THE GIFT
A few words from our President and Founder...
By: Simone Burns - Abandoned Babies© founder
My love for children began when I was just a little girl growing up in Brooklyn, New York. During childhood it became a pleasure for me to help my mother with my little brothers and sisters. I loved getting the baby bottles, diapers, watching over them as they lie in their crib and playing with them, too. Assisting my mother with taking care of my siblings not only made me feel apart of the family, also the baby’s life. That is how I began to fall in love with babies.
As I grew, so did my love and affection for other babies outside of my family. My mother’s friend saw my love for children and would allow me to baby sit. I made such a positive impression/effect on one of my mother’s friends, that she named her daughter after me…Simone #2. Over the years I became an “expert”, but I never cared for a child without my mother’s permission. It was only until I became much older that I was allowed to care for a baby without my "teacher" present.
My "teacher" is my mother. She gave a lot of guidance and experience to me, since she raised nine healthy children of her own. Coming from a large family as I do, with lots of second and third generation family members I can say that I have taken care of thousands of children. I know that that may sound a little exaggerated, but when you think of my brothers and sisters’ children, my nephew's and niece's children, cousins and their children, godchildren, neighbors and friends…it is not so hard to believe. I remember coming home from school and seeing children everywhere! My home was like a nursery! I believe that there is nothing better than handson experience and I have plenty of that! Not all of my training has been from family life, even though it is the reason for my love of babies. However, I also worked as a Nurses Aide in the pediatrics ward, have undergone specialized training to care for children and was granted a certificate in foster care.
I was always greatly affected by persons who were not able to have decent meals or life’s basic necessities, and for a while I just could not understand.
In church from time to time, if I saw a child in need of a coat, dress, stroller or anything else, I would purchase it for them, knowing that if I could help, I would. Sometimes I would wrap it up in pretty paper and surprise them. It was always the big, beautiful, bright look of happiness that would light up the child’s face when I handed them the gift that made it worth every effort. They would see me and run as fast as they could towards me shouting, "Sister Simone! Sister Simone!" - Wanting to be in my presence - they loved me too! The little boys and girls would gather all around me, often times they would sit with me. Sometimes, I would have an entire pew of children sitting at my right and my left; it was during these times that I knew I had a special gift for children. I felt really good inside knowing that I made a difference in someone else’s life and this also encouraged me to continue.
When I graduated from high school, I wanted to learn every thing that I could, so my college curriculum varied but children always remained in my heart. While attending college I received a few degrees, my first in Liberal Arts and Science in Applied Science with a concentration in Mathematics, and then I went on to study Electrical Engineering and Political Science at Columbia University where I graduated.
Today, through the grace of GOD, I am helping children that are suffering on a larger scale. I've spent 4 years counseling people of varied ages and nationalities within my church congregation and currently I tutor junior high, high school and college level courses through the AVID & GearUp Program through the Center for Academic Enrichment & Outreach at UNLV.
I am the President and Founder of Abandoned Babies© and I am happy to say that I am a servant of GOD and accept HIS GIFT with a grateful heart. I currently reside in and have been a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada since December of 2000.