November is National Adoption Month, or Adoption Awareness Month. i've heard it called both. and because of this, i've been doing lots and lots of reading on the topic as of late. there is much out there in the cyber world about this subject. some good, and some a wee bit discouraging. overall, however, this continues to be a topic that i'm so passionate about. for two obvious (and cute! :)) reasons, of course, and even more than that, i feel completely sure that God has placed this on my heart as part of my divine purpose here. to be a voice for those who have no voice, to advocate for the fatherless....
some other things i know:
~ the resulting joy of an adoption comes only after profound loss happens first. yes, this loss may be redeemed through the healing that comes from the presence of a "forever family", yet the pain and scars of the loss will forever remain, in varying degrees. this is just tough. no way around it. adoptees say this so often surfaces during various life stages and is a process of working through the layers of grief, repetitively. then, factor in race and differences of cultures and identity questions and it just complicates things further.
~ i don't believe adoption is for everyone, but i one hundred percent believe that everyone who is able should be investing somehow in the life of orphans, one way or another. there are endless ways and places and causes that are all working to alleviate the worldwide orphan crisis. God bless them for their tireless efforts!
~ locally, the greatest need is for families who are willing to consider offering a permanent home to children over ten years of age. this is not for the faint of heart, obviously, but the greatest desire these kids have is to belong, and they wait for that day, hoping against all odds it comes...
~ adoption is such a beautiful parallel to the way i'm adopted into the family of God by the great sacrifice of God's Son, Jesus. little me~ unworthy, imperfect, utterly sinful~ in need of a Father to say "i love you unconditionally. you cannot change this fact. you cannot earn my love, it just is....and always will be" whoa...that moves me...what about my life would matter without the acceptance of that matchless gift? absolutely nothing...
~ lastly. adoption has taken me to places of greater trust, greater love, greater faith, and a sense of being closer to God's heart than ever before. it has not been simple, without stress, affordable (gulp), or even without days of doubt. yet through every single day since our hearts were stirred to adopt~ we have known without a shadow of doubt that this was God's plan and will for our family. so, i will continue to trust Him for the future of our family too. because He has been faithful, and will always be there with us through the rolling waves of life.
so, i leave you with some links our SEMC Orphan Care Ministry has been sharing with our church family, and a few others. if ever there are any adoption related questions, i would be happy to do my best to answer them or steer you in the direction of someone who could.
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