Merry Christmas from Project HOPEFUL

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Urgent call for help for the Buoniconti Family

Friends,

Last night the husband of our Project HOPEFUL military liaison, Kryste Buoniconti, was tragically killed in a military helicopter accident. They just completed the domestic adoption of their HIV+ son and have $11,000 in unpaid adoption expenses.

Please help us remove this burden from the family during this incredibly stressful time, and above all keep the family in your prayers. The shock of this news is still difficult to comprehend.

Thank you all,
Project HOPEFUL

Tax-deductible donations can be made HERE

UPDATE: All of us at Project HOPEFUL would like to express our deep gratitude for each and every one of you! All of the funds needed to pay off the adoption debt and MORE have been raised for this dear family.
Carolyn says: “I spoke with Kryste …She asked that I convey that there were 3 other soldiers that lost their lives, 2 of them were fathers too….She is thankful for the outpour….PLEASE keep them covered in prayer….and cover the other families as well…On behalf of all of us at Project HOPEFUL, THANK YOU for loving this family in prayers and action…”

Orphan Advocacy takes Project HOPEFUL to the White House

We have so much to share with you about our recent trip to Australia to take part in Together for Adoption Australia 2011, and that post will be coming very soon.

But first we want to share with you one very exciting thing that happened while Carolyn was in Australia: she received an invitation to participate in The White House National Adoption Event, Nov 28. And not only to attend, but to PARTICIPATE and present on “the unique challenges facing orphans with HIV/AIDS, and her experience as an adoptive mother” on their International Adoption panel.

It is such an honor  to have this opportunity to advocate for children on a national level. Please be in prayer for Carolyn this Monday and for her preparation and travel this weekend for this very important event.

Disclosure

Here is a very thoughtful post about how one family made a very personal choice about the issue of disclosure. Lyndsay Boulton is our State Associate for California and the mother of five children, one of whom is HIV+.  You can also find this post at the Boulton Family Blog.

DIS·CLOSE

    [dih-sklohz] verb, -closed, -clos·ing, noun

verb (used with object)

1.to make known; reveal or uncover: to disclose a secret.

2.to cause to appear; allow to be seen; lay open to view: Inspring the violets disclose their fragrant petals.

Disclosure is a very personal decision. We prayed and sought God, and other wise counsel before making our decision. We do not believe that disclosure is the right answer for every family.

Unfortunately there are people, specifically in the Church, that believe that disclosing HIV status is an act of selfishness, as if those who choose this path are trying to make themselves out to be martyrs. Would people say that about someone who disclosed Cancer, or Diabetes, or ADD or Autism? What special needs are OK to talk about, and which ones are unacceptable? And why? Why is HIV in a different category?

It is in a different category because of ignorance and shame.

This is very disheartening.  I believe it is our job, as the Church, to be the LIGHT to the world, to allow ourselves to be seen, to reveal or uncover darkness and discrimination. I can’t imagine Jesus telling me to cover up or lie about my child’s condition because of other peoples ignorance or cruelty. I don’t remember Jesus or the Apostles telling His followers to cover up or lie so that they wouldn’t have to deal with peoples cruelty or trials. In fact when I read the Bible I read just the opposite. (James 1:2)

Is this the easiest road to take? Definitely not! Am I putting my child at risk of being ridiculed or ostracized- probably. But all of my children are at risk of that because their lives look a lot different than the rest of the world! Being adopted can also set our daughter up for ridicule, and so can having a different color of skin, but I can’t protect her from that. Should we have decided not to adopt an African child because she might be ridiculed? Was she better off living in an orphanage without a family? I’m sure some people think so, but not us! Not the Church!

We, as the Bride of Christ have already failed the HIV/AIDS community. We shamed them into hiding, labeling their disease as a punishment for their ‘sin’. In our ignorance and fear we turned them into the ‘lepers’ of our generation. And guess what? If Jesus were here today who would He be hanging with? And so if my life is supposed to look like His, than do I really have another choice?
It is our job to be the ones to turn this around. To stand up for the HIV/AIDS community and say we love you! We love you with the love of Christ.

