This day is so important to me. I was not adopted. I have not adopted. But I am a voice... For the "least of these". For 140 million children around the world without a family. For those that will become a part of this statistic.
My father is in ministry, and that title comes with certain responsibilities. One of those is attending the Southern Baptist Convention each summer. Until a few years ago, this responsibility meant that his family also went. If you've never been, let me tell you... it is not the most thrilling thing ever. I dreaded it, except for the couple of times it was held in Orlando. But the convention had one redeeming quality for this over-achieving and slightly nerdy kid- a discount bookstore. Without fail, that bookstore could keep me occupied for a few hours each year.
When I was 10, I was sorting through the numerous tables of books and came across one titled "China Doll". It had a picture of a couple holding a precious Asian toddler on the front. I read the back and was hooked. I bought the book and pulled my first all-nighter to finish this book. To that point, I had never heard about China's one-child policy or the girls abandoned to make way for sons or the orphanages overcrowded and out of resources. The book also opened my eyes to the miracle of adoption, and my life has never been the same.
When I began to see God's heart for the orphan, I decided adoption must be in His plan for our family. I immediately took on the role of the Holy Spirit and discovered adoption agency web sites. Each had a nice form to fill out for more information. My parents started to receive information packets about adoptions from China. I acted as surprised as they were, but I'm pretty sure they saw through that.
If you know my family, you know that this plan didn't go exactly as intended. My sister and I are very clearly my parents' biological children.
But something else happened.
The Lord opened doors for me to literally "visit the orphan" and the statistics became faces. I wrapped my arms around orphans in Mexico. I pushed them in swings in Thailand. I wiped away their tears in India. And my heart broke for these children in a way I can't understand or explain.
Orphans are heavy on my heart. I don't know why the Lord has given me this burden, but I want to bear it well. I pray orphan care and adoption are in my future, but I don't want to wait until another stage of life comes along to speak up for them. There will always be excuses and obstacles, but He has been opening my eyes lately to ways I can advocate and see that His name is glorified as we carry out His call to care for the orphan. I challenge you to seek Him about how He wants for you to be involved.
I also want you to consider that you once fell into the category of "orphan" as well. We had no hope and no future until a gracious Father sacrificed to make us His own. To lavish us with undeserved love. To allow us to take on His name and identity. To adopt us. Let the Gospel speak to you today, and thank our incredible Father on World Orphan Day.
