Pat Roberson recently spoke out against international adoption. His words stung and I remember angrily asking God where is the Christian leader speaking out the truth and I felt his gentle prompting, “You are a Christian leader and you have a voice.” So here goes. When we adopted our son, we did it for two reasons: to give a home, family, and a future to a little boy that had none; and to have a little boy because we so wanted one in our lives. When we went to the orphanage, I remember the hungry arms of other children reaching out to us hoping that we had come for them and that they too were going to be loved. We came for Nate. The orphanage gave us a cake that we didn’t have time to eat and among the toys we brought for the orphans was a toy airplane that Nathan would not let go of for dear life. Only God would place him in a family where his Dad works/lives on an Air Force Base and his Mommy bakes the best cakes in the world. In only a few days he called out to me “Ba” (Dad). Before I could comprehend the word, he knew, he offered his little heart to me. He imitated everything I did. That first night we had him, he fell asleep on my chest, safe in my arms—knowing he was home. It has been suggested by some, that we shouldn’t take in orphans because we don’t know what’s been done to them, what abuse they’ve suffered, what maladies they have endured, what pain they bring with them. Indeed—they bring all of these and that is exactly why we as Christians should adopt. We have homes, and means, and hope. Can we honestly say we are Christians if we turn a blind eye to the widow and the orphan? We have been called to live differently than the world around us. Our lives are not our own. May God break you hearts for the things that break his. May you be moved to share your lives and have the privilege of adoption. For it is the purest picture of God’s love you will ever see this side of heaven.
