MAN UP AND GO

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked (Luke 12:48)

My family has been given much. We have God. We have each other. We have our health. We have a roof over our heads, food on our table, clothes on our backs, a car in our garage, running water, electricity and a source of income. We live each day with the understanding that every bit of what we have comes from God. All of it. We also understand that what we do with what God has given us is far more important than what He has given us.

Over the past couple of years, I have also come to understand that the long and bumpy road to China and home was in reality the shortest portion of our incredible adoption journey thus far. Through our travels, the Lord has taken us through unanticipated valleys and glorious high places. We have traversed the landscape of self doubt and fear only to arise through God's grace renewed and strengthened by His unshakable truths and steadfast love. We have had the opportunity to meet incredible people from Cape Town to Chicago and places in between and been blessed to make life time friends along the way. Two of those people are Jason and Janna Clement. We met this amazing couple during the early summer of 2009 when we were raising funds to bring LJ home. We immediately knew that there was something different about them. To say that they have been a blessing to our family is an understatement. They have been a much appreciated source of support, encouragement and inspiration and we are so grateful for their friendship. Which brings me to the point of this post. I am very excited to share with you the following information regarding their involvement in the "MAN UP AND GO" mission trip this summer to Ethipoia and Uganda. If you have never heard of it, I encourage you to visit the following web site: http://www.onechildcampaign.showitsite.com/ to see what they are all about.

The trip is scheduled for August 14th -26th, 2012 and Jason is one of the team leaders. He tells me that the trip objectives are three fold . . .


* To share the Gospel message with orphans, widows and men in Ethiopia and Uganda.
* To "LOVE BIG" to the fatherless.
* To demonstrate how to love children, widows and Jesus.


Jason's team will seek to accomplish their objectives in Uganda by spending four to five days at various orphanages, children's prisons, and remote villages. While in Ethiopia, they will spend three to four days in orphanages there in addition to visits with the people of the village of Korah, which is built on a trash dump. The following two links below will connect you with videos complied from the inaugural "Man-Up" trip to these locations in August of 2011. These little snipets provide a small taste of just how the team is working to fullfill their objectives, who they are serving and how much fun they are having in the process! Check it out . . .

Video 1: This video was made by a group called "Dude Perfect" who participated in the first "Man Up" trip. They are a group of guys who have become an internet sensation by performing trick basketball shots. They joined "Man-Up" and performed a couple of their trick shots for the orphans and people of Korah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ww0RzmkDKY

Video 2: A documentary film team joined the original "Man Up" team. They are currently in the process of making a film centered around five men from the trip in an effort to illustrate the orphan problem in Africa and the important impact that mission trips like "Man Up" have on the people in these countries: http://vimeo.com/29805267

I hope you have been inspired. I know I have been. It is my prayer that you will GO BIG and LOVE BIG wherever the Lord leads you. Whether it is across the street, across town or across the ocean to Africa or beyond . . . I hope you will just MAN UP AND GO!
For additional information and/or to reserve your spot on the August 2012 "Man Up" team, please click on the following link: http://onechildcampaign.showitsite.com/#/application-form/ or contact Jason at Jason@sportadvisory.com

LOVE-COURAGE-HOPE

Born August 10, 2000 in South East Asia to a very sick mother, this lovely little girl immediately entered the care of a Holt International Children's Services partner organization. At five weeks of age, she was placed in a foster family, in whose care she has thrived. Over the past decade, Holt’s partners in South East Asia have had the incredible opportunity to watch her grow up. Through home visits every two to three months, they have been able to document her emerging interests, development and personality.

At just seven months of age, the visiting social worker wrote, “She is a cheerful, alert little one.” Two years later, she was described as a “Bright, talkative and expressive little girl.” It was reported that she liked to eat noodles but not garlic. Her favorite color was pink and she liked to play in the water. Over the past decade, her Foster Family, social workers and teachers alike have all grown increasingly enamoured with her. She has been described as thoughtful, gentle with children and helpful at both home and at school. Shortly after her seventh birthday, her social worker wrote, “She teaches all concerned adults the meaning of love, courage and hope.” A year later, she reported, “She is a delightful little girl that any parent would dream of.” Her favorite subjects in school are math and science and she dreams of one day becoming a doctor.

