If there is one thing I am, it's a passionate person. I put my whole heart into whatever direction God leads me in. A few months ago, He lead me to Reece's Rainbow. This is my new passion, and it's not going anywhere.
For those of you who have never heard of it, Reece's Rainbow is the International Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry. In the past 4.5 years, since they have been promoting international adoption, over 350 children have found homes. That's 350 lives SAVED. Over $700,000 dollars has been raised to help out eager families with the cost of adoption. The average cost to adopt is $25,000.
That's A LOT, I know. That's why every child has a grant fund where money can be donated. Usually, money is the reason that people can't adopt a child. It breaks my heart to know that something as petty as money is keeping these children from the family they deserve. The cost factor is keeping these children suffering and facing institutions everyday of their lives.
I look into the beautiful faces of these precious babies and my eyes tear up. Why do they have to suffer? Life where they are now is not so good. They can't stay in orphanages forever... and the next place on the list an institution. I'll tell you this, not one single child in America, on Reece's Rainbow, on the entire surface of this Earth deserves to be put in a mental institution.
Down Syndrome is a condition where a baby is given extra genetic material. Yes, an extra chromosome. That 47th chromosome can cause physical and mental delays. That's all it is. Whats so bad about that? The answer is nothing. Nothing is so bad about Down Syndrome in itself. What is bad is peoples perception of down syndrome. Down syndrome has been made to look like a horrible, hopeless, disease. I can't stand that terminology. The word disease gives off a negative vibe. Down syndrome is not a death sentence. People with D.S are capable of anything anyone else is. D.S. truly is a blessing, as hard as that is to understand. Some people may never understand, but I pray that they will. Anything God gives us is a blessing, not a curse!
"My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at His feet." - Mahatma Gandhi
Down Syndrome is truly a beautiful thing. A child with D.S. deserves to be cherished, nurtured, and unconditionally loved just as much as any other child. The fact that some people can be so prejudice and hateful toward Down Syndrome is heartbreaking. A recent article called Will Babies With Down Syndrome Slowly Disappear? which Patti posted about on A Perfect Lily, sent me reeling. 92% of Mama's terminate their pregnancy because their baby could have Down Syndrome. Well, these Mama's don't just go down the street shooting anybody they see with Down Syndrome, do they? Aborting your baby just because they might have a little extra genetic material is beyond my level of comprehension. Its horrible. People with Down Syndrome deserve to live just as much, maybe even more, than anyone else in this world.
Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?" -Job 31:15
I'm not saying that Mama's who terminate their babies due to the possibility of Down Syndrome are bad people. I like to think not bad people but rather, just confused people affected by bad influences and bad decisions. I understand that they are scared and troubled. However, Down Syndrome just isn't a tragedy. It's God's gift to you. God know just which special people can handle having a baby with this unique gift, and those people are the people who receive the gift.
Have you ever taken a beautifully wrapped and decorated gold wrapped gift box and thrown it in the trash without a second thought as to what you've just given up? My guess is no. So why, then, would you take the ultimate, beautiful, golden gift of pregnancy and throw it away without even a second thought about all the pure, unadulterated joy you are giving up?
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in god; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." - John 14:1-3
The bottom line is that D.S. has been given a bad rap for no apparent reason. Scared Mama's all over the world are abandoning babies to live a short life of dispair in an orphanage. I'm hoping and praying fiercelly for Reece's Rainbown childern. All I'm asking for is for you to pray as well. Donate money when you can. (Tip: download the Good Search toolbar to your computer to use instead of plain old Google. You pick a charity then search away and money is donated to you cause!)
Miracles do happen. I know they do. I'm a believer. I'm just waiting for God to put his plan into action for these childern, because mental instiitutions can't just be it for them.
God Bless,
Sydney
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