This is from my friend Ashley. Read this incredible letter from Ashley about her 11 year old son, Manuel. Manuel was one of Flor's orphanage mates in her first home and I have such fond memories of watching the two of them interact when they were just babies. His mom, Ashley, spent years working for OSSO and became a dear friend to me during my time in Ecuador. We donated and would LOVE to see 20 of our friends donate $5 each, so that $100 more dollars will be contributed to Manuel's Christmas wish. A donation to OSSO will also be a Christmas present for the child we're in the process of adopting, M, as she remains at the orphanage and is currently cared for by OSSO volunteers. Help spread the Christmas spirit. Please comment if you'll donate $5 and I'll let Ashley know the total so she can tell Manuel on Christmas. Manuel, you are the true meaning of Christmas, buddy! Thanks for the reminder today.
From Ashley:
Dear family and friends,
I’m coming to you today, a few days before Christmas, in tears and with a plea for your help. Last night I had my boys write their letter to Santa (yes, a little late, I know) because I needed some ideas for gifts. I was helping write Jonny’s out while Manuel sat down across the table from us, focused and intent on his own letter. I looked at him at one point as his letter neared the end of the page and thought “Great…he’s going to be sorely disappointed Christmas morning if his list is that long.” It was late, so I hurried Jonny along as he drew his picture for Santa, and Manuel as he went back to his room looking for a picture of him and his siblings to include with his letter, as well as one of his homemade keychains for Santa. They sealed their letters, addressed them, and then I used my “I’m out of stamps, so I’ll mail these tomorrow” excuse to sneak them into my room to read after they left for school today.
Well, this morning I sat down, ready to read his letter and somehow narrow it down into a list that fit our small budget. A few minutes later, I refolded his letter, sobbing and feeling completely helpless. Manuel had not asked for one toy, not one game…not one physical “thing.” I’d like to share his whole letter with you, but I feel like it would be too much an invasion of his privacy, as it was very personal…almost reminiscent of a plea to our Heavenly Father. That’s really what it was. A prayer.
Here’s what I will share with you…Manuel wished for a few things for Christmas:
He wished to not be sick anymore, and to be healthy and strong again.
He wished to not have to get hearing aids.
He asked Santa to bless his family here and in Ecuador.
He asked that if Santa got to be in his birth parents’ house, that he would
give Manuel a good feeling.
And lastly, (and here’s where I need your help), he asked Santa to
“…Please bless people out on the street and orphanage. Because I was one of them and I wanted a family as bad as they do right now.”
As a mother, his whole letter shook me. I had no idea that these things were so prominent in Manuel’s mind. And all I felt was helpless, because what could I do to make any of these things come true?
And then I thought of all of those orphans out there. And then I thought of all of you. I thought of how amazing it would be if we could come together this Christmas and use this amazing technology we have (Facebook and internet!) to make at least one of Manuel’s wishes come true!
If everyone who read this post shared it (when you share make sure to copy and paste this story of Manuel's letter), and then made a donation to Orphanage Support Services Organization (OSSO) in Manuel’s name, we could “bless the people in the orphanage” and make his Christmas wish come true!
A donation of $2 helps. A donation of $5 or $20 helps more. And a donation of $200 or $2,000 helps even more. ANY amount at all will help!
If you can’t donate money, what about donating time? OSSO is in dire need of volunteers right now in order to keep one of their special needs orphanages running. I can personally attest to the importance of volunteers in these orphanages, and I can GUARANTEE that you will come back a changed person. You will forever be changed for the better when you give a few weeks, or months or years of your life to serve these kids. You will go to serve and give of yourself, but you will soon learn that you will receive so much more in return than you can give.
So, family, friends, strangers…can you help me make Manuel’s Christmas wish come true? If you can, and if you do donate, please comment here or private message me, or make a comment with your donation saying that it is in Manuel’s name…and he’ll be able to see what a difference his sweet, selfless wish can make. If you have questions about OSSO or what they do, visit their website at www.orphanagesupport.org or message me with questions and I’ll either answer or find someone who can!
