A month back from Ethiopia so much has changed in our lives. We still wake up thinking of those kids we saw in Ethiopia that so desperately need parents. We pray that God would awaken more people to step forward, to say yes, to be aware of the massive problem our society faces with the fatherless children in this world.
Our house the past month has been full of laughter, guests, and a joy that we did not fully understand prior to this. With each day Mikah learns a new word, a new facial expression and has come to know that everything will be okay. She has learned that you cannot silence the ocean with a simple shhshh, she has learned that a cat says meow, and a dog says ruff. She has yes even learned to sing the song hot blooded (this is because Oregon has been so hot lately). I think most of all her parents more than ever understand that God's plan is so amazing if you just say yes and step out in faith.
Mikah's parents have been fumbling through the joys of parenting. Believe it or not we have found more time now it seems to be together than ever before. Reading a book called Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller he writes an amazing paragraph that sums up how we feel.
"And so my prayer is that your story will have involved some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in play. My hope is your story will be about changing, about getting something beautiful born inside of you, about learning to love a woman or a man, about learning to love a child, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love other more than we love ourselves, about leaning oneness as a way of understanding God. We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?"
8 comments:
the picture of you all walking on the beach is amazing. footprints of where you have been and everything in front of you that lies ahead with your new gift :)your journey has been amazing and i'm so touched to have gotten to follow it. miss mikah is adorable and looks happy as a clam with her mommy and daddy.
So beautiful. God is just amazing isn't He? Thank you for sharing! I love keeping up with you this way.
Hugs-
Jennifer
I am so confused... I found this blog from Erin Sager's blog on the same topic, adopting children from Ethiopia. There are hundreds and hundreds of people just like you, and that is what I can't understand. What about all the little children in your neighborhood without moms and dads? Little children within your zip code who have never felt loved or part of a family? Why are so many Americans ignoring their own? Do they not realize that American children love just as much, laugh just the same? Is it because celebrities do it? I can hardly bear to go to work everyday and look at all their hopeful faces. What do I tell them? Sorry, loves, it's more trendy to have an African baby right now. I do not mean to attack, I just don't understand. People are lamenting over the internet that it takes so much time to be approved to adopt abroad, the waiting, the travel... you could travel about 30 minutes from anywhere in the US and find an adoption agency and loving child just waiting for you. So what is the appeal for adopting from a foreign country when most foreign countries have limits and waiting lists because they don't actually want foreigners adopting so much of their populace?
I wanted to respond to the person who left the comment without a name on the blog.
You say "ignoring your own" as if children in other countries are not human. So pick a country the US or any other their are 250 million children on earth right now that need homes. God led our family to Ethiopia for others he leads them to stay within their own boarders.
If you searched you could find blogs about domestic adoption as well probably just as many as you can find on Ethiopian adoption.
The one underlying fact is a child born in America is an automatic millionaire. The kids in Africa they are dying in the streets, they are being sold to prostitution at age 6, they are being turned into soldiers at age 10. 4.5 million in Ethiopia alone. If someone doesn't do something and by no means is adoption the total solution we as a society are worthless.
So stop spending your time looking at other peoples blogs and start helping.
Dear Writer,
I am sorry that you have such strong feelings. I agree with you 100%. It is not our own children that we have forgotten it is all children that are orphans. The problem is everywhere and very heart breaking. We have many friends who have adopted domestically and are blessed just like us. The problem is not just in Africa you are correct in saying it is in your own back yard! You have to go where you are lead. I heard a quote once, "Adopting one child won't change the world; but for that child, the world will change."
I am sorry that you are so confused. I hope and pray for you that you will continue on your journey and from reading others blogs your heart will change. Not for the American Orphan, but for all orphans around the world.
Can't believe it's now been almost 6 weeks since we all got home. Your baby girl is beautiful as ever!
Just wanted to make a point (or reiterate one that you made) to the commenter concerned with international vs. domestic adoption. It really bothers me when people argue that we should adopt one of "our own". I love my country, but I don't see an American child as any more of "my own" (or my kind - is that what you really meant?) than a child in Ethiopia. God does not love Americans more than other people in this world. My faith compels me to act on behalf of all of God's people. Some people are lead to children here at home, others to Ethiopia. God does not believe that we, as Americans, deserve special treatment and that an orphan in Ethiopia deserves a home only after there are no more orphans in America. It is tragic that a child anywhere is without a home and every child is equally deserving - whether they were lucky enough to be born in America or in Ethiopia. And yes, when compared to orphans in Ethiopia, orphaned children in the U.S. have 1000x more of a chance in life. I've been there and I know for a fact that is true.
It sounds from your post that you perhaps work with children in foster care in the U.S. so clearly you are doing good (if that is indeed what you do). But I would ask, why does the parent who chooses to adopt from Ethiopia have more of an obligation to adopt an American child than you do?
One final note - I think that it's kind of rude to come on someone's blog and accuse them of adopting from Ethiopia just because it is "trendy". Condescending, judgmental, and rude.
She is so little! I love the picture of the 3 of you walking in the sand. What a beautiful baby Byrd. I can't believe this person posted such ugly words on your family website. I know you saw this as a teaching moment for someone that is ingorant. I hope to see your family soon. The Browns LOVE the Byrds!
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