When Mercedes first came into our lives we were frightened by the prospect of an open adoption. We couldn't imagine a scenario where an open adoption would really work and be healthy. Because of the circumstances Mercedes adoption was pretty closed, although in the last year it has opened a little and we have been able to have minimal contact with her birthparents.
Adria on the other hand was completely the opposite. We became very close with her birthfamily before she was born and remain close to this day. Someone the other day found out how close we were (the girls call them Aunt and Uncle and enjoy outings with them) and said he just wasn't sure how he felt about that. Well, to be quite honest, not many people are sure how they feel about it, 4 years ago I'm not sure how I would have felt about it, but only by the Grace of God we have developed a beautiful relationship that is not threatening or scary but loving and joyful.
A close friend of mine recently wrote a blog about her daughter meeting her birthfamily. I am posting a link below, PLEASE READ IT! I think it is an awesome picture of an awesome relationship. I can't say enough about this family and their commitment to adoption and orphans, and their love for their children is so obvious in this post! A beautiful picture of adoption.
Liberty's Story
Growing up in an orphanage
This last weekend we spent with a close friend, family really, who spent 22 years of her life in an orphanage. Abandoned before she can remember, she has seen a lot in those 22 years.
I don't know all the reasons she was never put up for adoption, perhaps it was that because of her physical needs no one thought anyone would want her, perhaps it was because she is very wise for her age and she knew too much, whatever the reason, no family ever came for her.
Some of the things she faced growing up I'll never probably know, the things I do know make me want to weep, for no child should ever have to face the awful things she had to face.
Every time we are with her I am committed even more to encourage people to get involved in orphan care and adoption. She was never able to be adopted, but the people who came to care for her even while and orphan in many ways shaped the person she is now, and the Lord used those people to open doors for her.
We have been truly blessed by knowing her and by having her as our little sister.
I don't know all the reasons she was never put up for adoption, perhaps it was that because of her physical needs no one thought anyone would want her, perhaps it was because she is very wise for her age and she knew too much, whatever the reason, no family ever came for her.
Some of the things she faced growing up I'll never probably know, the things I do know make me want to weep, for no child should ever have to face the awful things she had to face.
Every time we are with her I am committed even more to encourage people to get involved in orphan care and adoption. She was never able to be adopted, but the people who came to care for her even while and orphan in many ways shaped the person she is now, and the Lord used those people to open doors for her.
We have been truly blessed by knowing her and by having her as our little sister.
Remembering Elijah
On
When I answered the door with the nanny she wouldn't even take the baby that was being held at arms length by the orphanage employee, he looked terrible. I have never, even in textbooks, seen a baby this sick. When I took him I knew he wasn't going to live long. He was tied in filthy rags, but had a carefully tied red string around his wrist, the only sign that someone had loved him. I brought him up and unwrapped him. I didn't bother assessing him; I just gave him a bath and held him.
My first thought for him was a bath; I didn't want him to die dirty. When he lived through the hour I decided to unwrap him and look at him. He was so dehydrated and malnourished I could see his intestines. He was too weak to suck; even all my medical equipment for preemies was too much for him. He had an old scar on his belly so he wasn't newborn, probably at least 10 months, but he only weighed 4.4lbs. Eventually the orphanage doctor came up and told me they were taking him to the hospital. She was upset with me that I was holding him and that he wasn’t in the incubator, knowing full well he was dying and nothing would help him. They told me they would be back for him I prayed that the Lord would take him home before they came back.
The door bell rang again; they had come for him, more than an hour later. My heart broke, I knew that nothing good would happen and he would only suffer more if they took him. Instead of the doctors it was a couple from another organization who had been asked to come and get him and take him to the hospital. We waited about 5 minutes and I checked his heart rate. It was very uneven but that had happened several times since he arrived. We waited 5 more minutes and I walked them to the door. Before they left they asked me to check his heart rate again and it was barely there. I told them he wouldn't make it downstairs so we waited. Within a few minutes he was gone.
When he got here I named him Elijah. He had no other name and no birthday. For 5 wonderful hours the Lord gave him to me to care for and I have had few experiences that wonderful in my life. I was able to give him a name, sing to him, bathe him, and give him back to Jesus, I could not have asked for such a gift.
On
Adoption, truly, isn't optional
There was a time that adoption was, in my life, about me. I was married, barren, and the last of our friends without children.
