OUR STORIBOOK

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

God Keep Me Safe

I know it's been forever since I have posted about our adoption. I just am having a very difficult time right now and it is much easier to write about the good stuff. People like to read about the good stuff and the cute pictures, but lets face it, it's not all good. We had hoped to be going to get the boys on September 22nd. But the US Embassy in Kinshasa is not ready for us yet. So......we wait some more. It is most likely now going to be the end of October. It is just so heartbreaking to be here with all of our luxuries while my babies are so far away with very little. I know that Papa L's family is giving them lots of love. But you know that mommy's always feel no one can take care of their babies the way they can. And it is hard to take care of them from half way around the word!


I'm not only upset because they aren't in my arms. It is much more than that. At church Sunday we sang a song called "God Keep Me Safe". I prayed Chad and Ian would be safe. That God would keep us safe on our journey to the DRC. But mostly I thought of all the orphaned children having that hope that God will keep them safe! I immediately started crying. It's just to overwhelming! What can we possibly do to help that many children.



I recently read some statistics. There are appoxiametly 145 million orphans in the world. Most of them have very little food and no one to care for them. Sounds hopeless, doesn't it? How could God allow for all these children to have no one to care for them? That is not the question to be asking though. The question is: How can we allow all of these children to have no one to take care of them? I am not trying to say that everyone should adopt a child, but these children should easilly be cared for. God has gave us enough food on this earth to feed everyone. There are over 2 BILLION Christians on earth. God has taught us to take care of these children. If only 7% of the Christians would take care of one child then all of these children would be cared for.

I have been thinking of ways I can help. Taking two home and leaving the rest behind will be the hardest thing I have ever done. I know a lot of people have been called to adopt, but are scared of the cost of adoption. So, We've decided to help fund another's adoption. We actually have recently put this in our will that we would set up an endowment fund that would help with adoption costs. But then I thought, why am I going to wait until I am dead to do something to help. So, we have began having rice and beans for supper. We plan to keep this up until we bring the boys home. Of course, we already have a few days we know we will break this due to outings we had already planned with other people, but other than those few days, we will be having rice and beans. Not only does this save us lots of grocery money that can be donated to this cause, it is a daily reminder to us all to pray for those who would love to be able to eat beans and rice.

So, if you feel God has called you to adopt. Please do not be scared. These children need you. Or if you have the funds donate to a mission to help feed these children. Or help fund someone's adoption. Or simply encourage other people to help however they can. I"ll end with a prayer I actually read on another blog and wanted to share.

An Orphans Prayer
I am waiting...somewhere far...far away on the other side of the world. I may not know who you are or what you look like, but somewhere deep in my heart I know you are out there. That one day you will come and find me. It's a long journey, and it takes a lot of time...I wish it could be easier. But I know the ones that come for me will not count the cost. They will only see the joy in finding me. For now I abide in the fields of the fatherless. Day by day wondering why I was born here and not somewhere else? Asking why my life couldn't have been different? It is so lonely. Even though I am surrounded by hundreds of other children, I know that something is missing...I know in my heart I need a place to call home. My arms long to be wrapped in a fathers embrace...I long to be saved by a mother's love...Gazing out the orphans window, I offer a prayer of hope, "Oh God please help them come quickly." Even as I lay in the darkness each night somehow I feel assured, that no matter how lost I appear, I am not alone. Holy hands guard my steps; sacred fingers wipe my tears, touching my lonely heart. The one who made me, the God that knew me before I was born, hears me every time I call. He whispers His promises in my ear. I listen with hope to His voice. But what I worry about most is that no one wants to look for me. The fields are vast and there are so many scattered all over the earth. I wonder how one little child, so lost, can be found? Yet He calms my heart and assures me He will find you. That He will make sure that you hear His voice clearly. He has promised me that he will make a way through the fields, that He will personally cut a path, and lead you right to my orphanage door. My prayer is....When He speaks...Please don't forget to listen...When He calls don't be too afraid to go. For I am waiting...somewhere, far...far away on the other side of the world to come home.
Author Unknown

4 comments:

  1. Ahhh Stori! For me, blogs are about expressing the way I feel and not just the cute stuff. Your blog post is from your heart and I know other adoptive parents like to know how others feel. There's so much we can do and yet we just gloss over it many times. You are making a sacrifice in order to help. You are being a servant to our Lord to help the orphans. I love the idea of helping another adopt. It gives me something to think about....thank you. I am praying for you, your family (including Chad and Ian) and for the Embassy and its paperwork.

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  2. My sweet, sweet girl, my heart aches for your hurt. Helping another family to bring a child from that dark place is such a caring action. One we would all have expected of you and Jamey. Keep the Faith, Stori, God will bring your boys to you in time. I cannot imagine your anguish at knowing they are so far from you, but remember, Stori, they are not far from God and His loving arms. He will keep them safe until they are with you, Jamey, Livia and Parker, safe at home. We love you.

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  3. Beautiful, beautiful post. I am constantly inspired and humbled to be part of this Congolese adoption community that has such a passion for making a difference in the world!!! This idea of helping others find the joy adoption has been been burning in our family from the moment we got Haven's first picture. I think collectively, God has a plan for us to bring more and more of these children into the arms of families!!!

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  4. Stori, I'm so sorry for this difficult stage. The wait can be so heartbreaking, I know. I am constantly thinking about how grateful I am that Joseph and Solange are HOME. I also know the pain of feeling like we brought home 2, but left the others behind. It's very overwhelming to think that they all need our help, but we can plant seeds in the minds of those around us... we can educate others about Congo and all the orphans in the world... we can make sacrifices that may benefit someone else. You are an such a great example of this and you are making a wonderful difference. Thank you for your post and for sharing your real feelings, I think that's so important! Take care and lots of hugs to you!

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