Keep Pressing On...

That's what I'm telling myself today...keep pressing on toward what we know that God has called us to do. Another email arrived from an agency we were hopeful about. Not a bad letter, but not full of hope like I was hoping. Here's the message I'm getting that most agencies are sending out: (of course, this is the way I hear it...)

"Please send money to help keep all of our programs/orphanages running. We will add you to a list of families who want to adopt, and we'll let you know when we start accepting applications again. In the meantime, go read up on how hard international adoption is. If you're still here when Haiti finally opens up for adoptions again, just know that everything will be slow and difficult and unorganized. Do you want to consider a different country?? Here's a preliminary application to fill out. Then-- you wait. Oh, and send money..."

Okay, I TOTALLY get that Haiti needs money!! Of course they do!! So much has been lost and so many are suffering. However, we have been called to a different ministry--one that will be our ministry for the rest of our lives (and will require a lot of money, I might add...) We are called to parent children that have lived through this horrible tragedy as well as the many tragedies that have occurred in Haiti in the last couple of years. It's a harsh place. We know that it will not be easy. And we know that we are not in this quest to just "rescue" a child. We have deeper reasons. We want to share our love and family with more children. We love children and have a heart for seeing children grow up in a home that is full of the love of God and family. We want our lives to be lives of service to God and to the world. We WANT MORE from this life than the material offerings of the world. We want to build a sense of deep love and compassion for the world into our family, no matter how many children it includes.

We thoroughly appreciate what adoption agencies are doing, but I want to say, "We're different!! We didn't just watch the news and make a rash decision to do this! We know that it will be hard. We know that parenting children who have been living in an orphanage will be even harder. We know that we have a lot to learn still. BUT...we also know the One who called us to this. We know that He is our Rock, our Redeemer, our Strength and our Shelter. He is able, even when we are not. He is strong when we are continually weak. He will accomplish the purpose He has set before us."

There. I feel better now. Thanks for reading...