This maybe one of those..do I even write this post. How much do I share post. A get off your soap box post(speaking to myself). I have read so many, "What T4 meant to me" type posts. I have been moved. I have cried. I have screamed. I have been angry. I apologize upfront for what I may say. My goal is not to offend, create a spirit of defensiveness or to point fingers. To hear that there are 163 million orphans worldwide should not sit well with anyone! Can you even really grasp that number? I read somewhere that in this world...right now..over 22,000 children will die today. Stop. Just process that. Really. I have 6 kids. I think about their smiles, their dreams, their hearts. Break that down. Stop looking at the NUMBER. Look at your own child...Imagine they died today. Your best friends kid died today. A friend of a friend's child died. Yes, does the church need to do something? Yes, if every "Christian" adopted would things be different? Yes. The truth is...Your church may not do anything. Your Christian friends may look the other way. My question? Why is 163 million orphans a church issue? A "Christian" issue? Really? And this is where...at this sentence, I will create enemies-This is not about being Christian or not Christian....We are talking about 163 million children without someone tucking them in at night. We are talking about 163 million children who have no-one to tell them, "I love you".
If I were to die today....the spiritual orientation of who holds, feeds, cares for and loves my kids is not what I would think about. I would just want to know...that someone...anyone cares and will love them. My children could be raised by a homosexual Jewish man for all I care. I do NOT say this blindly, lightly or ignorantly. The gospel will reach the hearts that have been opened to it. PERIOD. I was raised agnostic, ran away joined the circus, supported myself on the streets and swore I would never have kids...etc...I now have 6 children, a foster care license and 2 kids from Africa. Yes, I am a "Christian" today, but my faith and walk will not guarantee that my children will walk the same path or visa versa.... Is 163 million orphans too much to even comprehend? No. My God is huge. But, to think they only option or the best option is a Christian family...is well, limiting. The environment or the family a kid is raised in does not predetermine how God will use them.You have zero control on how God works, but you completely control how you will respond. Stop preaching and start reaching.
7 comments:
I love this post!
I love this post too! I will tell you that I know that I and many other feel very defensive in the face of the Christian orphan movement. It does sometimes seem like there is no room for good people who practice other forms of faith or have no religion at all. It is very sad. Also I have always felt that agencies that will only adopt children to Christian families are not in fact serving the best interest of the children of the world...they are serving the best interests of their religions.
So happy to feel lifted up instead pf like someone who is less then worthy. Thanks for that!
"I would just want to know...that someone...anyone cares and will love them. My children could be raised by a homosexual Jewish man for all I care."
You get a big hug for that. You made this straight Jew very happy.
You ROCK.
and I will adopt. One day. I'm not old enough yet.
thank you. thank you. thank you. i have been raked over the coals for holding this opinion. I've been silent over the T4A conference b/c I simply don't agree with a lot of it, but i know that's my own opinion, and a lot of good came from it too. For me, it came down to money and preach=i-ness,, and how the money spent there could've funded at least a few adoptions or years of orphan care. but anyway, i just wanted to thank you for your voice.
AMEN!!
love this post!!!
amen sister...
so sick of people not being moved to action.
i don't care who you are
or where you're from
just act.
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