Monday, December 15, 2008

December 15 Update





Good morning! I hope everyone is having a wonderful December. I am sorry for the lack of updates, I have been in Africa. If you would like to see more about that trip, please view the previous post and follow the link to our other blog. There are lots of pictures. The kids there are beautiful. While there I was asked to help find several homes for some children(children in pictures 1, 2 and 6). These would be considered private or independent adoptions as no agencies are licensed to do adoptions yet by Burkina. The fees would be minimal and travel is required one trip for both parents. I am also going to post some pictures of the babies in our home, so you can see how beautiful they are!

On another note, due to how much UAHH has grown and the responsibilites it takes to keep it together we have reorganized our directors. Fami will be taking over the director duties for UAHH and I will be running our African program FOG. Fami has been with me before UAHH even existed and has the same vision as me. She is truly one of my best friends and I trust her completely. She is also on our BOD. I will still be around and we are still one org, I just needed to delegate some responsibilities to keep everything running smoothly.

Also there was a mistake made and it was stated that HAiti was closed, that is not true, it was suppose to be Serbia but since that announcement was made, Serbia has approved to let the adoptions of special needs children to continue thru our contact in Serbia.

I will try to update more later this week, I am playing catch up with many things right now.
Thanks for stopping by!
Until All Have Homes,
Ann

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Quick update from AFrica!

I am currently in Africa to support our work we do here. If you would like to see pictures of some DARLING children and read more pls visit our other BLOG at:http://fieldsofgraceafrica.blogspot.com/

Until All Have Homes,
Ann

Monday, October 20, 2008

OCTOBER 21, 2008 UPDATE


Hello again! I am sorry for the delay in posting! It has been a busy month.


First and foremost, I have sad news. The family who was adopting Victoria, who was our Child of the Month cannot adopt her. They had their contract in and were working forward. This has nothing to do with Victoria, but the family adopting her. SOOOO, once again Vika is in need of a family. Our website will reflect that this week as we move her back to the child of the month. The 2 boys are are listed there are also still available. They too had a family but when one of the parents did their physical they rec'd not so good news. This has been heartbreaking in both situations for all of us! The good news is we have grants for families who might want to adopt either of these children or sibling set. Vika has $850.00 towards her adoption which the agency has. We also have a $5,000 grant in our Miracle Grant program. This is a child specific grant meaning that it can go towards either of the children of the month. To qualify you must be a Christian family. All monies will be paid to the agency AFTER a contract and first fees have been paid. For more info please contact ann@untilallhavehomes.org. That means Vika could have a grant of $5850.00 towards her adoption expenses!!! We are going to put the donate button back up for her too. Please help us find a home for these 3 children, their time is running out!

We have updated our Asia, EE, Haiti and Central America page with new babies and children. Please take a peek at: We are also getting updated info on our Africa chidren along with pictures! We are excited!http://www.untilallhavehomes.org/


We have some wonderful gift items in our store that would be perfect holiday gifts! With the way the economy is right now, why not give a gift that blesses 2 people at once. When you buy a one of our products, you are helping a child in need and your friend/relative etc is getting a meaningful gift. http://www.untilallhavehomes.org/howyoucanhelp.html We will be updating this page this week. We have tee's, a special book and we will also be adding jewelry and calendars soon!


Speaking of calendars, thanks to all the families who offered their children's pictures for our 2009 calendar! We hope to have the calendar done by the end of the month to offer for sale. All proceeds from the calendar will help fund our Miracle Grant program.


Our school sponsorship program was a huge success this year with 63 kids being sponsored. If you would like to read more about our African projects, please visit our blog at: http://fieldsofgraceafrica.blogspot.com/.


I can feel the wind of change ablowing! I know the times seem uncertain! But what I do know is that we are to keep doing what we are doing and even do MORE when this times comes! So do not lose heart, we still have much to do!!

Until All Have Homes,

Ann

Friday, September 12, 2008

SEPT 12 UPDATE WOW WOW WOW!!!!!







