And well, it is National Adoption Month, and a BIG part of my heart belongs to orphans. There is no denying that God has completely changed the path that we are going down right now. You see we were living our lives comfortably and doing some things to help, but I have always had the desire to adopt more and my husband, well not so much! So I began to advocate for the children that still wait for families. Go Here to read that post.
I say this to let you know that even if you are not adopting, there are many things that you can do to help a child who needs a family.
Here is something we all can do.
Pray. There are so many little ones that need prayer. If you want to pray specifically for a little one, there are many listed on Rainbow Kids. I love this site. They advocate for children all around the world. I encourage you to print out a picture of a little one who waits and put it on your mirror or refrigerator. Pray that this child will be adopted into a family and be able to know the love of a mom and dad. It will not only be a blessing for that child, but it will be a blessing for you.
Support. Consider sponsoring a child. We have used World Vision and Compassion International to sponsor children by sending a monthly donation. We are able to write letters and send small gifts to them and they in turn write back to us. We have grown to love these children and their families that are less fortunate than we are. There is nothing like knowing that you are partnering in the future of a child's life.
Koli is in Ghana and needs a sponsor.
This adorable little girl in Thailand needs a sponsor.
There are also many charities that do wonderful work in countries around the world and would be so blessed by your partnership. Here are some that I am familiar with that help in China.
An Orphan's Wish
Half The Sky
Love Without Boundaries
New Day Foster Home
Show Hope
You might also just want to make a one time donation to help with medical care or provide chickens or a goat for a family. That could be the best Christmas gift of all for a family.
You can also support other adoptive families. This could be done through prayer, financial support or simply loving and caring for them once they have their new child home. That could mean taking them meals, babysitting, or just giving them someone to talk to. Adoption is a significant undertaking – like having a baby(or so I've heard. lol), but MUCH more challenging – and newly adoptive parents can use all the help they can get especially in the first year that they are home. Not only are they busy working on establishing a relationship with their new child, but some families have to master the language barrier, and some have children with medical issues and will have to be visiting doctors on a regular basis. It is a big change for everyone in the home as well as the adoptive child, trying to figure out where everyone "fits" in.
Adopt. Of course, you can consider adoption. Consider giving a little one the gift of a forever family of their very own. As much as I believe our family was called to adoption, I do not believe that all Christians are. But if you have thought about it, truly prayed about it and believe that God might be calling you to pursue an adoption, I encourage you to prayerfully take that first step of faith. If you have any questions about adoption I would be glad to help you or guide you in the right direction.
And then just do it! Jump in with both feet and take this journey! Because that is what life is....a journey. Don't just sit back and let life pass you by. That's not what God wants. He wants his people to enjoy all that He has given them. "not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
1 Timothy 6:16-18
God doesn’t want His people to stand around, waiting for someone else to do what needs to be done. He wants us to get in there and get to work, even when it’s not easy and even when it’s not comfortable. Sometimes it’s in the doing that you find the joy and the desire, so don’t wait until it feels like the ‘right time’ – you might well be waiting forever.
I promise that if you step out, even in just a small way, to care for just one of the “least of these”, you will also be blessed in the process.
‘For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’
– Matthew 25:37-40
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