I am surrounded by adoption! God has put a calling on so many from our church to foster and adopt children, and I think it is amazing. Many of our staff have either adopted, are waiting to adopt, or are fostering children right now! Vanguard (our church) has begun an adoption/orphan care ministry called Always Wanted. It is just getting up and running, but the potential for all they seek to accomplish is HUGE!
I have always had a burden for children in general, but since our first trip to Swaziland, that burden has become more focused in a couple areas. One, is for orphans. Orphans around the world and orphans in our own country, state, county. The plight of these children is heart-wrenching, and it is impossible to just feel bad for them and wish their lives were better. Each one of us has a MANDATE to DO something! In the process of figuring out what this something is for our family, Bob and I have prayed about the possibility of adopting ourselves. I won't go into the long story here, but it has been made clear to us that God is not calling our family to adopt (at least, not right now...). This has been frustrating to me! We are willing, we have the love to give, and there are so many desperate children! Why in the world would God not want us to do what is at the very core of His heart?
I don't know what God has for us in the future, but I do know, now, that God calls each of us to care for orphans in some way. For our family, for now, that is not through adoption. We support orphan care ministries, we sponsor children, and I feel God is calling us to support those who He is calling to adopt. They desperately need us! I personally battle for these friends through prayer, as the adoption process is absolutely a spiritual battleground. I also do what I can to support these friends physically, through making meals, helping with watching their kids, and letting them know I am there. I pray that God will use my efforts to make their adoption process not only possible, but one where they know they are not alone. They have a community there to walk through this journey together.
Monday, April 26, 2010
adoptions abound!
Posted by laura at 12:57 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I keep forgetting how to get on your blog! I was going to comment on the other picture that I saw earlier. It seems like someone has taken my little grandkids and left 4 teens or almost teens. Wow! Can hardly wait to see you Wed. Your kidnapping a kid idea is fantastic. I've heard that you do that from Maddie, I think.
You have been such a part of this process with us and you continue to be. I love that you were with us when we met our babies for the first time. Not many people have close friends WITH them when adopting internationally. I cannot even express how much the meals, childcare, and your investment in our family has meant to me. God IS using you in the areas of adoption an orphan care. Whether He actually calls you to adopt or not in the future, your role is HUGE and ESSENTIAL. We could not do it without you and the many others that have walked this journey with us.
ooo, i love this post and hearing about this ministry! i personally think that not everyone is called to adopt. but of course every christian is called to care for orphans, just like you said. so great that you asked yourself the hard questions and pondered over what God might be asking of you. Curtis and I had a great discussion with the head of the Christian Alliance for Orphans and he was telling us how many families choose to relinquish rights because of poverty and medical needs or because they are sick and hungry, therefore placing kids up for adoption, in total heartbreak. I think there is a place to not only care for those that ARE orphans, but to help those in dire circumstances so that they live longer, have access to education, food, healthcare, etc. And so, something like sponsorship is HUGE. Also, just praying for and loving on adoptive families is a HUGE blessing!! And I know you do that!
Post a Comment