Share

One of the most important things we've done with homeschooling- and one of the most fun, too!- is giving Emmeline a worldview.   Of course, she'd traveled halfway around the world at age 4, and two of her favorite "toys" were a wooden puzzle map of the United States and a globe.  So it was easy to teach her about the world and its variety of countries and people. Her interest has always been keen, and her understanding has been exceptional.  When she was little, her Sunday school teacher showed us a picture she'd drawn to illustrate her world…  New York was on one side of the page and Ukraine was on the other.  Most kids just drew their houses.

In those early years of homeschooling, we spent time learning about many different cultures.  And whether it was from the stories, the arts and crafts, or the food, Emmeline understood that there were people all over the world who were just like her.  As she grew older, she learned that some of them were colder, or hungrier, or sicker, or lonelier. 

This is an important step in helping the orphans.  We must raise a generation of children who see the entire world as God's creation, and seek to share their blessings with everyone.  It can start when they are very young, with fun and games, and grow as they grow, developing hearts for all God's children.

Here are a few of the tools I've enjoyed using while learning about other cultures:

Around the World: Visiting the 7 Continents through Arts and Crafts Fun   by Judy Press

Children Just Like Me: A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World by Anabel and Barnabas Kindersley

A Trip Around the World and Another Trip Around the World by Leland Graham and Traci Brandon

Families of the World DVDs... 

 

There are so many great resources available! I feel so strongly about this and get so excited about it that I'm going to share something every Tuesday for you to share with your kids… or just enjoy on your own!

Read

When I was a child, I read They Came to Stay by Marjorie Margolies, and I was immediately fascinated by the story of this single mother and the two young daughters she'd adopted from Asia.   I think the desire to adopt was planted then.

I've loved just about every "orphan" book I've come across since…  Anne of Green Gables, Understood Betsy, Runaway Alice, Ready-Made Family, Up A Road Slowly… I dreamed of making a difference in a little girl's life.

Neat how things work out, isn't it?

Of course, there are many more personal accounts of adoption journeys to be found in the nonfiction section of your local library, but I have to be honest... I haven't read most of them.  I'm usually irritated by something- criticisms of the foreign country, or the quest to find the perfect child, or the always-embarrassing ugly American showing up.  My current favorite way to get caught up in some great, real-life stories is by reading blogs.  I love watching the development of the children after they come home, and the parents are devoted advocates.  Inspiring and convicting.

Here are a few of my favorite blogs:

 Tiny Green Elephants

 No Greater Joy Mom

Just Another Day in Paradise

The Blessing of Verity

Take a peek- set aside some time and read! Allow yourself to get inspired and excited. You, too, can make a difference in a child's life!

Ten Ways to Help Orphans

In basically random order…

Read -books, blogs, the Bible... things that raise your awareness of the plight of the orphans and the need to help them.

Share -share a worldview with your kids... tell them about other countries, learn about different places and people... broaden their view of the world so they begin to see with God's eyes rather than narrowed ones.

Talk -tell people about your discoveries... introduce them to orphans and their stories, talk about the ways to help, talk about the need to help.

Listen- If you're reading this, chances are you already have an interest in orphans. And probably are developing some strong opinions, too.  Take the time to listen to the facts, to the stories, and to the people who are involved on the front lines.  Orphans and adoption are highly emotional topics. Try to listen without judging. Be a supportive ear for a friend going through the adoption process. Share the joys, commiserate over the troubles.

Give -time and money, always needed, always valued... even a little bit goes a long way.  You can give to charities or orphan missions, or directly to adopting families.  As incentive, many are tax-deductible, too.  Some families seek donations in a fun way, "selling" birthdays... for example, you donate $5 for each date you want blocked off... or puzzle pieces... for a small donation, your name is written on the back of a puzzle piece and someday the child you've helped will be able to see the names of all the people who cared.

Collect -gather your cast-off toys, those little Happy Meal cars and dolls, extra school supplies, socks or hats on sale. Store them in a small box and be ready to donate them to Christmas ministries or other orphan care.

Pray -without ceasing. With joy and thanks for these children. With love and concern for them. For the people who are taking care of them now. For the people who have the power to change a life. For the families who want new sons and daughters. For the children who very much want families. For those who are uncertain. There's a phrase in adoption circles... "RH", which stands for Reluctant Husband.  I've seen many RHs become enthusiastic dads-to-be through the power of prayer… I've seen it first-hand, in fact!