Now, if you are anything like me, you are probably wondering at this point exactly WHY such a precious child has not already been adopted into a permanent family of her own. Why has she had to watch as her foster siblings have left home to join adoptive families of their own?

Unfortunately, stigmas die hard and next to the many glowing comments about this sweet girl's personality traits is the sad revelation that HIV was transmitted to her from her mother in the womb. It is no wonder she has so much to teach the rest of us about love, courage and hope.

Fortunately, with the advancement of medical therapies, children born with HIV are now expected to live a full life-span. Unfortunately, however, ignorance and fear are still pervasive among the general population and most orphaned HIV+ children get overlooked simply because of their medical condition. For those adoptive families who have stepped forward to welcome these children into their homes, they have learned first hand that HIV is no longer a death sentence but rather a chronic, manageable condition. Although a bit small for her age, this little girl is reportedly healthy and strong and has encountered few if any complications from her illness. As a matter of fact, she did not even know she was HIV+ until about a year ago. When she found out she worried that people might discriminate against her but her Foster Mom was quick to reassure her that they have always known about her HIV status and have always loved her just the same.

Unfortunately, her aging Foster Parents are less and less able to care for her. She deserves a family who can see beyond her diagnosis and accept her for the remarkable gift that she is, regardless of her condition. Within the embrace of a permanent loving family, the future for this deserving little girl has never been brighter. It is my prayer that a family somewhere will step forward soon with the same love, courage and hope that this brave little girl has shown and help her to achieve her life dreams.

For more information about this beautiful child, please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org.

LUXURY OR NECESSITY?

How frequently many of us take for granted what most would consider to be the "basic" necessities of life. Like clean water. Food. Clothes. A roof over our heads at the end of the day. The love and support of family. How infrequently many of us stop to realize that for more than three quarters of the world's population these "basic" necessities are in fact a luxury.

I don't know about you but next to my relationship with God there is nothing more important to me than my family. To me, they are a slice of heaven on earth. A green oasis from the outside world. They are my joy and I can't imagine doing this life without them.

Which brings me to the beautiful sibling group in the above photo. Life for these three soft-spoken boys and their three year old sister has not been easy. They lost their parents to HIV/AIDS three years ago and currently live with their impoverished grandparents in a tiny, one-room house in their homeland of Africa. Now, their grandfather has fallen ill and their grandmother is losing her vision. They are unfortunately no longer able to provide the care that their grandchildren need.

The children are all reported to have tested negative for HIV and to be in good health. They have a very strong bond and need placement in a family that is willing to keep them together.

They are also reported to be intelligent, active and well mannered. The brothers, Alex, Keith and Mark all enjoy playing soccer. Alex loves school and his favorite subjects are math and science. Mark enjoys taking care of his grandparents’ garden and Keith likes writing. At three years of age, little Sadie is very inquisitive and enjoys listening to stories.

Like all people, these precious children want and deserve the very same things in life that so many of us take for granted. Like clean water. Food. A roof over their head at the end of the day. The love and support of family. Someone to cheer them on, pick them up and love them unconditionally. It may not be easy but I believe that with your assistance and prayers we can help them. We must help them.

For addtional information please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org

WELCOME HOME LUKE!

One of the great perks of maintaining this blog is the opportunity to publicly welcome home children to their forever families. The Bratloff family is no exception. We had the pleasure of meeting this sweet family back in 2009 during our churches annual Missions and Ministry Fair while we were waiting to bring our son, LJ home from China. During the next few months, we had the opportunity to meet with them again to share our adoption experience and to help answer their questions about the adoption process. As passionate advocates for the world's waiting, special needs children, you can imagine our joy when they soon informed us that they had placed an application to bring home a special needs child from The People's Republic of China. With so many waiting children around the world and so many families pursuing "healthy, infant girl" adoptions, this news was in my book, nothing short of a small victory.

Having said that, it is with immense pleasure that we join Carey, Nadalie and Hayden Bratloff in welcoming their absolutely ADORABLE new son, Luke, into their family. Thank you for stepping out in faith and for providing such a beautiful example for the rest of us. WELCOME HOME, LUKE!

