Friday, April 24, 2009

A cross post from our old caringbridge site

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 7:18 PM, CST

Drumroll please.......something has arrived in the mail......something I've been working on getting for over a year......Mihiretu's........GREEN CARD!!!!! Yahoooo!! It has his correct birthdate and name!!!! Now we can get him a social security number and get both boys' Certification of Citizenshipand passports and then we're DONE with paperwork, except for their post placement reports which we are required to do yearly until they are 18. Not a big deal, though. Those who know me KNOW that I am NOT the paperwork type and I lose things like checks or other important things. Analytical I am not. So to have gotten through the paperwork of an adoption is a miracle for me! I'm just so thankful to be almost done.

Lately, I find my heart breaking for the many older orphans in Ethiopia. I have been recently introduced to an orphanage there for older boy called Kolfe Orphanage...google it and look at these gorgeous boys. What do you think the chances of these boys EVER getting a home or family? Extremely slim. After all, most families would choose a baby or toddler, not a teenager.

I recently found a quote that I quite like. It goes like this:

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when He could do something about it...but I'm afraid God might ask me the same question." Anonymous

Wow, how true is that?

Another quote I agree with is this:

"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house, God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her chlild with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cires heard under the rubble of war, God is in the debris of wasted oopportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them." Bono

Poverty is mentioned over 2,100 times in the scriptures. "As you have done it unto the lease of these my bretheren, you have done it unto me" Matthew 25:40. You see, these orphans are Jesus in disguise, each one of them, no matter their age. Would we leave Jesus in an orphanage? Would we leave him unfed, unclothed, unloved, unmedicated if He were sick. I don't think so, not many of us. I wouldn't. But I am. I really am.

This haunts me. I lose sleep over this.

How much is enough? How much should we do? When is it enough? Is it ever enough?

Ethiopia (and many other parts of the world) is not like America in terms of poverty. Our poverty is wealth in Ethiopia. Welfare, food stamps, Medical Assistance, Salvation Army, shelters, soup kitchens...non-existent in Ethiopia the way they are here. If you don't have food you will die in the street...that's just a fact.

I've got to do something. I wish God would show me what that is. But I have to do something about this terrible injustice. I am having a hard time living with this knowledge.

This has been on my heart for months now but I haven't known how to share it with you. I'm not sure what I've said is appropriate and if I have offended I am sorry. I know what I am suggesting is not popular and goes against human nature and the American culture. But this one thing I know...what is on my heart is directly in tune with the very heart of God.

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for ophans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27

I don't want to allow the world to corrupt me. God, show us what we should do.

Blessings,

Laura


I wanted to share this because although many of you have followed our previous blog, many of you are newer friends.  This goes back to February 8, 2009 when I finally had the courage to post it.  It had been on my mind for quite some time.  The cool thing you can see when you read it is that at the time, I was searching and asking God to show us what our next step was to be.  He answered us since then.  God does answer prayer.  It's adoption for us once again, but we will continue to ask what our next step after this adoption will be.  Retirement is not an option for us.  Too many in need.  Keep speaking, Lord.  We're listening.


Hope me adding this old posting doesn't confuse in any way.  Please let me know if it does so I can clarify.


Love,

Laura

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