We truly believe this is our mission field that God has placed us in as a family! This time is not like any other time for us so far. This time, God has called loud and clear that we are to go to Bulgaria. He has led us to a little boy from an orphanage there. His name is Theodore. He is 10 years old. He weighs only 36 pounds. He's been in a crib his whole life. We saw a plea on Adeye's blog crying out for Theodore and a little girl named Penny.
There is another family who has also said they are interested in Theodore, too. The Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria will decide where his file will go very soon. Theodore is in a win/win situation now, and very blessed that he soon will be matched with a family! It could be that God used Theodore to lead us to Bulgaria. If we are NOT matched with him, we'll commit to another child.
Will this take us out of our comfort zone? Yes, but God will NEVER leave us nor forsake us, nor will he give us more than we can handle!
"And then there's Theodore.
This boy is so charming and so delightful that I could have run out of there with him in my arms. He is beyond precious!
He is absolutely gorgeous!
A very little, desperately malnourished ten-year-old boy, with so much potential to grow and learn and become ALL whom God has created him to be.
A little boy who, by the grace of God, can still find a reason to laugh and smile...despite the miserable life he has endured for too many years.
He is so in there! He has CP which only affects his lower body. With the help of physical therapy I believe that he will learn to walk. An awful institutionalized life has robbed this boy of his full potential."
And sadly, we said, "No thanks."
"Not this one!"
"Once the files of these precious children are returned, they lose their voice! They are removed from all advocacy websites and will be nothing more than a name on a list in a government office in their country.
Unless we rally like crazy for them NOW--trusting and believing that they WILL be found--they have very little chance of ever knowing the love of a family!"
**Note from Glenn and Mary---These words are soooooo true! This is what stirred us to action last week! We can't ignore it.
Here are some other words from a Mom who is in the process of adopting their 2nd child from Bulgaria--Susannah from Pennsylvania.
"Theodore, is ten years old, but is a very little boy both physically and developmentally. Who will welcome this small boy into their heart and home and give him all the love he has been missing out on for so long? "
"Theodore, 10 years old, is another small child in Pleven who just amazes me with his ability to smile. I’m not the only one who is baffled as to why he hasn’t been chosen yet! Is it his age that’s stopping you? Understand that he is a very young boy developmentally. Please, someone, commit to bring this treasure into your family!"
"They have learned that…
The younger children consistently go faster than the older children.
The girls go faster than the boys. We learned this shortly after committing to adopt Katie. As a mom of seven boys, this was a hard thing for my heart to take in.
The more photogenic children go faster than the less photogenic children.
The less delayed children go faster than the more delayed children.
The less medically needy children go faster than the more medically needy children.
The more independent children go faster than the more dependent children.
Does this knowledge make me feel sad for the children who are being passed over? I confess it does. You see, I understand both sides. I strongly identify with these little ones who don’t measure up to the currently preferred profile. I have witnessed their need for the unconditional love of their own daddies and mommies. I have seen their flesh-and-blood realness.
And we understand very well that not every family is going to be able to adopt a child with significant needs. We know the time and work required to take care of these little ones ; Katie is completely physically dependent on us.
But we also know a little secret!
We know what an unspeakably profound privilege it is to receive a child like this in Jesus’ name! We know the joy that so greatly outweighs the difficulties that we are doing all we can to bring home another child with significant needs!
Did you know that the healthiest children over the age of three are still being moved out of the Pleven baby house to smaller, better orphanages?
This means that most of the children I will be advocating for from now on will not fit the currently preferred profile.
Of the children with special needs in Pleven who do fit the profile (under three or four years old and relatively healthy), they are likely to be chosen by their families very quickly after they’re listed. Very likely before I get my act together to speak on their behalf!
Every orphaned child is a precious human being whose greatest need is for a family! My heart sings for every one of these younger, healthier children! Our family knows what treasures their families will be receiving!
The reality on the other side of this story is a harsh one. Until now, a birds’ eye view of the story reveals that a majority will not choose the boys, the older children, and the ones who look most ugly and retarded to them.
Does this knowledge make us lose hope for the children in Pleven who don’t fit the currently preferred profile? Are we just being naive to think that even the most damaged child there can be loved into a family? Should we concede the fight to predictable human logic?
No, no, no!
Never!!!
We know someone who supersedes us and our predictable human logic! Our hope is not in any human reasoning. It’s in the logic, the logos, of God, and in His ability to transform our thoughts into His thoughts."
This is also sooooo true. Please read!
Our human logic says, “This child’s needs look scary!”
God’s logic says, “There is no fear in love, because perfect love casts out fear.”
Our human logic says, “You don’t look lovely to me.”
God’s logic says, “I make you lovely by loving you.”
Our human logic says, “You’re too old, too damaged. It’s too late for you.”
God’s logic says, “Nobody is too old or too damaged to be redeemed by my love.”
Our human logic says, “This child looks too hard for me to parent; I’ll choose one that looks easier.”
God’s logic says, “Who shall separate you from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Our human logic says, “Does this child have enough value to make the sacrifice worthwhile?”
God’s logic says, “I sacrifice my life to make you my valued son or daughter.”
Our human logic says, “How would this child give back to me?”
God’s logic says, “You need what I have to give. I give myself up for you.”
***Note from Glenn and Mary---We have felt most of the above in our flesh, but we know that God is in control!!
So yes, from a distance, the future of the rest of the very needy children in Pleven could look hopeless. Just think, after all the miracles that God has done on their behalf, to end up being rejected by potential parents in the United States and therefore sentenced to an adult mental institution until they die, stripped of all human rights and all human dignity.
But no matter how predictable this logical scenario may seem to be…
Our hope is in the God who can change us until we see as He sees, and act as He acts.
When the day comes that my adoption worker friends tell me that the first children being snatched up are those who don’t fit the terms of human logic, those who seem to be neediest, or who don’t appear to have much to give back to their families, I will know that I am seeing the kind of breathtaking miracle that comes when the world has been turned upside down.
Friends, can God do this? Is He really able to keep changing our hearts until they radically reflect His logos instead of mere human logic? Yes, He can! And He is!
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Father, we need radical, life-changing open heart surgery. We need you to take out our cold, stony hearts and replace them with hearts of flesh that love as You love and thereby reflect who You are. Hearts that can not fear, because they are so full of You. We are in poverty of spirit before You. We need Your grace. We need You! Take us further up and further in, O God.
Here is Susannah's prayer for Theodore!
I pray for you, Theodore, that your family will have eyes to see and accept you for the small boy that you truly are. I pray that they will receive you into their hearts without hesitation or fear!
Will you please join us in praying for God's will for Theodore. If we are matched with him, we will name him Malachi--which means My Messenger. His middle name will be Albert (after Mary's Dad) Albert means: "strong as a bear, noble and bright" What an awesome combination!
We are stepping out in faith and filling out the application for the agency tonight online.
We promise to keep you posted!
Love to you all!
M
1 comment:
Congratulations! He's going to be a wonderful son :) We are adopting from the same country and using AAC.
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