The Raining Season

I haven't blogged about The Raining Season in a while. And I am feeling a responsibility to do so tonight. I was all excited about blogging about our day at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame - which was inspiring to say the least. But we just arrived at our hotel for the night and I watched a new video on the Raining Season's website.

The Raining Season is an organization that was created by some friends of mine. It was created to support, sponsor, care for, and save the lives of orphans in Sierra Leone, Africa. They began as a very small organization... and sort of stumbled upon their connection to Sierra Leone when they first visited to adopt their little girl.

What started as a group of people visiting Sierra Leone, providing food and water to an impoverished shelter they discovered... has - within a year and half - turned into a thriving orphanage of their own. We now have over 80 children in the orphanage. And jobs have even been provided for the care givers, cooks, a nurse, and even former orphans. Over 30 new children just arrived in the last week. TRS wasn't quite prepared for that many arrivals, but the incredible staff and care givers have been pulling double shifts to take in these beautiful children. A ferry accident left an entire village, Shenge, in ruins last year, and TRS was notified by the City Council of Shenge because there were so many needy children left homeless from this accident.

To read more details and see pictures about the children that were brought in, visit their blogspot site:
http://www.savetheorphan.blogspot.com/

They had to choose the children most in need of immediate medical attention. Even though the orphanage wasn't quite equipped to handle so many new arrivals, they were not about to turn away the children.

The Raining Season relies strictly on donations to help keep the orphanage going. It is truly amazing how little it takes to make a HUGE difference. There are so many opportunities - ANYTHING helps. You can even sponsor a specific child, which you will receive updates on! And from personal experience, I can tell you that it is extremely fulfilling to see the difference you are making in these children's lives!!! James and I dream of visiting soon. There are constantly trips being planned to visit the orphanage, and you can even look at the packages to go on a trip yourself on the website!

Check out this video of a new arrival that just had me weeping. Sherrif is only 6 years old, and he was working in a rock quarry before he came to The Raining Season!

The Raining Season's Arrival of Sherrif

Child Sponsorship from The Raining Season on Vimeo.

If you are interested in seeing another short video... here's one that shows the progress made last year - finding the building for the Orphanage, mattresses, building beds... all because of OUR donations!!!

Year End Accomplishments of The Raining Season

YEAR END Accomplishments! from The Raining Season on Vimeo.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Save The Orphan.

Many of my good friends are on their way home right now from Africa. They have all been through an emotional roller coaster that is harder than I can imagine. I have feared posting anything online about their trip for their safety. They are in Sierra Leone doing all they can to save children that were brought into their lives over the last few years. But they are in a country that is so poor and desolate that there are few they can trust. They have been accused of kidnapping one moment and then turn around to see hands outstretched, begging them for salvation.

They have purchased a building to serve as an orphanage for almost 100 children. But moving these children from their current facility is much harder than anyone anticipated. The government seems to be little to no help, even though these children are living in horrendous conditions. My friends witnessed a plate of food set in the middle of the room, 2 boys placed in front of it and expected to fight. Who ever wins, gets the food. The little ones have been plugged so that they do not soil their diapers as often. And their poor stomachs are severely backed up.

And I don't even know the half of it. I am going to attach a link so that you can read more about their journey yourself. I will post more as I am assured I can without putting them in danger. They need prayers more than anything right now. But the facility they will provide these children will be life-changing. Now, they just need to be able to move the children there. These kids have never had a bed... no blanket... no mattress... no pillow... no nothing. Not to mention the lack of food.

If you want to help, be assured you will know EXACTLY where your donations will go. You can follow the progress daily. These are just ordinary people like you and me, who stumbled into an extraordinary circumstance. They found themselves in a situation in which they were unable to turn a blind eye. They have children and families of their own. But are working tirelessly to make sure these orphans have a chance at life.

http://www.savetheorphan.blogspot.com/

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie