27 Days

This morning, I want to tell you about a boy. 

His name is Brenton.

Isn't he sweetness?

Brenton has a very important birthday coming up and he needs us to help celebrate it for him.

Brenton turns 16 on October 7th.

You read that correctly, the little boy in the picture above is about to be 16 years old.

Brenton is living in a mental institution in Eastern Europe.

He's a tiny guy for nearly 16 years old and spends most of his time in a wheelchair.

Brenton has only recently been transferred to this Asylum for Boys.

He still has a lot of joy.

The harsh reality is this: Brenton, the bright, beautiful little boy you see above has waited for over 15 years to be chosen.

Now, we have 27 days. 27 days find a way to begin to redeem those lost 15 years.

What does Brenton need for his Birthday?

Family.

Specifically, a home study ready family, who can file their USCIS paperwork prior to Brenton's 16th Birthday on October 7th.

That's 27 days from now. 27 days for us to rise up and declare that Brenton is worth choosing. 

Brenton's pictures arrived in my message box, last night, with a plea to help. Within minutes tears were streaming down my face. This precious child has lost nearly 16 years, most of his childhood, because no one has seen him, until now. No one noticed Brenton until it was almost too late. 

Almost, but not. 

27 Days...

Brenton

27 days, Church, 27 days and then, this little light will be shut away for the rest of his life.

That's a lot of light to shut up in the darkness.

Unfortunately, I can tell you what will happen if we fail Brenton. The light will begin to fade. A family will miss out on the joy of a son. He will one day die alone, never knowing the love of family and friends.

Will you stand with me in the gap for Brenton?

Will you look at him and pray for him, like he belongs to you?

16 years is a long time to listen to the lie that you're unworthy, unloved, unwanted.

Let's change that for Brenton. Let's declare to the world that he is worthy, loved and wanted.

Help find Brenton's Family.

Share his picture, everywhere and with everyone that you can think of.

We have 27 days to find Brenton the best birthday gift possible.

Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...Do Something!

Hidden in Christ,
Mandy

Photo Listing

I've had a blogging break and now, I'm ready to come back. For those of you, who only get updates from the blog and aren't on Facebook, Klemi is home and doing wonderfully. She is a joy!

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...

Edgar

Tania

Corwyn

Blossom

Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...Do Something (useful)!

Hidden in Christ,

Mandy