People have been asking me if we have any updated numbers yet. Nope! Sorry but they haven't come out yet. However while looking at other adoption blogs to try and see if anyone had their new numbers, I came across some great posts that made me feel like I needed to write this.
I just finished reading "There is No Me Without You". The book talks about the orphan/AIDS epidimic in Ethiopia. While the book was really intersting and entertaining and sad, one fact really hit me hard. There are MILLIONS of orphans in just that one country who, through no fault of their own, are destitute. We in the West can not quite grasp what this really means, I think. There are children who are raising children because their parents have both died. A seven year old raising a 5 year old. How can this be? Of these millions of orphans, only thousands are adopted. What do you think happens to the rest of them? Could you imagine if something were to happen to you and your young child's only option for survival was to beg on the street? We can't fathom something like that ever actually happening here in suburban America, but that's life for millions of children across this globe. And I'm only adopting one! We did not go into this adoption having a real clue of what the orphan crisis is like. We decided to adopt because we just wanted desperately to be parents. While that is reason enough, my eyes have been opened. Adoption is definently not the solution, though every child adopted is a child that doesn't have to go through life on the streets.
What hit me today with the blogs I read is that I live a very comfortable life. I have a beautiful house, and cars, and a bunch of stuff that I really like, but could I give it up? Like this fellow adoption blogger says, would I be willing to scrimp and save and raise $30,000 to just help these children? We're doing this to bring home our child, but would we do it to help show hundreds or thousands more of them Christ? To show them our Hope? To pay for a school, lifesaving medicines or feed them? I'm being convicted today that I am a selfish sinner. I'm not saying that having nice things is bad. I feel like all we have is a blessing from God and we strive to glorify Him with what he has given us. The point is, isn't it all God's anyways. We can't take any of it with us when we go. Wether you believe in tithing, or giving your first fruits, or giving based on your convictions...are we really doing that? If just $30 a month can feed one of these orphans, can't I give that above what I already tithe? This is a fallen sin-scarred world we live in and we have been commanded to go and be salt and light. Am I doing that to my fullest extent with my offerings? A year ago I would have said yes. Now I think not. Check out this video from Piper. It's really good.