Wednesday, April 13, 2011

I am asking you for help!


Hi everyone!

Today I have something to share that is very personal and it has to do with special needs orphans. When I started this charity drive I didn't explain to anyone why I was doing it because I felt that maybe it would be an over share and all that really mattered was getting the word out and bringing more awareness to you all.

Well today I want to tell you why I have chosen to do this and why it is personal to me. When I was in Junior high my Mom became a nanny to a little boy with Down Syndrome. She continued to nanny him through most of high school. This little boy was the sweetest most loving child you will ever meet. A lot of the time he would spend days at our house while his parents were away on trips which was frequently. He quickly became our little brother and my whole family loved him so much. Eventually he began calling my Mom "Mommy" and though she tried to explain to him that she was not it was very difficult because she was taking care of him every day till bed time.

Well his real Mommy didn't like the closeness of their relationship and my Mom was let go. We were heartbroken knowing we would likely never see him again. About 2 years later we found out that he had been put up for adoption when his parents went through a terrible divorce. We had no other information and finding him was nearly impossible. I can't tell you how hard my Mom took it and we all just felt so unbelievably hurt and angry that something like that would happen to such a wonderful person. I still think about him all the time and hope and pray that someone wonderful adopted him and that he is happy.

This is why I want to do this Charity Drive for Reece's Rainbow. Reece's Rainbow is a Ministry that helps people adopt children with special needs. As we know it is very expensive to adopt a child and there are so many loving parents out there who want to adopt these children but just don't have enough money. Reece's Rainbow helps by issuing grants to those parents so that they can adopt a child with special needs.

Now here's the sad part, a lot of these beautiful babies are in group homes, never having a consistent parent or companion. Can you imagine needing someone, just someone and not really having anyone? It's heartbreaking! Everyone needs a family to love.

I'm asking you to help me raise awareness and money through your art, all you have to do is make a 4"x4" chipboard backed art piece and send it to:

Marion Smith Orphan Charity Drive
Prima Marketing, Inc.
5564 Edison Ave. Chino, CA 91710

Please send your tiles in by June first. Please add some dimension. Once we receive enough we will put them together to make several art collages that will be auctioned off for this Charity. I hope you can find a little bit of time to do this because it will make such a huge difference! I want to thank you in advance for helping me with this, and I hope we can raise enough to get a few children adopted! How awesome would that be! Thank you all so much for supporting me on my little journey's it really means so much!

Please watch this video to learn more about Reece's Rainbow

16 comments:

Scrappin' In TX said...

Marion,
I will get something in the mail for you by then. It may not be as wonderful as your stuff, but I can sure try. God Bless you for all you do and for your inspiration!♥♥♥

paperfusion said...

I bought a few embellies yesterday to get the mojo going for my tiles, I hope to get four done. Now that I know the ground to the story, I feel more connected to the cause, my heart breaks for that boy and for all of you who made his life happy for the few years you were able. Maybe through this you will find a story and know he is happy with a forever family!

paperfusion said...

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Mrs. ABC said...

Oh Marion what a heartbreaking story and what a big huge heart you have (I can see where you get it from now). I will be sending you tile asap.

Anonymous said...

Hi Marion:
I posted this to my blog and hopes that we can get this going, and I also will be sending you in something as well ....don't know what I can come up with..but I will. Thanks for this opportunity.
Trish

Chowchow said...

I definitely will be sending you something soon. Just hope that the mail system will be efficient enough to get there in time. Will repost this in my blog. Thanks for giving us this opportunity to help.

D' Mommy said...

I am done with mine just have to mail it off to you. thank you for sharing your story, as a mother of a child with Special Needs I can't imagine a parent doing that but I guess there is parents out there do not value how wonderful a child with Special Needs is. So sad :( Thank you again for doing such a wonderful thing. (pnkprftlvf007)

LilGreenBug said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LilGreenBug said...

Marion,
Thank you so much for sharing this personal and emotional back story. My prayer is that lots of money will be raised and lots of special needs kids will get good homes. I sent in my four tiles about two weeks ago, so they should be waiting for you at Prima. Please let me know if you need more. I would be happy to do more than four! Bless you for taking on this cause!!
Hugs!

Linda

Ruth Irene said...

As a mom and one that used to do lots of babysitting, this story broke my heart. As an adopted mom, it broke my heart twice over. ((((hugs))).

Unknown said...

Hi my name is karla and i have seen your videos on you tube and iam new scrapbooking and i dont know what is chipboard backed is can you make a video just to get an idea i a really bless knowing that there is people like you in this world the bible said Bear ye ono onother's burdens, and so fulfill the law of christ. for if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. but let every man prove his own work and then shall he have reioicing in himself alone, and not in another. for every man shall bear his own burden . let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things
Galatians 6:2-6 God Bless u and your family

Unknown said...

thank you marion for sharing this personal part of your life, i have already made my four vintage grungey tiles for you and posted them i hope they get there safe as they have to come from the uk

Pocono Pam said...

My hubby and I are thing of adopting a special needs child. We call them angels and ALWAYS refer to them as such! We volunterr for the SPecial Olympics and the athlees ar the most loving people I have ever met! You will have a lot of support Marion. I will get my tiles out before the deadline!
XOXOXOXO

Pam

Tricia Dunstan said...

Thank you for sharing your touching story with us. I would love to help and I can send a few. I am thankful for people out in the world like you who do so much to help! Definitely count me in!

mamascrapper69 said...

ive sent two tiles in a hope that you received them. ive posted a video on my youtube. thanks for doing this.

hugs
stephanie collins
stephanoid69-yt
stephanoid69@msn.com

Unknown said...

hi marion i haven't heard anything for a while about this charity drive and i was wondering how it was goiong