Today's post comes with much celebrating and all I can say is WOW!!!!!! I cannot believe the outpouring of kindness and generosity everyone has shown. I am very humbled and jumping out of my skin at the same time!!! THANK YOU!!!

Our little girl who has been Child of the Month, Vika (the 9yo pictured above) HAS A FAMILY! And due to all the generous people who donated, YOU MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THIS CHILD'S LIFE! We asked for donations and they came in. Every penny counted. UAHH matched those donations and we raised $850.00. Then another person came in and gave us another $2500 for her adoption. OK, before you pick your self up off the floor read on! That means $3300.00 is going to help her family with adoption expenses!

We have 2 older boys from a country in EE (not Russia) that need a home in the next 2 months. Well, we have $2500.00 to put towards their adoption to a Christian family and are also doing the matching grant for them too. So if you donate from now until the end of the month thru our pay pal account using the donate button on their page, we will once again match all donations. PLUS, if that was not enough, I got word last nite that someone is going to MATCH the $2500 GRANT so they have a $5,000 on them already plus whatever we can raise in the next couple of weeks! How exciting is that!! You can read more about them at: http://untilallhavehomes.org/childofmonth.html. Fami is updating all the grant info today! Let's find them a home! You guys made all the difference last time, let's do it again. I know that their fees in country have been greatly reduced and there is only one agency fee!!

We have several MATCHES of HIV kids in our Haiti program. How exciting! We have several darling new children in our EE program and also did add some children to our Asia program. Please take a peek when you have time.

We have a new book that was donated to us by the author. IT is a wonderful story about a bird and a cat who become best friends and deals with being different than everyone else. The purchase prices is $10.00 mailed and 100% of the price goes to us as a donation! These will make a wonderful gift for anyone. They are fully illustrated too in color. You can follow this link and scroll down to see more info and ordering info. :)
http://untilallhavehomes.org/howyoucanhelp.html There are other items for sale also. Think Christmas. You get to give a gift while helping orphans worldwide!

We are also working on a Fundraising calendar for 2009 (we will sell it in 2008) If you would like to contribute your child's picture or sponsor a month or special date, please contact fami@untilallhavehomes.org for more info.

Are you adopting from China? I just made a new friend who has a wonderful service to people who are! They can contact your child's orphanage and get updates, weights, etc and can arrange for presents, birthday cakes etc to be delivered to your child. I JUST FOUND IT and what an incredible service. You can see her site at: http://www.ladybugsnlove.com/. We are adopting from China and I hope to use her service SOON!! If you would like to read more about our adoption, you can follow this link to our blog: http://desireoftheheartchina.blogspot.com/. In the upper right hand corner is a beautiful pc of jewelry. The same person who made that is making a couple pcs for UAHH and FOG (our African ministry) to fund raise with. The pc on my blog is one of the pcs she is using to raise money for our adoption. She gives back so much to orgs and families adopting special needs kids. You need to see her pcs or even better buy one of ours once it is done!

Well, I think I am DONE with today's update. I am extremely EXCITED about all the generous donors and friends out there. This is OUR ministry, all of OURS together! UAHH belongs to everyone who helps these children. That is what this is all about and I love the community involved in getting things done. You people are incredible and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are making a difference. You may think it is small but it is HUGE in these kids lives!!
Fast update on our FOG projects. We are closing out our school sponsorship program with 57 kids sponsored. What a great bunch of people there too!

Have a great rest of summer!
Until All Have Homes,
Ann









Sunday, August 24, 2008

AUGUST 24 UPDATE



First, I want to say thank you to everyone. The darling little boy below PLUS the OI baby and the LD baby girl all have families pending! Todays cutie is a little boy with diabetes. His mom could not afford the med's and had to put him in the orphanage. He is a DOLL!! We also are advocating for a older child who has been waiting way too long! A couple of our families have met her and we have updated her info to include their thoughts on this little girl, Please follow this link to read more. http://www.untilallhavehomes.org/childofmonth.html. She is also one of our Miracle Grant Children. From now until the end of the month any donation made towards her adoption will be matched by a generous donor! So if you donate $10.00, that donations bumps up to $20.00. Please help us get the word out!

