Eleventh Annual Christmas Eve Candle Lighting

Standing our Ground at Musings of the Lame for Veronica Brown

I wanted to share this..

As the world lights candles in preparation to celebrate the birth of a child who changed the course of history on Christmas Eve, New England Firstmothers and over 500 members of the Sunflower Sisters will celebrate Christmas Eve by lighting a candle in memory of births which changed their own personal histories. This year will mark the 11th Annual Christmas Eve Candle Lighting for these women.

The New England Firstmothers’ group and Sunflower Sisters are groups of natural mothers from around the world, who have surrendered or lost a child to adoption and are now linked through cyber space, as well as through personal hardship. These women communicate through e-mail with each other, helping each other with this journey that has no road maps or directions.

The Sunflower group is divided into two separate lists; searching and reunited. Their status is determined by the status of their relationship with the child who was placed for adoption. These women offer one another emotional support as they endure the struggles associated with living as a natural mother – the forgotten member of the Adoption Triad.

On Christmas Eve this year, each of these women will light a candle at 6:00 PM and burn it until midnight, thus having candles lit around the world on Christmas Eve Night. The candle will remember the members who are searching for their child and light the way for the possible reunion. For those who are reunited, it will burn to strengthen the tie that was forged between the biological members of the triad. And, for those who have been rejected by the fruit of their womb, it will offer hope for a change of heart and a better future.

The New England Firstmothers and Sunflower Sisters ask that all members of the community remember those in the community who are living a life with a part of them missing and offer a brief prayer for first mothers everywhere who endure the pain of a difficult decision. It is their hope that in this season of goodwill toward all that they may share in the joy of the season.

Please join these exceptional women in lighting up the world on Christmas Eve.

Donna Chagnon
Founder: New England Firstmothers Support Group
donna.chagnon@gmail.com

Mary Wendt
Owner: Sunflower First Moms
http://www.bmom.net/

About the Author

Claudia Corrigan DArcy
Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy has been online and involved in the adoption community since early in 2001. Blogging since 2005, her website Musings of the Lame has become a much needed road map for many mothers who relinquished, adoptees who long to be heard, and adoptive parents who seek understanding. She is also an activist and avid supporter of Adoptee Rights and fights for nationwide birth certificate access for all adoptees with the Adoptee Rights Coalition. Besides here on Musings of the Lame, her writings on adoption issue have been published in The New York Times, BlogHer, Divine Caroline, Adoption Today Magazine, Adoption Constellation Magazine, Adopt-a-tude.com, Lost Mothers, Grown in my Heart, Adoption Voice Magazine, and many others. She has been interviewed by Dan Rather, Montel Williams and appeared on Huffington Post regarding adoption as well as presented at various adoption conferences, other radio and print interviews over the years. She resides in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband, Rye, children, and various pets.

2 Comments on "Eleventh Annual Christmas Eve Candle Lighting"

  1. This is a beautiful idea! I am going today (before the snowstorm hits tomorrow!) and getting a candle especially for this.

    I will also offer up prayers for all of us first moms and our children; the searching, the reunited, and the rejected.

    A very Merry and Blessed Christmas to you Claud!
    Susie

  2. I would like to be a part of this even though I am not a first mom.

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