The wish list... not for me... but for these cuties!

I am a firm believer that if everyone does a little, together we can get a lot done.  How about you?  Do you believe that will a little effort, your drop in the bucket can help add up to a bucket load of blessings?

This blog is a curious thing to me... there is a counter at the bottom that show that currently 2,867 times people have taken a peek into our journey.... and yet, you will not see comments, or many followers.  I get emails each week from people who read, and are moved by something I have posted, so I know you are out there.  Somewhere!  Today, I am asking that you step up and step out...

These children

and these are way too important for you

 to stay hidden in the shadows!

My heart breaks for them.  More than anything I would love to see them all paper adopted, safe and warm, each night in their HOME, with a mom, dad, brothers & sisters.

Right now, that isn't the case... so please, let's work together to bring them some joy, some love and some fun when I travel in just 29 days.

So here's my wish list for Ethiopia...

Four things that are tried and true favorites with these

 boys, and will provide so much joy to them:

They LOVED the raisins my flight attendant gave me to take to the orphanage!  Fruit is a rarity, raisins were unheard of before September.  For just a couple of dollars, you can provide a fun snack!

Ebay has a dozen of these for $13.50 (with my ebay bucks). How fun to bring them soccer beach balls... these boys LOVE soccer.

Here's some of the younger boys playing with the one beach ball I brought them.  They kicked and hit the snot out of this thing for 15 minutes until it finally popped.  Next time, I hope to head to the soccer field and away from the tin roofs...  and with multiple balls and 160+ kids... boy the fun that could be had!!!

Or, if you prefer, the classic beach ball on ebay $12.54 for a dozen!  So cheap, and yet SO fun!!!

Wig Out Game...  I love this game... Tons of fun, for all ages!   Kolfe boys loved it, because with the "Pit" Version of the game, they only need to know how to say "Ahnd (1), Hullet (2), and Sost (3)"  that meant Amharic, English and Tribal languages could all enjoy playing the SAME game together!!!  How cool is that?  $6.19 each game.  I left 3 decks at the orphanage, but would like to take at least 3 more this time.

This may look calm, but let me tell you,

the laughter coming from three large groups of kids feverishly playing this game was deafening...  and priceless!!! 

 Veggie Tales DVDs... come on... I know you have them!

Picture your sweet little child

living without your hugs,

without your kisses.

alone in the world, except for

the other orphans that fill his/her dorm room.

At night, the world is dark, except for

one dim light in the middle of the room.

What can you do to fill the time before you head to bed

it's too dark to play games, too dark to read...

but... you can watch TV....

YES, they have a DVD player that

someone graciously donated to them...

Want to send me your Veggie Tales for the littles?

Kids from 7 up sit in the dark each night,

let's show them God loves them through stories!

I'm not so naive that I believe these few small gestures will make up for the fact that they are without what they want most... someone to call their own, someone to love on them and care for them... no, I am not saying that...  but if you could just spend a minute with these sweet children... you would empty your DVD cabinet, you would be emailing me or leaving a comment with your email address asap to offer to help.

I still have this drawing...  I offered him so little,

and he gave me... so much.

I want to bring him news of a mom

to love him forever, but if I can't do that.

Would you help with the list of things above?

You don't have to know me,

you just have to love these kids... a smidge.

Please don't stay in the shadows anymore...

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress...