Where??

I am in one of those moods. Many of you probably know what I mean. I have been reading too many blogs again. I just can't stop. I can get completely lost, traveling to foreign countries - looking into their eyes. Most recently, I have been following a couple of ladies to Uganda. These ladies, Suzanne and Gwen started the non-profit organization 147 Million to help raise money and awareness for adoption. They teamed up with Katie from Amazima Ministries. She is the young lady who is OLD beyond her years, mature and wise beyond anything I have ever seen at her age. She has been in Uganda since she was seventeen, and now at 23 is the Mom of fourteen little girls! Yes, I said fourteen! I am equally blessed and ashamed every time I read a post she writes.

As I have looked at the pictures these ladies have posted since they arrived in Uganda to visit Katie four days ago, I feel the strangest mix of emotions. I start out sobbing and crying out to God to heal them, save them, send them parents - send US! Then, my flesh rises up and I get angry. Then I ask God why? Why does it have to be this way for them? Why do children have to live in such pain, physically and emotionally, every single day?

Where is the Church?

Why are we not answering the call? It reminds me of a quote I saw somewhere, the author is anonymous. It said this, "I want to ask God why He allows so much poverty and injustice in the world, but I'm afraid He might ask me the same question."

Church, we have a responsibility to the least of these. It is no secret how I feel about adoption. I also don't think it is a secret how God feels about it. Here is what I found in Proverbs 24 (Message Bible)

"Rescue the perishing;

don't hesitate to step in and help.
If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business,"
will that get you off the hook?
Someone is watching you closely, you know—
Someone not impressed with weak excuses."

Friends, these children are perishing. Literally. They are dying of preventable and treatable illnesses. They are starving too death! In America, they are dying spiritually, one foster home at a time. You do not have to fly across the world to rescue the perishing.

Yet, here we sit - living in our air conditioned houses. Perfectly safe from malaria and cholera. More than cushioned from malnutrition (pun intended) - in fact, we are "fat and happy" in our lifestyles of excess. I am including myself in this, too. Just because we have adopted a child doesn't really mean we have sacrificed all that much for the least of these. No part of our adoption has felt like a sacrifice. It has felt like nothing less than a dream come true. When I look at Katie's pictures, when I see her on her knees cleaning maggot infested, oozing, stinking wounds on the villagers that come to her for help - this in between home schooling her fourteen daughters, cooking, cleaning for them, plus the others who live in her home, making daily hospital visits, and generally serving everyone she meets - at twenty-three years old - I am brought to my knees!

How dare I complain that my baby has a cold and I didn't get nine hours last night? My baby has a cold. He does not have HIV, malaria, and some weird jungle strain of the flu, as does one precious little boy you can see a picture of on Suzanne's blog. How dare I ever feel slighted in this life God has blessed me with?

How dare we, as the Body of Christ, sit by and do nothing?

I know I am being harsh. I told you I was in one of those moods. I just get so distraught when I feel so helpless. I don't know what to do. I want to go somewhere, anywhere and bring them home. Lots of them. If Katie can live in a 3,000 square foot home in Uganda with 14 children plus others who are in and out constantly, then surely I can make room in my home for a few more children. Surely I can make room in my life to serve those who are needy. Those that no one sees or seems to care about. Those who are sick.

Right now I am so frustrated. My husband, bless his heart, is struggling with some issues at work and some financial things and he just can't think that it is time to adopt again. He is open and willing, but God is going to have to drop an orphan on our doorstep, and I just don't know that He works that way most of the time. I am so thankful for a husband who is practical and stable. Who takes the time to look into things and doesn't just fly off the handle and act rashly. If it were my decision, we would have 25 children and NO money by now! I realize that is not necessarily the right thing.

I also know that most of the adoptions I read about were birthed in the heart of the mother. God created us differently and for whatever reason, He typically woos the heart of the mommy first, and then somehow speaks to dads in a different way. My husband is one hundred percent the leader in our home, but adoption was far and away my idea. However, Stan will readily admit now that he can NOT imagine our family without Patrick. He loves his son so much and he is the BEST daddy.

Anyway, I know that God is calling us to adopt again - and maybe again and again. I don't know, but as long as they are out there, calling to me, I can't stop praying, thinking, and talking about it. I can't stop asking God to raise up an army to go and set them free. To raise up His people to take up their cause. To literally save them from physical and spiritual death.

Church, these precious souls need you. They need a Mommy and Daddy. They need brothers and sisters to play with and love.

They need Jesus.

There are no obstacles too big for our God. Not finances. Not reluctant husbands. Not extended family that thinks you are crazy. Not "too many" other children. Not special needs.

He's got all of that under control. Will you give Him your heart, your desires? Will you let Him change you and mold you into His image? He is tender, loving, and the perfect parent. I am asking Him to tug on my husband's heart again. I am asking Him for more of Himself. More of His love to be poured out. More of His compassion to share with those in need.

Will you pray with me?