We have lots of babies and new children. Please take a peek at our website: www.untilallhavehomes.org. If you are filling out an application to view the children, please make sure all info is correct and complete. If not the application will be rejected. Our incredible volunteers are turning these around in several days. So if you don't hear anything in a week, please let us know or redo the form and make sure all info is correct.

We have revamped our How You Can Help Page on our website. We will be adding several products that are perfect for the coming holidays! Also, Tracy Hansen, a super talented, renowned jewelry artist is designing several pieces of jewelry for us to help raise funds. Here is a link to her site: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5208670

She makes lots of adoption related jewelry and can also do customs pcs. And if that is not enough, she supports several great causes and is an incredible person!

We are winding down our African school sponsorship program. We have 48 children sponsored. We HAD 10 left until our African director sent me 5 more urgent children. There stories would break your heart! It costs $200 a year to sponsor a child and it can be made in payments. This is a UAHH project and 100% $$ goes to the kids.. Please email ann@untilallhavehomes.org with any questions. Here is the link to view the children who still need sponsors and to read more about our program: http://www.untilallhavehomes.org/FOG/sponsorship.html

This month has been a very blessed month for us! I have rec'd numerous we are home pictures and notes and I can't tell you what it means for me for the kids to find homes. And I so appreciate all the letters! It still makes me cry and I love what God does thru UAHH! I have incredible volunteers who are wonderful, several are very close friends, all are a huge part of UAHH. They work behind the scenes and I don't know that I would do without them. THANK YOU! And to FAMI, who puts up with all my WHIMS concerning the website, I owe you! I am sure God has several crowns for enduring circumstances waiting for you :)

As we come to a close for this update, I want to also post a picture of our daughter, Victoria. I am not big about posting my kids stuff on here (she is pretty cute tho). Victoria is the whole reason we started UAHH. When God placed her in our heart and we set out on that journey to bring her to our family, we and she had no idea how many lives would be changed. How many lives would be changed if you took a step of faith and adopted one of these children? There are so many that need homes! While Vika has no idea what she has done, there is not a week that goes by that I don't look at her face and see the hand and face of GOD. It still makes me cry! PLEASE HELP THESE CHILDREN IN SOME WAY! God wants to bless your life too!

Until All Have Homes,

Ann

Monday, August 11, 2008

AUGUST 11 UPDATE, WHERE DO I BEGIN :)


Ok, wow, summer has FLOWN by and I am running way behind on updates! Ok, today's sweetie pie and yes he is a BOY, needs a home ASAP. He is so darling. He has some differences in his fingers/hands. But we are being told he is the SWEETEST!!! So if you are interested please contact Stephanie@untilallhavehomes.org. Also the 2 DARLING little girls, well the 3 girls in posts below (2 are limb difference and 1 is an OI (Brittle bone) baby) are still available. Again, please contact Stephanie for more info. I have a family who has OI kids who would be happy to talk to anyone interested in the little princess. She also has a $7500 grant towards her adoption. She is one of the "main" cities so it would be easy travel as you would not have to travel to a "region" to get her. Also we are looking for people who will help pay for her "private nanny". Another nonprofit in country has been supplying a nanny to work with her as her current orphanage was scared to touch her. It costs $25.00 a day for 8 hours. You could team up with a friend and maybe to every Monday etc. That would be approx $100 for you and your friend to help this child!

Well, that was the tip of the ICEBURG, because if you have not been on our site, there are so many new and cute kids you will scream! We have a darling little boy we just added who has diabetes. Evidently the government stopped giving the mom medicines and she had no choice! We also listed some DARLING babies from Haiti too. So please take a peek and feel free to post about any of the kids (without lifting their pictures) to appropriate groups or to friends!

