"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
James 1:27
"Learn to do good; Seek justice; Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan; Plead for the widow."
Isaiah 1:17
Isaiah 1:17
What is your call??
What is your role??
What are you supposed to be doing?
What am I supposed to be doing?
I have several friends who have adopted. Shonda and Travis have sweet Joseph in their lives now because they followed their call to Ethiopia, and they are waiting for sweet MB to come home! Kristen and Jim have sweet Sophie in their lives now because they followed their call to China. Jamie and Greg have sweet Brandon in their lives now because they followed their call in the US. Andy and Kari have their sweet people in their lives because they followed their call in the US. But are we ALL called to adopt and bring home sweet people from all over the world? I think not. But if not everyone can adopt or should adopt or is asked to adopt, does that mean you do nothing? I think not.
I am writing all this to say, I don't know what I am supposed to be doing. I have had some time lately to read lots of blogs. Let me reiterate, my eyes have gone through lots and lots and lots of adoption blogs in the last 14 days. (If you too find some time on your hands, I recommend reading blogs....it's like an endless library of short stories.) I have read of joyous unions of babies with families, and I have read of heartache and pain in adopting. I have read of trials with agencies, doubts of callings, money struggles, difficulties with embassies, legal battles and attachment problems. I have read of tears of joy, boys loving their new toys, mommas bonding with their babies, babies sleeping on long flights home, and the untold blessings of having your family added to through adoption. After all that READING, I still don't feel I am supposed to be searching for an agency. But I still don't know what I am to be doing.
In my current job, I see my fair share of widows and widowers. I hear sweet love stories of long times past. I try to love on those who are grieving, keep the company of those who are healing, and celebrate those marriages that are still in tact, til death do they part. There is a little lady, we'll call her Pearl ( my dear Great Grandmother's name), who I see every Thursday morning. We always, and I mean always, talk about what day it is. She stands in front of the beauty salon, then comes in and asks if the salon is open. I explain that she's only open on Wednesday's and Friday's. She asks what day it is. I always tell her it is Thursday. She always asks again when she can go to the beauty shop. I explain it is open on Wednesday and Friday. She then wonders what day it is. I say it's Thursday. Then she asks....well, you get the picture, this goes on and on for quite some time some days. My patience for this woman, is this part of my calling? Am I helping the widows?
When I was teaching, I had students who came from broken homes, who had rough times that I even still have not experienced anything like. I had a student who came to school one day, obviously distressed. I asked this child what was wrong. The story went like this..."The police came for my mom last night while we were asleep. Me and my sister heard them, and we hid under our beds, so they wouldn't find us. My neighbor brought us to school today, I think she will tomorrow too." I was teaching first grade at the time folks. This NIGHTMARE was a REALITY to one of my students!!! Within a few weeks, the grandmother had temporary custody, and this precious child transferred to a different school, but I will never forget the fear and worry in the eyes of this 6 year old. Stress, worry, concern, fear, anguish like I have never experienced. My love for this sweet soul, is this part of my calling?
There are social workers and others who work in adoption, family preservation, and counseling centers. There are teachers who love on kiddos. There are nurses who help the widows. There are people who adopt, people who donate money to those who adopt and to organizations who give scholarships. There are so many ways to answer your call to look after the widows and the orphans.
After all that jibber jabber, I still can't tell you exactly what my call is. I CAN tell you that I pray Eric and I have our eyes and hearts open to what God wants us to do. My heart is open to the orphans and kiddos I have been blessed to know and love. My heart is open to the widows in front of me daily. My heart will be open to whatever call God will make. If it is another child or not, I don't know. But I will get ready.
"Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share"
1 Timothy 6:18
1 Timothy 6:18
"When my world is shaking, heaven stands. When my heart is breaking, I never leave your hands."
JJ Heller, Your Hands
