What is Angel Tree and how did I get involved?

Angel Tree is a big fundraiser put on by Reece's Rainbow for special children who need families...

Every year from November 1-December 31 children with Down Syndrome (and sometimes children with other needs) are featured...

Brandon

Children who are living in orphanages and foster care...

Gretchen

Waiting for adoption into a family of their own.

Mimi

Beginning September 15 they try to find advocates for each child...

Titas

Advocates who will try to raise money for them and share their story with as many people as possible...

Noadiah

The goal is to raise $1000 for each child on the tree...

$1000 to help defray the cost of their adoption...

And hopefully...

Beauregard

In the process of sharing their need...

Melvin

Some of them (oh how we wish it could be all of them!)...

Zeke

Will be seen by families that will step forward to adopt them!

Olivier

I have been following Reece's Rainbow, an organization that raises funds and awareness for orphans with special needs, for a number of years...

I enjoy following angel tree and watching the children "climb the tree" on their way to $1,000...

I have even given small donations to some of them...

But I have never felt I could really be a warrior...

You see, $1000 is a lot of money...

I can advocate for kids on my blog...

But $1000?

It seemed like too much...

I hate to ask people for money - especially in real life!

I am not a very good fundraiser...

And am not in a very good position to give large sums of money myself...

So it seemed like it would be better for me to just watch on the sidelines...

Maybe do some blog posts to shout for some of the kids at the bottom of the tree...

But then I heard the news...

Any children who did not get personal warriors (advocates) by October 28...

Would NOT be on the tree...

They would lose this wonderful opportunity for visibility!

And there was one little boy...

Who had been near the bottom of the tree last year...

Who I was especially attracted to...

Jeff

Isn't he a cutie?

I know he's not a baby...

But he is a darling little boy...

Who happens to share my brother's name.

Jeff was abandoned when he was 2 1/2 years old...

Thankfully he was able to be placed in a foster family...

But where is his forever family?

Sweet Jeff is running out of time...

He has until January 31, 2016, when he turns 14, to find a family...

After that he will be "too old" for adoption (at least internationally) according to the rules of his country.

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So the fact that he was near the bottom of the tree last year...

Has a limited time to find a family...

And shares a name with my wonderful brother...

Made me anxious for Jeff to be able to keep his place on the tree this year!

I kept watching to see if he would get a warrior...

But he didn't...

I seriously considered being his warrior myself...

At least I could blog for him...

And maybe raise a little bit of money...

That would be better than nothing!

But as the deadline drew nearer many of the children got warriors and I thought surely he would get one too...

And he did...

On the LAST day!

All of the children got warriors...

So I was off the hook...

I could just advocate for any of the kids as I had time and could advocate for Jeff especially...

Surely his warrior wouldn't mind!

But then someone asked me if I would like to be a co-warrior with her...

For a dear little boy named Peter!

And I decided to do it...

After all, I wouldn't be by myself...

I could help his warrior...

Help a darling little boy...

And be more a part of angel tree this year!

*****

So now you know how I came to be filling this blog with all things Peter!

Peter (and the others) need our voices...

They need visibility...

To help their families see them!

So they can be chosen, adopted, and become a part of a family...

Who will be theirs forever...

Can you help?

Can you share their sweet faces?

Or maybe you could spare a few dollars to help an orphan get a home...

Every little bit helps!

Those who give $35 or more will receive a Christmas ornament (if they wish) with a picture of the child you donated to on the back of it!

You can check out the Angel Tree HERE!!!

Then scroll down till you find the picture of the child whose ornament you want...

And donate!

Donations are tax deductible!

And remember... 

While a $35 donation is required to get an ornament...

No donation is too small to help your chosen child!

(May I suggest Peter?)

You could even get a second ornament (or more) if you like...

Jeff needs help too!

Check out the ANGEL TREE Today!

You can read more about any of the children featured in this post or donate to their fund by clicking on their names under their pictures!

If you would like their ornament be sure to go through the ANGEL TREE LINK to donate.

Can't afford to donate?

You can still help by going to the Angel Tree page and choosing a child to share or pray for!

Or you could simply share this post!

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Think one of these darlings could be your child?

You can read helpful information about adoption HERE.

Christmas in November????

Isn't it a little bit EARLY to start talking about Christmas?

After all...

It's only the FIRST of November!

Normally I don't make a huge deal out of Christmas...

I usually don't put up decorations in my apartment...

(I don't have children of my own...

And I'm usually away visiting family during the holidays anyway...)

But THIS year I have a big reason to celebrate Christmas...

At least on my little blog...

Because there is one little boy who needs my help...

A little boy who needs a Christmas Miracle this year!

Peter

Peter is a special little boy...

Who lives on the other side of the world from me...

Who had the misfortune of losing his family.

I'm not sure how it happened...

And I don't know many details...

But it is quite possible that he was abandoned as a baby or small child...

Because his parents felt they couldn't handle raising their special little boy...

Because he would seem "different" to their friends and neighbors because of his Down Syndrome...

And it would bring "shame" or "disgrace" on the family if they kept him...

(Sadly children with special needs are abandoned all too frequently in his country...)

Or maybe they didn't know how they could afford to care for the extra needs he would have...

Perhaps they felt the state could care for him better than they could...

Whatever the case little Peter wound up in an orphanage or foster care...

And he is still WAITING for a Mom and Dad to choose to make him a permanent part of their family.

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Peter needs to be seen!

He needs to be recognized as the beautiful forgotten treasure that he is...

And Angel Tree is the perfect opportunity for me to advocate for him...

In hopes that somewhere...

Someone...

Will see his sweet face...

And know that he's worth whatever it takes...

To bring this sweet boy home to their family!

*****

What is angel tree...

And how will it help Peter?

Glad you asked...

I'll be back soon to tell you all about it!

But it involves the opportunity for you to get a Christmas ornament with sweet Peter's Picture on it!

Here's a link in case you want to learn more about it before I get back...

ANGEL TREE

Read about it...

Then scroll down until you find Peter's name and picture!