I have been pondering about what to write about for National Adoption Month. We have a small adoption/orphan care ministry at our church, and we usually have some sort of spotlight. This year we are going to do it in the spring so I don't have anything ready, yet.
Adoption and orphan care is our passion. My husband and I truly feel that God has called us to be a voice for the fatherless. This is not how we envisioned our life, but it is way better and blessed than we imagined!!!!!
We have done about 5 spotlights on adoption and orphan care, and several general presentations. We spend many hours trying to find the perfect words to promote adoption/orphan care, make the best heartfelt video and information sheets - you get the idea. We go in on Sunday morning, and we are pumped. We know that this time we are going to change lives! However, each time the group or church body tends to honor us. I want to scream that it isn't about us!!!
It is about 147 million children who may never experience a family!!!!!!Don't get me wrong - our family, friends, church body love our children! It doesn't matter what they look like or where they are from. They are treated with lots of love and respect. We are so blessed. We just want them to know what we know. That, yes, these children need homes, but they will change your lives more that you will change theirs!!
What I can't understand is why Christians are not standing up for these children and making a difference. I seriously don't understand!
There are so many verses in the bible that reference orphan care/adoption. If Christians are using the bible as the guide for life then why are there orphans and children dying from hunger, disease, etc?
If 7% of professing Christians adopted a single child, there would be no more orphans. Can you imagine?
Yes, adoption can be expensive! It takes a lot of budgeting, creativity and prayer. There are also adoption grants and low-interest loans.
I think we are just an ordinary family. My husband works two jobs, and I get to stay at home with the kids. We live on a pretty tight budget, and we do not and have never had a huge amount of money stashed away in savings (that would be nice, though). We do not own a huge home, but it works for us! The kids do not have their own rooms. They have everything they need and most of their wants, but also have learned to save their money for expensive items.
Did you know God uses ordinary people? He used us. He could use you, too! We had never considered adoption prior to a 20/20 documentary, but it has changed our lives. Not only do we have 4 beautiful children through adoption, but we learned about what was most important in life. We learned that fancy cars, houses and clothes were not that important. We learned how to budget better, trust more and love unconditionally. We have learned more about our world and our family. We also made some very special friends!!! God used adoption to teach us more about Him. Our faith has grown and our family is stronger. So many lives changed - WOW!
This month, think about what God has in store for you! Everyone can make a difference. What will you do? Foster care, adoption, sponsoring a child, donating to an orphanage, taking a mission's trip, praying daily for waiting children, helping out at a Boy/Girl's club...there are so many ways to help!
Several years ago, Steven C. Chapman made a video about the adoption of his daughters. In the video he said something like "the thing that scared him the most is that he almost missed it". He worried about so many worldly things that he almost missed the blessings of his daughters.
We can not imagine our life without any of our children. They each have added so much laughter and joy to our family. So many times we doubted our choices and worried about finances, room in our house and vehicles, what others would think, and so much more. We are so so so glad that we decided to trust God, because what we would have missed is beyond words.
Are you missing it?
