Saving Albina

Happy World Down Syndrome Day!

I cannot think of a better way to celebrate this day than by giving you an opportunity to literally make a difference in the life of a little girl with Down syndrome.....across the world.

Albina is four and half years old. She lives in an institution in Eastern Europe (she has been transferred already from her Baby House, to an interim institution...when she is older she will be transferred to an adult mental institution.) Albina has Down syndrome.

She's never known the love of a mommy or a daddy. She's never had someone to read her bedtime stories, tuck her in at night, tell her she's beautiful, tell her she matters, tell her she's loved.

And she's been waiting all of her life for someone to rescue her.

Last year readers rallied together here on A Perfect Lily to raise a ransom for Albina. An anonymous donor pledged $5,000 towards Albina's grant fund on Reece's Rainbow...dollar for dollar they would match donations that came in up to that amount.  I challenged readers to give, and you did- over $10,000 was raised for little Albina. Less than a month later a family came forward to commit to Albina's adoption- enter the Jolly family.....

The Jolly's have been working tirelessly all year to bring Albina home. They've held garage sales, coin drives, sold calendars, goat's milk, necklaces, done Longaberger, Scentsy and Willow House fundraisers, sold things on ebay, done photography sessions, and of course invested every spare penny they have into this adoption.

Can I just share from my heart for a moment?

At the end of last year I was almost done fundraising for orphans. I felt drained, I was tired of the (few) nasty comments that kept showing up in my inbox, tired of asking people to give, and worried that readers themselves were tired of me asking.

I prayed for many weeks about what God would have me to do...and you know who God put on my heart?

The Jolly's

Families.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating....

There is something beautiful and powerful about mamas and daddies sacrificing finances, time, and energy to rescue a child who is going to require extraordinary amounts of care and effort once they are home. There is something amazing and rare about families who will put everything on the line, including and especially their hearts, for a child who by the world's standards is broken. There is something pure and noble and absolutely right about that kind of love- the love that says it doesn't matter what it takes, I am going to rescue this child, and nothing is going to stand in my way. The love that faces seemingly insurmountable costs and mountains of paperwork and risks what family and friends will think about traveling across the ocean to save a child you've never met before, one that many people might say wasn't really "fit for life" in the first place.

I contacted Jonana Jolly at the end of December and told her I wanted to help them finish the job of bringing Albina home. Shortly after that I had two friends offer prizes to help raise a ransom for Brent. I told Jonana I would host a giveaway for Albina a few weeks after.

Right after that, a friend wrote to me asking if I could help Kelly Dirkes.

I told Jonana again, that I might need to put her giveaway on hold so that I could help Kelly...you know what Jonana said ? True to her huge heart, she told me to go for it.

Many of you know what happened....The Six Day Miracle.

Kelly and Charlotte on Gotcha Day- this week :)

So here we are at the end of March....and I am coming to you imploring you to help this family.

Albina and the Jolly family have been on my heart for a year now. I want to get them fully funded. And yes...as always...I am shaking in my shoes as I type this.

I have no idea how or if this could happen. Readers here have done so much for orphans already. But I do know I serve a big God. And if He put the Jolly's and little Albina on my heart for so long, that can only mean one thing. I've got to trust Him on this.

Will you help me?

How about a little motivational video?? (taken by another adoptive family)

Will you help the Jolly family go rescue their girl?

Will you help me get them fully funded?

How about some amazing prizes as incentive???

WINNER'S CHOICE (ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE):

1) NEW Apple iPad 16GB Wifi Tablet  ***NEWEST MODEL JUST
ANNOUNCED***

• New Retina display for the sharpest text and graphics display

• New A5X high-speed processor

• 16GB storage

• Wi-fi connectivity

• 10 hours battery life with Wi-fi turned on

• 5MP camera built-in

• HD quality video recording

• Facetime (video chat)

• Support for thousands of apps in iTunes App Store

   

   OR

2) Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18- 55mm IS II Lens

   

   • 12.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for

high image quality and speed.

• ISO 100 - 6400 for shooting from bright to dim light.

• Improved EOS HD Movie mode with expanded recording [HD: 30p (29.97)

/ 25p], and with in-camera movie editing options.

• High speed, reliable 9-point AF system utilizing a high precision, f/5.6

cross-type center point.

• Enhanced metering with a 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system for

accurate metering between exposures.

• 3.0 fps continuous shooting up to approximately 830 JPEGs or 2.0 fps for

approximately 5 RAW.

• 2.7-inch wide TFT LCD monitor (230,000 dots) with Live View function for

improved viewing.

• Express your creativity with ease using advanced imaging features like the

new Basic+ function, Quick Setting function and Creative Auto.

• New Feature Guide offers short descriptions of each function and Quick

Control screen for easy operation.

• Compatibility with SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.

• Compatible with the full line of Canon EF and EF-S lenses.

  

OR

3) $500 Amazon.com Gift Card

And a host of other wonderful prizes....

$100 gift card to Target !!!

(thank you, Kelly Dirkes !!)

Sock Monkey Hat (winner chooses size) from The3MonkeysBoutique on Etsy. Crocheted sock monkey hat. specify color- sock monkey brown/gray, pink, blue, purple, orange.

Hot/cold packs from June 34 on Etsy Heat in the microwave to soothe sore muscles or warm up during cold night. Place in the freezer for a cold pack... great for boo-boo's for little ones!

  Highly Fragrant Soy Candle in 8 oz. tin container by JubileeScents on Etsy - Sugar Cookie and Pomegranate (one of each) Approximate 40 hours burn time - Made in USA 

Tutu- Made in any size and any color for the winner - Can also choose short or long skirt.

 Vera Bradley inspired flameless LED candles - Choose any of the styles shown - Winner receives 2 candles

Ten bows (winner's choice) from Natasha's Hair Bowtique and one bow holder:

(bows hang from tutu ribbons)

Darling Pink tutu, size 6 months

Baby Bluebird hat made with love by Sarah and Rachel at Handiwork for Lilly

Two necklaces (one per winner) from Mattie Grace Gifts on Etsy.

and finally, the GRAND PRIZE.....

Oh yeah, baby!
Renee Tam's world famous toffee. I don't think there is a price you could put on this stuff. For reals.


There are MANY ways to enter this giveaway. Leave a comment saying what you did to be entered (donated, shared, etc.) You do not have to specify your donation amount- paypal keeps track of these, and Jonana will total your entries.

*donate to the Jolly Family via the paypal gadget on my sidebar

$10 = one entry
$25 = 5 entries
$50 = 20 entries

*one entry PER DAY for sharing the giveaway on FB (status must be updated each day for each entry)

*one entry PER DAY for blogging about the giveaway (please include your blog link in your comment.)

*my wonderful friend, Deanna is co-hosting this giveaway with me. Become a follower of Everything and Nothing From Essex and leave a comment (there) saying you did so for an extra entry.

*twenty entries for getting this giveaway talked about on a radio station. It's never happened yet, but hey, it's worth a try ;)

Our goal is $18,500. I realize that's huge. But I just watched God work a $17,000 miracle for Charlotte last month, and I'm just crazy enough to pray He'll do it again.

Giveaway ends March 30th, and winners will be drawn and announced on March 31st.

Ten days to watch a miracle happen.


Will you help us Save Albina ????