Adopt -this is an obvious one, and the biggest. It's not necessarily for the faint of heart! But God does equip us. No, you can't adopt everyone. And some shouldn't be adopted. What? It's true. There are many older children who do not actually want to be adopted... they've spent their lives learning to look after themselves, and removing them from their native culture at an older age can create great difficulty. Does that mean we can't help them then? Not at all! They, too, need help... there are wonderful opportunities for them to live in a group-home family style setting, and get the care and food they need. Consider supporting one of these homes.

Shop -This one's a win-win. Many families fundraise for their adoptions... after all, how many of us have thousands of dollars laying around? Children are worth a little work! The fundraising takes the form of selling handmade goods, online auctions, and receiving commissions from parties such as Pampered Chef, Scentsy, and Tastefully Simple.  There are also some businesses who help with sales of t-shirts, coffee, and gift certificates, to name a few.  Many people have found shopping this way to be a wonderful source for unique gifts, as well as an opportunity to help bring a child home.

Start -Start moving- or start a movement.  I've found that sometimes the hardest part of doing something is just getting started. So, don't put it off. Start now! Start with prayer, if you like. That's the easiest, and will help guide you in the best direction.  Why not start a movement, too? I would love to bring up the subject of orphan ministries at my church. It would be great if I started something there.

Starting Monday, I'll look at each of these "ways to help" a little more closely.  In the meanwhile, I'll be remembering on Good Friday and rejoicing on Easter Sunday!   

Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How

Who are the orphans?  An orphan is a child without parents. Some are what we think of as classic orphans, having lost both parents to death.  Others are known as social orphans, who were abandoned, or removed from parental care, or relinquished by their birth parents.

It is estimated that between 143,000,000 and 210,000,000 children are orphans. That’s at least 143 MILLION children in the world today. (Recent UNICEF report.)  [from Harvest Ministry]

What is life like for them? Some orphans are in a good place… adequate food and clothing, health care. Others are in horrible situations… fed little more than gruel in a bottle, confined to cribs (even the teenagers), deprived of human touch.  All of them are lacking in the love of a family.

Why should I help them? Because they need it. Because you have plenty, and they do not. Because they are children - innocent children, created by God and rejected by man. Because God tells us to....

Where are they located? Everywhere. I have a special interest in the orphans of Eastern Europe, but there are children in desperate need of love and care all over the world… Africa, Asia, and right here, too.

When should I get started? Right now!

And How? Read, share, talk, listen, give, collect, pray, adopt, shop, start. Huh? Come back tomorrow…  I'll be talking about each of these "hows"!  

Reset

                Nearly every time I back out of the driveway, I need to pull ahead and start again. I always go out crooked.  It's especially annoying in the winter, when tire tracks swooping into the snow leave evidence.    When I do manage to back straight out in one try, I feel rather triumphant. But on an average day, I need pull ahead and try again. I need the reset.

                My life has needed a reset lately. Or, maybe not my life, but my spirit. My attitude. My thoughts.  This is such a strange time. I'm frustrated, sad, impatient. Angry.

                Not all the time, of course. My life is so good. And when friends and family ask me how I'm doing, I am so genuinely glad to see them that I answer, "Good!" (I know that's improper grammar. It just comes out.)  I love the cozy moments, the days when all the school work goes well, listening to Jessica's wedding plans, and watching Emmeline's movie debut.  I love how especially close Eric and I have become, and I love the way he continues to hope and plan for G.G.'s arrival.

                But sometimes it seemed there was a dullness over everything.  And I couldn't seem to get going on this blog.  How could I write passionately about helping the orphans when I didn't feel any passion?   I couldn't think of anything to say. I didn't want to write.

                I got my reset today.   It started with a devotional posted by another waiting mom… talking about waiting on God.  The scriptures resonated with me. Suddenly, I was reminded to take joy in the waiting, in this life, every part of it.  And words came to me again, and life seemed shinier.  And I wanted to write for the blog.

                I know I will waver again.  I know I will cry to God, and lean on Eric, and mourn for the child we don't have.  But I know God will hear me, and Eric will hold me, and however old she is when we get her., G.G. will be ours.  

Even When the Journey's Rough...

