Darryl and I had a great night out for our anniversary. We went for sushi, walked out of a bad movie, walked into a better one, did some groceries, had a lot of fun I came home ant we started watching some of those "I am a Mormon" segments online and I came across Deborah Dushku Gardner, who started an organization called "One Heart Bulgaria" that helps orphanages in Bulgaria. Then I went to the website. Then I went to the facebook page. And then I cried and cried. Then sobbed some more. I'm crying right now for heaven sakes. It's been 3 days, and I need to get a grip, so maybe this will help.
The picture above is of a little girl arrived at the Mogilino orphanage as a plump little 6 year old. This is how she looks now. Her leg snapped, due to malnutrition, and was never set properly so now she lives like this. Mogilino has since been shut down, but there are other orphanages just like it.
"Walking the halls of an infant orphanage in Sofia, Bulgaria, I heard the shrill sound of a screaming baby. Finding myself alone, I quickly opened the door to a small room where I found the baby frantic and trembling. His skinny arms and tiny fingers grasped desperately for comfort. It was against protocol for me to interact with the infant without permission, so I stood there, my heart breaking, and watched this tiny baby struggle. Where was the cozy blanket to swaddle his newborn body? Where were the gentle hands or soothing reassurances of his mother? This precious infant could not understand, and so he screamed on. He had not yet learned that no one would rescue him and that crying would bring no response. Soon he would give up trying, just like the other orphans lying quietly in their cribs. But until then, this tiny newborn was put in a room alone to scream himself into silence before being warehoused with the other soundless babies." - Deborah Dushku Gardner
As I have gone through the past few days, my mind has been consumed with these children. What are they doing right now? Are they crying and nobody's there to help them? Are they scared? Are they cold? Are they hungry? I felt really helpless, but as I sat in Relief Society on Sunday, I looked at a poster of our Stake's theme this year: "By small and simple things, great things are brought to pass" So I'm going to do something, and I hope you will too. They make it really easy on their website to help. They have a "baba" program, that I think is such a good idea. In this program they hire a grandmother to nurture the children by reading to them, by helping with homework, by playing with them and in some situations by helping the very little ones to bathe, brush teeth and prepare for bed or for their day. This is an invaluable program to help the children feel loved. The monthly salaries of the babas vary from $60 to $90.
A $50 donation can provide:
Fresh fruit and vegetables for 1 orphanage for 1 month.
1 new bed
Waterproof mattresses or mattress pads
Cough and cold medicines
Fever reducing medicines
Bleaches and detergents
2 cases of soap
1 case of shampoo
1 case of toothpaste
3 month’s worth of birthday parties for orphans ages 2-6
Notebooks for school
Arts and crafts supplies for 2 orphanages
A $100 donation can provide:
Bulk supply of disposable diapers
Bulk supply of feminine hygiene supplies
50 children’s story books in Bulgarian
Textbooks
4 coats
5 pairs of shoes
A $300 donation can provide:
1 Washer
1 Dryer
Playground equipment
Medical equipment
Immunizations
After seeing this, I thought of all the appointments I had made in the past week. I started to feel really guilty. I don't do a whole lot of "personal grooming" but before I have a baby I like to "fix" myself up. I had made a $128 for Molly Maid to come to my house when I'm in the hospital delivering Claire and deep clean everything, a $30 hair appointment, a $120 waxing appointment, a $30 pedicure.......and then I felt sick when I thought of the impact I could make by donating that money to these children. So I am going to help. There is so much we can do, please check out there website on the link my facebook page and see of there is any small thing you can do too.
There is so much pain in the world, it's overwhelming. I keep thinking about the famine in Africa and the thought of not being able to feed your kids. I need to do something about though. Good for you for doing something.
ReplyDeleteI saw this one about a month ago, and had the same gut-wrenching reaction you did. At the same time, I had an offer on the table for some work, that I had turned down right away, unwanting (unwilling) to try and fit it in while taking care of the boys. I didn't think I could find the time. Then I heard a talk on the parable of the talents, that spoke about our stewardship over our money, and how when the Lord blesses us, we should not hoard (hide) the money away, but spread it, use it for good. And with that came Jacob 2:19:
ReplyDeleteAnd after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.
I cried, too, that day, and thought maybe I could take this work and donate more to the causes around the world that really need them. Thanks for the reminder.
Beautiful scripture, thanks Girls, it's so overwhelming sometimes, isn't it?
ReplyDelete