Leaving the orphanage
I have been struggling with something that is quite the hot topic in the adoption community. It has been for quite some time. The topic is Photo Listing. Some countries allow photo listing and others do not. Some that don't are very relaxed and know that photo listing happens here in the USA of their available children. They could stop it if they chose to, by simply not photo listing children on a public database in their country. Password protection people, it's all the rage these days...
However, very sadly, in the adoption community, there have been many Christian people who are attacking each other over Photo Listing and the ethics behind it. One side argues that the end justifies the means and the other side argues that as Christians we should not be breaking the law of another government. This has been going on for months, that have added up into years, now. Isn't it just like Satan to take such a useful thing and use it to tear believers apart. Sigh.
For months, I have been frozen over this topic. I have prayed, sought Godly counsel, prayed some more and read my Word. I have been double-minded over the ethics and the law versus the good that comes from photo listing. Last night, around 3:00 am, I heard clearly from God about this.
Today, I am taking my stand. Here's what I believe. I believe, and the Word supports this with stories like the ones of Moses and Rahab, that sometimes, we disobey the laws of a country for the good of the people living in it. Photo listing a child is the best way to find an orphan a family. I have advocated for many children, who have families, today, because they were photo listed. I cannot believe that God, who is merciful to the orphan, would have left them where they were to die alone, because we needed to follow the laws of their country. No way!
We shouted for Bernadette and now, she lives here in our small town, with her family. Her time was running out in her country, she would have gone to an adult mental institution and been unadoptable forever. Her parents saw her photo and went to get her.
Should we have left the Jews in concentration camps, because that's what German law provided for? Should Daniel have stopped praying 3 times a day, because his earthly King said to. Should the 3 Hebrew boys have bowed before the idol to avoid the furnace? Should Moses' Mother have killed her newborn son, because the King declared it? No, no, no, no.
People, this is the same thing. God's law trumps man's law. End of story.
Photo listing children finds them families. It just does. Ultimately, we are to be about the Father's business. His business involves setting the lonely in families. I have seen Him use a picture of a child to change the hearts of men, to move mountains, to find families. I will be continuing to advocate for children. I will use their pictures. I will pray that God will bless our efforts to find them families. This is where I will take my stand, on the side of the children, who have no voice.
Please, consider joining me here. Because they're waiting and they shouldn't have to wait while we argue over ridiculous things.
These are still waiting...
Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...Do Something (useful)!
Hidden in Christ,
Mandy
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. God's law trumps man's law. End of story. AGREED!!!!
ReplyDeleteJulia Nalle
Mandy, more than a year after a friend went to Pleven and obtained Tommy's birthdate for us, we found out that it wasn't technically legal for them to give her his birthdate in order to look for him on the MOJ registry. If that law, which is supposedly in the best interest of the children (?) had been followed, Tommy would not be here at home with us. Hmmm, funny, it looks like God broke man's law.
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