Do you realize that there are 120,000 orphans in the United States of America?
In America we do not house our orphans in orphanages, and we use kinder softer words for them like foster children, but kinder and gentler terms do not make their pain any less.
I am going to shoot some statistics at you right now...
- 127,000 children in the US are hoping to be adopted
- 20,000 children every year turn 18 and thus age out of the foster care system, most of them have no support and no where to go
- 54% of children in the foster care system graduate from high school
- 2% graduate from college
- 70% of youths in state operated institutions came from fatherless homes
- 30% of the adults in America have been in the foster care system at one time or another
The orphan crisis is not just in poor developing countries. It is here in America, too.
I can not stand the thought of children waiting to be wanted, wishing for a place to call home, hoping someone will identify their potential. It is cruel. And it happens in the lives and hearts of millions of children every day.
I dare you to check out this site Adopt US kids. I dare you to look into the faces of the children that are profiled there. I dare you to feel a little bit of their fading hope. Can you imagine what it would feel like to have someone take cute pictures and write an "add" about you? Can you imagine reading what some social worker had written about you and praying that it would convince someone that you are worthy of a place in their home?
It brings me to tears.
In our state there are 2 boys waiting for families. They are both 13 years old. They have names - Marcis and Andre. There is a really good chance that these boys would be a handfull at first. I bet they would have their guards up pretty high until they realized that you would really, really stick around and really, really love them. I am fairly certain their transition home would be difficult.
BUT can you imagine their life if NO ONE steps up to the challenge?
The statistics are not good, but even if they beat the statistics and graduate from high school and then college... Where will they go for Thanksgiving? Who will they call when they think they are falling in love? Who will be the grandparents to their children? More importantly, how will they know how to be fathers when they have never had one? Most importantly, how will they be able to understand the love of their Heavenly Father with out experiencing the (nearly) unconditional love of a family here on earth? (I say nearly because let's face it, only God truly loves us unconditionally.)
Many, many of the waiting children in the US are teens. Hard ages, oh yeah! Cute, not so much. Worth our time and energy, of course!
If you think about it, adopting a teen is just a few years of "in the home" investment. Maybe you are an empty or nearly empty nester that God is calling back into the trenches of parenting. Maybe He wants you to golf and travel a little less for a while. Maybe He is calling you to invest time and love and structure into one more child. It would be inconvenient. I know you worked hard to get to where you are at, but maybe - just maybe you could invest another 5 years and make all the difference in the life of one of His kids?
(OK. I know that paragraph was pushy. It is not directed at anyone in particular. I just feel like these teens that are waiting need parents with experience. My heart tells me there are empty nesters that God is calling out of retirement to serve His teens.)
I also tell you that I totally understand dragging my feet about adding 5 more years to parenting. Just when we had all our kids off to school, God called us back 5 years. Back to me officing from home. Back to naptime. Back... when the American way to to go forward.
I get the struggle. I get the fear. I know these teens have most likely been through a lot. But that does not mean they should be left waiting.
Father God, please move in the hearts of Your people. Raise up parents for Marcis and Andre and the millions of other waiting children in our world. Guard Marcis and Andre's hearts so they do not lose hope. Protect them. Show them your love, peace, and joy.
**For the record, I do not know Marcis or Andre. I have simply been praying for them since I dared to look into their eyes through their on-line profiles. They are not my sons, but perhaps they are yours? Please join me in praying for them.
