{"id":1366,"date":"2011-07-27T08:00:28","date_gmt":"2011-07-27T15:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/?p=1366"},"modified":"2011-07-26T19:07:15","modified_gmt":"2011-07-27T02:07:15","slug":"featuring-ground-swell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/2011\/07\/featuring-ground-swell\/","title":{"rendered":"{featuring} ground swell"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Often the time spent doing research for blog posts &amp; projects consists of many minutes browsing online stores and my favorite blogs for that perfect piece or idea to spark my creativity. However, every once in awhile I find something that extends well beyond simply jump-starting my imagination; a story that touches my heart and truly inspires.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Screen-shot-2011-07-26-at-6.55.46-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1367\" title=\"Screen shot 2011-07-26 at 6.55.46 PM\" src=\"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Screen-shot-2011-07-26-at-6.55.46-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"416\" height=\"284\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Screen-shot-2011-07-26-at-6.55.46-PM.png 416w, http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Screen-shot-2011-07-26-at-6.55.46-PM-300x204.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 416px) 100vw, 416px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>It is with that I would like to introduce you to the <strong>Carter family<\/strong> (Steve, Sarah &amp; Emerson) from <a title=\"Ground Swell\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cartersgroundswell.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ground Swell<\/a> to share with you their story in <strong>the adventure of adopting a little boy from Ghana.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/19461282?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/vimeo.com\/19461282\">Carters&#8217; Story<\/a> from <a href=\"http:\/\/vimeo.com\/user3767756\">Nick Benoit<\/a> on <a href=\"http:\/\/vimeo.com\">Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>I had the opportunity to ask Sarah a few more questions about their journey and she shares her answers here:<\/em><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\">How\/why did you decide to adopt a child from Ghana<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #737373;\">Firstly, when we first began to consider adoption, we paid close attention to our responses to the different stories we&#8217;d hear, both domestic and international. \u00a0Every time we&#8217;d hear a story of domestic adoption, we&#8217;d feel inspired, but not moved. \u00a0When we&#8217;d hear an adoption story about international adoption, it was impossible to keep the tears from flowing. \u00a0Our hearts just connected with it in a way that led us to choose international. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #737373;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #737373;\">We knew we wanted to pursue Africa and began praying about Uganda, Ethiopia and Ghana. \u00a0Ghana is one of the most stable countries in Africa, but the poverty level is high and there are an estimated 1,000,000 orphans. \u00a0We really fell in love with our agency, Adoption Advocates, too. \u00a0They are amazing. \u00a0<\/span>Their website (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.adoptionadvocates.org\/ghana\/ghana_process.php\">http:\/\/www.adoptionadvocates.org\/ghana\/ghana_process.php<\/a>)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\">Regarding the fundraising process, what are some of the creative ways people have gotten involved to support you?<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><span><span style=\"color: #737373;\">\u00a0That has actually been one of the most wonderful surprises for us during this adoption process. \u00a0I think many people are put off by the cost international adoption\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span style=\"color: #737373;\">(an average of $30,000). I know for us it was a very intimidating number! \u00a0But we knew that it was not going to keep us from our forever child, and we knew we were going to learn a lot about accepting help from others and being on the receiving end of generosity. \u00a0We have had people give in the most creative ways: one friend who is a photographer set up an online auction to win a session of her photography services and donated all the bids to our adoption fund (we raised over $300 that way!). \u00a0We&#8217;ve had people give us items to sell in a benefit yard sale (over $1,500 raised!), we had an incredible children&#8217;s clothing designer (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.finleyandoliver.com\/\">www.finleyandoliver.com<\/a>) donate her time and resources to create custom shirts to sell in a fundraiser ($1,200 raised!). \u00a0The biggest fundraiser we&#8217;ve experienced was from a couple who were married a few months ago, and asked their guests to donate to our adoption instead of buying them wedding gifts! \u00a0(What!?!) \u00a0So incredible, and we were given $7,000 from them. \u00a0There are tons of ways that people can become involved in an adoption story. \u00a0Even if you don&#8217;t have the extra cash to give financially, you have gifts and talents you can use to help fundraise and support the families you may know who are adopting. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #737373;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\">Tell us about the nonprofit you&#8217;re working with and how you got involved with them.