the beginning that her goal is to care for her family on her own. I believe she will meet her goal.

If you can give Diana and her children one month in their home--$35--just CLICK HERE. Every single penny will go towards rent. Just mark "AAI Ghana" and in the "other" portion put "Diana's Rent." AAI sends funds to Ghana at the start of each month. Five days until funds are sent again. Do you think we can find 24 people that can give $35 within the next five days?

Love,

Anita

P.S. I just donated. Now we only need 23....

P.P.S. The photos above were taken in June 2011, outside their home.

Would you like to change 7 lives?

The Ripley Foundation (a registered NGO in Ghana, dedicated to family preservation and orphan care) has taken on their first "Change a Life" grant recipient! They need your help to make dreams into reality.

"D" is a single mom to six children in Ghana. Her husband abandoned her and the children many months ago. The live in one room, with no bathing or toileting facilities. "D" has no job. She begs each day, trying to put foods into the mouths of her children. Two of her six children currently have educational sponsors through AAI/TRF, and four are still hoping for sponsors. All of the kids are in school now, but that could change without ongoing sponsors. [You can donate HERE and mark "Ghana sponsorship program" if you'd like to sponsor one of the children's education for $35 a month.]

The thing is, "D" doesn't want to live like this. She wants better for her family. Sponsorship is not a long-term solution. "D" dreams of learning to sew. With the skill of seamstress in Ghana she can make a decent living mending clothes, sewing uniforms, and sewing simple dresses for those in her community.

"D" has been a good mother to her children--making sure they attend school daily. She is a hard worker who is simply without a marketable skill! TRF has arranged for "D" to go to a six month intensive sewing school. At the end of six months she will be able to start her own business and dig her family out of their current very vulnerable position. The rent for their little one room apartment is due in November. Her goal is to pay her own rent.

$500 would provide "D" with everything she needs to attend the sewing school and start her business. This includes tuition, a sewing machine, transportation and a meal each day (2 cedis), thread, a measuring tape, marking chalks, scissors, and a bit of cloth.

If you are interested in changing a life (7, actually!!!) you can make a tax deductible donation HERE. Maybe there is one person able to make this happen for "D?" Maybe there are 5 who can give $100. Or maybe there are 100 who can give $5? It all counts and every penny will go directly to this deserving mom's future career. There are NO administrative costs taken out. Just designiate, "Ghana--Change a Life Project" on the donation page!

[In case you're wondering, there are many women like "D", who could support their children if only they had a marketable skill like sewing or catering. There are two more women already waiting for this opportunity with TRF. There are no shortage of vulnerable families in Ghana. Fortunately, there is also no shortage of opportunity, if only the funds are there!]

Ghana Children's Fund

[Last post for today, I promise.]

I've been meaning to write for a while about Lisa Tuttle, and the work she is doing in Ghana, mostly in one very in-need orphanage. I came to "know" Lisa through one of those weird "small world" scenarios all too common in the Ghana adoption/humanitarian aid community.

You can check out Ghana Children's Fund website by going to www.ghanachildrensfund.com

You can read Lisa's *VERY* thought-provoking blog HERE.

Sometimes it's not about having a big and spread out organization doing many things in many places. Sometimes it's about one determined individual (and a few faithful friends) who are committed to making a difference for one group of children. I can really tell Lisa is that individual for Good Shepherd Orphanage. Her organization is making a meaningful difference for the children there.

Is it perfect? No. Close to it? No. But now the girls can go to school all month long! Now, there are a small trickle of volunteers to help with much needed supervision. Now, there is someone helping to cover the cost of education for those in the surrounding village who cannot afford school fees.

I have met lots of people who feel very passionately about a certain orphanage or group of kids. But I don't think I've ever known anybody who has the depth of love Lisa has for these kids. She truly feels like a mother to them all. Imagine if you had 60 kids, all of whom have needs that burden you with concern each and every day. She loves these kids like her own, but cannot support them without the help of others.

As you spread out your "love" dollars, add GCF to the list of many great organizations assisting orphans and vulnerable children in Ghana.

