Is Adoption God's "Plan B"?

He was a young Australian man, full of conviction.  I spoke to him upon passing today...This morning I heard him say some of the most profound words and a thought provoking statement ever spoken to me before.

"It doesn't make sense to me...Why do Christians say  'PRO-LIFE'... choose 'Adoption Not Abortion!!!'  And yet not step up to the plate and adopt the babies into their own homes???  They encourage pregnant women to not abort her baby and choose the adoption option instead. But where do the babies go???...Orphanages..foster homes....on the streets...???  Why do Christians talk so much about saving babies lives...yet not provide homes for the babies to grow up in?  How can we promote pro-life and not be willing ourselves to adopt a child into our own home?  It doesn't make sense..."

I left the conversation...inspired, yet discouraged at the same time.  I never thought of that before...ever.  I spent many a time speaking up against abortion.  I have encouraged  women to keep their babies in the womb and find a family to adopt her baby.  But he was right...where are all the "saved" babies going?
With that question in the back of your mind, I want to tell you a story.  This story is not to brag.  It is not to say anything that puts myself or anyone else on a pedestal.  It is simply a story that I believe needs to be told. 

Friends of ours that we love and respect, adopted three siblings a few years ago.  They decided to do foster care.  After fostering the sibling group, ages 4 and under, they couldn't live without those kids!   Their lives were forever changed!  We saw first hand how amazing it was to see God's fingerprints over those kids lives!  They were taken from a sad situation and are now walking, living examples of God's redemptive plan! This family challenged us to the core!  Why hadn't we adopted?  Why was I so afraid of foster care?  Why  was I letting fear dictate my life?  We needed to step out in faith and do what we were called to do!  We couldn't walk away from our friends story unchanged.  We were guilty.  We were comfortable in our family of five.  We had 2 girls and one boy.  We didn't think we could handle another child????  But over much wrestling in my mind...things changed.  I prayed and asked God that if we were to adopt, than make my husband want  to adopt too!  That didn't take long!  We couldn't afford international adoption, so my husband decided that we should pursue adoption through the Department of Social Services  (DPSS). And we did.  It was scary.  But we did it!

Over one year ago, we adopted a tiny, newborn African-American baby girl.   She was given to us because her mom chose adoption instead of abortion.  Our baby girl was NOT God's "Plan B". Our fourth child is God's "plan A." This is the true reality: ADOPTION IS GOD'S "PLAN A!"  It wasn't because of a mistake that our sweet girl came to us.  It is not a mistake that she is black and we are white. God chose her to be adopted into our family from the beginning of time.  She was created to be in the Cherry family.  And since that time, we have prayed that God would bring to us,  a white Christian family, that had an adopted a black child.  We feel that it is important that our adopted daughter be surrounded by other black children that she can relate to.  We have prayed for over one year.  And God has heard our prayers!

While I was praying for God to bring this family to us...a family was praying the same prayer 80 miles away.   After over a year of both families praying to meet another family in their same shoes...God answered our prayers.  We moved and found a wonderful, thriving church in our area. We are the only two white families at our church that have adopted a black child.  This white family has 4 biological white children and an adopted 18 mo. old, black, baby boy from an orphanage in Africa.  In spite of others opinions or the cost involved with international adoption, they reached out of their comfortable American life and pursued adoption, even though they have 4 children of their own, they had room for more! He is a handsome, strong, little chocolate chuck of love!   They named him Ezekiel.  He is God's "plan A!"  He is created for a purpose.  God brought Ezekiel into a family that will love him and cherish him always. God gave them the funds they needed and opened and closed doors to pick up their baby from Africa. The adoption process was not easy. It was a sacrifice well worth taking!  It was a risk well worth pursuing!  God turned in the husband's heart first to adopt...then shortly after...God turned the wife's heart towards adoption!  It is a miracle to witness the love that has occurred in this precious family!  Their biological children hug and hold Ezekiel like their very own!  Ezekiel is a fun character with lots of zest for life already!  What a sweet boy!  We just love him!
      
I am reading a book called, "In Their Own Voices".  It is a book on Transracial adoptees who tell their stories.  I was afraid that having a black child would be too difficult of a life for him or her because they weren't the same color as us.  God is proving me wrong!  His plan is always so different that what we think!  I want to share a quote from a black girl from Hollywood, adopted into a white family.  She says, "Discriminating against a child because of the color of her skin is disallowing a child a life.  I have been more places, done and seen more things, and received an amazing education more than people twice my age have done or will ever do, because I was adopted into my family, which happens to be white."

There are four families  at our church who have adopted.  I am thrilled beyond belief!  In our small church (apx.325 people)....families are adopting!   I can't wait to see that number grow!  I hope that when our children are grown up...adoption will be considered the normal.  I hope that as we walk the streets, mixed races in families will be accepted as normal!  I pray it is not a trend, but a conviction!  I pray that us Christians will rise up and invite children into our homes, regardless of their color, age or history!  May we be shaken to the core.  May our heart's be stirred to consider adoption as "God's Plan A".  And if you can not adopt, please pray and ask what you can do for children all around the world who need the gospel of Jesus and a place to call home.