Yesterday was a special day. It was Orphan Sunday. A Sunday in which the hope is that churches and Christians worldwide will share the plight of the orphans but most importantly the command of God to take care of them. I was invited by a friend to come and help her with a presentation at her church about orphans. Her church is small; just starting up but nonetheless they still wanted to share the stories of so many orphans. My friend had gone with me to pick up Carrington and Reagan. She saw, smelled, touched, and cried first hand at all the little children she saw and especially at our sweet Princess the moment we undressed her and saw the horrific results of living in an orphanage. Then 7 months later my friend also journeyed with me and another mom to go back to both Reagan and Carrington's former places of dwelling. Again she saw. This has moved my friend to make a difference and she invited me. At the very last minute I had to cancel due to my children getting sick to their stomachs. I prayed for my friend that all would go well and that she would be able to touch at least one family. Guess what?! She did. One family came forth and said that they plan to go forward with adoption! Thank you Jesus!! Thank you my friend!
What I am a bit sad about is the fact that so many large churches made no mention of Orphan Sunday. Certainly we are not the only family who has adopted locally but yet it did not make the news or even the church bulletins. Hmmmm.... Why is that?! Perhaps that is what God is calling us to do. We are not excused from God's work simply because we "have done our share through our adoptions". In fact, I think this propels us into a whole other category of living the command God gave. Now, He does not call everyone to adopt just as He does not call everyone to go overseas as missionaries or to go to years of medical school to become healers of His children (I thank God daily for calling those people to be doctors as I have a weak stomach). Yet, if there were not teachers to teach those called to become doctors than how would those people learn what it is they need to know. And what if those who were called to be doctors just said "not me" and that person was say Jonas Salk? How would our lives be different?
Our family is not special. There are so many families who adopt children with special needs and often more than just one child with special needs. The point is we were called to adopt and we did. Never once has any of our adoptions been a walk in the park. Some parts have been so smooth and some parts have really seen the river of tears. There are families who experience the smoothest process and the most wonderful attachments to their child and then you will also see families who struggle both financially and emotionally, but once again they answered the call. What life has been for our family is our own contentment. Our own happiness. Without a shadow of a doubt we know that our Carrington would have died had we not gone when we did. The doctors told us when we landed and went straight to the hospital that Carrington's body had already begun shutting down. So you see God knew what He was doing when He called our family. Others may not see why but that is only for God to know. I admit I want to know why things happen when they happen but God does not OWE me that explanation. There is no need for a "this child is in worse condition" contest because the truth of the matter is ALL children need a family. What is needed is families to step out and step up to being the answer to the need and for families, who are not called to adopt, to still be a voice for these children. We have experienced financial and emotional hardships but looking at them now I see they weren't hardships but rather learning moments. Certainly I can say we have learned so many things with this adoption that our minds and hearts have been blessed to walk a path that only through this adoption struggles would we have found. Adoption is a blessing! I will never regret having the conversation with my husband about choosing to no longer grow our family through birth but rather through adoption. I will always treasure the true friends God has blessed me with during our adoptions. I no longer worry about what people will do or what they say because now I pray about all those things. As long as God calls us we will answer!
What I am a bit sad about is the fact that so many large churches made no mention of Orphan Sunday. Certainly we are not the only family who has adopted locally but yet it did not make the news or even the church bulletins. Hmmmm.... Why is that?! Perhaps that is what God is calling us to do. We are not excused from God's work simply because we "have done our share through our adoptions". In fact, I think this propels us into a whole other category of living the command God gave. Now, He does not call everyone to adopt just as He does not call everyone to go overseas as missionaries or to go to years of medical school to become healers of His children (I thank God daily for calling those people to be doctors as I have a weak stomach). Yet, if there were not teachers to teach those called to become doctors than how would those people learn what it is they need to know. And what if those who were called to be doctors just said "not me" and that person was say Jonas Salk? How would our lives be different?
Our family is not special. There are so many families who adopt children with special needs and often more than just one child with special needs. The point is we were called to adopt and we did. Never once has any of our adoptions been a walk in the park. Some parts have been so smooth and some parts have really seen the river of tears. There are families who experience the smoothest process and the most wonderful attachments to their child and then you will also see families who struggle both financially and emotionally, but once again they answered the call. What life has been for our family is our own contentment. Our own happiness. Without a shadow of a doubt we know that our Carrington would have died had we not gone when we did. The doctors told us when we landed and went straight to the hospital that Carrington's body had already begun shutting down. So you see God knew what He was doing when He called our family. Others may not see why but that is only for God to know. I admit I want to know why things happen when they happen but God does not OWE me that explanation. There is no need for a "this child is in worse condition" contest because the truth of the matter is ALL children need a family. What is needed is families to step out and step up to being the answer to the need and for families, who are not called to adopt, to still be a voice for these children. We have experienced financial and emotional hardships but looking at them now I see they weren't hardships but rather learning moments. Certainly I can say we have learned so many things with this adoption that our minds and hearts have been blessed to walk a path that only through this adoption struggles would we have found. Adoption is a blessing! I will never regret having the conversation with my husband about choosing to no longer grow our family through birth but rather through adoption. I will always treasure the true friends God has blessed me with during our adoptions. I no longer worry about what people will do or what they say because now I pray about all those things. As long as God calls us we will answer!
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