Wednesday, October 27, 2010

My Heart is Deeply Touched








My adoption agency friends, the one's who were strategically placed in our life by God to help show us about cleft affected babies, just adopted their little Bella today. Her story is an amazing one that only God could orchestrate. If you want to hear their wonderful Godstory, email me (www.nuts4mykidz@yahoo.com) and I'll send you the link.

Anyway, after reading their travel journal today my heart so deeply ached at the reminder of how each orphan's life is so drastically changed at adoption. Oh yes, it is good for them to be able to have a forever family and a mom and a dad they can call their own. A life in America is a very rich life where these children will never want for anything. But each little baby/child is removed from the people and places where they have come to know as home. Can you imagine being permanently torn away from your home today...unexpectantly? Then given over to strangers who look, smell, talk, eat, and act differently than anyone or anything that you've ever known? It is heartbreaking to see these little angelic faces so sad from their very core as their old life is stripped away! Not to mention their foster families and/or nannies who have grown to love them as their very own for the first years of their lives...the pain as a parent is just too much to fathom. But it happens everyday, all over the world, thousands of orphans are dealing with this change.

As I write this journal with tears in my eyes and a broken heart, I look over at my sweet, little angel, Sophie, as she plays with her Duplo blocks building a swimming pool with a slide. She's talking to herself, she's content to play with her toys, sometimes changing to her Cinderella playset, or to put on the headphones to listen to Steven Curtis Chapman's "Cinderella" song. She has more than she needs in all sense of the word.




She has had 3 surgeries to repair her cleft lip and palate, she's had countless speech therapy sessions to help her speak clearly, she has a closet full of clothes and cute, little pink shoes, she's been to Disneyland at least 20 times in the last year to visit the princesses, she goes weekly to a mommy and me ballet class, she has a playgroup made up of little Chinese friends who share her story of adoption, she has such a wonderful big brother and sister who adore her a million times over, and she has a mommie and daddy who love her with all their hearts. Yes, it was a difficult journey getting to this place of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness and comfort but God has her right where she belongs now.

God has had this plan all along, to give her hope and a future. His plan was set in place before the beginning of time. His plan is a masterful plan, well thought out, all to bring Him glory. You see, He loves us so much more than we can ever think or imagine. God is good, all the time. I'm reminded of the song called "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" that I was introduced to when we decided to adopt. It tells of how God loved us so much that her gave his only son to die on the cross for us, but not only for you and me, but for all those millions of orphans all over the world. He wants to bring them to sit on his lap, to be sheltered under His mighty wings. And maybe the best way to do that is to bring them into our homes where we can lavish them God's love, teach them all about Him, and prepare them for a life of giving Him glory.
Adoption is a miracle. It is a miracle that shows God's love and mercy in a daily, tangible way. I know for our family, and countless others, our lives have been forever blessed by taking that step of faith and adopting. I hope that if you are at all considering adoption that you take that next step forward in faith. You won't regret it. Just be ready for an incredible gift that will make your heart sing a new song and change your life forever!