Orphan Care WARFARE

It's not easy to look the orphan crisis in the eyes. The truth is, it’s quite devastating if you really take time to digest the magnitude of this problem. Sometimes the most heartbreaking thing about fighting for special needs and orphaned children around the world is the nonchalance, lack of compassion and complete indifference to human life, simply because that life began in another country, in another culture, in another part of the globe.

As Christians, it shouldn’t just be our option to care about the vulnerable and the marginalized; it should be our very privilege and battle cry no matter where they are.  In fact, it’s our calling and commandment.

James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Psalm 82:3: “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”

Proverbs 31:8-9: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Because in the end, we are not just Americans or Westerners or members of any one class or group. In the end, we are ALL just one of HIS. But slowly in this country, we’ve stopped running to ALL of His. We’ve become desensitized, and our senses of urgency have become tragically dulled to the ones who need us most. 

You may not know that international adoptions in the United States have decreased more than 80% since 2004, and many adoption advocates estimate that, at this rate, they may become completely extinct by 2022. Here in this space, we stand 200% behind the rights of children to grow up not as orphans but in families; not in institutions, but in homes. 

Research shows the long-term scars that institutional care and lack of early attachment leave on a child for the rest of his life. And although we believe that a loving family in a child’s birth country is the most beneficial so a child can easily maintain his culture and heritage, we know that it is not always possible. When an adoptive family is not viable or available in his or her home country, his human right to grow up in a family where he can enjoy attachment, protection and provision should not be relinquished. No child is better served by living in his home country as a forever orphan in an institution than by growing up in a different culture as a beloved son or daughter.

It's easy to sit back and wonder how one can even make a dent in this overwhelming problem. But the truth is, we cannot afford to sit back. We cannot afford to be silent. We cannot afford to do nothing. Because in many cases - and for many sick, needy and special needs superheroes - it could literally mean death.

Two passionate mamas, Michelle at Of Capes and Combat Boots and Lisa at Open Hearts for Orphans have created a special toolkit to inspire and guide you in the battle, because we absolutely must engage in the war to save international adoption. We know that - ultimately - adoption of EVERY kind has the ability to heal, transform and even save children’s lives. And if we don’t speak for the voiceless and the vulnerable, who will?

"Orphan Care Warfare" is a simple, prayerful, five-step guide to advocacy. As we take inventory of our everyday personal blessings, let us remember, and pray for, the forgotten ones — our little brothers and sisters in Christ scattered throughout the world. The Lord calls us to care for them.

Let’s put on the armor of God!

Download the devotional here: Orphan Care Warfare 

 

Fear Factor

 

Do you remember the show, Fear Factor, from about fifteen years ago? It was a reality show of challenges, hosted by Joe Rogan, that marched contestants into their greatest fears that ranged from diving off a building, to lying in a bed of snakes, to eating something incredibly disgusting like bugs.

The adoption process has a fear factor, too. The challenges obviously look a little different:

“How can we ever afford this?”

“Is it possible for us to love this child who doesn’t share our DNA?”

“Will we ruin our other kids by adopting?”

These fears are real and present factors.

One of our fear factors became special needs, and each one of our adoptions has been almost like climbing a ladder of "I could nevers" to overcome that paralyzing word—FEAR.

“I could never parent a child with special needs.”

“I could never adopt a child with a serious heart condition.”

“I could never adopt an older child.”

“I could never parent a child with cognitive delays.”

I'm ashamed to admit that these were all thoughts that, at some point, belonged to me. As much as I hate it, I owned them all. One by one, we climbed another rung and faced those fears head-on. Those were all limitations that I put on myself, and God's plans were obviously so much better than mine.

I stand amazed, as I reflect on each one, how God has used every one of our adoptions as a gateway—a gateway to a more open heart. He knew there was so much more in me. We now live with all of these "I could nevers" in our home, and in our hearts.

You see, alone—I couldn't. But with faith—we could.  

God is the source of our strength. God is the source of our courage to say yes to all of the fears and doubts and "I could nevers" that could have stopped us from embracing the biggest blessings of our lives...all five of them. We simply needed to listen, to trust, and to be obedient. Is it always easy? Nope. I would be lying if I said it was. There are days that I literally scrape for grace. But then, there are days when I look at our beautiful crew and the very thought that we could have missed this brings tears to my eyes.

The thing is,

when you walk through that fire—

when you leap over that edge—

when you conquer that fear factor—

the reward you receive is far greater than anything you could ever imagine or dream of.   

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10

When God Calls a Meeting...

...you show up. 

I'm still trying to fully process the other day, in awe of how it all unfolded.

It's no secret that one of my passions is advocating for orphans. So, when our recent Hearts of Hope event was coming on the horizon, I was excited about making a connection with someone in our community who has some local celebrity status of sorts--a person who knows the "ins and outs" of media communications and has vast experience with those types of outlets. It was a simple "you two have to meet" left as a comment by a dear mutual friend when I wrote a post seeking a little help with artistic design.  And then a friendship, in a Facebook kind of way, was formed. 

A couple of days later, I received an automated email invitation from his office to accept an appointment ten days later. I accepted. He ended up bringing his son to our event, which was so nice, and we talked a bit. It was then that, in our conversation, he mentioned that he and his wife had just adopted a little girl. Of course, I could almost feel my eyes brighten 200% as we were speaking my favorite language now.

As the days rolled by, I became less and less aware of why I needed to go to that appointment and debated with the idea of cancelling. But something always distracted me, and something always kept that appointment on the books.

By Wednesday morning, I told Jimmy that I didn't even know why I was going, but--since I had committed to someone else's time--I would follow through. I pulled up to the studio and walked upstairs, greeted by a group of happy, smiling faces. I met Ryan, the person I was there to see, and he walked me over to their meeting/conference room. We sat down and I immediately confessed my non-purpose for being there--that I really didn't know why I came but figured it would be good to know all about the services their studio offered. And then, I pulled out a copy of With an Open Heart that I'd brought along and presented it as a gift. The conversation of adoption was opened, and I was able to share our story and the deep meaning behind Open Hearts for Orphans, the ministry created in memory, and honor, of our son.  

He suddenly pushed his laptop aside and opened up a whole new world of conversation as he revealed that he has been planning, in his mind, an event--specifically an adoption event to share stories of encouragement in hope of attracting more families to adoption. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I was overwhelmed with gratitude to be in that space at that moment and thankful for the opportunity--always--to share our testimony. We brainstormed and shared resources, we planned and imagined, all exciting stuff. The date's closing in soon, but this amazing man is dedicated to absorbing all of the expenses for the event and for taking charge of the marketing and promotion with his strong influence.  All I need to do is show up.

I shook my head in disbelief, and as we ended the meeting, I shrugged my shoulders and said to him, "Who called this meeting? Did you? Did I??" And neither one of us could answer. He had no earthly idea why I was supposed to be there.

It was then that I knew exactly who called that meeting. He's there in all the details. I'm thankful I accepted the invitation.