Silent Cries and Hidden Tears: June 2008

Please Donate and Help A Child

Consider helping a child with your donation?

By donating to a child, you will help to pay for that child's medical care, surgery, medication, doctor's visit, or medical equipment, school supplies, clothing, food and toys for their development?

All the children in listed here live within the United States. The families of these children have extra challenges in providing care for a variety of reasons such as unemployment, loss of medical insurance, life changing illness, life challenge or disability, extensive medical bills, or adoption.

Caring for five special children, we understand these daily challenges.

One time donations are acceptable through the donation button on our blog to the right at the top of our posts.

Every dollar goes to support both the child and administrative costs to continue our program.

One time donations in any amount are accepted ($5.00, $10.00, $20.00, $50.00, $100.00, $250.00, $500.00).

Weekly Donations are $10.00 !

Monthly Donations are $20.00 !

Donating is easy! We have various children right here in the United States who need your help. To donate to a child:
1. Click on the Donation button to the right at the top.
2. Choose how much you want to donate.
3. Write the child's name on the donation in comments.
4. Or Click on that Child's Donation button.
5. Your account will automatically be billed.
6. Subscribe to our blog for updates on how your child is doing.
7. Come back and donate when you want.
8. If you want to donate for a specific item, please write the child's name and the item in comments when you make the donation.

If you know of a child you recommend for sponsorship, please email us at academyofthepossible@gmail.com for more information. Be sure to include your email or mailing address, so we can send you the information.

Take a look at the children below. Each child has unique needs. Each child's needs will be updated as they change!

Michael: Michael is a charming young man who was adopted from Kazakhstan and suffered malnutrition in his early life due to the limited resources of the orphanage who did their best to care for him. Michael has multiple disabilities including Ectodermal Dysplasia, Chromose 16 deletion, Dysphagia, Cerebral Palsy, Juvenile Osteoporosis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Auditory Processing Disorder, Short Stature, Growth Hormone Deficiency, Cognitive and Developmental Delays, Speech and Language Delays, Thrombocytopenia, Hemolytic Anemia, Evan's Syndrome, Systemic Lupus, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Kidney Disease, Seizures, Autism, Periventricular Leukomalacia, Hypoplasia of the Corpus Callosum, Heart Murmur, Asthma, GERD, Gastrointestinal Disorder, medication, and on-going follow up, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical equipment such as wheelchair, AFO braces, walker, cooling vest. Michael cannot play contact sports, so access to swimming for low impact exercise is ideal. A wheelchair accessible van would also help greatly.

Michael's Needs: Michael needs a phase cooling hat to help him keep cooler during the summer months and warmer weather, and his house needs new concrete for handicap accessible entrance to his home. Michael would also like a saltwater pool so he can swim at home in the evening when he won't be affected by the sun or heat or chlorine which can all cause him seizures. A new helmet for seizures. This will allow Michael to go outside more often. Michael would like a laptop and software to help him with his schoolwork, particularly Rosetta Stone Latin for High School, Teaching Textbooks Math, and All the Apologia Science on CD.

Michael's Dreams: Michael dreams of owning a guitar and becoming a medical doctor to help other kids like himself.

Gabriela: Gabriela is a sensitive young lady who was adopted from the Ukraine, given up for adoption again by her first family and then adopted by her forever family. Gabriela has Bipolar Disorder, Headaches, Frequent Episodes of Blindness, Muscle Twitches, Difficulty with Numbness, Tingling and Walking, Heartburn, Swallowing, Breathing, and also has ADHD, medication, on-going follow up. Gabriela is currently being evaluated for Multiple Sclerosis.

Gabriela's Needs: Gabriela needs regular donations to help pay for her physician follow up which insurance does not pay for. Gabriela also needs AFO braces to help her walk better.

Gabriela's Dreams: Gabriela dreams of rescuing animals and become a Veterinarian. Gabriela would really like some new art supplies and a new DS with all the pet games.

Joseph: Joseph was adopted from Estonia by his first family who was unable to care for him due to extenuating circumstances and then adopted by his forever family. Joseph is a charming young man who loves attention and has Severe Global Delays, FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome), Pulmonary Hypertension, Transposition of the Major Vessels Repaired, several open heart surgeries to repair his declining heart over the next few years and a possible pacemaker, Cognitive Delays, Speech and Language Delays, Developmental Delays, Learning Disability, Microcephaly, Craniostenosis, Short Stature, Growth Hormone Deficiency, GERD, medication, and on-going follow up.

Joseph's Needs: Joseph is slow to grow and wears out his clothes and needs new shoes. An ipad that can help him develop more fully academically.

Joseph's Dreams: Joseph loves cars and dreams of working with the police when he grows up.

