"We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” – Radical by David Platt
Everything has changed friends. And this is coming from someone who has seen the orphan crisis and experienced it first hand for years. But now having lived the heart wrenching, back breaking, nerve trying, day in and a day out of transforming an orphan into a chosen and precious family member, I can say everything has changed. The need is great and urgent. And while at times I wonder if I would ever wish this journey on another person, my heart breaks and tears threaten to spill each time their lonely faces fill my computer screen.
Children belong in families. Not in orphanages, group homes, institutions, or hospitals. Is adoption easy? Absolutely not. Is it costly? Preciously so. Is it worth it? A thousand times yes.
If you say yes- if you allow yourself to be changed forever, to hear their names, to see their faces, to listen to their stories- you will be broken and stretched beyond what you ever thought yourself capable of. Your darkest parts, your deepest insecurities- laid bare. And you will be forced to acknowledge the very worst of your soul and cling desperately to the Father of the Fatherless- the one who has paid the most costly price and chosen you. And you will rise. And the little one now residing in your home, in your family, will serve as a reminder to you of how great the Father's love for you. And you will do anything to show that little one safety. Family. Forever. Everything will change.
And your children will change. They will be forced to share, to act with compassion, to sacrifice. And it will be hard and it will hurt your heart to watch. But they too will rise. Corbin's heart has been tuned to the plight of these precious ones. Each month, he has chosen a few waiting children- kids who have their adoption paperwork ready and are waiting for someone to step forward to call them to their family- to pray for and to advocate for. He shares their stories and carries their photos with him wherever he goes. I've agreed to share 'Corbin's Kids' with my corner of the social networking world. If you are interested in learning more about any of these precious ones or about adoption in general, please contact us. Corbin will show you his pictures and Austin and I will share our story and point you to more resources.
The numbers may seem overwhelming. The costs too great. But I can testify to the greatness of the reward. Allow everything to change. Look at their faces, learn their names, hear their stories. Then do something. Pray that their family finds them quickly. Share this post and their stories. Ask yourself, "could I do that?" And then ask, "will I allow God to move through my family in that way?" Because if you say yes, then He will, and you will never, ever be the same.
Gil
Gil is a seven year old boy with severe Thalassemia. This is a blood condition that is managed and treated in the US but is not adequately cared for in China. Gil is in desperate need of a family to step forward as his disease has progressed. This is a great starting point for understanding this disease.
http://www.nohandsbutours.com/types/blood-conditions/
Despite his diagnosis, Gil sounds like a remarkable little guy. He speaks clearly, can write with a pencil, plays with other children, and enjoyed interacting with a team of volunteers at his orphanage. Read what the team had to say about Gil:
"Gil may be a little guy, at 7 years old he stands about 3 ½ feet tall, but his personality is mighty. Somehow he manages to simultaneously be calm and rowdy, silly and serious, shy and outgoing. One minute he is fully engrossed in the picture he is coloring, the next he is flopping around in the ball pit. One minute he is hamming it up for pictures—tilting his head to the side, flashing the peace sign, and grinning ear to ear—the next he is on the floor intently doing a puzzle. And during it all, he just has this endearing nature. His sweetness draws you in.”
Get more information on Gil here. He is listed with WACAP and has a $4,000 grant available toward his adoption. This little one needs someone to RUN to him and give him a chance at life.
http://www.nohandsbutours.com/2016/06/30/urgent-medical-need-gil/
Duo
Duo is 11 years old and has scoliosis and a prosthetic leg. Corbin was drawn to this boy because of all the sweet and funny comments written in his advocacy summary. Duo lives with a foster family with several younger siblings and seems like a good 'big brother' to them. He is very good at his self care and is in grade 4 in public school. He can walk and is receiving physical therapy. Duo in interested in animals and loves to read- his friends even jokingly call him 'the encyclopedia!' He also loves art class and knows a few words in English too.
Read this heart breaking paragraph:
"Tian Duo is sad that he is not tall enough, nor strong enough, in his eyes, because of his physical limitations. He also wonders when it is his turn to have a forever family, or whether anyone would “pick” him, after witnessing one after another younger siblings leaving with their very own mom and dad. For him, adoption also means he would have a lot more opportunities for education, and it is his dream to go to college some day, which is impossible for him in China.”
Can you imagine how much joy this smart little boy would bring to a family? And how amazing it would be to show him the athletes that compete with prostheses? You can read the full advocacy post here and find contact links to Duo's current agency.
http://www.nohandsbutours.com/2016/05/04/find-family-duo/
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