Friday, June 1, 2012

Heartbroken

Two blog posts in one day, while in country. I'm not such a slacker, now. I have to share what happened this evening. We went along with two other adoptive families down to dinner with our attorney, Toni and her brother, Marty. Toni is a really special lady and a dear friend. I will miss her dearly. Our family owes her a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid by us. God will continue to bless Toni as she faithfully serves him.


As we arrive in the restaurant, the children each take turns on Toni's lap and then, when she hands them back to us she says they "officially" belong to us. This was more significant to me, than visiting the Embassy, yesterday. To have this precious friend bless our family with these boys...well, there are no words.



In case you're wondering what Toni does, I have a story to tell you. Part of Toni's job involves going to court and requesting children's files to list for adoption. Tonight, Toni told me, "Mandy, I have something to show you." So, once I had the boys settled, I headed back to the head of the table to see what my friend had brought. She had a stack of papers stapled together. She said, "These are all the lists of children I have ever had files for and the dates when they were requested." She then pointed to the top sheet the most recent list of children and begins to flip to the end of the stack. On the very bottom page she stops and she says, "This is my first list of children that I requested in 2007 and number 31 on that list is Ivaylo."

I could not stop the tears, friends. My boy was on the first list and hundreds of children have been chosen and come home. They get highlighted in yellow once they have a family, so tonight, Toni will go home and highlight Joseph and Samuel's names on her list. Why did I cry? My heart is so broken for my little man. For 5 years he waited on a list. He waited for someone to choose him. We are so blessed to be that family, but I have to be honest and say, "I am angry."

Who am I angry at? The church. That's right, myself included. These are children, children without parents, wasting away, their lights fading, while we collect gadgets and things and chase the latest stuff. When it's all said and done, God is not going to be pleased with the way the Church has handled the orphan crisis. I try not to guilt anyone, here, but I have to say, the guilt lies with us, as the body of Christ. My boy should not have been allowed to go unchosen, unseen for 5 years. What would he be today had someone (maybe us, maybe not) come quicker?

Please, don't leave me a comment about how he was waiting for our family and how God saved him for us. I am thrilled to pieces to be this boy's Mama, but I think that's a lousy excuse for inaction. God wants to set the lonely in families. The way He does that is by the Church being the hands and feet of Jesus. I promise you, if we don't go, then no one will.

Rise up, Church!

Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...Do Something!

Hidden in Christ,
Mandy


5 comments:

  1. I hear ya Mandy. Truly the orphan crisis is ultimately not the responsibility of the government or NGO's or charitable contributions--it is the responsibility of the Church.
    Joy

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  2. Praise the Lord....AMEN. I join you in saying RISE UP CHURCH....Praying that my "church" will rise up...stir our hears dear Jesus...let us not be comfortable anymore. Do not allow us to turn our hearts and turn our faces away from the orphan...from the special need orphan....stir our hearts dear Jesus. Stir the hearts in my own home. In Jesus Name...Amen.

    Stephanie Lynch

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  3. I couldn't agree more! I breaks my heart too, and when I see the wait lists FULL of kids wasting away in institutions ...it even makes me angry.

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  4. Well said, Mandy! I'm so so so happy to see these boys with you! But I also struggle with the timing and inaction as well. Why are some children left for a dozen years, unseen and left alone? We're working toward adopting. We are working toward qualifying. I try to implore people that if they don't want nor can they adopt that they at least support orphan ministries and bring awareness. What is a more worthy cause than to "care for the least of these" in Jesus' name?! ;-)

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    1. Yes, Joy! It's about everyone doing what they CAN! There is no more worthy cause than to be the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth...for the KING and His Glory!

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