Thank you all more than I can say! Merry Christmas!
To donate, click here: http://www.orphanagesupport.org/#!donate/c8k2
I’m coming to you today, a few days before Christmas, in tears and with a plea for your help. Last night I had my boys write their letter to Santa (yes, a little late, I know) because I needed some ideas for gifts. I was helping write Jonny’s out while Manuel sat down across the table from us, focused and intent on his own letter. I looked at him at one point as his letter neared the end of the page and thought “Great…he’s going to be sorely disappointed Christmas morning if his list is that long.” It was late, so I hurried Jonny along as he drew his picture for Santa, and Manuel as he went back to his room looking for a picture of him and his siblings to include with his letter, as well as one of his homemade keychains for Santa. They sealed their letters, addressed them, and then I used my “I’m out of stamps, so I’ll mail these tomorrow” excuse to sneak them into my room to read after they left for school today.
Well, this morning I sat down, ready to read his letter and somehow narrow it down into a list that fit our small budget. A few minutes later, I refolded his letter, sobbing and feeling completely helpless. Manuel had not asked for one toy, not one game…not one physical “thing.” I’d like to share his whole letter with you, but I feel like it would be too much an invasion of his privacy, as it was very personal…almost reminiscent of a plea to our Heavenly Father. That’s really what it was. A prayer.
Here’s what I will share with you…Manuel wished for a few things for Christmas:
He wished to not be sick anymore, and to be healthy and strong again.
He wished to not have to get hearing aids.
He asked Santa to bless his family here and in Ecuador.
He asked that if Santa got to be in his birth parents’ house, that he would
give Manuel a good feeling.
And lastly, (and here’s where I need your help), he asked Santa to
“…Please bless people out on the street and orphanage. Because I was one of them and I wanted a family as bad as they do right now.”
As a mother, his whole letter shook me. I had no idea that these things were so prominent in Manuel’s mind. And all I felt was helpless, because what could I do to make any of these things come true?
And then I thought of all of those orphans out there. And then I thought of all of you. I thought of how amazing it would be if we could come together this Christmas and use this amazing technology we have (Facebook and internet!) to make at least one of Manuel’s wishes come true!
If everyone who read this post shared it (when you share make sure to copy and paste this story of Manuel's letter), and then made a donation to Orphanage Support Services Organization (OSSO) in Manuel’s name, we could “bless the people in the orphanage” and make his Christmas wish come true!
A donation of $2 helps. A donation of $5 or $20 helps more. And a donation of $200 or $2,000 helps even more. ANY amount at all will help!
If you can’t donate money, what about donating time? OSSO is in dire need of volunteers right now in order to keep one of their special needs orphanages running. I can personally attest to the importance of volunteers in these orphanages, and I can GUARANTEE that you will come back a changed person. You will forever be changed for the better when you give a few weeks, or months or years of your life to serve these kids. You will go to serve and give of yourself, but you will soon learn that you will receive so much more in return than you can give.
So, family, friends, strangers…can you help me make Manuel’s Christmas wish come true? If you can, and if you do donate, please comment here or private message me, or make a comment with your donation saying that it is in Manuel’s name…and he’ll be able to see what a difference his sweet, selfless wish can make. If you have questions about OSSO or what they do, visit their website at www.orphanagesupport.org or message me with questions and I’ll either answer or find someone who can!
Thank you all more than I can say! Merry Christmas!
To donate, click here: http://www.orphanagesupport.org/#!donate/c8k2
2 comments:
We donated $15. Merry Christmas to M!
Hey, kimbo just wanted to let you know kalab and osso informed Quito is closed for now, and what they believe until I go down in april because the lack of volunteers:( it is very sad to here for me, and going there will be more volunteers asap
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