• Why I talk about orphans

    Date: 2012.12.29 | Category: Adoption, Maisey, Thoughts to ponder | Tags:

    You might wonder why I talk the way I do about orphans?  I have to admit it wasn’t even on my radar a few years ago.  I had no idea the vastness of it all.  147 million orphans?  How is that even possible? I had no idea the conditions orphans were living in.  I had no idea how many children were hurting and alone.  I figure if I had no idea then others probably haven’t heard the numbers either.  I believe when others hear the stories they will be moved to do something too.  There are so many ways to help even if you haven’t been called to personally adopt.

    Now that Dan and I know about the House of Hope, Show Hope, CCAI, and Love Without Boundaries, we want to share what they are doing.  These are organizations that we have dealt with personally and we want to get the word out there to others who may want to help too.   There are many different organizations that no one even hears about.  Take LWB for instance, they have 11,000 likes on their Facebook page.  That is a respectable number but why does something like Skylanders (A video game that my daughter loves – that is why I chose it.) have 347,000 likes?  Because the word is out there.  Because people are talking.  Which brings me back to what I am saying, I believe more people need to talk about this crisis, Christians especially. We need to open people’s eyes to the plight of orphaned children here in this country and around the world.  James 1:27

    We need to spread the word.  I’m blessed to be able to be part of a story like my Maisey’s.  She weighed 6 pounds at 6 months and the Hills took her in and saved her. Maisey is a fighter and a blessing.  I am amazed and so thankful for the work the Hills are doing.  They are bringing comfort to those children who would otherwise have died, alone and afraid.   They are saving those children that they can. You can read more in the book the House of Hope.  Maisey is their 1,000th baby, Chaya.  You will be moved by the Hill’s story and your eyes will be opened.

    LWB is taking children into their healing homes and helping them get their cleft lips fixed and their little hearts fixed in hopes that they will someday find their forever family.  But just in case they don’t find their forever families, LWB is getting these children into foster homes.  LWB is providing schooling.  We take a lot for granted in this country.  We just assume it is the same every where else.  It isn’t!  In some of these countries unless you have the money you don’t get medical care and education is a privilege not a right.

    CCAI, the adoption agency we used, is amazing. They are the number one agency for Chinese adoptions.  I can’t say enough good things about them.  I just read Lily’s story in the book Bound by Love.  It is heart wrenching and a history lesson in China all at the same time.  You turn to the back of this book and see the names of all the children they have helped find forever families.  They are over 10,000 children placed now.

    Maisey is one of the reasons why I’m trying to spread the word.  Because she was abandoned on a stairwell in a building.  She was left because she was a less-than-perfect girl.  Even in the orphanage she wasn’t worth the time it took to feed her properly.  She was abandoned and alone, but the Hills saw her worth.  They took the time to feed her and help her grow and because they did that I get to be greeted everyday by this little face.

    Maisey is beautiful and animated and such a joy to have as a daughter. She is full of energy and adventure. I am blessed everyday to be greeted by her huge hugs and her joyous laughter all because someone else saw her worth.   Why wouldn’t I want to share a story like that?

    Please won’t you consider opening your heart to an orphan?  Sponsor a child in foster care.  Sponsor a child’s surgery or schooling.  You can go to the links on the right hand side of the home page on my blog to learn more.

    Help a family that you know who is adopting.  It is a serious leap of faith to go into the unknown and it is so expensive.  What if everyone in your church donated $10 towards a family in your church that you knew was adopting?  What a difference we could all make just a few dollars at a time.  Don’t close your eyes.  Don’t pretend that you haven’t heard.  Make a difference.  Open your heart and change the world – one child at a time!  I can guarantee you you will not regret helping a child in need.