**This post is a re-run from my old blog. After yesterday's somber post, I decided I needed something fun, and this one is a good reminder to me that even when the journey's rough, the result can make it worth the ride.**

At the beginning of the month, we loaded up the car and headed for Maine.  We planned to take the scenic route; we couldn't get into the house until 3 o’clock anyway, and we’d been on the MassPike enough lately.  Less than 20 minutes into our drive, we came to a detour, or rather, a road closed and no clear detour indicated.  We went around and around the curvy, hilly roads, and eventually made our way into the next state.  The curvy, hilly roads were too much for Emmeline, however, who realized she needed Dramamine.  We couldn't find it in the car.  Next to her, Teddy threw up.

We stopped at the next biggish town (which didn't come soon enough) so we could get Dramamine, water, and a map.  Things were tense.  We stopped for gas. We drove off, spent a few minutes on a major highway, and pulled off to consult the map again.  Eric asked, “Where’d I put my wallet?" just as a car pulled up beside us and a very nice woman proceeded to tell us how she’d seen Eric’s wallet cling to the top of the car for a few minutes, then fly off onto the highway, scattering its contents in the breeze.

We drove back to the highway. Tense doesn't even describe the mood in the car.  We pulled to the side and with a stern warning to Emmeline to stay put, Eric and I walked along the side of the road, looking for all the important cards and things that had drifted into the weeds.  They must have been scattered for a mile.  We found everything important, however, and set off again.

The rest of the drive was fairly uneventful, thank goodness. And, of course, the end result was wonderful… a week’s vacation at one of my favorite places, with some of my favorite people.

 It reminded me of our trip to Ukraine to adopt Emmeline.  I’d never traveled to a foreign country (except Canada, which doesn't count because it’s only a few hours away).  I loved the flight, and I felt very worldly.  Even the hotel room, with its two narrow single beds, and the spigot shared between the bathtub and the sink, couldn't completely quell my excitement.  Until we went to what was then called the National Adoption Center.

We looked through stacks of binders with out-of-date pictures of children, so many children.  It was so much more overwhelming than I had expected.  At last, we decided to travel 16 hours by overnight train to meet a 4 year old girl.  Of course, it all turned out so well… that little girl became our daughter a week later. But there was a time during the early days of the trip when I was so terribly homesick, so confused, so tired and uncertain.  Our facilitators back home called my mom and dad and told them I could use a cheery call from home.  Somewhere, there is a picture of me sitting on the bed in pajamas, talking on the phone and crying.  I’m not entirely sure why Eric took it, but it does serve to document the trip from every angle.

It wasn't long before things felt right, we were in love with our daughter, the process was going smoothly, and we found a fantastic restaurant where we ate every night until we left the region.  When I remember our time in Ukraine, I don’t dwell on that brief low.  The rest of the trip and the ensuing years of parenthood make it all worthwhile.  Just like our week in Maine, which I remember as early morning walks on the beach, wave jumping in the afternoon, talking around the table (a favorite pastime in our family), and eating all our favorite vacation foods, I know there was more to Ukraine than a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad time.  There was laughter and love, lots of UNO, discovering new foods, and discovering new things about our daughter every day.

Connecting and Believing

Forgive my lack of blog posts... we've been away.  We had the privilege of meeting with other families who are in the same situation... it was a whirlwind weekend of late nights and early mornings, sharing photos and stories and tears.  It was a unique experience, forming brief but intense friendships, bonding over coffee discovered at the train station, having fifteen minute conversations that will grow into lifelong relationships.

And it was bittersweet… after this weekend, I came to the realization that we are somehow living in a dichotomy between belief that G.G. will come home and acknowledgement that we may be a part of something much bigger. I guess either way it comes down to faith… faith that God has this in control and it will all work out according to His will, whether it be for our good or for the good of many, many more.

It's been three months since we saw G.G.  What if... what if we never see her again? What if she never comes home? I've prayed for her to keep the hope that we will be coming for her. Should I instead be simply praying for her to have a good life?  During a time of group prayer, Eric spoke about God's will.  That's a brave prayer. God's will might not be our own.  But I continue to believe this situation will work out... either God will unite us with our daughter, or He will use these circumstances for something bigger and He will comfort and bless us throughout. 

It is a blessing to know so many other parents who are feeling the same way, hoping and grieving and remembering and wondering, all at the same time.