A CRISIS INDEED

It has come to my attention recently through several opponents of inter-country adoption, that the "Global Orphan Crisis" doesn't actually exist. In fact, there are some who would have us believe that it is nothing more than the manifestation of an imperialist, evangelical adoption machine, to rob the third world of it's children in order to indoctrinate them with it's religious ideology and promote it's political agenda here at home. Similarly, many opponents of international adoption would also argue that UNICEF has mislead the world with it's accounting of the actual number of orphaned children worldwide, by including those children in their statistics who have lost only one parent. By this accounting the actual number of orphans would decrease dramatically from about 163 million to around 18 million. Wow, only 18 million orphans. What a relief. Hardly the stuff a global "crisis" is made of, right?

Numbers aside, this hair splitting game of semantics begs the question, exactly how many orphans does the world need before we allow our collective conscience to define a problem? A "crisis" if you will. 200 million? 500 million, perhaps? In my book, one child without parents is one child too many. And it is certainly a crisis for that one child.

And then there are the widely exaggerated reports that the entire international adoption process is run a muck with rampant abuse and deleterious practices. Unfortunately, lack of regulation and oversight of the adoption process as well as the potential for financial gain in certain countries of origin, have led to some incidences of corruption and abuse. Sadly, the growth of an adoption industry in some countries where profit takes precedence over the welfare of at risk children has resulted in bribery, parental coercion as well as the abduction and sale of vulnerable children. Fortunately, most countries are aware of these potential risks to children and have ratified the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption which was designed first and foremost to protect the rights of children through the promotion of ethical and transparent processes. It also provides assurance to prospective adoptive parents that their adoptive child has not been the subject of unscrupulous and illegal practices.

Rather than judge the motives of people who are actually trying to make a difference for the better, perhaps the critics of international adoption should instead focus their energy on finding long term solutions to breaking the tragic cycle of poverty, inequity and disease that so often lead to the abandonment and/or displacement of children in the first place. For those who are genuinely concerned about the welfare of the children being "indoctrinated" by the so called, "Evangelical Adoption Movement" perhaps they should consider adopting the world's orphans themselves.

It never ceases to amaze me how the loudest critics are often the ones doing the least to help. I wonder how many critics have actually been inside the walls of a third world orphanage and had the life changing experience of looking into the eyes of an institutionalized child. What's the age old saying? "If you aren't a part of the solution then you are just a part of the problem".

A NOBLE BOY

"Travis"
DOB: July 27, 2004

Unable to be properly cared for by his birth mother, this beautiful little seven year old boy was taken into protective custody at just three days of age in his native country of Uganda.

Since coming into care, he has grown into a strong and healthy youngster with an expressive and outgoing personality. He is in the top of his class at school and is fluent in both English as well as his native language of Luganda. In fact, he is so articulate that he has begun to cultivate the art of storytelling. He has also developed a love for song, dance and football and enjoys building with blocks. He is described by his caregivers as a highly independent and hard working child who makes friends easily and is very popular with the other children.

Unfortunately and through no fault of his own, this bright and deserving little boy has also tested positive for HIV. Fortunately, it is reported that he is responding very well to the medical treatment he has been receiving.

It is my prayer that this little boy's family is just a heartbeat away and will answer God's call to bring him home soon. Once nurtured within the context of a loving and supportive family of his own, the noble qualities of this intelligent and gifted little boy will no doubt continue to flourish.

For additional information and/or to view this child's file, please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org

COMPELLING ENOUGH?

As most of you hopefully know by now, November is National Adoption Month. It is a time of cumulative effort by adoption advocates everywhere to raise awareness of the global orphan crisis and to encourage families both in our churches and in our communities to get involved in some facet of orphan care. As a part of our church's Adoption & Foster Care Ministry, my husband and I have recently had the honor of working with a small group of passionate individuals to plan and organize an "Adoption Sunday" event at our church. Fortunately for us, we have been well equipped for service by a Pastor who has a big heart for children's ministry and whom wholeheartedly supports our ministry's efforts.

