It's A Wish For A Sis

Thursday, December 21, 2006

*Your eyes are not deceiving you...I reposted this so that it was at the top of the page...

Sorry that it took a few days, however, here is the history behind the AWish4ASis project:

"The names of the people involved have been changed to protect the victims identity, however the facts and story are all true and accurate."

My name is Melody and I'm 28 years old. I don't have much family but I do have a sister that I didn't know I had until February 25th, 2006.

As one of many thousands of American Idol fans, I am glued to the tv everytime that show comes on, to see what Simon is going to say! So was my sister. I have a huge thing when it comes to stronger punishment for sex offenders, and I started to think about where a person might go to look for young kids online, and immediately thought of the American Idol website message boards.

I posted a link on there for USWatchDog and it was taken down by the website moderators after about an hour. I continued to post the link, and it was continually removed, so I was thinking it was hopeless that it may actually reach out and touch someone.

However, I was wrong.

Within 10 minutes of me posting the link the first time I got an e-mail from a girl who I would like to name Bella, because she is beautiful on the inside and the outside.

She was fourteen years old and very mature for her age and she and I were trying to figure out why the website moderator kept pulling my link down.

She and I started talking online and I realized that I had a sister! There was a love between us from the very beginning.

She opened up to me about her childhood and what had drawn her to my post in the first place and the things she told me that she had gone through saddened me to my core. This beautiful light of a person, had repeatedly been sexually abused when she was only five years old. It continued for three years. The details are not important, all they would do would sicken you and embarrass her even though her identity is being kept private, she is not just a story, she is a real girl with feelings.

She had never told anyone what she had been through. Yet here I was, a total stranger in which she could confide in.

I suppose she knew that I loved her and I posed no threat because I didn't know her place in the world, and didn't know her family so I could tell no one and she was still safe with her secret.

Lots of times people who are sexually abused develop eating disorders, and like many young girls Bella had too. I could definitely relate to this because for ten years I had struggled with anorexia. Once again I understood and didn't love her any less for her hardships. In fact, I love her more for the strength she had to tell me what she was going through.

We talked every day online and eventually on the phone. That told me she trusted me, because at that moment she knew I could tell her parents what had happened, but I didn't. She had been through enough and what she needed was someone to love her and that I did...I still do.

I came to find that her first language is French and she helped me with my French and I helped her with her English homework. We read the same books and did school projects together online and on the phone. We couldn't have been closer if she were sitting right next to me and the love was there.....we were sisters and we both knew it.

She told me one day that she wanted to to tell her family what had happened, but that she was afraid and embarassed to tell them. I have to say that I can understand because I went through something similiar and my rational was that if no one knew, it didn't happen, so I kept it to myself for a long time.

Bella is a really strong girl, but even the strongest people in the world break down.

What I didn't know was that there were many nights online that we would be talking and she would be at her computer crying and wouldn't tell anyone why.

I think that she reached a point of equal strength and weakness, and in a moment of both she decided to tell her mother what happened to her. However she still didn't want her father to know. I can say, being a female, that is more embarassing than anything in the world to a girl.

The next day I spent hours on the phone talking with Bella and her mother, and we all connected in a very special way. Her mom finally understood the special bond between a girl who is twenty eight years old and her fourteen year old daughter, and she said it would be OK if I wanted to come visit. She also knew it would help Bella in talking to her father if she had a support system.

I didn't really have the money right then to jump on a plane to Canada for a week, so I prayed on it.

A week later, maybe two (I can't remember accurately what the time frame was), my prayers were answered. I unexpectedly received a settlement check that would allow me the ability to go to Canada for a week.

So the trip was booked, and I was on my way to meet my sister for the very first time.

My trip to see her was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, because I truly feel in my heart that Bella is my sister. She was even more beautiful on the inside and outside in person. Her family welcomed me with open arms and we spent a lovely week together in Canada.

During my visit, Bella and I sat down, and talked to both of her parents about what had happened to her. It was a really sad night.

I was there to support her during that time, for which I will always be grateful.

I wiped her tears and held her close as the memories came back to her, like a bad movie in which she was the main role.

This sweet beautiful girl would do anything in the world for anyone, and I can't help but wonder why these types of things seem to happen to the greatest of people.

Maybe these experiences are partially responsible for her greatness and her compassion. But I do believe in my heart she would be the same wonderful girl without all the pain.

In fact, I'm certain of it.

