National Adoption Month: What if?

     One year ago today, at exactly 11:16am, Isaac and I became a family. It would be another 9months & 11days before we would be together, but on that Tuesday, the first day of November 2011 my heart became very, VERY full. (You can read about that day HERE).  For two reasons really. First, oh my gosh, I had a son! I physically had to sit down when I got the news. All babies from China are girls, right? But I had a boy with a super cool extra chromosome! In his pictures he was dressed in pink (a cultural custom for all kiddos under 1year), but in my mind he was playing football and digging for worms and jumping off the couch with my 'going out' shirt for a cape around his neck. No matter what he did or how he dressed, forever and ever he would be safe, and loved, and have a home with a mommy who would seek to show him the love that Jesus has for us both. Oh my...it was so amazingly overwhelming!

Mother & son

     Second, and I don't know that I was fully able to articulate this until Isaac was in my arms, but there are 169million sweet little ones in the world who need mommies, and families and couches to jump off of. ONE HUNDRED SIXTY NINE MILLION. (And that's a conservative number!!) I can't even comprehend how to reduce that number into something palatable...I mean, it's only 93million miles from the earth to the sun and I really don't even know what that means. A close approximation would equal half of the population of the United States of America. That is every other American! However you process the math,  that number....169,000,000...is not OK. It's just NOT OK.

     I recently read these statistics from Orphan Hope International:

• Every day 5,760 more children become orphans
• According to data released in 2003 as many as eight million boys and girls around the world live in institutional care. Some studies have found that violence in residential institutions is six times higher than violence in foster care, and that children in group care are almost four times more likely to experience sexual abuse than children in family based care.
• Each year 14, 505, 000 children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen
• Each day 38,493 orphans age out
• Every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out with no family to belong to and no place to call home
• Studies have shown that 10% – 15% of these children commit suicide before they reach age eighteen
• These studies also show that 60% of the girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals
• Another study reported that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless and 3,000 were in prison within three years…

     Let me say very clearly, I do not believe every person or family is called to adopt a child into their home. Just like not everyone is called to be a missionary in Borneo, or to become a doctor, or to be a stay at home mom. It is a decision that requires MUCH prayer and long term support.  What I am reminded of is our calling to care for the orphan (James 1:27) and I then ask myself...WHAT IF?  What if all that could care for orphans did? What if there were not enough kids to go into all the loving foster homes that were ready & waiting to love on those sweet ones?  What if the cost of adoption was never an issue because of the number of donations adoption agencies received?  What if we opened not only our homes & hearts, but our health insurance to children with special needs? What if families who are called to adopt could because grants and financial support were readily available? What if older orphans were sought out and welcomed into loving homes to become active & healthy & loved adults?  What if those with skills and passions and creativities, not necessarily related to adoption, used them to help support adoptive families? What if every person contacted their Congressman to support the Federal Adoption Tax Credit?  What if birth mothers were overwhelmingly supported & loved on when they chose to place their sweet child in a protected home? What if I hadn't adopted Isaac...where would he be now? Would he even be alive? What if...?

      I will share that I was so overwhelmed with "it's just not OK" when we got home from China, that I immediately checked the Down syndrome adoption ministry, Reece's Rainbow for how many children they had waiting. Then I sat & cried. I couldn't help but think of the movie Schindler's List...just $30,000 more dollars and I could get another little one safe & home before they aged-out. What if we can get just one more home...?

      As we enter National Adoption Month and as the end of the year is upon us, I would ask that you take the time to truly pray about how you can 'care for the orphan'. What is your WHAT IF?  If you feel lead to partner with a ministry or to give financially, I've added a short list of various adoption ministries that I am familiar with below. There are certainly way more. For those of you that gave your time, your hearts, your money, your prayers, your talents, your love to bring my Isaac home...THANK YOU!!!!!! He will forever more NOT be apart of the 169million! 

Bethany Christian Services : The nation's largest Christian adoption agency.

Reece's Rainbow : An international ministry focused on the adoption of kids with Down syndrome.

The Archibald Project : A unique ministry that provides free photographers to travel with families during the adoption process.

IBSEN Adoption Network : Local to the Puget Sound, encouraging the adoption of kids with special needs.

Show Hope : An ministry of Stephen Curtis Chapman & his family helping families adopt through grants & providing care to orphans in China.

Orphan Hope International : Focusing on adoption awareness and providing safe houses for kids who have aged-out of the system.

Focus on the Family-I Care About Orphans : Mobilizing people and churches to follow God's command to care for the orphan.

Adoption Ministry : A ministry arm of YWAM that supports mothers through unplanned pregnancy and adoption.
Care Net : Provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling and other spiritual help for women with unexpected pregnancies; saving babies and mommies from the pain of abortion.
World Vision : Support for the world's poorest children & families in over 100 countries.

Happy Match Day to my sweet Isaac!
I love you all the way to China over & over & over & over again!!