You know what sucks? Fundraising…yep, I don’t like it. It’s not the late hours of work, nor the burned fingers from hot gluing, not the vinyl cutter malfunctions, or even the painstaking, hunched over, coffee driven mania I achieve late at night. No, it’s not those things…it’s me. Yes, I don’t like to receive help. I am a very controlled person in many ways, and I manage a lot. At my job, in my home, and as a woman, I have always been a do-it-yourself, driven person and I take pride in my abilities….and did you hear that? That word. PRIDE. Yes, that is why I don’t like fundraising, I am prideful. And honestly, you’d think I would have swallowed that pride when we brought home Israel, but I’m also a slow learner.
Two days ago, I walked into a quilt store and was picking out fabric for Star’s Quilt. I had the idea to let friends and family buy quilt blocks with their name embroidered on them to be stitched into a quilt. The quilt would go on her bed and she could see all the names of people who helped bring her home. As I browsed the aisles, a lady asked me if I needed help. I’m sure I looked utterly confused and lost. I explained I was looking for fabric for a quilt and it soon came up what the quilt was for. She got tears in her eyes and said, “I know you, I followed your adoption of Israel, he’s so amazing” And then this beautiful, big-hearted woman said, “I don’t have much, but I can donate all the fabric and the embroidery” And gazing upon this beautiful gesture, I realized something very important. These adoptions and my family, they are so much bigger than me. Can you imagine if I would have said, no thank you I don’t want your help, I’ll do it myself? Or, I don’t want your gift or your sacrifice, but thanks anyway. Instead, this woman is investing in something incredibly beautiful and lasting. And like the blocks in a quilt, her sacrifice now becomes stitched into the story. By accepting her gift, I am allowing her to be a part of Star’s healing, transformation, and redemption.
Just like the quilt blocks, we see each prayer, donation and word of encouragement we receive as a piece of her story. As you all follow along in this great love story, I hope you see the absolute wonder of the purchase. A little girl flawed and worthless in the eyes of many, has turned valuable and pursued.
One of the most defining moments of my life, was watching my 6 foot 9 inch husband “choose” Israel and carry him up the steps and out of that orphanage. My son spent 4 years not picked and not valued, and then his daddy came and he was strong and big. Israel’s daddy came because a community of people saw his worth and supported his adoption. They each became a piece of his journey. Our family is willing to spend itself to bring home our daughter, and we are blessed that others are willing to as well.
If you’d like to be a part of the story with your name on a quilt block, donate $25 to her Star’s Reece’s Rainbow account and email the name you’d like on your quilt block to dsb_fam@hotmail.com.
Reeces Rainbow link for donation is