Love,

Anita

Ways you can help in Ghana

Today I sent out an email to my AAI families about ways they could assist with humanitarian projects in Ghana. If you read my blog often you know I don't usually "push" AAI stuff, but I figure maybe there are a few out there who aren't AAI families but are looking for great ways to support orphans and vulnerable children in Ghana! Family Preservation Sponsorships: For $35 a month you can sponsor a vulnerable child to go to school and receive lunch each day. These are children who are still living with their families, in part, because we are able to help with education. Alternatively, you can sponsor a vulnerable family by giving a food donation each month. This is a bundle of basic foods (oil, rice, beans) that will help the family fill the gap in their nutritional needs. Again, this food may literally be the difference in a child staying with their family or being put into alternative care. Currently there are FIFTEEN children ages 4-15 years who desperately need sponsors for their education. Please email anita@adoptionadvocates.org to choose a child or family to sponsor. You can set up ongoing monthly sponsorship through the AAI website. This is our greatest current need! Survival Paks: Our partner NGO in Ghana is collecting "Survival Paks" for women and children living on the street or in the marketplace. These are 2-gallon ziploc bags that contain essentials like soap, 2-yard cloth, flashlight and batteries, protein bars, and socks. [Those are the basics, but you can add other things that you think would be "essential."] Please consider putting together 2-5 bags to deliver when you travel to Ghana, or being willing to carry over bags that others have put together. If you're not an AAI family I can have our partner NGO meet you in Ghana! Diapers and Wipes: Although infants are only rarely available for adoption in Ghana, there are children in care of foster homes , hospitals, or birth families who are in need of diapers and wipes. Please consider donating disposable diapers in sizes 2, 3, and 4. Our partner NGO will distribute them to children as there is a need. Again, we can hook you up when you are in country if you are not an AAI family! Nyame Dua Boys' Dorm: Nyame Dua Foster Home cares for six teenage boys who are not able to be adopted. These boys are currently living in a wooden structure outside of the main house. This structure is literally falling apart as termites eat away the wood. Nyame Dua is currently fund raising to rebuild the structure with wood and concrete, including running water and electricity. The total estimated cost is $5000. We still need about $3000 in order to meet the financial goal and begin construction. This Boys' Dorm will provide a solid long-term home for these young men as they complete their teen years and enter into adulthood. Donations can be made to "Ghana: Boys' Dorm" on the AAI website. CKO Rent Money: Charity Kingdom Orphanage is a small orphanage in Teshie that cares for 30-50 kids at any given time. When Eban House (AAI's Children's Home) closed last April we were able to "give" the home to CKO rent free for a year. This home is currently raising money to pay their rent. for the next two years The total needed is $10,000 to pay 2 years rent. Someone has offered to match donations up to $5000, so each dollar you donate turns into $2. The rent is due at the end of May. Donations can be made to "Ghana: CKO Rent" on the AAI website or through Feeding The Orphans. Food: Sometimes this need is overlooked, but there is always a need for a simple donation of food! Each month we give several hundred cedis worth of food to a handful of orphanages and foster homes in Ghana (as much as the budget allows). We do not give cash, but an actual food donation. At the top of this post you can see this month's food donation to Nyame Dua. Food donations can be made in any amount. Just designate "Ghana: Food Project" on the AAI website. Every dollar received is directly added to what AAI already gives each month. With the rising cost of food in Ghana the homes have a greater need than ever. Caregivers: Most of the children's homes in Ghana are greatly understaffed. $150 a month can provide a home with a much needed additional caregiver for the children. Recently, a few homes have had to reduce the number of caregivers because they simply don't have the funds to pay their salary. If your family is in the position to make a monthly donation (or one large donation) to provide a caregiver to an orphanage, please email anita@adoptionadvocates.org for more information. The salary is distributed monthly by our partner NGO in Ghana. Maybe you're adopting through an agency that isn't set up to do much family preservation work in Ghana? Maybe you've already adopted but are looking for ways to stay connected with the country? Maybe you aren't adopting at all but are hoping to meet the call to care for orphans? As I mentioned at the top, this is just a handful of ways you can assist AAI's humanitarian efforts in Ghana. As a reminder, all donations are tax deductible, and there are no administrative costs taken out of your donation. Every penny you donate goes directly towards your intended purpose!!

