"A few days ago I was at the orphanage and a little boy came running to give me a hug. He wrapped his arms around my legs and looked up at me with his big brown eyes. He wrinkled his eyebrows, showing a question in his eyes, and then he asked “When will I have a mama? In the winter or in the spring?” My heart was torn into pieces and I had no idea what to say. Then he went on: “ My friend was found. When will someone find me?”
What can I say to a small child whose deepest desire is to be found and wanted by a family?
I am no longer allowed to help with any communication between America and the kids in orphanage. What can I say to K who asks me if he can write letters to his best friend who was adopted? What can I say to V who doesn’t really have any friends in the orphanage, and almost cried when I told her she couldn’t write to Val anymore? With a serious face, V told me,” It is such a tragedy to lose my best friend.”
What do I say when three orphanage graduate girls are sitting in my living room explaining to me that in the dorm there is one shower room for almost 1000 boys and girls living in the five story dormitory? How do I respond when we are talking about being patient and waiting for God, and they say they don’t expect anything from God anymore?
Sometimes it feels like the only response I can manage as I listen to these beautiful children in their desperate situations is tears. How hard it is to know that these children don’t even have anyone to cry for them.
The following poem was written by Antwone Fisher, an orphan boy who grew up in the foster care system in the US. His questions apply to orphans everywhere:
Who will cry for the little boy lost and all alone?
Who will cry for the little boy abandoned without his own?
Who will cry for the little boy who cries himself to sleep?
Who will cry for the little boy who never had for keeps?
Who will cry for the little boy who walked through burning sand?
Who will cry for the little boy, the boy inside the man?
Who will cry for the little boy who knew well hurt and pain?
Who will cry for the little boy who died and died again?
Who will cry for the little boy, a good boy he tried to be?
Who will cry for the little boy who cries inside of me?
-Antwone Fisher
Who should cry for the little boys and girls who are orphaned and alone in this world? The answer is both simple and complicated. Who should care for orphans? The church. We are the church. Is caring for orphans easy or pain free? Not usually.
“As long as there is a church on planet earth, she (an orphan child) is not destitute. If there is a church in the world named after Jesus Christ no orphan should be destitute. Care for that child. Do what you have to do to get there.” -John Piper
Today I want to challenge you not only to be willing to cry for these children, but to intentionally and prayerfully consider if adoption might be something God has for your family. Even if you have never thought about it before, if you are married and between the ages of 25-60, would you please ask God if there might be a child on the other side of the world waiting to call you mom or dad? Maybe each time when you read about the plight of orphans you feel a tug deep inside you, maybe you are or soon will be an empty-nester with room in your heart and home for more children, or maybe you have watched others adopt and said to yourself “I could never do that”. No matter where you are in life, would you please pray and consider adoption? If you are not in a position to adopt a child, please pray and consider ways you could assist a family who wants to adopt.
I will be praying for you too, that God would make His will clear to you whatever that may be. Thank you for your prayers for the orphans of Ukraine and for me. I really appreciate all of the encouraging emails and prayers as things remain difficult.
Waiting with you for God’s answer to our prayers..."
I join with our missionary...
Karina, once an orphan, joins with this missionary to ask you to consider what God would have you do for the orphans...
Will you adopt? My family would love to help you.
Can you financially support a family that is adopting? Our mission agency, Christian Missionary Society, can help you with that.
Will you pray for the orphans? I can give you names, pictures and prayer requests.
Are you interested in coming with us to see these children? I will be with them soon. Join me.
Are you able to support the Nasekos family or our other missionaries working with orphans? We can only continue by your support.
Contact me if you want to take that next step toward caring for the children that ask, "When will I have a momma?"
Nasekos@perumission.org
We returned a little over a month ago with our daughter from Ukraine. I pray for the orphans left behind every day. I think about them constantly. I pray that God will provide us with a way to be able to adopt more children. If only money wasn't an issue!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the love you have for these children and for the work you do. I went back and read some of your older blog posts and am so uplifted by your faith.
God bless you.
Jaime
http://hosfordfamily.blogspot.com