"The Carrington" Returns

Last year when Carrington came home from Ukraine and spent 5 weeks in the hospital we were touched by so so many kind people with prayers, donations, visits, and gifts.  One such gift was created  by a lady named Joy. Joy creates some of the most beautiful jewelry and wanted to create a special piece in honor of our sweet princess.  She lovingly made these necklaces and then donated 90% of the proceeds to a fund for Carrington.  Madelaine and I each have one and everywhere we go people comment on it.

Well.....last night I was working on the formula drive when an email appeared from Joy declaring that she was going to once again make necklaces but this time it was for our boys!!  Oh My!  She had already done so much for us and was once again knocking on our door to help some more.  The most interesting thing about this is that just yesterday I was talking to a gal I know and explaining to her that God has totally equipped our family in all ways for the journey He has called us on. Sometimes people answer our request for something and then other times people just step up offering help or things and we didn't even say anything.  Joy is just another example of this!

This time Joy has 4 different versions of "The Carrington" she is making.  You can go HERE to see these beautiful works of art!  Each necklace is $25 with $20 from each one going to the boys.  Thank you sweet Joy for your kindness to Kelten and Teagan!

Formula Answers to Questions

This is totally overwhelming to stop and look at the response for the need of formula for the children in Pleven!  Thank you to each and everyone of you who is donating formula, taking over formula, and getting the word out about this effort of so many.  I have received quite a few emails and comments with questions regarding the nutrition we are sending over.  Some things I could answer but other things needed some expert answers.  With that I was able to contact a wonderful doctor who has expertise in the area of nutrition for children.  She answered some of the questions I forwarded on to her so I could share it with those of you. She also said to please feel free to repost her response wherever you need to
.

first of all, i think i'd not call it high calorie, it's not any higher in calories than any other formula unless you mix it to make it so.  the doctor can prescribe the very best calorie per milliliter ratio for each child, and these powdered formulas can be perfectly adapted for each child's  needs.

 

Children with long term, severe malnutirion are often unable to efficiently digest and metabolize many foods.  When a child comes to the US and is treated for profound malnutrition, they are usually fed IV for quite a while at the beginning, with oral or tube feedings starting very slowly.  Unfortunately, that is a luxury these children don't have.  The next best thing is carefully monitored feeding with very specialized formulas.  Formulas such as Vivonex Pediatric, Elecare and Neocate are called "elemental diets" because each ingredient, the proteins, fats and carbohydrates, are broken down into the smallest, simplest possible elements.  They are also manufactured under the strictest controls, just like medicines, so every gram has the absolutely accurate amount of each component.

 

The malnourished child's body has to do NO WORK to digest these formulas.  100 % of the ingredients can be absorbed and used for metabolism, healing and growth.  Because the doctors know exactly how much of the formula is going to be able to be used by the sick child (100 %) it is possible to very precisely prescribe the exact amount needed each day, or even each hour. 

 

Refeeding hypophosphatemia is a truly frightening syndrome that can happen to anyone who has malnutrition and then is given calories.  Obviously, these children are at higher risk than, for example, you or I would be after a crash diet or being sick for a while. Therefore, it is essential that when they begin to be fed, that they are fed carefully and with the utmost precision. 

 

These highly specialized metabolic, elemental formulas are perfect for this situation.  They are not recommended by the World Health Organization for treatment of starvation because they are amaingly expensive, and in countries with many starving children, they can't be found at any price.  But they are the very best enteral (meaning "using the gastrointestinal system") feeding option for children who are very fragile. 

 

Another question I'm often asked is this:  Do these children need to stay on these special formulas once they're home?  Probably not.  Once they are stable, safe, and growing, the very most healthy option is eating real food.  Sad to say,a certain percentage of these children may never be able to eat enough regular food to be healthy and grow.  They may end up needing to be tube fed long term.  Children who have an underlying enzyme deficiency or are missing a large portion of their intestines may require a lifetime of these elemental formulas.  But most children who continue to need formula can, and should, eventually be on a formula that's as close as possible to real food.  Each child's doctor will make that decision as the child heals and grows.

If you have any other questions that you would like answered please send them to me via email at burmanshelly@yahoo.com and I will do my best to get you answers.

How We Can Help

The Need Is Great!!

Not long ago Madelaine and I took the first trip over to meet Kelten and Teagan in Bulgaria.  With us we brought suitcases full of donations:clothes, toys, diaper cream, diapers..but nothing was more needed than NUTRITION!!!!!!

In our suitcases was over 60 cans of highly specialized formula and approximately 80 pouches of another type of specialized formula.  These sources of nutrition are like powdered gold to these children.  Something they have never seen in all of their say 11, 13, 14, and even 16 years of life!  No I am NOT making this up!  The children in Pleven have received the most basic of food; only enough to sustain them.  I cannot even say they received the minimal of nutrition because it is not nutritious.  The day Jenny, Madelaine and I presented the formula to Dr. L, who was examining the children at Pleven that day, was one of the happiest yet saddest days for me as a mommy. Happy because we knew this would help so many children just like it had our sweet Carrington.  Sad because we knew it would not last very long because there are so many children there.  

