My Heart for Adoption - part 1

I've heard it described as "the adoption gene;" when adoption is something you've considered for as long as you can remember. Besides a brief stint of time when I didn't want children at all, I've always been drawn to adoption. But being interested and supportive of adoption sure is quite a bit different than actually brining an orphaned child into your family.

It was after the birth of Landon that I really felt God calling our family to adopt. God's instruction to care for the orphan, and His prompting in our lives, is the ultimate reason we decided to pursue adoption. However, my heart is pulled towards adoption for reasons even beyond faith.

There are 4.5 million orphans in Ethiopia alone. That's nearly five million children in one tiny country without a mom or dad to tuck them in at night. Five million children that don't have clothes or toys or even a bed to call their own. Five million children without much of a future to look forward to.

My dinning room table seats six. Three seats are full, but why wouldn't I offer an empty seat (or two) to one of those children? A child desperate for a family to call his/her own. Should I refuse them a place at my table because it's uncomfortable for me? Because it costs too much money (I have serious beef with this excuse)? Should I deny her a life of love and family because I don't want to rock the boat? Or face unforeseen challenges?

I'm offering orphaned children a place at my table because I love them. Because my mother heart aches for them, wants to cuddle them and to call them my own. I can not change five million lives, but I can make a difference in one, or two.

However, I hate the idea that people might think I'm "saving" a child. There is no "saving" an orphan. His/her life is rooted in tragedy. They have seen more tragedy in a few years than I have seen in my lifetime. God holds these children in His hand. He is the only one that can save, not I. But, if anyone besides God is doing any saving this child is saving me. Saving me from a life of self-indulgence and regret because I knew and never did anything.

I know adoption isn't for every family. And I would never judge a family for only having biological children or no children at all. But if the tables were turned, if the USA was suddenly poverty stricken and we were without proper medical treatment, and my Landon was left without a mother and father. Without a family to care for him or food to eat wouldn't I want someone to reach out a hand to him? To love him and care for him. To give him a family. And allow him a life where he is defined by Who he is rather than What he is.

And the real truth is that I just love being called "Mama." So if they come via stork, forceps, painful grunts, or African airlines, I don't really care. I just want them home with me, eating at my table.