These are the people...

THESE are the people my heart is burdened for. THESE are the people that bring me out of bed after a bad day and cause me to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I know that there are many of us out there, that can only keep going because of the chance that every once in a while we can be the servants of God, to help people such as THESE to come out of the ashes and to rise once again.

The longer I do this sort of work the more my heart is stirred in the direction of the vulnerable, so that they many never become the orphan or the widow. It's a lie to say "I want to work myself out of a job." but if that job title changed, because there was no more need, I would be thrilled.

How you can help lower the orphan population!

A "vulnerable" family in Ghana. Before sponsorship.

I just got through updating AAI families on the humanitarian projects ongoing in Ghana. It occurs to me that I really don't share much about that here, and there's no reason not to! I figure there might be folks reading this blog that are open to learning about tangible ways they can assist orphaned and/or vulnerable children.

You can go HERE (scroll down a bit) to learn about the main projects AAI assists with in Ghana. Yes, the adoption fees our families pay help with these projects. However, what remains of the adoption fees after actual costs incurred during the process are not NEARLY enough to fund these programs! We rely on the donations we receive throughout the year (especially THIS time of year) to make ends meet. I'm responsible for budgeting every month and I can tell you--some months it's very difficult to support the kids and families we have now, let alone adding more to the list. I worry about the month that I might have to say, I'm sorry. There are no funds to give "X Orphanage" a food donation this month." or "I'm sorry. We just don't have the fund to send "child Y" to school this month." I promise--it could happen.

The cool thing about AAI's program--I think--is that the projects are not just focused on orphaned kiddos. In fact, I would say that the bigger emphasis is on family preservation. We AAI donors get to be involved in keeping families together rather than the families being separated by poverty! Is that not cool? It's possible to sponsor a "vulnerable" child's education, or assist a "vulnerable" family to meet their food needs each month. $35 a month for education or $50 a month for food will get it done!

This family does not yet have sponsors. They are needed! Can you sponsor one of the kids' education, or for the family to receive food assistance each month?

Every year at this time AAI has a Holiday Project. It's a time when there is a big push to raise money so that we can provide all of the kids and adults in the AAI "family" with some Christmas goodies--luxuries that just aren't possible the rest of the year. What a treat it would be to get a toy or a new traditional outfit when most of the time you are just hoping to get food every day! This year our goal in Ghana is to raise about $1700. You can go HERE and click "Donate Now" and then note "Holiday Project" if you'd like to help. Every penny counts! For a minimum donation of $30 you can even give the donation in honor of someone else, as a gift. You can go HERE to do some Christmas shopping where all proceeds go to the project. You can contact CYNTHIA to purchase a super-cool Africa-shaped ornament with a heart over your country of choice! Or maybe you want to do a fundraiser yourself? Tons of ways to help!

I don't plan to turn my personal blog into a constant commercial about ways you can help. Sometimes it just weighs heavily on me. We have it so very good here. We're worried about how many gifts we might be able to give our kids, not if we can feed them. We're worried about the quality of our kids' education, not if we can provide education for them. I think our concerns in this country are beyond luxurious. We need to be more concerned for the could-be-future-orphans of this world.

Kids Walking Kids Home

Have you all heard of Kids Walking Kids Home? This is a fantastic and unique way to bring awareness to the possibility of adopting an HIV+ child while at the same time supporting a family who is adopting an HIV+ child!

It's kind of like a modified "walk-a-thon." Basically, you contact KWKH and they will send you a fundraising kid complete with cute red bucket! The idea is that you get your kids involved in the process of helping an HIV+ child "come home" to America. The kids take donations for 2-3 weeks (donations are tax deductible). At the end of the donation collection time they make a statement in your community by simply taking a walk with their red bucket in hand. Maybe they receive more donations during their walk? But even if not, they are bringing awareness to the need for people to adopt HIV+ children here and around the globe.