As a part of our upcoming event, we have been working with our team's talented videographer to shoot a short film highlighting key aspects of the orphan crisis as well as families who have either adopted or fostered children. In theory, this would have been a wonderful opportunity to share our adoption experience within a broader context. In reality, however, our moment to shine quickly faded as the little jitterbug sandwiched between us on the interview couch wiggled and squirmed like a bucket full of crabs while attempting to confiscate my microphone and mumbling distracting little comments under his breath like, "Mama, I need a cookie" and "Hold me, I'm scared of the lights". Alas, neither my husband nor I could concentrate on the interview long enough to articulate even one complete thought and I am sure most of the tape ended up on the editing room floor! Fortunately, we serve a God who can move mountains and so we take comfort in knowing that He can stir people's hearts on behalf of the world's needy children with or without our testimony.

By the end of the session, the very last thing the videographer asked us to do was to give the viewer the most compelling reason we could come up with for people to get involved in orphan care. Geez, that should have been an easy one, right? I mean, if there was only one question we should have been able to answer with even the slightest modicum of integrity it was that one. Yet, where were we when our proverbial ship sailed in? Were we ready with a convincing response? No, we were too busy picking goldfish pretzels out from between the sofa cushions while attempting to reel in the slippery little eel that was sliding off the edge of the couch.

So, with filming behind us and my little super hero tucked safely in his bed, I find myself here tonight at my computer grateful for second chances. With a clear mind, I am focused and prepared to offer the most compelling reason why I believe we should ALL be doing our part to care for the world's orphans. My answer is simple, unfiltered, pretty straight forward and it has absolutely nothing to do with my opinion.

WE SHOULD CARE FOR ORPHANS BECAUSE GOD TELLS US TO CARE FOR THEM.
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before the Father is this: to care for widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

The simple fact is, that as Christians, orphan care just isn't an option. When we commit to pick up our cross and follow Jesus, we don't get to pick and choose the parts of His message that fit neatly and conveniently into our own particular circumstances. In fact, God's Word can be down right inconvenient at times and often calls us to step out of our comfort zone and out of our selfishness for the good of something bigger than ourselves . . . for the poor, the needy, the lonely, the sick, the ORPHAN. In the end, God's word should be the only reason that we need to get involved in orphan care. After all, if the word of our risen Savior isn't a compelling enough reason for each and everyone of us to stand up for the world's fatherless, then anything I have to say really shouldn't matter anyway.

THE CHANGING FACE OF INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION

If I had a nickel for every time my husband and I have been described as admirable for bringing our son home to his family, well, let's just say I could quit my day job. Seriously. Those of you who know us best know that neither one of us plays the harp and we certainly don't wear a halo. In fact, we can be best described as two pretty ordinary people who happen to serve an extraordinary God who enjoys doing remarkable things through people willing to let Him use them for His purposes.

If you are reading this and you have ever adopted a "Special Needs" (SN) child, then chances are you know exactly what I am talking about. Case in point. You are visiting your neighborhood playground with your child. Someone strikes up a conversation and begins inquiring about your adoption experience. At some point during your exchange you hear something to the effect of, "Wow. It takes a very special person to do what you guys have done. We could never do that". At which point this little voice inside your head starts screaming, "Special? You think I'm special? Of course you can do this!"

As domestic adoption gains social acceptance overseas and more and more countries experience an upward trend in economic growth, an increasing number of "healthy" children are being placed with adoptive families in their birth countries. While this shift in international adoption is in my opinion a positive trend, it also means that the majority of children currently needing placement are categorized as "Special Needs". Unfortunately, many families considering international adoption for the first time often buy into the misperception that 1) There is something drastically wrong with these children and/or 2) They are not personally equipped to parent a child with special needs. In most cases this couldn't be further from the truth. While individual needs vary from minor to moderate, and not every family is a match for every child, many of these deserving kiddos come to their families with nothing more than a limb difference, a birth mark or a small scar from a cleft lip/palate repair. Born without his right hand nearly three years ago, our beautiful son is a joyful, intelligent, humorous little boy and we can't imagine our lives without him.

