The Oldest Ones

This morning, as I sat at the computer humming and muttering one of my favorite songs--"Sing unto God, sing a new song, oh sing praises to God give thanks with all of your heart; sing praises unto the Lord thy God..."--I felt a...tugging, if you will, to go "visit" (look at pictures of) the children on Reece's Rainbow's "At-risk of Ageing Out" page.  Wordlessly, I brought the issue to God, asking how that would help.  Then I got another tugging, this time asking me to share each and every picture of each and every child who is at risk of ageing out.

The children on the "At-risk of Ageing Out" page are the ones who will become too old to stay in their orphanages on their birthdays this year.  That age is 14 in China (and I think other Asian countries), 16 in Eastern Europe.  The healthy ones, or those who are HIV positive with no other disabilities, will go to trade schools where they will learn skills for menial, mindless jobs, and they will always carry the stigma of "orphan" with them.  The disabled ones--both mentally and physically disabled--will be sent to horrific mental institutions.

Now.  It is my honor to share these children with you in an attempt to save them from this fate.

"Dagmar":


"Francesca":





"Russ":


"Reid":


"Erich":
 

"Walt":
 

"Clarice":
 


"Zebadiah":
 

"Heidi":
 

"Garion":
 

"Calder":
 

"Benji":
 

"Blaine":
 

"Marty":
 

"Bree":
 

"Reign":
 

"Emil":


"Amos":


"Joseph":


"Isolde":


"Jianna":


"George":


"Trace":


"Yerick":


"Charlie":


"Shepard":


"Ezra":

Shouting From the Rooftops for My Boy

Today I feel it necessary to "shout from the rooftops" for "my" "Jacob."  I've been praying for him, posting his picture, etc. for a year and eight months since I started working on "praying him home," as they say on Reece's Rainbow.

In that time, many things both big and small have happened in my life.  I have completed many college classes with grades both good and not so good, gone through bipolar episodes, gone through RND episodes, made friends and lost a few as well, explored who I am as a Jew.

And for all that time, "Jacob" has still been waiting for a home and parents to call his own.

Please, someone see him! Oh, please, someone see him!

"Jacob":

"Doing Judaism; DO NOT DISTURB"

It hit me this morning just how much time I devote to Judaism.  Daily prayers take about an hour or so altogether, and then there is the time I spend reading my Bible.  At the moment I read a chapter after morning prayers and another after evening prayers, and for the remainder of my time at home (about a week) I plan to read the Bible for an hour sometime in the middle of the day, as well.

Needless to say, I take my Judaism very seriously and do not want to be interrupted while praying or reading my Bible.  The problem is that I cannot expect others--family or dorm mates--to magically know that I am engaged in one of those activities.  I can sing some prayers out loud and people can hear through the door, but the most important prayers are silent and Bible reading also makes no noise at all.

The solution? A big "Do Not Disturb" sign.  I taped two sheets of paper together for thickness, cut a hole at the top for the doorknob, and in my best cursive writing, I wrote "Doing Judaism: DO NOT DISTURB".  Now I have a sign to hang on my door when I am "doing Jewish".

I Have Returned

In my last post, I said my farewells as I moved to a blog that would focus on my chronic pain.  My chronic pain is not entirely under control, but I am basically fully functional now, and besides this is the blog on which I feel at home.  Therefore, I have come back here, hopefully to stay this time.

Things that have happened to me since I blogged here last:

1. I ended a semester at school (starting the next one in nine days).
2. I got my chronic pain mostly under control.
3. I applied early decision to Teach for America.
4. I started playing in earnest with my dollhouse again, and making things for it out of Sculpey III modelling clay.
5. MOST IMPORTANT: I have once again gotten very involved with my Judaism.  For Hannukah this year I got a fancy menorah and a gorgeous handwashing towel.  I put the menorah to good use over Hannukah; I intend to start ritually washing my hands every morning again tomorrow, so I can use the towel.  I now also pray three times daily again, and I have resumed my efforts to read through the entire Bible.

Of course, I am still praying--always!--for "my" Reece's Rainbow child, "Jacob."  A pair of siblings, "Trudy" and "Tristan", have also caught my attention, so I am going to blog about them too.  "Trudy" is sixteen years old, and is therefore only available to be adopted with "Tristan."  She is HIV positive, but otherwise fully functional.  "Tristan," her brother, is listed as having mental delays but being otherwise healthy.

Just in case anybody out there wants them, here are pictures of "Jacob", "Trudy", and "Tristan":


"Jacob"


"Trudy"


"Tristan"