We announced to the world this past week our plans to adopt an orphan from China and we were overwhelmed with the response! We started this blog so that those who want to can follow our story and walk this journey with us and also as a "journal" for our family to record our experience along the way. So many people have expressed an interest in this decision we have made and how we came to it, so I will attempt to start at the beginning and tell you how we conceived this "pregnancy of the heart." I struggle with writing this because I don't want my passion about this subject to come across as preachy. Please hear my heart and know that the following story is unique and specific to my family at this time and the work that God has prepared for us to do.
Looking back over the last several years, I see in hindsight so many little things leading up to this one big decision. I believe with all my heart that God has been active in this process and positioned us right where we are for such a time as this. My husband and I love being parents and our hearts' desire has always been to continue to grow our family. We have two beautiful children, a daughter and a son. Over the last year or so we have learned some things that have burdened our hearts. I don't want to overwhelm you with a bunch of statistics, but here are just a few of the things we have learned that had an impact on us:
26,000 children worldwide die preventable deaths every day due to things like lack of clean water, starvation and lack of healthcare
There are 46 million orphans worldwide
An estimated 40,000 orphans worldwide age out of their orphanages every day
The following statistics are specific to the conitnent of Asia:
An orphan "ages out" of their orphanage at the age of 16
60% of girls who age out of an orphanage turn to prostitution as their only means of supporting themselves
70% of boys who age out of an orphanage become hardened criminals
10-15% of orphans who age out of their orphanage commit suicide before their 18th birthday
These statistics, among others, gave us pause. What does it mean to follow Christ in a world so full of problems that one little family can't possibly solve? How do we reconcile all the commands in scripture to care for the "least of these" and to look after orphans and widows and reach out the poor with these seemingly insurmountable problems in the world? It is tempting to be overwhelmed and simply turn a blind eye to these issues because they seem so big. But how can we continue to live our comfortable suburban lifestyle with our nice house and mini van and privately educated children knowing that we will stand before God someday and he will hold us accountable for what we have or have not done for the "least of these"? This restlessness took hold of both of us and wouldn't let us rest. We began months of fervent prayer for God's guidance. We read books, we sought Godly counsel and we spent some serious time on our knees. Over time it became clear that in this season, at this moment, the answer was that God was calling us to adopt. We have wanted more children for some time and He made it clear that this is how that is to happen for us.
In his powerful book, The Hole in Our Gospel, Richard Stearns paraphrases a story originally told by Loren Eisley:
One early morning, after a fierce storm had hit the coast, I strolled to the beach for my morning walk. Horrified, I saw that tens of thousands of starfish had been washed up on the beach by the winds and waves. I was saddened by the realization that all of them would die, stranded on the shore, away from the life-giving water. Despairing that there was nothing I could do, I sat down on the sand and put my head in my hands.
But then I heard a sound, and I lifted my eyes. There, in the distance, I saw a man bending down and then standing up, bending down and standing up. Curious, I rose and walked toward him. I saw that he was picking up the starfish, one at a time, and throwing them back into the sea.
"What are you doing?" I yelled.
"Saving the starfish," he replied.
"But don't you see, man, that there are tens of thousands of them?" I asked, incredulous. "Nothing you can do will make a difference."
He did not answer me, but instead bent down, picked up another starfish, and cast it back into the water. Then he smiled, looked me in the eye, and said, "It made a difference to that one!"
So here we are. Starting out on a long journey that will cost us a great deal of time, energy and money. Afraid, but passionate. Trusting the God who called us to this to provide the money and all that we will need along the way. Because one person can change the world. And one family can change the world for one.