BILL'S ADOPTION STORY
I haven't shared much of my adoption story. I have never wanted any attention directed at me, but over the last few weeks God has placed a heavy burden on my heart to share it.
Even though I was only 3 I remember my biological parents would leave myself and my two older sisters alone for days with very little food and no supervision. I remember my sister, who is only two years older then me, giving us baths, feeding us with whatever was there, putting us to bed, and mothering us. One day Child Protective Services came and removed us from that place. My biological mother was there and we were all crying because we were being taken away from our mom. The love God gives a child for their mother is amazing because she did not deserve it but it was there. There were many tears that day. We went to a foster family for six months and I don't remember much about it.
I will never forget the day when the social worker came and picked all three of us up and we got in his car and he told us we were going to a place where we might be adopted. I didn't really know what that meant but when we got there it just felt like home. My Mom loved us and I can't describe what it felt like that day to be in house that really felt like a home. When my Dad came home he was a loving guy and we all went out shopping because we didn't have very many clothes or shoes. That weekend they even had to buy a car because all they had was one truck and we didn't all fit in that very well! We went from having nothing to having everything, what an incredible day that was.
One year later they adopted us at the ages of 64 and 60 and I will forever be grateful for their unselfishness. They already had six biological children and the youngest had moved out 5 years before we came into the picture. I can not describe what it's like to have God remove you from a terrible situation and place you in a loving, caring home. They taught us about Jesus, the Bible and the need to serve Him. My biological dad died when I was 7, my Dad died four years ago at the age of 83 and he told my wife and I that adoption was one of the best thing he ever did in his life.
My dad might have died while I was young, and my children will not meet him in this lifetime, but he left me with an inheritance. Every morning for as long as I knew him I can not remember one day that he wasn't in his chair praying and reading his bible. He loved the Lord and he was the most loving man I have ever met in my life. He left that for me and what more can I ask for? I plan on passing that on to my two beautiful adopted girls!
So, from one who has been adopted, both by my parents and by my Heavenly Father, on behalf of the orphans who still need homes, please pray about adoption. There are only 118,oo0 children in this country needing homes and with well over 150 million believers in America it would take just a very small percentage of believers to step up and take these children in and love them and teach them about Jesus.
Even though I was only 3 I remember my biological parents would leave myself and my two older sisters alone for days with very little food and no supervision. I remember my sister, who is only two years older then me, giving us baths, feeding us with whatever was there, putting us to bed, and mothering us. One day Child Protective Services came and removed us from that place. My biological mother was there and we were all crying because we were being taken away from our mom. The love God gives a child for their mother is amazing because she did not deserve it but it was there. There were many tears that day. We went to a foster family for six months and I don't remember much about it.
I will never forget the day when the social worker came and picked all three of us up and we got in his car and he told us we were going to a place where we might be adopted. I didn't really know what that meant but when we got there it just felt like home. My Mom loved us and I can't describe what it felt like that day to be in house that really felt like a home. When my Dad came home he was a loving guy and we all went out shopping because we didn't have very many clothes or shoes. That weekend they even had to buy a car because all they had was one truck and we didn't all fit in that very well! We went from having nothing to having everything, what an incredible day that was.
One year later they adopted us at the ages of 64 and 60 and I will forever be grateful for their unselfishness. They already had six biological children and the youngest had moved out 5 years before we came into the picture. I can not describe what it's like to have God remove you from a terrible situation and place you in a loving, caring home. They taught us about Jesus, the Bible and the need to serve Him. My biological dad died when I was 7, my Dad died four years ago at the age of 83 and he told my wife and I that adoption was one of the best thing he ever did in his life.
My dad might have died while I was young, and my children will not meet him in this lifetime, but he left me with an inheritance. Every morning for as long as I knew him I can not remember one day that he wasn't in his chair praying and reading his bible. He loved the Lord and he was the most loving man I have ever met in my life. He left that for me and what more can I ask for? I plan on passing that on to my two beautiful adopted girls!
So, from one who has been adopted, both by my parents and by my Heavenly Father, on behalf of the orphans who still need homes, please pray about adoption. There are only 118,oo0 children in this country needing homes and with well over 150 million believers in America it would take just a very small percentage of believers to step up and take these children in and love them and teach them about Jesus.
ADOPTION STORIES
Have you been blessed by adoption? Have you cared for a child who had no parents? Have you been adopted by our Heavenly Father? Email your story to heartsforthefatherless@gmail.com so that we can post it here to share.
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