Joshua: Joshua also was adopted from Estonia and given up by his first family and later adopted by his forever family. Joshua is a quiet young man with Probable Fetal Alcohol Effects, Rough Beginnings, and Development and Learning Delays.

Joshua's Dreams: Joshua dreams of building rockets, piloting a plane and becoming an engineer.

Shawna: Shawna is a lovely girl adopted in the US who is healthy but lives with several siblings with special needs.

Shawna's Needs: Shawna needs new clothes, and shoes.

Shawna's Dreams: Shawna dreams of having her own horse to name Flicka, a pool to swim in, having new princess shoes and a princess dress, and lots of fruit trees to eat from in her backyard.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS, LOVE AND GENEROSITY!

Gifting

Towards a child in need, towards an adoption, and a child's dream of having a family. Money raised will help pay expenses such medical care and clothes. Please support our mission to help children around the world.

Thousands of children are dying daily from starvation and lack what we take for granted (the basics such as electricity, running water, heat, and education). Hundreds of thousands of children live in orphanages. Children are institutionalized because of special needs. Adoption is our mission field.

For many children, the simple desire is to be wanted and have a family of their own and to be loved.

Please consider a gift of $5.00, $10.00, or $20.00 and change the course of a child's life forever. Using the Donation button near the bottom of the blog posts is easy.

Small amounts are very welcome. Please consider even just $1.00. - which will go a long way to help a child.

Favorite Quotes

"We Are Called To Be Adopted: He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." Ephesians 1:5
"Adoption has a way of emptying our pockets."
"My goal and prayer in life is to be half as loving as Mother Theresa." Jennifer Richardson
"Adoption is one of the best ways to lose that man-pleasing desire we carry that want(s) others to approve of us and what we do." Jenny
"Sometimes I think it is not God saying no to us, but us giving up too soon when the fight got tough." Jennifer Richardson
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:4-6 (NIV)
God give us all the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Ephesians 1:14
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3
"We can make a difference - one child at a time." Jennifer Richardson

Prayers & Praises

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Safety and health for our little ones in Africa. - Ongoing
For The Lord's leading and ears to hear. - Ongoing
For The Letting Go God Asks of Us, - Ongoing.
Money and financial provision for the adoption. - Ongoing
For the homeless and hungry people of Africa. - Ongoing.
For those dying of starvation and malnutrition in Africa each moment. - Ongoing.
For the Lord to bless abundantly John and Laurie in their ministry. - Ongoing
For Mary to experience God's presence in every day, - Ongoing.
For all marriages and relationships everywhere, that God would be the center of the relationship, - Ongoing.
For everyone who suffers from Diabetes and Chronic conditions of any kind, that God would heal their bodies and bring them comfort, - Ongoing.
For everyone who suffers from any mental illness or psychiatric condition, depression, Bipolar Disorder, and ADHD, that the Lord would calm their minds and their souls and bring order, - Ongoing.
For the Chan's and the health of their children born and unborn, - Ongoing.
For the Szolomayer Family that the Lord may give them joy and for all their personal intentions - Ongoing.
For all families everywhere for peace and blessings during the Christmas season, that we may all grow closer to God's heart, - Ongoing.
For our family and God's protection, - Ongoing.
For our relatives to receive God's heart and truth, - Ongoing.
For the Lee Family that the Lord may give them joy and for all their personal intentions - Ongoing.
For all of our children for health, growth and peace, - Ongoing.
For Face to Face Ministries and God's leading and blessing, - Ongoing.

PRAISE REPORTS:

For Face to Face Ministries and all the staff who seek the Lord 12-2007
For our friends R and T who hope to finalize the adoption of this beautiful little boy. 12-2007
For my sister who traveled safely during the holidays.
For Scott who received healing from a cold. 11-2007
For Jennifer who received healing from her asthma 11-2007
For our Saturn which got a new tire 11-2007
For Shawna who received healing from her first cold at 20 months 11-02-07.
For Michael who got his cast off 11-13-07
Everyone got over their winter colds 11-14-07

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Update on Joseph's Heart Surgery !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, here it is:

Joseph WILL be having heart surgery, two of them in fact, and a pacemaker. The truth is Joseph's heart is weak and getting weaker. Joseph could go into heart failure at any time !! He has about 5 years (10 at best), and he won't survive childhood with his heart the way it is right now. Joseph is only 7. When we heard that his life expectancy is only 12 years old to 17 at best, that was scary. There is no way to know if his heart will even last that long. We pray his heart lasts another day and another day and another. He has chest pain on and off pretty much every day, even just touching his chest. VERY SCARY ! More and more often, he comes and stops playing and sits down next to me asking for a hug and says "My heart hurts." It is such a challenge with him being on activity restrictions. He is on medication to decrease the inflammation in his heart. We can't wait for a heart transplant because it is not a perfect solution either. First, they might not find a heart. Second, he would require lifelong antirejection medication. Third, even heart transplants can fail. Then, he would be out of luck. So, we have to do surgery. He is being referred to one of the few pediatric cardiology specialists in the country who knows how to do the surgery who lucky for us is up in Stanford in California. The heart surgery is extremely complex because not only do they have to do the procedure to fix his heart, but they also have to undo everything that was done in the first two surgeries. His surgery, being two of them, may probably require travel. We don't know. We are waiting for the specialist to review Joseph's medical records, so we can move on to the next step. So many steps.