I say all of that to say this: if you are even remotely considering a SN adoption then I want to encourage you! Our family was apprehensive at first but now looking back, we are so grateful that we didn't allow our concerns to stop us from moving forward. In the end, SN adoption doesn't require special parents. It doesn't require us to be equipped in any special way. What it does require is a willingness to allow God to do remarkable things through us for His glory in spite of our weaknesses and limitations. With God's help, you can do this! For further information on international adoption please contact erinm@holtinternational.org

LOVED BY EVERYONE

ID: B10_52 (DOB: February 3, 2007)

This happy, healthy, little sweetheart was born on February 3, 2007 at 34 weeks and was diagnosed at birth with Down Syndrome. At that time, he was also noted to have VSD and ASD of the heart which were surgically corrected in April 2007. He remained in the care of a foster family until September 2007 when he was transferred to the Institution. He currently receives early education and musical therapy as well as physical and speech therapies 4-5 times per week. He is noted to be making great developmental gains and is reported to be, "loved by everyone". His house mother describes him as having a stable and calm temperament and states that he always wakes up smiling . . . a smile which I might add, absolutely melts my heart :) He is also described as a loving, playful child who exudes a spirit that shines through every time he laughs . . . which from what I understand is quite often! He enjoys reading and singing his favorite song, "The Three Bears".

This special little boy deserves a family who is comfortable with his diagnosis and who can provide him with the therapies and medical care that he may need. What he needs most, however, is the love of a permanent family.

For additional information and or to view this precious boy's file, please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org Thank you!

A GODLY FATHER

When I began writing this blog exactly one year ago, I had absolutely no idea what God would do with it. I just knew that he had called me to advocate within my own personal sphere of influence on behalf of those who had no voice of their own. By grace, He had already shown my husband and I the merits of a life lived in total obedience to Him rather than a life marked by indifference, complacency, convenience and self-reliance. He had taken us out of our comfort zone and to a far corner of the world to show us that life is so much bigger than ourselves. Once we felt the beating heart of an orphaned child against our own, it became impossible to turn a blind eye toward the suffering of this broken world. And so, one year later, I continue to write. I write with a passion and a hope that God will continue to use this tiny platform to move the heart of yet one more person on behalf of the fatherless children of this world.

Which brings me to the point of this post . . . my sweet boy's father. For it is the love, integrity and selflessness of this man that the Lord used to pluck my sweet boy out from among the overwhelming statistics of fatherless children. Yes, and in the eyes of our son, his BaBa rocks his little world. And in the eyes of this blogger, who proudly and humbly submits daily to this man's leadership, my dear husband deserves more than a post. In fact, I could write a book about how he wakes daily to serve our family. It is by his example and his servant spirit in our home that our son is learning daily what is means to be a "Godly man". I heard it said once that any man can procreate but it takes a special man to be a father. While I believe this to be true, I also believe that it takes an exceptional man to be a "Godly father". To say that my man, is an exceptional man, is an understatement at best. Fully committed to personal, quality time alone with God every morning through Bible study and prayer, my husband equips himself daily to lead his family by example. He understands all too well the fine line between making a living and making a life and helps provide daily for the material, emotional and spiritual needs of our family. He is patient, kind, gentle and faithful. He completes me and deserves nothing less than my total respect and admiration. The truth is, that I often wonder what I ever did to deserve such a gift in my life. The answer is nothing. Absolutely nothing. Yet the Lord has blessed me anyway. Such a marvelous mystery. Oh, thank you, Jesus, for your abundant and unmerited favor on this humbled sinner's life. Please make me worthy of your calling.

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

HOPING FOR A FAMILY

I.D. G10_91 (DOB: 03/02/1999)
On a cold winter day in February 2000, in front of a community center in the industrial city of Wuxi, in the People's Republic of China, an eleven month old baby girl was found. Attached to her little sweater was a note indicating her date of birth as March 2, 1999 and that she had epilepsy. Unable to locate her parents, the authorities deemed the baby girl "abandoned" and sent her to live at the Wuxi Social Welfare Institute. She remained in the care of the orphanage for about one year before being placed with her current foster family.
Today, this lovely, dimple cheeked young girl clings tight to the hope of being united with her forever family before she permanently "ages out" of the adoption process. She is described by those who know her best as a shy girl who enjoys art, music, surfing the Internet, watching tv and helping with household chores such as washing dishes and doing laundry. She currently attends the fifth grade, knows a few English words and homework is admittedly not one of her favorite subjects! Despite frequent early seizures, she started medication therapy to control them at age seven and has been seizure free for the last three years. A recent EEG test was found to be normal.

