Sanctity of Life Sunday

I was asked to speak about Sancity of Life at our church, I was humbled to share with them what it means to me, and I am humbled to share with you. It wasn't long ago God put two huge things on my husband's and my lap - my mission trip to Uganda and expanding our family through adoption.

Throughout this blog are pictures of orphans - orphans that have been thrown away, left in garbage piles, one in a plastic bag and another left on her mother’s grave. These children are abandoned, unloved and left for dead.

I was sharing at my girl’s school about my trip to Uganda. I was asked, “What did it feel like to hold a child that had been thrown away?” I held this particular baby, Noah for 2 ½ hours, fed him, played with him and took him outside to see the breeze in the trees where he fell asleep. As I held this baby I sang over him, prayed over him and loved him. Perhaps this would be the only 2 ½ hours of his life that he would have undivided attention. As I told him, it then clicked with me, he doesn’t have a mother or a father, but we do have a Heavenly Father - a Father with a great purpose and a plan for our lives. Noah will grow, have his own journey and perhaps have curiosities of knowing his biological parents. But one thing He will know is there is a God who loves Him more than anyone else could. And through me holding this orphan who was left in the bush I too know there is a God who loves me more than anyone else can.

Today Duane and I are pursuing the adoption of our three year old son – Elijah. Our home study has been finalized and today our paperwork is on the way to Liberia. What amazes me the most about this process is how I can love a child so much, that isn’t in my womb, nor have I ever met. But I do know it is God that calls us to his life, and he has been called to ours. We know God’s timing is perfect and wait until Elijah’s homecoming.

I share all this with you because we are all called as James reminds us “to look after orphans and widows in their distress”. Perhaps you can open your home to a child, and perhaps God is opening a door for you to help those in the far ends of the world. But we all aren’t able and we all aren’t sent on the same journey. But I do ask you to get involved – there are so many organizations that need your help. Ask me about getting involved with Casa Hogar, Compassion International, or Watoto. See about getting an adoption ministry set up at your church or in your community. Find the local crisis pregnancy center and see how you can get involved. Perhaps you are able to give financially. But if anything can you pray for these children? Can you pray how you can be involved? Through your help you can give hope to a child and through you these orphans can know they have a Father, they aren’t a mistake, they aren’t thrown away, not abandoned but have a great purpose and are loved.