$27 Million
By Fireflies for the Heart
"Debi, You'll never believe what happened? We've won the lottery!" Steve exclaimed.
"Yeah, right" Debi's disbelief poured over the phone lines.
"No, we've won! $27 million!" Steve tried to convince his newlywed wife.
Like all lottery winners, disbelief was Debi's first reaction. Only newlyweds, Debi thought Steve was joking with her when he called their home to spread the financial news. But then realizing he was serious, thoughts of babies and scholarships jumped to her mind.
With 7 children of their own, Debi and Steve Faris-Cifelli could certainly use the money. But they know life is about doing what they feel is their purpose. A little of the money went to their own kids, but mostly it went to 140 scholarships, one for a boy and one for a girl in honor of each of the 70 babies she has buried at the Garden of Angels cemetery.
Several years earlier, a different sort of disbelief had spread across Debi's mind as she watched the TV newscast. . .
"Reporting from the highway, a duffle bag containing a newborn was discovered today as it had been tossed from the overpass to its death. No leads on the whereabouts of the mother. Unfortunately nothing could be done to save this baby's life."
Stunned, shocked and with her heart breaking at this tragedy, Debi was moved to do something to honor this child. She did the only action left for this little one. . . she telephoned the coroner's office and requested the baby's body to bury it. After that phone call, one thing led to another and soon Debi had 3 babies whose final ceremony lay in her hands.
From that fateful newscast and with her tender heart, Debi created the Garden of Angels Cemetery near their California home. Garden of Angels is the final resting place of abandoned babies. Babies left to die by mothers out of fear and desperation. Debi has buried 70 babies. The surrounding towns' morgues have Debi's personal cell phone number.
Deeply spiritual, Debi feels it is her calling in life to dignify the deaths of these smallest of humans.
After a call to pick up a baby, she "goes into the autopsy room alone, where she wraps each infant in a homemade quilt, cradles it and prays over it. . . . and gives each baby a first name." Eventually at the gravesite, with the name etched onto the cross, Debi turns loose dozens of doves in the baby's honor.
Being completely dissatisfied and frustrated with providing funerals for these little ones, Debi began to think about what could be done. Babies simply should not die this way in the first place.
Could a law be passed that ensured the mother's safety if she gave up her baby safely? What if there were no repercussions if the baby was turned into a hospital or a fire station within few hours of birth?
California's 2001 Safe Haven Law allows troubled mothers to leave newborns at safe locations without fear of prosecution. It's now law in 46 states. . . and Debi was the dynamic influence to get it passed. She dreams of a culture where her cemetery doesn't have to exist.
Talking to legislators, school groups, counselors and town leaders across the United States, Debi has determined that she will give voice to those babies. Her hope is that mothers everywhere learn of the option to lovingly place their baby in the hands of someone who can ensure its safety. Details differ from U.S. state to U.S. state, but in 46 American states the Safe Haven Law is in effect. Some states even allow the child to be reclaimed within a few days if certain criteria are met, allowing the child to be "adopted" back to his/her own mother. If not reclaimed, the child is placed in foster or foster-adopt care.
The hearts of Debi and Steve are best shown in part of the mission statement of Garden of Angels:
- It's about the children. . .
- It's about giving them DIGNITY and HONOR, instead of rejection.
- It's about giving them a VOICE instead of silence. It's about what we could have done to PROTECT the lives of these children, and WHAT WE CAN DO NOW!
- It's about opening our ears and LISTENING to the still small voice inside each and every one of us.
- It's about changed HEARTS and LIVES.
- But mostly...It's about LOVE.
Written by Debi Faris-Cifelli before the burial of the first three children . . . Matthew, Nathan and Dora. . . in the Garden of Angels
Debi and Steve live a life of total devotion and love toward mothers and educating the public about the Safe Haven Law. They've immersed themselves in a passionate pursuit. I hope you sense their compassion and integrity, yet they are ordinary people with everyday struggles. They have chosen to be involved in something greater than themselves. They have chosen to make a difference.
You know you too, can make a difference.
There are organizations and needs surrounding you every day in every city - in any town. You don't need $27 million. You don't have to have legislation passed.
All you need is a willing hand, a listening ear or a soft shoulder. I challenge you to look around where you live and move out of yourself just a little. An hour a month can make a real difference in the life of a child, a non-profit organization, a teacher or even an animal shelter. . . and in you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ginny Dye, Sandi Valentine & Suess Karlsson are a team of writers who all share a passion to empower and motivate everyone who they touch through their writing. Their stories are a gift to the world! Learn how to create the success you dream of, overcome obstacles and challenges, and live a life of grace and love. Please visit us at http://firefliesfortheheart.com.
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According to the Law of Attraction, gratitude is one of the keys to abundance. Why? Because it keeps us focused on what we have instead of what we don't have. Where we direct our attention to can literally change our lives.