Unfortunately, she cannot remain in the care of her foster family for much longer and without a family to call her own this beautiful child will always remain on the margins of Chinese society.
While aware of her circumstances yet uncertain about life in a new country, she is nevertheless willing to leave her birth land for the promise of a new life. In her own words, "I hope for nothing except a family adopting me". Like all children, she hopes only for loving parents and a safe, supportive place to call home.

To adopt this deserving young girl, applicants must be between 30-54 years of age and meet an income requirement of $30,000 plus $10,000 per additional family member with $80,000 net worth. Previous adoption experience as well as an understanding of the grief and loss issues associated with older child adoption are preferred. For additional information and or to view this child's file please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org

AN UNCOMMONLY BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT

(I.D. B11_25) Born in East Africa on Christmas Eve 2004, this beautiful little boy spent the first three months of his life in the care of his biological mother. She reportedly left him often in the care of an elderly woman's daycare service and for reasons unknown, she one day simply failed to return for him. He remained in the care of the elderly woman for the next five years until she could no longer provide the kind of care a growing boy of his age needed. It was at this point in time that the woman brought him to a local care center.

Shortly after coming into care, a child protection officer at the center described him as, "an extremely outgoing, jolly child who loves to care for the younger children at the center". She went on to say that he is, "a responsible child who is turning into a good leader" and "fits easily into the center without challenge". He is reportedly in good health and gets along well with everyone. His uncommonly beautiful spirit, however, is agreeably his most outstanding quality. Despite his circumstances and despite the long wait for a family to call his own, this patient little boy is noted to exude a spirit that will undoubtedly continue to illuminate his path in life.

This child is in need of a family who has parented past his age, preferably has experience in older child adoption and who understands the loss and grief issues associated with inter country adoption. Couples must be between the ages of 25 and 44, married for at least two years and have no more than five children already in the home. For additional information please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org

THE JOY SOURCE

Considered by his institution caregivers to be the "joy source" of his orphanage, Zane was abandoned at the tender age of six outside of the Xiamen City Fire Department in The People's Republic of China. Upon admission to the SWI in Xiamen City, it was determined that he was deaf, mute and a carrier of Hepatitis B. He has remained in good health since coming into care and continues to develop well both physically and cognitively for a boy of his age. It is reported by those who know him best that Zane has embraced the obstacles set in his path and thrived in spite of his adversity. He is an excellent student who is reportedly fond of learning and excels in both Chinese sign and written language. He also enjoys a variety of sports such as basketball, soccer and ping-pong. He is noted to have an easy going nature, a great sense of humor, an extroverted personality and to exude self confidence, wisdom and joy. He also enjoys playing video games and is not afraid to say that he’s pretty good at them!

An American Non-Governmental Organization working with the Xiamen Social Welfare Institute has offered to personally prepare Zane for adoption. Because he will age out of the system on his 14th birthday, his future family needs to have a dossier in China or have completed an adoption from China less than one year ago.

I believe that this incredible, resiliant young man deserves the opportunity to build on his many talents and to thrive in a loving family of his own. Won't you please consider if you might be the right family for him? For additional information about adopting this amazing boy please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR ZANE! PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND LET'S HELP FIND HIM HIS FOREVER FAMILY!

BOYS NEED FAMILIES TOO!

Since bringing our son home from The People's Republic of China in 2009, we are often asked the same question by people, "How in the world were you able to adopt a little boy from China?" This is an understandable question given China's long standing history of placing infant girls for international adoption. An unintended consequence of their One Child Policy, China has become well known for their abandonment of girls in alarming numbers. What most people do not realize, however, is that often times boys, especially those with medical conditions or special needs for which their families cannot afford adequate care, are also abandoned. Minor to moderate correctable conditions such as birth marks, cleft lip and/or palate, limb differences, club feet and heart murmurs are just a few examples of some of the reasons families will chose to abandon their boys.