Because we have decided to be honest with our daughter and her condition, and have decided to educate others around us instead of hiding in shame I have had some amazing opportunities to spread TRUTH and LIGHT.

A few weeks ago I had a mother of one of my sons friends call me. Her son wanted to come over to our house and play. She knew about our adoption and knew that our daughter was HIV+. She wanted to know what that meant for her son, if he were to come over and play in our home. She was very gracious and was a little embarrassed about her lack of knowledge. I was SO thankful that she called. I was able to answer all of her questions and ease her fears. I was able to direct her to more information if she wanted to read further. I hung up the phone and just bawled and thanked God for that opportunity! Her son and mine have become great friends, and she is in love with our daughter! She appreciated how open and honest we were, allowing her to ask the questions.

Yesterday I received another phone call from a family member who lives in another state. One of his coworkers had found out earlier this week that her son is HIV+. He called me so that I could talk to her and answer her questions. She was devastated. She thought her son was going to die. I was able to share with her the facts. She was so grateful. I was able to encourage her, and now she can encourage her son.I would not have had either of these conversations if we had chosen a different route.

I am fully aware that there will be days where this might feel more like a burden than freedom, but that is when I will give it to God, because it is His to carry, not mine.As Christians, can’t we just support each other in the ways that we hear and respond to the call of God in our lives?

1 Corinthians 10:29-33
For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? ³⁰If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
³¹So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.³² Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, ³³just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

If you have had the privilege of meeting my daughter you would know that she is a little world changer.

You can see it in her eyes.

She is something special.

She is such a gift to our family. 

Together for Adoption Australia 2011

Project HOPEFUL is two short weeks from bringing a message of life and hope for orphans to the continent of Australia. Dan Cruver has written an excellent article about why we are partnering for this important event at the Together for Adoption Blog.

This is a crucial message that Australia needs to hear. Please join us in prayer that the Truth Pandemic would have a monumental impact on the people of Australia.  Please also pray that all of the funds that we need in order to send our volunteer staff members would be donated in time for us to leave.  If He has led you to give to this important event, please go to http://www.projecthopeful.org/donate , choose the General Fund and put NOVEMBER in the comments box.  Thank you for your prayers and support!

Australia 2011 from Tamara Loveing on Vimeo.

Project HOPEFUL materials now available in French

Project HOPEFUL is pleased to announce that one of our brochures is now available in French. We are really excited about the doors that will open for spreading the truth about adopting children with HIV/AIDS with the use of this pamphlet.

We would like to give public thanks to Rachele DeMeo for her labors on behalf of Project HOPEFUL of this translation work. Rachele DeMeo was born in Nîmes, France (as P.K. (Pastor’s Kid) and M.K (Missionary’s Kid)), where she spent the first nineteen years of her life, and graduated with a French Baccalaureate. After a year of College, she moved to Maryland to complete a B.A. in Education, intern for a Congressman and teach. She moved to California for a teaching job and furthered her education graduating with a M.A. Additionally she pursued a Masters in Education specializing in Teaching and Learning. She’s been translating since 1998. She’s also had experience teaching K-2, 6-12 and College-level/Adults. She specializes in teaching French, English and Italian.

She currently teaches French at MiraCosta College and is a freelance translator. She lives with her husband, 9-month old baby, 2 dogs and 3 cats in Oceanside, CA.

Thank you, Rachele!

If you would like to download this brochure, you may do so HERE .

Advocacy in Eastern Europe – More children to be helped thanks to new contacts.

Our Maine State Associate, Shannon Wheeler recently traveled to Ukraine, and was able to make some new contacts allowing Project HOPEFUL to advocate for even more children with HIV/AIDS.

 

The below article contained a comment about the eligibility of HIV+ children under the age of 5.  While this statement was definitely emparted to Shannon, our Maine associate, we cannot substantiate the truth of the statement at this time.  As recently as the end of August, we can verify that the SDA WAS NOT giving referrals of HIV+ children under 5 who had no other special needs diagnosis.

