Heart breaking decisions.......

I wasn't quite sure where I was going with this entry, but here goes.....

This train of thought started late September, when I received an e-mail from Ghana concerning a new baby and the difficult circumstances surrounding the little one. The request then was for prayer for the family involved. The past 2 weeks this little one's name has cropped up in more than one conversation / e-mail with friends in Ghana. Our prayers for the little one and family became "broader" as we started praying for foster families and wisdom for the officials involved, both Social Services and BH.

A very special blog posted by a friend in September talked about the act of love when families make the decision to have their child / children adopted. Having lived in Ghana, witnessing the desperate conditions under which some of the families live, this is their ultimate gift to a child that would otherwise not have much of a chance. Despite what the world says of Samuel's biological mother, I choose to believe that she loved him very much. Social circumstances and age old beliefs (throughout Africa) can force a family into making tragic decisions, thus my belief that her choice for him was life.

My heart aches for this specific father, and every other family member anywhere / every where, who has to make the decision of letting a child go because they want more for them. Our prayer for each of them is that they will find God's peace in their decision.

At the same time there are a host of people working in the trenches, finding a loving home for each of these little ones that cross their paths. They are passionate about God and what He expects of us in terms of the orphans of this world. They deal with authorities, red tape and more paperwork than you can imagine. And... they encourage, provide a shoulder to cry on when court dates, passports, etc.. don't happen as planned, help raise funds for adoption costs and deal with even more paperwork!

"Lord, my prayer today is a prayer of thanks for each of our children that you place in our homes. Let us never forget Lord that You had a plan for them right from the moment that they were created, despite worldly circumstances. Strengthen those Lord that walk alongside an orphan; fill them with Your wisdom as they guide families (biological and forever) and open doors as they deal with paperwork. Lord, open our eyes and hearts to recognise a need and stir in us a desire to make a difference."