Summer with Vanda

What a summer this has been! When we started this process of hosting, we had said we would be open to what God had for us. If you stop and think about that statement, it can get rather scary. God does some crazy things with “ordinary” people (not that we consider ourselves ordinary). We are extremely thankful for one of our prayer partners willing to be real with us and share some concerns about adopting Vanda, per the

following:

• Is this a good time? Can we swing this financially? Are we busy enough already?
• Can adoptions hurt a marriage? What about the needs of our current children?
• Beth has a stressful job and I am starting a new full time job as a teacher and still going to school.
• What about the extra expenses of food, clothing, medical?

When we ask for prayer partners this is what we hope for, people to love us and tell us what they see.

I also had a member of our church tell us some of their experiences with a recent adoption and some possible problems similar to the above list. His final synopsis was something like "I don't know how any marriage can survive with any adoption if Christ is not at the center".

The other side of the scale is to look at Vanda. She is seeking a family and has been for 12 years. She was placed in an orphanage at age two. She is precious, loving, adventuresome, teachable, and is trusting God. Two years from now, she will age out of the system and be on her own to provide herself with food and shelter. Tell me, what can a 16-year-old girl do to provide for herself in an economically depressed country, one who enjoys drawing and doing puzzles? There are options but they are few and some lead to destructive ends. In spite of the years without parents to love and support her, she has maintained a sweet, although very quiet and reserved, disposition. During her time with us; she has connected with us, and seems willing to accept our parenting of her. Anyone can connect with Beth, but Vanda looks to me as well. (That itself is somewhat amazing.)

In my searching of scriptures, I found a lot about defending the fatherless, and seeing that they are cared for. Now that does not necessarily mean adopting orphans, but it is clear God want us to look after them, seeing that they are not neglected or taken advantage of. Here aer some of the verses I found. (all NIV)

Deuteronomy 10:18 - He defends the cause of the fatherless and the
widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

Deuteronomy 24:17 - Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice…

Psalm 10:18 - defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order
that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Psalm 68:5 - A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God
in his holy dwelling.

Psalm 82:3 - Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the
rights of the poor and oppressed.

James 1:27  - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and
faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

The last verse is what speaks loudest to us. We don’t have great finances to fund an adoption, and the events that have led Vanda here are amazing in and of themselves, truly God's leading and calling. We DO have some experience with teenagers having two homes (Brenden and Sarah); I am studying to be a teacher of teenagers, middle school at that, and the Community School of Davidson would be a perfect fit for her being a small school with special needs taken care of; and we have room in our hearts because of the love that Christ has given us. I hope you don’t mind my long way of saying we feel led to proceed with the adoption process for Vanda. Are we nervous? YES. Are we crazy? Perhaps. Are we trusting? YES!! The adoption process is long and costly and even uncertain. We will be applying for grants and donations and trusting that God will provide.

This is the wrap-up of our hosting adventure and on to an even greater adventure.

We will be asking for new prayer partners for our adoption process of Vanda. If you would like to join with us on this journey, please let us know, and I will add you to the list. Please see out Picasa site for pictures.

With joy in Christ,
Kirk and Beth, Alyssa

(Sarah has met Vanda via Skype, and Brenden has spent some time with us this summer as well)