We are hopeful that this news relayed to Shannon will in fact be implemented very soon, but to our knowledge it has not yet happened in practice.  We apologize for any false hope or confusion this has caused.  We hope and pray that it comes to fruition imminently.  We have removed the statement from this blog post.

“Our time was blessed, the people we know at the Christian Children’s Center where we stayed made us feel at home and I’m sure blessed us way beyond what we could have possibly blessed them.” Shannon reported. “Through the network of friends we’ve made in the past couple years, we were blessed by the opportunity to meet with a wonderful Christian man, Mr. Kuleba, who is the head of all Children’s Services in Kiev.  He’s a very busy man, so the woman who directs the Center where we stayed told us it was a miracle that he had time in his schedule for us, and we’re thankful to God for this open door.

This man welcomed us into his office, and he was very interested to hear what Project HOPEFUL is doing in the States, Canada and Australia to educate families and to help find homes for little ones with HIV and other special needs.  I felt very humbled by the opportunity to be representing this amazing organization to Mr. Kuleba, and he was so gracious in hearing our request to make contacts with an orphanage which houses children in his city who are living with HIV.”

Not all of the children they met are HIV+, but some in the group are, and all have various health needs, as Shannon understands it.

Shannon and her husband were able to sit in on a puppet show with the children. “One older boy announced, “Americanos!” to the group, and he smiled and sat in the middle of all the children.  We were told he needs a family very urgently, because he is going to move to the next phase of orphanage soon.”

The Wheelers say that they are thankful to the people in Kiev who have worked to make possible this visit for them, and are thankful as well that Project HOPEFUL will be receiving some photos and descriptions to share before long, so these little ones can be added to the Waiting Kids  list.”I will follow up on this before long, ” assures Shannon “and in the meantime, if anyone is moved to inquire about this older boy whose time is quickly passing and needs a home very urgently, please don’t hesitate to contact me at hopefulinME@gmail.com , and we’ll see what we can do to get more information very quickly.  God’s promises to the orphan are so real, and He is so faithful to hear their cry, be their Defender, take up their cause and to tug at the hearts of those He has predetermined will be Mommy and Daddy, no matter how near or far away they are right at this moment.”

Meet-Up Monday: Meet Laci Zacapu, State Associate for Washington

Welcome to this week’s Meet-Up Monday post.  This week we head to the Pacific Northwest to meet Laci, our State Associate for Washington.  Be sure to leave a comment and say hello!

PH: Laci, would you please tell us how you first heard about Project HOPEFUL?
LZ: I met Carolyn Twietmyer in Ethiopia while we were there for our first adoption. Selah was with her and was so sick and I just remember being worried she wouldn’t be able to make it home. I started following Carolyn’s blog when I got back to the states so I could check on Selah’s health and that’s where I learned about Project HOPEFUL.

PH: How did you develop an interest in HIV advocacy?
LZ: I became interested in HIV advocacy after bringing my daughter who’s HIV+ home and being treated very badly when a group of people found out about it. I realized that when people don’t know the TRUTH about HIV, they will fear it and where there is fear sometimes there is a lot of anger. I wanted to join Project HOPEFUL in spreading the TRUTH.

PH: Could you share with us your own adoption story?
LZ:  In July of 2008 my husband and I went to Ethiopia to pick up our daughter who was 9 at the time. While there, we met her family including her older biological sister who was HIV +. I hate to say it, but I was actually relieved her sister was not available for adoption then because I just “knew” there was no way I’d ever adopt a child who was +. I thought I’d be putting my other children and myself in danger.
After about a year of being home though, I just couldn’t get her off my mind. I’d followed Carolyn’s blog and seen how healthy Selah was now that she’d been home and was receiving lots of love and good medical care. And I thought just maybe adopting a child with HIV might not be such a dangerous thing after all.

We prayed and God made it clear that this precious girl whom I’d feared because of her HIV was my daughter and we needed to bring her home. Of course we searched the internet and spoke with doctors and other adoptive parents and the more we found out about HIV the less of an issue it became. My daughter has been home a little over a year now and is happy, healthy and thriving. I cannot imagine our family without her.