Every morning, I make sure Joseph is still with us and breathing and ok. His heart gets so low when he sleeps. When he goes to sleep at night, we just don't know if he will wake up. We just don't know if it will be one day here, one day gone. We are just enjoying his presence every day.

Please join us in prayer for Joseph, for the heart surgeon, for the money for the heart surgery, for the money for the travel (probably), and for a speedy recovery. Mostly, we pray that when the time comes and the Lord does call him home to heaven (hopefully later rather than sooner), that angels carry him through those heavenly pearly gates into Jesus waiting arms to be with our Lord forever.

If you would like to help financially towards Joseph's surgery, we would be ever most grateful. You can click on the donate button at the bottom of the posts on our blog www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com.

Prayers are always welcome ! We are praying for miracles here for our lively, affectionate, tenacious, lovable little boy.

Jennifer

Update on Michael

Michael is doing very very well with his Evan's Syndrome - at least the parts they know about it. His platelets are still normal, and so he is down to lab draws once a month and telephone conferences with at least one of the many many docs he sees. His lupus is mild. His heart is normal. His sun sensitivity has decreased the last few weeks, and so he is back to wearing normal clothes. At least he can go out with slightly less layers. We still have to be diligent with the sun screen. Anyone know where I can find the Neutragena Helioplex UVA UVB 85 ! I can't find it anywhere except commercials. Usually it is either long sleeves or long pants, but at least it can be one or the other. His extreme skin, touch, light, taste sensitivities also seem to be a little calmer (still there but not as loud). He is on some diet changes for his stomach but not anything major. One of them being to incorporate mangos and papaya and white grape juice into his diet (which is also slightly better). We are anticipating starting Growth Hormone shots in August, Neurology evaluation in September for the PVL and Hypoplasia, and finishing the Asperger's evaluation through Psychology in the next couple weeks. The specialists want to see the MRI films again as they are concerned about other midline brain problems. Cortisol is now NORMAL; it ended up being just suppressed because of the Prednisone, which he is now off. While he had ROP as an infant, he has no active retinopathy now. Again, yeah ! Overall, I am very glad to report much better. Still lots of doctor appointments, but hopefully they will continue to slow down.

Jennifer

Joshua

- his eye is all better !!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah !! He saw the eye doc and got a clean bill of health.

Jennifer

Haircuts...

Even Gabriela got a home style. She really likes the Halle Berry look.

Ahhhhh.

Shawna saw my painted nails, and holding my fingers said "I like yo naiws. " So, here I am blowing Shawna's toes dry. Now she has pretty nails just like Mommy.

HAIRCUT DAY !

Joseph

Joshua

Michael too.

Everyone had haircuts. Mom took a few lessons, and now does everyone's hair at home. Remember those long hair styles at Joseph's birthday. Don't they all look better.

Special Moments -

Shawna and mommy having a special moment, and Shawna in new jammies.

Amazing how long hair grows when you don't cut it. The picture Joshua drew is pretty cool too.

I'm washing dishes ma.

Next, please. This is pretty fun.

Birthday Pics...

Everyone had ice cream sundaes. A not so often treat.

Birthday Pics...

Even dad had fun.

I just love this one of all the kids. Gabriela, Joshua, Michael, and Joshua with Shawna in the front.

More Joseph Birthday Pics

Gabriela,

Michael,

Joseph,

and Joshua all had fun climbing around.

More Joseph Birthday Pics

More playing, and

discovering, and

climbing, and

fun together.

More of Joseph's Birthday Pics

Wow. Look, one more.

It's a case to carry it in.

Hello, hello. Spiderman?

Superhero Joseph here, 10-4.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

More Joseph's Birthday Pics

Opening the rest of the gifts.

The kids were generous to give Joseph one of their games.

He was happy indeed.

Joseph says "Oh, look - it's mine."

More Joseph's Birthday Pics

Opening more presents.

Ahhh, a game. Joseph knows what this is for.

Joseph was thrilled to receive Mom's old gameboy for for his birthday !

He said, "I wike Michael !" Michael has a gameboy, and Joseph asked to have one "Just wike Michael." We are still working on those L's.

More of Joseph's Birthday Pics

Opening the presents - he had to wait to open this one.

Squeals of delight - Wolverine and Spiderman walkie talkies are the coolest. Thanks - Andrea, Rich, Owen and Reece.

