We're Back!

Our Thanksgiving in pictures!  (Mostly)

The kids had a blast.  So fun to watch them interact. 

Goodbye

We have/had a very large Poplar tree in our yard.  We all loved that tree.  Then it started dropping limbs.  BIG limbs!  Then Randy and I did not like it so much.  So we decided to have it taken down, much to the dismay of our oldest.  He cried.  He did not want the tree chopped down.  He wanted to doctor it and try to save it.

In the end, it had to go.   

We did ask them to leave enough of the stump that the kids could use as a table and/or jumping platform and/or fort.  

Sorry for the sporadic posts lately.  We're very busy and my computer needs a 'doctor'.  Between the two, posts are just not as regular as I'd like. 

What Can We Do? *EDITED*

So, it's Adoption Awareness Month.  What can we do to help?

I know you think I'm going to say, "Adopt".  But I'm not.

Adoption is NOT the answer.  It's not scalable and in some ways creates more problems.  Plus, there are very few folks willing to do it.  Good, bad, indifferent.  That's just the way it is.

In my opinion, there should be more folks putting emphasis on keeping families intact.  Folks like the Baer family.  http://baeressentials.org/

Yes, they've adopted but now they are working in a community in Ethiopia trying to help preserve families.  Doing wonderful work.  Check 'em out.  Maybe you can help them.

There ought to also be more emphasis on changing societies views of children.  Whether these children are of mixed race, have a disability, born a girl when society demands boys, whatever.  Helping change society whether in the US or in another country is a long, drawn out process.   There are organizations working towards this.  Did you know that Reece's Rainbow also works within Eastern Europe to help educate parents about Down Syndrome. To encourage them to raise their children instead of giving them up for adoption?  There are others doing the same thing.  Foster families help keep families intact.  Respite families also help. Find an organization you can support. The internet if full of such organizations.  Do your research and make sure they are legit because there are plenty of  illegit ones too.

There also ought to be an emphasis on the ones left behind.  Do the math?  Out of 147 MILLION orphans in the world, the US adopts around 12,000/year.   (Internationally, not sure domestically).  Not too many other countries come near that number of adoptions.  If we can support the older kids with education and job skills, they will be in a position to control their own destiny and hopefully not repeat the cycle.  Organizations like  Gladney (the agency we used for Turner's adoption) do things like sponsor education for orphans.  I know they helped Tamirat get an education and helped provide money for transportation, etc.  You can check them out here:  http://ontheirown.org

I do believe there is a need for adoption.  It should NOT be a business of finding kids for families.  Rather it should be a service of finding families for children. 

These are just some of the organizations we try to support.  I know there are others, like Amazima.  They are worth checking out.

You are right Lori,  I love AGAPE.  They do very good work!

National Adoption Month

"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.”
From the book Radical by David Platt

 Since November is National Adoption Awareness Month, I thought I'd tell you about some orphans I know.  I won't tell you about Ansley and Turner because they no longer are orphans.  There are more.  Millions more who are orphans.  Some by social reasons.  Some, true orphans who have no parents living.  No matter the reasons for their circumstance, the reality is THEY did nothing to deserve their status as ORPHAN.  It was thrust upon them and something NONE of them want.  

This is Tamirat.  

The tallish one with the head dress on.  He's celebrating the Epiphany during Ethiopian Christmas.  He became an orphan when he was 11 years old.  His Mom died leaving him and sister and a brother without a parent.  His sister was younger and adopted into an Italian family.  His brother was older and joined the Army. So he was ALONE.  At the age of 11, he went to live in an orphanage by the name of  Kolfe.   Kolfe was better than living on the street.  However, Kolfe is an old war prison, many decades old.  Until recently, many windows were busted out and bathrooms were in disrepair.  He is 20ish now.  He does not know  his actual age but he's guesses.  He had NO ONE to help usher him into manhood. The boys mostly just raised themselves in a very Peter Pan sort of way.  He did the best he could and has turned into a pretty good guy from what I know.  I am hoping to meet him some day.

This is Silas. He had the misfortune to be born in a country the limits the number of children allowed in a family.  I don't know much about him, except what I've read on Reece's Rainbow.  I just know I like the spunky face and I want him to find a family to love  and accept him.  

This is Andrew.  He had the misfortune to be born in a region who places NO value on kids who have any perceived imperfection.   This happens a lot in Eastern Europe.  He, too, deserves a family.

So, in honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, I want you to know some names.  See some faces.  Not just say, "I'm sorry" or "I'll say a prayer" but REALLY see them as human beings worthy of life and love and everything we all want.  I could put you in contact with some blogs/stories that let you see what happens to these children.  It's not pretty.  But it's enough that you know their faces.  You know their names.  It's enough that you open your heart and mind and become involved.  It's enough that you don't ignore them.