Let me tell you something Bella did so that you understand one of the many reasons why I love her so much!!

Recently her teachers put together a project in school, in which she got five boxes and placed them in the front of the classroom. She went on to tell the students about these children in Africa who don't have anything and were less fortunate than they were. With the holidays coming up, the teacher thought it would be nice if the students each brought something to fill these boxes to send to the children in Africa for Christmas.

When none of the students did anything, Bella became so emotional that she took all the boxes herself. On her own, she went to the store that day with all of the money she saved from babysitting and filled the boxes herself!

When she told me this I was so proud of her!

The reason was because she does things like this without an ulterior motive...She does it because he heart is pure! That is just one of the many things to love about her.

Since I met her, she has moved forward with her family in the legal process to bring justice to the person which abused her, and it's not easy...in fact it's terribly difficult and sad.

Sisters know when their other sister is needed.

I wanted to go spend some time with my sister again.

A dear friend of mine had a credit with Northwest Airlines which he transferred to me.

I recently returned from a trip to Canada, where I spent 5 wonderful days with my sister doing "girly things".

We spent five days listening to Paula Abdul (her favorite singer), doing arts and crafts, shopping, going to the movies, out to dinner and had a great time doing what sisters do but I realized something when I was there.....

Bella is a great girl who is compassionate, loving, smart and one of the strongest people I've ever known in my life. And while she doesn't think so, I can tell you that she is.

My sister, who would do anything for anyone, lives in a place that leaves much to be desired.

The mall where she lives consists of about 6 stores and that is all there really is there.

As we were walking back from the movies, we passed a truck with some guys in it that were sitting in the parking lot and it looked like they were smoking crack. They began making comments and gestures towards us. I was really afraid but my fifteen year old sister laughed at me and said she was used to this.

She has the potential to do wonderful things with her life and help countless people with her heart and her experiences.

She wants to go to Africa when she is older to work with the rape victims in the shelter that Oprah set up.

She is only fifteen years old and has already looked into the risks and immunizations she would need to do this.

She is a wonderful girl, but she sees this as impossible and a dream that will never come true, because things like that don't happen to people who live where she lives.

Having been there I can understand why she feels that way honestly.

I want to take her on a trip of motivation and inspiration.

I want to take her to NYC for one week for her 16th birthday, which is this August 2007.

I want her to see what else is out there, and give her the motivation and determination to strive for something more!

She has the ability to do whatever she wants. She is a wonderful artist (although she would tell you otherwise). She is extremely intelligent. She is warm and sweet and has every quality you need to be successful in this world.

The one thing she doesn't have is the knowledge that there is truly something more out there that is within her reach.

When you come from a place that has not much to offer you don't know anything else.

In all my humility I have told her that she has the potential to be of Oprah status, and I don't say that lightly.

Her heart is enormous!

I want to give her the week of her life!

I want her to see the lights on Broadway. See a Broadway show and watch her sit there with her mouth wide open. Take her to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Walk around the city handing out pizza to those who can't eat. I want to show her how nothing in unachievable.

She deserves it. And as much as she deserves it, so do the thousands of people who's hearts and lives I know this kid can change if she is given the chance.

This story is not about me. It is about her. Although I needed her just as much as she needed me,and we will always be sisters.

This is what "A Wish For A Sis" is all about.

If you have any questions please feel free to write to me and ask.

I will answer you as openly as I can without compromising her feelings and privacy.

I can tell you that I know this girl better than anyone, and I would give my life for her in a second if it meant that she would never have to feel another ounce of pain.

She is an amazing, sweet, loving person, whom I think the world of and if you knew her, you would probably be doing this yourself for her because she is that special!

I have met a lot of people in my life, but I have never met anyone like Bella.

Trust me when I tell you this girl was put on this Earth for very special reasons.

Thank you for reading such a long story, and believe it or not this is the short version....but I promise you this is just the beginning....

Monday, December 18, 2006

Raffle: 2 More BlackBerrys!

Okay...Putting 2 more BlackBerrys Up For Raffle.

First one is an 8700 Unlocked BlackBerry. Click the following link for information:
Pinstack.com: BlackBerry 8700 Raffle

Second One: 8100 Unlocked BlackBerry Pearl. Click the following link for information:
Pinstack.com: BlackBerry 8100 Raffle

Also, don't forget the 7290 BlackBerry Raffle!
Pinstack.com: BlackBerry 7290 Raffle

Odds Of Winning:
(7290) 1 in 250 of every raffle ticket purchased
(8700) 1 in 750 of every raffle ticket purchased
(8100) 1 in 750 of every raffle ticket purchased

Purchase Ticket Via PayPal:
See the right hand column and choose the PayPal Button For the BlackBerry 7290 Raffle, Blackberry 8700 or BlackBerry 8100 Pearl (whichever you are wishing to purchase a raffle ticket for.)

