I wanted to write you in more depth about our reasoning for adopting. But quite frankly for us to reason or rationalize adoption, it will never add up. If you consider us insane or this is ludicrous I would whole heartedly agree. There is nothing about this that is monetarily responsible or considered wise, in fact I would call it a gamble or foolish from a worldly stand point. Our economy is in the tank and the future here in America is on the brink of who knows what. The real fears of more job loss, hyper inflation or worse deflation, or the fear of losing our jobs are very prevalent and concerning.
So then why? Let me preface this by saying, we didn’t ask for this nor did we see this one coming. I will say, there are moments in life when your eyes or mind are opened to things and you are just never the same. An example, becoming a Christian. To live the life of a Christian to this world is without a doubt foolish. To live this life for others over our own desires and flesh just doesn’t make sense but once one has been changed and our eyes have tasted the beauty of God and all He desires for us, our life is changed forever. Monique and I have had one of those experiences that has and will change our lives forever. To really taste and see the atrocities and horrors that are going on in this world cannot and should not be ignored and we just can’t turn our backs on these things. For us to turn our backs on them would be to live a life of utter disregard and selfishness. Monique and I could not in good conciouse do this. It is hard to explain what has happened to us, it is so overwhelmingly powerful that I would gladly give my life for a hope that it would bring change. I know that this has been said before but I truly would without hesitant give up all my possessions and my life for one of these children and I am pretty confident that Monique feels the same.
I came up with a good one about adoption and it goes like this: Adoption will not give you stretch marks but it will stretch you. I think that sums it up for us, I believe God is and will provide for this adoption if it is His plan. The sum of $30000.00 is pretty astronomical (especially to a family that lives paycheck to paycheck) but we have come up with close to two thirds and we shall see about the rest. For an American, it is not uncommon to drive a $30000.00 car nor is it ever considered unreasonable to put oneself into debt for 6 years for a car that will depreciate and become worth next to nothing in 15 years. On the other hand maybe the average family has two cars that equal that amount or maybe two cars that are worth 50000.00 or whatever and then throw on the interest and it’s ridiculous, but say that you want to pay $30000.00 for two kids and it is considered crazy. We know that it is a lifelong commitment and we know the cost goes way beyond the initial upfront cost but it is an investment that will not depreciate or lose its value. Jesus said:
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
And this one that really touches home:
Jeremiah 5:28-29 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? (There are 40 scriptures to this affect in the bible)
So what does the future hold for us, we don’t know but I know our futures have been changed because of what we have seen and learned. Monique, last Sunday said something that just broke my heart and I could not hold back the tears. She said to me, maybe we should not adopt but instead maybe we should do even more. I can’t quote her exactly but they were to the affect of giving ourselves to the mission field. I believe she had the heart of God when she said that, Jesus no longer walks on this earth in physical form but it is his church that walks in His place.
I wrote this not to boast or cause conviction but only for you to understand where we are coming from....
