I have one daughter whom I adopted at the age of 2 months old. I promised her birth parents my husband and I would give her a happy life. When my daughter turned 4 my husband passed away from cancer. I had to change to living as a single parent and even with his social security death benefits things got tight financially and I never was able to give her as much as I wanted. We relied heavily on my mother and she passed away shortly after my husband. Through the years I struggled and started to finally get on my feet. I found love again and then we became engaged. Shortly before our wedding he passed away too. My daughter has had more losses than most people have in a lifetime. It sent her into rebellion and I almost lost her to suicide. I had to stop working sometimes to get her therapy and be there for her. In doing so we just never really got ahead. Birthday parties barely existed for her while those around her had them every year. I felt like such a failure even though I knew I wasn’t. Finally things calmed down and I was able to get a good paying job but due to illness I lost that job. My daughter turned 18 in November and we have only been on one family vacation ever. Her only dream she ever asked of me was to go on a cruise for her birthday this November. It is already booked and I am so afraid I will not be able to make this dream come true. The money is due in September or it will be cancelled. I am a Christian and have devoted my life to working in ministry full time for God. I recently sold my home because I could no longer maintain it and by the time the back taxes and realtor commission and lawyer fees were taken out, and I paid our rent for 1 year for our new apartment, I had only $1400 left. I know it sounds vain to ask for this gift when so many other things are so important. I am striving to pay my car payment too but I trust God to help me with that. I just want her dream to be fulfilled. As a parent, our childrens’ dreams become our dreams. She is a motivated young woman who just got a job and is planning to pursue her GED this September and then to go to college for veterinary medicine specializing in aquatic animals. She also volunteers in our ministry and preaches the gospel. She is so deserving of this dream. Before I know it she will be off in a life of her own and I may not get this opportunity again. I never ever ask anyone for anything and this is so hard for me to do but I want to do it for her. The greatest gift is that I helped her connect with her birth parents and she doesn’t really communicate with her birth mom but has become close to her father and if you can help us to get our cruise paid I want to see what I can do to help her meet him in person and maybe give him a little something to help him pay his way to come with us on the cruise. I know I cannot pay his whole fare but anything if I can to help him. She deserves the chance to meet him and get to know a part of her life that only he can give her and allow her to build on that new father/daughter relationship. I thank you so very much for considering me for this blessed opportunity. I also do want to nominate someone else as well.
I would like to nominate Beverly Amos. This is a mighty and powerful woman of God who works tirelessly in her ministry Just In Time Outreach. She is always looking to provide for the community (at the present time we have planned a community baby shower, back to school supply drive and a health fair for this November). She lives with us because she spends what little funds she has on our church rent which does not allow her to rent an apartment of her own. I love having her here so I am not asking for rent money for her. She just takes so much money for the community that it comes from her wallet and there is nothing going into the ministry. If you could please donate a gift card to Walmart or prepaid gift card of some kind or even a month or 2 of rent (which is $300 month) so that we can use that for ministry expenses to help the community and do God’s work. Anything will be greatly appreciated. She is also supposed to be coming on the cruise with us and I had promised her I would pay her fare and I am unable to do that at this time and standing on faith for God to help. Please help us to make these dreams come true. Thank you again for your time and consideration. God bless you and the wonderful works you are doing for so many people.