My friend, Jodi, posted this on her blog, and I wanted to share it with you!
Church, we are the ones who should be adopting.
We are the ones who could end the orphan crisis.
I've attached a poll one the sidebar, and I'd love it if you'd take a moment to complete it if you'd like.
I posted other, because I do feel called to adopt eventually, but at the moment I'm a single 25 year old mother of 1 already and cannot afford to adopt/take care of another child right now.
ReplyDeleteI voted "other" because my husband and I have adopted twice and I've loved it, but right now I'm feeling like we don't have the emotional/energy resources to adopt again and we definitely don't have the financial resources. However, I'm open to another adoption if God leads us in that direction.
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog for awhile and really enjoyed reading about your most recent trip to China. Your Khloie reminds me a lot of our Noelle who we adopted this past November:)
I voted other, too... we ARE adopting!
ReplyDelete4 times=7 kids. Not sure we should add to the stress. This time it will be hubby that brings it up :^)
ReplyDeleteNot saying never,but maybe we will just encourage others
I voted "Other." We just came home in December with a little treasure. We r feeling complete for now but we do have a dossier logged in and waiting (used a dossier copy for our Izzy). Maybe in a couple years but it will be at hubby's leading.;-)
ReplyDeleteYou need an answer that says, "We adopted and our family is complete." That's us.
ReplyDeleteI voted "other" because I would LOVE to adopt ... but ... (and can we have a dollar for every time we've heard this) my husband does not feel that it is something our family is being called to do. I keep praying ... and trusting that if it's God's Will for us ... He will open my husband's heart and equip us.
ReplyDelete-Valerie
Other here, too. We are in the middle of a double adoption.
ReplyDeleteYou should add an option for "my spouse does not feel we are called to adopt."
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of women who would love to adopt, but whose husbands, for reasons good or ill, do not think that they should adopt.
Or maybe you should just poll the husbands ;-)
Another "Other".
ReplyDeleteAdopted 6 times from China, including 4 teens, one who was re homed to us from another family. I think for us it's time to focus on education/ advocating for older child adoptions, supporting other families, maybe another re homed child if God has that for us--- but for now the need is to focus on the ones we have and get them where they need to be:)
I voted other too and it breaks my heart. :( I am obsessed with adoption blogs, am torn about the amount of orphans in the world, and when I see blogs that are advocating for special treasures, it rips my heart out because I want to adopt. We are ineligible. We literally do not meet the criteria anywhere, even foster care. We don't have enough assets,our income is too low, I have a health diagnosis, even the square footage of our home is an issue. The only thing i can do right now is support those who are in the process. I feel like such a failure. :(
ReplyDeleteJulie, honey, there are seasons for all of us. We wouldn't have been allowed to adopt years ago, and we are going to be full up for a while after the babies come home.
ReplyDeleteYour support, through prayer, finances, babysitting, meals, mission trips, whatever is SO important to adoptive families! Find out if a church near you runs a branch of Safe Families and volunteer to be a family friend. We are a Host Family, and honestly, just having someone buy diapers for the little ones we were hosting recently was such a blessing to us. You can read more about Safe Families on my blog, if you are interested.
I checked other because we have adopted 4 times and have 4 wonderful kiddos. We have talked and prayed often about adopting again and believe God is telling us our family is complete. We will remain open to a different answer from Him if/when that comes. We also continue to support kiddos who wait through our prayers and finances. You can still help the waiting children even if you are not called to adopt or adopt again!!
ReplyDeleteCarrie T. - mom to 4 from S. Korea
I voted "other" because of our financial situation. Hubs lost a great-paying job 4 years ago and hasn't been able to find one that pays well since. Consequently, we have no insurance, and that's the stumbling block. I'm confident that if it's His plan for us to adopt that it will all work out.
ReplyDeleteJulie!!!! You are NOT a failure! I realize as I advocate for adoption that many people are in the midst of circumstances beyond their control and though some desperately want to adopt, it simply is out of the question, maybe for now, maybe forever. Please please know that I am not shaking my finger at anyone. As I grow closer to the Lord, I realize that physical adoption is a picture of God's adoption of us. We have been so blessed to adopt, and the circumstances under which we started each process were never ideal. Somehow we've managed to be 'eligible', even though we've been granted some waivers.
ReplyDeleteI thought the poll would be good to see what other believers are thinking about the subject.
Also, I want you to know how very important your support is! I can't tell you how many people have walked alongside us in support, either prayerful, financial, emotional or all the above! Some have adopted before and some have not. One of the things I tell people when speaking on behalf of adoptive families is that loving support is so appreciated. It can be in the form of a meal, a dollar, a prayer, an encouraging note, baby-sitting...and so much more! You may not realize the depth of the blessing your support is, but trust me, we need more people like you, sister!!!
Another other: adopted once & I have a 48 year old husband who thinks we are too old to do it again.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I'm just getting back to this. I didn't feel like you were pointing a finger at all, I promise. It's just been such a knife in my heart that I can't adopt. However, I have amazing news!! We changed churches in Feb and after we got plugged in a bit, we have learned that our new church is very adoption minded!!! We have one family that has adopted 3 out of foster care and now helps people with the foster/adoption process and works to arrange host families for international treasures. One family is in process of bringing home 2 treasures from Ethiopia and another family is bringing home 3 teenage girls from Eastern Europe. I'm going to do as much as I can for these families. I'm so excited to be able to do something!!
ReplyDelete