Santa visits orphans on Chievres Air Base
Image Credit: USAG Benelux via Flicker; Used under Creative Commons License; Text added
It seems the older I get, the harder a time I have at Christmas making a wish list. My mom still wants one, and I appreciate that she wants to give me things for Christmas that I actually want. 
But transitioning from Thanksgiving, where we focus on being grateful for all we have, to a time of thinking about things we want to add on to the current excess becomes challenging for me.
When I read the news or think about the great needs that others have, I feel like I don’t even want anymore stuff for Christmas. I have plenty of stuff, and then some. Amen?
Today is the last day of November, which is National Adoption Month. I know … I am always so late writing about these special months. Better late then never, though, right? Maybe that needs to be my New Year’s Resolution … work on being on time.
But as I was thinking about adoption and what a huge part of my life it has been … I could not let the month end without acknowledging it. I was adopted at age 2. Then I was adopted into God’s family when I was 11. And in 2008, The Chef and I adopted our first child.
We still have memories of a little boy that was in a crib near our son’s in the orphanage. We wonder if he has ever been adopted … hoping he has. So many children … about 104,000 just in the United States … who need homes. The problem is tremendous, but there is a solution!
If you are a Christian, did you know that the Bible speaks about adoption in the book of James? It says:
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. (Chapter 1, Verse 27)
And while I do not necessarily believe this means every believer is meant to adopt a child, I think it does mean that we all should be involved with the care of orphans in some way. Adoption is a big, long process that can at times be overwhelming for any family. It can be costly. So there are definite ways that anyone can lend support to families in the adoption process, whether by offering moral support, prayer support or financial assistance.
And I have come to believe recently that there are many families who might be open to adopting, given the “right” circumstances or perhaps opportunity. Why? Watch this video:
Now guess how many families responded to this boy’s plea? You will be blown away. We’re not talking a couple of handfuls. We’re not even talking a few hundred or thousand.
10,000 from all over the world responded!
So if those 10,000 families are willing to adopt this little boy, I’m thinking what is stopping them from considering one of the other orphans who deeply wants a family just as much?
So you may be wondering … she wants 339 of what for Christmas then? Orphans? If I could … I would! But I’m realistic and I know I cannot.
339 is the number of “cases” of children needing families in my state, South Carolina, as I last checked on the Department of Social Services website. Now I’m sure this does not include all cases as some birth families place children for adoption privately, but it’s a great place to start. And so if I could have anything for Christmas, I would want 339 families for those children.
What about you? What would you want?
Have you ever gotten involved in helping orphans? There are many organizations that are helping orphans. Would you consider finding one in your area and giving them a call to see how you might be able to help? You can also visit your state’s DSS website and begin praying for the orphans pictured there, that God would provide family for that child.
If everyone begins thinking more about orphans and what we can do, together, to help them, we can drastically reduce the number in a matter of a few years and then reverse the situation so that there are families waiting to adopt children as the need arises, as opposed to children waiting for families. Every child should have a forever family.
Every.
Child.
About the Author
Adopted at age 2, grew up in the Charlotte, NC area. Obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Appalachian State University. Loves being a Mom of two and taste-testing Chef John's culinary creations and sharing them with readers.
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