That having been said, if you are thinking about adoption, I urge you to consider the adoption of one of the many deserving little boys in China waiting to be matched with their forever family. Please help spread the word . . . boys need families too! For additional information about adopting a boy from The People's Republic of China, please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org

NINE YEARS AND WAITING

DOB: 12/13/2001
It is hard to believe that this bright eyed young boy was abandoned in East Africa when he was just one day old. Soon thereafter, he was brought to a children's care center where he has lived for the last nine years of his life while awaiting his forever family.

He loves to play football, dance, sing, sprint and build with blocks. He is reported to have delayed speech and struggles with certain sounds. The excitement his peers express, however, when he overcomes a challenge – when he puts the proper sounds together to count or recite letters – gives him the courage to overcome the next challenge. He attends formal school two days per week and since attending occupational therapy classes his speech has greatly improved. Unlike many children who grow up without the nurturing, attentive care of a permanent family or foster parents, it is reported that he has no other developmental delays. His caregivers describe him as a friendly, peaceful and happy little boy who makes friends easily with both children and adults. He always wants to be involved in activities and often cares for the younger children. Most of the time, he is playful and loving but he can occasionally be short tempered - a behavior his caregivers believe will change as he matures.

Applicants with previous adoption experience, parenting past his age as well as access to the speech services he needs are preferred. For additional information please contact Erin Mower at erinm@holtinernational.org.

NO MORE EXCUSES

EXCUSE: "A reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense; an attempt to lesson the blame attaching to the fault or offense; to seek to defend or justify; to seek to remove blame."

After recently listening to Josh Wilson's song, "I Refuse", I couldn't help but think of all of the earthly excuses we humans tend to come up with in order to avoid doing the things our Heavenly Father calls us to do. Like children failing to turn in a homework assignment on time claiming, "the dog ate it", we are inclined to turn a deaf ear to that which in our finite thinking we determine does not apply to us.

Take orphan care for example. I think I have heard every excuse in the book to avoid it and admit I was guilty at one time of at least one or two of these myself. Adoption is too expensive. It takes way too long. It involves way too much paperwork. I don't like foreign travel. I am too old. I am too young. I don't have enough room in my house. I like things just the way they are, thank you very much. I think you get the point.

Last night, I had a dream. Actually it was more like a nightmare in which one of my children was far from home and in grave danger. Let me just say that I refused to wake up until she was safe and sound and under my roof.

And then my dream got me thinking . . .

Thinking about the lengths to which my Heavenly Father went to rescue me. Thinking about the lengths I would go to rescue any one of my own children or grandchildren. As he often does, the Lord then reminded me that there are 143 million children out there in the world far from home and in grave danger. Cold, hungry, alone and in desperate need of love. Now, I ask you to pause with me here for just a moment and imagine that one of these least among us is YOUR son or daughter. What lengths would you go to ensure his or her safety? How much money would you be willing to spend? How much paperwork would you be willing to fill out? How long would you be willing to wait? How far would you be willing to travel? How big would your house really have to be to bring YOUR child home? If you are anything like me, I bet you would spend your last penny, walk over hot coals and circumnavigate the globe to ensure their safety. I bet you would give your last breath for your kids and so would I.

So in the end, perhaps it's all about perspective. Perhaps we need to stop thinking in terms of "those kids" and start thinking in terms of "our kids". Perhaps we just need to stop making excuses and do our homework.

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT!

ID: B09_192 (DOB: August 1, 2000) This handsome young boy dreams of one day flying airplanes! He came into care when he was approximately one month old. Upon admission he was noted to have a cleft lip and palate which was surgically treated in May 2005. He has received extensive speech therapy since then, however, his speech is reported to still be unclear and he may benefit from further corrective surgeries in the future. He is currently attending school and will ask his teacher if he needs help after class. He is reported to be well liked among his peers and has several good friends at school including both boys and girls. At camp he was the first child to raise his hand to go up on stage to introduce himself! He enjoys drawing, playing chess, hide and seek and jumping rope. He is in need of a family who preferably has experience parenting past his age and who can provide him with any medical care or therapies that he may need. To adopt this deserving child, applicants must be 30-54 years of age and meet an income requirement of $30,000 plus $10,000 per additional family member, with $80,000 net worth. More than 4 children in the home may be accepted. For further information and/or to view this young man's file please contact Danielle Walters or Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org.

