You will not find many people in this world more honest than a child. That’s something Rayn Bonice knows better than anyone.
Things of My Very Own Inc., a nonprofit organization.
Since 2008, they have served thousands of individuals and Rayn believes 2017 will be a record year.
During the holiday season, Things of My Very Own Inc. Collect Christmas presents for foster children. This year, they decided to ask every child to write their wish list on a card, which community members would collect and then purchase gifts to fulfill each child’s wish.
Their sobering responses weren’t that of a typical child at Christmas.
None of them asked for this year’s hottest toy, or another video game to add to their collection. No, the children who filled out these tags listed their “innermost dreams”—things that should be part of everyone’s childhood.
“’A Dad,’ ‘new clothes so I won’t get picked on,’ or something as simple as ‘a comb.’ Perhaps most heart-wrenching was the teen boy who asked for feminine hygiene products for his younger sister, so she wouldn’t have to keep missing school.”
“Every tag is connected to a child who wants to believe that someone in the world cares about their well-being. If we can show them for one moment that someone put their needs ahead of their own, maybe they will finally believe that what they have endured does not need to define who they grow up to be.”
It’s a reality that hits way too close to home for Rayn.
When she was 14 years old, Rayn was placed in the foster care system, where she met another young girl like herself.
“She was also 14 and came in wearing clothing that would have fit a small nine-year-old,” Rayn writes in a now-viral Facebook post. “I remember seeing her change for bed and noticed reddish-purplish welts on her skin. Her clothing had literally injured her. I made a silent promise to her that day, that when I grew up, I would do something to help children like her and me.”
Sometimes the most difficult seasons of our lives can prove to be the most fruitful of the latter. I have to believe that was the case with Rayn.
The beautiful thing about her past and the hardships she overcame is that her accomplishments are affecting thousands of her real lives.
She is creating a brighter future for kids who don’t have enough of their basic needs, let alone a father or mother who shows endless love, support and encouragement. conditions for them.
“For many of these children, we are the spark of hope that lights up their otherwise dark world. Many individuals and businesses have already stepped up, asking for tags; and for these children, we hope it is only the beginning.”
Things of My Very Own Inc. is based out of Schenectady, New York, but they’ve created several ways for people from all over the place to come alongside them and make a difference in the lives of the children they serve.
Source:faithit.com, thingsofmyveryown
