While Christians commonly praise adoption, most American churches do not have a single family that adopted a child during the past year. Churches can and should play a crucial role in encouraging members to "look after orphans in their distress" (James 1:27). Here are some specific ideas on how to become an adoption-friendly church:
Last month I wrote about the Rosenows, their 14 adopted children, and The Shepherd's Crook (TSC), their adoption ministry ("Called to Adopt," Dec. 4). TSC works with agencies to find adoptive families for international children with special needs. It also accepts donations on behalf of families as they struggle to pay adoption-related expenses that can amount to tens of thousands of dollars.
Readers wanted to hear more about TSC, so here's the experience of Eric and Kim Elder, who have 10 biological children. They did not plan to adopt, but then a 7-year-old Ethiopian girl with a heart defect appeared on TSC's email list...
[This article has so much to think about. Suffering. Calling. Reliance on God. And note how their local church has a key supportive role in their lives.]
If you think you have a lot on your plate, consider Scott and Kathy Rosenow. At 7:30 a.m. in their home outside Cincinnati, their 14 adopted children, all under the age of 15, begin to roll out of or be carried out of bunk beds, triple bunk beds, and cribs. Most dress themselves, make their beds, and start on chores: scrubbing toilets, vacuuming, sorting laundry. Three of the Rosenow's four adult biological children still live at home. They help get some of the younger and less-abled kids up and going.The adopted children come from five countries—China, Haiti, Guatemala, Bolivia, and Romania—and have varying levels of disability. Three have spina bifida. Two have brain damage. One is blind. Some come from previous failed adoptions—but they've finally found a home.
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The Rosenows first started thinking about adoption when they heard years ago a radio program with former major league pitcher Tim Burke and his wife Christine discussing their adoptions. As the Rosenows studied the lives of Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Martin Luther, and William Tyndale, they became convinced that they wanted to "stand for the things that are important to Christ." Eventually that led to adoption.Kathy says it is frustrating to know "the world is so very full of orphans, and no matter how hard we work we are barely scratching the surface in the vast ocean of need. We are forced to keep our eyes on the Author of our story."Read the whole article here here.