PH: What about Project HOPEFUL are you the most passionate about?
LZ:  My daughter told me after a few months of being home that after we brought her sister home to America she was very sick in Ethiopia. She wondered why we hadn’t gone back for her. It was so hard to look into my daughter’s eyes and admit that fear of HIV had been the reason she was sick and alone for so long.
I am passionate about Project HOPEFUL and the work they do because I don’t want any child to suffer through life sick and without a family soley because of people’s ignorance about HIV. I love being a part of spreading the TRUTH in love so that children like my daughter can be brought into families where they too can thrive.

PH: What do you want your fellow states-people to know about HIV adoption?
LZ: That there is no reason why children who happen to be HIV+ should be waiting for a family just because of their status. That HIV is absolutely NOT easily spread or a threat to anyone living in the same house under normal circumstances. And that once you’re child is home, the HIV becomes such a non issue you’ll wonder why you ever worried about it in the first place!

Thank you, Laci! We love your passion for the TRUTH!
If you’d like to contact Laci about events in Washington, you can contact her at hopefulinWA@gmail.com .  To find an associate in your state, visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/state-association .

Together for Adoption 2011 National Conference

The Project HOPEFUL staff is attending the Together for Adoption 2011 National Conference on October 21-22.  We will also be hosting a Breakout Session. There is still time to get the Early Bird Registration rate if you register by the end of August.  Hurry and register today!

Meet-Up Monday: Meet our Georgia State Associate, Amy Levy

Today I get to introduce you to our State Associate for Georgia, Amy Levy.  If you would like to contact your State Associate or would like to find out how to begin a State Association in your state, please contact Deanna Jones Falchook, National Associate Director at Deanna@projecthopeful.org.

PH: Tell us a little about yourself and how long you’ve lived in Georgia:
Amy: I am married to my high school sweetheart, Court.  We have 4 children.  Two of our children came to us through adoption and two through birth.  We have also been foster parents to 7 children who have all moved on to other places.  We adopted once through the US foster care system and once through international adoption in Uganda.  We are currently in the process of adopting a sibling group of 3 in Uganda.

PH: How did you first hear about Project HOPEFUL?
Amy:I first heard about Project HOPEFUL through Erin Henderson’s blog about her family. Her blog was my first exposure to updated,current information about HIV and I have been passionate about spreading TRUTH since that time.

PH: How did you develop an interest in HIV adoption advocacy?

Amy: It has burdened me for several years that there is so much unnecessary fear and misinformation in the US society, as well as world wide, regarding HIV and I felt very passionate about helping to spread facts and truth. It made me feel so awful that children were being passed over for adoption because of their HIV status.

PH: Can you tell us more about your family’s adoption journey?

Amy: As I mentioned before, I began to read blogs of families who had adopted children who are HIV positive.  I supported them and spread the word about their families, their adoptions, and facts about HIV in general.  But honestly, adopting children who are HIV positive was something other people were doing. Then we began the process to adopt in Uganda and heard about a little girl who needed a family and she was HIV+.  It hit us like a ton of bricks.  I had been advocating so loudly for these children when it wasn’t a reality for ME.  Suddenly it was real for ME.  My husband and I met with a doctor who treats children who are HIV+ in our area and asked all of our questions and had so much peace after our meeting.  We decided to move forward with adopting this little girl and as they say, the rest is history.  I cannot imagine our life without her in it.

PH: What about Project HOPEFUL are you the most passionate about?
Amy: Encouraging people to release fear and replace it with truth.

PH: What do you want your fellow states-people to know about HIV adoption?
Amy:I would love for people to know that much of the information floating around about HIV is FALSE.  We have even encountered physicians who do not know about HIV.  I would also love for them to know that it is so easy to get current information.  Just google “HIV transmission” and spend 5 minutes reading.  Lastly, I would love for every person in my state to know that you can  hug, kiss, touch, play with, befriend, dance with, tickle, wrestle, play soccer with and LOVE people who are HIV+ without any risk of transmitting the virus. Anyone in Georgia who would like more information can contact me at hopefulinGA@gmail.com.

PH: Thank you so much, Amy! We love your passion for the Truth!