Mail in Cashiers Check Or Money Order:
A Wish For A Sis
PO Box 158243
Nashville, TN 37215

*Any person is allowed to purchase as many tickets for the raffle as they please, there is not a "1 ticket limit" on this raffle.
*All persons purchasing tickets will be listed on the A Wish For A Sis Forums.
*Drawing of the name will be in the presence of a neutral 3rd party either in person or via webcast with webcam.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Vounteer Donations: Not Monetary

If by chance there is anyone out there who would be interested in making a donation that is not monetary, the following items would be greatly appreciated also, and would cut down on the total dollar amount of $5,000 we are trying to raise:

Donation Of Airline Miles
For the airfare, these are the route tickets we need to purchase:
1 Round Trip Airfare From Nashville, TN to Ottawa, Canada
2 Round Trip Airfares from Ottawa, Canada to New York City, NY (LaGuardia or JFK)

Restaurant/Dining
Gift Certificates for Locations Within New York City

New York Area Attractions
Attractions within the Manhattan area of New York City

Again, as always, thank you for your help and assistance in this project.

BlackBerry 7290 Raffle Information

Number Of Tickets To Be Raffled: 250

Click This Link To See The Post On Pinstack.Com Detailing This Device

Odds Of Winning: 1 in 250 of every raffle ticket purchased

Purchase Ticket Via PayPal:
See the right hand column and choose the PayPal Button For the BlackBerry 7290 Raffle

Mail in Cashiers Check Or Money Order:
A Wish For A Sis
PO Box 158243
Nashville, TN 37215

*Any person is allowed to purchase as many tickets for the raffle as they please, there is not a "1 ticket limit" on this auction.
*All persons purchasing tickets will be listed on the A Wish For A Sis Forums.
*Drawing of the name will be in the presence of a neutral 3rd party either in person or via webcast with webcam.

Comments

If you are going to leave a comment on this page bashing this project, you should at least have the courage to leave your name rather than putting anonymous.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Custom Made Themes For BlackBerry Devices To Benefit AWish4ASis

Are you reading this and you are a BlackBerry owner?

2 very awesome guys over at Pinstack.com are creating themes for the BlackBerry devices to benefit this project.

Please click the following link to see their work and how to obtain the themes!

Pinstack.com: Special Themes For A Special Cause

Update On PayPal

Thank you to Nadia and her friend for pointing out that the PayPal links on this page were incorrect!

This HAS BEEN rectified this morning. Sorry for any inconvenience this has caused anyone.

We currently have a request to PayPal to investigate where payments went to.

IF YOU PREVIOUSLY DONATED MONEY THROUGH PAYPAL:
Please email awishforasis@aol.com or awish4asis@gmail.com with your name, email you used and your amount of the donation so that we may supply this information also to PayPal.

Thank you again for your help in this project, and I truly apologize for any inconvenience this has caused anyone.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

For Sale With Proceeds Going To A Wish For A Sis

I have placed one of my BlackBerrys up for sale with all the proceeds going to the fund for this project.

The ad can be seen at the following forum:
Pinstack.com: For Sale Unlocked 7290

I have also placed a BlackBerry 7100 that has a dead USB port. See the following:
Pinstack.com: For Sale 7100t With Dead USB Port

Also, for those of you who were wondering, yes, this is N8DBB from Pinstack who 1 of the 2 coordinators of this project.

I really didn't want to come out and identify myself, however, with many people claiming that this is possibly a scam, I wanted to prove that it's not some random person who has set this up to try and scam money. You all know my email address and PIN numbers if you wish to contact me to verify.

Thank you everyone.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

We Are Now Part Of The CafePress Affiliate Program!

We have now set up to become an affiliate with CafePress!

So, whenever you or a friend want to order something from CafePress.com, simply click the link below.

It will be registered as being referred from the AWish4ASis blog.

For items purchased, AWish4ASis will receive an "referral fee" (which will also be monitored and listed in the Donation Page section).

Please feel free to contact us for the link if you are interested in helping us and wish to post the referral link on your own website.