This sentiment is shared alike by parents who have been to visit their little one there and by those who are on their way. So what can we do?  What difference can we make?  Through our small group of families we decided that we were going to make a change in a big way!  We are sending nutrition to the children!  Things with customs are way to bureaucratic, not to mention expensive!  How? How can we do this?!  Well, never underestimate mommies and daddies! We have a plan and this is where we need YOUR help!!  How many of you get cans of formula you don't need or use?  How many of you know someone else who gets cans of formula they do not need of want?  We WANT it!  The children NEED it!! 

 If you know of formula just waiting to enter the tummy of a sweet little one or would like to purchase formula to donate please email me right away.  

I am coordinating formula donations with all the families who are traveling to Bulgaria in the next several months.  Each family that can is ready to take over formula in their suitcases so we can get it to the children quickly! Please put this on your FB, blogs, etc to get the message out.  Maybe someone you know who lives somewhere and has formula will be able to get it to a family who may be living right near them.  We can do this!! We can get proper and desperately needed NUTRITION into these children so they can grow like they should.  We should not be seeing children like...

4 1/2 year old Teagan

15 year old Sophia and
 11 year old Amelia

13 year old Kelten

5 year old Lina

14 year old Faith

in these conditions!

Formula Drive-Can You Help?

God always intended for us to be there for one another but He also desires that we seek Him with all of our heart! Ever since our journey into the world of international special needs adoption I have asked God to lead me and show me.  With the exposure of conditions in our boys' orphanage in Pleven more opportunities arise for us to come together and work for the glory of God.  What we are doing does not make us richer, give us a bigger home, promote to a higher position in society.  GOOD!!  That's not what we want.  We simply want to help God's children.  When I say "we" I am referring to all of you!

On our first trip over to Pleven Madelaine and I packed suitcases full of formula for the children.  Jenny also had her bags packed.  The time came for us to meet Dr. Lilova, the amazing doctor from the Tokuda Hospital in Sofia, and give her the formula.  She thanked us for this nutrition is very expensive over there, and she asked us to leave it there at the orphanage and she would tell the caregivers how to administer it.  YEA!!!

 Well, the conditions in Pleven still dictate that we need to help with continued donations of nutrition. It was asked if one of us moms could coordinate the formula transporting with families who are going to Bulgaria. We are hoping through traveling families we will be able to help tremendously with the need for proper nutrition for the children.  I am working hard to compile a list of traveling families so that we can get this nutrition to them.  We have no shortage of willing families who can pack an extra suitcase to take formula over, BUT...... we do need donations of formula!! The kind that had previously been taken over was a specialized, broken down, formula but that is NOT the only type we can take. We are open to taking any and all formula that can be donated.

Here's how you can help.  If you have any formula you would be willing to donate please send me an email with your information and what kind of formula, how much formula you have.  I will contact you with how we will send it.  Please post this on your FB as we never know just where the next family going over to Pleven lives and it may be right next to you or someone you know.

Wounds Healing For Our Boys

Does Teagan know about the change that will bring him from unloved, unvalued to a family where love is so deeply ingrained he will flourish into the man God created him to be?

Can Kelten even begin to grasp how the almost 13 year old wound he has endured is slowly beginning the healing process?

Remember not too long ago I wrote about wounds beginning to heal?  You can read about it here.  Today I was catching up on my emails and saw some promising news of things over where our boys are. You see, our boys are in an orphanage that just wreaks of neglect (amongst other things) and it is so very wrong in so many ways.  The conditions are so far below what we call for when it comes to animal shelters. This has been going on for such a long time that it has become a way of life for the caregivers and all of the precious children.

We were shocked!  We were sickened!  We were burdened!

God heard us!  He felt our pain because it has been HIS pain!  God has begun His mighty work.  You see our prayers have gone up to Him for the precious children.  We have asked for God to watch over the children, to heal the children, rid this orphanage of the very poison that was spreading, and even for the people in charge to go down to this orphanage and help the children by taking care of all the wrong taking place.  I  know I even prayed for the caregivers to please see just how special these children are.  Many people prayed and our God heard.  

This week some very important officials made a surprise inspection of the orphanage in Pleven, Bulgaria.  The very place Kelten has spent his 12 1/2 years of life in as well as Teagan who has spent 4 1/2 years there. What they found was no surprise: horrible conditions for these precious children.  While over there I do firmly believe we saw seeds of change beginning to sprout.  I do believe those changes are continuing.  You see, things have gotten this bad because people lost focus of God and settled in on their idea of perfection in this world.  

Much like the extreme fires that destroyed an enormous part of Yellowstone National Park back in the early 90's, something has occurred in Pleven that can only be explained by intense heat.  When the fires of Yellowstone were put out many wondered if the splendor of Yellowstone would ever return.  Ever so slowly it has.  We are now even seeing species of plants and trees that had not been seen for over a hundred years. This is happening only because of the intense heat that was able to germinate seeds.  These plants promise splendor. The trees promise shade and protection.  But it will take time!

