In 2008 Erin Maxwell, an 11 year old girl, from Palamero, NY, was found to be neglected by her father and stepmother. She was also abused and then strangled to death by her adult stepbrother. It was then that I knew that I could no longer sit around and keep hearing the end result of abused and neglected children, but that I had to do something to try and help save these children. I cried out loud to God to tell me what to do and he answered.
Our family went on a missions trip to Romania in March of 2008. We would always pass by a horse farm on the way to the orphanages. I thought that would be great if they could hook the horse farm up with the children in the orphanages to give them a sense of a purpose, a hope and show them that there is a different way of life and people that love them. Well God said, "Why can't you do your horse farm idea here in the US?" So I shared my idea with my husband and our children. In Aug. of 2009 we found the perfect property. By the end of Aug. we had obtained the property and started renovating it. By July 2010 it was renovated enough for us to move in. There is still a lot of renovating to be done, but that will come with time.
Join us on fulfilling our purpose of seeking out the children, showing them love and letting them know they too have a purpose!
Our family went on a missions trip to Romania in March of 2008. We would always pass by a horse farm on the way to the orphanages. I thought that would be great if they could hook the horse farm up with the children in the orphanages to give them a sense of a purpose, a hope and show them that there is a different way of life and people that love them. Well God said, "Why can't you do your horse farm idea here in the US?" So I shared my idea with my husband and our children. In Aug. of 2009 we found the perfect property. By the end of Aug. we had obtained the property and started renovating it. By July 2010 it was renovated enough for us to move in. There is still a lot of renovating to be done, but that will come with time.
Join us on fulfilling our purpose of seeking out the children, showing them love and letting them know they too have a purpose!
Our Inspiration - A trip to RomaniaWhen I was a child I saw a news report on the orphans and the orphanages in Romania. It broke my heart so much that I vowed when I was old enough that I would go and adopt children from there. However, when I became an adult I found out that Romania is a closed country for adoptions. I still never let go that one day I would be able to go and see these children and give them some ray of hope. Who would of known that one news report would have been the beginning of finding out what my purpose is!
This video only shows a small portion of what we saw in Romania. One day myself, and my two oldest Noah and Raven spent the day at the "children's hospital." I put quotes around the children's hospital because the hospital becomes the orphanage too when parents abandon their children to the hospital and never come back. When we arrived at the hospital it was actually a big old concrete house with rooms the size of an average American bedroom. The rooms had about four children to each room. The orphaned children were mixed in with the non orphaned children. |
Our passion is to help children |
One room we were in had a little boy that was there for minor flu like sickness and he had his mom and aunt with him. Also in that room was a four year old boy who could not speak, walk, sit up, or comprehend anything from what we could tell. There was also another girl named Alena that too was the same way. Because they are abandoned and there is not enough staff, the children are left there in their beds all day. If not for the full-time staff of the ministry that we stayed with these children would not be held, have their diapers changed and given any love. I was able to change the diaper of the four year old and hold him in my arms so that he could look out the window. It is a day I will never forget. The feel of his undernourished stiff body and the lost look in his eyes. Noah and Raven talked and spent time with him and Alena and the other boy that was there. The other boy and his family took a great interest in us being there, fascinated with the Americans and not being able to understand why we came to Romania. Cameras are not allowed so we could not take pictures. From there we went into the "Baby Hospital".
Again a lot of the babies there were abandoned. The staff at this hospital really likes what the mission does and left us to do as we please. We were able to get more pics as you see of the little boy in the video in his crib. The hospital is more like a house with rooms with multiple cribs and babies. Left to themselves with dirty diapers, fruit, whole apples, just thrown in their cribs, and bottles that when fallen the babies could not get. When we walked in one room there were two babies that were just lying there staring. When we went to play with them and try and get them out it actually took us about a half hour for them to be ok with going outside of their crib. The one boy really took a liking to Noah and Raven. We were able to give him snacks that we brought, clean him, and just give him love and attention. He actually was a twin, and one day the two boys got sick. The mom brought them to the hospital, but decided she did not want him and kept the one brother. We were told that the mother will get paid assistance for having the twins and as long as she stops in once every month and says hi she is considered not to have abandoned him. She actually stop in the prior month came to the window and said "hello baby" and walked out. When you see him in the crib in the video you will assume as we did that he was about 2, however, he is actually 4, as the growth is stunted from lack of proper nutrition and touch from others. When he turns 5 he will go into the big orphanage with all the kids from age 5-18. When it was time to leave we had to put him back into the crib. He screamed and screamed and then started to rock vigorously back and forth trying to console himself. That was the worst feeling that will stay with me forever and as I type this up tears fall down my face.
