Adoption has been on my mind a lot lately. Some of my dearest friends have recently brought home sweet little children from across the ocean. I also have close friends who are clinging to the picture they have of their precious child they haven’t yet met, but yearning to hold them in their arms. Others are waiting to be matched with a birthmother here in the states. It has been a season of celebrating children uniting with their forever families and dropping to our knees as we beg for healing of a little one who is sick far away or for paperwork to go through.
Below are friends of ours who recently adopted their youngest daughter and are waiting to travel to get another little girl! Love them!
I also watched the live webcast of the 10 year anniversary celebration of Show Hope. Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth started it to help families with their adoption expenses. It was so encouraging to see the work they have done for orphans in China. They have given over 4,000 grants to families who are adopting…so amazing! (check them out at showhope.org)
And to top it off, I got this in the mail this week. It’s a t-shirt designed by a family in Ohio who is raising money to adopt a girl from China (check out their blog here: http://feet2ourfaith.blogspot.com).
Adoption isn’t easy. I know it firsthand and know it by watching others. When a friend confides in me that they feel the call to adopt I feel joyous because of the wonder and miracle of adoption…but I also know for most, they are about to enter one of the most challenging times of their lives.
We adopted our son Cole from Vietnam. God is so gracious and kind to allow us to share in Cole’s life. He is a huge blessing and a testimony of God’s faithfulness to our family. Our journey to adopt Cole definitely had its hurdles…there were times of great stress and disappointment…but it was all totally worth it! (This was from our first family photo shoot…Cole was so little!)
A year after we adopted Cole, we completed paperwork and sent it off to Vietnam in order to adopt a second child. Then Vietnam adoptions were suspended. We have prayed daily for many years for God to open the doors once again to adopt from Vietnam, but they continue to remain closed.
Last June on our 15th wedding anniversary, my husband Ray and I felt that after years of waiting for Vietnam to reopen, God was calling us to adopt from China. Since then, we have completed our paperwork and it is logged in China. We are doing the special needs program and are waiting to be matched with our child. Again, I am learning to be patient and wait on God’s timing knowing that He already knows who our child is. I cannot wait to see the child we have been praying and yearning for for so many years! I also know that once we see the picture of our child, the journey gets a lot harder!
Here’s a pic with my sister who is also expecting her second child!
One of our greatest blessings in moving to California has been our church family. Our church has a heart for adoption. The leadership and congregation just get it. You see children running around from all different nationalities which is an amazing blessing. Even those who don’t adopt are still supporting and helping families through the process.
In a couple weeks our church will be hosting an Orphan Care Night. This is the 3rd year in a row and every year it gets bigger. It’s not just about adoption…there are many other ways to help orphans . If you are local, I strongly urge you to come check it out…anyone is welcome to join! There will be many different orphan ministries represented as well as adoption agencies. You can meet families who have recently adopted as well as those who are in the process. There will also be a silent auction benefiting our orphan ministry of our church. (I have heard that there are a ton of great items!) Also, Throne of Grace will have a table set up with sales helping benefit our church’s orphan care fund. It will be an amazing night!
In June we celebrate Cole’s adoption day. I am so thankful for God allowing Ray and I to experience adoption. It has taught us so much about how God adopted us as His children and how He gives us the rights and benefits of a true son or daughter.
“In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace…” Ephesians 1: 5-6
How have you been involved in orphan care? What lessons have you learned in reaching out to these precious children? Let us know if you are in the process of adoption…I would love to pray for you and hear your story!
***Faith Bible Church invites you to join us for Orphan Care Night on Sunday, June 9th from 6:30-9:00 p.m. The event will be held at Reverence Bible Church (22081 Hidalgo, Mission Viejo, CA). ***
Love,