CHILDREN OF GOD

THIS VIDEO IS WELL WORTH THE WATCH! (Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of the page and mute my "Playlist" prior to viewing)

A HOME FOR QIONG?

ID: G11_26 (DOB: 9/30/1997)
On August 4, 1999, this shy, introverted little girl was found near a vegetable market in China. She was given the birthdate of September 30, 1997 and brought to the local Social Welfare Institute. Upon admission, Qiong was diagnosed with rickets. With improved nutrition and care, however, her O-shaped legs self-corrected and she has grown into a delightful 13 year old who is described as "active and lovely". She is noted to be self-sufficient, hard working and very helpful. She can cook, wash and enjoys her boarding school. She has reduced vision in her left eye due to a corneal leukoma and in June 2009, testing showed her to have thalassemia (β654 heterozygote). She has reportedly been an otherwise healthy child.

This beautiful young girl deserves the opportunity to have a full education and to thrive within the context of a loving family. She is in immediate need of a forever family who is aware of the unique circumstances of older child adoption and has already started on their paperwork in order to have enough time to adopt her before she permanently ages out of international adoption eligibility on her 14th birthday. Like sand through an hourglass, this precious child's time is quickly running out. To adopt her, applicants must be 30-54 years old and meet an income requirement of $30,000 plus $10,000 per additional family member, with $80,000 net worth. More than 4 children in the home may be accepted. For additional information and/or to view the file of this lovely girl please contact either Danielle Walters or Erin Mower at erinm@holtinternational.org

BRINGING DANIL HOME

As many of you know, when Mark and I answered God's call back in 2008 to bring our son home from The People's Republic of China, adoption was about the furthest thing from either of our minds. It stands to reason, therefore, that we didn't have the $23K necessary to facilitate his adoption just laying around under our mattress. We did, however, make the choice to step out in radical obedience, humbling ourselves before the Lord and placing our total trust in Him to provide whatever resources we needed in spite of our limitations. With the support of family, friends and total strangers we did a lot of fundraising and in the end, God was faithful to meet us at the point of our every need on that long road to China and back. That having been said, I consider it to be a blessing to be able to use whatever platform God has given me through this blog to advocate on behalf of other families working through the fundraising aspect of the adoption process . . .

Which brings me to the beautiful little boy in the photo to the left. "Danil" as he is known, is currently waiting in an Eastern European orphange while his family works tirelessly to complete the mountains of paperwork necessary to bring him home. What makes this family's story so unique, is how God has so perfectly orchestrated the events of their lives to prepare their hearts to include the adoption of a very special little boy a world away with Down Syndrome. You see, Bryan and Laurie are the biological parents of three energenic little boys, the second of which was born to them with Down Syndrome five years ago this April.

As stated in their own words upon receiving the news of their son, Chase's diagnosis with Downs . . .

"Our walls came crashing down and we felt alone and confused and were left asking God the question: Why us? This wasn't supposed to happen. But then again, when we were least expecting it, we found out that having a child with Down Syndrome didn't make life horrible. It made it better. We learned to slow down. We learned (and are still learning!!) acceptance and compassion and unconditional love. We learned determination from a boy who took 23 months to take his first step and three minutes to figure out how to climb from the chair to the counter to get to the cookie jar. We learned to celebrate everything and to wear our emotions out in the open where they belong"

I don't know about you but I am in awe of a God who can transform a question like, "Why us?" and turn it into "Give us more of this blessing, Lord!" I am in awe of a family who is willing to make one more place at the supper table for a little boy who has already been counted among the discarded.

Laurie and Bryan invite you to follow their adoption journey to Danil by visiting their blog at http://addingtothemaddness.blogspot.com/

I invite you to please pray about how you can make a difference in the life of this very special little boy by making a tax-deductible donation via credit card or PayPal through the International Down Syndrome Adoption Ministry, Reece's Rainbow at http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsormaddex Please be a part of the blessing and help bring Danil home!

"DO NOT WITHHOLD GOOD FROM THOSE TO WHOM IT IS DUE, WHEN IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO ACT" PROVERBS 3:27