At the older kids orphanages that are 2 hours out of the city, (in Romania what you can't see doesn't exist) the children are dirty and the clothes don't match and the smell is incredible. They sleep in very large rooms with beds after beds and no real proper bedding. The property has separate sleeping areas for the boys and girls, however, the orphanage is of mixed gender and ages 5-18. We brought gum and started to hand it out not knowing that it would start a huge fight. When you hit the long drive way you brace yourself because they ALL come running at you trying to be the first to get your attention. The worst part was it was only our family of 5 and one other girl and guy that was there, making it impossible to give everyone attention. They touch, touch and touch you nothing is off limits. In your pockets, on your lap, playing with your hair, kissing, hugging, and in Sebastian's case everyone loved to pick him up. These children are so starved for love and attention. When they are 18 they are sent out into society with no help or money. That is why sewer kids exist.
We met lots of people while in Romania who opened their homes to us, fed us and gave us a glimpse into Romanian life. There is so much more then this video, but we hope that it let you see a little of what we saw in Romania.
Again a lot of the babies there were abandoned. The staff at this hospital really likes what the mission does and left us to do as we please. We were able to get more pics as you see of the little boy in the video in his crib. The hospital is more like a house with rooms with multiple cribs and babies. Left to themselves with dirty diapers, fruit, whole apples, just thrown in their cribs, and bottles that when fallen the babies could not get. When we walked in one room there were two babies that were just lying there staring. When we went to play with them and try and get them out it actually took us about a half hour for them to be ok with going outside of their crib. The one boy really took a liking to Noah and Raven. We were able to give him snacks that we brought, clean him, and just give him love and attention. He actually was a twin, and one day the two boys got sick. The mom brought them to the hospital, but decided she did not want him and kept the one brother. We were told that the mother will get paid assistance for having the twins and as long as she stops in once every month and says hi she is considered not to have abandoned him. She actually stop in the prior month came to the window and said "hello baby" and walked out. When you see him in the crib in the video you will assume as we did that he was about 2, however, he is actually 4, as the growth is stunted from lack of proper nutrition and touch from others. When he turns 5 he will go into the big orphanage with all the kids from age 5-18. When it was time to leave we had to put him back into the crib. He screamed and screamed and then started to rock vigorously back and forth trying to console himself. That was the worst feeling that will stay with me forever and as I type this up tears fall down my face.
At the older kids orphanages that are 2 hours out of the city, (in Romania what you can't see doesn't exist) the children are dirty and the clothes don't match and the smell is incredible. They sleep in very large rooms with beds after beds and no real proper bedding. The property has separate sleeping areas for the boys and girls, however, the orphanage is of mixed gender and ages 5-18. We brought gum and started to hand it out not knowing that it would start a huge fight. When you hit the long drive way you brace yourself because they ALL come running at you trying to be the first to get your attention. The worst part was it was only our family of 5 and one other girl and guy that was there, making it impossible to give everyone attention. They touch, touch and touch you nothing is off limits. In your pockets, on your lap, playing with your hair, kissing, hugging, and in Sebastian's case everyone loved to pick him up. These children are so starved for love and attention. When they are 18 they are sent out into society with no help or money. That is why sewer kids exist.
We met lots of people while in Romania who opened their homes to us, fed us and gave us a glimpse into Romanian life. There is so much more then this video, but we hope that it let you see a little of what we saw in Romania.
