This evening I got a phone call that changed my life. My sweet, precious Heavenleigh is dancing with Jesus. My heart is shattered, but she is whole and so very loved.
Last night, I posted a question about her on a baby wearing Facebook page, and since, my blog has had over 15,000 views. People saw my baby. People saw the darkness.
She is a world changer and I am so very thankful for her.
I love you, baby girl.
Dear friends....she was in the same orphanage as our Zoey and our JoyAnna. Please read what another adoptive friend has said...it's the truth:
Heavenleigh died.
Unless you are part of a very small group of people, this probably doesn’t mean anything to you.
Heavenleigh died never knowing the love of a Mom or Dad. She died alone, without the comfort of a family, or a circle around her of friends and loved ones. No one ever got to tell her that someone, somewhere loved her so much that they were coming to take her home, forever.
The saddest part might be that there was a family desperately working to get to her in time, but that the process and the finances got in the way. Elizabeth Sherley and her family did everything in their power to bring her home in time, and are heartbroken at her loss.
But I don't let this affect me. I’m too good at shutting things out to let it. I just do the same thing as everyone else – focus on the rest of my life: my family, my work, my hobbies. Because I know that if I think too much about all the children in need it will make me upset, and there’s no way to do anything about it anyway, because there are just too many of them. Besides, I’m too young to adopt, I can’t afford it, I don’t know anything about kids and I definitely don’t have time to take care of a kid.
At least, those were my excuses, but then I’ll also be the first person to tell you that I am a selfish, egotistical, arrogant jerk. I have a temper, I have a drinking problem and I have serious issues with authority. But none of those things disqualify me in God’s eyes from doing what he has called us all to do.
“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 NIV
Please, please don’t think that I am trying to hold myself up as an example of someone who is getting it “right.” The point that I’m trying to make is that if someone as screwed up as me could try get half of the first part of this verse right, then just about anyone could do even better than me.
To backtrack a little: there are too many. Way too many. Some estimates are that there are 130 million or more orphans in the world right now. So go ahead and insert your own Mother Theresa or Gandhi quote here, because we’ve all heard them. But it’s as simple as this: if it were your child, or your nephew or grandchild, wouldn’t you want someone to help them? Wouldn’t you give everything you had to keep them healthy, safe and feeling loved?
Heavenleigh didn’t die from medical complications, a disease or a chronic condition – she died from starvation and neglect, in an orphanage. She was 5 years old and weighed 10 pounds.
Orphanages are not acceptable homes for children. They’re not a safe place for them to wait for years and years. They should be a temporary place for a couple of kids to be cared for and loved while their families book their flights to come get them.
5 years old. 10 pounds.
This needs to end.
Get involved: Adopt. If you can’t adopt, Foster. If you can’t Foster, Sponsor. If you can’t Sponsor, Volunteer. If you can’t Volunteer, Donate. If you can’t donate, Educate.
This is a picture of my daughter Nicole when she first came to our home. She was 5 years old! She was 50 lbs! NOT 10 pounds!
Dear, dear, friends...this is real...this is true...WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?? YOU NOW KNOW THE TRUTH AND YOU CAN NOT HIDE FROM IT ANY LONGER!!! WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?????? This is National Adoption Month!!!
DO SOMETHING!! DO IT NOW!!!!
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