I am the one who commented on someone's FB status last night. I'm the one who typed it.
Lord, break my heart for what breaks Yours.
Something I said rather flippantly. I mean, yes, Lord, break my heart. Make me tender to Your needs and wishes. Yes, I want to be used by God.
I didn't think He'd call me out on it today. But He did.
My heart is literally sitting on
THIS BLOG.
(The words in italics are some from her blog. I summarized some of the content.)
This is Vanya.
Vanya is eight years old, living in an Eastern European orphanage.
His mother led an immoral life. She could not take care of her son, so Vanya was living without even the basic necessities of life and was removed from her care. His father refuses to acknowledge his existence--he will not accept this little boy as his son and has chosen to leave him in the orphanage.
According to those at the orphanage, Vanya is a sweet little leader. And he loves to be loved. Who doesn't?
My heart. This is where God broke me.
Not a day goes by without Vanya asking his caretakers if someone is coming for him yet? Has he been chosen? Will it be his turn next? He has seen countless young children being adopted all around him.
Friends, a report from a missionary who knows Vanya states that he believes that one day someone will come for him. He believes that some day he will have a family to love him and he will get to live in a "real home." It's a dream he believes WILL come true.
Here's the reality--Vanya is on a list to be transferred from his current orphanage. Once an orphan reaches a certain age, they are usually transferred to a heinous mental institution for older children and adults. Vanya will be transferred any day now, and no one knows where he will be moved to. It is an undisclosed place from which he will never be able to be adopted. Vanya will live the rest of his childhood in this place and when he is old enough to be released, well, who knows what awaits him?
All of this and he's eight. EIGHT.
Vanya has two things against him. He is an older child, and not very many people are willing to take in the older kiddos. And second, Vanya is HIV+. Although many perceptions of the disease have changed over the years thanks to the amazing efforts of ministries like Project Hopeful, there is still quite a lot of ignorance regarding raising a child who is infected. Most people just do not know. They have no idea that it really is a do-able thing and that these kids deserve families just as much as others.
I'm going to be WAY vulnerable here. This need, this thing they call HIV+ is something that has been weighing on my heart for some time. I have been talking to God about this. It was a need we had never considered before. Not because we were afraid of those three little letters. But because we it was so unknown. Some reasearch, reading, praying, reading, praying, and reading about it, only made me realize that it is a need that is SO manageable.
Am I saying Vanya is ours? That's not up to me.
Am I saying we would take a child that had HIV+? Yes. Without hesitation. There would have to be a lot of education done for others.
Then, there are people like my friend Audrey who has adopted a little guy from the same country as Vanya. This is what she said about HIV adoption:
"It is TOTALLY do-able. Our son is healthy and wonderful. We visit his doctors every three months for a checkup and he takes meds twice a day. Other than that, HIV doesn't affect our lives at all. Jacob turned seven two weeks after we brought him home so we have done the older child adoption thing too. He is a blessing to our family and I CANNOT imagine what our lives would have been like if we had said no to this very special guy."
Vanya is on an anti-retroviral drug and is doing fabulously well.
Time is crucial. Vanya needs a committed family before he is transferred. We're racing against the clock here. The problem is that adoption costs money--and heaps of it. I hate it, but there is nothing that can be done about it. We call it ransom. Most families who adopt do not have the $25,000+ lying around to cover the adoption costs, so they fundraise. They work day and night to raise the funds that they require. It is hard work but the reward is priceless.
Therefore, Adeye, has set up
this fundraiser! There's more! Read below!
The Eli Project is an incredible ministry who is advocating for Vanya. It is founded by Chris and Mary Malone. I love these guys. They have such huge hearts for the orphan. They adopt the children that no one else wants--those who are overlooked and in dire need of being rescued. They truly are an amazing family. The Malone's walk the walk. I love that about them.
The Eli Project is a 501(c)3. I have set up a Chip-In where donations can be made. Each and every dollar will go directly into Vanya's adoption grant fund right here at the Eli Project. That money will all be given to his family to cover his adoption costs. All donations are tax deductible.
Now you can head to her blog to find out the rest.
Friends, you will not want to miss out on this. You will forever impact the kingdom of God.
And spread the word. The more people who see sweet Vanya, the better chances for his family to find him!
Maybe it's because I just lost a gorgeous little boy a week ago today. A little guy that I thought would be so much fun to watch grow up and become a man of God. But Vanya has my heart. Another little boy who deserves so much. Who deserves to be loved. And a wonderful woman who is helping raise the ransom for him. I cannot wait to see who he becomes.
Thanks, God. You broke my heart for what breaks Yours. A silly little guy who wants to be loved.
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