Today I was watching my friends with their adopted and "home-grown" children at huge church picnic we had. I was remembering the stories they told me about their adoptions and the effort, sacrifice and faith it took to bring these children home. I thought about my other friends that are waiting to adopt, several in different phases of the process. I considered my own adoption and what it took for my parents to bring me home from the foster care system. I thought about how much hope there is in the act of adoption. Hope to bring home a child, hope to bring healing and health, hope for the child to have a family and hope to see that child grow and know our Father who has also adopted us.
But adoption is also about parenting and parenting is challenging! It is a long journey that is full of hope, but also tests our strength and faith at times. Parenting kids from hard places, children who have been through hurt, trauma and loss that most adults could not bear is a great challenge and a great calling. It it is far more intense than bringing the child home. It is nothing less than healing for the whole child. And the healing that we desire for our children is a process and it is anchored in real hope.
Our hope for our children is similar to the hope that God has for us. We are His adopted, often traumatized and certainly attachment deficient children. He uses a balance of nurture, tender mercies and structure. He continually leads us into relationship with Him. In parenting our children we too must lead our children intentionally, firmly and lovingly into a relationship of trust and healing. In doing so our children are able to discover real life-changing hope.
That's very inspiring, Michelle! It's true that adoption, same as raising your own child, is one of the most challenging duties in a person's life. But every challenge has indeed a fruitful reward, particularly when you see the child you have claimed as your own growing up to be a wonderful person.
ReplyDeleteAiko Dumas