Unringing the Bell

We still haven't heard anything about our dossier, a date that we will be allowed to travel, or any news about the vote.  Just wanted to get that said.

I was talking to a sweet sister in Christ, who is also my sister-in-law, yesterday about the beautiful faces on Reece's Rainbow.  She said she'll look at the pictures until her heart is aching then she has to get off.  I confessed that I have had thoughts of being a bit irradiated that I now know about them.  Now that we know about these children and their bleak future we are responsible for our actions with that knowledge.

I can't unring the bell.  I've seen their faces.  I know the future they face.  Why do they face an institution?  Because God made a mistake when knitting them together? May it never be! No, he made them the very way he always intended to make them.

I see several main reasons why people don't adopt.  There are a dozen more I'm sure.   

1. They are in love with their own gene pool.  As parents, they are more interested in what they will make together than what God could bring into their family.  
2. They don't understand the theology of adoption.  We are adopted into the family of Christ, joint heirs with the Messiah. (Ephesians 1:5) 
3. They're scared.  The media has made adoption appear like birth moms return every day to get their child.  That actually happens very rarely.  Adoption is by far the scariest thing I've ever done.  But, having my first child was pretty scary too.
4. The timing isn't right.  Maybe it is or maybe it isn't.  Maybe you are waiting until everything is perfect, you have every last penny, you are done having children biologically, etc.  Truth is, it's never the right time.  And sometimes waiting means you simply wait too long.
5. Money.  I'm not going to lie.  The money is like a mountain that's peak is hidden in the clouds.  You can't see the top.  I spent a lot of time scared of the money.  I knew I could get the paperwork ready.  But, I couldn't just "come up" with the money.  I was scared.  God provided, and provided, and provided.

Some families have real reasons why they are not adopting.  I am not dogging anyone here.  Just my observations.  There are some real things you can do to help these little ones. You can sign up to be a prayer warrior for a waiting child.  Alice had a family praying her family would find her...and we did! You can help get information out about the work Reece's Rainbow is doing to help special needs orphans.  Or you can help raise money for their adoption grant.  Alice has around $600 in her adoption fund that we will be able to use once we have a travel date.  Someone gave to her.  It was there before we even knew about her.  On my side bar I have a Christmas Tree where you can click to go see Reece's Rainbow's annual fund-raising event.  You donate $35 and you get an ornament of a little one to put on your Christmas tree.  The goal of the Christmas angels is to raise $1000 for each waiting child.  You can hold garage sales, host a blog, sell items you've made and give the proceeds to a little one's fund.  Maybe a family that wouldn't normally be able to adopt could with a little help.  Some kids on the website have grants of $20,000!  That's amazing.

Here are some adoption blogs that are doing what they can to get the word out.

• No Greater Joy Mom

• For Mila with Love 

These are just a couple.  I know there are more, I just ran out of time to find them.  
Sorry, you can't unring the bell.  You've seen their faces.  Now you're responsible for that knowledge, too.