“We need a battalion of Christians ready to adopt, foster, and minister to orphans. But that means we need Christians ready to care for real orphans, with all the brokenness and risk that comes with it. We need Christians who can reflect the adopting power of the gospel, which didn’t seek out a boutique nursery but a household of ex-orphans who were found wallowing in our own blood, with Satan’s genes in our bloodstreams.”
Russell D. Moore
This piece was published today on the Gospel Coalition website. It is beautifully written by an adoptee on her understanding of adoption – both our vertical adoption by God as well as vertical adoption in this life.
Be sure to also watch the video clip at the end, where Marissa shares the way their family came to know Christ and the Gospel through the girl appointed as her nanny.
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/11/21/the-ridiculous-grace-of-adoption/
“At the end of the day, welcoming and encouraging adoption is not about making a social statement or engineering diversity. It is about the body of Christ awakening to the indicatives of the gospel and seeing its implications. “
Justin Taylor
We were orphans
destitute without a family
We were fatherless
exposed, extorted and alone
We wandered hopeless in the wilderness
blind and poor, entangled by our sin
Where is mercy for the orphan
hope found for the lost?
At the Father heart of God
there is mercy for the orphan found
In love He searched us out
washed us clean, paid our debt, and made us new
His Name now on our hearts in costly ink
the ransom price paid with His blood
His mercy spans across divides broad and wide
home eternal in Him is found
Called his children now forevermore
we cry ABBA Father to our most High God
Work in us this same love we pray
to offer mercy for the orphan cry
May we in some small way
live this great mercy found in you
to let the little children come
as we had grace to come to you
“….God is graciously involved in our adoptions. He has done it Himself. He knows what it costs. And He stands ready to support us all the way to the end.”
John Piper
A snapshot diary of our first 3 days with Siya!
Thursday 10:30
Siya let loose into our care. A special thank you to New Beginningz Baby Haven for taking care of him for his first 9 weeks of life! This is a special place with special people taking care of special little people who have nowhere else to go. A big thank you also to our social worker, Letitia van den Berg, who facilitated the whole process so smoothly.
Thursday 16:00
Many welcome hello’s to Siya from family and friends!
Friday 09:00
Nina is loving up little brother Siya! Family day at home. Getting settled with each other.
Saturday 16:30
Van Zyl family day to welcome little Siya – thank you so much. It means more than words can say!
Sunday 15:30
Swanepoel family day to welcome little Siya –Â Â thank you so much. It really means more than words can say!
It’s been 3 days since Siya came home and so far so good! He is a relaxed baby and is getting used to the new home and new routine. Nina is super-excited about having a baby brother to look after. We are grateful for the way she is handling her new sibling. God has been gracious to us!
We are grateful to announce that Siya came home today – to his Forever Family! We praise God for this miracle of adoption and that we can be parents to this very precious baby!
“My friends, adoption is redemption, it’s costly, exhausting, expensive and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him.“
Derek Loux
How do you squeeze 9 months of preparation into 3 weeks?
If all goes according to plan, Siya will come home on Thursday! That’s just 3 weeks after we heard about this little boy’s existence.
Its been an emotional time for our family as we’ve had to pray and prepare our hearts, minds and home for this baby who will be our son in just a few more days. Its been excitement mixed with nervous anticipation – excited to bring another child into our family but also a little anxious at times about what the future may hold for all of us
This may well be one of the most difficult and complex decisions we’ve ever had to make. By God’s grace however, we are filled with a reassuring sense of peace knowing that He has already chosen each child for our family.
At almost 9 weeks Siya is a healthy happy-chappy-baby-boy. His first few weeks of life were spent at the New Beginningz Baby Haven. We’ve been privileged to meet him before the 60-day waiting period is over. This has given us important time to spend with Siya before the placement. If you only have 3 weeks to prepare every day helps!
Bubbling with excitement Nina, our 3-year old daughter, is counting down the days to her baby brother’s homecoming. Proud of becoming an older sister she’s already assuming a demanding motherly role insisting that Siya stays in her care for the duration of our visits. We are bound for interesting times ahead!
These 3 weeks have been emotionally exhausting and deeply precious. It has given us time to settle our fears, to pray, to be reminded of why we adopt and to be encouraged by the stories of others.
Siya – our son – we’re ready for you.
Across Divides 