Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Since many cheated on the last post about how many orphans are in the world I wanted to go ahead and respond with the entire point of the two posts together... Most people believe there are about 150 million orphans in the world and that number alone is very defeating and depressing BUT think about this: if 7% of the world's professing Christians (which is under what most of you said were "real" Christians in the world) would adopt one child permanently, the world's orphan population would be completely eradicated!!

Reread that last statement... No more orphans in the world, 150 million orphans no longer orphans, if YOU will pray about and take action in adopting one child, whom God loves and tells us to take care of in His word!!

You are not alone in the worries that follow... My family is currently praying about this exact thing and we to wonder... Can we afford it, what about our kids, how will it look to others, can we take care of another child, do we have the time, etc. Many of those worries, I believe, God will take care of, as for the big one, check this out: AnNi Designs or Shaohannah's Hope, companies formed to help people like us adopt an orphan!!

Pray & Take Action!!

3 comments:

Dalene said...

Jeff, check out Reece's Rainbow as well. My cousin just adopted a child from the Ukraine through that organization. Ironically, she just had a post on the EXACT topic- listing over 140 million orphans worldwide. Several of the kids at Reece's Rainbow have adoption funds set up to help pay for the expense. Thanks for addressing this topic.

Becky said...

I agree that people should pray about adoption if God is leading them that direction. But I do think you have to be careful when moving from a Biblical principle (Look after widows and orphans) to a specific action God may press upon you (adoption). The principle is, of course, something we need to follow, but that does not necessarily look the same to everyone. Some may be called to adopt, some may be called to support orphanages financially, some may be called to go on mission trips, some may be called to mentor, etc.

As a person who has seen the effects of MANY failed adoptions, many of which happened in Christian homes, I just do not believe adoption is for everyone or every Christian. It takes a pretty amazing person to take a child who has been hurt (physically, emotionally, spiritually or otherwise) and give them the unconditional love they deserve. Not that there aren't many of those amazing people out there, but I would just hate to make people think it is their biblical responsibility and then have the fallout and the pain that follows if it is not their calling. Does that make sense?

Marci said...

Thanks for the post Jeff. We have talked a lot about adopting someday in the future.

We have talked about all the same concerns you have. It is definitely something that warrants A TON of prayer before doing.