Well, he hates the first few letters, at least.
We frequently hear about plan A, plan B, plan C....and the list goes on (especially if embarking on an international adoption). What we have learned is that nothing is our plan. Not our plan A, or B or C. We are also frequently asked about biological children. Most people who read our blog are involved in the adoption community and understand this, but others we know assume we are unable to have biological children since we have chosen to adopt. Is adoption our plan B? N.O. We are simply following what we feel God has laid out for our lives; His plan. And through all of this, all the tears - and there have been many - and all the hopes, we must believe His plan is greater than ours (first or second...or third and fourth).
While we don't understand everything that happens, and we may never get the answer to the whys while we're here on earth, we have nothing left but to believe His ultimate plan. It's such a disconnect from our wordly views of planning and preparing for the future. Let's be honest here, none of us know where we'll be in ten years, five years, or even five days from now. As difficult as it has been for me to let go of those ambitions and plans (we seriously thought we'd be legal and offical parents by now), it's also liberating. You're right, God, I cannot handle this on my own. I cannot do this without Your strength. While this doesn't make my heart break any less for the hundreds of orphans I've met and loved and experienced life with, it comforts me that while I cannot do it alone, I don't have to. I have the strength of God to carry me through the easy and the hard days.
Adoption is a last resort. Family preservation is ideal and what we focus many of our efforts on, but we know there are millions of orphans in this world without a family any longer for one reason or another, and God's plan is for us to care for them now. For us, we feel like God's plan (the only plan A) includes adoption. We also believe it doesn't end there. We are lucky enough to travel to a place that feels more like home than anywhere I've ever lived and offer some of the gifts we've been given. God has also called us to child sponsorship. Remember that thing I was talking about? That family preservation thing? All some of these parents need is a little help to be able to raise their child in their culture.
While I believe it's important to research where the resources God has entrusted us with go, we've been so fortuante to have the opportunity to invest in some reputable organizations, including Compassion International and Children's HopeChest. We have seen our dear friend Yemamu and Sisay work tirelessly to help the children who live in Korah to give them life; good life, with access to food and clean water and clothes and education and a shower; the things they deserve despite the circumstances in which they were born. Children's HopeChest has come alongside Yemamu and Sisay's vision, Hands for the Needy, and has set up a child sponsorship program for all the kiddos currently enrolled. There's good news, then there's good news. Most of the 210 children in the program are sponsored! The other good news is that there are nine children left waiting that you could step up and help. Go check out all the adorable faces here.
Adoption, as well as child sponsorship, are ways we have been called to act. We pray that you can also find the way in which God has called you to care for the orphan, and that we can all be accepting of plan A: God's plan.
We frequently hear about plan A, plan B, plan C....and the list goes on (especially if embarking on an international adoption). What we have learned is that nothing is our plan. Not our plan A, or B or C. We are also frequently asked about biological children. Most people who read our blog are involved in the adoption community and understand this, but others we know assume we are unable to have biological children since we have chosen to adopt. Is adoption our plan B? N.O. We are simply following what we feel God has laid out for our lives; His plan. And through all of this, all the tears - and there have been many - and all the hopes, we must believe His plan is greater than ours (first or second...or third and fourth).
While we don't understand everything that happens, and we may never get the answer to the whys while we're here on earth, we have nothing left but to believe His ultimate plan. It's such a disconnect from our wordly views of planning and preparing for the future. Let's be honest here, none of us know where we'll be in ten years, five years, or even five days from now. As difficult as it has been for me to let go of those ambitions and plans (we seriously thought we'd be legal and offical parents by now), it's also liberating. You're right, God, I cannot handle this on my own. I cannot do this without Your strength. While this doesn't make my heart break any less for the hundreds of orphans I've met and loved and experienced life with, it comforts me that while I cannot do it alone, I don't have to. I have the strength of God to carry me through the easy and the hard days.
Adoption is a last resort. Family preservation is ideal and what we focus many of our efforts on, but we know there are millions of orphans in this world without a family any longer for one reason or another, and God's plan is for us to care for them now. For us, we feel like God's plan (the only plan A) includes adoption. We also believe it doesn't end there. We are lucky enough to travel to a place that feels more like home than anywhere I've ever lived and offer some of the gifts we've been given. God has also called us to child sponsorship. Remember that thing I was talking about? That family preservation thing? All some of these parents need is a little help to be able to raise their child in their culture.
While I believe it's important to research where the resources God has entrusted us with go, we've been so fortuante to have the opportunity to invest in some reputable organizations, including Compassion International and Children's HopeChest. We have seen our dear friend Yemamu and Sisay work tirelessly to help the children who live in Korah to give them life; good life, with access to food and clean water and clothes and education and a shower; the things they deserve despite the circumstances in which they were born. Children's HopeChest has come alongside Yemamu and Sisay's vision, Hands for the Needy, and has set up a child sponsorship program for all the kiddos currently enrolled. There's good news, then there's good news. Most of the 210 children in the program are sponsored! The other good news is that there are nine children left waiting that you could step up and help. Go check out all the adorable faces here.
Adoption, as well as child sponsorship, are ways we have been called to act. We pray that you can also find the way in which God has called you to care for the orphan, and that we can all be accepting of plan A: God's plan.
