Have you ever thought about adoption?
Ever prayed about it?
Ever asked God what your role was in caring for orphans?
We did.
3 years ago.
And our family will never be the same.
It will forever be different.
Better.
There are 163 million orphans in the world and God's Word has much to say about them.
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:
to visit orphans and widows in their affliction,
and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
{James 1:27}
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
{John 14:18}
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in His holy dwelling."
{Psalm 68:5}
"Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed."
{Psalm 82:3}
Our adoption story began with Keith and I praying about our role caring for the fatherless. We knew we were called to do something, but we just weren't sure what. We weren't looking to adopt. Adoption was never part of our plan. But, then again, my plan is never God's plan.
"For my thoughts are nothing like you thoughts," says the Lord.
"And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher that yours ways
and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts."
{Isaiah 55:8-9}
We were fully prepared to give our finances to help others adopt, to sponsor more children, or to give to organizations that supported orphan care. But God called us to give more than our money.
He called us to give our hearts.
Our lives.
So our prayers immediately changed from What? to Where?
It didn't take long for us to narrow it down to Ethiopia.
We were drawn to it.
The more we prayed, the more we read, the more researched,
the more God stirred our hearts.
A FEW FACTS ABOUT ETHIOPIA...
- There are currently 4.6 million orphans in Ethiopia- with around 540,000 having been orphaned by HIV/AIDS
- 1 in 10 children die before their 1st birthday
- 1 in 6 children die before their 5th birthday
- Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school and 88% will never attend secondary school
- Approx. 300,000 children live on the streets
- 82% of the population survives on less than 1 dollar a day
- 1 in 4 women dies in pregnancy or childbirth
In some of my research, I read that many children are orphaned because their families cannot provide for them and if they don't give them up, they will die of starvation. That did it for me. As a mom, I could not imagine making that decision. So we decided that since these mom's are giving their babies up to give them a chance to live, than we would help them.
That was the beginning of an 18 month journey that ended on February 15, 2010 in Ethiopia when we held Miles Misikir for the first time.
Having an adopted son makes me so much more grateful for God's adoption.
"Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son." {Ephesians 1:4-6}
It makes it that much more real.
I love Miles like my own.
He is mine.
And to think that God feels the same way about me is so amazing.
So humbling.
So whether it's bringing a child into your family or making a decision to accept Christ... make adoption an option.
{What to read more adoption stories? Head over to Kelly's Korner Blog and check them out.}