Change is happening in Pleven. It has taken great "heat" to break into those seeds; the ones that have laid dormant in their thinking of children with special needs.  I know I for one want immediate and drastic change.  'Let's just go get those children and close those doors forever!' is my constant thought but I know God has a plan. He knows what is to happen where and when.  Many people have been working hard for change over in Pleven and now those who needed to see and listen are finally doing so.  The seeds of change have been planted and now have germinated, and I believe that with the watering of prayer, of thousands of people everywhere, this seed is no longer just a seed but rather the beginning of something so splendorous and magnificent: a sapling that is growing into a strong tree of love!

Below I have listed some of the links to an example of the change happening in Pleven.  I think a couple of them are in Bulgarian but all you have to do is translate them. You will see what I believe are the fruits of our prayers.  Keep praying for change. Keep praying for the children.  Please also pray for those care givers, babas, and those in charge for they need it.  Yes, those who have done these things will need to answer not only to their government but ultimately they will need to answer to God.  I really feel led to continue to pray for those (and it really is hard to pray for people who have done wrong to these innocent children) but I know God wants us to.  So, please think about why Jesus died on the cross and how we are only saved because He first died.  Our prayers may be the only ones that can bring change to their hearts.

http://www.vesti.bg/index.phtml?tid=40&oid=4643331

http://www.vesti.bg/index.phtml?tid=40&oid=4709071

http://paper.standartnews.com/en/article.php?d=2012-04-07&article=38861

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n275113

Another Family Blessed

I am so excited to say that yet one more little one will be finding their forever family very soon!  My friends, Ashlee and Paul, are about ready to expand their family through the world of international adoption.  It's quite crazy how we met because our paths never would have crossed in our world had God not set it in His plan. When we had our spaghetti dinner fundraiser back in January we were able to meet so many people we did not know and one of those families was Ashlee, Paul, and their 5 children.  Since then our families have totally hit it off with just hanging out together, eating, babysitting, countless chats on the phones, and even getting the guys (Brian and Paul) to knock off some of our honey-do lists.

They were following us on our journey to Kelten and Teagan and felt God was calling them to international adoption. One day we were talking about my trip over to see the boys and next thing I know Ashlee tells me her and Paul want to adopt a boy. So, now they begin the journey themselves to bring home a sweet boy.  Their first stage is to send in commitment documents and fees so as to secure their son's file and to let the government know this little guy is loved and wanted.  I cannot believe how excited I am for them and about the Kindle Fire they are giving away to one lucky winner!  Go check out their blog to see for yourself and to follow another one of God's amazing journeys! And just for this very important weekend they are doing a giveaway within a giveaway so jump on over and see how you can help this family!

Jesus' Sacrifice For Me

My friends this is Easter weekend.  For some they will only give thoughts to the Easter bunny and what he will bring but for our family and so many inconceivable number of families our thoughts will go to Jesus and how He carried our sins to the cross and then rose again.  He gave His life so that I, you, could have our sins wiped away.  Talk about sacrifice!  Talk about doing something "out of the norm". Talk about L-O-V-E!!

Each of my 10 children have given me another gift and that is love from Jesus Himself.  God chose me to be the mommy of my children and He chose to call Mason home once he had completed the purpose God designed him for.  It is not hard to be the mommy of my children because I LOVE them. There is sacrifice, sure but it is not true sacrifice!!  I no longer put my time, money, and energy into things I once did.  Sleep is not always uninterrupted. Bathroom time is merely code talk for "hey everyone let's come spend time with Mommy!" I drive Big Bertha (12 passenger van) instead of my sleek, 12 cup holder, bun warming, multi cd deck mini van.  Sacrifice?!  NO!!  Blessings!  The real sacrifice came from Jesus. I am merely trying my best to follow His lead and care for the least of these.

I was reading my friend, Julia Nalle's, blog tonight and she had posted about a mom who set up a challenge for us this Easter weekend. A small challenge to sacrifice when you compare it to the sacrifice of Jesus, but nonetheless a very important and life changing sacrifice. She wants to see older children with no money in their grant fund make it to at least $20 each by Easter and then she will match dollar for dollar the amount donated to bring the children up to $20.  I myself was burdened for these children. Yes, we are still in the process of trying to bring our sons home but how, HOW, could I ignore these precious faces?  I could not so I checked to see who had not made it to $20 and we donated. It was not a lot of money but God never said we had to be grand in what we do He just wants us to DO!

May I continue this challenge?  May I ask you to sacrifice your Starbucks, Sonic drink, movie ticket so that one of these precious children can have a chance?  I would love to see if we can get these angels up to $30 by Easter. Each child. $30. For some that is only a couple dollars. For others it may be $5. At first I though about offering a prize with names entered into a drawing for those who donate but then I stopped and thought this is not about "getting something". It is about "GIVING something". SACRIFICE.   Think about what Jesus' sacrifice has meant for you and I and then think about what your sacrifice will mean for one of the children listed.