May 7th is Wolrd AIDS Orphan Day. Wouldn't that be a great day to do this all across the country?! Kids Walking Kids Home is a program sponsored by From HIV to Home. The coolest thing (I think) is that if you know of a family adopting an HIV+ child, you can do the walk specifically for that family/child. The funds you raise are then given as a grant to the family who is trying to adopt that child!

I think that this is something our family will try to take part in on May 7th. Such a great way to give a small blessing to another family, while at the same time bringing awareness to "positive" adoptions!

Anita

WE FILLED THE VAN (well, almost)!

Another HUGE thank you to those of you who were able to give a donation to buy food for Good Samaritan Orphanage in the Central Region of Ghana! Thanks to your quick response we were able to donate 1000 cedis worth of food. There was just enough room for our coordinator and administrator to sit in the back of the van with all of the donations. We were able to give food, water, and also some supplies like mosquito repellent and diapers.

The home was different than I thought it would be. They actually have a very nice compound and nice facilities. But it's a situation where some donors spent a lot of money to BUILD the home and then forgot about the monthly resources needed to SUPPORT the home. As a result, some months there are funds for food, and some months there are no funds for food. When I checked out the store room there was a small pile of flour, a few onions, a few plantains, and a basket of oranges. It was a very small amount of food for 60 children.

The food we brought will make a difference for a while, but of course is not a permanent solution. I hope that AAI is able to continue to offer support to this home in the future.

Thanks again for your donations. The kids are eating well right now because of your generosity!

Anita

Yee-haw! We're fillin' up!

You guys are AWESOME!!!! Yesterday at this time we had $140 (which is great). Today we have $360 to add to the food donation AAI is already going to give to this home! We have more than doubled what was going to be the entire donation. According to today's exchange rate, we're going to have about 920 Ghana Cedis to buy food with!!!! I think the van is going to be about half full and VERY weighed down with all of the grain and yams, water and protein we will be able to buy. I will surely post pictures when I get home.

I also have to say a very special thank you to two AAI families who, between the two of them, donated $450 for a very special guy in our home who needs life-saving surgery!

Blessings to ALL of you.

T minus 25 hours...
Anita

"Fill the Van" Update

Okay, so I had to give our little effort a name. Makes it easier to post on the blog! As of this morning $190 plus 15 cedis (about $12?) had come in as donations for food, for the orphanage in central region. To those of you who have given--blessings upon you! Seriously. January is a lean month for most people. $5....$10...that is real money that really helps.

We may not be filling up the AAI 15-passenger van, but the kids WILL have more food in the pantry than they did before you donated. It makes a difference.

There is still time if you want to give and haven't had the chance! I don't leave for 48 more hours! Well, for that matter. You can always give and we will make sure it goes towards your designated project. There is no time frame on compassion!

Anita

Update: Orphanage that needs food

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.James 2:14-17

Click HERE to donate to these kids!

THANK YOU SO MUCH to those of you who have sacrificed your own resources to help get food to the orphanage in central region! The last update I got was this morning, and at that time we had raised about $100. Way to go!

I want to give you some idea of how much money it takes to feed a child each month in Ghana (in a group care setting). We budget $65 a month for each child's food at Eban House. That does not include clothing, education, medicine, or doctor visits. Just food. We have a higher caliber of food than most homes (read: meat!). But even with the basic Ghanaian diet, it would easily cost $50 a month to feed a child basic carbs, a few veggies and fruits, and protein 2-3 times a week.

This home has 60 children. Think about it...that is $3000 a month needed to feed these kids a decent diet. In reality, most basic orphanages in Ghana probably spend half as much--giving the kids maybe only 2 meals a day, with protein, fruits, and veggies much less regularly. So we're still talking about $1500 a month to feed these kids the absolute basic food they need just not to waste away with malnutrition.

Then think about water. We haven't even talked about that. The volunteer I've emailed with said that the kids drink their water from the river. Ugh. Imagine the parasites and illness that comes from that! "Pure Water Sachets" are very inexpensive in Ghana. You can get 30 15 oz bags for about $1. But with 60 kids (drinking 3 bags a day) you'd need 180 bags a day or 5400 bags a month. That's about $180 a month needed to give the kids 3 bags of safe drinking water a day.

Food for thought?

Click HERE to donate!

Anita