More giggles of glee. Here Joseph is proudly showing his new toys.

Dad just being silly.

Facts on Africa

Africa is the second largest continent in the world made up of 53 independent countries. There is a great diversity in cultures and people. Africa is almost entirely surrounded by water and the land ranges from deserts to rain forests and mountains to grassland. National Geographic has a wonderful amount of information on their webpage about Africa. At the same time, at least 15 countries in Africa are the least developed in the world struggling with famine, disease, HIV and AIDs in some countries, extreme poverty, and lack of education. Maryknoll states that "70% of its population survives on less than $2 a day." I certainly could not live off of that.

BASIC FACTS
Continental Area - 11,700,000 square miles
Estimated Population - 690 million people
Largest City - Cairo, Egypt, 9.2 million people
Largest Country - Sudan, 968,000 square miles
Longest River - Nile, 4,160 miles
Largest Lake - Victoria, 26,828 square miles
Tallest Mountain - Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, 19,340 feet

MALARIA
According to the CDC, "In areas of Africa ..., an estimated 990,000 people died of malaria in 1995 – over 2700 deaths per day, or 2 deaths per minute."

AIDS EPIDEMIC
According to standwithafrica.org, "Africa is home to nearly 70% of adults and 80% of children living with HIV in the world, and has buried three-quarters of the more than 20 million worldwide who have died of AIDS since the epidemic began."

CHILD MARRIAGES - often driven by poverty:
According to the CDC, "In 2002, ≈52 million girls less than 18 years of age were married. With ≈25,000 girls less than 18 years being married each day, an estimated 100 million will be married by 2012... Child marriages occur 42% for Africa..."

THE MOST VULNERABLE
According to stand with africa, "In eastern Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia continue to suffer from prolonged periods of drought. The pastoral regions of these countries are the most vulnerable, and almost 2 million people in the Horn of Africa received emergency rations from World Food Program in 2001."

THE WORST DROUGHT
According to save the children, "Save the Children and other humanitarian organizations are calling the worst drought Africa has seen since 1984."

SUFFERING AFRICA
According to CNN, "Ethiopia ...Drought, AIDS and preventable disease have put millions of Africans at risk of starvation. People in southern Africa and the Horn of Africa stand to suffer most, officials say. "

RISK OF STARVATION
According to the UN, "World Food Program (WFP) said in December that more than 38 million people across Africa are at risk of starvation."

FOOD SHORTAGES
According to CNN, "Hardest hit are the Horn of Africa, where about 17.9 million people face severe food shortages, and southern Africa, where 16.41 million are at risk"

FOOD CRISIS
According to the UN, "In Ethiopia, ...expects to provide food aid to 11.3 million people in 2003, but that number could rise to 14.3 million people by year's end. "

A CONTINENT OF HUNGRY PEOPLE
According to Fr. Richard Roy, director of the Missionaries of Africa's Washington, DC, office, www.missionariesofafrica.org, "An entire continent of people are in dire need of food, clean water and affordable medicine. "

MASS STARVATION
James Morris, the Executive Director of the UN World Food Program used the words "mass starvation in Africa" and the UN referred to "Africa's critical situation".

CHILDREN STARVING TO DEATH
According to the BBC, "Children are dying daily in the few feeding centres there are, where their place in the queue could make the difference between life and death. " The BBC also said "Children are dying of starvation in feeding centres in Niger, where 3.6m people face severe food shortages"

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE CAN DO SOMETHING. DONATE AND HELP US HELP THREE CHILDREN WHO NEED US.

Liberian Statistics

Liberia: means “land of the free”
Founded By: free African Americans and freed slaves from the USA in 1820
Civil War: 1989 to 2003, a total of 14 years
Below Poverty: more than 80%
Life Expectancy in the Total Population: only 39.65 years
Literacy in the Total Population: only 57.5%, and in the female population only 41.6%
Labor Population: is 70% agriculture
Unemployment: 85%
Population: > 3 million
Population Growth: 4.91%
Ethnics Groups Indigenous African tribes: 95% including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende
Ethnic Groups Americo-Liberians: 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves
Ethnic Groups Congo People: 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religious Beliefs: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Fertility Rate: 6.02 children per woman
Location: Western Africa, bordres the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d’lvoire and Sierra Leone
Total Square Miles Area: 111,370
Climate: tropical, hot, humid, dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers.
Terrain: Mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
President: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Flag: Red and White striped with one white star on a blue background in the upper left corner (similar in style to the US flag)
Capital: Monrovia
United Nations: Member of
Currency: Primarily the Liberian Dollar (LD), also accepts US dollars
Major Languages: English, Ethnic group languages

Sources: Courtesy of the CIA World Factbook 2006 and the US Department of State Country Background Notes of 05-2007, and globaledge.msu.edu

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