LINK TO CAFEPRESS.COM WITH AWISH4ASIS REFERRAL

ALSO!
AWish4ASis has set up a shop at CafePress!

Although we currently do not have anything in our store at this time, we expect to by the end of the week.

So please visit our CafePress store at:
http://www.cafepress.com/awishforasis

We will be updating here once we have products available on the site.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Make A Donation

A PayPal Account has now been set up to receive donations for the AWish4ASis fund drive!

You will notice to the right a list of options to make a donation.

All we realistically are asking for is for any person who sees this page to make just a $1.00 donation, and to tell a friend about this site.

At that rate, we will have no problem being able to provide this trip to her by June.

So please, if you are able, help us for a great cause.

WE NOW HAVE OUR OWN FORUMS!

Click the following link and become a member of our forums, which revolves around this project. In the near future also, we will be expanding the forums to deal with other issues related to this project!

Forums:
AWishForASis Online Forums


Coming very soon:
  1. www.AWishForASis.com
  2. A log of all donations made with the contributors name, location and donation amount.
  3. A link to auctions that will be set up on eBay, with all proceeds going to the funding of this event.
  4. A PO Box to allow the mailing in of donations.
  5. The story behind the AWish4ASis project.
  6. The AWish4ASis CafePress Online Store/Referral Program EDIT: AWishForASis CafePress Has Been Set Up! Please See The Above Post!

Thursday, December 7, 2006

Some FAQ's

What are you trying to accomplish with this site?
We are trying to accomplish the raising for funds to support a trip for our friend who has been through more than most people can even imagine. A chance to help her experience the world.

How much are you trying to raise?
$5,000. That's all we are trying to raise. That will be enough money to cover airfare, lodging, dinners, attractions, etc.

I have seen funds before. How much of a percentage is being held back for "administration fees"?
Absolutely nothing. Every penny raised go directly towards this purpose. I don't have an office to pay rent for. A staff to keep. All of this is being done for free. Also, coming soon will be a chart showing donors names and amounts. EVERY penny will be accounted for and will be proven.

How much have you raised so far?
As of today, there have been no donations. However, this just started today: December 7th, 2006. The only money that has been raised is what a friend and I have put aside to begin this.

When are you trying to schedule her trip?
We want to be able to present this gift to her for her 16th birthday, which is in August of 2007.

Who all will be going on the trip?
Don't worry. We are not going to have a large caravan that your donations are paying for. The ONLY people going on this trip are the two women.

How do you know how much it will cost?
By Monday I hope to have a chart up giving a breakdown of all the financial information.

How can I contact someone regarding this?
The email address to contact us at is AWish4ASis@gmail.com or AWish4ASis@aol.com All emails will be read, and any questions asked as quickly as possible.

Why not just set up a charity or a non-profit group?
That is also an idea. However, while googling today, the only thing that I was able to find were websites that wanted YOU to pay THEM in order to find out how to set up a charity. With only using personal fees for the administration of this event, funds are limited. Anyone with informations or suggestions, please contact me.

Do you accept PayPal? How can I make donations?
At this moment, no. There is no PayPal account set up. By Monday again, I hope to have some type of account set up at a local bank that will be in the name of A Wish For A Sis, however, I am not sure of the paperwork that may be involved. UNTIL this is done, donations can not be accepted. This is to ensure all of you that you are not just sending checks to a random person who is trying to scam you.
EDIT: As of Monday December 11th, AWish4ASis has an account set up with PayPal in order to receive donations online. Please see the links the right of this page to see how you can make a donation to this cause.

Any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the comments section below this post, and they will be responded to within the post. As was said before, this is going to be an open forum. All questions will be answered here on this board, and not in private as if to hide something.

Thank you for taking the time to look at the site, and with any assistance you are able to provide.

A Wish 4 A Friend...

Some of you may be asking what exactly this blog is about?

This blog has been put up to keep track of a goal. An important goal. A goal who will change a friends life forever.

A "fund" has been started to help a very special person. Someone who has been though more hurt and pain in such a short life than all of us will experience in our entire lives.

Unfortunately, no...Names can not be named...Certain events can not be discussed, but what you are reading is real.

This fund has been started to raise money for a friend to travel. Some of you may be thinking "Oh, on a vacation?".

The answer is no.

This is the beginning of what will become that persons dream, and we invite you to share your comments, your ideas and your heart as you follow along, and assist on this journey...