On our African projects, we have 15 kids we still need sponsors for. We have 41 sponsors so far! Please help us. It costs $200 a year and it can be divided up into payments! You can read more about that here: http://www.untilallhavehomes.org/FOG/sponsorship.html We also have some African tees left. These are a great to raise awareness of what happens to so many people in Africa. They are not country specific, just Africa in general. They are a GREAT conversation piece and a way to get the word out that these people NEED OUR HELP! http://www.untilallhavehomes.org/Africa_Tees.html

We are starting a new area in our ministry with the help of a "friend". We are hoping to raise money to put grants on several of our children who have been waiting on our site too long or who are harder to place because of their diagnosis. If you would like to be a part of this team, please email me at: ann@untilallhavehomes.org

Thanks for stopping by and we would love to hear from you!

Until All Have Homes,

Ann

Monday, July 14, 2008

JULY 14 UPDATED



I have an urgent request for the little girl in yellow above. She is an EE baby in need of a home ASAP. She has OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) and just turned 1. She needs a home fast as she is very fragile. There are TONS of photos of her (and in everyone she has that smile) and video tape of her too. So if you are interested please contact Stephanie@untilallhavehomes.org. We are working on some grants for her. NOTE: We have added a new "feature" called Miracle Grant to our Child of the Month (we will be doing this for 2 children on our site at a time until they are matched with a family). You will see a donate button under their description. We are asking for donations of which 100% of what is collected will go towards that specific child's adoption. All monies collected will be paid to the agency AFTER a signed contact is in the agencies hand to be used towards their adoption expenses. All donations are tax deductable as UAHH is a 501c3. For any questions concerning our new Miracle Grant program please contact ann@untilallhavehomes.org

The next cutie pie with the green and white striped shirt is also EE and is missing both of her legs right above the knee. Isn't she darling! If you would like more info on her, please contact Stephanie@untilallhavehomes.org

Have you seen our new SITE?? WOW!! Did you know our own very talented (and patient)Web designer FAMI did that!! Fami adopted our daughters best friend and has been with me since BEFORE we even started UAHH! If you love it as much as I do, please send her a comment from our contact us page on the website. THANKS FAMI, YOU ARE THE QUEEN!
Talking about new websites, there have been some changes. We did combine all of Asia into one password protected page. Since China is changing how they hand out children to agencies, we felt it would cause less confusion to do it that way! Also, we do have a FAQ tab at the very top in case you have any questions, hopefully it is answered there, if not just send us an email. Also a BIG HATS off to Cyndi R who designed our new logo. Isn't that incredible too! We have been so blessed!! THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK girls! Also a BIG shout out to all our friends who shared pictures of their kids (all UAHH kids) for our banner. If you don't see you child on the banner, check around the site. Fami is using them all over the site. Thanks for sharing your kids with us!

Some of our near future projects include an E-newsletter and a slide show of Burkina. We are also working on promotional materials for YOU and US to hand out to churches, businesses and orgs. Again, Cyndi and her husband who are professional graphic artists are helping with this. I can't wait.

Ok, on to kids. We have 2 new babies in Haiti that need homes. Please take a peek! We are working on cleaning up the EE pages and have added numerous DARLING younger babies from there, you must go look!

We are currently working on getting school sponsors for poor children in Burkina Africa. If you are interested you can view that info from our homepage at UAHH.

We have so many exciting things in the pot. WE have a famous Christian author who wants to help us fund raise and we are working with a HUGE org on fundraising too. (One I know you have all heard of.) and these are just the tip of the ice burg on ppl wanting to help and some of our future plans!

As we are expanding in so many areas, we are always in need of more hands and feet. If you have been blessed by adoption or feel led to do something to help orphans and needy children, we would love to have you on board. Just contact ann@untilallhavehomes.org. As always we are always looking for prayer partners! We really want to make sure all the children on our site are covered in prayer!

Ok, hope everyone is having an incredible summer. I can't believe school starts NEXT month! Thanks for stopping by!

Until All Have Homes,
Ann Grabeman

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