Why adopt? Why Ethiopia? Part 2

Yesterday, we explained why we're adopting as opposed to attempting to conceive through fertility treatments & such.  Today, we'd like to deal with why we're adopting from Ethiopia rather than domestically. 

So...why Ethiopia?  There are so many reasons I can give!  The most important reason is that we simply feel God leading us there.  We could have gone the domestic route - we thought about it & may do so in the future - but we simply feel that for now, God is leading us to Ethiopia.  We believe our God is sovereign & that He ordained that all of our children - birth & adopted - be ours from before the foundation of the world.  The most basic reason that we're adopting from Ethiopia is that our children are in Ethiopia, just as God has willed.  Like I said, we've always wanted to adopt (seriously, like from the time I was 12 & Michael was a teenager), but we thought we would wait until after we had "our own" children.  (As an aside, I detest that phrase now; they won't be our biological children, but they will be "our own" children.)  Then, my sister- & brother-in-law started the process; we were over at their house one night this past January & spent literally hours watching You Tube videos showing adoption stories, a lot of them from Ethiopia.  Watching all of these children who had no one suddenly becoming part of a family was simply extraordinary!  I cried the whole time & was completely drained by the end of the day.  Michael & I drove home talking about how we didn't have to wait; we could adopt now.  One reason we chose Ethiopia is because of how speedy their process is compared to other nations.  But the main reason, other than God's leading, is that as we began researching Ethiopia to get a better feel of the culture, we discovered the dire situation facing these beautiful people.  For Ethiopia's orphans, many of whom are living on the streets, life is a daily struggle to survive.  There are between 4 & 6 million orphans in Ethiopia alone, & most of them don't live to see their 5th birthday; they're dying from starvation, preventable diseases, & subhuman conditions.  More than 26,000 children around the world die every single day from these conditions!  That's 1,080+ every hour, 18+ every minute!  Imagine if our church were representative of these statistics.  In a matter of minutes, not one child would be left alive.  Learning this, we simply couldn't turn our backs on the situation.  We have to save these children.

One of the "flagship" verses of adoption is James 1:27.  As Christ's church, we are all called to "visit orphans & widows in their distress".  We just recently heard a sermon explaining that "visit" means save, as in all the times that God "visited" His people in distress.  He didn't just comfort them & then leave them in their situations; He rescued them from the situations.  We are all called to rescue orphans, whether by means of adoption or by means of facilitating adoption.  You know what's been amazing in this for me personally?  I've never met my children - they may not even be born yet - but I know that before creation, God planned them to be mine, & I love them to the very bottom of my soul.  I may not have them in my arms yet, but they are firmly planted in my heart.

*Our most gracious heavenly Father, please help us, as Your adopted children, to reflect your heart by adopting orphans from all over the world.  These children are so precious, & they need us to rescue them from poverty, disease, & death.  We can't do it without You, though.  Please make Your people - Your bride - burn with a passion for adoption for Your glory!  In Christ's holy name, Amen.

Why adopt? Why Ethiopia? Part 1

Michael & I have been asked more than once now 2 questions in particular regarding our adoption:  Why are you adopting rather than trying to conceive on your own or with a doctor's help?  Why are you adopting from Ethiopia rather than domestically?  I recently corresponded with a dear friend concerning these 2 issues, & I figure that for every person brave enough to ask these questions out loud, there are a few more who are wondering.  So, I would like to share our reasons here.

It's probably easier to start with why we're adopting at all.  First of all, it "just so happens" that we have both always wanted to adopt transracially, specifically African.  We are not able to conceive right now due to my PCOS, but weight loss will clear that up (which we are working on), & Lord willing, one day we will be "bellied up" (an awesome expression that's new to me!).  Regardless of if we ever have biological children or not, we will adopt.  We want to adopt in addition to having biological children, not in lieu of.  Adoption is costly, & we could spend that money on fertility treatments instead.  However, God has chosen not to create a child in my womb right now, while He has chosen to create all of the many children around the world who have become orphans through no fault of their own.  We believe our money is better spent rescuing these children rather than bucking against God's plan for us in our barrenness.  God is concerned with orphans, as He testifies in His Word, & we as His children should reflect His heart.  In adoption, we show the world God's love for & adoption of us.  He is, after all, an adoptive Father Himself.  Because we have been adopted "vertically" by Him, we have a desire to adopt "horizontally" the orphans in this world.  These are children who have no one to love them; no one to protect, support, or comfort them; no place to call home.  They are worthy of all of these things, & by adopting them, we show the world who God is.  Isn't that beautiful?!  We also fulfill the Great Commission in adoption.  We are taking children who, if left as orphans, will most likely never hear the gospel of Jesus Christ & are training them in the admonition of the Lord.  We are discipling them in Christ!  Again, it's just beautiful!

I'll cover why we feel led to adopt from Ethiopia rather than domestically in the next post.