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><span><span style=\"color: #737373;\">One of the wonderful things about Ghana and adoptive families is the instant community we&#8217;ve discovered. \u00a0We may not have known anyone in Ghana before we began this adoption, but now thanks to commu<\/span><\/span><span><span><span style=\"color: #737373;\">n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span style=\"color: #737373;\">ity and social networking, we have made some incredible friends and allies. \u00a0One of the most significant being Kristie O&#8217;Leary and her daughter Sydney. \u00a0Sydney and her parents began the nonprofit Feeding the Orphans (<a href=\"http:\/\/feedingtheorphans.com\/\">http:\/\/feedingtheorphans.com\/<\/a>) after they adopted the first time from Ghana. \u00a0They saw a void for children to have their basic needs met and felt they could raise awareness and finances here in the states. \u00a0They recently partnered with City of Refuge in Ghana, another amazing nonprofit that works with children who are rescued out of the fishing slave trade, some as young as three. \u00a0They work to place them in &#8220;safe homes&#8221; where they can recuperate and learn how to be kids again. \u00a0Its an amazing program that I feel very called to help with. \u00a0When we decided to adopt from Ghana, we knew that we would be forever connected to the country our child came from, and are committed to helping not only our child a better future, but as many kids as we can who desperately need it. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\">If people want to take part in supporting your fundraising and\/or &#8220;feeding the orphans&#8221; how can they get involved?<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #737373;\">Well, the most simple way is to give financially from our blog page here:<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cartersgroundswell.com\/p\/adoption.html\">http:\/\/www.cartersgroundswell.com\/p\/adoption.html<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0We are about half-way to reaching our goal of $30,000 &#8211; which is an incredible feat! \u00a0But the need is still great, and we would love to invite you into our adoption story. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #737373;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #737373;\">You can purchase Safe House bracelets from our website as well, proceeds are split 50\/50 to our adoption and Feeding the Orphans:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cartersgroundswell.com\/p\/advertise_12.html\">http:\/\/www.cartersgroundswell.com\/p\/advertise_12.html<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #737373;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #737373; font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\">I think the best advice I can give is to take a few moments, look around you at the things you already have going in your life, and ask how you can use 10% of it to make someone&#8217;s life forever-changed. \u00a0Use what you have. \u00a0Be creative. \u00a0Help make the story amazing. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #737373; font-family: 'lucida console', sans-serif;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<p><em>One more great example of a creative way to support the Carter family in their adoption process:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><\/em><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;\">Desiree from the shop Hannah James is donating 50% of all her shop proceeds to our adoption fund for the entire month of July&#8230; this is such a creative way to use what you have to support adoption! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div>her blog post:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/simplysimonsisters.blogspot.com\/2011\/07\/carter-family.html\">http:\/\/simplysimonsisters.blogspot.com\/2011\/07\/carter-family.html<\/a><\/div>\n<div>her shop: \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/hannahjames.storenvy.com\/\">http:\/\/hannahjames.storenvy.com\/<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Thank you so much to the Carter family for taking part in today&#8217;s post! To <strong>get involved<\/strong> or for more on <strong>how you can support<\/strong> their adoption process, learn more <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cartersgroundswell.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">{here}<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Check back tomorrow for an awesome give away courtesy of Ground Swell!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Often the time spent doing research for blog posts &amp; projects consists of many minutes browsing online stores and my favorite blogs for that perfect piece or idea to spark my creativity. However, every once in awhile I find something &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/2011\/07\/featuring-ground-swell\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[165],"tags":[166,50,167],"class_list":["post-1366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured-blog","tag-adoption","tag-baby-boy","tag-fundraising"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1366"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1373,"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1366\/revisions\/1373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bellabambinidesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}