Change Your World for Orphans

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Orphans

Adopt from Ethiopia

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You'll Love Your Adpoted Kids as Much as Genetic Ones

Jim Caviezel, on adopting a little boy and girl from China:

I don’t even know who I was before (laughs). Dennis Quaid told me a long time ago when he had his son Jack, 'You’ll have emotions in you that you didn’t even know existed before you had a child.' I now know what that feels like. Even though they’re adopted, it’s as strong as any instinct. That’s what blew me away. I always thought if I adopted that I wouldn’t have the same feeling [as I would] if they were genetically my own children. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Adoptive Saints

I can't help but think that the Catholics get it right. There are saints among us. Exhibit A.

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Pro-Life, or Anti-Abortion?

Stinging, true words here from Dan Edelen:

Well, conservative Christians are most definitely prolife, right? Not really. What we are is antiabortion. We are by no means prolife. If we were truly prolife then orphanages would be relegated solely to Dickens’s Oliver Twist, and nursing homes would be empty, instead of filled with our elderly parents. Again, what we are against and what we are for are not the same thing. We have to stop pretending they are.

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For These People, Praise the Lord

It isn't that they just rescued her from the Ukraine, giving her a new, better life in America. They gave her Jesus. That is evident in the way she talks. Most people don't talk that way. Praise the Lord.

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Thinking About Adoption Theologically

Russell Moore is a dean at Southern Baptist Seminary and has a book coming out called Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches. His social and political commentary is excellent, and I am sure his book will be great as well. (On a side note, Moore predicted more than a month ago that McCain would choose Sarah Palin as his running mate). You can read about him in the WSJ here.

Watch these videos about his personal foray into the world of adoption and on how he started thinking about the issue theologically.





HT: Said at Southern

I Think God is Trying to Tell Me Something

I said I wasn't going to write on adoption more today. I guess I was wrong.

This was an editorial in the WSJ journal today.
Al Mohler responds.

Similarly to Bradley, Mohler writes:

"Given the vast number of at-risk orphans in the world -- now numbering in the millions -- this resurgence in adoption among American evangelicals should be a matter of public celebration. In the United States, 127,000 children are considered 'unadoptable,' and many of these are racial minorities. Shouldn't the adoption of these children be a priority for the church?"

So much to think about.

A Final Word on Adoption

Well, at least until tomorrow. Two things:

1. As I discussed the article from Bradley on adoption with my wife, we committed to pray through the tension of faith and responsibility. What I mean is that the main reason against adoption is usually responsibility. That is, it would not be responsible to adopt a child for reason X. Money, an overburdened mom, you have enough kids as it is, etc. Those are good reasons, for God calls us on us to act responsibly in this world. However, there are times when faith trumps what looks like reasoned, rational responsibility. Though we are called to be responsible with what God has given us (and he has given us everything), there are times when we'll have to step out in faith based on the leading of the Holy Spirit. Those are the times when our ability to be responsible is limited. Perhaps the money is not there right now to support extra kids, or you think your own children will be negatively affected by new siblings, or you have no idea how you'd be able to care for a special needs child. When God calls on you, you've got to be ready to put those things aside and believe that God will provide.

So how do you know if you are stepping out in faith or being irresponsible? There isn't any one way to determine that. Multiple things will help you decide. Mostly, I think, you'll just "know." And the decision to adopt, it seems, will rarely come by way of reasoned responsibility. The idea will always seem ludicrous. Yes, be responsible. But more importantly, listen to God.

2. The evangelical/missional benefits of adoption are obvious. But is that the reason you should adopt? As my wife pointed out to me, no. The reason you should adopt should be the same reason God adopted us (Eph. 1:5). Christ went to the cross. Why? "For the joy set before him," the author of Hebrews wrote. And that joy was us. Jesus Christ loved us so much that he sacrificed his life so that we might be saved. There is no difference between his impetus for adoption and ours. The sacrifice we would make in bringing home two sisters, or a little boy with a heart defect, or a teenager with social problems, would be for a single reason: our joy.

115,000 kids in foster care in America.

Kids Ready Right Now

I know no one reads this blog yet, but here are kids available in Mass right now.

Adopt Like God

Anthony Bradley writes:

"America has nearly 115,000 orphaned kids in foster care waiting to be adopted. Some wonder how this is possible in a country with Christian families. Surely, there are 115,000 missional families in America, right? Missional families, for example, embrace the redemptive mission of God and practice 'true religion' in their local communities (James 1:27). Missional Christians in America could eliminate the foster care system tomorrow if we would stop 'shootin' up' with the American Dream (heroine) in order to get high on a lame life lived for the sake of comfort and ease."

This is a simultaneous kick in the chest and head by an ox. And if we could somehow survive the resulting concussion, perhaps those of us who are able will go sign up to adopt now. Can you imagine the impact that would have on our neighbors, co-workers, the world? They'll look at us and say, "Hmm, they are so self-sacrificing that they adopted kids no one else wanted." And then maybe they'll be open to the divine truth that those of us who are blood-bought believers were adopted by God.

Now who is able? Most of us. But it will take sacrifice. Like Christ at the cross.

HT: Z