Today is an important day in America. It's Election Day. What a blessing to live in a nation where I have a voice and a vote, especially as a woman. I take this obligation seriously and I hope that my US readers over 18 will as well.
But upon waking up this morning, God reminded me that no matter who wins today, He is still sovereign.
And I will be glad when today is over. I am tired of the mudslinging and the lies. And I am sick over the billions that all those running have spent to win today. Yes, the election is important, but there are so many other things that are more important. Our society ignores them, doesn't want to see. Won't spend money on.
I am going to include disturbing images in today's post. If you do not want your world changed, if you just want to think about the election, then close this website now.
This is a picture from the orphanage my girls are in. Things are changing there for the better, but there are still plenty of institutions around the world, where children are caged. Yes, caged. We get upset when we see animals treated this way. But these are children! Made in God's own image! Where is the outcry? Where are the billions of dollars being donated to the families who are trying to rescue them?
In China toddlers are tied to a potty chair ALL DAY so that the understaffed orphanages do not have to deal with them. I have seen video of this. The older children come by and beat them and the toddlers are defenseless. This my friends is my Owen. He is 16 months old and had he been born in China and unwanted, instead of running around my house all day, he would be tied up in one place, his spirit and body broken. It hearts my heart so much that I have trouble breathing sometimes.
Even worse are dying rooms. Here unwanted Chinese orphans are tied to their beds and left to starve. Don't believe me? Here is a link to the BBC film which documents it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE-U_Pq80OA&feature=rellist&playnext=1&list=PLC6D6D3A0AA29B7B6
This is the first part of four, so make sure you see them all.
These precious ones have been labeled "not worth it." Not worth the time or money to feed or love or eductate. For the boy or girl on the bottom (can you even tell at this point?), not worth getting out of bed, ever.
The reality of physically and mentally challenged children abandoned in Eastern Europe is that turning four is a virtual death sentence. From ages birth through four they live in a babyhouse. Some of these are horrible, but some are decent. The staff loves on the babies and does the best they can. But at age four, if they have not been adopted, they are sent to an adult mental institution. Yes, you read that correctly. Four year olds are sent to live with mentally disabled adults. Many do not survive. If they do, it is to live life in a crib or sitting in a chair with nothing to do all day but bang their heads into the bars of their crib or chew on the their tongue. Here is a before and after pic of Sonny. He is available for adoption through Reece's Rainbow.
The little redheaded darling lived at his babyhouse until he was four. You can see how he is being treated now that he has been tranferred. The stories of the screaming children being pulled from the nanny's arms as they are taken from the only home they have ever known are enough to destroy you.
Friends, God has made it very clear that these precious ones ARE our responsibility.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
Psalm 82:3
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
Psalm 10:18
To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
I could post over FORTY more. God is serious about this! His heart is broken for the least of these!
There is so much we can do. This is not one of those situations where you see suffering and think "I can't do anything about that." We can! Here's how:
1) Adopt! No, not everyone is in a place that they can add a child to their family. There are age restrictions and poverty guidelines. But sometimes restrictions are waived for special needs children, so if God is placing this on your heart, ask!
I know that adoption can be scary. Believe me, I know. But I also know that there is nothing more important in this life than rescuing a child from being alone in this world and giving them a family!
2) Advocate! Got a Facebook or a blog? How about an email? Ok, a voice? If so, you can spread the word about these children. Log on to
www.reecesrainbow.com and choose a child to advocate for. Share him or her with your Facebook friends. Tell others about the need. It doesn't cost anything!
3) Give! Maybe you can't adopt for one reason or another. But if God has blessed you materially, you can give! There are so many families who are willing to adopt but just can't afford it. Help them! Donate to a nonprofit that is going into an orphanage and making a difference. Here are two:
Maya's Hope (
http://mayashope.org/) and the Pleven Medical Fund (
http://www.eliproject.org/donations/pleven-medical-fund/).
4) Pray! This is the most important! Spend time on your knees before God praying for the plight of the orphan. Choose a specific child to pray for. Tape his or her picture on your refrigerator. Choose a family to pray over. I can't tell you how attacked most families are once they step up and decide to adopt. Sometimes their family is not supportive. Sometimes everything seems to breakdown in their house all at once. Sometimes obstacle after obstacle is put in their way by the child's country. You can pray for them!
Go vote today. But today and tomorrow and the next day, think about what really matters.
